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Anyone here shot/shoots with an Olympus Pen F?

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Vivek

Guest
I have a few hours to kill and I thought I might as well ask around. Anyone own the Pen F/FT? Still using it?

FWIW, I do for the past 10 years or so.

I do wish that Olympus would bring back that compactness/ergonomics associated with the Pen F.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Hi Vivek
I don't - not any longer.
But I quite agree with you - a m4:3 camera in a body that size - especially a weatherproofed one, and THEN I'll have a camera to use!
 
R

Ranger 9

Guest
I have a few hours to kill and I thought I might as well ask around. Anyone own the Pen F/FT? Still using it?

FWIW, I do for the past 10 years or so.

I do wish that Olympus would bring back that compactness/ergonomics associated with the Pen F.
Used to have an FT. The mechanical construction was clever (rotary sector shutter, sideways-flipping mirror, and so forth), the handling was great for such a small-bodied camera, and they made some nice lenses for it, especially the medium teles.

But I thought the finder brightness was subpar (the FV was supposed to be better than the FT because it didn't siphon off light for a TTL meter) and the metering system was clunky to use, with those arbitrary numbers and the extra scale on the bottom of the aperture ring.

It always struck me as one of those cases in which they concentrated all their smarts on one area (the internal mechanical design) and didn't leave much bandwidth to expend on other areas such as practicality and usability.

That's probably why gadget freaks such as myself liked the idea a lot, but found we didn't like using the actual camera so much. As an object of contemplation it was lots of fun... but for taking pictures we found we got along better with a more mundane full-frame Minolta or Canon or Nikon or whatever.
 

monza

Active member
I never used a Pen F but always wanted to try one. When the Pen F adapter for the µ4/3 comes out I'll probably try a lens or two...
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Good! :)

Here is some old pen F literature: http://www.skipwilliams.com/olympus/pen-lit.htm

I would suggest that one can ignore the resolution tests published in the old magazines. They are incorrect (when some resolutions went over their limits of measurements they put a conservative maximum figure and in some cases, got it wrong).
 

monza

Active member
Thanks for the link...lots of good reading.

Interestingly, the Camera 35 lens review indicates a 2x factor (stating the 70/2 is 140mm equiv.) while the Pen F lens guide says the 70mm is 100mm equiv.
 

kevinparis

Member
My father has a couple of Pen F bodies, along with standard lenses and one telephoto.

Was looking at them again when I was home over Christmas. Still love the size and form factor, but boy is the vewfinder dark. Also struck me that because of the half frame format, the default view is portrait ie tall and thin.

Maybe thats why i tend to take a lot of my photos today in that format :)
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Yes, the FT's finder is quite dark. Usable only in sunny conditions. The last of the Pens (FV) is supposed to have improved on that. By that time, Olympus was getting into their full format (screw mount) system and getting mired in patent problems ("M" system) which forced them to the OM system.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Thanks for the link...lots of good reading.

Interestingly, the Camera 35 lens review indicates a 2x factor (stating the 70/2 is 140mm equiv.) while the Pen F lens guide says the 70mm is 100mm equiv.

Robert, Yes, the Pen F guide goes by the diagonal of the frame and quite rightly so.
 

Riley

New member
there is a rumour going around that the Olympus mFT will be 2 models, M1 and M100. M1 is weather sealed, M100 is the compact we saw in mockup.
 
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wblynch

Guest
Stopped at a camera store in LA tonight to buy some film. He was closing up but I asked if he had any Pen F stuff.

Pulls out a box with a whole kit. A Pen FT in black and 4 more lenses. All was mint, like it had never been used. All the lenses were still in their boxes and included the leather cases. The camera had a mint leather case as well.

He wants $3200. A lot for me but so tempting. What a little jewel.

Those lenses are so tiny!!

... I wonder if he does lay-away? :)
 
V

Vivek

Guest
The black pen FT is a collector camera (especially if it is in mint condition).

Which lenses are in that set? If you find the 38/2.8 pancake, the 38/3.5 macro, the 42/1.2, the 60/1.5 as the 4 lenses, you may be looking at something worthwhile. Also, if there is a boxed 400/6.3, sure.
 
W

wblynch

Guest
The black pen FT is a collector camera (especially if it is in mint condition).

Which lenses are in that set? If you find the 38/2.8 pancake, the 38/3.5 macro, the 42/1.2, the 60/1.5 as the 4 lenses, you may be looking at something worthwhile. Also, if there is a boxed 400/6.3, sure.
I didn't have a pen to write them down but I believe they were the 38 1.8, 25mm f?, 20mm f?, 70mm f? and 150mm (or was it 100mm?).

I know there were 4 in boxes and 1 on the camera. Two of the boxed lenses were still in their cellophane. All the boxed lenses had leather cases.

I'll go back and clarify. I'm tempted but it may be wiser to spend that dough on some Leitz M lenses instead... (ha, as if I had the dough!!)

Cameras... What a terrible addiction.
 
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