I agree except that if you travel you need at least one fast wide for
those dim interior shots.
Winsor
Long Beach, California
USA
On May 30, 2004, at 4:29 PM, Jim Brokaw wrote:
> on 5/29/04 10:14 PM, Ross Orr at voxbongo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
>> So, I joined the Olympus list about 6 months ago. . . And tonight,
>> out of some perverse curiosity, I added up the total price for all
>> the OM gear I've bought since then. I thought I had been getting some
>> reasonable xBay deals, so I was mortified to discover I had topped
>> $700 USD!
>>
>
> snippo...
>
>>
>> Your thoughts?
>>
>> -- Ross
>>
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>> "Do something foolish once, and it's a mistake.
>> Do it repeatedly and it's a philosophy."
>
> Ross, you're not trying very hard...
>
> I think there are some really good cost/value choices to be made. The
> slow
> wide angles e.g. 21/3.5, 24/2.8, 28/2.8, 35/2.8 all make a lot more
> economic
> sense than the fast wides... typically they sell for half or less than
> the
> equivalent f2.0 focal length. If you aren't using that lens wide open,
> the
> difference in performance is probably undetectable under normal image
> viewing conditions.
>
> On to the telephoto end, I think there are some good bargains in the
> aftermarket 80-200 zoom lens arena. I have a couple (heh...) choices
> in this
> range, and here again, stopped down to typical outdoor use f-stops
> like f5.6
> to f11 they perform as well as is needed. Buying one lens that covers
> the
> range is more economic than having (and carrying...) three or four
> primes
> between 85 and 200 focal length.
>
> If you go with primes, I think an aftermarket 90 macros, either the
> Vivitar
> 90/2.5 Series 1, or the Tamron 90/2.8 are a better economic choice
> than the
> Zuiko 85/2.0. Not as fast, but you get closer focusing instead. OTOH,
> the
> 85/2.0 -is- one of my favorite lenses... Then the Zuiko 100/2.8 is
> definitely a bargain compared with the Zuiko 100/2.0, probably 1/4 the
> cost
> or less. I think if you want a moderate telephoto an even better
> bargain is
> the Zuiko 135/3.5, which handles very nicely and stopped down is as
> sharp as
> the 135/2.8 or other choices thereabouts, yet will cost only 1/2 what
> the
> 100/2.8 costs... The Zuiko 75-150/4.0 is a handy choice at current
> prices if
> you think a zoom with that range is a good substitute for primes. It
> was
> part of my original OM kit way back when. If you find a good Zuiko
> 65-200/4.0 I think it makes more sense for ~$200 than a 200/4.0 for
> $125 or
> so, but looking at that range and cost in a zoom I'd keep looking for
> either
> the Tamron 80-200/2.8 or the Tokina 80-200/2.8. Bigger and heavier, but
> gains a full stop for not much more money, and they are very sharp and
> usable all through the focal length range.
>
> So my kit would look like this:
>
> 21/3.5; 24/2.8; 35/2.8; or you could cover the widest end of the range
> with
> a 18-28 zoom, either the Samyang or the Phoenix/Vivitar. Both are less
> than
> half the cost of the Zuiko 21/3.5 and stopped down will look as good
> as the
> other Zuikos. The 35/2.8 is a true bargain, usually less than $80 and
> a very
> good lens.
>
> For the normal lens, a MiJ 50/1.8 is a no-brainer. That 1/2 stop wide
> open
> isn't much, its still easy to focus, and a sharp as all get-out when
> closed
> down.
>
> Then either the one big fast zoom (Tamron or Tokina) or three primes:
> 90/2.5
> (Vivitar or Tamron); Zuiko 135/3.5; Zuiko 200/4.0. You could cover the
> tele
> range with something like a Vivitar 85-205/4.5 or similar from Tokina
> or
> Tamron instead at some considerable cost savings. The Vivitar
> 85-205/3.8 I
> got for $25... that's not a price where you need to even think about
> it.
>
> Of course building a kit this way is not what I actually did... so
> your $700
> seems like a long time ago and a few (heh...) lenses back... but I can
> stop
> any time. Really. I can! I can so...!
> --
>
> Jim Brokaw
> OM-'s of all sorts, and no OM-oney...
>
>
> I finally got my 'short list' short, but now I'm really short -- of
> cash...
>
>
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