Pen F is sure one beautiful looking camera

[Searching]

The grip could fit a tad tighter at base, makes removing sd card a bit harder, but is a great arca Swiss plate and makes holding easier.

 

[BruceRH]

I find that I use my Pen-F way more than my EM5 MK II and I LOVE the EM5 MK II ! I find that the OOC JPEG's of the Pen require very little in LR compared to the EM5 MK II. I bought the grip for the Pen-F and have a similar grip for the OMD but I rarely use the grip on the Pen but almost always on the EM5. Both cameras are excellent but the Pen-F just "speaks" to me for whatever reason. I am firmly in the FAS camp, I find many shots that the FAS just makes easier.

I can not see getting rid of my EM5 MK II, and it is perfect for the heavier Pro lenses, while the Pen-F is perfect for primes and the Panasonic 12-32. I like the ergonomics of the EM5 MK II just slightly better, but again, the Pen-F gets picked up more for whatever reason. I like the dedicated EV dial of the Pen and the dial on the front does not bother me at all. The images that I get from both cameras are excellent but like I mentioned earlier, the Pen images require less PP. I have to say that Olympus makes some very nice cameras and lenses, regardless of which one you have. Shoot, the EM10 MK II is tempting for the size and built in flash for a social setting or a night out. I do wish the PEN-F had a pop up flash! It is great to have choices, but sometimes it's not so great to have so many choices.......;-)

 

[Jim Salvas]

The Pen Pen F really IS great looking. Three times I have left a store coming so close to picking one up.

I have looked around online trying to determine if the Pen F's IQ is that much better than the Pan GX80/85? Currently my M4/3 I used most is the tiny Pan GM1. I hate not having an EVF and never bumped to the GM5 upgrade.

Has IQ progressed from this older (okay 2013) camera? My seldom take it off lens tends to be the PL 15 1.7 which is great.

Again, the Pen F is a beautiful looking camera by my tastes but I am factoring in the output as well.

I have enjoyed this thread.

I can only go by the results I'm getting, which are outstanding. The Pen F is producing truly good images in my hands. I have used it effectively for headshots, for product photos (the hi-res mode is great for this), for events and for landscapes (just won $3,000 in a landscape contest with this camera).

If you're better than the Pen F, you must be darned good.

 

[Terry Breedlove]

It is a beautiful camera that and a nice half leather case with the new 25mm 1.2 and I would be very happy indeed. I hope to make it a second camera to the new EM-1 mk2 when it comes out. Going to wait for the price to come down on the Pen f a bit though.

 

[mcshan]

Thank you for the reply Jim.

 

[Day Hiker]

And I frankly love the images, including those monochrome portraits that the front dial is affording me. While I always shoot RAW + JPEG and then process the RAW in LR, I now find myself simply using the ooc jpegs fairly often.

I have abandoned the monochrome front dial options after extensive testing and tweaking over several months. Especially Profile 2 and Profile 3. I find jpeg artifacts in virtually every image, including small halos around detail and while borders against sharp outlines, such as distant mountain ridges against a clear sky. I posted examples on this a couple of months ago, but few people seemed interested. I'm not overly fond of the color profiles either, although Color Profile 1 has some possibilities.

I bought the Pen F thinking it would be a powerful jpeg camera. It has not turned out that way for me. And the extra megapickles seem to have done nothing but increase noise slightly.

Jim Pilcher
Summit County, Colorado, USA
Life is good in the woods

I'm genuinely perplexed. That has not at all been my experience with the Pen F. But if you are that disappointed, I'm sure it would be easy enough to sell.

I'm not ready to sell; not even close! I'm am moving back to my standard work flow that I've used with µ4/3 since I bought my first E-PL3 in 2011: Shoot raw at base ISO, ETTR exposure, and develop to taste in Lightroom. Switch over to auto ISO @ max 1250-2000 when indoors.

I sent sample files to a well-known member of this forum and his initial look-see confirms the strangeness of those b&w profile images. It could be my subject matter. I changed none of the default profile parameters while I was testing and shooting with those b&w profiles.

Has there been a firmware update for the Pen F this year? I haven't thought to look until this very moment...

Jim Pilcher
Summit County, Colorado, USA
Life is good in the woods

 

[FrankS009]

How does it compare with the Panasonic GX8 that seems to have the same sensor? Which by the way also is weather sealed and has a better EV.

F.

 

[Okapi001]

How does it compare with the Panasonic GX8 that seems to have the same sensor? Which by the way also is weather sealed and has a better EV.

No comparison whatsoever. One is a beautiful camera and the other is meh. If you have to ask which is which, get Panasonic.

 

[gary0319]

And I frankly love the images, including those monochrome portraits that the front dial is affording me. While I always shoot RAW + JPEG and then process the RAW in LR, I now find myself simply using the ooc jpegs fairly often.

I have abandoned the monochrome front dial options after extensive testing and tweaking over several months. Especially Profile 2 and Profile 3. I find jpeg artifacts in virtually every image, including small halos around detail and while borders against sharp outlines, such as distant mountain ridges against a clear sky. I posted examples on this a couple of months ago, but few people seemed interested. I'm not overly fond of the color profiles either, although Color Profile 1 has some possibilities.

I bought the Pen F thinking it would be a powerful jpeg camera. It has not turned out that way for me. And the extra megapickles seem to have done nothing but increase noise slightly.

Jim Pilcher
Summit County, Colorado, USA
Life is good in the woods

I'm genuinely perplexed. That has not at all been my experience with the Pen F. But if you are that disappointed, I'm sure it would be easy enough to sell.

I'm not ready to sell; not even close! I'm am moving back to my standard work flow that I've used with µ4/3 since I bought my first E-PL3 in 2011: Shoot raw at base ISO, ETTR exposure, and develop to taste in Lightroom. Switch over to auto ISO @ max 1250-2000 when indoors.

I sent sample files to a well-known member of this forum and his initial look-see confirms the strangeness of those b&w profile images. It could be my subject matter. I changed none of the default profile parameters while I was testing and shooting with those b&w profiles.

Has there been a firmware update for the Pen F this year? I haven't thought to look until this very moment...

Jim Pilcher
Summit County, Colorado, USA
Life is good in the woods

Hmmm... your experience is certainly different than mine has been, regarding Mono Profile 2. I'm pretty much in love with it and it is my go to for shooting black and white.

Now, I'm pretty new at this B&W shooting so maybe I just don't know what to look for to see these artifacts. I see nothing to detract from these two images, both shot with Profile 2, film grain off.

 

[FrankS009]

Actually, I don't find the Panasonic unattractive. Tastes differ - the Olympus is too fiddly for me. but I understand that others like it.

But I was asking about the assertion that the Pen F has better colour resolution than any other, considering that the Panasonic has the same sensor.

F.

--
"We shoot the things that move us in ways that will move others." David duChemin

 

[Day Hiker]

Hmmm... your experience is certainly different than mine has been, regarding Mono Profile 2. I'm pretty much in love with it and it is my go to for shooting black and white.

Now, I'm pretty new at this B&W shooting so maybe I just don't know what to look for to see these artifacts. I see nothing to detract from these two images, both shot with Profile 2, film grain off.

These are very nice images. I looked at them 100% here at dpreview and they look very good. Dunno why I get the artifacts. Monochrome 2 is not nearly as bad as Monochrome 3 on my camera, though.

I'm not going to worry about it. Seeing that others are doing well with these monochrome modes, I'll assume it's me and that I need to school myself better, despite 42+ (including 12 digital) years of photography behind me!


Jim Pilcher
Summit County, Colorado, USA
Life is good in the woods

 

[gary0319]

Hmmm... your experience is certainly different than mine has been, regarding Mono Profile 2. I'm pretty much in love with it and it is my go to for shooting black and white.

Now, I'm pretty new at this B&W shooting so maybe I just don't know what to look for to see these artifacts. I see nothing to detract from these two images, both shot with Profile 2, film grain off.

These are very nice images. I looked at them 100% here at dpreview and they look very good. Dunno why I get the artifacts. Monochrome 2 is not nearly as bad as Monochrome 3 on my camera, though.

I'm not going to worry about it. Seeing that others are doing well with these monochrome modes, I'll assume it's me and that I need to school myself better, despite 42+ (including 12 digital) years of photography behind me!

Jim Pilcher
Summit County, Colorado, USA
Life is good in the woods

Thanks Jim,

I've only been at it a little over 20 years..........so, maybe beginners luck on my part.

 

[MacOrneille]

I love my GX7 silver, and think a Hasselblad X1D would pair beautifully with it looks-wise.

 

[cameron2]

I have looked around online trying to determine if the Pen F's IQ is that much better than the Pan GX80/85? Currently my M4/3 I used most is the tiny Pan GM1. I hate not having an EVF and never bumped to the GM5 upgrade.

The GM1 and the GX80/85 use pretty much the same sensor, except that the GX80/85 has no AA filter and is slightly newer (i.e. it will have other minor improvements).

The PenF and GX8 and EM1ii and GH5 all seem to use the new(er) Sony 20mp sensor, albeit with some slight tweaks (e.g. split micro-lenses for PDAF on the EM1ii).

The Sony 20mp sensor appears to be a slight improvement over the Pany 16mp sensor in general, and much better (as one would expect from previous experience) for longer exposures (Pany sensors always had "bigly" noise in long exposures).

All that said, the differences in sensors since m43 switched up to 16mp have been minor. The EM5 (original) was a huge jump forward, but since then the improvements are all incremental. The digital processing has jumped forward quite a bit, so you will have reasons to upgrade, but basic IQ is largely unchanged.

 

[cameron2]

How does it compare with the Panasonic GX8 that seems to have the same sensor? Which by the way also is weather sealed and has a better EV.

No comparison whatsoever. One is a beautiful camera and the other is meh. If you have to ask which is which, get Panasonic.

Wow! It's going to take a long time for me to recover from that zinger!

The PenF is beautiful. If I were picking a camera as a fashion accessory, I'd grab the PenF.

The GX8 does look like the red-headed step-child of the m43 family (and it has some warts in odd places!), but until the EM1ii comes out, the GX8 is the body to beat -- assuming that taking photographs is what you're after!

 

[Day Hiker]

How does it compare with the Panasonic GX8 that seems to have the same sensor? Which by the way also is weather sealed and has a better EV.

No comparison whatsoever. One is a beautiful camera and the other is meh. If you have to ask which is which, get Panasonic.

Wow! It's going to take a long time for me to recover from that zinger!

The PenF is beautiful. If I were picking a camera as a fashion accessory, I'd grab the PenF.

The GX8 does look like the red-headed step-child of the m43 family (and it has some warts in odd places!), but until the EM1ii comes out, the GX8 is the body to beat -- assuming that taking photographs is what you're after!

If you are going to make photographs, you may as well look good doing it. Everyone should have a Pen F on the dressing counter next to the gold cuff links and Rolex. I do (no Rolex; Seiko).


Jim Pilcher
Summit County, Colorado, USA
Life is good in the woods

 

[Marla]

I have immensely enjoyed reading this thread! Presently I have the EM5 and really love this camera! However, since the Pen F arrived on the scene I have been intrigued reading all the posts on dp about this camera. It is one beautiful looking camera to begin with - and most of the images I've viewed are really living up to the "hype" IMHO!

However, the huge "draw" for me is the Monochrome options! B+W photography has always been my favorite. I much prefer shooting in b+w vs just post-processing......thus I can't stop reading about it. I am definitely looking to purchase one soon! I hope I can hold out to see if there may be a break in price for "Black Friday." ;-)

Thanks everyone for your input and the images posted here. I hope there are more posts/threads including more user reviews, input and images. It's fun reading about something you're going to purchase!

 

[goodbokeh]

How does it compare with the Panasonic GX8 that seems to have the same sensor? Which by the way also is weather sealed and has a better EV.

No comparison whatsoever. One is a beautiful camera and the other is meh. If you have to ask which is which, get Panasonic.

Wow! It's going to take a long time for me to recover from that zinger!

The PenF is beautiful. If I were picking a camera as a fashion accessory, I'd grab the PenF.

The GX8 does look like the red-headed step-child of the m43 family (and it has some warts in odd places!), but until the EM1ii comes out, the GX8 is the body to beat -- assuming that taking photographs is what you're after!

The body to beat? The GX8 is snake bit by unmitigated shutter shock, so take your choice of blurred details using the mechanical shutter or distorted fun house mirror photos using the electronic shutter with moving subjects.

 

[Searching]

Love Mono 2 as well.

 

[Searching]

Agree