I'm dedicated to my year-old M6TTL, but I also recognize the rangefinder's limitations. I'd like to complement my M system (which includes a 24, 35, 50, and 90)with an SLR, but the choices are staggering. I appreciate auto cameras -- the F100 seems exciting -- but I worry about electronics and batteries failing in the hostile environments (i.e. Third World) I often find myself. Digital isn't a real option at the moment. The high end cameras are unaffordable; the mid-price lack durability and responsiveness. I'm leaning toward the Olympus OM3Ti, and a variety of prime Zuiko lenses. Yes, I know it's overpriced and outmoded, but I find the robust mechanics and lens quality attractive. (Its design and handling evolved from the M is a bonus not lost on me.) I also like the Leica R8 and 6.2, but the lens prices are prohibitive. Any thoughts? P.S. A Happy Thanksgiving to all!

-- Steven Mills (StevenMills3@mindspring.com), November 22, 2001

Answers

"but I find the robust mechanics and lens quality attractive."

I've had a lot of mechanical trouble with Olympus OM 1-4 cameras (and seen a lot more via friends/colleagues) - jams, film wind breakages, motor lockups. IMHE the Nikon FM/FM2 line is tougher, on average.

BUT - the Olympus glass IS 'way up there in quality - I haven't use anything longer than the 75-150 zoom, but found the 21 f/2, 100 f/2, 85 f/2 all to be outstanding. And the mirror braking system really does get close to the Leica for shake/noise.

I don;t want to scare you off the Olympus - it does make a match with the M. But do some further checking into reliability before you jump.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), November 22, 2001.

I think the Olympus is the closest slr that approximates the feel of a Leica M. The lenses are very good with a similar neutral color cast to the Leicas. They also focus in the same direction. The 24 2.8 is one of the very best on the market, the 50 2.0 macro is maybe as good as the R Summicron and it is a macro and the 75-150 zoom is a gem. If you need it the 300 is very good. I like the OM4 which can be had used for under $400. All that said I parted company with my Olympus cameras and got 2 Elan 7 bodies with the incredible 17-35 2.8 L zoom, the 28-135 IS zoom and the 100-300. I got the 100 2.0 for lower light situations and the 50 2.5 macro. I could have instead gone for the 50 1.4, the 28-70 2.8 (maybe the sharpest zoom around) and/or the 70-200 2.8. These slrs do everything I need to do that I don't do with my M Leicas and they seem to compliment each other. Good Luck. Take some time and try the cameras out to see what feels right to you. You can rent most of them inexpensively.

-- Don (wgpinc@yahoo.com), November 22, 2001.

Hi Steve,

Years ago my 35mm kit consisted of an OM4Ti and an OM3 for bodies. IMHO they have the best metering system of any SLR. They are small and light as well as robust. I took mine to some rough places and never had any troubles. Lots of accessories available especially for macro work. The only fault I found with the system was the glass was inconsistent. I am sorry I sold it.

On the other hand I had an R8 for a year and found it to be the best handling camera I have ever owned. Plus you get the great consistency of Leica glass. Since you own an M system I would be leaning toward the OM3Ti.

Regards and Happy Thanksgiving

Steve

-- Steve Belden (otterpond@tds.net), November 22, 2001.

Many, many photojournalists have given the Nikon FM/FM2n series a pounding in Third World environments for more than two decades. That said, well-sealed AF bodies like Canon Eos1n and 1v, and Nikon N90s,F5 and F100 seem to do just as well. Monsoon specialist Steve McCurry, who habitually operates under terrible conditions, is now said to be using a pair of F100's. My friend Gary Braasch is shooting a story that involves commuting to both the arctic and antarctic in vibrating cargo planes. The only prep he gives his 90s and F100 is to power both with lithium AAs. Both the 90s and FM2n qualify as "mid-priced" even new, and there are plenty of both available used as

-- david kelly (dmkedit@aol.com), November 22, 2001.

that last post was supposed to end "as they are traded in." The world is sure a better place because of all the well-heeled amateurs who jus t have to have the latest thing! :-) The Olympuses are delightful machines but they break. One of the wire services converted entirely to them in the late 1970s but had to get rid of them shortly thereafter at a huge loss. In particular the diapraghm linkages in the lenses gave trouble. I spent most of two decades underpaying photographers as an editor and all the shooters I knew who tried them had the same experience. Maybe that's why Nikon made the FM series small but kept the lenses full-sized................

-- david kelly (dmkedit@aol.com), November 22, 2001.

I've jumped around quite a bit, but not with Canon.

The OM4Ti is the most fascinating with its compactness and metering flexibility. The OM3 is tempting. But the lens line is erratic - some good ones and some not-so-good ones.

The R6.2 is the most solid, and the lens line is uncompromising, though expensive.

But for *have to get the shot* SLR'ing, I mostly go with the F100. Never had any problems, and never been disappointed. It's bulkier than the others, and you need to carry an extra set of batteries. But then you need to carry batteries for all the others, incuding the M6, if you need metering.

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), November 22, 2001.

Steven,

Easy answer: go Nikon ! It is the best serviced system in the world, with outlets and repair capabilities all over the place. High support potential and a good modern AF tool such as the F100 with recent AF lenses, plus a FM2 in the gear bag for non-electronic backup, is what you need.

The F100 is a professional grade camera, an extremely productive shooting machine, designed for heavy duty, used by photographers in all sorts of climates and circumstances. It will not fail easily. The FM2 in the gear bag will most likely only be there for your peace of mind. Keep a few spare batteries in the gear bag as well for those intensive reports from the desert or the Amazon. Batteries are not that heavy, and not that cumbersome. Plus, yes, the FM2 is still there...;-)

Forget the cute Olympus and other marginal suppliers (including the great and dear R). You need servicing capability and peace of mind.

-- Jacques (jacquesbalthazar@hotmail.com), November 22, 2001.

For compatible quality with the Leica M optics, your ONLY choice IMHO is Leica R. Olympus OM offers similar compactness to the M - it's smaller and lighter, in fact. There are a few Zuiko lenses that are excellent but there are also some that are average.

As to reliability, I've had no trouble with my 20 year old OM-2n camera, although my 15 year old OM-2S suffered a film advance jam 18 months ago. It was easily fixed by a local camera technician and has given no trouble since then. On the other hand, my new R8 had a sticking aperture control ring and lenses wouldn't stop down reliably when the shutter was released. I traded it in for an M6 TTL, after it was sent to Leica in Hong Kong for repair and came back in the same condition. YMMV.

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), November 22, 2001.

Steven,

what about the robust manual contax/yashica lineup ? Fully mechanical are the S2 / S2b, though a bit expensive. The older Contax RTS and yashica bodies are quite mechanical, otherwise the newer Aria and RX are tempting bodies. Body quality is very good, though shutters are (with the exception of the S2/S2b) electronic. Zeiss lenses are just great - imho more or less the same leage as the Leica lenses, but a bit cheaper (esp. used). The quality of the yashica lenses and bodies is ok, and if you need a cheap spare body it might be the way to go.

Kai

-- Kai Blanke (Kai.Blanke@iname.com), November 22, 2001.

In the Nikon arena, apart from the FM2n or FM2/T, you could also consider the older F2 (and derivatives). Extremely robust and still servicable. There are many retailers for used accessories and Nikon still make manual lenses. Have Fun.

-- KC (kevintcable@hotmail.com), November 22, 2001.

Surprised no one mentioned the new Nikon FM3A.This new body combines the FM2N's mechanical innards with the ghost of the much-loved FE2, which brings TTL flash metering and a parallel aperture priority capability. It also provides DX coding.Match needle meter read-out and bright interchangeable focus screens.Same small, fast-handling package as the rest of the FM-FE clan.Worth a look.

-- Gary Watson (cg.watson@sympatico.ca), November 22, 2001.

I would have to say that given your criteria, one option would be a Leicaflex SL which has been CLA'd, and some 2-cam lenses. The cost is not stratospheric and they are relatively bullet-proof. Another possibility is the new Nikon FM3A, which has aperture-priority automation and 1/250 flash sync with TTL but the shutter is a hybrid which allows full mechanical operation at all speeds with dead batteries. I would buy AF lenses for it, as they have little or no lubricant and perform equally in all climates, plus they will be totally compatible on the AF bodies should you decide to add one. The Leica R mechanical bodies are very nice but a bit delicate in my experience. 2 out of my 3 R6/6.2 bodies has needed extensive service, though only 1 was totally disabled; the other had a partial meter failure (just the center-weighted) but was otherwise operable. By contrast my 30 year old SL has never had more than CLA's and continues to work flawlessly.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), November 22, 2001.

I've owned an extensive Olymppus system and agree with a lot posted already. Their primes are outstanding. I owned from 16 to 300 mm and most were very good, plus the fact that 5 or 6 Olympus lenses take up about as much room as everyone elses 300 F4. The downside was the reliability of the bodies. I had OM4 and OM2s. Had the system for about 8 years and both bodies were in at least twice with mechanical breakdowns. I use my cameras a lot, but not in adverse conditions. When zooms really did get good (within the last 7-10 years) I switched to Leica R plus 2 zooms and feel the decision was a good one. When I do shoot colour the slides mix perfectly with ones taken at the same time with the rangefinder lenses, plus I've yet to have a mechanical breakdown.

-- Bob Todrick (bobtodrick@yahoo.com), November 22, 2001.

Steven, I'm seeing a strong leaning toward the FM2/3 here, along with a studied avoidance of electronic shutters. I'm sure there's a reason for this--distrust of the electronics, or bad experiences with the reliability of the electronic models. But I might mention that I've been using a pair of FE2's rather heavily for close to 15 years, with no problems that couldn't be cured by replacing the battery. I don't know about other brands, but I can recommend the FE series on the basis of experience. I think it's unlikely they'll let you down.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), November 22, 2001.

Steven:

I have no argument with the answers here and I don't do much of this anymore. Still, the question isn't which one is the sturdiest. They all break eventually. The question is which one can you get fixed when you are in Kenya or Libya. The answer is Nikon. Has nothing to do with better cameras or better optics. That is why Nikon sells so many cameras.

Art

-- Art (AKarr90975@aol.com), November 22, 2001.

By the way Bob Fleischman:

You have written my opinion. My favorite camera is the FE2. In Sept the rewind handle exploded while I was in the North Cascades. I couldn't find all of the parts in the snow and pine needles. ;o) It still works but is a little inconvenient. Got any idea where to get it fixed. I have had this one since the early 80's [whenever they came out]. Best camera that I have owned.

Art

-- Art (AKarr90975@aol.com), November 22, 2001.

Not to worry. Nikons are in heavy use by pros around the world, in all types of conditions. Get yourself an F100, a 17-35/2.8 and the long lens of your choice. With your M6 as a back up, you'll be in business.

The only things that could affect the camera in Third-World countries, or any other part of the world, are dust and water. And an M6 is not nearly as well sealed against the elements as an F100, or even any of the mid-priced offerings from Nikon or Canon.

-- Jim Tardio (jimtardio@earthlink.net), November 22, 2001.

Hi, Steven:

I've owned Olympus OM and also feel that they are the closest SLR thing to an M camera. But I'm not sure whether the more modern OMs need batteries to operate their shutter. The old OM-1 doesn´t.

I was proudly born and live in a "third World" country (what an unfortunate term . . . isn't it ?) - Chile - and know well about availability problems concerning batteries but if you remember it on time you can carry batteries enough from the first World for the duration of your trip. In fact that would be the wisest thing to do no matter where you go in order to use your time shooting pictures instead of looking for the proper batteries (the ones the stores don't have at the moment, of course . . .) all over the place.

I think that your main concern should be to get a camera with a mechanical shutter that will continue working if your batteries happen to die at the very worst moment.

On that respect, I'd use my OM-1 if it hadn't been stolen. But nowadays I use a FM-2n: tough enough for mostly any environment. I have taken mine to the Atacama Desert several times and take it up the Andes several times a year since some 12 years ago, with absolutely no problems though I'm not the most careful person regarding my photo equipment.

On the other hand, my miraculous Nikon F606 (my son's nowadays)was hard to keep alive in Sweden in winter time and batteries for it were not that easy to find in Västerös either . . .

In summary: mechanical shutter and Sunny 16 (BTW: the FM-2n's shutter is a vertical travel metalic shutter).

Happy Thanksgiving, Steve, along with your family and enjoy your photography.

-Iván

-- Iván Barrientos M (ingenieria@simltda.tie.cl), November 22, 2001.

Don't forget that the Olympus OM4T with their dedicated flash syncs up to 1/2000 sec. Its not that powerful, but great for fill flash. You can average up to 8 spot readings, and spot on an area you consider zone 8 and press the shadow button and get a zone 8 shadow or spot on a zone 2 highlight press the highlight button and get a zone 2 highlight. Truly incredible control over exposure. I know the OM3Ti has the same metering and I believe it has the same flash capabilites.

By the way Salgado takes his "marginal service" R6 for extensive assignements in harsh enviroments and seems to come back with great images. And whats wrong with having a "cute" camera?

Regards Steve

-- Steve Belden (otterpond@tds.net), November 22, 2001.

My experiences w. a OM2-program has not been very positive. Although I loved the size and the spotmeter, I encountered lots of problems; Rewind button jam, battery drain, parts loosening, and an unstable meter. All these problems reoccured even after an autorized CLA.
Naturally, the use of one sample, possibly a lemon, does not make me an Olympus OM expert.
On the other hand, I have never been in a situation where my Nikon FE (Anno circa 1980)has failed me -even though it has never been serviced. In one situation the mechanical 1/90 speed came in handy when the battery ran low. At a recent Nikon Day I had the alignment, meter and shutter checked, and everything was within specs despite 20 years of heavy use.
The FM3a, with its classical FE finder layout and brilliant hybrid shutter, would be my choice if I was in the marked for a new SLR to supplement my M.

-- Niels H. S. Nielsen (nhsn@ruc.dk), November 23, 2001.

I have never been a particular candle bearer for Olympus optics I must say. I like the small cameras and the concept of the OM system, but optically I do not think they can hold up to Leica optics at all, having tested (in the mid 80s) the 50mm f1.8 versus the Contax Planar and old style 50mm Summicron-R, it was the worst of the lot in all respects. The 135mm (f3.5 I think) was very soft and not a patch on my 135mm Elmar (a 1960 design). I also tested a 28mm (forget which) and found it not nearly up to the Elmarit-R 28mm first version. The viewfinder is also not a patch on the Leica Rs either (including the R3). But, no one can deny that the Olympus are very cheap and good value. The Leica R prices are indeed prohibitive when bought new, but I personally reckon that any good s/h Leica R lens will be a good deal superior to the equivalent Zuiko product and will cost you a very much less than you think. Have you considered an SL? And the original lenses for this camera? They are not expensive by Leica standards at all and yet still produce lovely images?

If size is the most important issue then the SL is out, but you have been "spoiled" by Leica optics with the M....

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), November 26, 2001.

I once had a Minolta XD11 and an Olympus OM2 up on tripods and, believe it or not, knocked both cameras over onto a concrete floor. The Minolta was fine, and so was its 500mm cat lens. The Olympus and its lens disintegrated.

-- Robert Byrd (rbyrd@stfranciscollege.edu), November 26, 2001.

Outstanding, Fergus! Best argument possible for an F100...............

-- david kelly (dmkedit@aol.com), November 27, 2001.

All the arguments for Nikon make a lot of sense. It is the system preferred by pros for a reason, I suppose. But none of them have the jewel like quality of the M6. The Oly's do. But there are reliability issues and inconsistent lenese. I ended up with the Contax Aria. It's a great little camera, about the size of an OM-1, really chunky with traditional (dial) controls and uses the excellent Zeiss lenses, which probably compare more to the M lenses you are used to than Nikon glass. You might take a look at it. It's not a mechanical camera, but I have found it to be very reliable.

-- ric (ric_woz@hotmail.com), May 04, 2002.