pen ft aperture stickers

[phrenzy]

Hi everyone! Long time reader, first time poster. I've had a bit of a look around but couldn't find an answer on this so I'm hoping for a little help.

Basically I've bought a great looking pen ft which I now have in my hands that didn't come with a lens (om adapter on the way) and after lots of hunting I found a very reasonably priced 50-90mm f3.5 (also on the way) with all the caps and leather pouch but without the metering numbers or a sticker for metering numbers. I'm pretty sure I could remember what number corresponds to each aperture since you really only have to remember what the lowest number on the lens corresponds to i.e what metering number is f3.5 and add one to each f stop after that.

So to make a long complicated story short I was hoping someone with a stickered ft lens could tell me which numbers correspond to which f stops. Also if someone has an accurate measuring device maybe someone could measure up some stickers and the size and distance between the numbers on it? I have a friend who prints stickers and I thought I could have him print some for me and since they come in rolls of several hundred everyone else who might need one.

Last sort of related question so I don't have to start a new thread: I know the adapter does not activate the aperture when the shutter is fired but does the official OM adapter keep the aperture as closed as the setting you have selected or do you have to hold the preview button down while firing? I know some adapters for other things ( such as an om-4/3 I had) kept the aperture "activated" so that it would get darker as you selected smaller aperture instead of only when the shutter fires.

Thanks and I'm looking forward to being a part of the forum?

 

[B.J.Scharp]

The lowest aperture is always 0 for wide and normal lenses, and for longer lenses it will go up.

For the 50–90mm F3.5 it would be 0.5-4, according to Wikipedia

(This reminds me I still have two Pen F lenses to put up on ebay)

 

[phrenzy]

I can't believe I missed that. That's interesting though, I had assumed each aperture setting would have it's own number but it seems there is a bit of a range for each...

 

[Doug]

The Pen FT metering is a kluge, IMHO, awkward to use. And the battery required is the illegal/hard-to-get 1.3v mercury cell. You might consider using a separate light meter as a solution to the two problems of battery and lens marking.

BTW, the meter numbers don't correspond exactly to the "usual" f/stops, the numbers being at their own positions in between, but still at about 1 stop intervals. That is, f/11 might be about 5 1/3, and f/8 about 4 1/3.

As to the Olympus OM adapter, I don't know, as my Olympus adapter is for screw-mount Pentax lenses. There is no mechanical interaction provided in this adapter. So the Auto/Manual switch on each lens is used to run the lens open for focusing and back down to the set aperture for shooting, similar in effect to the old "pre-set" aperture lenses.

The Olympus Pen F, and successor models, is a very cool little camera with few weak points. Just be gentle with the film-wind as the action is passed through delicate right-angle gearing, and if you use accessories that clip onto the finder eyepiece be aware this can break off pieces of the eyepiece plastic.

Well, I hope I haven't been too negative! Nice camera, have fun! 🙂

 

[Mike is hungry]

Out of the 4 Pen FTs (one of my favourites) I've used I've found that the metre was consistently off on all of them! So to deal I've used a light metre (more often then not an app on the phone) or lacking that Sunny 16. So I generally ignore the metre in the camera altogether. Then I only have myself to blame!

It has been a little while since I've used the OM adapter but I believe you don't have to hold the button down. But I could be wrong about that. I seem to remember having to do that with a homemade Nikon / Pen adapter though.

 

[B.J.Scharp]

The Pen FT metering is a kluge, IMHO, awkward to use. And the battery required is the illegal/hard-to-get 1.3v mercury cell. You might consider using a separate light meter as a solution to the two problems of battery and lens marking.

The simple solution to the battery problem is either an MR-9 adapter, which is a great thing to have if you own older cameras (It also fits the Leicameter MR, for example), or the cheaper Wein cells.

BTW, the meter numbers don't correspond exactly to the "usual" f/stops, the numbers being at their own positions in between, but still at about 1 stop intervals. That is, f/11 might be about 5 1/3, and f/8 about 4 1/3.

To be more precise, the meter numbers are calculated in stops-from-wide-open, so they automatically correct for differences between lenses. They don't match a specific f-stop, they match a specific f-stop on the current lens.

 

[kaiwasoyokaze]

i have the olympus om to pen f adapter. it has a pin inside to disable auto aperture so it shows you the aperture changes through your viewfinder.

in that case you should compose, focus, and then stop down for the best effect with the om-pen adapter. which makes the adapter and the pen ft not that convenient to use.

save up and buy a standard pen ft lens instead (they are worth it) unless you want a focal length not found in the native lens.

 

[Landshark]

The oly aperture ring is reversible. One side with their ttl numbers(1-5) and the other with the standard f stop indicators.

It won't be difficult to give your friend an index strip, dimensions and values to print.
put a piece of smooth white tape on the ring at either max or min aperture and as you change stops, make a tick mark where you need the next value.

Ummm, are you sure the numbers aren't engraved? I've never seen one with a label.

 

[Mike is hungry]

Ummm, are you sure the numbers aren't engraved? I've never seen one with a label.

Some of the older lenses that were made originally for the Pen F (no built in metre) don't have the reversible ring. Olympus included a sticker to put over the f stops for the Pen FT.

 

[phrenzy]

Thanks for all the replies. I've been eagerly watching the tracking on both the 50-90 and the adapter so hopefully and day now I'll be able to put the camera to use. I did opt for the battery adapter, the blurb for which claimed to give the proper 1.35v instead of just a size adaption. When I got the body though it had a horrible lr44 in there with a sizing ring thing so hopefully it isn't permanently damaged. I'm hoping with the adapter and good sr44s it will be accurate otherwise I would have bought an FV or F. I have to say though with all the doom and gloom about how dark the viewfinder is thanks to the TTL I was pleasantly surprised to find mine quite bright (albeit without a lens on there yet).

I completely agree that the lenses are worth buying but is going to be a long process given that I'm both hunting for ones with lens caps as well as cases for bargain uni student prices. In fact with that set of requirements I'll probably never get another 🙂 it's just to nice a thing to half heatedly buy mouldy or scratched lenses just because they are cheap though.

Thanks for all the replies. Again if anyone has a spare sticker or could measure one up id be very greatful. I think it could be a helpful resource for FT owners everywhere.

 

[phrenzy]

Instead of starting another thread I thought I would ask here, does anyone know what the Olympus pen f adapter number 7 does?

 

[Mike is hungry]

Olympus pen f adapter number 7 does

Not sure what that might be. Perhaps an extension tube or perhaps an adapter for the M42 mount (marked as a P mount I think) with some of the paint peeled off.

 

[phrenzy]

Ok so my first lens arrived, the 50-90mm and it looks very good but as I suspected it's an older model without the aperture marks or sticker. The confusing part though is that there are 6 (3.5-16) apertures but only 5 (0.5 then1-4) settings for the ttl metering listed on the Wikipedia article and on pictures of other identical lenses. Obviously 0.5 must be minimum aperture of 3.5 and 4 must be 16 but it means that 2 of the apertures must share a ttl number. Looking at the other lenses listed on the wiki article I'm assuming 4 and 5.6 are both ttl one but if anyone knows or has the lens and could tell me id really appreciate it. Based on the wiki reference it looks right but I also note that the same aperture on different lenses listed there sometimes has different ttl numbers, I suppose because different lenses might be brighter at a given aperture but it's damn confusing.

 

[Doug]

Congrats on your "new" lens! As I mentioned before, don't assume the meter numbers will correspond to specific f/stops or vice versa. They don't.

I am holding my newer 50-90 zoom in my hand... f/16 is about 4 1/2, f/5.6 is about 1 1/2, and f/3.5 is indeed 0.5

Have fun, but don't trust that meter... 🙂