At 02:16 PM 4/28/2003 -0500, Richard Smith wrote:
>I have used and appreciated Olympus cameras for over 20 years, but have lots
>of holes in my technical understanding of photography. That is one of the
>reasons I signed up for this mailing list yesterday. We have three OM series
>cameras in the family. My daughter has an OM1, which she uses in her
>university photography classes, my wife and I share an OM2, and we have a
>newOM2n that I am getting ready to mail to Camtech for an overhaul. We also
>have a 135mm/2.8, a 65-200mm/4, and assorted other Zuiko lenses and
>accessories. I have several interesting (to me) questions that have remained
>unresolved over the years, so Ill post them all and see what happens. Thanks
>in advance for any information anyone might offer.
>
>1. When might one want to lock up the mirror on an OM1, OM2, and OM2n? And
>how is this done?
Whenever you are concerned that there may be extreme vibration from your mirror
slap. Useful in areas such as astrophotography (the OM-1(n) is one of the
all-time favourite cameras for astrophotography), or taking shots with shutter
speeds greater than 1/30th of a second and less than about 1/2 a sec (for some
reason, speeds between those two seem to be a "sweet spot" for inducing
vibration which becomes apparent in the finished photo; for a two-minute
exposure, it probably wouldn't matter...). There's a little knob on the -1(n)
which you turn to raise the mirror.
>2. I see ads for lenses that claim absolutely no oil on the blades,or the
>diaphragm is oil free. What is the nature and cause of this problem that many
>Ebay sellers (especially) say they dont have?
Oil migrates onto the diaphragm blades over time, particularly if the lens has
been stored in a certain fashion. The oil slows down the aperture stop-down,
causing incorrect exposures.
>3. I know it depends,but should I buy a T32 or a T20?
T-32. Always. I own three of 'em, and one T-20 for when I *know* storage and
transport will be incredibly tight. Haven't used the T-20 in years. T-32's
much more versatile, and more powerful of course.
>4. Ever hear of reversing a 50mm lens on my OM1 and using it for close up
>shots? Why in the world should this work?
It's been done, and it works, but I'm foggy as to why. I believe others have
answered this question better than I can. Results are good, but inferior to a
proper macro lens.
>5. I am drawn to stark, contrasty, sharp black and white photos. What film
>should I use, Tri-X or Tmax? Or maybe something else?
If you're going to process the final image digitally, almost any film *can*
work. Slow high-res films and appropriate filters would be good if you're
processing in the darkroom, as well as the right selection of paper for
development of the print.
>6. The Photoworks lab does OK with color, but doesnt develop and scan black
>and white film. Is there someone around who does this well and for a
>reasonable price?
Most pro labs will do this for you, but they tend to standardize on one
developer -- my local labs keep insisting that they develop my Delta films in
T-Max developer, which is just wrong, wrong, wrong. Check first. If you don't
know how to find a pro lab, ask around.
>7. Do you think there is a quality difference between the Om1 and Om2n, or
>are they all the same high quality?
In terms of manufacturing quality, the same. The OM-1(n) may have a slight
advantage in that it's an all-mechanical camera.
>8. Does Olympus still sell anything for the OM cameras?
Olympus stopped *manufacturing* the OM line officially last August or
September, I believe. There are still places where you can buy new Oly OM
equipment, but it's disappearing fast. I still know of a source for new
OM-4Ti's, but that won't last forever...
>9. What is the best way to clean a lens without damaging it?
What's it fouled with? Much depends on the answer to that question.
>10. Why is a 135mm/2.8 a telephoto lens, whereas a 135mm 4.5 is a macro lens?
Just the way they're designed -- the focal length is the same, but one is
capable of getting very close to the subject, and the other one is not. I'm
unsure of this, but because of its design, I don't believe the 135/4.5 can
focus to infinity, so you can't use it as a "standard" moderate telephoto lens.
On the other hand, as a macro lens, people tell me it rocks.
Garth
>11. If Ebay is any measure, are prices for Olympus OM cameras, lenses, and
>accessories skyrocketing? Is this something we can expect to continue?
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