[EXC-, WARRANTY] Rare Late Black Olympus PEN EES-2, Burgundy Leather, Serviced For Sale

Serial number 5237190. This camera is fully serviced, working properly, film-tested with a 180-day warranty, ready for immediate use after a complete CLA (clean, lubricate, adjust) and new light seals and leatherette, with thorough film-testing. See details below. This copy weighs 348g and is from November 1977.
Actual item and all accessories pictured. I grade cosmetic condition as follows: MINT=99%, EXC=90-99%, GOOD=75-89%, FAIR=65-75%, POOR=rough-looking. Please examine photos for the best assessment of cosmetic condition.This copy is either EXC- or GOOD+, it\'s a matter of opinion. There are some minor cosmetic imperfections: hairline scuffs and scratches, some paint loss along the rim of the back door, etc. Nothing major.
This camera is actually a hard-to-find very late copy in disguise. It came with black leatherette and black shutter release button. These were only present in the last couple years of EES-2 production and correspond with improved internals that are a lot more reliable. Unfortunately someone had stuck some nasty tape on the leatherette and the adhesive destroyed it. I have replaced the original leatherette with reclaimed burgundy material from a luxury handbag. It looks and feels pretty close to real leather but it\'s actually synthetic.
Much more importantly, the camera is in fantastic working order and doesn\'t show much evidence of actual usage. It\'s just been carried a lot, likely in someone\'s purse or something. Internally, everything\'s in great condition and exceptionally clean with very little wear to the mechanisms. I have completely disassembled (down to the chassis) and deep-cleaned the camera, reassembled, carefully measured and calibrated everything (shutter, meter, focus, etc) to factory specification, restored original lubrication points, and it\'s in factory-new operating condition. You\'ll really appreciate the bright clean viewfinder. Ask if you want any specifics on servicing I performed, but it\'s really thorough.
I have fully function-tested everything (e.g. even the flash sync socket) and then film-tested to 100% verify functionality. This is the only really trustworthy way to determine that all components are actually working correctly. Film-testing finds defects in focus calibration, shutter speeds, metering, advance, frame spacing, rewind, light seals, and anything that scratches/damages negatives. Nothing else finds those issues. Crucially, I perform a light-leak \"stress test\" in which I advance past several blank frames in full sunlight while bending and twisting the camera body to try to create gaps in seals and make light leaks easy to see, especially important on the Pen cameras which are more prone to light leaks unless seals are installed perfectly. Film-testing is time consuming and expensive (think about the cost of a roll of film, developing...) but 10x more effective than any other method of testing. I guarantee no operational defects and I would not do that without careful film-testing.
Often a camera\'s excellent cosmetic condition is because it doesn\'t work properly and has been unused as a result.I have a lot of experience servicing these cameras; 100% of them need work to function properly, and crucially, the focus is always out of calibration. These cameras deliver sharp images when focus is collimated, but I\'ve never seen a copy properly collimated when I receive it. The other typical problems are metering and AE mechanisms, and hazy viewfinders — properly removing 50 years of haze makes a world of difference. There are a variety of other issues that I find and correct in many copies (loose screws, slow shutters, inaccurate meters...), but the focus, aperture, and optics are almost always in need of servicing in every copy. I have never seen a copy that merely needed new light seals. Look at my sold listings to get a partial sense of my experience.
Please read the manual before use; manuals are available online and correct operation is the buyer\'s responsibility. Improper operation voids the warranty. Please understand that light color temperature, selenium meter sensitivity curve, and film sensitivity curve are all different and you need to compensate exposure depending on color balance (e.g. downrate daylight film in artificial light).
180-day warranty: I stand behind my work, and I guarantee the camera to work correctly for 180 days from delivery. If any operational defects arise, contact me through messages to discuss, and if applicable, arrange return shipping at my cost. My liability is limited to repairing or replacing the camera, or refunding the purchase price at my option, and expressly excludes incidental or consequential damages. This warranty is void in case of improper treatment including but not limited to physical damage, rough handling, opening/tampering, improper storage or operation, excessive heat, humidity, water, salt, or sand/grit/dirt, determined at my discretion. This paragraph contains the entire warranty and no other warranty is expressed or implied.
About me: I have been a part-time photographer since the 1990s and have an engineering degree, which was my career for decades. I expertly restore vintage cameras to 100% full function. I hope you will help other buyers by leaving positive response if you have a good experience, and reach out to me through messages with any issues.