also being some £300 cheaper.
Though it will inevitably appeal to the exact same photographic enthusiasts as Olympus' already established OM-D mirrorless flagship cameras, the PEN-F isn't intended as a candidate for a leadership battle. Its manufacturer hopes that the PEN-F will establish itself as a separate strand from both OM-D and existing PEN models. Unlike the OM-D cameras, the PEN-F isn't weather or dust-proof, however, and its manufacturer promises that there will be more obvious differences as OM-D and PEN-F ranges grow.
For now, as well as a similar user interface and backplate controls that we always feel are a little smaller and more fiddly than they should be, the PEN-F obviously shares the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount and sensor as existing cameras. Albeit here the pixel count has been upped from 16 to 20, with the sensor said to be brand new. Despite the theory suggesting that you don't want to cram too many pixels onto a small chip, this pixel hike brings it into line with rivals from Sony, Panasonic and Fujifilm. Here, Olympus has also omitted a low-pass filter, prioritising maximum image quality and detail, not just pixel count. The PEN-F does however, feature the slightly gimmicky option of a 50MP image - achieved by the merging of eight sequential shots - an option first seen on the OM-D E-M5 Mark II. Otherwise we have JPEG and RAW stills options, and MPEG-4 video too (albeit Full HD rather than 4K), dedicated record button almost hidden front-right of its top plate, dwarfed by neighbouring shutter release and exposure compensation dials (-/+ 3EV).
Anyone adopting the Micro Four Thirds system for the first time may well want to take advantage of the two lens kits being offered alongside a body-only option. These are a 17mm in black , or with Olympus' regular kit option of its 14-42mm zoom. Olympus sent the 17mm to play with - providing the equivalent of 34mm in 35mm terms, so a rough match for human field of view. Being a fixed focal length lens, we simply had to walk closer to a subject to make it appear larger in the frame, or step back a few paces for a wider shot. When twinned with the feature-packed camera, this necessitates a more thoughtful, even relaxed style of photography; we can't quickly zoom in or out from afar or happy snap.
The Wi-Fi-equipped PEN-F feels substantial in the hands - this is a solid chunk of metal with no visible screws and a milled aluminium construction. When you've got over the copious top plate dials, which provide instant access to shooting modes and exposure compensation, as well as a commendably chunky ridged wheel for turning the camera on or off, you'll discover that Olympus has found room for an eye-level electronic viewfinder as well as tilting backplate LCD. This time, it doesn't just tilt up or down slightly, but can be flipped outwards from the body so that said screen faces the subject for the ubiquitous selfie, if required. The EVF also has an eye sensor sat next to it, so that it flicks into action without potentially distracting additional button presses required. Another rewarding feature is the knob at the front of the camera, providing access to Olympus's Art Filters and on-board digital effects, including two new options. Colour Profile Control and Monochrome Profile Control.
A lens the size of the 17mm used here couldn't cause any issues using the camera handheld under normal circumstances, but as belt and braces the PEN-F features five-axis image stabilisation anyway, the same as that originally found on both its E-Ml and E-M5 models, and deployed for both video and stills shooting modes.
In operation, the viewfinder delivers realistically lag-free viewing. It features a richly contrast-y OLED screen and sufficient resolution at 2.36 million dots, which means you're not left wishing Olympus could have squeezed in a plain old optical viewfinder as an alternative. Operation zips along; there's a new TruePic 7 processor here too, providing the ability to capture up to an impressive lOfps. The camera handles like you'd expect a DSLR to - you don't feel that you're waiting for the camera to catch up with your actions.
With a 34mm-equivalent lens on test necessitating a degree of proximity to subject matter, the PEN-F proved perfect for engaging with a scene up close and personal, without being obtrusive.
Photographers who relish using a carefully crafted tool with which to capture stills will find plenty to entice about the PEN-F. Its solid feel and weighty build will also make them conclude, as with the Fuji X-Pro2 or X-Tl, that they're not compromising on construction in order to find a lighter weight, more compact alternative to their DSLR.