Rekindled Love

“Sometimes you break your heart in the right way, if you know what I mean.” 
Gregory David Roberts
Shantaram

taken using an Olympus E-510 with film Zuiko 50mm
The unfortunate tragedy of my Canon camera dying on me forced me to pick up my old Olympus camera again. It was already sitting in the box, packed with its wires and cables and charger, and had even showed it to someone who showed interest in buying it (Yes, I can't believe I even considered that). With no choice but to use that camera for the times during the day when I needed to unwind, I fell in love with it all over again.

Oly is a spectacular underperformer. When I used my 50d  to take photos, I would marvel at how it rendered light and color so well,  and I would squirm, thinking of how badly my Oly would have handled it. But time and time again, I fall in love.

This was my first camera, given to me by a loving aunt, and it took me just now to realize that I could never, ever part with it. I use this almost exclusively with my vintage film 50 mm Zuiko which means that this lens has to be turned manually to focus, making it practically useless for action shots. The crop on this thing is also terrible, it now takes photos like some mutated telephoto lens, and in cramped, small spaces, you will be lucky to take a decent frame of a person's face when he is standing in front of you, with a little bit of neck if you're lucky. 

It is fussy, but the aperture blades close and open fine. I love how small it feels in my hand, but also how sturdy the metal parts feel. I love how the camera is missing a few port covers and is dusty in nooks and crannies, but it's an old camera, and somehow aged is just the right look for it. The worst thing about this camera is its low light performance and how badly it blows highlights during sunny days. But working with this camera is teaching me a lot about patience, about learning how to work with difficult things and try to get something beautiful (at least to me), out of them.

So no, this camera is no longer up for sale. I think JP will be glad that I've reached this decision, since he has told me not to sell the camera and just keep it as part of a collection. I doubt if this camera will ever be left to gather dust, however. I may forget to pick it up for weeks and even months, but it constantly draws me in from time to time, and I easily fall in love all over again.




5 Comentarios

  1. I love the colors man. One of my first flickr friends used an Olympus too and I thought it took really nice pictures.

    6D coming very soon for you. hahaha!

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  2. @Jeff: Thanks Jeff! nipalit nako 6D!I was in and out of Cebu in two hours, since I had to take the bus home (but I stopped by Sbarro's first haha!)I'm loving it, although I still miss my 50d and will def have it fixed kung naa nako money :) Sakto jud ka, no regrets with the 6D!

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  3. i miss taking photos of pretty things. i guess tungod wala na koy privacy diri mag set-up2x ug anik-anik stuff.

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  4. @Kat: You'll have your 6D in no time Kat! :D Canon na ta tanan! Wheee!

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