Old olympos new Olympos

[jared pittman]

Have heard some people say old olympos good- new olympos no good- but guess what all olympos microns being sold now are stock from late 80's early 90's how far back do you want it, these are the old ones. Ordered extra needle from a friendly guy at Pacific airbrush when I get it in mail and if it's that good old hard steel like the one I have now- will say so if not I will aswell let people know. Olympos Micron no longer manufactured anymore period

 

[GregStith]

Have heard some people say old olympos good- new olympos no good- but guess what all olympos microns being sold now are stock from late 80's early 90's how far back do you want it, these are the old ones. Ordered extra needle from a friendly guy at Pacific airbrush when I get it in mail and if it's that good old hard steel like the one I have now- will say so if not I will aswell let people know. Olympos Micron no longer manufactured anymore period

Thanks. Curious to see what the needle is like.

 

[markjthomson]

There are a few reviews done about six months ago using the currently available stock. The build quality is OK but some of the finish dubious. The problem with the needles is not the quality of steel rather it's the incredibly fine taper. I have one and for the price they are a good brush but as for build and all round performance (so direct comparison not taking into account price) the Olympos brushes are found wanting. So even if they are not being made, we are generally referring to the ones available now.

 

[DaveG]

You are right, they (Olympos) are no longer being manufactured - but, the cease in manufacturing is much more recent than not. If you never had an Olympos Micron from the mid 80's, then I would suggest that you have nothing to base your statement on - comparing old to new, other than opinion. Having had a mid-80's vintage Micron, I can assure you they are not what you get when you purchase today. The SP model they are hyping as the best illustration airbrush of all time didn't exist back in the 80's, or even 90's, the L3 head system is newer tech, but you seem claim it is the same as the old stock? Maybe with time travel .

It is fine to have your opinion, and you are welcome to it. Just as those who feel that the Olympos Micron is not what it once used to be are welcome to have their own opinion.

 

[J000seph]

I have a couple. The serial #'s seem pretty far apart:
16422 & 02153

The build & finishes look identical to me. I have tried to pay attention to the serial #'s of others I've seen in pictures and videos. Iwatas are easy to date with their two letters. Wish I had a chart for Olympos serial #'s.

 

[J000seph]

I've also seen one with the word "Medea" on it also.

 

[DaveG]

I've also seen one with the word "Medea" on it also.

"Medea" I believe was the importer, and it is not unusual for an item to get branded with an importer name. I would also just throw out there, that the very cup style on the two brushes you have pictured has them being more recent than not, when you are talking about trying to tie items in with something from the 80's and 90's. The straight taper cup would have to be more towards turn of the century or newer...

 

[J000seph]

"Medea" I believe was the importer, and it is not unusual for an item to get branded with an importer name. I would also just throw out there, that the very cup style on the two brushes you have pictured has them being more recent than not, when you are talking about trying to tie items in with something from the 80's and 90's. The straight taper cup would have to be more towards turn of the century or newer...

I was under the impression that Olympos quit producing airbrushes in the 80's?

 

[DaveG]

I was under the impression that Olympos quit producing airbrushes in the 80's?

I will have to try to research exact dates, but do not believe the 80's is correct (at all). I purchased a new Iwata Custom Micron in the late 80's that was an Olympos MP 200 in fitted case with extra head assembly. The brush was engraved "Olympos" and the only mention of Iwata or Medea was on the documentation that came with it. I know that at some point after that time, Iwata acquired the patent to produce the Micron and brand it with the Iwata name. Also at that time, Iwata was Iwata-Medea, not Anest-Iwata .

The Iwata Micron I have now, which was made sometime after acquiring the rights to manufacture, is not the same brush as the Olympos Micron I have that was sold as the Iwata Custom Micron in the 80's . There is nothing the same between them, with the exception that the head assemblies are still interchangeable.

 

[J000seph]

I will have to try to research exact dates, but do not believe the 80's is correct (at all). I purchased a new Iwata Custom Micron in the late 80's that was an Olympos MP 200 in fitted case with extra head assembly. The brush was engraved "Olympos" and the only mention of Iwata or Medea was on the documentation that came with it. I know that at some point after that time, Iwata acquired the patent to produce the Micron and brand it with the Iwata name. Also at that time, Iwata was Iwata-Medea, not Anest-Iwata .

The Iwata Micron I have now, which was made sometime after acquiring the rights to manufacture, is not the same brush as the Olympos Micron I have that was sold as the Iwata Custom Micron in the 80's . There is nothing the same between them, with the exception that the head assemblies are still interchangeable.

To my understanding "Medea" is for Iwata sold in USA. So that makes sense about importer name.

I have never seen a MP200c with a different shaped cup. The older Olympos HP-100c seems to be identical to the original Iwata HP-C (old cup design also like CM-C). The newer Olympos HP100c has cup like Iwata HP, Eclipse, & CM-C+. The Tapered Olympos cup is certainly unique.

 

[DaveG]

From the little info I have found, there was a break in official Olympos production from the end of the 80's until sometime in the early 2000's. New production lasted till the spring of 2016. Activity on the "official" Olympos FB page would seem to indicate that they are just now making delivery on a "new" sized head system, so how dead production is could be a question . As the parts, heads and such, have always been so directly interchangeable, I suspect the story that Iwata and Olympos each produced their own brushes independently (and yet a third Japanese factory also producing interchangeable parts) has me suspecting that it is actually one company producing parts, and perhaps others assembling them.

 

[DaveG]

To my understanding "Medea" is for Iwata sold in USA. So that makes sense about importer name.

I have never seen a MP200c with a different shaped cup. The older Olympos HP-100c seems to be identical to the original Iwata HP-C (old cup design also like CM-C). The newer Olympos HP100c has cup like Iwata HP, Eclipse, & CM-C+. The Tapered Olympos cup is certainly unique.

Again, I would have to research this, but I suspect the MP 200c did not exist until Iwata introduced the new style CM-C cup. In the "Micron" line, there was just 'A' and 'B' cups available, at least that I can remember seeing available...

 

[J000seph]

Again, I would have to research this, but I suspect the MP 200c did not exist until Iwata introduced the new style CM-C cup. In the "Micron" line, there was just 'A' and 'B' cups available, at least that I can remember seeing available...

I have also seen the "spring of 2016" statement. From everything I've read that sounds about right. I didn't know that the old Olympos microns were only A & B cups. That makes a lot of sense now because I couldn't find a pic of a vintage C cup! Very interesting. Thanks

 

[DaveG]

I have also seen the "spring of 2016" statement. From everything I've read that sounds about right. I didn't know that the old Olympos microns were only A & B cups. That makes a lot of sense now because I couldn't find a pic of a vintage C cup! Very interesting. Thanks

I am not 100% sure of any of this, but fairly confident . I bookmarked the Japanese Olympos web page last winter sometime, as I debated ordering an MP 200B directly from Japan, as I could not find one domestically, and was looking to recapture a past love . It was not sometime until mid-year that they added a statement about them not being produced anymore, and prices would increase with diminishing inventory... At that time I almost purchased on knee jerk reaction, but decided to wait... prices have come down since then . I am still tempted to order an MP200B to compare it with the old one I have, but it would be quite redundant, so I am still hesitant...

I can tell you this - the first one I had, the MP200B, you could tell that it was hand crafted. The edges of the fairly thin walled cup showed just the slightest bit of variation in thickness, as indicated by the hand buffing and polishing someone did prior to plating. Not in a bad way, but in away you could actually see the pride the craftsman took in finishing the piece. They were not as sterile and uniform looking as the modern Micron, but that old brush worked like a dream...

 

[markjthomson]

That sounds about right. We have a member here who started to make a go with selling the Olympos but it stalled and the stall was related to parts manufacture and the sale of the company. As to brushes not being made by Olympos since the '80's... that sounds like out of date info.

 

[DaveG]

That sounds about right. We have a member here who started to make a go with selling the Olympos but it stalled and the stall was related to parts manufacture and the sale of the company. As to brushes not being made by Olympos since the '80's... that sounds like out of date info.

Frank?, right?! (I don't know him personally) but, I was hoping and praying he would have success getting Olympos back on the map, as I have a very soft spot in my heart for them - especially if they are like that Ol' MP200B that I have - but, I have not personally seen that to be the case. I have several of the new L3 heads that I use in direct comparison to Iwata heads (.23) and I have not gotten the same results that I have seen others talk about .

 

[markjthomson]

Yes Frank. He gave the company a damn fine go and gave the gear a good push but in the end was let down by Olympos. They have some good gear and I love the fine needle on my Olympos but I don't like the way the fine needle bends if you look at it too hard... Iwata more expensive but more durable. It will be a shame to see Olympos disappear but if they don't sort their act out with quaility, consistancy adn availability they will go the way of the Dodo

 

[J000seph]

I really like having an Olympos in my collection. Even if some people think it's not as good as the Iwata Micron, I would still argue that it is better at detail than Iwata's HP series. My opinion.

 

[Nada]

I can only speak to my mp200c. I see no quality issues with it.
Yes the super long taper can be an issue.
Everything from a working standpoint has been flawless. The finish is slightly less than an Iwata. But the performance has been stellar.
I would be inclined to try a b cup of it were priced the same as the c.

 

[DaveG]

I really like having an Olympos in my collection. Even if some people think it's not as good as the Iwata Micron, I would still argue that it is better at detail than Iwata's HP series. My opinion.

Oh, for sure they are worth having! Especially at the price they can be had for now - in the current price range they are hard to beat, barring personal preferences, of course . What is it, $150+ for an MP-C, hard to argue with that.