I have a theory that you should never own more camera gear than you can
carry at one time.
The 35-80 is a nice lens. A VERY nice lens. But until a few weeks ago, I
never used one before. All those images I've shot with the OM gear since
1986? Not a single one with this lens. And amazingly enough, there are a
handful of pictures that qualify as decent. :) But, that said, the 35-80
has instantly found a home on the OM bodies as a front-line lens. It is an
immense pleasure to use not necessarily because it is a "better" lens than
the F2.8 primes in the same range, but because it offers the same
performance with the flexibility of being a zoom. And what may be totally
shocking to you all, it is the only lens in my kit that I'm tempted to
actually buy a "protective filter" for.
The problem with Lens-Lust is that it never stops. Once you lust after one
lens, when you finally get it, you start lusting after another, and then
another... The cycle never stops. We jokingly call it being a
"Zuikoholic", but the constant dissatisfaction in ones kit is not healthy.
Through the years, my kit could be called "humble" or "low budget". It is
actually almost embarrassing to show up at the race track and the largest
camera/lens combination I can muster is dinky compared to the typical Nikon
and Canon kits that festoon the media center. But the images I get are
anything but embarrassing and at the end of the day, I've gotten pictures
that the others haven't gotten. The point is, just get out and shoot with
what you have.
To the point about the 2009 resolutions, I would encourage everybody to
shoot at least one photo with every single piece of equipment you have. One
shot per lens, per camera, per whatever accessory. After all, when you
bought the items, you had dreams about what shots you planned on getting
with them. For many of us, those "dream shots" have yet to be fulfilled.
My personal 2009 goals is to use film whenever possible. Digital is a
supplement to film this year. I've subscribed and paid my dues to
APUG.ORGand the
www.zone-10.com website will drive people to the point of illness with my
constant drumbeating about the positives of film. My name is Ken NORTON,
not Ken ROCKWELL, but the themes may be about the same. Film still works!
I did a financial analysis of film-vs-digital for 2009 and I'm big money
ahead by shooting film for a planned 10 weddings this year. Yes, believe it
or not, I can actually shoot film less expensively than having to buy a new
digital camera in 2009. The amortized costs of a digital upgrade allow me
to shoot 480 pictures on film per wedding and still break even. (this is
film shot and digitized--to provide a digital post-production workflow).
Your numbers may vary, but this what works for me. With the economy in
question, there is no way I can risk sinking big money into the business and
risk having too few bookings or having to adjust my rates downward. Just by
changing one thing in my wedding business plan (the doing away with the
proof book), I save enough money to shoot 300 pictures on film. And I'll
still be shooting some digital anyway for the low-percentage shots and
duplicates. As to senior portraits and stuff, well, I've been shooting
digital the past few years, but honestly the images just leave me
wanting--wanting for the richness and skintones that film gives me as well
as the fact my 100/2.8 gets to be used properly. (just maybe that 35-80 is
also a great portrait lens too).
AG
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