I’d argue that it’s one of the most hyped digital mirrorless cameras around right now: the Olympus Pen-F. After the company launched it, they weren’t very happy with the sales. But since OM SYSTEM broke off to be their own company, the closest we’ve seen so far is the OM-3. When I reviewed that camera, I found it to feel more like the original EM5. And when it launched, OM System got many requests for a Pen F successor. Believe it or not, they’re looking into it.
First off, you should know that the OM-3 has been doing very well for the company, but that people still want a Pen-F. “Yeah, after we launched OM-3, we got a lot of feedback about the Pen-F,” Said Eiji Shirota of OM System — further clarifying that this isn’t the Pen-F successor that people have been asking about. “We have the need from the market regarding the range finder style (camera) with viewfinder…it’s great feedback for us. And now we are considering what new PEN series model we can offer as OM SYSTEM. Yeah, of course, we cannot say more…but of course, we are thinking.”
Many photographers have wanted the Pen-F successor for a long time. The previous version of the camera was incredible. All it really needed was weather sealing and a joystick. But to this day, I still think about it and consider buying one every now and again.
On the idea of rangefinder-style camera bodies, OM System’s Sandro Rymann states that he would personally love for the company to make the Olympus Trip 35 as a digital body while also commenting on how younger photographers love the company’s clamshell-style cameras.. However, the company has no other plans to focus on the compact camera market. A digital Olympus XA2 would be such a fascinating device.
I personally reviewed and loved the Olympus Pen F back in 2016. It still holds its value, too. So I’m insanely shocked that when a camera holds its value like this, why wouldn’t a brand try to make a successor at all? A part of me thinks that maybe it’s too late for the brand to bring back the Pen F. But at the same time, I think that it could be a hit with the social media crowd. That’s not to say that it’s all about shooting video and reels. But instead, it could be a vertical Four Thirds sensor or have a special aspect ratio switch that turns the landscape-oriented sensor into one that puts out vertical photos with ease. Plus, you’d be able to use all of the great filters that the camera has built in.
Most importantly, I think that if OM System approaches it with special editions the way Nikon did with the Nikon ZF, and having special skins come only from their website, they’d have a big winner in so many different ways.
If you’re not shooting for social media, then the sensor size really matters. But if you’re mostly posting images to places like Reddit, it doesn’t matter all that much.
Come on, OM System. Bring this out within a year or two, please.
