was my old love reincarnated?

[dreilly]

I took some of my best film photographs on an Olympus 35 LC. This was the predecessor of the more famous (and heavier and more complex) 35 SP. They share the same cracker of a lens, a 42mm f1.7 zuiko. It's a simple fixed-lens rf with an up/down light meter and manual operation. I shot with it as recently as two years ago, and then went over to the digital side.

Since then I've shot with all sorts of DSLRs--and done work I'm very proud of.

Then I started reading about the E-P1 and GF-1 and that little 20mm lens. Hey, wouldn't that be a bit like my 35 LC. Had to find out. I'm thrilled. The rendering quality of the 20 f1.7 reminds me greatly of the LC's 42mm lens. I don't really miss the rangefinder, I have to say. I wear glasses (that's me in the last pic below) and I always had to scrunch the camera into my face with rfs or with DSLRS.

To me, the screen reminds me of the gentler photographer/subject interface of the twin lens reflex camera.

Just wanted to share my joy. I love my new E-p1 and Panny 20!

The photos below: first one taken by my wife of her mom and our daughter, Zora, second is my father-in-law picking (rather sorting fresh-picked) garlic, and third one is me, self-portrait.

Nothing earth shattering. But they please me.

I'm going to be shooting a blueberry farm for Edible Finger Lakes this weekend and I'll be using the E-P1, Panny 20, and the giant 12-60 Oly 4/3 zoom (until m4/3 releases a fast zoom).

[stompyq]

I like the second shot. Didn't know you could get that sort of result with the micro 4/3 cameras. I'am guessing you used AF on these?

[dreilly]

Yes. A habit I picked up working with the D700 and D300 is to separate AF from the shutter button, and activate it with the AEL/AFL button (with shutter release priority activated--I wanna take a blurry picture if I wanna, darnit!). This tends to speed things up for me.

[stompyq]

I do that too. Had no idea the 4/3's cams can uncouple AF from the shutter button. I always thought that they were just oversized p/s's.

[shadowfox]

Excellent!

As I mentioned in another thread, if I don't enjoy shooting film as much, the E-P2 and the Panny 20/1.7 is as close to being perfect in the digital realm.

I still have a small hope that Olympus will resurrect my favorite OM Zuiko 35/2 in the form of a 17mm 1:2 Digital Zuiko someday.

[Flinor]

As I mentioned in another thread also, the EP-2/20 combination is the reincarnation of my beloved Minolta CLE. I've ordered the 45 and when the 14 is released I'll get that and have my original lens set with the bonus of each lens being slightly faster than the original.

[dreilly]

The E-p1 has a great amount of customizability to it. I can't think of too many things, that big missing prism notwithstanding, that it doesn't do or have compared to a dslr. Well, it doesn't have the blindingly fast 3d AF of the D300. And a built in flash. But what do people use those for, anyway?

Never thought of the CLE of CL comparison, that's true as well. 40 is a nice focal length.

[jky]

The GF1 + 20 = my old Rollei 35 (except with AF). Glad you're enjoying your modern "35 LC"