OMs - Trendy among Nikonians ?

[ruben]

I don't know if it is a new trend, but locally and at the net, I hear many Nikonians buying olympus OMs latetly, due to their compactness.

Interestingly, Maitani, at his last public interviews by 2001, before quiting his active post at Olympus, while lamenting not have been authorized by Olympus board to develope an OM5 auto focus, claimed his OM system still maintains a lot of value.

I myself, last days opened first time an OM2 for painting it black, and the inside gears and electronics and everything looks as new out of the factory !

Manufactured 25 years ago !
Cheers,
Ruben

[Andy K]

I love my OM-1n MD. Pocket size and fully capable. I am currently hunting a Zuiko 100mm f2 (http://mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/shared/zuiko/htmls/100mm.htm) to join it in its bag...

[VinceC]

I knew a newspaper photographer awhile back who had switched to Olympus because of the weight of Nikon bodies and lenses. On the other hand, I think most Nikon shooters in search of small lilghtweight bodies end up with an FM2/3. It's the same size as an RF body. The Series-E prime lenses are also very lightweight.

[nksyoon]

I am currently hunting a Zuiko 100mm f2 (http://mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/shared/zuiko/htmls/100mm.htm) to join it in its bag...

Hope you find one! I was looking as well but went for an 85/2 in the end. I have a CLA'd OM-1md bought from John Hermanson who's supposed to be the OM service guru.

[Trius]

I think GeneW is the only person I know who has bucked the trend, selling off his OM gear and getting a Nikon F3 or some such. I'm still giving him hell for that! :D

The 100/2.8 is a sweet lens, very compact and producing lovely images. But there are lots of Zuiko lenses that are easily as desirable, so your GAS has a fair amount of fuel once you get an OM.

Earl
OM1, OM1n, OM2, OM2N; 21/2.0 28/2.8 28/3.5 35/2.8 35/2.8 50/1.4 50/1.8 50/1.8MC 50/1.8miJ 100/2.8 100/2.8 300/4.5; Bellows T20 flash

Seeking 50/3.5 macro 200/4 85/2.0 35/2.0 24/2.0

[GeneW]

I think GeneW is the only person I know who has bucked the trend, selling off his OM gear and getting a Nikon F3 or some such. I'm still giving him hell for that! :D
Honest, that wasn't what gave me a heart attack :D

I *love* the F3. Just picked up a waist-level finder for it for shooting macros of flowers. Love those Nikkors too.

Gene

[Andy K]

Hope you find one! I was looking as well but went for an 85/2 in the end. I have a CLA'd OM-1md bought from John Hermanson who's supposed to be the OM service guru.

There is one on Ebay (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/OLYMPUS-OM-ZUIKO-100mm-F2-LENS-FREE-SHIP_W0QQitemZ7611182963QQcategoryZ3344QQssPageNam eZWD2VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) at the moment, but I currently do not have the spare funds.

[MikeyGaGa]

I have used OM cameras since 1974-THEYRE STILL WORKING. The OM-4T is a joy is use.

Other pro derided me for using them back them-"theyre half frame cameras;right?"
or"they must be delicate"

The TTL flash system(T-20;T-32;F280) was a life-saver;I shot publicity and documentary photos on slide film,with the client wanting lots of pix turned around in 24 hours. The OMs NEVER failed me. I used 28/2 .35/2 and 135/2,8 lenses or a 35 to 105 zoom

When I left pro work,I sold off everything but the bodies and a 35mm Shift lens.

The Zuiko lenses IMHO were excellent but not exceptional.

I now use a couple of Vivitar zooms for my amatuer work,but would like to acquire

a basic set again 28,35,zoom,135

Mikey Gaga

[Ken Ford]

I'm a hardcore Nikon guy since 1977 (I currently own multiple F2s, F3/MD4, F4E, FE, D1, and D70S bodies, with about two dozen lenses), but I can also appreciate OM stuff. Enough so, in fact, that I picked up an OM1n and OM2n bodies recently, along with a 24 and a 135.

Sweet handling quiet SLRs, well suited for street shooting!

[yossarian]

I love my OM-1n MD. Pocket size and fully capable. I am currently hunting a Zuiko 100mm f2 (http://mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/shared/zuiko/htmls/100mm.htm) to join it in its bag...

Never give up--the 100/2 is one of the finest lenses ever. The one I had was actually
sharper than my Planar 85/1.4.

Fred

[yossarian]

Earl,

Before shelling out for a 24/2 please contact me. As for the 35/2, screw the Summicron, the Zuiko KICKS ITS ASS!

Fred

[NIKON KIU]

but locally and at the net, I hear many Nikonians buying olympus OMs latetly, due to their compactness.
Where did you hear that??!!
Lots of rumors :D Personally, I wouldn't be caught dead with one of those.
Kiu

[ruben]

Where did you hear that??!!
Lots of rumors :D Personally, I wouldn't be caught dead with one of those.
Kiu

Dear Friend,
Unfortunately I have no degree in Sociology science, nor Statistics. Nor am I imlying Olympus is better (and in my personal opinion Nikon is better, without any need to post a question mark). Nor I can understand you sitting on the mighty, historical and prestigeous Nikon suddenly getting some hard feelings because of a thread. Such a weakness with such a might ?

The mere facts that Nikon lenses are mountable along Nikon camera evolution for some 40 years or more, on one hand, and that Olympus vetoed it genious Maitani in further developing the OM line (the best Olympus has ever had), on the other hand - these are enough proof about my awareness on the differences about the two companies. After Maitani, Olympus has no much a future and it is a question of time when they will merge, or rather be eaten by Konica-Minolta or whatsoever. For my great joice after they betrayed their skills master. (And if they just could take Kodak in their way down, the world will look quite perfect for me)

As for the "trendy", I was just checking the water, since my local buddie in my country made such a moove, and at some postings at the Olympus forum of Photonet, a few posts were from former Nikonians asking about how-to with this or that Oly. No one is deserting Nikon, don't worry please, NOW IT'S NOT OLYMPUS, but some Nikonians are buying used OMs and some lenses for their compactness, light weight and satisfactory performance. I thing along this thread there is another Nikonian claiming the same. So I can count them all with my fingers.

At some moment these few people begun to call my attention and then I posted what I posted.

Will you sleep good this night after my clarification ?
Best Regards,
Ruben

[NIKON KIU]

OK may be if it is an OM4 Ti.....
Don't take it too seriously...the Mighty Nikon Logo may go soon....I don't like it too much.
Kiu

[MikeyGaGa]

Why argue? I used both systems professionally and actually didnt prefer one over the other,but...

for handheld publicity/documentary work,the OM offered the easier and faster system;the OTF flash was a great help. For jobs where I felt I needed to carry a lot of gear to cover any situation,the OMs shone.

When the camera needed to be on a tripod(I used to shoot a lot of paintings,gallery installation and step by step stuff,I prefered the Nikon.

Nikons(but not nikkormats!) were really the only camera with a 100% accurately framed viewfinder to film frame image. The OMs about 96% This was important to me.

think about the halycon days of photography-60s,70s,80s;most pro level camera were excellent.

P.S. I once acquired a Pentax 15mm F:3.5 and a 85/4 soft focus for $200 the pair.
I went out a got a Pentax K1000 for them-gear which paid for itself after 3 easy jobs(skyscraper lobby,airport baggage machine and a really knargly excutive who was beyond hard to look at). the K1000 was fully caple of pro images

IMHO;please dont beat up on me! Mikey GaGa

[Trius]

More than a couple of Canon 1Dx photographers have sought Olympus shift lenses, preferring them to all other shift lenses. I know one guy, a pro, who bought multiple copies of the 24 shift (quite a few, as I recall) in order to get the best sample.

Gene: Keep the Killians flowing, and all is forgiven. Still not sure about the source of the cardiac event, though. :angel:

[ruben]

Dear MIKEY GAGA and TRIUS,
It seems that both of you are skipping my statement that Olympus was worth by what it did during Maitani times, no more. This is not the case with Nikon company. Nikon has been loyal to their advanced users and pros in an exemplary way.
While I invested my best money in Olympus gear, since the early ninties I was left with my tongue out. (Here we use to say with something in my mouth, but obviously it is not for print.)
Thus when I see all these advanced users buying digital Olympus DSLRs, I know what is waiting for them.

Cheers
Ruben

[Nikon Bob]

Hi, my name is Bob and I am a Nikonian although I don't frequent that site much anymore. I remember handling an Olympus OM1 and being impressed with it's size and it's bright easy to focus with VF. The cloth focal plane shutter was also very nice and quiet. I just could not talk myself into yet another SLR system. Altogether a very nice camera. Somebody else mentioned the Pentax 15mm/F3.5 lens, now that is a wonderful ultra wide. There is some really fine gear out there from various brands and the choices are tough.

Nikon Bob

[Trius]

Ruben: I wasn't trying to contradict you, I just stated some observations. I think Nikon products are generally very fine. And I certainly am not happy that Olympus abandonded OM users. And I do miss Maitani's hand in design.

Whether the 4/3s E System line survives or not is anyone's guess. I don't think you or anyone else can know for sure. It's a 50/50 guess, and just because we were abandonded once doesn't mean it will happen again.

On the other hand, my OMs are going strong over 30 years later, and I have no regrets.

[ruben]

My OM brother Trius,
Olympus company left us on the desert to die. To become a killer it is enough to kill once. This did not happen with other companies, Nikon for example. This is a fact. The sooner we recognize it, the better for us as Olympus consumers. Otherwise we will be feeding the lyon.

"Why argue?" Mikey asks. Because from the client point of view, there is a basic difference when you buy a fixed lens camera or a SYSTEM. A system is a kind of long time contract, like marriage. Obviously if you have enough money to buy systems as if they were disposables, the betrayal doesn't affect you very much. But the feeling that it doesn't affect you, does not mean it didn't happen.
Best,
Ruben

[Trius]

Konica ... gone
Minolta ... gone
Ricoh ... gone
Olympus ... gasping? But OM gone. Yes, it is sad. I think it didn't have to be this way with Olympus. As you inferred, Maitani's departure was a bad thing. He could have kept Olympus from missing the AF boat, and he would have designed the E System that would have been much more like an OM, with mount compatibility.

But enough of my moaning. It's about the pictures.

[ruben]

.....But enough of my moaning. It's about the pictures.

Photography is very much about the pictures.
Olympus, Nikon, Canon, etc. is about our best money we hardly earn, where we put it, what value we get.

[MikeyGaGa]

Ruben:

I have out of photography for a decade,so must admit to ignorance of this subject;however in a free-market system corporation tend to do what they believe is in there best financial interest.

Brand loyality is important to manufacturers;Saturn had very high brand loyality,but failed to introduce anything new for many years and so lost potential customers.

I dont know what the story is with Olympus,so perhaps you could clarify it for me.

Olympus was a successful line,but it too had its gross failures-its entry into the autofocus SLR market was a disaster.

Mikey

[tkluck]

Interesting thread. Nikon always generates a bit of heat. Sometimes without much light.
My Dad traveled a lot back in the 70's, when all this stuff was new. He took a lot of pictures without much knowledge of photography, or interest for that matter; he just wanted pictures of my mother on a camel.
Many times he mentioned that fellow travelers with those little cameras like mine (OM-1) never had any trouble, but people with those expensive Nikons were always looking for the authorized service in Fiji or Cairo. No ax to grind, he just thought it was funny.

Nikon used to make better lens caps. Little buttons you could tie a string around. Hard to find in 49mm though....