Some cameras are best judged on a test chart. The OM System PEN is not one of them. DPReview’s Richard Butler got the camera in time to shoot the studio test scene, then took it on a short break in the UK. The result is a sample gallery that shows how the new PEN works as an everyday travel companion rather than a spec sheet.
The gallery covers Seattle, London, Northampton and Gloucestershire. Its main point is simple: the camera was small enough to carry almost all the time. Butler came back with a couple of late-night frames and a shot of a friend caught mid-laugh. He notes he might have missed that one if he’d had to dig a larger camera out of a rucksack.
What went on the trip
The PEN is a Micro Four Thirds interchangeable-lens camera, and Butler used that. He swapped between several lenses from the system’s range of compact options. The gallery also includes a hand-held high-resolution mode sample and side-by-side comparisons of several of the camera’s color modes. Raw files can be downloaded to run through any converter once software support arrives.
The camera behind the pictures
OM Digital Solutions announced the PEN on September 9, 2026. It is the first PEN-series model released under the OM System brand. It is also the first PEN to combine an electronic viewfinder with a dustproof, IPX1-rated splashproof design. The main specs:
- 20.37MP Live MOS sensor with the TruePic IX image processing engine
- 5-axis in-body stabilization rated at 5.5 stops at the center and 4.5 stops at the edges
- 121-point all cross-type on-chip phase detection AF with AI Subject Detection for people, cats and dogs, plus Starry Sky AF
- Electronic viewfinder with 2.36M dots and a 3-inch, 1.04M-dot fully articulated rear screen
- Pro Capture at up to 30 fps, with up to 12 frames recorded before the shutter is fully pressed
- High Res Shot in handheld and tripod modes, Live ND (ND2-16), focus stacking, HDR and multiple exposure
- Color profiles Film Rich Color, Film Vivid and Film Soft Tone, plus Film B&W, Film IR and Film Low Contrast for monochrome
- 4K and C4K video, OM-Cinema1/2 picture modes, vertical video and slow and quick-motion recording
- BLS-7 battery rated for about 410 shots per charge (CIPA)
- 393g with battery and memory card, measuring 125.8 x 74.5 x 43.3mm
DPReview’s full review, published the same day, praised the PEN’s travel-friendly size, built-in viewfinder, deep customization and attractive JPEGs. It also found the autofocus less dependable than the best modern cameras. Video is limited to 8-bit capture and tops out at 4K/30, and there is no headphone jack.
Price and availability
The PEN comes in Silver or Black, with delivery scheduled for late October 2026. US pricing is $999.99 for the body only, $1,099.99 as a kit with the new M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 III, and $1,299.99 as a double lens kit with the 14-42mm and 40-150mm lenses. The new 14-42mm III lens is also IPX1-rated and sells separately for $349.99. In the UK, DPReview lists the body at £899.
A studio scene shows what a sensor can resolve. A trip abroad shows whether the camera makes it out of the bag at all, and the PEN, judging by the gallery, did.
