OM System PEN Update: Ordered!

OM System PEN Update: Ordered!

October 2026, Carl Garrard

On the last article I did on the blog about the new Pen, I hinted at the fact that I would likely buy one myself, and I have. As I stated in that article too, I haven't been impressed with camera makers rollout items of late. Most mirrorless cameras are way too expensive, and have boring boxy designs that lack finesse and subtleties that are designed around the human hand. The new Pen looks like a well designed camera to me. It's not only the culmination of a wishlist that many photographers have wanted for the Pen series for years, it seems to be very carefully designed  for the human hand as well. It's the first camera announcement I've seen in years that has inspired me to buy it as soon as it was available for the market, and that is really saying something. 

I believe in constructive criticism and positive reward equally, and I give camera makers plenty of both. Lately I have felt like a broken record on every new camera announcement, really just bored to death, but the new Pen excited me. So, I decided to buy one to try out myself as well as give a positive reward to OM System for listening to photographers.

We'll see how much I would like it compared to all of the Pen cameras I've owned in the past. So far the Pen lineup has yet to enamor me enough to keep one around full time. I've found them all to be charming to some degree but ultimately lacking for one reason or another and I end up selling them. The lack of a built in finder has always been a big pet peeve of mine, for example.

I would love to finally end my quest for the "right" Pen and keep one around here permanently, I hope this new Pen is that camera, I truly do! 

I have the Panasonic 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 that I think would be a perfect all weather zoom lens for this little guy- it's small and light, has a great focal length, excellent optics, fast focusing, and a similar design aesthetic. I also have the classic 17mm zuiko f/2.8 for a walk around prime. Both lenses look like they would be a great match for this little camera body. 

The only downside is that the PEN doesn't have a DNG raw option, only a proprietary raw option. I would have loved to keep using my current raw converter without having to convert the raw files through ADC (Adobe DNG Converter) first, but I guess you can't have it all.

Winter weather is soon here for Southern California, and I intend to test out its weather sealed IPX rating on the hiking trails doing some wet weather landscape shots. It would be nice if it passes the outdoor test- a small, light, powerful pocket companion would be a godsend in the outdoors when I'm doing hiking, cycling, and trail running.

I will update the blog as soon as I have some time to really get to know it, and possibly a first impressions report as well.

Stay focused.

-Carl