Olympus Pen FT meter adjustment -- Is it possible

[xkaes]

I've got a Pen FT with a meter that responds to light but is several "f-stops" OFF. I know this because I have an FT with a meter that works great. Is there a way to adjust the readout -- without major surgery?

 

[r_a_feldman]

It is likely that the semi-silvered mirror on the meter assembly is loosing its silvering. See the 4th picture at https://kyp.hauslendale.com/classics/forum/messages/2/15109.html?1637223628 to see how the mirror in my Pen FT looked after it lost some of its silvering.

Is your meter consistent in its error? Is it consistently low or high?

I see two possible solutions: (1) changing the meter resistors or (2) changing the gear meshing between the shutter speed dial and the meter.

1. Changing the resistors.
Tony Duell of London measured the resistors in his Pen FT in 2005 and allowed me to repost his numbers and meter diagram in 2013 at https://kyp.hauslendale.com/classics/forum/messages/2/27572.html?1375803072. You could replace resistors with ones of different values, but I am not sufficiently knowledgeable about the circuit to suggest new values. Also, not all FTs have the same circuit. You will need to remove the top plate to do this.

2. Altering the relationship between the shutter speed dial numbers and the meter.
Take a look at https://www.olypedia.de/index.php?title=DEMO_an_PEN_FT for an excellent illustrated step-by-step on disassembling an FT. The steps and pictures mentioned below are in it. It is in German, but you can use Google Translate.

You will need to remove the leatherette from around the shutter speed dial. Schritt 10 shows how to remove the shutter speed dial. NOTE its settings before removing it! After it is off, you might be able to rotate the approximately 22-tooth gear in the upper left of Bild 32 to change the relationship between the set shutter speed and the one the meter sees. That might fix your problem.

The Olypedia instructions do not show how to remove the meter from the body, but that is not difficult. Remove the top plate and shutter speed dial, then how to remove the meter should be evident (I don't have pictures or remember the exact steps). You do not need to remove the mirror box or mess with the shutter gearing.

 

[xkaes]

Thanks, I'll check that out. I need some diagnosis first.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

After I put a new mirror in mine I adjusted it by changing the relationship between the meter and the shutter speed dial.