Straight after I published yesterday’s rant about Olympus disappearing from the camera market place they announce a few new lenses on their road map and the release date of their supper zoom. We have only been teased about it for a couple of years now, better late than never I suppose.

Dad loved their cameras. He had a couple of Pen f’s, which I still have. They are half frame 35mm. So instead of 36 shots per roll you get 72. You also get smaller lenses and a vertical frame. Brilliant for bush walkers like us. They perfected a miniature interchangeable lens system so long ago.

Dad got mum an Olympus Trip. An amazing point and shoot that just worked. The light meter was around the lens. A beautiful camera that took more family photos than any other in the house as I grew up.

My favourite in all of these was always the OM1. My pride and joy. My second camera after my box one I started with. Dad had a lot of Olympus glass. Zukio’s. Stunning. I’d borrow dads black OM1 as I was in love with how it looked. I liked the black paint and a more subtle camera visually. It was also warmer to hold as the metal had paint on it. I used it so much we wore through to the metal underneath.

I used the XA for a while too. Another joy for bushwalking. And the Mu revived my love for photography while I lived in the Middle East.

The C5050 was my first digital camera which I loved and hated, it was followed by an E3. A camera I never bonded with.

I won a EPL-1 in a competition and once I paired it with an electronic viewfinder and the Voitlander 25 mm f0.95, I finally fell in love with digital photography. Interestingly it coincided with the shift to monochrome and shooting square which I could finally do and see effectively in camera. The start of my current live affair with Black and Whites.

I don’t know anyone who runs around saying they love thier Zukio’s? Do you? We say we love our Olympus lenses. Funny how things change. This will become the new norm. It will be the lenses that become their most famous continued legacy I suspect. I do hope I am wrong. I hope they can transition into an innovative and strong company and keep bringing small light weight equipment that is built to be used outdoors.

Another from Tuesday at our Len’s Club gathering in Sydney. Len’s Club continues to grow. The members talk about the incredible value for money and how inspiring it all is. Join us. http://lensschool.com/subscribe

Photograph and text copyright © Len Metcalf 2020