Need info Oly Pen-FV

[BrunoK]

Digging through more of my dad's cameras I found an Olympus Pen-FV

sn 107xxx
lens Zuiko Auto-S 1:1,8 f=38mm sn 260xxx

I know that it is in the Pen F family but can't seem to locate much by way of info on them. Can I refer to Pen-F/FT manuals or is this one of those with slight but important differences.


It is a sweet handy SLR in especially fine condition.

What's the approx. current value?

Again thanks in advance for any help, advice, info.
The members here have been most invaluable helping me understand just what my father had. I wish that he had been given the time to find this board.

 

[ferider]

The best, rarest and latest of the Pen F cameras - congratulations !

Handles like an FT without meter but brighter viewfinder.

Value is US 300 and up, depending on condition.

Best,

Roland.

 

[BrunoK]

Thanks for the info. Maybe I'll add this to my personal collections of Olys once I learn more about it.

 

[BrunoK]

No. The Pen FV is from my dad's collection and so far I've not discovered any other Pen F models.

 

[Hibbs]

I only have an FV...so I cannot compare with an FT.

However, when I emailed John Foster about the 42mm 1.2 Zuiko on the FV, his response was positive and, if my memory is correct, he indicated that the FV was about half a stop brighter than the FT.

John Foster wrote the book Olympus Pen Half—Frame System Cameras, a definitive guide for collectors.

Check out JOHN'S SITE...his books are highly recommended.

~Hibbs

 

[Doug]

Just my experience, but one of my two FT's seems a bit brighter than the other, and my FV is about the same as the former. These are getting on toward 40 years old, so individual variations are more a factor ... cleanliness of the mirrored surfaces in the viewfinder, for instance. The 1.8/38mm is the sharpest of the several "normal" lenses for the Pen.

Be gentle with the film wind, as this has been a common service item, and tends to be slightly gritty feeling due to the right-angle gearing involved. You may also miss detecting the end of the roll, with the sharp metal film sprockets cutting through the film perforations and giving you multiple exposures on the last frame. My FV also gives somewhat irregular frame spacing on the film, though the FTs are ok in that regard.

These are nifty little cameras, and I can't seem to resist using them and occasionally buying new goodies for them... like this summer getting a 2.0/70mm Zuiko... 😀 Have fun with your find!

 

[BrunoK]

Doug,

Thanks for the info. It does fall readily to hand. A very impressive design from Olympus.

 

[Sonnar2]

I have both FT and FV, these two:
http://www.taunusreiter.de/Cameras/Olympus_PenF.html
and with the best will I can see NO difference in finder brightness at all.
Maybe, in theory, the FV finder is brigther.
Maybe, the FV is the youngest camera in a bunch of Pen-F cameras, and the finder is brighter because of less de-silvering of the mirrors and prisms. But wait a couple of years and both can be the same bad....

If you don't like meters, or don't trust them, it's better to buy the FV than the F because of the improved shutter of the FT/FV models. If you like meters if they work, or prefer black cameras, buy a FT. That's all I can say to potential buyers. Both are great cameras to use, and it's silly to point any "best" between them. It very much depends on what YOU like..

 

[BrunoK]

Thanks for the link. If I read that chart correctly ( mit mein biergarten Deutsch) my dad's Pen-FV was made in 1968.

 

[Hibbs]

Indeed...thanks for the link. My FV has a serial of 130036...so I am not sure of the exact date.

~ Hibbs

 

[photovdz]

the FV is the most usable F... since the meter of the FT is quite uneasy to use (number to be reported on the lens)...
you can use the special meter of the F on the FV too...

(in fact I have all 3... F, FV, FT black... and the funny game consist of using adapters fr nikon f or other lenses (I have om, arri and 42mm adapters... and I'm looking for other one like the exakta and the nikkon ones)

 

[caperunner]

Another useful site for the Olympus range is http://www.olympus-global.com/
Has a fairly comprehensive review of all their cameras.

 

[BrunoK]

caperunner,

Actually I tried the Olympus site before posting my question here.

The support of older cameras is sadly lacking there.

But thanks for the interest.

 

[jsuominen]

If you don't like meters, or don't trust them, it's better to buy the FV than the F because of the improved shutter of the FT/FV models.

I have two Pen F bodies and some lenses (40/1.4, three 38/1.8). What is the main difference between F and FT/FV shutter and how are those later models better? I have noticed, that my Pen F titanium shutter is sensitive to cold. In sub-zero (Celsius degrees) conditions during winter, the shutter freezes easily open.

 

[Sonnar2]

The obvious difference is that the F-shutter has a two-stroke advance whereas the FT/FV shutter has a single stroke.
But there seems to be major improvements because you seldom find FT/FV cameras with shutter problems whereas most F-shutters seem to be in need of overhaul (at least a lubrication problem)
I haven't took any of my two Pen's apart because both working great for cameras 40 years old. But I've noticed with interest that some Korean guy sold some used Pen-F parts in ebay. I bought one titanium shutter cycle of him just for curiosity and as a spare. He then had two complete shutter-trigger units (without the cycle, which easily can be dismounted, different from a Leica type shutter), one of an F, one of an FT. The latter was definitely more complicated --- obviously Olympus did some changes here. And I suggest: not without a reason.
Maitani-san himself wrote that the development of the shutter was very difficult - http://www.olympus-global.com/en/corc/history/lecture/part10.cfm - and the "Pen F" simply was their first attempt of this rotating type of shutter ever was taken into production. After all, it runs at much faster speed than Leica type shutters which were, at that time, engineered and sold in large series for 30 years by different companies. So it simply would be close to a wonder if nothing would need to be re-engineered after the experience of some years... and so did Olympus.

 

[jsuominen]

Maitani-san himself wrote that the development of the shutter was very difficult - http://www.olympus-global.com/en/corc/history/lecture/part10.cfm - and the "Pen F" simply was their first attempt of this rotating type of shutter ever was taken into production.

Frank, thanks for info and interesting link. I haven't seen it before.