Olympus FTL

The Olympus FTL was a 35mm SLR sold by Olympus between 1971 and 1972. It was a transition model, after the Pen F half-frame SLR and before the release of the OM-1 in 1972. In an interview published here, an Olympus former designer said that the FTL was a stopgap model made for the international market, under pressure from the sales department.

In an interview of Yoshihisa Maitani published at the same site, it is said that the FTL was not designed by Olympus. It is also said that the lenses sold for the FTL (see Olympus 42mm lenses) have nothing in common with those for the OM system (see OM lenses). At first sight this is a bit surprising because their characteristics look the same, but the source could not be surer.

The FTL was a very traditional SLR, with a focal plane shutter to 1/1000s and a through-the-lens meter with match-needle setting, reading the exposure at full aperture. It could take 42mm screw lenses, but the lenses specifically designed and sold by Olympus for the FTL had a special pin to lock them in place, and there can be compatibility problems when mounting them on other M42 bodies.

What is sure is that today the FTL is largely forgotten, while the OM-1 is well known.

FTL accessories

• set of three extending rings
• macro bellows
• focusing rail
• slide copier
• microscope adapter
• close-up lenses, two models
• repro stand

• electronic flash unit

• filters
• lens hoods

Bibliography

• Francesch, Dominique and Jean-Paul. Histoire de l'appareil photographique Olympus de 1936 à 1983. Paris: Dessain et Tolra, 1985. ISBN 2-249-27679-X.

Links

• Maitani's fan page has interesting information about Olympus internal story at the time, and publishes the two interviews cited in our text.