OM System PEN Preview- FINALLY!

OM System PEN Preview- FINALLY!

September 2026, Carl Garrard

With the announcement of the new PEN, the structural changes at OM are now evidently clear and positive, and it shows the rest of the industry how nimble and logical a camera division can be when run independently.  The new OM System PEN release is an absolute home run as far as I am concerned. Better late than never as they say, as I have been asking Olympus/OM System for an updated EP5 for well over 10 years now. All I wanted for years was the addition of a built in EVF and weather sealing. The new PEN delivers all of that and much more. FINALLY! This release is a now rare example of camera companies listening and doing it right. And honestly, I did not expect that OM System would ever listen. The EP7, while a gorgeous design, was missing what I wanted and I figured that would be as good as it gets. But I am so glad to be wrong, and I am so proud of OM System for doing the right thing here. This is the most exciting release I've seen from the brand so far.

Let me be transparent, I have not yet used the new PEN, so those remarks are forthcoming. However, I have owned many PEN cameras in the past and the basic layout and design elements are all there on the new PEN so I am very sure that I will like using it. 

Less is more, the clean look at every angle of the new PEN is a delight- and personally, I think it is the perfect mix of style and substance, form and function, which is rare in a design. Way better than the PEN-F which handled terribly. Great job here OMS!

My wishlist for an upgraded EP5 has been answered- added weather sealing, faster focusing, a built in EVF, and upgraded sensor. And much much more. I don't personally need all the extra frills and computational stuffs, but its nice to have for those that do. Also, the menu system is much upgraded and improved over the old Oly EP5 so that is nice as well. The old menu system was a pain point for me in all Oly cameras of the past- something I really tried to ignore but couldn't.

Finally an EP5 upgrade I've wanted, and it includes weather sealing for a great price.

I think OM System got the balance right here, finally. Small cameras suit the format best imho, the only thing the system is missing are more small pancake primes. 

A series starting at 24mm, going through 70mm would be best- small, simple, lightweight, weather sealed, and priced right- with f/2.8 or brighter apertures. Say a matching equivalent 24, 28, 35, 50, and 70mm compact pancake prime set would be fantastic. Metal mount but simple and inexpensive otherwise, weather sealed, and no frills. 

As is I'd need to turn to Panasonic for primes on this camera, the 14mm or 20mm pancake primes. OM System could make their own that match the PEN and OM5 series cameras and photographers would eat them up- a matching pancake set, are you kidding? People would go crazy for them. OM System, you listened with the PEN announcement, now remember photographers marry their lenses- and nobody has done a matching set of compact pancake primes like this- DO IT! 

Clean from every angle, and excellent button and controls without being too complicated. An lcd screen that fits flush to the body, not bulging out like prior designs, nice and flat which is practical and visually stunning. Nice touch with the textured backing that matches the grip material on the body.

I will write more about this camera in the future as soon as I have one to test. But for now, I wanted to heap some praise to OM System for making a good decision. The camera market for the last few years has been pretty boring to me quite frankly, many announcements are similar designed cameras with different name badges and based around tech spec competition. This is why so many photographers have turned to film, the used market, and old compacts- they want variety, they want a visceral analog experience, they want something different.

Sure it might be missing some small wishlist items, such as a threaded shutter release button or the most modern sensor- but the price is very attractive for what you get and I think that is worth the omissions here- you can't have your cake and eat it too. This 20mp sensor is proven, just as good as many APS-C cameras, and plenty for a camera design like this. 

Overall I have no major qualms with the new PEN in terms of what they chose for the design. My nitpick would be that they are still using the uncomfortable post style strap lugs instead of a much more preferred and visually pleasing flush camera strap design, but oh well.  And I could have personally done without the jpeg only color/mono switch on the front- yet neither are deal breakers here for me. OM got a lot right here in the design.

Attractive, well spec'd, good price, great balance of everything overall. I could have even done without the color/mono switch on the front, but it's not awful by any means. 

The new OMS Pen is something different at the very least, and different is enough these days. It proves that a camera release doesn't need to beat every competitor on specs- it proves that photographers have a wish list and that they need to be heard. After all, they are the financiers for camera companies. Listen to them, and they will reward you. I guaranty the PEN will be an amazingly popular seller for OM System, and I congratulate them on a great decision. 

This is the most exciting camera announcement I've seen for years.

Now OMS, do finish the job and make some compact affordable pancake lenses for it! Lens design needs to match the camera design! :)

And yes, I do plan on doing a full review of this camera, it just all depends on how quickly I get one in my hands. And no, I'm not into silver and black, the all black PEN is my style. OMS, are you paying attention? :)

Stay focused.

-Carl