Hi Allen:
Wayne has done a good job of pointing out the fact that several of the lenses
you have purchased or plan to purchase have broadly overlapping coverage. May
one inquire as to the reason? From the looks of your list, you appear to be
exhibiting some of the signs of classic "Zuikoholism." ;o) For the intended
purposes you have shared with the group, the lenses you have in hand should
more than adequately serve you.
Be aware that one well documented sign of a "Zuikoholic" is the tendency (some
would say near-compulsion) to purchase lenses for which you have no intended
purpose in the off chance that "some day" you might find a use for it. The end
result is owning a large number of lenses for which the odds are that they will
never be used, or at best used only a few times.
Many, if not most of the people on this list can testify of their own ventures
into this realm. (Ask me how I know. Hello. My name is Robert and I am a
Zuikoholic.) This is fine if you have lots of money to burn or just like the
idea of sacrificing to own objects to take up space in your home; but on the
practical side it is a simple waste of money which could be used to buy the
next incarnation of a Super Olympus E-(X) camera body, super-duper space age
materials tripod, electronic flash(es) with artificial intelligence, etc. (Some
people think the quest for this long rumored camera body is like hunting for a
Sasquatch or a Yeti.) Then there is the whole digital darkroom deal....
Your current digital camera bodies and lenses most likely will cover about 90+%
of the average amateur photographer's needs. You have the two kit lenses, which
are not top of the line, but much better than many who haven't really used them
extensively credit them, especially at 8X10 to 11X14 sizes. (Planning to print
a lot of billboards, are you?) Your 35mm/f3.5 DZ Macro will photograph like a
70mm/f3.5 lens. The 1.4X teleconverter will make it a 98mm/f3.5. Your DZ
50-200mm/f2.8 will give you the equivalent photos of a 100-400mm/f2.8 lens.
(Tripod recommended!) Adding the 1.4X teleconverter will give you the
equivalent of a 140-560mm/f2.8 lens (if my math is correct). (Note: tripod
required!) This is an excellent range for general photography. Longer, faster
lenses are mostly for specialists with specific requirements and
quite e-x-p-e-n-s-i-ve.
Your OM lens selection offers a nice range from macro to moderate telephoto.
The 90mm/f2.8 macro is a nice lens to work with on an OM body and becomes a
180mm/f2.8 on a digital body. The 300mm/f4.5 is a nice lens on the OM. (Tripod
recommended!) Adding an Olympus OM 2X-A converter makes it a 600mm/f11. (Tripod
required!) It will work like a 600mm/f4.5 lens on one of your digital bodies.
Add an Olympus 1.4X teleconverter and it will work like a 840mm/f11 lens. Most
of us have little need for more than that. (Tripod required!)
You mentioned other planned purchases, to wit:
<These are the ones we talked about that I still am waiting to get.
Tamron SP 400mm f4
Tamron SP 300mm f2.8
Tamron SP 180mm f2.5
Tamron SP 17mm f3.5
Tamron SP 60-300mm>
One might ask: is this a need list, or a "I think I would like to have one of
these list?" These are not going to be "steals" on eBay. You are looking at a
good portion of the price of the next Olympus E-"gee whiz" camera body, if you
are so inclined. Don't purchase something just because another list member has
one and/or recommends one. Remember that many Zuikoholics are "enablers,"
encouraging and abetting this "pervasive aquisitional syndrome" commonly
referred as "Zuikolism." Others have snidely suggested that it might be a form
of sublimated "personal equipment envy." ;o)
My humble suggestion would be to buy now only that for which you have a
demonstrable need and put a hold on the other purchases. By the time you "need"
one of them, something better, newer and more wonderful might be available.
Don't worry. Be happy. And shoot lots of photos with what you have.
Regards,
Robert
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