ian_wilcox

<p>I have the zuiko 7-14mm and it is a remarkable lens, I am not aware of any equivalent (14mm on 35) wide angle zoom that is as sharp or good, sometimes (not always) you get what you pay for, this lens IS the reason I stayed with olympus when I moved from my E-1</p>

Thanks for your replies, I think I will opt for the coolscan V over the fs4000 the main reason being that the fs2700 was no good, however last night I stripped it down as it was out of warranty and cleaned the lens etc, scans were better but they are just too noisy for me.

 

My wife is fairly keen for me to set up a traditional dark room (she doesn't like computers) so that she can do the prints, which will be a better long term solution.

 

the Nikon site does say that the v has the new ice4 which works with kodachromes, although that's not a major consideration as I only switched to slides in the last five years. Wish I had switched earlier, now happy with about 60 per cent of my slides as opposed to 10 per cent of the prints I got back.

 

thanks again

Ian

Hi,

 

I have been searching the web for a few days now (not just this site)

and can't find the answer to my problem.

 

a little background, I bought a canon fs2700 scanner when they came

out (cost me a fortune) but have never managed to get a decent scan

from it, far too noisy, experimented with scsi cards vuescan etc but

never a good result, after reading later reviews I came to the

conclusion it was the scanner and not me.

 

I have since then amassed a few kodachromes I would like to scan and

print up to A3 size. I have seen some good results, but none detail

what scanner they use, I don't want to get bitten again by buying junk

so here is what I have found so far.

 

canon fs4000 - good reviews but not sure how well it handles

kodachromes and its slow unless you use scsi ( I have converted to mac

and scsi is not really an option now)

 

nikon coolscan V - no proper reviews, has ice4 which alledegly copes

with kodachrome but as said can't find a full review

 

minolta 5400 - more expensive but good reviews, yet no information on

how it handles kodachromes etc.

 

minolta dual scan II - lower resolution but cheap and I think I read

that it copes ok with kodachromes.

 

So from the above I am tending towards the coolscan V ED as the price

is okay and it has ice4, however since I can't find a decent review I

am reluctant to throw my money away again.

 

any suggestions, thanks in advance

Ian

thanks for the replies - and offer :-)

 

I am contacting the supplier - lens came from germany to see what his opinion is, then depending upon answer will use it for a couple of months and if its no different send it in for repair. Damn I have waited 18 years to be in a position to get such a lens and then to have to part with it for a few weeks so soon, such is life.

 

thanks Ian

As stated in my previous post I now have my new lens, I have only seen

the results from 4 pictures, but it is a very impressive piece of

glass and as stated very sharp.

 

however the focusing action is not smooth, it seems to be have tight

spots, is this normal for this lens. I was wondering that it may just

be a little stiff because it is new or maybe it is supposed to behave

like this, some sort of coarse then fine focussing system. However it

was new and expensive so if it's not right then maybe I should get it

replaced or repaired whilst it is still under warranty.

 

My future father in law has a leica 280/2.8 which also has internal

focusing and the action on that is very smooth, just like a normal lens.

 

It doesn't seem to affect it optically and is not really that

noticable when actually using the camera, unfortunately it's not the

sort of lens lots of people have so finding another one to compare is

just impossible.

 

thanks in advance

Ian

I found this site which may be of interest for adapters

 

http://www.cameraquest.com/frames/4saleReos.htm

 

cheers Ian

I have just got the lens today, will try it out over the weekend.

I noticed this comment "Over on the Olypmpus List," could someone give the URL to that please as this is the only active newsgroup re olympus I have come across.

 

thanks once again ian

thanks for all the comments, I have no doubt that an adapter will come out maybe not from olympus, but someone will do it. I am loyal to olympus OM but not now to olympus as a company, so when I will look for a digital camera, I will go for the best one I can fit my lenses too, especially if the 180/2 is as special as everyone says. Its a shame that I am not wealthy enough at the moment to be able to buy any of the current 35mm digital backs to see If I can adapt them to my olympus. Maybe when the price of these drops I will have an experiment, or maybe its just easier to get the lens mounts converted when eventually I have to move to digital.

 

good look with the E-1 and I look forward to the reviews

regarding the 180f2.8 - I was told by a few pros to forget that lens and buy the tamron 180 f2.5 instead - just passing on advice given. Yes the 180f2 is a heavy lens, but it's half the weight of the 250f2 and thats why I opted for it as I will carry it and hence use it more often. The shop has a new 250f2 ex demo lens for 3900 euros which is about 4900 USD. B and H still advertise a new 180f2 lens, but it has a local tax surcharge for me.

 

regarding the adapter - I have no doubt that if it was released it would fly off the shelves, I can see why they wont release it hoping people will just buy all new kit, but as you can get the adapter for eos I think they are being very foolish. as stated I expect someone will make an adapter for the om to four thirds system, and I dream a little here that someone will make adaptable digital backs, I mean it must be possible to modify backs from another manufacturer if necessary - is this not the age of inventiveness. shame silicon film never materialised.

Thanks Rick,

 

I am not planning to move to move away from film for a while, I have a digital compact, but still use the olympus film camera for the more serious shots - and I don't see that changing. I hope film will be here for a long time yet. The lens was a dream fullfilled, been using OM kit since my first camera (om10) 20 years ago.

 

I am aware of the limitations of using om lenses with adapters, but have seen some pretty good results from zuiko's with the eos to om adapter. Can't afford a digital body now until next year at least.

 

(olympus are very foolish in not releasing the adapter - how many would have like to have tried that and bought an E-1 body when the price drops and then once you have the body and you get fed up of the limits of using the old lenses you would end up buying new ones - i have sent my comments to olympus)

 

OK I admit it probably wasn't my most sensible decision, just hope I get some amazing photo's to justify it.

Hi, just found this forum and it's good to talk olympus. Wish I had

posted this before I ordered though.

 

I am just waiting delivery of a 180/2 lens, long story but have wanted

a 180/2.8 for a while and seen them for around 700 - 900 US dollars

but never plucked up the courage to buy one. Then I found that you can

still buy them new for a little bit more and also the f2 180, 250 and

350, so figuring this is the last chance to get one I ordered the

180/2 (about third of olympuses list price and I reckon after my

searching that there are now four new ones left in the world outside

japan), dismissing the 250/350 as too heavy and that I would use the

180 more.

 

I am getting a lot of flack from the missus - she wanted a new roof

instead, but it's too late now. There was no way I would have invested

in it unless I had read about an adaptor to fit digital cameras - I

was hoping for the E-1 adaptor (olympus have just anounced in the UK

that they will not be releasing one - source amateur photographer)but

if need be then I will buy a canon. I am not planning to leave film

just yet but it's nice to be futureproof. But for the price of the

lens I could have bought an E-1 and a couple of lens though not the

new 300F2.8

 

so have I done right in paying a fortune for an old lens (in design)

or should I have switched manufacturer or even bought a new E-1. My

thinking was that an E-1 body would be worthless in a couple of years

and wasn't sure about the lenses, with internal AF they are more

likely to fail in several years than the old manual ones.

 

any comments to ease my guilty conscience for not spending it on the

roof.