Post by Harold on Aug 14, 2006 16:24:08 GMT -2
Having started out with a rangefinder (I have no idea of the make), in my early teens, and being dedicated to SLR's for several decades, my preferance may have gone full circle, given certain circumstances.
Last year I purchased an X-Pan 1, having used its initial absence as an argument (for my own purposes) to postpone the trip. Even having made the investment in the body plus 45 and 90 mm lenses, I felt I really also needed the 30 mm for those landscapes. Not having the £1,000+ for a secondhand example of the widest lens I made do without
The lack of the third lens was no problem, there being no shot I missed for the lack of it. The results from the other two, on this trip used only in panoramic format, were stunning. This was a combination of the 1 to 2.7 format in comparison with standard 35 mm format and the crisp results and true colour rendition of the lenses.
My conclusion, in the mid August scenario of hand luggage restrictions for air travel, is that I could probably manage to cut my kit down to the X-Pan, and a Weston Master V meter. The X-Pan, by using both formats and the two lenses would give the coverage of 90mm (standard), 45mm (both) and 23mm (panoramic). I find external (incident light) metering more reliable than the X-Pan TTL, at least when not using any filters with exposure factors.
If any macro was involved I would add my OM4 plus the zuiko 50mm macro lens and the Olympus OM variable extension tube, the rangefinder being a non-starter for macro.
Harold
Last year I purchased an X-Pan 1, having used its initial absence as an argument (for my own purposes) to postpone the trip. Even having made the investment in the body plus 45 and 90 mm lenses, I felt I really also needed the 30 mm for those landscapes. Not having the £1,000+ for a secondhand example of the widest lens I made do without
The lack of the third lens was no problem, there being no shot I missed for the lack of it. The results from the other two, on this trip used only in panoramic format, were stunning. This was a combination of the 1 to 2.7 format in comparison with standard 35 mm format and the crisp results and true colour rendition of the lenses.
My conclusion, in the mid August scenario of hand luggage restrictions for air travel, is that I could probably manage to cut my kit down to the X-Pan, and a Weston Master V meter. The X-Pan, by using both formats and the two lenses would give the coverage of 90mm (standard), 45mm (both) and 23mm (panoramic). I find external (incident light) metering more reliable than the X-Pan TTL, at least when not using any filters with exposure factors.
If any macro was involved I would add my OM4 plus the zuiko 50mm macro lens and the Olympus OM variable extension tube, the rangefinder being a non-starter for macro.
Harold
