I love my Pen F.
I hardly ever use it.
Probably a good thing as it is as near to a modern collectible that you will probably find.
Short of leaving it in its box and selling it “mint” for more than I paid, I have chosen from day one to use it for myself, which as it turns out is the only logical application for it. Actually, I bought it and my 40-150 when I came out of hospital about five years ago, inspired to get back into photography after a period of creative malaise and look where that led.
It was the only 20mp Olympus at the time with high res, an electronic shutter and “pro” grade build. I could not see past that at the time. Not long after I started work again at the same camera shop and the EM Mk2 and G9 were released, both more practical options.
This Jekyll and Hyde camera has two distinct personalities, which when combined tend to make it quite powerful, but highly specialised.
In the following ways, I consider it no better than my EM10 Mk2’s or even the ageing EM5 Mk1’s, with the added issues of more weight and preciousness. These include;
Contrast detect only AF, slightly better than an EM5 Mk1, but only just. Plenty for most uses but it precludes any serious sports or action applications.
Poor electronic shutter banding at relatively low ISO settings. Really bad at 1600 under almost any artificial light and hints at 800.
Rudimentary high res performance. First gen so as expected, just wish it was more refined, i.e. a later application.
Average high ISO performance. Past 3200 I get the jitters and generally stick to 800 or lower even with C1. It does however share the EM5’s tight film grain look.
An odd sounding shutter, especially in vertical orientation, where it sounds almost broken. Just me probably, but it sounds flimsy compared to an EM5 Mk1.
The battery and card share the same space under a regular grade door located on the bottom. This is just crappy, diminishing an otherwise jewel-like camera.
No weather proofing. This is a beautifully made camera with no external screws from a brand known for weather proofing, but lacks any sealing? Ironically the bulk of the lenses I use with it don’t have any either, so problem solved I guess.
The stabiliser is good, but only EM5 Mk1 good. The weight of the camera (it is a dead weight), does help.
Video is an after thought with no mic port which is a shame as it is quite nice. Not a priority for the designers, especially eight years ago. I would have almost preferred they not bother and use the space for other things.
Things it does badly compared to any camera I have;
It is quirky in handling with a roughly ridged front dial. The dial is workable in short doses and the over priced grip partly reduces the problem. Otherwise it feels less comfortable than most of my cameras, it’s weight being the only handling plus.
It favours jpegs. Odd considering it’s top end customer, but also logical as it mimics a film camera’s dynamic. If you are a jpeg only shooter, it is probably one of the few cameras that can “bring it”, out of camera to the Fuji range.
The screen is hard to open out. The design heavily favours an old school film camera vibe, so the nearly invisible, textured panel when folded in fits with that, but it is the only one I struggle with.
The dedicated exposure compensation dial needs two fingers to turn. I use this all the time and instinctively, so this just pisses me off.
Things it does that remind you how special it is;
The image quality is a rare combination of mature colour and a larger format look (not that m43 generally lacks that, but there is something else here), a filmic look maybe, but medium format film. It is a neutral-cool base (Kodachrome like?) with effortless biting sharpness and detail. There is a depth to the files.
Part of this is the sensor development stream. Rather than using the new phase detect hybrid in the early EM1’s, it is the end of the EM5 contrast detect only development (except maybe the EM10 Mk4). In a way it is the best of the first generation and avoided the compromises made by phase detection being shared on the sensor.
The shutter button has an old fashioned mechanic connector. This makes it an ideal landscape camera and almost all of the above issues disappear when that is the case. I originally mated it to the 12-100 as a one camera, one lens landscape kit, but lately it has been used with the 12-60 Leica.
It is truly beautiful. Of all the cameras I have ever owned, it is most likely to be a display-piece even when it is long dead.
So, a very special camera, but probably a victim of being released a year or two too early and bought again, a year or two too early. The Pen F was the best of its type for a short while, but most of the new tech was unrefined, meaning video, high res, electronic shutter were crude and other aspects hardly improved over older models. For me, a quieter, normal shutter, no tricks and gimmicks, or video and more attention to user functionality would have been better.
Lenses.
The hard sharp sensor behaves differently with different lenses.
The 12-60 Pana-Leica offers a good combination of sensor balancing warm, bright colours and high sharpness. The images above were all taken with it today.
The often “kitted” 17mm f1.8 is nice, but equally the Pana-Leica 15 adds something delicate and brilliant. In fact, I think I like the 15mm more on this camera than any other.
The Oly primes from 25 to 75 are all a good fit.
It seems to like the kit 12-60 and 40-150 for some reason, maybe matching their muted colour, hard-sharp look, even though both feel a little “under done” on the heavy body.
A last ideal fit from my kit is the Leica 9mm, again another strange handling dynamic, but with excellent output.
I really do intent to use it more, but to be honest, the weight and preciousness put me off making it a daily carry (Pen mini does that), as does the mind shift needed to master it. I am already juggling Panasonic and Olympus functionality on a daily basis, so another camera, slightly out of sync with either is a “holiday” task.
