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[OM] Re: What OM lenses do you use on your E body - what for & how often

Subject: [OM] Re: What OM lenses do you use on your E body - what for & how often?
From: Chuck Norcutt <chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2006 15:20:55 -0400
Sounds like me as I contemplated first an E-1, then a 20D, then a 7D for 
awhile discrading all notions of OM lenses and finally settling on the 
5D which resolved a lot of questions.

Based on what I shoot to make money I need the 28-80 and 80-200 range as 
fast (2.8) autofocus lenses.  So far I've only bought the 28-80 since 
the 80-200 I intended to buy was discontinued and I'm searching for a 
used one.  I already let two good ones slip through my fingers.  But 
I've not been under any pressure there since I'm always able to borrow a 
lens from a friend although I sometimes have to settle for f/4 if he's 
using his 2.8.  I still have all of my Oly mount glass which is mostly 
useless on the 5D since it mostly duplicates that same range and is too 
cumbersome to bother with for other than slow and deliberate shooting.

What I do have that's useful is a 17/3.5 Tokina, 24/2.8 Zuiko, 50/3.5 
Zuiko macro, 90/2.5 Vivitar macro with 1:1 adapter and 85-250/5 Zuiko. 
I don't use this range much to begin with and once I get below 28mm I'm 
in the territory where I tend to be rather slow and contemplative so 
manual focus/diaphragm doesn't matter to me (except for forgetting to 
close down all the time).  Same with the macro lenses.  As for the 
85-250/5 Zuiko it's simply the longest lens I have except for mirror 
lenses of 500 and 2000mm.  I'd like to own something longer than 250 but 
given that I've done without it for 40 years I probably won't be rushing 
out to buy something.  And as Moose has so recently pointed out I guess 
I can crop my 5D images from the 200mm when I get one and treat it like 
a 320mm on the small sensor camera I didn't buy.  :-)

Ultimately, I think I'll buy something like the Tamron 28-300 like Moose 
has for a general purpose walk-around lens.  The 80-200/2.8's are three 
pounds all by themselves and combined with the 2 lbs of the camera body 
ar too much to carry around all day except when you're forced to as in 
an all day, all night event.  What I've got and intend to get are 
anything but general purpose lenses.

If I were going to buy an E-thing or a D30, either of which can take OM 
glass, I wouldn't bother to keep anything except macros and very long 
lenses just as I've already done... the things where slow to setup, 
focus and shoot doesn't matter.  My 17 and 24 are very useful on the 5D 
but would be next to useless on a smaller sensor.  If I were to buy an 
E-thing I think my first purchase would be the 14-54 and if I bought a 
30D my first purchase would likely be a 17-something.  Either lens would 
obviate my 17 and 24mm lenses.  There are lots of other brands besides 
OM that can be adapted to the Canyon third party digital backs and that 
might be a consideration if you have some non-OM gear kicking about.

When I was seriously thinking 20D before getting the 5D my lens choices 
would have been Tokina 12-24/4 (very good optics), Tamron 17-50/2.8 and 
then possibly the Sigma 50-150/2.8 (but I don't know anything about this 
lens).  The three would cover about 98% of my photography with an 
equivalent focal length range of 19-240mm.  For the equivalent on the 5D 
I'd need soemthing in the 17-35 range or possibly the Tokina 20-35/2.8 
if I can find one at a good price.  Don't really need it much though and 
I'm in no hurry.

Decisions, decisions.  Money, money.  It's just money.

Chuck Norcutt


Jim Couch wrote:

> As I contemplate a possible move to digital I am pondering what of my OM 
> stuff to keep. (Much would need to be sold to finance the move.) I am 
> wondering which OM lenses folks are using on their E series bodies and 
> for what purpose/use. As I contemplate my current stable I don't much 
> point to keeping any of my OM lenses other than maybe my macros. With 
> the magnification factor the WA lenses would seem to not have much use, 
> and on the longer lenses I think I would want the auto focus capability. 
> (As I age my eyes just don't seem to be what they used to be!) I am 
> curious what OM lenses those of you who have an E series body are 
> finding useful.
> 
> Jim Couch
> 
> 
> 
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