Chris Bonington has done as much as any man to open our eyes to the ethereal but savage beauty of the high Himalayas. The results are captivating, but achieving them calls for the very highest degree of professionalism - on the part of the photographer and the equipment alike.

"I was immediately attracted to the OM System because it was so compact and light. In 1974 I changed to the OM-1 with a selection of lenses from 16mm to 400mm for our expedition to Changabang. The lens quality was first class and, even more important, the OM-1 was not only remarkably light and compact, but extremely reliable. Since then I have moved to the OM-2, which is equally reliable and easy to use - in a crowded Kirghiz encampment or at 25,000 feet in driving snow and sub-zero temperatures. The easy-to-operate exposure compensation control is a particular boon, as is the simplicity and effectiveness of all the controls. The quality and versatility of the very compact lenses speak for themselves."

The brilliance of Roy Morsch is to turn commonplace subjects into objects of wonder. His mastery of technique puts him in the right place, at the right time, at the right angle. His eye for the unique certainly makes him one of the most versatile photographers today, and one of the most recognized. Whether the assignment is a session with a famous celebrity at his mid-Manhattan studio, or a week with the world's busiest firehouse, the same "peak action" excitement is guaranteed.

Roy Morsch is, not surprisingly, a discerning judge of equipment, too. "The OM-2 works perfectly every time, regardless of the available light. The Olympus system has shown me a new way of thinking about photography. The lightweight, simple design and ease of handling allow me to concentrate my efforts on composition and design, whatever the situation."

"Once you think the way the OM-2 thinks, you just can't miss!"

Patrick, 5th Earl of Lichfield, sometimes regrets the freshness of his very first photographs - portraits of the dogs and cows on his family estate, along with some vintage group shots of aged great grandparents. His admirers, however, would say that the perceptiveness in photography he showed at the age of seven has never left him. His unique eye for the personality behind public figures, and his sheer professionalism in tackling subjects from fashion models and nude studies to society portraits, have given him worldwide stature.

That's one reason he puts in some 200,000 miles of travel on assignments each year. Which in turn is a powerful reason for his choice of the OM-2. "I found it so small and light I could carry half as much extra equipment in the same camera case. Bearing in mind that my assignments take me anywhere from Manchester to Mustique, that's a very important factor." But while Lord Lichfield was first attracted by the OM-2's remarkable compactness, he was soon won over by its other top features. " I became so impressed with the lens quality that I began to use if for more and more of my studio work, too."

Kon Sasaki's world of tiny living creatures is not the easiest to interpret. In addition to a quick eye and superb timing, it demands infinite patience and precision. Getting the right exposure in close-up flash photography was particularly difficult.

"In fact, this was so much trouble it probably discouraged a great many people from even attempting this fascinating field. Looking back, it's hard to remember all the trials we used to go through. The big change came in 1975 when the OM-2 put even the flash emission under control of the camera's central computer."

The OM-2 and OM macrophoto system came as a godsend to Sasaki. They not only eliminated exposure problems at a stroke, but with the new auto aperture 20mm and 38mm macro lenses, the T8 ring flash and the single and twin T28 lens-mounted flash units, gave him a versatility undreamed of just ten years previously.

At first glance, Jacques Schumacher's photographs sparkle with spontaneity. But closer examination shows the years of discipline in organizing space and color that underline his scintillating effects. Modest in talking about his superb craftsmanship, he is also modest, though exciting, in his choice of equipment.

"In the beginning I used to photograph still life with large cameras. However, when I started to photograph people and action scenes, I needed smaller and lighter cameras. Today I use an OM-2 for my work. Usually I am given a theme under which I'm free to create what I believe and feel suitable. I like to work this way the most since it gives me creative freedom. Photographers need to be given a free hand. It's a pure joy to travel with the OM-2. Instead of motor drive, I use the even lighter winder. My favorite lenses are razor sharp 50mm Macro, for my beauty shots the 85mm F2, and for fashion and outdoor shots the 100mm F2.8. For photo essays I use the wonderful 35-70mm F3.6 zoom. That's all I need. Fabulously light, they do the job perfectly."

The endless vistas and unspoiled natural wonders of his northern homeland have made a deep impression on the way Robert Semeniuk interprets the world - with a deceptively simple straightforwardness that rates among the highest forms of art. A look at his pictures is a very special insight into the harsh, majestic world he knows and loves best.

His chosen terrain is not the easiest assignment for a camera, but it's one where the ruggedness, compact size and versatility of the OM cameras and System come very much into their own. But for Robert Semeniuk, typically, the most important thing of all about the OM-2 is the functional beauty of its design. "If there is one thing that impresses me most about the Olympus, it is how it feels to hold. It's nice in your hand and easy on your eye." Who better than an artist to appreciate a work of art?

As a full-time photographer for National Geographic Magazine and an accomplished pilot, James Sugar has pioneered a host of new angles in photography. His criterion for camera equipment is simple: "I see the camera as a tool. It must work. When I used the OM-2 for the first time, I did so because it solved a photographic problem better than any other system." His first experience with the cameras was for an article on hoboes. Hopping on and off freight trains across the United States for three weeks convinced him of the advantages of small, light Olympus equipment.

Another stunning success was a book about the West Coast. In order to photograph many sports and recreational subjects in a new way, he attached remote-controlled cameras to windsurfers, antique racing cars, dune buggies, and Coast Guard rescue boats. Again the light weight of the equipment and the versatility of OM System motor drive units made difficult or impossible subjects practical propositions.

Jim Sugar says, "If I am to continue using Olympus in the future, it must continue to be as competitive - from a technical standpoint - as it has in the past."

It will.