I'd never call it great. Mostly, I suspect, people are surprised (after all the negative press it received at "its birth") at how well it can do. Or, as you said, good for the money--I paid $150 off eBay for a new one.
As others have noted from time-to-time, it also allows the WA adapter (for another $100). But one could, I imagine, buy a (used) super WA dedicated lens and adapter ring for about that price
.
It is odd, now that I think about it. Most of the time, I'm set at DMF. If I'm after a serious shot, I might be on a tripod. And I have peeking on (to give me my focusing "sparkles"). If necessary, I adjust manually. And a lot of what I do while "pursuing art" is with static subjects. So when I think about it, I wonder why I don't consider some used legacy lenses. It's not like I'd have a lot more to learn or do.
Maybe it's just that I'm worried if I break down and buy one, I'll lose control and have to buy more, and MORE
After all, I sold all my heavy Canon DSLR equipment--no need to bet all burdened up again! LOL.
Ahhh, the "razor wire". Great POV !
You looked
I've never warmed up to the idea of adapters and other lens. You make them sing--I still remember that autumn shot along that path in the woods/glen you showed several months back.
With the little 38/1.8 Zuiko I'd just bought... Lovely lens.
But as you say, manual lenses are not for everyone. If AF is high on your list of priorities then clearly the E16 wins hands down since it's all there is.
In any case it's not a
bad lens, just not a
great lens like the OP claims. It's "ok", perhaps even "good",
for the money , but I would suggest that there are better options optically at this FoV if AF is not a requirement.
I should point out that although I don't need/want AF I do value size and weight, so the E16 was initially very attractive. Unfortunately it proved to be too compromised for my tastes, sacrificing too much optical performance in exchange for small size. Horses for courses; I know there are lots of perfectly happy users who have needs and aesthetics different from mine.
Personally I've never "bashed" the E16 just because I don't much like it, so I'm not at all clear about the perceived need by some to gush about its "greatness" in every other thread they post just because they like it. It gets a bit irritating after a while and makes me want write something to rebalance the scales ;-)
--
John Bean [GMT]
--
A veteran is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America," for an amount of "up to and including my life".
(...from the generation that still uses capital letters and punctuation...)
