Olympus Pen 3D

[akptc]

This is one for half-frame Oly experts - a local mom&pop camera store just got a minty Olympus Pen-3D with a working meter and a f/1.7 32mm lens. I kind of like it but have no idea what I should offer to pay for it. I think the store would let it go for $50 but it seems high. I'd much appreciate any suggestions on the price. Thanks a bunch!

 

[delible]

D-3?

D-3?

Is it a D-3? I haven't seen a lot of the Pen D-3 for sale; but, I think that I'd probably be glad to see one in that price range that I could handle, check out etc. I have a Pen D (first model) with selenium meter and 1.9 lens that I like a lot.

 

[pshinkaw]

A D-3 is the least common of the D series Pens. It has a CdS meter and uses an S76 silver cell. Push a button to meter, release it to turn meter off.

Nice little camera, a little fatter than the Pen-S (my favorite, but worth a little more money)

My only complaint is that it has no flash shoe even though it has a PC connector.

Worth more than $40 but probably not more than $60.

-Paul

 

[julio1fer]

I own a D3. The lens is great. It may well be the best half frame viewfinder camera ever produced. Quality is par with the Oly Pen F SLR types.

This camera has a push-button light meter, with CdS cell; you may want to check if it works. Battery is inside the camera, next to the taking spool in the bottom. You have to take the back cover in order to get to the battery.

You will probably need to change the light seals (easily improvised with black felt or foam).

I believe it is cheap at $ 50, provided it works and it is in good shape. Recently one went on the 'Bay for 85.70.

Should be a wonderful camera for street shooting or low light photography.

 

[akptc]

Thanks a bunch for your feedback. It's actually the EL model of the Pen D3. Indeed, once the store owner put a new battery into that cleverly hidden compartment, the meter worked great. I noticed that the camera was quite hefty for its small size, felt very solid. The only minus that I noticed was a tiny piece of yellowish, translucent foil/plastic that seemed to be loose under the meter's top window. Not sure what it was but it didn't seem to affect the meter function.

 

[thmk]

Yesterday one of these went for 93 Euro on ebay.de (to US btw). Last year a mint one with some accessories included went for more than 230 Euro! So for 50 USD I would not hesitate.

Cheers
Thomas-Michael

 

[julio1fer]

I'm becoming a bit concerned. There were zillions of Pen models, and we may be talking about different models. AFAIK there was no Pen D3 EL. This is the Pen D3:

Is this the one you are considering? If not, please take a look at this page and let us know which model it is.

 

[delible]

I wonder if the EL just indicates a new model of take-up spool (E...asy L...oad). That was the case with the EE-S EL (the EL was inscribed on the right side of the camera, from the subject pov, opposite EE-S on the left side). The rest of the camera was a "regular" EE-S.

 

[akptc]

Yup, I think it is the EL model... I had that confirmed by AVI, a member here / Oly Pen collector. here is a pic with the EL sticker.

 

[julio1fer]

Excellent - always something to be learned here!

 

[akptc]

Here are some pics of the camera. I bought it for trade with a friendly photog but he changed his mind (and is keeping the gear I wanted) so I am putting the Oly on ebay, very curious what it can fetch 🙂.

 

[akptc]

Wow, I guess it is a popular little camera, based on the number of bids so far. Learning something new every day....

 

[akptc]

Holy cow! this is crazy - it's bid up US $204.49 now. Why would anyone pay two hundred bucks for an old scale focus Oly...? not that I am complaining....

 

[Trius]

I really, REALLY, REALLY like the script above the lens:

Trés elegant.

 

[douglowell]

Yeah, the price is going up

Yeah, the price is going up

for people like me, who use the Olympus Pen D series as a principal camera, the price just keeps going up. I'm the guy who just paid $180 on eBay for a D3. Why? Because I have to grab them when they turn up in good shape. Because when they break, it's cheaper to buy another than to find someone who can repair them. (Unless someone out there knows a camera repair person who does Pens.)

I sure hope you bought that D3 you were looking at for $50.

Doug:bang:

 

[douglowell]

D3 El

D3 El

By the way, mine is an EL but only because there's a sticker on it that says so. And it doesn't look any easier to load than my other Pen Ds.

 

[akptc]

for people like me, who use the Olympus Pen D series as a principal camera...... Doug:bang:

Hi Doug, you piqued my curiosity with that statement. What kind of shooting do you do with the D3?

 

[Cale Arthur]

it's cheaper to buy another than to find someone who can repair them. (Unless someone out there knows a camera repair person who does Pens.)

John Hermanson is the go-to guy for your Oly Pen repairs.. he's an ace, as others here can surely attest. You can find him here: zuiko.com

--c--