OPUS88 Demo- the new king of $150 segment

[Detman101]

5 hours ago, 1nkulus said:

Pens in general are a subjective purchase owing to a combination of variables and price points.

There is NO right pen, only a right pen for YOU.

 

Technically, if it writes and doesn't skip/leak then it is performing it's duty.

 

OTOH, the concept of 'best under $100/200' etc. only applies to collections/collectors IMO.

 

If I am going to purchase only 2-3 pens, then it is a case of what feels right/appeals to me and stretching the budget for the 'right' pen would be advisable.

I might even come across a $400 pen on clearance that costs only slightly over my $150 budget.

The pen would never feature in the 'best under $200' category and may not even make it in the 'best under $500' BUT it fits my needs/wants perfectly.

 

IMO, this pen serves a specific purpose for those requiring a large ink capacity for/during travel.

The nib swapping is a bonus.

Wholly agreed! 👍

[1nkulus]

30 minutes ago, Detman101 said:

Wholly agreed! 👍

Thank you. 

[1nkulus]

On 5/3/2021 at 5:14 PM, Modus Ponens said:

I tried this in a store. I feel like this pen is a little expensive for what it is. Other than the huge ink capacity, it really has nothing much going for it. 

 

The only buyers I can see for this pen is for those who are still new to the FP game and don't really know the FP market yet.

 

I wouldn't pay more than 50 dollars for this pen.

I agree with you, even though your statement is subjective as is any pen purchasing process.

 

You value it at $50 but I am certain a similar looking pen from a no name/different brand could be had for $25-30.

In which case, from my view, you could come across as 'not knowing the FP market' since you over paid just for a different label.

 

What I/no one can account for, is the enjoyment/feeling when using the pen and that $20-25 premium could be well worth it for YOU.

 

IMO, buying a pen is more about the look/feel rather than just the technical parameters. 

[MGLX]

Got one of these with a 1.5mm stub. Also I got it for just 99eur.

 

What intrigues me is that I can clearly see everything in it and the construction seems sturdy in combination with the ink capacity and the valve, so it would be an ideal traveling pen to have with me. Why wouldn't I take it with me to work? Unscrewing it would bother me. It could be advantageous for

 

And I agree that the weakest part of the pen is probably the nib presentation. Mine also isn't a black one and it's laser engraved.

The pen itself is styled in quite a modern way and the OPUS-Logo, while I like it, doesn't look good on a nib that has stamped ornaments.

I don't hate the nib, it seems to be well made stub, but I'm already thinking about replacing it.

 

So, seeing it as a platform, this pen seems to be really good and if one is satisfied with the nib it comes with, it's a good deal in my opinion. Tastes may differ though.

 

Do I see it as a king? Probably not, but for around 100 it's not a bad deal for its qualities.

 

 

[mtcn77]

6 hours ago, MGLX said:

Got one of these with a 1.5mm stub. Also I got it for just 99eur.

 

What intrigues me is that I can clearly see everything in it and the construction seems sturdy in combination with the ink capacity and the valve, so it would be an ideal traveling pen to have with me. Why wouldn't I take it with me to work? Unscrewing it would bother me. It could be advantageous for

 

And I agree that the weakest part of the pen is probably the nib presentation. Mine also isn't a black one and it's laser engraved.

The pen itself is styled in quite a modern way and the OPUS-Logo, while I like it, doesn't look good on a nib that has stamped ornaments.

I don't hate the nib, it seems to be well made stub, but I'm already thinking about replacing it.

 

So, seeing it as a platform, this pen seems to be really good and if one is satisfied with the nib it comes with, it's a good deal in my opinion. Tastes may differ though.

 

Do I see it as a king? Probably not, but for around 100 it's not a bad deal for its qualities.

 

 

Nothing wrong with a 4 turn screw cap believe me, to the contrary, faster screwing pens dislodge easily if you ever are careless not to screw it in flush - don't make that mistake if you carry it on! If you want certainty though, you definitely need a snap cap; however that has a downside of being unpostable for the reliability of the snapping mechanism.

As a platform, I think it signifies build quality and oversize ergonomy. There aren't many pens you can hold without the grip of an eagle. It is a luxury.

[lowks]

Thanks for the review. My demo is unfairly sitting in my pen drawer due to the fact I cannot get past the irritation of having having so many turns to uncap.

[TheDutchGuy]

Still enjoying mine very much. Holds a ton of ink, is fly-safe, never dries out, easy to disassemble and clean, extremely comfortable in my hand, well-designed and well-made,  a good, pleasant stock steel nib and a great platform for on-the-fly nib changes (close the valve, unscrew the nib collar, flush the section, screw in the new nib collar, open the valve, et voila). Whenever I’m going away for a few days and can’t reasonably take multiple pens (or expensive ones) with me, the Opus comes along. The fun, usability and quality of the pen make it one of the most sensible pen buys I ever did.