The OM SYSTEM PEN’s heritage dates back 67 years when 26-year-old Olympus camera designer, Yoshihisa Maitani, said, “I want to design a camera that becomes an inseparable part of the photographer, a camera that does not get in the way.”
Today, you can follow that heritage right into 2026 and the heart of the OM SYSTEM PEN.
This camera comes in for under $1,000, and yet it has zero weaknesses. There is no “catch.”
Here’s what it has:
A beautiful, modern/retro-body using a rangefinder EVF.
It’s wildly light, and meaningfully small. (393 grams)
The new battery lasts all day.
It’s got weather resistance.
Fast and accurate autofocus for most uses (with people/pet subject detection that works really well).
A Computational Photography button for High Resolution modes (both handheld and tripod), Focus Stacking, Live ND, HDR and Double Exposure.
The Creative Dial is also present, allowing us to dial-in four color and four monochrome profiles with fully customizable settings. (These apply to both photo and video.)
The PEN also exists within a fully built-out lens system that won’t break the bank and fits the form factor. There are some fantastic, small, light lenses perfect for the PEN that take advantage of the form factor and don’t cost thousands of dollars.
What are the downsides?
It’s got a standard, non premium EVF.
The video is 8-bit.
… that’s about it, unless you’re REALLY nitpicking an under-$1,000 camera.
Sometimes it’s weird for me to be a “camera reviewer.” I don’t really want to influence people into buying things. I’d rather them just go out and make art… but it’s just plain impossible to NOT recommend the PEN.
Small.
Light.
POWERFUL.
$1,000
And you know what? I took a decent amount of photos with the new kit lens, the14-42 f/3.5-5.6 III (revised to match the PEN’s weather resistance). You get it as a package if you pay $1,100 - and it’s a REALLY small, light, and useful lens. Without a doubt, it surprised me with the image quality:
However, the PEN REALLY shines in a way that respects its heritage with one of OM SYSTEM’s brilliant small, light primes.
The 17mm f/1.8II is the prime candidate for the PEN. Just about as small and light as you could hope, with stunning image quality:
Or how about the 45mm f/1.8? Again, brilliant and the weight/size barely registers.
The 20mm f/1.4 PRO is a killer lens when matched with the PEN. Perhaps it’s my favorite combination.
And of course, the venerable 12-45mm f/4 PRO is just so small and light while being incredibly sharp with wonderful rendering - it’s also just about perfect on the PEN.
What’s awesome is that this will get people into the OM SYSTEM ecosystem, where they’ll soon discover some other combinations, such as pairing the PEN with the 12-100mm f/4 PRO for the ultimate in versatility:
Or even the 50-200 f/2.8 PRO, which is in itself small and light for what it is, and it works wonderfully well with the PEN.
I took thousands of photographs with the PEN, from random shots of cats to my first Rodeo.
The thing is: it just doesn’t have a weakness. It focuses fast. It’s small. It’s light.
It’s got the CP button from the OM-3, which allows for quick access to the PEN’s computational Photography. This includes, for the PEN:
Handheld and Tripod High Resolution Modes
LIVE ND
Focus Stacking
HDR
Double Exposure
These options allow more creativity while we are in the field:
And the PEN also has the Creative Dial, with 4 color and 4 monochrome profiles available. By themselves, these offer unique looks, but they allow photographers to create and share their own custom recipes.
For instance, in Kansas City, I visited the West Bottoms during harsh light. I used the Creative Dial to choose a profile, then flattened the highlights and adjusted the colors. I wanted the photos to have a cool, 80’s magazine vibe, and I think I succeeded:
(You can find the recipe at the bottom of this post).
The autofocus was great even during dim light, allowing me to capture shots like these at the Nebraska State Fair:
And finally, it all came into play for me when I met up with my friend Amanda for some fun portraits. I threw my camera on subject tracking, and her and I talked while I casually chose creative dial profiles to match the mood of the photo. I mostly just snapped away as we talked, and the PEN created some stunning images.
The final verdict for me: this is the best new camera you can buy for $1,000.
Get a small, light prime or zoom (even the 14-42 new kit lens does great!), and you’re set.
If you have time, check out my livestream with OM SYSTEM:
Questions? Just ask!
OM PEN RECIPE: 80’S MAG
CURVES: Shadows +3 Highlights -5 (Midtones 0)
Sharpness: +1
Contrast: -1
WHITE BALANCE: CWB: 5400K. A:5 M:6 (Or Auto White Balance in mixed/difficult indoor lighting)
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DEATH TO THE ROBOTS.
Comments? Leave them below or email me: jerredz@gmail.com
Nice review. I think that for $1000 body only, this may be the best new-camera deal on the market. I have read a lot of reviews this morning, and the complaining is predictable. But for $1000, we get some weather sealing, IBIS, EVF, endless creative features, beautiful design, great lens system, solid images, etc. I don't know of any other camera that offer this at a $1000 price. Great writing, and I love your photos. I had forgotten all about the old Western Auto stories.
Thanks Jerred, that was a very nice review! I am very tempted - for me this is certainly not a beginner’s camera, but an E-M1 mk3 in compact form factor. My current cameras are E-M1 mk2 and E-M1X, so the new Pen has everything I need. Years ago I became interested in Pen F for caving photography (where you have to pack everything tightly, and its small form factor would be a big plus), and this new camera looks to me essentially a Pen F mk2 without the luxury parts.
Question: how was using the Pen with Olympus 12-100 mm Pro? This lens is my main hiking/mountaneering tool, and having it attached to the small Pen would be a dream. I think you mentioned in DPreview forum that even using the Olympus f1.2 primes is a so-so experience ergonomically?
P.S. I also loved your review of 50-200mm Pro, which I now own. Like you, I also love shooting flowers with telephotos and shallow DOF, and 40-150mm was not long enough :-)
Nice review. I think that for $1000 body only, this may be the best new-camera deal on the market. I have read a lot of reviews this morning, and the complaining is predictable. But for $1000, we get some weather sealing, IBIS, EVF, endless creative features, beautiful design, great lens system, solid images, etc. I don't know of any other camera that offer this at a $1000 price. Great writing, and I love your photos. I had forgotten all about the old Western Auto stories.
Thanks Jerred, that was a very nice review! I am very tempted - for me this is certainly not a beginner’s camera, but an E-M1 mk3 in compact form factor. My current cameras are E-M1 mk2 and E-M1X, so the new Pen has everything I need. Years ago I became interested in Pen F for caving photography (where you have to pack everything tightly, and its small form factor would be a big plus), and this new camera looks to me essentially a Pen F mk2 without the luxury parts.
Question: how was using the Pen with Olympus 12-100 mm Pro? This lens is my main hiking/mountaneering tool, and having it attached to the small Pen would be a dream. I think you mentioned in DPreview forum that even using the Olympus f1.2 primes is a so-so experience ergonomically?
P.S. I also loved your review of 50-200mm Pro, which I now own. Like you, I also love shooting flowers with telephotos and shallow DOF, and 40-150mm was not long enough :-)