The upside of the increase in film prices is that it gave me an excuse to acquire another half-frame camera. It is one of Maitani's masterpieces, the Olympus Pen-FT.
The Pen-FT is only marginally larger than my Leica IIIa. It seems amazing that Maitani was able to fit a single lens reflex system into such a small container.
On the morning after the camera's arrival I loaded it with a roll of Kentmere 400, first shooting a few frames near home, and then going down to the Plaza Vieja to finish off the roll.
The F Zuiko Auto-S 1.8/38mm lens focuses down to about one foot.
Finishishing off the Kentmere in the Plaza Vieja took a while as the 24-shot roll yielded 53 images!
It being a Friday morning, the old cars were lined up in front of the church waiting for their pictures to be taken.
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'86 El Camino |
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'32 Ford Victoria |
I bumped into my friend, Bob, in the Plaza so we took pictures of each other with the Pen-FT.
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Bob |
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Mike |
The camera worked perfectly. I have ordered six rolls of Kentmere 100 and two of Kodak Gold 200 which I think will be well-suited to the half-frame capability. I will probably also get some bulk film so I can make up some film rolls with a smaller number of frames.
The manual has illustrations showing the great array of lenses and accessories made by Olympus for the Pen-FT including adapters allowing the use of many standard 35mm lenses from Nikon, Practica, Leica and Exakta.
And, of course, this: