That new Pen thingy...

I"m not expecting much difference in IQ tbh, except of course you'll be able to crop a touch more with the Pen-F. Will be interesting to see if they've managed to keep noise under control with the extra MP.
That would be a plus point but I guess that would have to be weighed up with the cost as well.
Maybe wait a while and see what the prices are like after the initial rush and take view then. Meanwhile I'm more than happy with my EM1, gives me plenty of options and still loads to learn!
 
OK I have spent a fair bit of time with the Pen-F and here are my thoughts.

The version I played with was the black with 17mm lens. We also used the 12mm and 25mm. It is smaller than I thought it would be. I was expecting it to be the size of the GX8 but it looks slightly smaller than the E-M5ii. It looks awesome with any of the Oly primes and is a beautiful camera to behold. It's heavy too but feels really well built. It actually feels like a Leica M camera without the size. The dials feel very firm and well placed. Everything is to hand except for the front filter dial. This little dial lets you choose new filters to save in jpg only. The mono ones are superb! The defaults are great and like the colour filters are customisable. The evf is not as far to the left as I thought it would be so it is more than usable for the left eye user. The rear screen is superb, very crisp and high quality. This camera is ideal for street where the user is quite happy to shoot in jpg. If it's a choice between this or the 5ii then.....well good luck!
 
OK I have spent a fair bit of time with the Pen-F and here are my thoughts.

The version I played with was the black with 17mm lens. We also used the 12mm and 25mm. It is smaller than I thought it would be. I was expecting it to be the size of the GX8 but it looks slightly smaller than the E-M5ii. It looks awesome with any of the Oly primes and is a beautiful camera to behold. It's heavy too but feels really well built. It actually feels like a Leica M camera without the size. The dials feel very firm and well placed. Everything is to hand except for the front filter dial. This little dial lets you choose new filters to save in jpg only. The mono ones are superb! The defaults are great and like the colour filters are customisable. The evf is not as far to the left as I thought it would be so it is more than usable for the left eye user. The rear screen is superb, very crisp and high quality. This camera is ideal for street where the user is quite happy to shoot in jpg. If it's a choice between this or the 5ii then.....well good luck!


Did the front dial get in the way at all?
 
OK I have spent a fair bit of time with the Pen-F and here are my thoughts.

The version I played with was the black with 17mm lens. We also used the 12mm and 25mm. It is smaller than I thought it would be. I was expecting it to be the size of the GX8 but it looks slightly smaller than the E-M5ii. It looks awesome with any of the Oly primes and is a beautiful camera to behold. It's heavy too but feels really well built. It actually feels like a Leica M camera without the size. The dials feel very firm and well placed. Everything is to hand except for the front filter dial. This little dial lets you choose new filters to save in jpg only. The mono ones are superb! The defaults are great and like the colour filters are customisable. The evf is not as far to the left as I thought it would be so it is more than usable for the left eye user. The rear screen is superb, very crisp and high quality. This camera is ideal for street where the user is quite happy to shoot in jpg. If it's a choice between this or the 5ii then.....well good luck!
How did you find it grip wise as the thumb rest doesn't look as substantial as the Em5-II and there's no grip of any kind on the front. Whilst the Em5-II doesn't either the 'lip' on the front makes it comfortable to hold and adds to the sturdiness of the grip.
 
How did you find it grip wise as the thumb rest doesn't look as substantial as the Em5-II and there's no grip of any kind on the front. Whilst the Em5-II doesn't either the 'lip' on the front makes it comfortable to hold and adds to the sturdiness of the grip.
The thumb grip is superb but there is no grip at the front at all which I found ok but many won't I guess.
 
The more I look at it, the more I like the Pen F in all black, unlike my PEN E-P5 which I think looked horrible in all black...I'm very tempted, don't need it though, but tempted nevertheless....
 
I think the silver one looks nice but I think that the black ones are a bit more discrete, and that's good :D

I don't think I'm convinced that these new cameras (Pen and GX8) offer enough of an image quality improvement over my GX7 to tempt me to buy so it'd really be down to additional features and whilst the articulated screen and better EVF (the one on my GX7 is IMO a disgrace) I'm not sure they're enough to tempt me to spend £1K.
 
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The more I look at it, the more I like the Pen F in all black, unlike my PEN E-P5 which I think looked horrible in all black...I'm very tempted, don't need it though, but tempted nevertheless....
New cameras are like new Apple products for me, don't need them but often want them :LOL:
 
I think the silver one looks nice but I think that the black ones are a bit more discrete, and that's good :D

I don't think I'm convinced that these new cameras (Pen and GX8) offer enough of an image quality improvement over my GX7 to tempt me to buy so it'd really be down to additional features and whilst the articulated screen and better EVF (the one on my GX7 is IMO a disgrace) I'm not sure they're enough to tempt me to spend £1K.
I agree. A new sensor is nice but not enough. Build in EVF would be nice though, the VF4 that I have is absolutely brilliant but it is a bolt on and I can't use the hotshoe when it is in place......Dare I say; and I will wash out my mouth....I'm tempted by not shooting raw, those JPEG modes like chrome 3 look amazing based on SteveHuffs samples...
 
Yeah I saw those. The many comments critisising his blocked blacks and blown highlights were interesting... poor Steve must have got a bit sick of explaining preset 3 or whichever it was.

Must admit that I've tried to recreate various looks with several packages and it can be hard work and time consuming so if these preset things get you the look without the hassle then they're well worth it.
 
Which is exactly my kind of thinking. Yes sure you can do most things post processing, I prefer to get them right in camera and spend as little time as possible behind the computer.

I think I'll see for six months or so as to what the prices do. Whilst I monetary terms I lost a lot on my pen e-p5, I gain a lot from it in enjoyment in having a smaller package that suits my style. This would be more off an evolutionary upgrade and therefore I would value the upgrade value to be a lot less than before.

Anyone want a Panasonic DMC-G6 :)
 
I think the silver one looks nice but I think that the black ones are a bit more discrete, and that's good :D

I don't think I'm convinced that these new cameras (Pen and GX8) offer enough of an image quality improvement over my GX7 to tempt me to buy so it'd really be down to additional features and whilst the articulated screen and better EVF (the one on my GX7 is IMO a disgrace) I'm not sure they're enough to tempt me to spend £1K.
Especially when the EM5-II is £250 cheaper than the Pen-F and apart from 4MP I'm not sure the Pen offers anything more?
 
But it didn't seem that you were excited enough about them. According to marketing hype, you can never be excited enough about megapixels!
 
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But it didn't seem that you were excited enough about them. According to marketing hype, you can never be excited enough about megapixels!
Ahh yes. 4 more megapixels whoop whoop :banana::banana::banana: ;)
 
But it didn't seem that you were excited enough about them. According to marketing hype, you can never be excited enough about megapixels!

I'd suggest that it's possible for a chap to be too excited about them :wideyed:

But back on topic... I think I'd be more tempted by a 16mp sensor camera if there was a more detectable increase in image quality than we see with (for example) the GX8. The Pen may offer this but if the chip is the same as that in the GX8 maybe it wont?

Maybe a 16mp backlit sensor with increased DR and higher ISO performance might temp me, if these improvements are possible. I am tempted by the fully articulated screen and the better (than the GX7) EVF and to be honest a better build quality could tempt me too but it'd be nice to have these things and a clear improvement in what really matters, the image quality.

I can see the appeal of the JPEG image filter things, but I don't think they're for me.
 
Be good to see some shot comparisons between the New Pen and the EM1 / EM5 mkii ...
Speaking of which, when our local Wilkonsons got the 20mpx GX8 in I took some test photos there compared to my 16mpx e-pL7 to see if there were advantages like extra detail.
Meh.
There weren't, but that could be down to Panasonic v Olympus ... possibly : I was using Jpegs only since at the time I didn't have a RAW converter which dealt with GX8 files (still don't, probably)
 
Speaking of which, when our local Wilkonsons got the 20mpx GX8 in I took some test photos there compared to my 16mpx e-pL7 to see if there were advantages like extra detail.
Meh.
There weren't, but that could be down to Panasonic v Olympus ... possibly : I was using Jpegs only since at the time I didn't have a RAW converter which dealt with GX8 files (still don't, probably)
Depends on your viewing medium. If you're viewing on a screen that is less than 16mp (which is every screen I'm aware of) you're obviously not going to see any difference. The only time you'll see it on screen is if you zoom in.
 
If you don't need a new camera right away, and you don't need weather sealing, there's nothing groundbreaking on the Pen-F, wait and see what the Pen-F mark 2 has.
 
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If you don't need a new camera right away, and you don't need weather sealing, there's nothing groundbreaking on the Pen-F, wait and see what the Pen-F mark 2 has.
I'm betting it'll have a higher price than the end of line mk1.
 
Yes but by then you would have heard about some new feature in the mk 2 that will be irresistible to you. That and even more magic Megapixels!
 
Had a handle of 1 briefly yesterday must say its a very solid a well built camera !
 
Yeah he pretty much slams the constant af, put me right off.
 
Yeah he pretty much slams the constant af, put me right off.

TBH that wouldn't really matter to be as I never use it.

I'm still mildly interested but would really like a camera with constant preview in all modes and also auto ISO in all model with the ability to dial in compensation.

Unless Panasonic or Olympus implement these features I'm very unlikely to buy.
 
Just buy an A6000 so you get that and can also share your FE lenses from the A7.
No thanks :D

If they did a more compact and cheaper 24mm f1.8 I might be seriously tempted but I've invested time and love (and hate and frustration too...) into MFT and I'm hoping against hope that Panasonic or Olympus get their fingers out and offer the features I want. Art filters and in camera curves etc... wonderful but not for me. I'd be much happier being able to dial in the aperture and shutter speed I want and letting the ISO float and dialling in compensation to brighten the scene. These are great features with the Sony and using a camera without them seems like being unnecessarily and seriously hampered now.
 
After watching that video review I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for anything like that from Olympus. For a £1000 flagship M4/3rd street shooter they seem to be more bothered about the colour filters than features a more 'ambitious' photographer actually wants.
 
Knowing my luck the week after I give up and buy a Sony both Panasonic and Olympus will release firmware updates adding these features :( :D
 
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