I've found the OM's to be seriously over-rated. They're small and have great specs but poor focusing screens and they're just not very refined, much like Pentax's other than the LX. And I'm just plain not a fan of the Leica R bodies.
carstenw wrote:
The F6 should trump the 1V in that department. Note that the OM-3/OM-4 had multiple weighted spot metering. Awesome for accurate metering. I do miss that camera.
In terms of metering, pretty much all non-Canon mid/high end AF SLR's have good spot meters. Nikon's pretty much king for matrix/multi-segment metering. With Canon you need a 3 or a 1-series to get really good metering.
As to Multi-spot, it's featured on the OM-3/4, EOS 3, 1V and IIRC the 1N and also on any Minolta AF body with a spot meter and support for program cards if a Multi-spot card is installed.
My personal experience is that in all-round terms the best metering is on the later higher-end Nikons. IE F5, F6 and F100. No other film bodies (including the 1V) come close in tough light.
The F6 has far and away the best metering system ever put in a film camera. But most of its advantages are in flash, as it has a full iTTL/CLS implementation (still by far the best flash system) but in terms of ambient metering it's not all that far ahead of the F5 or F100.
My opinion is that it doesn't matter which is most desirable. There are plenty of great film SLR:s that have everything I want, while there is NONE in the digital world. I know there are better built cameras than my Nikon FM2n, but it is good enough to make me not want anything else.
I have an EOS 35mm system and while I'd love to play with an R9, an M6 and maybe even a OM1, if I ever buy another 35mm camera it will be the XPan. But that's not SLR!
p.4 #10 · Most desirable Analog 35mm SLR cameras ?
Makten wrote:
My opinion is that it doesn't matter which is most desirable. There are plenty of great film SLR:s that have everything I want, while there is NONE in the digital world.
+1 (and +1000 on the part about dslrs)
choose the lens(es) you really like and there will be at least one great film camera that fits it.
p.4 #13 · Most desirable Analog 35mm SLR cameras ?
Well, yeah, I guess we have to assume the obvious. The conversation is about 35mm film cameras and although perhaps only based on majority preference SLR is the king there. But the AF modifier is inconsequential. The F6 or maybe F5/F6 pair are the kings regardless of AF/MF.
p.4 #14 · Most desirable Analog 35mm SLR cameras ?
To be honest, I started being a Zuikoholic (hate ya mawz ) because of size and price-performance ratio on most OM items, and I don't minf AF on film. Multi-spot on OM-4 is a super-bonus for me in this system.
p.4 #15 · Most desirable Analog 35mm SLR cameras ?
I'm liking the Canon EF (get to use FD lenses FF not mFT!) as well as the OM2 and OM4 that I recently acquired. This film stuff is so cheap these days it's hard to resist.
p.4 #16 · Most desirable Analog 35mm SLR cameras ?
I have five models from the Contax RTS system. The slow-speed escapement of an S2 sounds sweet, but my overall favorite is the Aria: a really practical SLR of diminutive size and weight.
p.4 #17 · Most desirable Analog 35mm SLR cameras ?
alexandre wrote:
To be honest, I started being a Zuikoholic (hate ya mawz ) because of size and price-performance ratio on most OM items, and I don't minf AF on film. Multi-spot on OM-4 is a super-bonus for me in this system.
I quite like Zuiko lenses, more's the pity. But the only OM I ever truly got along with was the OM2000 and that's just yet another variation of the Cosina CS-1. I actually found the OM-4T to make me want my old Nikon FA back. Mind you, I'm oddly fond of the CS-1-based cameras.
p.4 #18 · Most desirable Analog 35mm SLR cameras ?
If and it's a big if, I was tempted to shoot 35mm film again, no question, Canon A-1, not the best, not the greatest but the only camera I ever fell in love with.
p.4 #19 · Most desirable Analog 35mm SLR cameras ?
@ Sebboh
a bit more expensive than i'd like. does the LX focus screen with it's brighter treatment still show dof at large apertures as well as the MX? if so is it possible to replace the MX screen with the stock LX screen (i don't mind completely taking cameras apart)?
You can fit the newer LX SC 69 screen into the MX, with no problems, I've done it - it's the same as changing any mx screen. Unfortunately, although it is brighter in the centre, it vignettes radically. I find it almost unusable, and reverted to the duller, but more evenly lit original mx screen. A real pity, since, if it worked as it does in the LX it would make the mx into a much better camera, with much more effective focus pop.
p.4 #20 · Most desirable Analog 35mm SLR cameras ?
On the theme of bright, easily usable viewfinders, as I've said I'm a fan of the LX with the SC69 screen. In my experience it is better than anything else I've seen in 35mm, apart from the Leicaflex that Telyt likes to remind us of.
The Leicaflex is a great camera as well, if somewhat lumpy and large - good for self defense and general ballast on windy days - but the screen is really excellent, and snaps beautifully into focus.
Of course MF screens and viewfinders are something else.
There is a reason we aren't all writing much longer lists.
) because of size and price-performance ratio on most OM items, and I don't minf AF on film. Multi-spot on OM-4 is a super-bonus for me in this system.