OM System teased its new camera well before its official launch, and while it gave very little away, it was clearly a rangefinder-style camera with an integrated EVF. Combined with OM’s own interview responses over the past few months, this suggested a new PEN-series camera with the compact, pocket friendly format that made the original PEN series so popular,
And this is exactly how it’s all played out. The new OM PEN is a portable, affordable everyday carry with in-body stabilisation, basic IPX1 weather proofing, phase-detect autofocus wth subject recognition, in-camera colour and monochrome picture recipes and, of course, interchangeable lenses. It will be available in black or silver body-only for £849/$999 or with an M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 III kit lens for £949/$1099.
OM System has stuck with its long-running 20MP non-stacked sensor, as used in the OM-5 II and earlier models. This is likely to upset a lot of folk expecting a hike in resolution, or OM’s latest stacked sensor, or a step up from the basic 4K 30p video this sensor captures.
This is absolutely missing the point, in my opinion. Look at the price. This is a stylish EDC that anyone can afford. It’s not aimed at spec-hungry tech nuts, but at everyday shooters who want a practical little camera with a touch of classs and individuality. The resolution is enough, the viceo is enough, the integrated EVF simply doesn’t exist in any other rangefinder-style camera at this price and OM’s image stabilisation is second to none. The new OM PEN does everything it needs to and nothing it doesn’t.
The OM PEN’s pricing means it’s barely two-thirds the price of the Fujifilm X-E5, its nearest rival in terms of physical specifications. OM has avoided this comparison completely. If it had used a new sensor, maybe the stacked sensor in the OM-3 and OM-1 II, and increased its video capabilities, this would have pushed the price much higher, making comparisons with the X-E5 inevitable. And that’s a battle the little OM PEN could never win.
The bundled kit lens is an interesting choice. It looks like an older and larger 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 design once used on older PENs. Why not the newer and much smaller 14-42mm EX ‘pancake’ zoom? Price, maybe. The new M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 III adds only £100/$100 to the price of the kit, which suggests that OM is very conscious of pricing. And while this lens is larger than the EZ version, it does suit the camera rather well.
It’s likely that opinions will be divided over the OM PEN. It’s true that it doesn’t break any new ground technically. But it does re-introduce an extremely popular camera design with excellent all-round specifications (it’s not just about sensor size and megapixels) to an audience that just wants a stylish, portable camera that doesn’t cost a fortune.
- Pre-order the OM PEN body only: B&H $999 | Wex £849
- Pre-order the OM PEN with M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 III: B&H £1,099 | Wex £949
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