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[OM] Re: Olympus prototype spotted

Subject: [OM] Re: Olympus prototype spotted
From: "Fabio Fiorellato" <flowerside@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2006 14:52:35 +0100
Well, on the same URL I provided earlier, there is a link to enlarge the
related image.

As you can see by the enlargement, the lens is marked as an "Olympus
M-System F.Zuiko Auto S 1:1.8 f=50mm". It is rather clear that the f-stop
ring is turned the other way as current Zuikos. However it seems, IMHO, that
the focusing ring is left unchanged in its orientation.

The focusing grip, indeed, looks totally different.

According to what's written on the Olympus museum site, that prototype dates
back to 1969, that is two years before the introduction of the screwmount
Olympus FTL.

Olympus did produce 6 lenses for the FTL, all of whom have reappeared -
presumably untouched in their optical formula - in the first mass-production
of zuiko lenses from 1973 on. They were, if I recall correctly, the 28mm
f/3.5, 35mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.8, 135mm f/3.5 and 200mm f/4 and
were all marked as "<letter>.Zuiko" (where <letter> had the same meaning as
for following OM-Zuikos and was the same as the corresponding OM-lenses).

In my opinion that "OM-X" was not just a mockup but a real prototype that
did, of course, never managed to emerge into mass production. At that time
It was maybe more convenient for Olympus to market the FTL, which could act
as a test-ground for Zuiko optics without representing such a huge break
with current - for the times - 35mm system camera concepts.

Presumably, the shutter mechanism, the bayonet mount and the shutter dial
ring (as well as the interchangeable focusing screens and other tidbits)
thought for the OM-X prototype remained untouched all the way since the
first "real" M-1.

It's a real pity that such a bold product didn't come to life, though: at
least, it would have been very attractive and convenient to attach a digital
back to it :)

Another two cents of mine

Fabio

On 2/22/06, Piers Hemy <piers@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
> I hadn't seen Fabio's mentioned article before (thanks), but from
> inspecting
> the images, I think that it is a mockup.  The lens in the Olympus page
> appears to have the aperture and focus in the opposite orientation to real
> [O]M system lenses, and on the page Fabio mentioned, the focus grip rubber
> looks to be handmade, non-standard pattern.  But a very attractive concept
> nonetheless.
>
> --
> Piers
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
> Of Manuel Viet
> Sent: 22 February 2006 12:27
> To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [OM] Re: Olympus prototype spotted
>
>
> Le mercredi 22 Février 2006 12:01, Piers Hemy a écrit:
> > I noticed that olympus have launched an on-line museum of their
> > cameras accesible via http://www.olympus.co.jp/en/corc/history/
> > Browsing the galleries I came across this attractive prototype which
> > seems to have been evaluated prior to deciding on the OM-1 design:
> > http://www.olympus.co.jp/en/corc/history/camera/image/pop06_mdn.jpg
>
> Rhaaa. I've been drooling over that camera ever since I read the article
> mentionned by Fabio, a couple of years ago.
>
> What I'd like to actualy know is wether this prototype is just a mock-up
> or
> is it fully functional ? From the words of Mr Maitani, I'd say it's non
> functional, but by the look of it, everything seems in working order.
> Maybe
> they had the same problems Rollei faced with the SL2000 (bad film
> transport,
> and extremely frail shutter).
>
> --
> Manuel Viet
>
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