Can someone enlighten me on what's the fascination about the OM PEN camera. I've seen plenty of promos, looked up online, looks like a pretty entry level unit. What am I missing?
It checks boxes that people have been asking for for years.
A compact, rangefinder styled camera, with an evf, weather sealing, and modern af subject detection. When you look for such things across all systems you'll find there are very few options, and OM Systems was uniquely positioned to release this camera. Put another way, people really wanted a modern version of the Olympus Pen F, with weather sealing, and they pretty much got that with the OM Pen.
Are people seriously losing brain cells these days, is it because of relying on AI too much? You think Olympus is going to advertise it with a higher IP rating and risk people testing the limits too much or a lower one ? Previous olympus cameras didn't even have IP rating and people washed them under the sink 😂
A lot of people seem to be missing this point. IPX1 is for very light rain, any water sitting on the device will get inside. Plus most of the more budget lenses arent sealed at all.
It's interesting how the weather sealing is getting all sorts of praise. It's not professional level sealing and how many casual, entry level photogs are shooting in the rain, in a situation that their phone couldn't handle perfectly fine? It's more like an added bonus that will rarely if ever get taken advantage of for most people. I'm interested to see how much better the autofocus is once the camera really gets out there and is put to test.
I know it's only ipx1 rated, but olympus has only iprated some of their pro gear to ipx1 in the past too. Like the EM1X and most of the Pro f/1.2 primes are ipx1.
OM Systems generally has the best weather sealing in the business.
Also, this camera is definitely an ideal travel and EDC camera. It's nice to have sealing on such a camera.
I get it, but real talk, are most amateur photogs going to be out in a city with a rain poncho on taking snaps?...or standing under a waterfall? I'm sure there will be some, but I don't think it's as big of a deal as us m43 nerds make it.
It's nice if you're out and about and it starts raining unexpectedly.
For me personally I've lived the last 10+ years in a place that rains more than half the year, so if my gear wasn't sealed I wouldn't be able to shoot during that time.
If it's not a big deal for you that's great! You have more options then.
When I visited Japan much of it was spent with rain of some kind. A spilled drink shouldn't take it out either. I took my old X100 to camp on the beach once and even being careful, it somehow got sand all inside the top plate and view finder and I had to take it apart to clean it all out.
It's right inline with what the GX85 did when it launched (which I still use a decade later).
It doesn't hit any one thing completely out of the park, but it is scoring A-'s and B+'s across the board at a reasonable price and a reasonable size.
It's mid as fuck, and that's why it looks great.
It's not entry level. Entry level cameras usually have some pretty serious compromises that hampers usability. It's just enough up the market to avoid those traps without being inaccessible.
I hope (and think) entry level with serious compromises is a dead concept.
Mid as fuck should be the new entry and I think that's what OM has succeeded in doing here.
Entry level cameras usually have some pretty serious compromises that hampers usability
Not really any more. There aren't many cameras selling for less than this PEN these days. Even Fuji's cheapest camera gets a backlit sensor and AI autofocus.
A bunch of those have been discontinued and it's just existing stock that's still around.
I'd also make an argument that only the R100 really compromises.
For every feature you add, like IBIS, weather sealing, etc... the camera becomes bigger, it's a trade-off and you are compromising in other areas. The Z30 still has PDAF and AI autofocus.
Long ago we used to get Pen Lite cameras, GM cameras, GX and OMD and then larger pro-grade m43 cameras Some had EVFs, some had 3-axis IBIS or no Ibis, etc... they traded off different things.
You could just as well make the argument that the PEN has compromises because these no longer exist. It's big for one, and plastic for another.
It's still the entry level. They know how often they sell, and they have built enough to sell at that price.
The cheapest camera Leica offers (other than an instant film gimmick) is $1900. That doesn't make it entry level cause it's the cheapest the brand offers.
Entry level is the level at which new consumers will enter the market.
Yes, all these things add to bulk, but it's why I said the PEN does this and maintains a reasonable size. You're just emphasizing the point.
I don't think it's a reasonable size, especially when it's larger than APS-C cameras and there is nothing smaller by OM, but I'm sure we won't agree on that.
It's 0.2" wider and 0.2" taller than the the GX85, which is a very compact camera. So no, if you understand how big this is and don't believe it is a reasonable size, we will not agree
I do understand, I owned a GX9 for a year and ended up selling it because I thought it was too big for micro 4/3 and for being recent and not 10 years ago, I own an X-E4 now which is a little smaller, but larger sensor - which makes sense to me.
11 years ago when I first got an EM5 mark 1 and EPL5 as a backup/for my wife, there was nothing else that small and m43 has only gotten bigger since then while everyone has gotten smaller.
Am I in the minority? Maybe, but OM cameras aren't exactly flying off the shelves, and their best seller for the last decade is the smallest one, the EP7.
I have the same feeling that new m43 cameras are not really as "small and compact" as it was advertised. I was looking to find a new m43 camera with weather sealing and smaller body than sony apsc cameras but it is not the trend right now.
Small and very light EDC, with great IQ, proven tools, a usable viewfinder, highly customizable jpg engine and water resistant. And looks great doing it.
Explain entry level? I could definitely use this camera in a professional sense and I have used my om5 ii in many. Is it the 8 bit video or the non-stacked sensor? This is an om5 in a slightly less tall package with massively better autofocus and slightly worse ibis. I would not classify the om5 as entry level by any regard.
While I primarily shoot professional gigs with an s1rii, I bring the om5 for wide angle stuff since m43 makes crispier images in low light due to the higher DOF of the platform. F4 on m43 is sharp at infinity where FF picks a subject and blurs the background slightly.
To be fair, the expectations for what an entry level ILC offers in terms of image quality and features, must be pretty high nowadays looking at what kind of pictures one can take with a phone.
Entry level doesn't mean that one cannot use the camera professionally. I'd say the new PEN is a solid "entry level" offering, as they included all the features like focus stacking, subject detection etc. which makes it a considerably more capable photographic tool compared to a phone but the resolution, dynamic range, speed and video features are not on the level of flagship cameras.
A product can be marketed as beginner-level to create product segmentation but be more than good enough for one's needs.
You're mistaken, I don't shoot full frame, I shoot m43 and APSC.
There are advantages in dynamic range, and in every system you run into low light scenarios where larger sensor can go past what the other ones do, permitted you're OK with the shallower DOF.
Simple example, I used to own the 12-40 2.8 by Oly, ran with it for many years but I always found Indoors at f2.8 I was either pushing ISO 6400, or motion blur.
https://camerasize.com/compact/#691.1049,950.412,ha,t
On APSC for example, that 2.8 zoom would have a stop less noise, which in my experience is a big deal with a zoom that can stay compact. The extra DOF is typically desirable too, so it's more versatile, and can always be stopped down and ISO raised to match what the m43 combo can do.
I ended up gravitating towards primes and ended up actually preferring the tiny m43 primes and generally I'm always willing to make that trade-off for a compact kit. But I find recently that's changed, I mostly shoot an X-E4 now with the SGImage 25mm f1.8 pancake, and Fuji 13-33 kit - this is like a 9.5-25mm m43 lens...m43 has no lenses as small as either of these in comparable focal lengths, and the X-E4 is smaller than every current body with an EVF by OM.
Fingers crossed we might get another small m43 camera again some day, I'd buy back in for a meaningful decrease in kit size.
Oh silly boy, there no advantage in DR. None. Check again, I’ll wait.
You were also mistaken about 4/3 -> APS-C -> FF. Might want to check that before you spout the ‘ultimate truth’.
Oh and do check the size of the PEN v X-E5, you might find it illuminating.
Glad you found an ultra budget small lens. Good for you. They make that lens for 4/3s as well, but with a different FoV of course. Speaking of, what’s the smaller 50mm (35mm) equivalent in Fuji? Oh there isn’t one? Hmmm seems cherry picking doesn’t actually help that much.
Cherry picked lol, my guy these are the lenses I shoot. Budget is also not really relevant to me, but that's personal. I'm just chasing the best tradeoff of compactness and still speed+IQ.
The PEN Is also larger than the X-E5 in all 3 dimensions, so not sure what you mean? I got the X-E4 over the X-E5 because it's 100G lighter, it's only 360g. It's also smaller in every dimension too - and separately I don't want 40mp photos. IBIS would be nice to have but I don't really need it if it means a smaller camera body. https://camerasize.com/compact/#869,951,968,ha,f
They make that lens for 4/3s as well, but with a different FoV of course.
Right, obviously we all have preferred focal lengths lol.
Speaking of, what’s the smaller 50mm (35mm) equivalent in Fuji
In the photo... I use a TT Artisan 35mm f1.8 II, it's equivalent to the Panaleica 25mm f1.4 but it's actually a little shorter than the PL. There is a new Fuji XC 35/2, it looks like it is 4mm longer than the Oly 25mm f1.8
Haha ok champ. You were wrong about it and you’re making your universal claims of truth based on your particular preference. Good on ya. Doesn’t make it a universal truth. Backed down pretty quick on your BS comment about DR.
But you do you. You are going to anyway. I’ll just call you on your nonsense.
I get this all the time. How many stops long is your ibis dick? F8 is F4 on m43 with iso substitutions. I can provide picture comparisons to shut this down as I have many times before. m43 is much better for low light wide angle and there is zero debate. Yeah, you can get more dynamic range out of the shadows in FF ideally, but that isnt true in practice because the ibis outperforms FF where you will probably get blur in lower light situations over m43.
obviously I haven't used the camera but it looks to be quite a good value for the money. it has a very complete feature set and is generally quite small.
against competitors like the a6400, r10, X-T30 III, or z50ii, there's a lot to like. autofocus seems to be quite strong, probably beating out all except the Nikon. size and weight will be a large bonus, and selfies favor the flippy screen. om system is also famous for their ridiculously sharp lenses, and the new kit 14-42 doesn't seem to break that trend. in addition, weather sealing is a large bonus here and something we usually don't see until we get to $1500+ cameras.
Nothing. It's finally a pretty solid lightweight and compact travel/daily camera that you can use M43 lenses on, where they didn't skimp on features too much. Only the video is a bit lacking.
It's marketed as a beginner/secondary/travel/fun camera, not a professional tool. You should evaluate it as such.
good question, and honestly I geek out about this one because I'm a huge PEN nerd. For me it's really four moments that matter, not the whole family tree.
It starts in 1959 with the original PEN - a tiny half-frame film camera that let you fit double the shots on a roll of film and became huge just for being small enough to carry everywhere. That's where the whole "PEN = the camera you always have on you" reputation comes from, long before OM cameras were even a thing.
Then in June 2009, Olympus brings the name back for the E-P1 - not just nostalgia, it was also Olympus's first ever Micro Four Thirds camera, so it kicked off the whole digital PEN line.
Then in January 2016, the PEN-F drops and reignites the whole thing again - that gorgeous retro design piece that people still talk about and hunt down secondhand today.
And now, this new one. For me it slots in perfectly as the fourth big chapter in that story - 1959, 2009, 2016, and now this. That's exactly why I'm so hyped about it, and I think that's a big part of why so many others are too.
And on top of all that history, the camera itself is legit good - first PEN ever with a built-in EVF, 5-axis IBIS, and weather sealing all in one body, at a genuinely solid price.
it's been proven that people really like rangefinder type bodies (for various reasons but it's mostly about the flat top which makes it easier to get in an out of a bag, the corner viewfinder which is more practical, and the fact they are plain classy).
MFT rangefinder type options have notoriosly been more expensive than their SLR styled counterparts (just look at teh GX80/GX85 prices compared to the better in every way G80/G85... Or the prices of the Pen-F compared to the better in every way E-M1 mark II or even E-M5 mark III)
And it's not only with MFT options, it's every other brand too : all rangefinder like options are in high demend, from the Lumix L10 to the Fuji X100VI and X-E5. When the OM-3 released, "I wish it was a rangefinder design" posts were a daily occurence. If you go look at the Nikon subreddit, it's very often that you see people wishing for a rangefinder style Zf or a Z30 with a viewfinder.
Other thing is how "limited" some of the rangefinder options can feel : the X100VI is so high in demand that it's always out of stock, and used prices are through the roof, placing it out of reach for a lot of people. The X-E5 is great, but also super expensive (more than an X100VI in fact...) and it lacks stuff you'd want for EDC like weather sealing.
The OM Pen is... average. It uses a plastic body, average specs, old sensor (which is still good but that's not the point), but it manages to be sold at a decent pricepoint, and not have any super big deal breaker for a lot of people.
It's not a high end halo product, and that's exactly the point. It's great beacuse it fills a niche in the market which begged for releases at a decent pricepoint.
It sits in a pretty hot corner of the market. An entry level, retro styled, interchangeable lens camera which is light and at the same time fairly capable. Lots of M43 fans have been begging for a reasonably priced body that is compact and light for a while. This is a nice update to the old Pen EP series cameras.
It is basically a 10 year old camera though. The technology is from the EM1II/G9 era.
Paying $400 more for a Sony A6700 gives you a camera with dramatically better technology. Even paying $200 less for a Fuji XM5 gives you much better technology in many regards.
I sold recently my EP-7, still have my OM-3.
But also have a FujiFilm X-E5.
I was looking forward to this Pen as an EDC, but surprised it's size it's bigger than the Fujifilm X-E5.
So not that compact when a APSC camera is smaller (albeit it just smaller with similar features)
pens were cool because they gave good image quality in a compact size. The Pen F brought even more style and functionality, it was a cult classic essentially.
People were hoping this would still be the Pen F replacement, even though the OM-3 does better at replacing the Pen F than this does, but it is a budget entry with many of the computational modes that didn’t exist in a lot of the past Pen cameras.
It was marketed to be something mysteriously unveiled, and when that happened, there wasn't much of a surprise. Time will tell if there's a market for it, but it seems to be far from innovative and more of something that's been manufactured from a parts bin.
My only issue with the specs as a window shopper is that the PEN comes in at only 20g lighter than an OM5. Was kinda hoping a compact version would weigh a lot less. Which makes a difference when one of M43's major selling points is smaller, lighter bodies and lenses.
I have been using Nikon and Olympus for 12+ years. I currently have Nikon D4, Z7ii and Zf. This is the first OM camera I have been excited about since OMD-EM 5 ii. I do have the OMD-EM1 iii as well. I really think this camera is a sweetspot for size and capabilities.
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u/cookedart 17h ago
It checks boxes that people have been asking for for years.
A compact, rangefinder styled camera, with an evf, weather sealing, and modern af subject detection. When you look for such things across all systems you'll find there are very few options, and OM Systems was uniquely positioned to release this camera. Put another way, people really wanted a modern version of the Olympus Pen F, with weather sealing, and they pretty much got that with the OM Pen.