This is an Olympus Pen FT 35mm half frame SLR camera. The Pen FT is an absolute classic, the only SLR ever made in the half frame format, excepting its brothers in the Pen F and FV or some exceptionally rare special editions of Alpas and the FM2.
It uses normal 35mm film, but takes two pictures in the space that a normal 35mm camera would take two, so you get 72 pictures on a roll rather than 36. Originally this was done to save on expensive film, but now there are other reasons - the camera is unbelivably small and light for a SLR, as are the lenses. The closest focussing distance is quite close with all Pen lenses compared to those for 35mm full frame, and the lenses are very high quality, with especially good bokeh in my experience. The Pen FT has a titanium rotary shutter (i.e. it turns rather than slides across) which is very low in vibration compared to normal focal plane shutters. I have also found also that pretty much any place can develop half frame, even those where you have to tell them what it is first, even most high street places, or of course you can scan or print yourself.
This camera is in a user condition. All of the shutter speeds fire, and as far as I can tell they are accurate. Film winds no problem, the camera is light tight, basically there are no problems taking pictures with it. However, there are the following problems:
1. Chip off viewfinder eyepiece surround (no problem to look through it at all)
2. Light meter doesn't work (The Pen FT has a really stupid light meter which isn't coupled to the lens, so its very slow to work with, besides taking a battery you can't buy anymore, so I would personally rather use a handheld meter even if it was working)
3. Self timer doesn't work
4. Flash sync doesn't appear to work (again, not a big problem in practice - the Pen FT doesn't have a hotshoe, so there's nowhere to actually put a flash unless you add a bracket that cips around the eyepiece, or use a potato masher style flash holder, both of which are a bit unwiedly)
In general, it's a user camera. It does its job of taking pictures very well, but is no collectors piece. Apart from collectors, who obviously want the best possible condition, I would suggest that a camera like this, functional and cheap, is a good buy compared to a more expensive one. Since the Pen FT is unlikely to be your only camera (most other cameras will have a better range of available and affordable lenses and accessories), it makes sense not to get too heavily invested into it.
If you would like to see pictures taken with this camera, have a look at www.flickr.com, add /people/historicist to the end of that address and click on the link for the camera on my profile page. There are a lot of other pictures taken with Pen Fts on Flickr if you wish to see what the camera can do, and googling Pen FT will quickly bring up many pages about the camera.
I also have a 40mm f1.4 up for sale in another auction, near mint, and I combine postage - in practice the postage charge for two items together would be the same as for one, so it's a big saving.
Shipping to UK - £12
Shipping to Germany - 5 euro als Päckchen (nur mit Zahlung per Überweisung) oder 8 euro als Paket (Mit Paypal Zahlung, oder Zahlung per Überweisung nach wunsch). Zahlung mit Bargeld und abholung in Berlin auch möglich.
Shipping to EU - 18 euro (if you pay by bank transfer, I can send it for 9 euro, though this is untracked mail)
Shipping to USA or more or less anywhere else - 39 euro
I can accept Paypal or
direct bank transfer into English or German bank accounts. If you pay
by Paypal, I will only send the item to a verified address.
The item is based in
Berlin, hence the postage charge, sorry about that but it is by DHL
signed for. I can accept payment by direct bank transfer into English
and German bank accounts, and Paypal. It would also be possible to
pick the item up and pay cash if you happen to be in Berlin.
Postage to anywhere else please ask.
Deutsch:
Porto innerhalb Deutschland 5 euro als Päckchen oder 8 euro als Paket
nach Wunsch. Lieber Zahlung mit Überweisung (habe ich deutsche Konto)
auf Grund ich bekomme die Geld schneller, habe ich aber kein Problem
mit Paypal Zahlung. Auf Grund Paypal regeln, wenn Zahlung ist mit
Paypal erhalten, kann ich nur als Paket schicken. Zahlung mit Bargeld
und abholung in Berlin natürlich auch möglich. Viel Spaß beim bieten!
Happy bidding!
|
Track up to 10 items on this computer in 
)
