Olympus · Half-frame · 1966–1972
The Pen FT is the metered member of Olympus's half-frame SLR family, designed by Yoshihisa Maitani and sold from 1966 to 1972. Each frame is 18 × 24 mm and upright, so a 36-exposure roll gives you 72 pictures and the finder is tall to match. Instead of two cloth curtains it has a rotary metal disc that spins out of the way, which lets flash sync at every speed up to 1/500 s. Over the 1963 Pen F, the FT added a single-stroke advance, a self-timer and a built-in TTL meter. That meter isn't coupled to the lens. It reads in exposure numbers, and later Pen F lenses carry matching numbers on the aperture ring. Olympus made about 275,000 FTs, against about 190,000 of the meterless Pen F and about 45,000 of the 1967 Pen FV.
The variants
The Pen F (1963) has no meter and a two-stroke advance, and the Pen FV (1967) drops the FT's meter for a brighter finder. The FT is the only one of the three with a built-in meter.
The meter reads through a half-mirror that sends half the light to the cell, so the finder is noticeably dimmer than a Pen F's, and those half-mirrors are prone to corrosion that can only be fixed by replacement. Owners also complain about finding a cell that gives the meter its proper voltage.
Buying guide
We'd buy the Pen FT titled meter works with a 38mm f/1.8 at $225 delivered, or the body titled meter works at $170 if you already have a Pen F lens. There are about 190 for sale, and every one of the 32 we looked at ships from a Japan dealer. Most ask $190–350 delivered, with black bodies and kits with the fast 40mm f/1.4 or 42mm f/1.2 asking $340–680. The shutter is a mechanical rotary disc and fires without a battery, since the small button cell only runs the meter. That meter reads through a half-mirror that can corrode and can only be replaced, so ask for a photo into the mirror box with the lens off. Treat grades like Exc+5 and N MINT as the dealer's own optimistic scale, and skip the junk body at $216, which asks more than one titled all works.
![All Works [Exc+5] Olympus Pen FT 35mm SLR Half Frame Film Camera Body From JAPAN](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/LIYAAeSwcZpqy0aS/s-l500.jpg)
$129.99est. delivered
The lowest delivered Pen FT, a body titled all works and graded Exc+5 by the dealer, at $130. Ask whether the meter was part of that check, and for a photo into the mirror box with the lens off.
All Works [Exc+5] Olympus Pen FT 35mm SLR Half Frame Film Camera Body From JAPAN
![Meter Works!! [N MINT] Olympus PEN FT SLR 35mm Half Frame Film Camera JAPAN #219](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/D~AAAeSwaMJpzK9B/s-l500.jpg)
$169.99est. delivered
A body titled meter works and graded N MINT by the dealer, at $170 delivered, $20 under the band. A working meter is the claim that matters on a half-mirror body, so ask which cell it was checked with.
Meter Works!! [N MINT] Olympus PEN FT SLR 35mm Half Frame Film Camera JAPAN #219
![Meter Works Olympus Pen FT 35mm Half Film Camera 38mm f1.8 JAPAN [Vintage]](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/RFcAAeSwUXpqk3bc/s-l500.jpg)
$224.98est. delivered
Titled meter works, with the 38mm f/1.8 most kits here carry, at $225 delivered, under the $242 median. Ask for a flashlight photo through the lens to check for haze.
Meter Works Olympus Pen FT 35mm Half Film Camera 38mm f1.8 JAPAN [Vintage]
![CLA'd Meter Works [ N MINT w/ Strap ] Olympus Pen FT Camera 38mm f1.8 From JAPAN](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/7-wAAeSwYylqs57T/s-l500.jpg)
$339.90est. delivered
Titled CLA'd and meter works, with a 38mm f/1.8 and strap, so it should need the least work here. At $340 delivered it's near the top of the band, and $80 of that is shipping.
CLA'd Meter Works [ N MINT w/ Strap ] Olympus Pen FT Camera 38mm f1.8 From JAPAN
![[Near MINT in Box] Olympus Pen FT Half Frame Camera 38mm f/1.8 lens From JAPAN](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JUQAAeSw92hpWcyU/s-l500.jpg)
$339.98est. delivered
A boxed kit with a 38mm f/1.8, graded Near MINT by the dealer, at $340 delivered, inside the band. The box is what the extra buys, since the title makes no test or meter claim.
[Near MINT in Box] Olympus Pen FT Half Frame Camera 38mm f/1.8 lens From JAPAN
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$129.99est. delivered
$109.99 + $20.00 shipping
Buy It Now$109.99
Good buy
Body only, titled all works. Exc+5 is the dealer's grade.
Seller: sakura_photograph_japan
100% positive
Used$169.99est. delivered
$139.99 + $30.00 shipping
Buy It Now$139.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
Titled meter works. N MINT is the dealer's grade.
Seller: toto_camera_japan
100% positive
Used$224.98est. delivered
$199.99 + $24.99 shipping
Buy It Now$199.99
Good buy
Titled meter works, with a 38mm f/1.8.
Seller: aiyama_metsa_camera_japan
100% positive
Serviced$339.90est. delivered
$259.90 + $80.00 shipping
Buy It Now$259.90
Good buy
Titled CLA'd and meter works, with a 38mm f/1.8 and strap.
Seller: antique.21
100% positive
Used$339.98est. delivered
$299.99 + $39.99 shipping
Buy It Now$299.99
Good buy
Boxed, with a 38mm f/1.8. No test claim.
Seller: tk-camera-japan
100% positive
![[ Exc+5 +Tested ] Olympus PEN FT Half Frame 35mm Film Camera Silver SLR Japan](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/HOkAAeSwoFlqpUFZ/s-l500.jpg)
Used$149.96est. delivered
$109.98 + $39.98 shipping
Buy It Now$109.98
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Silver, titled tested. Exc+5 is the dealer's grade.
Seller: japangood-item
97.3% positive
For parts$216.50est. delivered
$164.00 + $52.50 shipping
Buy It Now$164.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Titled junk, for parts, untested. Asks more than a body titled all works.
Seller: kent_127531
98.4% positive
![[N MINT] Olympus PEN FT Half Frame SLR Film Camera 42mm F1.2 Lens From JAPAN](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/EewAAeSw~2dqv7hU/s-l500.jpg)
Used$679.99est. delivered
$589.99 + $90.00 shipping
Buy It Now$589.99
Priced high
With the fast 42mm f/1.2. About 2.8 times the median.
Seller: massa-4656
100% positive
Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 11, 2026.
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Olympus · 35mm SLR
Meter onlyOlympus OM mount · 1972–late 1980s
$140–$230 typical ask
Olympus · 35mm rangefinder
Battery neededFixed 35 mm f/2.8 Zuiko, 6 elements · 1979–1985
$230–$280 typical ask
Olympus · 35mm compact
No batteryFixed 40 mm f/2.8 D. Zuiko, 4 elements in 3 groups · 1967–1984
$120–$160 typical ask