Olympus Pen F - Could this camera be the most beautiful camera ever made?

[@toddm6999]

This needs to come back with an update ...period...great talk on a great little camera.

[@marilynarmstrong5237]

Me and my Pen F went shooting today and I was a very happy camper. It IS my favorite camera. There's just something about it.

[@PMS1950]

I've recently bought an immaculate black version of the Pen F and have really enjoyed using it. It has a similar feel to the Leica M3, which I used during the 1970s for taking colour wedding shots to accompany the mainly monochrome images I'd taken using larger format cameras. The Pen F is a similar size and has the same feel. The shutter click is also a very similar sound to the earlier Leica. Using it is such a pleasure.

[@RyougiVector]

Yeah the digital Pen-F looks way more like the Leica III models than it does to the original Pen-F. If anything, every other digital Pen camera is a better homage to the original Pen-F.

[@gerrymac5865]

Own this camera as well and love it, I bought a half leather case for this camera from Amazon and it looks even better, beautiful camera 📷.

[@1957PLATO]

Been looking for one for 3 years. This February finally found one used for a reasonable price, Love it, especially monochrome.

[@ammadoux]

found new ones in Thailand. my lovely uncle will get it for me. yes you are right no more new ones. but someone told me there was one offer in amazon last week. but all black.

[@jakeman0x0]

I just got mine about 1month ago as well. Love this camera...every dial is beautiful

[@chrissimmonds4383]

Apart from the Pen E-P2, which I didn't buy, I have bought all the Pens from the E-P1 (still working and producing nice images), to E-P3 and the E-P5 (got two of those). I dithered when the Pen-F came out, went to the official launch near Tower Bridge. I wasn't too impressed at that time as it was so different to the E-P5. However, I've since bought one at a more reasonable price and have set it up to my liking, using the front DOF button reassigned to focussing which I can do with the third finger of my right hand. I don't use it very much these days as I actually prefer the output from the 16mpx of my Pen E-P5's and now also on my OMD E-M5ii. The Pen-F is a lovely looking camera though, I was in Basel, Switzerland recently and spotted a lady with some adorable dogs and started taking some pictures, her friend exclaimed " oh, is that a Leica film camera?". It looks great, has some operational quirks, the 20mpx sensor produces lovely images but not as nice as my Pen E-P5's 16mpx sensor, a bit too digital looking compared to the E-P5, but still very high quality. For M4/3 users, here's a tip. I've started using Lightroom's new 'denoiseAI' process, which effectively turns my 16mpx raw images into pictures that look as though a full-frame camera took them. Really excellent noise reduction s/w. Removes one of the main reasons people resist moving to M4/3rds

[@valdiskrebs566]

This is the perfect camera for JPG shooters… amazing control over color and monochrome images SOOC.

[@PMS1950]

During the early 1970s as a professional photographer, I used the original Pen camera loaded with 35mm Ektachrome for keyrings at a number of holiday camps for which my company had the photo concession. The half frame slide was mounted in a viewer/keyring and proved incredibly popular with the campers as a perfect souvenir of their holiday experience and for us an excellent source of income. The lens quality was superbly sharp considering that focus was achieved simply by guessing distances, helped by the lens plus flash creating a good depth of field.

[@TasView]

I bought the new OM-1 for a wedding shoot in early March and a near mint black Pen-F about two months later. While the OM-1 is technically better, I absolutely love picking up the Pen! Unless it's raining or I'm shooting something fast/dark, I take the Pen, the all metal body and dials just FEEL so good, brings me joy! Like you, I quickly loved the art dial, it lets creativity easily flow and really, the image quality is not far behind the OM, though everything is slower. The OM-1's exterior is plastic and the front and rear dial contacts are small and buried in the body, you can't wrap your finger naturally around them like the EM-1 Mark II with dials on top, it's more like finger gymnastics. it just doesn't feel like a classic camera and the changed ergonomics are still taking some getting used to. Even the Menu button is on the wrong side. I will keep the OM-1, it does take great photos, but just I don't instantly "love" it like the Pen. I will sell my EM-1 II and likely continue to use the Pen-F as my main daily camera and back-up body for events. My wish list for a Pen-F II - weather sealed, Phase detect focusing, the OM-1 sensor.

[@weisserth]

I bought the silver version right when it came out. I didn't manage to get a black one when it was still available new and it's really hard to find these used in good condition, but I finally managed to grab one like new from KEH.

[@jamesjennings3726]

I have, and still use, the original Pen F film camera and do want one of these.

[@Dahrenhorst]

I bought the chrome version in 2017, because of its looks and because I use Olympus gear since the 90s of last century. Later I realized, what this camera really can do. To me, five years later there is still no better camera for jpeg-photographers like me around, since you can configure the jpeg-output of this camera like with no other. I particularly like the b&w mode, but also have configured a Kodachrome 25 mode. Today, I've mainly switched back to medium and large format film photography, and mount the Pen-F to a copy stand and scan my pictures and negatives with its high-res-mode. For digital photography I nowadays almost exclusively use an Olympus Tough TG-6, mainly because of its ruggedness and its phenomenal macro-photography capabilities.

[@Christian_from_Copenhagen]

How do you like the high-res mode for film scanning? How long does each shot take? I love Olympus film cameras and got interested in this for the look, family resemblance and the high-res mode.

[@Dahrenhorst]

@@Christian_from_Copenhagen The Pen-F has two very different high-res modes, a jpg-version and a raw-mode-version. I use only the jpg version for now, the raw-version needs special software and the computing is done at your computer. A jpg high res shot takes a few seconds for the shooting (depending on the shutter speed) and another few seconds for the the in-camera computing, so that's no issue. I do the high-res scanning just to be sure, I think that you won't see a difference in DIN A4 prints or smaller or on a computer screen, as long as you don't do any pixel-peeping.

[@Christian_from_Copenhagen]

@@Dahrenhorst Thanks for your quick reply, that's good to know.

[@lindadee2053]

I still have and use my 16 mPx Olympus PEN E-P5 from 2014. It's also quite sexy in black, but it's also still highly capable. Doesn't have all the overkill features of some new cameras, but it actually does have a plethora of useful and important advanced features including 5-axis IBIS, 1/8000 mechanical and 1/16000 electronic shutter, WiFi and touch screen, to name just a few. I found mine on eBay in true mint condition for under $300 including 14-42 f/3.5 EZ Zoom lens about 3 years ago. One of the best transactions I've ever made! I don't think I'll ever part with it now that I've bought some new m.Zuiko lenses for it. If you can find one in very good shape for $300 or $400 or even $500 (with lens), I would just grab it up! I also still have all my beautiful older Nikons and Nikkors too, but I almost always reach for that PEN E-P5 because it's just so easy to carry and still so much fun to use.

[@d30gaijin]

I use the Pen F and truly love it. I bought my black Pen F new and it will be a long time before I even think of selling it. I love the Oly and Leica/Pana lenses, I can fit the Pen F and three lenses in Peak design's smallest sling bag.

[@peterronchetti1736]

Very happy to hear such a positive review for this out-of-production beauty because I ordered a used one from KEH Cameras yesterday! It looks like a really good small package that I can use for travel / street / tourism (having already bought most off the Olympus lens range for the OM 2 body :-) Thanks for the Flickr access, very impressive results from this great looking camera, cheers from Southern California

[@josephmcgrath6814]

Watching your excitement while holding the lovely Pen-F in your hands reinforces my feelings and reasons for buying the camera. My new (to me) silver Pen-F is sitting here beside me as I type this. My 82yr old eyes are not what they used to be and using the magnify view in Manual focus has helped a lot. I was surprised when as i fiddled with it one day and mag view appeared during AF as well. Now this is amazing said I. Then on it's own it went away. Well I know it works in both MF and AF but how can"I" control it? I want to be able to simply turn this feature on and off whenever I wish in MF as well as AF modes and I do not know how. Could you or one of your patrons explain in detail how to do this? I would like to assign this feature to a Fn button but need instructions. Any help in this would be appreciated. Also, any suggestions on third party books on this lovely camera? I have the late David Thorpe's book which helps but not quite enough for me , the old guy that I am. Thanks for the fun videos, your love of photography and it's equipment is quite evident. Joseph McGrath

[@rangersmith4652]

I've long been a Canon DSLR shooter. I decided to test drive M4/3 format with a Lumix G5, a sort of quirky little camera that does capture beautiful images and is great fun to use. I've been playing with a Zuiko 14-42mm kit lens and a TTArtisan 25mm F/2.0, and I'm hooked. Now I want to buy an Olympus, but which one? All the black and silver models are simply gorgeous, and just about any of them will meet my meager needs. I'll probably wind up with an OM-D E-M5 Mk II or Mk III, but I'd also love to have a Pen F. Apparently, so would every other M4/3 shooter.

[@franciscocarneiro181]

I'm used to work only with jpegs but I know how limited I am by that. To make better skies is one of those things that jpegs doesn't let me do. The same goes to contrast, color saturation, etc, so I thing that I will try the Luminar4 you're suggesting in this video. Seems a good start ! I don't want to be a slave of post production, but this software looks very intuitive and I have to begin shooting RAW. I render myself... I thought about buyinf the Pen F but finally I'll go to the EM1 MarkII, wich is a more complete camera and a real upgrade to the EM10 MarkII. So, thanks for the video and the Luminar !

[@thegreatvanziniphotos5976]

Mine arrives today!

[@rob_ward]

Almost as if Olympus designed it to be used mainly as a JPEG output camera. Which suits me fine, since I fell out of love with spending hours in front of monitor years ago.

[@johnallen3423]

I have the black version...super cool camera to walk round art galleries..

[@mwales2112]

I owned and used the silver version a few years ago and it is very sexy and took great images. I moved on to the Fujifilm X100 series of cameras and they are amazing also... My Leica M is also a great looking camera...

[@ammadoux]

yes for sure. i am getting another one. used the first one for birds and finished the shutter lol. the new one will be for very special shooting.

[@camerarover7124]

Bob, I enjoyed your review of this unique little camera. It is really intended to be enjoyed as a jpeg shooter allowing a multitude of different colour and monochrome settings on the fly. This is why the main artistic dials can’t be remapped. It’s great for the creative photographer. I would like to see your photo samples without those superimposed skies but otherwise good job.

[@gregm6894]

Actually, the rear toggle switch for bringing up the 'color wheel', exposure graph, and vignette adjuster can also be used to scroll through recorded images in 'play back' mode. I love the creative dial and rear toggle, as I tend to shoot almost exclusively JPEG. I just got my Pen-F recently, and have already fallen in love with it for most of my shooting. I would say that it is the most fun camera I have ever owned.

[@hakanbengtsson2115]

Nice video! I´m thinking of Pen-f or E-M5 iii as a second camera to E-M1ii. Will use 12-45mm, OM20mm and 8mm1.8. I´ll keep the camera in my working bag and use it for everyday-shooting, street, family/friends (situations where the E-M1 feels too big) - both colour and black&white. The weather here can be cold and rainy. The M5iii and Pen-f both cost around 760-800€. Big problems in 2022 =)

[@nicoxg]

Hey! Thanks for a great video! If today you had to chose between the PEN-F and the PEN E-P7 (I believe you own both?), what would you chose? 🙂

[@bsuthe]

I liked your video very much but I couldn't help noticing (OCD?) that the time on the clock on the wall behind you never changed! Possibly the main reason I don't own a Pen F is because it uses a different battery than my E-PL1, E-PM2s, and my E-M10 Mk 1. As I also own an E-M5 MkI and an E-P5, I could change my mind!

[@TheoDahlemPickups]

My Sony PC 100 video cam had a fully articulated screen back in 1999.

[@jeffslade1892]

I would have preferred a tilt screen on my PEN-F too, as on my E-PL7 (which can take the VF4 EVF) but I think they did the flip for looks as the styling owes a nod to the Leica M3/M2/M1. And I wish Olympus would let us put the metering mode on a Fn button, I like to change metering on the fly. No slip-on rubber eyecup, I wear glasses. The touchpad is fine unless you have a face that sets focus point to top left. No it doesn't really shoot movie but has things only found on much later models such as that EV dial and a minimum shutter speed in A-mode. The 20Mp sensor is unusual in being backlit, and unique to the PEN-F. I cannot think of another camera that lets you play with the colour gain as much, but remember every change you make to the gain (for jpeg) alters the exposure value, which alters the raw exposure too. Most adjustments monkey with the gain in some way, sharpening and NR are selective gain. The default NR I find OTT and drop a notch to reduce artefacts. The final photo will be every bit as good as from my G9 which has the same sensor as the E-M1iii, but the PEN-F is a fair bit smaller and more sexy.

[@hollywoodeastchannel]

I have been interested in one of those since they came out. A bit too much in cost at that time so I figure I would wait a bit and let the prices come down for previously owned or open box. Unfortunately just the opposite has occurred and the prices have in fact remained the same or have gone up for old models. So if I am to have one I'll just have to go ahead and pay the price and be done with it.

[@kwacou4279]

You won't regret it. I have 2 sony A7r4As with 4 sony gm lenses. Bought my 1st pen Sept 2021 since then I've bought a 2nd penF and now have the olympus 12mm, panleica 15mm, panleica 9mm, sigma 56mm and 7artisan 35mm. I use the sony primarily for work the olympus for everything else. I absolutely love the pens, shooting with them everyday. I never leave home without my pens. And they're gorgeous.

[@raymeedc]

Not even close to the simple uncluttered beauty of the first E-P models, especially those with the brushed metal finishes..... now That’s Beauty❣️ The F is too busy/cluttered looking, and the now typical body covering contributed to it’s diminished unique visual appeal..... in my opinion, of course...... by the way, the earlier simply adorned models also more closely match the look & soul of the original..... again, in my opinion 😊

[@raymeedc]

P.S. - I have a gorgeous brushed metal E-P3, the last model with that styling 👌

[@michaeld5888]

I loved the camera on first sight as it is very photogenic but when I saw it on a shelf in the shop £1,000 without a lens seemed a lot of money for such a tiny object. I believe it did not sell well so possibly was not alone in thinking this. With the EM10 such a reasonable price it seemed a large expense for a size premium. Also that front dial dedicated to auto modes was mocked in most of the reviews I read from what I remember as these modes tend to be spurned by most enthusiasts. The fantasising over retro models which possibly broke the old company reappearing does seem to overwhelm m43 sometimes. You can see this when the perfectly competent enhanced GX880 is ignored whilst people dream of a new GM1 which was born in a very different commercial era. EVFs seem to be a struggle to implement in rangefinder style bodies and I can see them disappearing entirely rather than being re-introduced. I hope OM do not get swayed by a small but vociferous core enthusiast demand producing one of the cameras that helped put Olympus under that does not result in sales across the board. As long as they can just keep the EM5 and 10 in production that would suffice for me. The video in a ZX1 compact I had was something to be admired in that you could not imagine how anyone could create such an awful HD quality if they tried.

[@alang253]

I agree with you in a lot of ways. I also just think this sweet little JPEG shooter was just ahead of its time. It came out in the era of reviewers wearing ridiculous "I shoot RAW" shirts, and perpetuating the notion that real photographers only shoot raw and spend all day editing their raw files to their vision. Now with Fuji's continued success and more enthusiasts recognizing the value of an easy film sim jpeg workflow I feel like the Pen-F is getting well received and very late attention from those who initially overlooked it- myself included.

[@misterarthur]

I love the front dial, fwiw.

[@Srulio]

I have had a Pen F since it came out. It has great looks, pretty good ergonomics. It seems a little bit heavy. Olympus could have made a Pen F Mark II based on feedback from fan base but they said the market was too limited. I should take it out more often but the Covid prison sentence sapped my creative urge.

[@jonbarnard7186]

I really enjoy using my Pen-F, but how nice would it be if it had a viewfinder like th X series Fuji cameras. The viewfinder on this camera is really the weak point in my opinion. It feels a little like looking down a tunnel. Also, I don't think it's weather sealed. Still, it's a nice camera and I have no intention of selling it, unlike most cameras I've owned. I had the pleasure of walking around NYC with this thing attached to the Olympus 12-100 F4 a few years back. I think it did surprisingly well. It's a nice street camera, although if landscapes is your thing, (or sports or video for that matter) it's pretty lame by today's standards. This camera is a pleasure to use as a walk-around camera, a documentary camera, environmental portraits, street shooting, black and white art camera, that sort of thing. I buy and sell (too) many cameras really, everything from m. four thirds to full frame, but for some reason I hang on to this one.

[@terrywbreedlove]

I have had the Pen F for years. The only downside to this little gem is the poor AF. If OM made a new PenF and gave it a bigger brighter EVF and much better AF I would buy instantly. Throw the 17mm 1.8 on and just perfect kit.

[@leonardnorwitz3537]

Bob --- Love you. Love your ideas. But your editor should have his (or her) fingers broken. Why this annoying habit of cutting away to different angles! It's just you and I here, Bob. There's no one else in the room that you're speaking to. Even so, you've persuaded me to have a serious reconsideration of the PEN-F. Thanks.

[@kentxx12]

Olympus Pen F is stil good for rest of your life,just take a good Picture :)

[@SamChihabi]

I purchased a couple of days ago the OM-D E-M10 IV in which I think it is a better option than the Pen F what is your thoughts ?

[@valdiskrebs566]

The key benefit of the Pen-F is the Color-Mono dial… which the EM10iv does not have. Pen-F looks great, but that is not its real value-ad.

[@SaxonSuccess]

@@valdiskrebs566 Yes, but it does look and feel beautiful. That's enough for some of us.

[@valdiskrebs566]

@@SaxonSuccess Beauty for me is not enough... the functionality/power is the difference maker.

[@neklamp2431]

Olympus had the best point and shoot cameras that produced amazing colors!!! Too bad they didn't have much luck in dslrs or mirrorless.

[@benttoe]

Fujifilm xpro 1 says hi.

[@Catechumen_01]

neat

[@iancandler5446]

I had one, loved it and took award winning photo's with it but I just couldn't get on with the EVF, its to low a rest;ution for me.

[@michaelbruchas6663]

Had to laugh - my mid range Olympus camera had the same “innards” as the Pen F. New - it was half price of the Pen F. Might be a used Pen F body - in time…

[@caskraker]

Does it have exp comp in a dial? 😂😂😂

[@ulfjonsson2122]

Nice video. No you don't overcook you images, You just destroy photographs!

[@caskraker]

Your photos don’t do the PEN F justice. Take a course making interesting images and learn to post process.

[@gilbertdaroy6080]

Goodlooking outside, meh inside. I'll pass.