Hi Ken and all
I've tried to stay out of this thread, but...
I too tried the EOS-3 some weeks ago, much due to curiosity and the rumours
of 97creen and 8-spot metering a la, oh, you know...
As faith would have it, I had been busy capturing soaring red kites the day
before with my OM1n, and thought, wouldn't it be nice with a 300/4
stabilizer lens a la C*n*n...
First impression: It's a beast with the optional 7-frames/sec booster. Is
this a medium format camera :-)
Second impression: I felt like being back at the office installing Windows!
Displays, options, more displays, options I never had even think of could
exist. Note, I'm a professional analysts/programmer (incl Windows) but I
felt that 95 0f these programming or tunings didn't have anything to do
with photography.
Oh well, one can forget all that and put the camera on manual so one can
PHOTOGRAPH. If I want computers I could stay at work. Or can I ? This bring
ups my main point and that is that a camera that much automated is a poor
candidate for those situations where you slow down, look at DOF, take your
readings, maybe adjust a little and finally release the shutter. Anyone
replacing an OM-kit for these photographic situations either has too much
money for their own well being or should have their head ...., well, guess
yourself. (Another highly personal opinion). BTW, the C*n*n representative
could not show me the 8-spot function. He didn't know how to programme it
:-) :-)
As for action photography, well, that probably is another story! But
remember all the fantastic action shots that were taken prior to any
auto-focus camera was around. How many action-shots do YOU take? If only
serious sports photographers would use auto-everything wonderbricks, not
many were to be sold.
It's my personal belief that we in our western society rely far too much on
technique and often think that new techniques in itself automatically takes
our efforts (in our case photography) to greater heights without us doung
more input. It doesn't work that way. It is always the photographer that
makes the picture.
The other weekend I was persuaded to "cover" a big party of 200 people, an
entertainment I was invited to as just another guest. Not very seriously,
mostly great fun. I had only my XA and A11 flash, what a joy to use! With
pre-focusing and the XA's instant shutter release reaction I was able to
capture events more precisely than would I had an ever so fast SLR! There
simply is no faster camera than a preset one, preferably a range-finder (but
any OM with it's mechanically controlled first curtain is very good also).
Which brings me to another point, that another way to go might be a
range-finder of some sort if you're really after those fast action shots.
David Alan Harvey of National Geographic fame has one very minimal kit while
working, just three primes and a Leica M-body (another as a spare). No more.
Students of his complain that all the fun is gone using so little equipment.
Personally I think these students should get another hobby. (Look into the
latest issue and his Barcelona-piccies). I'm not saying a Leica M would be
sufficient for everybodys needs (hey, not even mine!) but I really think
here is a lesson to be learned.
Another way to really go would be medium format. Now were talking serious
stuff. Especially as a these don't weigh more and don't cost more than any
EOS or F5 kit (Pentax 645n has same weight as Nikon F5. EOS-lenses are about
as bulky as the 645's). The bigger filmformat has obvious advantages, end of
discussion.
What about the stabilizer lens that I so much longed for? The day after this
EOS-3 adventure I got my slides back and some did indeed show some blurr,
but that was movements of the birds! No mather how steady my hand is or much
techno-stabilizing there is at hand, as long as birds fly there will be fast
lenses around. So much for a stabilizing lens.
Ramblings from a guy that instinctly senses he can do a better job than a
japanese programmer
Ulf Westerberg
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