OM, I've become a Zuikoholic!

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pggunn

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I've been reading threads here from all you dedicated OM users, looking at your photos, and a whole bunch on Flickr with the appropriate tags. At first I was interested, then intrigued, and finally obsessed! I knew I couldn't rest until I found an OM1 or OM2.

Today, was the Greensboro Camera Show. There were buyers, sellers and traders there, including KEH. I left there with a black OM1md that looks almost brand new. It had just been CLA'ed which included a battery conversion job. I also picked up a chrome OM2 that's not quite as pretty but it was just CLA'ed too and works great.

The guy's name was Tom Actipes, a nice guy. He's from Illinois I think. He and his wife have a business called TAANA Photography. He also had a bunch of Pentax stuff, K1000's and LX's, ME's, MX's - but I had to have the OM's!

Unfortunately, there were no Zuiko lenses except for a few 50/1.8's. The OM2 I bought came with a 50/1.8 so I did get to shoot some this afternoon. Even though I was the third customer in the door, the dealers were there an hour before they let us in, and a buyer from Brooklyn Camera beat me to the other Olympus stuff. He walked out of there with a ton of Olympus bodies and lenses, including some 50/1.2's and 1.4's, 28's, 35's and 85's. D'oh!

But I do have a 50/1.4 (LN, in box) with a serial number well over 1,100,000 on the way from KEH. I'm also looking for a 28/2 and thinking about going with a two bodies, two lenses system. Of course I may need an 85 for a portrait lens, so maybe I'll have to get another OM!

I'll post some photos once I've shot a few rolls. My thanks to all you OM enthusiasts here! I've learned a lot from reading your posts. You've really inspired me, and after spending an afternoon with the OM2 I couldn't be happier. It feels so much better than the huge freaking DSLR and zooms I was using, but guess what - I also got a great deal on an E-520 with kit lens, and still had enough left over to make a car payment after selling my K20D and lenses! Maybe I don't deserve it, but I'll take it! What a weekend!
 
I and a lot of others can't say enough nice things about the OM series ... so congrats on joining the throng!

We are also very lucky in having John from Camtech on board who often chips in with advice in OM threads. He recently gave my OM-1 the once over and it's now as smooth as silk with a dead accurate meter and perfect frame spacing ... it truly is a pleasure to use!

'The Church of Maitani' ... I like that. :)
 
Keith: It's actually more of a zendo, but I wasn't sure how many would understand. There's always Wikipedia, I suppose ... ;)
 
Thanks Keith and Trius. Yes, I like that too - the Church of Maitani! Resistance is futile, I've been assimilated.

Trius, I would be interested in a 28/2.8, but may have a 28/2 coming from a contact at the camera show. I won't know whether it came through until Monday. Should I let you know?

Keith, yes we are fortunate to have John on this forum. I've noticed how knowledgeable he is and how helpful he's been with members who've had problems with OM gear. Whenever I need any repairs or a CLA, he will definitely be the man.

And I must say that in general everyone here has been helpful and friendly. This is a great forum. I'm very grateful.

Take care all.
 
pggunn said:
Thanks Keith and Trius. Yes, I like that too - the Church of Maitani! Resistance is futile, I've been assimilated.

Trius, I would be interested in a 28/2.8, but may have a 28/2 coming from a contact at the camera show. I won't know whether it came through until Monday. Should I let you know?

Keith, yes we are fortunate to have John on this forum. I've noticed how knowledgeable he is and how helpful he's been with members who've had problems with OM gear. Whenever I need any repairs or a CLA, he will definitely be the man.

And I must say that in general everyone here has been helpful and friendly. This is a great forum. I'm very grateful.

Take care all.
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We are very civilised in the 'Evil SLR' forum ... nothing to argue about really because it's common knowledge that the OM system is the best! :p

Can get a bit rough in the 'M' forums at times though! :eek: :

:D
 
Cooool...& Congrats
there is Something very ADDICTIVE to the OM 'Experience'


my M gets very JEALOUS of HER...:eek:
 
When I did camera shows, I always bought a table and sold some stuff. The "before the show" buying and selling among the sellers skimmed the best stuff off the top before the public got to see any of it. :)
 
Welcome to the club! I got started in photography as a little kid using my dad's olympus SLR. The 50/1.4 with the high serial is an incredible lens, you'll love it. You might look at the 100mm f2.8 as an inexpensive alternative to the high priced 85. The 100/2.8 typically goes for under $100 in nice condition, while the 85 typically goes for $300+. The 100 is sharper and has nicer rendering of out of focus areas, with the slight disadvantage of one stop less speed and a little longer focal length.
 
Hi Helen. I think you're right. The OM experience is very seductive.

Pickett, I'm sure. That buyer from Brooklyn had half a table covered with Olympus gear he bought before the show opened. Must have been a dozen bodies and three times as many lenses, many in original boxes. I found it interesting that he only bought OM. He was not interested in selling to me either. Maybe he already has buyers lined up?

Hello Chris. Thanks for the advice. The 100 sounds good and at one third the price even better. I remebered that you had said something along those lines in a previous post, but I got it backwards. And great portraits you have there. I've admired your work here. I understand you and Olympus go way back. I appreciate your advice. It was also a post of yours that clued me in to the superiority of the 50/1.4 with serial numbers > 1,100,000. Later I found this site's OM lens tests:

http://web.archive.org/web/20071205021007/http://members.aol.com/olympusom/lenstests/default.htm


Thanks again. It's nice getting to know you all.
 
Welcome to the party.

My OM journey started shortly after I got my Leica. I brought my M6 on a trip. My girlfriend brought her dad's OM4ti. When I processed the negs and saw how well the Zuiko 50 1.8 had held up to a Summilux I was both impressed and mortified (what'd I spend that 2k for again?). So I built the two systems side by side and with some masterful guidance from Chris Crawford am now extremely happy with the M & OM marriage.

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Olympus have an impeccable history in optics, and the OM1 was something of a revolution when it came out in the early 1970s.
 
Another OM fan here. I used them for a short while back before I went Leica in the early 80s; I'm having a blast with them now!

I'm a fan of a two body / two lens kit concept, too.
 
Another one here. I've got two OM-1n bodies, one black, one chrome. I just picked a 35mm/2.8 at a camera swap that's joining other 4 lenses.

Now I'm looking for a 2nd black OM-1 or OM-1n body...
 
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I think last count I was up to three OM bodies and eleven lenses: :eek:

A silver OM-1, a black OM-1 and a silver OM-2 ... still room for a black OM-2 though yet in my opinion! :p
 
Does anyone see a pattern emerging here?

Does anyone see a pattern emerging here?

I'm yet another huge fan of the OM's. First it was an OM 1, then another, and then a body that I bought for parts was able to be brought back to life. The last two are currently getting overhauled by John, so once they arrive back I'll have 3 serviceable bodies that should hopefully outlast me.

Oh, and there's the OM 2n that was too good a deal to pass up :). While the ergonomics are different to the standard set-up from other makers, they actually work very well in practice. And the viewfinders are just amazing.

I'm seriously tempted by a 3 and a 4, even though I don't need any more bodies
 
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