Olympus Pen FT
The Olympus Pen FT is a half-frame 35mm SLR introduced in 1966, part of the Pen F system designed by Yoshihisa Maitani. It added through-the-lens metering to the earlier Pen F body while retaining the compact porro-prism viewfinder and rotary focal-plane shutter, positioning it as a compact interchangeable-lens SLR aimed at photographers who wanted 72 frames from a standard 36-exposure roll.
At recent UK auction, hammer prices for Pen FT bodies have ranged from around £130 to £350, with a typical result sitting near £150–£170 — these are saleroom wholesale figures before buyer's premium, not dealer retail. As of 2026, clean, working examples with a clear meter and a lens attached tend to sell for the upper end of that range, while untested or cosmetically tired bodies are what a Pen FT is worth at the lower end. The 2023 result at £350 shows that exceptional condition or desirable lens pairings can lift the price well above the median.
Variants
| Variant | Years | Edition | Sales | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| black | — | — | 1 | £420 – £420 |
| Endoscope | — | — | 0 | — |
| Microscope | — | — | 0 | — |
Sales History
Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.
| Date | Price | Source | Variant | |
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| Apr 2025 | £625 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica (Lot 188) Title: An Olympus PEN FT Half Frame 35mm SLR Camera
Description:
black, serial no. 350369, body VG, shutter working, together with a G. Zuiko Auto-S 40mm f/1.4 lens, body VG, optics F-G, some radial haze present, (Qty: 1) |
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| Oct 2024 | £250 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 147) Title: An Olympus Pen-FT Half Frame 35mm Camera
Description:
black, serial number 261396, with a Zuiko Auto-S f/1.2 42mm lens, barrel G, optics P with central haze behind the front element. |
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| Oct 2024 | £150 | Special Auction Services | — | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 128) Title: An Olympus Pen-FT Half Frame Camera
Description:
An Olympus Pen-FT Half Frame Camera, serial no 125707, shutter working, meter responsive, self timer working, body G-VG, with F Zuiko 35mm f/1,8 lens, |
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| Aug 2024 | £300 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 123) Title: An Olympus PEN-FT 35mm Camera Outfit
Description:
comprising the PEN-FT, silver, serial number 265281, body VG, shutter works, meter not battery tested, with a f/1.4 40mm Zuiko Auto-S lens, barrel VG, |
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| Aug 2024 | £170 | Special Auction Services | — | |
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Auction: TWO DAY: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 50) Title: An Olympus Pen-FT Half Frame Camera
Description:
An Olympus Pen-FT Half Frame Camera, shutter working, meter responsive, self timer working, body G-VG, with F Zuiko 38mm f/1.8 lens, barrel G-VG, |
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| Aug 2024 | £130 | Special Auction Services | — | |
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Auction: TWO DAY: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 775) Title: An Olympus PEN FT Half Frame Camera
Description:
An Olympus PEN FT Half Frame Camera, shutter working, meter responsive, self timer working, body G, with F Zuiko Auto S 38mm f/1.8 lens, barrel G, |
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| Nov 2023 | £175 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 242) Title: * A Olympus F Pen FT Half-Frame Camera
Description:
chrome, with Olympus G.Zuiko f/1.4 40mm lens, body, VG, lens, VG-E |
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| Nov 2023 | £350 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 241) Title: * An Olympus Pen FT Half-Frame Camera
Description:
with Olympus E. Zuiko f/2.8 38mm lens, body, G, shutter working, lens, VG, some very light internal haze, together with another Olympus Pen F body |
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| Oct 2023 | £120 | Special Auction Services | — | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 431) Title: An Olympus PEN FT Half Frame Camera
Description:
An Olympus PEN FT Half Frame Camera, shutter working, meter responsive, self timer working, body G-VG, light wear, with F Zuiko 38mm f/1.8 lens, |
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| Aug 2023 | £150 | Special Auction Services | — | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 92) Title: An Olympus Pen FT 35mm Half Frame Camera
Description:
An Olympus Pen FT 35mm Half Frame Camera, shutter working, meter responsive, self timer working, occasionally stutters, body G, some light scratches |
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| Jun 2023 | £100 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 166) Title: An Olympus Pen FT 35mm Half Frame SLR Body
Description:
IR 181472, chrome, serial no.143655, possibly endoscope camera, no meter or self timer, tested as working, body G-VG |
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| Apr 2023 | £140 | Special Auction Services | — | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 182) Title: An Olympus Pen FT Half Frame Camera
Description:
An Olympus Pen FT Half Frame Camera, serial no 307698, shutter working, meter responsive, self-timer working, body G, light wear, with F Zuiko 38mm |
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| Nov 2021 | £558 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science (Lot 209) Title: An Olympus Pen FT Half Frame Camera
Description:
1966-72, chrome, serial no. 226334, with Olympus F. Zuiko Auto-S f/2.8 38mm lens, chrome, serial no. 331070, body, VG, shutter working, lens, G-VG, |
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| Oct 2019 | £504 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science & Medicine (Lot 311) Title: An Olympus Pen FT Half Framce Camera
Description:
1966-72, black, serial no. 347082, with E.Zuiko Auto-S f/2.8 38mm lens, black, serial no. 107609, body, VG, shutter working, lens, G-VG, some |
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| May 2011 | EUR 600 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 19 (Lot AI_19_12811) Title: Olympus Pen-FT Schwarz Lackiert
Description:
mint black painted FT with matching G.Zuiko Auto-S 1.4/40mm no.191193, cap Estimate: EUR 700 - EUR 800 |
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| Dec 2009 | EUR 360 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 16 (Lot AI_16_19450) Title: Olympus Pen-FT outfit
Description:
chrome body in good working order with Zuiko 1.8/38mm no.395881 (filter, ever-ready case), Zuiko 2.8/25mm no.110250 (caps, keeper), Zuiko 4/150mm no.213917 (caps, keeper) Estimate: EUR 600 - EUR 800 |
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| Nov 2007 | EUR 600 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 12 (Lot AI_12_20724) Title: Olympus Pen FT outfit
Description:
black body with 8 lenses (1.2/42mm no.104428, 3.5/20mm no.106524, 4/25mm no.121751, 2/70mm no.102095, 3.5/100mm no.216656, 3.5/50-90mm no.215889, 5/100-200mm no.105300, 5/250mm no.102487), accessory shoe, all lenses in good condition with caps, 2 hoods Estimate: EUR 1,200 - EUR 1,400 |
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| May 2007 | EUR 650 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 11 (Lot AI_11_15825) Title: Olympus Pen-FT black
Description:
in good working condition with fast Zuiko Auto-S 1.2/42mm no.112847, cap, Zuiko Auto-W 2.8/25mm no.106805, caps, hood, Zuiko Auto-T 2/70mm no.200892, caps, hood, accessory shoe, eyecup in maker's box, instruction book, brochure, in fitted outfit case Estimate: EUR 1,000 - EUR 1,200 |
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| Nov 2006 | EUR 420 | Leitz Auction | black | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 10 (Lot AI_10_15617) Title: Olympus Pen FT black
Description:
18x24mm half-frame, black painted camera with Zuiko 1.8/38mm no.377724, cap, case, strap, instructions, box and original outer packing, very hard to find in such good condition Estimate: EUR 500 - EUR 700 |
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| May 2005 | EUR 165 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 7 (Lot AI_7_24746) Title: Olympus Pen FT chrome
Description:
in good condition with Zuiko 1.4/40mm no.136125, filter, case Estimate: EUR 2 - EUR 300 |
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| Feb 2004 | £286 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT INCLUDING MAGIC LANTERNS (Lot 116) Title: Pen FT no. 337828
Description:
Pen FT no. 337828 Estimate: £150 - £200 |
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| May 2003 | EUR 229 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 2-3 (Lot AI_2_21734) Title: Olympus Pen-FT
Description:
with Zuiko f/1.8 38mm lens with cap, in near mint condition Estimate: EUR 149,479 - EUR 4 |
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| Sep 2002 | £152 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 170) Title: Pen-FT no. 249082
Description:
Pen-FT no. 249082 Estimate: £25 - £100 |
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| Sep 2002 | £129 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 169) Title: Pen FT no. 344356
Description:
Pen FT no. 344356 Estimate: £120 - £180 |
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| Oct 1999 | £138 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: Cameras and Optical Toys (Lot 168) Title: Pen-FT no. 177557
Description:
Pen-FT no. 177557 Estimate: £100 - £150 |
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| Nov 1998 | £138 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: KOSLOV COLLECTION OF CAMERAS AND SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS (Lot 100) Title: Pen-FT no. 216913
Description:
Pen-FT no. 216913 Estimate: £25 - £100 |
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