The Bogen 3001 base is a decent tripod for low-level work. I
prefer it for most of my macro work. I did modify the leg stop
tabs (have grinder will travel) to get the tripod to settle down
much lower than factory. (in fact, with mine the legs will now
go inverted).
Gitzo and Benbo make nice tripods too.
Oh, for low-level macro work, the tripod head is the most
critical componant. You want one that keeps as low of a profile
as possible.
The OM-4(Ti) vs OM-2S debate is a good one. I've got an OM-4
and the OM-2S. For B&W work I much prefer the OM-4 because of
the multi-spot metering. (meter high, meter low, meter mid
point, move dots around in manual exposure mode to keep both
extremes within the +/- 2 stop ticks). But otherwise, the OM-2S
is a much more "slick" camera to use. The ability to preset a
manual exposure (outdoor sunlight's sunny-16) and then flip it
to auto and back and forth is simply amazing. It's like having
two cameras in one. I rarely ever blow an exposure with the
OM-2S.
It comes down to working methods and subject matter. To me, the
OM-2S is a much better handling camera than the OM-4x. But when
stuck on a tripod and using B&W film, the OM-4x gives metering
features that are quite superior. For what it's worth, my
darkroom meter by RH Designs operates almost identically to the
OM-4x.
The OM-2S has one other extremely slick feature: In manual
exposure mode, the meter is continous spot meter. It's way easy
to just swing the camera across several points of interest and
eyeball the meter reading. No button presses necessary.
The OM-2S has the metering scale on the left vs the bottom. I
actually prefer the left side. It matches the direction of the
exposure controls for one thing. Another thing is that I can
see the meter movement through my peripheral vision and not have
to "read" anything. I just know where I want the meter to be
and I can see where it is at without moving my eye. The OM-2(n)
is similar in this aspect with an actual needle.
I've never been able to understand exactly why, but the OM-2S
feels different in the hand than the OM-4. Both are nearly
identical. It's similar to how the OM-2n feels different than
the OM-2S.
Don't sell the OM-2S short. You didn't do wrong getting the
5050. But you didn't do right not getting the OM-4Ti either.
In my book the OM-2S is the finest OM body made because of the
balance between features and ultimate control efficiency. This
is a "blindfold" camera if there ever was one. To bad they
never made a titanium bodied version with low battery drain.
AG
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