This is the final day the Grinnell Stewart Library is open to the public. At 4:00 PM, October 4, 2009 it closes for the last time and in four weeks the new Drake Library will be opened. The one classic feature of the Stewart Library is the glass floors.

Glass Floor and Books. Olympus E-1 with 14-54 DZ Lens, F8 at 1/1.3 Second, 20mm 

The Olympus E-P1 has now been on the market long enough to satisfy the early demand. I was able to finally get my hands on one to see if it is a camera that will make it into my camera bag. Along with the hands-on came a surprise I'm not sure how to accept.

Ken holding the E-P1 

With Leica's introduction of the full-frame 35mm digital M9, Olympus could bring out the camera many of us have been longing for:  The Olympus E-3Ti full-frame 35mm digital camera in classic OM-mount.  One could dream...

Olympus E-3Ti with 35-80 F2.8 lens. Full-frame digital camera with 24x36mm sensor 

A frequent question being asked right now has to do with the Olympus E-3 replacement. When will it be announced?

There is a lot of speculation surrounding this--all evidence points to the replacement being ready for market with exception of one critical thing...

On August 29, 2009 a group of us Olympus users got together in Grinnell Iowa for some moral support. Here is a photo of all that came. Corey set up the shot and photographed us using a remote for the E-1 and had a Metz 54 wirelessly triggered for fill on this bright sunny day. Thanks, Corey.

From left to right: Paul, Joel, Corey, Gordon, Ken and Michael.

Among us we had one the following:

1 E-1, 4 E-3, 1 OM-2, 2 OM-2n, 2 OM-2s, 1 OM-3Ti, 1 OM-4, 1 OM-4T, 27 lenses and many accessories.

Gorden managed to trump us all by bringing his DZ 150 F2 lens with him.  That lens is simply amazing. I now have a new favorite must-have lens.

A terrific time was had by all. 

Quiet Moments - Chalk Lake, San Isabel National Forest, Colorado.

Quiet Moments, Olympus OM-4T, Zuiko 35-80 F2.8, Fujichrome Provia 100F, F4 at 180 seconds, Processed in Picture Window Pro.

Farm road in Eastern Colorado at sunset. Picture was taken with an Olympus OM-2S, Zuiko 24 2.8 Lens and Fujichrome Velvia 100.  Image is slightly cropped for artistic purposes.

Split Field at Sunset, Olympus OM-2s, Zuiko 24 F2.8 Lens, Fujichrome Velvia 100

Sunset Sky over the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.

Sunset Sky and Dunes, Olympus OM-4T, Zuiko 24 F2.8, Fujichrome Provia 100F 

This picture was taken quite some time after sunset. Metering the scene was difficult to impossible, however, I was using the Olympus OM-4T and auto-exposure is up to two minutes and is measured off-the-film during the exposure itself.  The exposure was actually close to two minutes in length. To the human eye, these colors were not really visible as the eye starts to see in monochrome in dim conditions. I suspected, however, that a highly saturated film, such as Fujichrome Provia would see and enhance these colors. The picture was taken from the trailhead parking lot just below the campground.

What happens when you are looking at the winning photographs of a large competition and you see YOUR photograph, but it isn't your photograph?

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