That new Pen thingy...

Is that 3 dials on the top plate all alongside each other on a small body? That looks comfortable to use....

And yes, it does look like an over engineered 'art' filter dial on the front.
 
magicaxeman said:
Looks like someones trying to outfuji Fuji.
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But Fuji have never created anything so hideous...serious 80s throwback there!

EDIT: Looks much, much neater without grip and in silver.
 
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Alan Clogwyn said:
But Fuji have never created anything so hideous...serious 80s throwback there!

EDIT: Looks much, much neater without grip and in silver.
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I don't think it's all that bad.

Surprising and nice to see that it has a fully articulated screen. Is this a first for Olympus? I dunno...

It'll be interesting to see if the image quality can sneak ahead of the GX8. I have a GX7 and to be honest I've never liked it because of the EVF but the image quality offered by the GX8 doesn't seem to leave the GX7 too far behind with some reviewers claiming the GX7 has lower noise at the higher ISO settings. Noise or lack of isn't everything but I'd be disappointed to shell out so much for a GX8 and have a nagging doubt about image quality improvements over the older and not really all that inspiring GX7.
 
woof woof said:
I don't think it's all that bad.

Surprising and nice to see that it has a fully articulated screen. Is this a first for Olympus? I dunno...

It'll be interesting to see if the image quality can sneak ahead of the GX8. I have a GX7 and to be honest I've never liked it because of the EVF but the image quality offered by the GX8 doesn't seem to leave the GX7 too far behind with some reviewers claiming the GX7 has lower noise at the higher ISO settings. Noise or lack of isn't everything but I'd be disappointed to shell out so much for a GX8 and have a nagging doubt about image quality improvements over the older and not really all that inspiring GX7.
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My EM5-II has a fully articulated screen, not sure if there's any other Olympus models that do. I personally prefer the tilt of my old EM10 as you have to flip out the one on the EM5-II to tilt it :rolleyes: The Sony A77/A77-II is still the best flippy screen I've used.
 
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snerkler said:
My EM5-II has a fully articulated screen, not sure if there's any other models that do. I personally prefer the tilt of my old EM10 as you have to flip out the one on the EM5-II to tilt it :rolleyes: The Sony A77/A77-II is still the best flippy screen I've used.
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I have a fully articulated screen on my Panasonic G1 and it comes in handy and when it's not in use I fold it to the body. I really miss this ability and the flexibility with my tilt only Panasonic GX7 and Sony A7.

I keep thinking about getting a GX8 but the arguably marginal if any improvement in image quality over the GX7 combined with the relatively large size and whopping price tend to put me off. If the Oly is more GX7 sized than GX8 sized and can offer a more tangible increase in image quality over the GX7 I may be able to swallow the high cost, and I mean high when you look at what else can be had for the money.

Time will tell.
 
I like the look of that, particularly in silver/black. Nice to see a proper flip out screen as well.
 
This definitely looks like the kind of camera I would buy. Not sure how much of an improvement it will be ( or not) on my EM10.
Will be very interested to hear the price.
 
Dr Wu said:
This definitely looks like the kind of camera I would buy. Not sure how much of an improvement it will be ( or not) on my EM10.
Will be very interested to hear the price.
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Probably will be highly priced and will drop quite quickly like most of the bodies.
 
It's good that there are even more and different m43 cameras to choose from.
 
I was gearing up to pay full asking for this but having read the user reviews I don't think I'll bother.

I do like the look of the new sensor though, seems to be a bit cleaner in that way Sony sensors tend to but if that's the only benefit I will wait for the EM1ii.

Also as a left eye shooter I prefer the central viewfinder and if I wanted a rangefinder style I'd be seriously looking at the Fuji XE2 which can be had for £500 with a great lens and the new firmware update looks great.
 
I'm tempted to buy into 4/3 but that's pricey. Sensor performance is key. Speculation out there is that it might be a Panasonic one like the gx8 and an early review by a tester indicates performance to be similar to the old 16mp. More mp but nothing revolutionary however he did add that it was not a scientific test on the RAWs and maybe down to unfamiliarity with the supplied RAW conversion software.
 
Mintchocs said:
I'm tempted to buy into 4/3 but that's pricey. Sensor performance is key. Speculation out there is that it might be a Panasonic one like the gx8 and an early review by a tester indicates performance to be similar to the old 16mp. More mp but nothing revolutionary however he did add that it was not a scientific test on the RAWs and maybe down to unfamiliarity with the supplied RAW conversion software.
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The sensible thing to do would be to get an EM5ii, it's much more of a photographers tool than the Pen. Cheaper too.
 
Great in depth vid here:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9gh6_3nT9A


Shows you what the front dial can do. This camera looks like it was made for Street in mind. Even more buttons and options to confuse people but that can also be a very good thing as the camera can do so much and suit many. I have got a price from my boss and will be ordering mine tomorrow in silver with the black 17mm. :)
 
Nawty said:
The sensible thing to do would be to get an EM5ii, it's much more of a photographers tool than the Pen. Cheaper too.
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There's not much difference for photographers between the Pen-F and the EM5mk2. Weather sealing, VF magnification and Megapixels and one or 2 buttons are different. The buttons would be the only thing that affect the usage.

The size is the big improvement for me.
 
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As Ned said, it would be more sensible to get the 5MkII but that front dial looks a hoot! plus 50Mpx composite interests me as does the Sony 20Mpx sensor. It's enough for me to go for one. Also I am a gear tart so the fact it is new is also tempting! :D :D :D
 
I don't like the look of it from the photos, it may look better in the flesh but wouldn't be my choice.
 
minnnt said:
Body only... £1k!!!
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This really shouldn't come as much of a surprise as we know the price of the GX8. The Pen was never going to be £500.

I've never handled a GX8 and have just read reviews and I'm put off by the seemingly quite minimal improvement in image quality over the GX7 (which I have) but a better EVF and a fully articulated screens are definite improvements.

If this Pen (like the GX8) fails to offer a clear improvement over previous models at least it also offers a better EVF and an articulated screen and does so in a smaller package than the GX8.

Personally I've become disenchanted with MFT and if I could stomach the cost I'd move to a Sony A6000. I'm happy enough with MFT image quality but my Sony A7 has really impressed me with its constant preview and auto ISO with the ability to dial in compensation in all modes. These are things that I think are absolutely wonderful but MFT doesn't offer them. Apart from wincing at the cost of moving to an A6000 what stops me are the nice MFT lenses I have and that the Sony APS-C system doesn't have a nice compact 35mm equivalent lens. I'm sure that the lens they have is very nice but it's also a big fat lump, too much so for a RF style CSC IMO.
 
It's what the Pen digital range should have been from the start.Not cheap, though. Looks good in silver. But really it needs proper analogue controls like Fuji.
 
Stephen L said:
It's what the Pen digital range should have been from the start.Not cheap, though. Looks good in silver. But really it needs proper analogue controls like Fuji.
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Yes. I find it quite amazing that it's taken both Olympus and Panasonic all these years to get here. Too late for analogue controls though as the lenses are in place and aren't made that way. They'd need a new range of lenses.

If they'd offer Sony style constant preview and auto ISO I'd love it and probably buy either a GX8 or Pen.
 
woof woof said:
Apart from wincing at the cost of moving to an A6000 what stops me are the nice MFT lenses I have and that the Sony APS-C system doesn't have a nice compact 35mm equivalent lens. I'm sure that the lens they have is very nice but it's also a big fat lump, too much so for a RF style CSC IMO.
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Sony have the native E 20mm 2.8 pancake which is just over £200. Not quite 35mm equivalent but near enough;

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-...ff2523e163e494edfba197d6fe1f20f&utm_source=aw

Obviously your next option for a similar range is the Zeiss 24mm 1.8 but as you say, much bigger and 3x the price. Personally, I'd go for the Sony E 35mm 1.8 and 50mm 1.8 combo. I've got the 50mm 1.8 and it delivers excellent results. I also use a Samyang 12mm F2 as an excellent landscape solution. I've just uploaded some shots from Rome take with both the 12 and 50;

https://flic.kr/s/aHsksX1zE2

For the price versus alternatives I think the A6000 is a relative bargain. Rumours of an A6100 being announced next month will push the price down further too.
 
AndyWest said:
Great in depth vid here:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9gh6_3nT9A


Shows you what the front dial can do. This camera looks like it was made for Street in mind. Even more buttons and options to confuse people but that can also be a very good thing as the camera can do so much and suit many. I have got a price from my boss and will be ordering mine tomorrow in silver with the black 17mm. :)
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Just had a quick look at the vid, thanks for posting.

It does look to be a nice camera but I have to admit that the front dial thing doesn't interest me in the slightest. I always just shoot raw and do whatever I'm going to do on the pc.
 
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stevelmx5 said:
Sony have the native E 20mm 2.8 pancake which is just over £200. Not quite 35mm equivalent but near enough;

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-...ff2523e163e494edfba197d6fe1f20f&utm_source=aw

Obviously your next option for a similar range is the Zeiss 24mm 1.8 but as you say, much bigger and 3x the price. Personally, I'd go for the Sony E 35mm 1.8 and 50mm 1.8 combo. I've got the 50mm 1.8 and it delivers excellent results. I also use a Samyang 12mm F2 as an excellent landscape solution. I've just uploaded some shots from Rome take with both the 12 and 50;

https://flic.kr/s/aHsksX1zE2

For the price versus alternatives I think the A6000 is a relative bargain. Rumours of an A6100 being announced next month will push the price down further too.
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Yes. It is, and very tempting it is too.

I've stared at the lens options for hours... the 35 and 50mm f1.8's would be instant purchases but the lack of a compact 24mm f1.8 is something that I'd have pecking away at my head constantly. There is the 20mm f2.8 but I just know that I'd be constantly thinking that it's f2.8 not f1.8 and closer to 28mm than 35, I have a 28mm equivalent lens for MFT and hardly use it, I seem much happier with the extra few mm's offered by the 35mm equivalent lenses.
 
I've never owned Olympus digital but I can't help feeling that the plastics always appear cheap? I'm sure I'm wrong and the results are what matters but I've always been put off by it, especially the plastic chrome like Olympus are trying too hard to mimic their analogue heritage.

I agree about the front dial too, seems like a gimmick so the designers could match the original Pen FT design which was the light meter/shutter speed dial. Switching between colour/B&W for jpeg output is a simple software option that could be assigned to any of the custom buttons.
 
In camera processing effects have been offered before and I'm sure my GX7 has some somewhere but I'm just not interested.

I can however see that some people would love them and they'll probably like the direct access to these things offered by an easy to use dial. I can see the appeal, but it's just not something that I'd bother with.
 
For people who shoot jpg only this will be a great camera. I only shoot RAW but am still intrigued by this camera. I can shoot RAW most of the time but play with the filters when I want especially the mono filters when doing street. I can always do RAW plus jpg.
 
stevelmx5 said:
I've never owned Olympus digital but I can't help feeling that the plastics always appear cheap? I'm sure I'm wrong and the results are what matters but I've always been put off by it, especially the plastic chrome like Olympus are trying too hard to mimic their analogue heritage..
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My EM5ii looks and feels very solid. As much or if not more than my OM-2 and OM-4.

woof woof said:
In camera processing effects have been offered before and I'm sure my GX7 has some somewhere but I'm just not interested..
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I'm pleased that they've remove ART filters and Picture Story from the mode dial. Phew! Now we just have to get them to allow customisation of the front dial. But if it doesn't get in the way, then it doesn't matter.

AndyWest said:
For people who shoot jpg only this will be a great camera. I only shoot RAW but am still intrigued by this camera. I can shoot RAW most of the time but play with the filters when I want especially the mono filters when doing street. I can always do RAW plus jpg.
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Why is this camera in any way worse for raw? One weird dial does not change the rest of the camera. And the small body is a bonus for those that want to travel light. Basically it's the smallest full function Olympus.
 
:D I never said or meant it was Worse for RAW. It certainly isn't. It is just interesting for me to play with and use the filters which can only be recorded in jpg.
 
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Also after the initial excitement about the camera my excitement is waning a bit as Alan is right in a lot of what he writes. It's not out for a month so plenty of time to sleep on it. :)
 
minnnt said:
Body only... £1k!!!
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£1099 with 14-42mm EZ pancake lens which makes it slightly less hard to swallow, but only slightly ;)
 
Will certainly be interested in your thoughts if you get one Andy.

Have you had an Olympus 17mm f1.8 before? A very good lens IMO and I with they were all built like it. The manual focus mechanism is very good and an improvement over the ordinary FBW system for me.
 
ianp5a said:
My EM5ii looks and feels very solid. As much or if not more than my OM-2 and OM-4.

I'm pleased that they've remove ART filters and Picture Story from the mode dial. Phew! Now we just have to get them to allow customisation of the front dial. But if it doesn't get in the way, then it doesn't matter.

.
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But I've replaced these with my mysets on my EM5-II so have all of my mysets on the mode dial and so don't have to go into the menu system. I haven't looked at the mode dial on the Pen to know if they've replaced the art filters etc with anything else, if not it might mean not being able to get all my 4 mysets on the mode dial which would be a pain.
 
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