Olympus pen f technical specifications. Olympus PEN-F review and first impressions. Focal length multiplier
15.09.2016
Review of Olympus PEN-F
Is image important to you? Not in a general sense, but in the sense of whether the image of a photographer is important to you? And how do you generally imagine your image in connection with your passion for photography? Obviously, in the result, that is, in the photograph, it is not clear what you are wearing, whether the tie is matched to the tone and whether there is one at all. Or maybe in general different socks are worn, along with sandals. But here's an interesting nuance - for the most part, we dress according to our tastes and situations, and our photographic equipment is always the same. The maximum that can be changed is various accessories: straps, cases, handbags and other small things. For some, this may not matter, but someone may even worry - in everything perfect image destroyed by the appearance of the camera. For such people, there are whole directions in various areas of production. Cars, phones, and much more, and of course there are cameras like that too. So our camera, the hero of the review, belongs to this class. This is the new OLYMPUS PEN-F camera. Well, the image that she should emphasize can be described as strict and classic. What, however, does not limit it, the classics can be combined in many combinations.
The entire current line of Olympus PEN cameras was originally created as a continuation of the old film cameras produced somewhere since 1960 and, oddly enough, they were called PEN. So the new camera has as its prototype the old PEN F model of 1963. The progenitor was a rather interesting camera - a half-frame SLR (the frame was placed on 135 film in portrait orientation and was 18x24mm in size, a kind of old crop) with interchangeable lenses. The new camera took the name and some design decisions from the old one.
Then
Now
Thoroughbred appearance is certainly good, but it's also interesting to see what the camera can do. Let's take a closer look at it. And we will consider it based on the premise that this camera is not for work, but for pleasure, for relaxation, if you like. Or maybe this is an everyday camera, something like an analogue of a mannered moleskin. Seems pretty logical to me given its position in the current Olympus line of cameras. We will consider PEN-F as a vacation camera.
Widget by FSThe presence of an electronic-mechanical shutter made it possible to realize a fairly wide range of shutter speeds. The shortest value worked out was 1/16000 of a second, so in this regard, the Olympus PEN-F performs better than Sony mirrorless cameras. However, some cameras (the same X-Pro2 from Fujifilm) allow you to shoot with twice the shutter speed - 1/32000 s.
Continuous shooting is possible at 10 frames per second. You can shoot up to 25 frames in RAW format in one burst, after which the rate of fire drops to about one frame per second. If you shoot in JPEG, you can take up to 50 photos in one series.
How does it shoot?
After the market was saturated with excellent full-frame cameras (mainly Sony, Nikon, Canon), the bar for image quality at high sensitivity has risen a lot. I would even say that Micro Four Thirds is now difficult to take seriously. If you need minimal noise and the ability to shoot a starry sky at night at a slow shutter speed, then you should definitely look towards a full-frame camera. But if we compare PEN-F with mirrorless cameras and compacts with a comparable sensor area, then it performs surprisingly well.
The compact camera market is in decline. Small companies that do not have a so-called credit of trust quickly go bankrupt. Only giants like Sony, Samsung, etc. remain on the market. Firms are trying to beat their competitors by squeezing all the juice out of their optical devices. Relatively recently, the notorious Olympus company introduced its new compact mirrorless camera called PL7, which is a direct continuation of the PEN series. In this article we will discuss the new brainchild of Olympus. Want to learn more about the new PL7? Then read the article to the end.
"Olympus"
Olympus is a famous Japanese company that has been delighting consumers with its optical equipment and photographic equipment for over 90 years. trade brand Olympus was registered back in 1921. Initially, the company specialized in the production of microscopes. However, the company grew rapidly. Accordingly, the range of goods began to expand actively. As early as 1934, the company was manufacturing optical products for cameras.
Now Olympus is one of the largest companies engaged in the production and sale of cameras and other optical products. Products under this brand have always been famous for their reliability and quality. Thanks to this, the company has earned a certain and huge customer base.
Olympus Pen E PL7 Overview
The Olympus company, as a rule, is not in a hurry to update its own mirrorless line. OM-D models live on the market for two years and remain on it as an inexpensive alternative even after the release of a new device. New models of the PEN E-P line are also released every two years. And the production of miniature E-PMs has completely stopped. Only the most popular and, one might say, mainstream mirrorless E-PL series is updated with enviable regularity. The line is updated annually with new devices. New cameras come out so often that you can set your watch by them. So, relatively recently, a brand new Olympus PEN E-PL7 was released. How is this camera different from other devices in the E-PL line? You will find out the answer to this question by reading this article.
Construction and design
The first thing you should pay attention to is the appearance of the device. In the era of digital, he made a rather bold and daring decision. Specialists have relied on the so-called neoclassical style, and retrostyle was used in the design of the camera. Even the very first model of the PEN line gave off a taste of the 70s of the last century. Consumers embraced this style with enthusiasm. The trend caught on and spread to subsequent cameras.
Olympus PEN E-PL7 is no exception. Stylish retro design qualitatively distinguishes PL7 from competitors. Appearance camera seems very refined, noble. If we talk about the material, then the body is completely lined with metal. This greatly increases the "survivability" of the device in the event of a fall from a height. Along the perimeter, the camera is sheathed with special plastic dressed under the skin. Thanks to this, the Olympus PEN E-PL7 14 42mm is quite pleasant to the touch and a pleasure to work with. Although the PL7 belongs to the middle class devices, this does not affect the design in any way. The brainchild of the Olympus company looks better than many top-end and expensive cameras. In addition, I am pleased with the presence of other colors. Tired of black and dull mirrorless cameras? Not a problem. Get the Olympus PEN Lite E-PL7, which features an unusual white color scheme.
With ergonomics, the PL7 is also all right. The camera does not slip, lies well in the hand. The device weighs only 465 grams. Such dimensions allow you to carry the PL7 in a simple bag. Especially for the thumb on the back of the panel there is a platform. Thanks to all this, the camera is convenient to shoot from any position. This, in turn, allows you to take pictures from almost any angle.
Control and interface
The device controls have changed slightly with respect to the E-PL5. But, nevertheless, E-PL7 corresponds to the canons of the PEN line. Thus, the selector ring moved up, closer to the shutter button. Other buttons have also been rearranged. Such a rearrangement in no way affected the overall ease of use.
The Olympus PEN E-PL7 inherited the touch screen from its predecessors (E-M1 and E-PL5). The interface of the new gadget has not changed. But it is worth noting that the PL7 model has an updated matrix menu that allows you to access the settings in seconds. You can call it using the Info key.
Touch control is implemented quite well. Through the display, you can focus, shoot by pressing, view photos, scale them and apply various effects in i-Auto mode (for example, blur the background or a moving object, adjust brightness, contrast, etc.). Unfortunately, multi-touch did not appear in the Olympus PEN E-PL7. In addition, small icons are disappointing, which are quite difficult to hit (especially for a person with large fingers).
The main menu has not changed either. Therefore, if you have used previous devices of the PEN line, you will not have any problems with control. First of all, it pleases with a huge number of settings, thanks to which you can customize the camera to your personal preferences.
Screen
The display in the new Olympus PEN E-PL7 has been greatly improved. This is noticeable already in the first minutes of operation. Although the diagonal remained the same (three inches), the resolution was almost doubled (from 460 to 1037 thousand pixels). In addition, the camera was equipped with a special mechanism that allows you to make turns 180 degrees down and 90 degrees up. This allows you to see your face while taking a self-portrait. The mechanism is made quite reliably, so it is unlikely to break it inadvertently.
Functionality
The touch screen has not been modified. The PL7 uses the good old 16-megapixel CMOS that many people are familiar with from the E-PL5. The processor has been upgraded. A rather powerful and efficient TruePic 7 is installed on board the new camera. Thanks to this filling, the camera is quite fast. PL7 does not require additional time to start working, almost instantly processes images, applies effects, etc. The camera is capable of shooting at 8 frames per second. For such a device, this is a pretty good indicator.
The PL7 uses contrast autofocus (about 81 points). It works very fast, it is able to recognize faces. In addition, the camera has the ability to set specific points on which you want to focus. In addition, you can focus the camera manually. For example, using the Focus Peaking system, which highlights sharpness contours. There is also the ability to focus the touch screen. Implemented given function by touching the display with your finger at a certain point.
The Olympus PEN E-PL7 Kit 14-42 does not have a flash. But instead of it, if desired, you can install a complex flash. In addition, a three-axis matrix stabilizer is built into the camera. It allows you to compensate for up to three EV steps. This allows you to shoot at slow shutter speeds without any blur.
Wireless functionality
One of the main features of the new Olympus PEN E-PL7 EZ is the Wi-Fi module. Thanks to this, you can link the camera to mobile phone. This opens up a lot of possibilities. In addition to the usual Live View, you can transfer photos directly to the memory of your tablet or smartphone, edit the received images using built-in filters, etc.
Memory card compatibility
Like other cameras in the PEN line, the new PL7 supports SD cards. However, additional memory is unlikely to be needed. After all, thanks to the Wi-Fi module, images can be dropped directly on a smartphone or any other gadget. Images are automatically saved in JPEG or RAW (12-bit) format. The maximum resolution, as in the E-PL5, is 4608 by 3456.
It is also worth noting that the camera has a USB interface (version 2.0) and a micro-HDMI connector for wired high-speed data transfer. In addition, there is a special port for branded accessories from Olympus.
Video
In terms of video shooting, the PL7 is not far from its predecessors. Like E-PL 5, new camera shoots video in HD quality (frequency - about 30 frames per second). Autofocus works during recording. There is also a built-in stereo microphone that delivers clear sound. You can add various effects to the video, apply unusual filters. In addition, PL7 allows you to use several filters in sequence in one video. Transitions between them can be set manually.
creative tools
Olympus PEN E-PL7 also boasts a huge set of diverse creative tools and interesting features. For example, a shooting mode called Panning Shot, which allows you to take incredibly beautiful panoramas. This also includes the Hand-Held Twilight mode, which combines eight frames into one, which allows you to reduce noise and improve image quality.
It is also worth saying a few words about e-Portrait. This mode, together with the self-timer, allows you to set the shooting interval. This is very useful when taking selfies. The resulting self-portraits can be processed without problems in the built-in program called Photo Booth.
Battery
The Olympus PEN E-PL7 comes with a BLS-50 battery with a capacity of about 1210 mAh. This is enough for more than 300 shots. At first glance it may seem that this is quite small. But for a compact mirrorless camera, 300 shots is a pretty solid figure. In addition, other manufacturers care little about the autonomy of their device. Therefore, on modern market it's pretty hard to find a mirrorless camera that has more battery life than the PL7.
Outcome
In the last few years, a fierce struggle between manufacturers has unfolded in the compact photographic equipment market. Companies are forced to lure customers not by quantity, but by quality. The current trend is perfectly supported by the Olympus PEN E-PL7. Feedback on this model is extremely positive. According to buyers, it is characterized by an attractive design, high-quality materials. According to them, at the moment PL7 looks much more solid than the same E-PL5.
In terms of functionality, everything here is also on top. Specialists from the company "Olympus" did their best. The owners of this camera emphasize that the new processor, filters, an improved video camera with a special rotary mechanism, a lot of software features, the presence of Wi-Fi - everything is done on highest level. Perhaps the main drawbacks of the camera in terms of functionality are the lack of a built-in flash and viewfinder. However, these problems are solvable.
Advantages
Stylish case
Lots of settings
Built-in Image Stabilizer
Touch screen and Wi-Fi
Fast autofocus
disadvantages
Detailing is far from the level of competitors
No Ultra HD and splash protection
Burst length is relatively short
Olympus Pen-F test results
- Price-quality ratio
Good - Place in the overall ranking
31 out of 70
- Value for money: 69
- Image quality (40%): 82.8
- Equipment and management (35%): 84
- Speed (10%): 74
- Video quality (15%): 76.2
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Olympus PEN-F: Testing the Stylish Micro-Four-Thirds System Camera
Regarding the design of the Olympus PEN-F, opinions are likely to be divided. Some people like cameras with ultra-modern design, while others prefer the classic look of cameras in the style of analog times.
Olympus PEN-F is definitely intended for the second target group. Those who are a little familiar with the history of photography will certainly be familiar with the name of the camera. The first Olympus PEN-F camera was introduced in 1963.
53 years later, the design of the new camera is reminiscent of that first model without looking dated. The golden mean, which, in our opinion, the developers of Olympus succeeded very well.
Olympus PEN-F combines retro and modern
A very simple looking front, classic branding, a distinct surface on each dial, even the shutter has a special thread to connect the remote shutter cable that is often used in analog photography.
As a modern touch, the Olympus PEN-F features a 3-inch swivel and flip-out display, a front-panel wheel that gives access to all sorts of effects and color filters, and finally, an electronic viewfinder, new to the PEN series. Even the coolest model before this PEN E-P5 did without it. Viewfinder screen resolution is quite good - 2.36 million pixels, in practice, this means a very realistic display of the frame.
Dual Image Stabilizer
Olympus PEN-F: Super-Resolution mode automatically captures eight separate frames and combines them into a 50-megapixel image The developers of the Olympus PEN-F took the plunge and after seven years of using 16-megapixel Four-Thirds sensors in their cameras, they changed it to a 20-megapixel version.
Most likely, this is the manufacturer's reaction to the current trend of increasing the resolution of matrices. Panasonic's Lumix GX8 has already proven its success with the increased resolution Four-Thirds matrix. Therefore, with even greater impatience, we were waiting for the results of testing and practical use of new items from Olympus.
The results left us with mixed feelings. As we expected, the image edge sharpness provided by PEN-F exceeds all previous performance without reflex cameras Olympus. The PEN-F has a maximum of 1885 line pairs per image height, about 200 line pairs more than the 16 megapixel OM-D E-M5 Mark II.
As the sensitivity increases, the measured resolution does not deteriorate much, and even at ISO 1600 we got a good result of 1686 line pairs per frame height. But still, the level of resolution does not reach the performance of the GX8.
A different picture emerges in terms of the transfer of small details of the image. Even if the measurement results of Olympus PEN-F and GX8 are approximately on the same level, photographs taken with an Olympus camera, when visual control show a greater level of softening of the optical pattern of the image. Since the PEN-F has a lower level of image noise, we conclude that the built-in filter, which powerfully suppresses “noisy” pixels, is to blame for the slightly reduced level of detail reproduction. Because of this, already starting from ISO 800, we observe a softening of the optical pattern when transferring small details. And from the level of ISO 1600, this effect is even stronger.
In short, the PEN-F generally delivers good image quality, but it's nowhere near the level of the larger APS-C sensors.
Olympus PEN-F: Despite the high-quality magnesium alloy, the body is not splashproof Camera control is designed more for experienced photographers. In addition to the usual automatic modes, the camera has all the possibilities for manual control and for remote control over the shooting process.
Thanks to the built-in Wi-Fi module Olympus PEN-F in wireless mode can communicate with a smartphone. Downloading free app"Olympus Image Share", the photographer using a smartphone will be able to change any camera settings.
The 5-axis image stabilizer built into the matrix helps a lot in practice, which very effectively compensates for small movements. The only negative is that the sound of the stabilizer is so loud that in a quiet environment it is perceived as an annoying noise. This can be especially annoying when shooting video.
Generally speaking, video filming plays rather a secondary role. While its direct competitor with Panasonic's Micro-Four-Thirds system has long been capable of capturing video from high resolution 4K, the Olympus camera is still only Full-HD. Of course, this is enough for many fans, but Olympus missed the chance to interest professional videographers.
But, despite this, PEN-F has a video mode that is not bad for mirrorless cameras, with several manual settings. You can silently change aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and more while shooting using the side menu on the touch screen.
The camera allows you to shoot video at a frequency of 60 frames with a bit rate of up to 52 Mbps. If you set the maximum to 77 Mbps, then you will have to be content with 30 frames per second. Unfortunately, the Olympus camera does not have microphone and headphone jacks.
Fast and Accurate
Olympus PEN-F: 12.9 guide number external flash with tilt head included The new model from Olympus specializes in snapshots. In daylight, the response lag was only 0.16 seconds. And what results will we get under the conditions insufficient lighting? And in such a situation, the camera does not show any slack, the descent during testing worked in just 0.33 seconds.
The delay is so short that it is almost not perceived. The fact that the PEN-F results in speed measurements are not so good is the fault of burst shooting, although the camera takes nine frames in RAW format and ten JPEGs per second, but the number of frames in the burst is only 30 to 40.
The battery performance is also rather average. On a single charge, the PEN-F camera will allow you to shoot from 240 to 520 frames (if you use the Live-View mode on the display). When using the electronic viewfinder, which has a higher resolution, the number of shots is reduced to 220 - 480 shots.
Alternative Model
Who is looking best model for their money, we advise them to take a closer look at our winner in the category "price-performance" among mirrorless digital cameras. We will tell you about the best camera in this category. Information on all tested mirrorless and mirrorless models, sorted by price-performance category, can be found in.
| TEST RESULTS | |
Image quality (40%) |
|
Equipment and management (35%) |
|
Performance (10%) |
|
Video quality (15%) |
|
| CONCLUSION Olympus PEN-F left a mixed impression during testing. True, the mirrorless camera of the Micro-Four-Thirds system pleases with good image quality with a resolution of 20 megapixels, fast autofocus and rich equipment, including an electronic viewfinder and a touch screen. But the video mode and burst shooting are a little out of proportion to the high price tag. Competing cameras perform slightly better. | 81.4% OVERALL RESULT |
Specifications and test results of Olympus Pen-F
| Price-quality ratio | 69 |
| Camera type | DSLM |
| Effective number of pixels | 20.2 MP |
| Maximum photo resolution | 5184 x 3888 pixels |
| Sensor type | MOS |
| Sensor dimensions | 17.4x13mm |
| Cleaning the sensor | Yes |
| Built-in stabilizer (in camera) | Yes |
| Video recording | Yes |
| Lens mount | Micro Four Thirds |
| Lens when evaluating image quality | Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Makro |
| Lens when evaluating performance | Olympus M.Zuiko 3.5-6.3/12-50 |
| Minimum shutter release time | 1/16.000 c |
| Maximum shutter release time | 60 s |
| Viewfinder | electronic |
| Viewfinder coating | 100 % |
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.62x |
| Display: diagonal | 3.0 inches |
| Display: resolution | 1.040.000 subpixels |
| Display: touchscreen | Yes |
| Display: Trigger video recording from the touchscreen | Yes |
| Display: Rotatable | turning |
| Display: selfie mode | Yes |
| Second display | - |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| GPS | - |
| Minimum ISO | ISO 80 |
| Maximum ISO | ISO 25.600 |
| Min. flash sync time | 1/250 c |
| White balance (number of presets) | 4 Presets |
| White balance: Kelvin | Yes |
| Resolution at ISO min | 1.885 line pairs |
| Resolution at ISO 400 | 1.794 line pairs |
| Resolution at ISO 800 | 1.758 line pairs |
| Resolution at ISO 1600 | 1.686 line pairs |
| Resolution at ISO 3200 | 1.693 line pairs |
| Resolution at ISO 6400 | 1,550 line pairs |
| Detail at ISO min | 83,5 % |
| Detail at ISO 400 | 80,9 % |
| Detail at ISO 800 | 85,7 % |
| Detail at ISO 1600 | 80,9 % |
| Detail at ISO 3200 | 75,7 % |
| Detail at ISO 6400 | 73,2 % |
| Visual noise at ISO min | 0.78 VN (0.8 VN1, 0.6 VN3) |
| Visual noise at ISO 400 | 0.97 VN (1.0 VN1, 0.7 VN3) |
| Visual noise at ISO 800 | 1.06 VN (1.1 VN1, 0.7 VN3) |
| Visual noise at ISO 1600 | 1.35 VN (1.4 VN1, 0.9 VN3) |
| Visual noise at ISO 3200 | 1.63 VN (1.7 VN1, 1.0 VN3) |
| Visual noise at ISO 6400 | 2.21VN (2.3VN1, 1.4VN3) |
| Expert Judgment: Noise and Detail at ISO Min | very good |
| Expert Review: Noise and Detail at ISO 1600 | well |
| Expert Review: Noise and Detail at ISO 3200 | satisfactorily |
| Expert Review: Noise and Detail at ISO 6400 | acceptable |
| Ready time to shoot from off state | 1.8 s |
| Shutter release delay time for manual focus | 0.10s |
| Shutter lag time with autofocus in daylight | - |
| Shutter release time with autofocus in low light | - |
| Shutter lag time in Live-View with autofocus in daylight | 0.33 s |
| Burst speed in RAW | 9.0 photos/sec |
| Burst length in RAW | 30 photos at a time |
| JPEG Burst Speed | 10.0 photos/sec |
| JPEG burst length | 40 photos at a time |
| Battery | BLN-1 |
| Battery cost | 55€ |
| Battery: max. photos with flash | 220 photos |
| Battery: max. photos without flash | 480 photos |
| Battery: max. photos in Live-View with flash | 520 photos |
| Battery: max. photos in Live-View without flash | 240 photos |
| Battery: video recording duration | 2:24 h:min |
| Microphone jack | - |
| Built-in flash | Yes |
| Flash control | Yes |
| Remote shutter release | - |
| Memory card type | SDXC |
| WLAN | Yes |
| NFC | - |
| Housing material | aluminum |
| Housing: dust and splash proof | - |
| Dimensions | 125 x 72 x 37mm |
| Weight without lens | 427 g |
Today a traveler without a camera is like a eater without a spoon. True, a hungry person can eat without utensils, with his hands, but here's how to calmly "eat" food for the mind and heart - marvelous beauties, the delights of the earth, sky and water - if there is nothing to take a photograph with, and the talent to draw with a pencil or write in oil is not bestowed from nature? In general, a traveler without a camera, as Polygraph Poligrafovich Sharikov used to say, “is strictly forbidden to exist” ...
For field testing, I was given an Olympus PEN-F camera and lenses for it, covering the entire range of focal lengths required in practice, from 24 mm to 300 mm (in the equivalent of a 35 mm system). These are two zooms, the “regular” Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro and the telephoto Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F2.8 Pro, as well as a faster equivalent of the “fifty dollars” so beloved by photographers (focal length 50 mm for a 24×36 mm frame) - Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm F1.8.
Memories of the sixties
The Four Thirds standard was developed by Olympus with Eastman Kodak, originally for digital SLR cameras, and is named for the size of the sensor used (4/3 inches diagonally). In 2008, Olympus and Panasonic announced Micro Four Thirds (MFT) for mirrorless digital photography.
MFT matrices are four times smaller in area, and two times smaller in width than full-frame ones. Therefore, the scale of the image formed on them by optics is twice as large, that is, the crop factor is equal to two. This means that a 25mm lens becomes equivalent to a 50mm lens on a full frame system.
The Olympus PEN-F is the MFT digital incarnation of the world's first "half-frame" single-lens reflex camera from the film-and-paper era, first announced in 1963. 36mm), and standard film could fit twice as many shots (72 instead of 36). Unlike modern MFT cameras, the crop factor of the veteran was 1.45, and the "standard" Olympus F. Zuiko Auto-S 38mm F1.8 lens was the equivalent of a 55mm lens for full-frame DSLRs, and the Olympus G. Zuiko Auto-S 40mm F1.4 - 56mm.
Many sources indicate that the design of the new camera is supposedly inspired by the 1963 Olympus PEN-F. Perhaps, if we are talking about the shape and size of the case, then this is so. But the overall layout and layout of the controls on the digital descendant cannot but differ.
Olympus PEN-F single-lens reflex "half-frame" camera, announced in 1963, with Olympus G. Zuiko Auto-S 40mm F1.4 lens
Let me draw another connecting thread: the veteran was the first reflex camera with a frame size half the size of the traditional one, and the new Olympus PEN-F, in accordance with the MFT standard, also has a sensor half the size of a full format frame.
Here are the characteristics of the Olympus PEN-F camera based on the results of our measurements.
| Name | Olympus PEN-F |
| Announcement date | January 27, 2016 |
| Camera type | Mirrorless |
| Matrix type | CMOS Micro Four Thirds (MFT, 4/3) |
| Crop factor (focal length multiplication factor for full frame) | 2 |
| Image formats | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective matrix pixels | 20 million |
| Light-receiving cells of the matrix | 22 million |
| Matrix size | 17.3×13mm |
| Dust removal | ultrasonic wave motor |
| CPU | TruePic VII |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 200-25600 (extended to 80) |
| Shutter speed range | 1/8000-60s (mechanical shutter) 1/16000-60s (electronic shutter) |
| Formats and frame size | RAW (ORF), JPG 5184×3888 (10356×7776 in high resolution mode) |
| JPG quality levels | High quality, quality, normal, basic |
| Video formats and size | MPEG-4, H.264, Full HD 1920×1080, 60, 50, 30, 25, 24 fps |
| Burst speed | 10 fps |
| Image stabilization | intra-chamber, five-axis, up to 5EV |
| Autofocus | Multi-zone, center, spot (with selectable location), tracking, single-frame, continuous |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Number of autofocus sensors | 81 |
| AF sensitivity range | -2EV to +20EV |
| Display type | TFT LCD |
| Diagonal display size | 3″ |
| Number of effective picture elements on the display | 1 037 000 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Electronic |
| Frame coverage in the viewfinder | 100% |
| Enlarging the image in the viewfinder | 1.23x |
| Viewfinder resolution | 2 360 000 |
| Eye refraction correction | -4 to +2 diopters |
| line of sight | 100% |
| Shooting modes | Shutter priority, aperture priority, manual mode, 24 scene programs |
| Built-in flash | Not |
| external flash | Included |
| Flash modes | Automatic, red-eye reduction, fill flash, slow sync first curtain, slow sync second curtain |
| Self-timer (delay) | Yes (2 or 12 s, selectable) |
| metering | Multi-zone, center-weighted, spot, highlight, shadow |
| Number of metering zones | 324 |
| Exposure compensation | ±5EV in 1/3EV steps |
| Exposure bracketing | ±5EV (2, 3, 5, 7 frames in 1/3EV, 2/3EV, 1EV steps) |
| White balance bracketing | Yes |
| Time-lapse shooting | Yes |
| Footage storage | SD, SDHC, SDXC |
| Interface | USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) |
| HDMI output | Micro-HDMI |
| Microphone input | Not |
| Headphone output | Not |
| Wireless connection | WiFi 802.11b/g/n |
| Remote control | Wired remote, smartphone app |
| GPS | Not |
| Protection against dust and moisture | Not |
| Battery | Li-Ion BLN-1, separate charger |
| Battery capacity | 1220 mAh (330 frames) |
| Weight (including battery) | 427 g |
| Dimensions | 125×72×37mm |
| Average price (without lens) | T-13415280 |
I think that if the camera cannot be dealt with in half an hour, then this is a serious problem. I often have to switch from one system to another several times a day (up to four such shifts), so it is absolutely impossible to work effectively with equipment that requires long adaptation and getting used to. But the Olympus PEN-F is not like that! In the sense that everything is simple and clear with him: he took it in his hands, inserted a memory card into the slot, formatted it, set the desired mode and started shooting without worrying about anything.
So I started filming as soon as I received the equipment. I got into a taxi and immediately took a picture of the driver (with his kind permission).
"Please buckle up!" Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm F1.8, F1.8, 1/500s, ISO 200 (+1 exposure stop).
To be honest, this photo would not have suffered one iota if I had made it in black and white, both by means of the camera itself and in post-processing. But still, you need to start with a more holistic picture, which is unthinkable in black and white, so let everything here remain in color.
The details of the face are well done. There is a sly squint and a mischievous glint in the driver's eyes - or am I fantasizing? The transfer of skin tones is very good, the midtones are calm, with smooth transitions. Details in the highlights are kept in meaningful areas of the frame, except for the sky, which, of course, is completely overexposed. Why "naturally"? Yes, because the overexposure of +1 is deliberately set in the camera settings, so that when shooting in the backlight, the face is worked out, otherwise it would “fall” into the shadow.
Came to the office. Friends-colleagues offered coffee, put a cup on the table. Here it is, the frame! I thought.
"Black coffee". Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro, 30mm, F2.8, 1/1000s, ISO 200.
By the way, the image here is in color. It was just that the light, the cup, and the surface of the table were such that the output turned out to be a black and white photo. The most valuable thing that this picture illustrates is soft, smooth light-tone transitions and a good dynamic range. Let's look at the table in the sharpness zone and note the good elaboration of the surface texture with the reproduction of details both in bright lights and in deep shadows.
gutta-percha display
The main advantage of the Olympus PEN-F in terms of ergonomics and user friendliness is its display, which not only duplicates the image in the viewfinder and allows you to view the footage directly on the spot, but also allows you to sight the scene when shooting from the most unexpected angles.
Let's start with the fact that in normal conditions I am bothered by the very presence of the display in front of the nose during shooting. All the time you take care not to accidentally hit him, not to smear the skin of your face and hands with your touches and not to scratch him. In the Olympus PEN-F, the display can be folded to the left, rotated around its long axis, turned to face the camera body and folded in this state, reliably protecting it from dirt and damage. This is an obvious plus.
Olympus PEN-F with the display folded "inside" and protected from damage and dirt
In the traditional, working position, the display is bright enough even in daylight and allows you to sight without any complications. However, when shooting in the open sun, he, of course, “blinds”, and then there is no other way out but to put an eye to the viewfinder after all (which some modern amateur photographers do not like to do so much).
The Olympus PEN-F display in working order allows you to view in not too bright daylight
In special cases, you can use all the features of the display mount, which allows you to orient it in any of the most bizarre positions. It allows you not only to take selfies (that is, self-portraits) by turning the tilted display and the camera itself with the lens facing you, but also to take pictures literally from around the corner, above the heads of others, or, conversely, from a low point, lowering the camera to the ground. This, so to speak, super-flexibility of the camera design gives it an undeniable advantage over those devices in which the display is completely devoid of mobility or rotates only around the transverse axis.
Olympus PEN-F display in the position for shooting "from around the corner"
In the Land of the Crescent
A day and a half later I was already in Turkey. But because of a sleepless night on the day of the flight, I decided to sit out for a day in the city with the symbolic name of Side before a long journey.
Side, Manavgat province. Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F2.8 Pro, 150mm, F2.8, 1/5000s, ISO 200.
Not a bad illustration of the system's color rendering capabilities. In the picture, I like blue, yellow and dark red colors. I also liked how I built the frame (this statement is only part of the joke).
There was little time left, and I began to study the camera, which was to become my faithful companion on a journey.
By sight and feel
I cannot but say that the controls are located somewhat unusually. The switch is bewildering, which is made in the form of a wheel, albeit a large one, but without any "process", so it is not very convenient to use it. In addition, it is located on the left, not on the right. When you put the camera in your backpack or bag, you can easily slide this switch wheel to the “On” position. Of course, I am more to blame for this than the camera developers, but on my trips this happened all the time, and I was simply tired of blaming myself alone.
Olympus PEN-F from above
There is a hot shoe on top of the camera for connecting additional equipment, in front of it are holes for a stereo microphone, a shooting mode selector, a shutter button framed by a corrugated ring for controlling the selection of parameters (the purpose depends on the operating mode), a button for activating video recording and an exposure compensation wheel. The last one is on the far left. It protrudes beyond the edge of the case, and it can be touched as easily as a switch, imperceptibly by entering exposure compensation.
To select the operating mode, before turning the selector, press the button that unlocks it from above. A similar principle is common in most photo systems, but it seems to me that in our case a stopper would also be appropriate on the camera switch and on the exposure compensation wheel.
Olympus PEN-F rear
On the back are: display, eyepiece of the optoelectronic viewfinder, diopter correction wheel, function buttons 1 and 2 (Fn1, Fn2), parameter selection control wheel, profiled thumb rest for the right hand, buttons for magnifying the image, menu, information, erasing, playback and five way joystick.
It is not clear to me what motives were guided by the developers of the camera; in any case, it seems that the convenience of handling the device clearly faded into the background. Olympus PEN-F is a rather modest camera, but it doesn't have any handle or even a bulge to hold it in the right hand. A thumb rest would have to offer something, but I also had problems with it. Firstly, it is located too low, and to control the exposure compensation wheel, the finger has to be moved from the stop up. Secondly, not only the little finger, but also the ring finger of my right hand cannot grasp the device and hang down: they simply have nowhere to go.
Olympus PEN-F front
On the front panel, to the left of the lens, there is a creative shooting mode selection wheel at the top, and a button at the bottom left. preview, top right - autofocus illuminator and self-timer delay indicator, bottom right - lens bayonet release button.
In my opinion, the creative mode selector is of the greatest interest and practical value. With it, you can almost instantly activate black and white shooting, which is very convenient. I strongly disagree with those colleagues who claim that this wheel on the front of the camera is useless. I repeat once again: this is a very convenient detail, which I have repeatedly used for its intended purpose.
The bayonet lock to the right of the lens is also correct and very useful. I managed to see many times how convenient it is to change the lens with my right hand, "weighing" the camera in my left hand and pressing the lock button with my index finger. In some other systems, such a lock is located to the left of the lens, and it is not so easy to operate it.
Olympus PEN-F bottom
On the bottom of the camera are the battery compartment and the memory card slot, and they side by side under one cover. In the center, closer to the front edge, there is a standard 1/4″ thread for mounting the camera on a tripod.
Valley of cave churches
I was to spend a week in Cappadocia - "beautiful country of horses", as the translation of this word from a mixture of Greek, Aramaic and Turkic languages may sound. Cappadocia is distinguished by incredibly beautiful natural landscapes. But more importantly, this land can rightly be called the cradle of Christianity. It was here from Rome, Sinai, Syria, the Balkan lands that those who believed in the Resurrection fled from the persecutors of their teaching.
It was convenient to start a trip around Cappadocia from Guzelyurt - a small village on a mountain at the southern gate of the Ykhlara gorge. By the way, “guzel yurt” in Turkish means “beloved home”. Below this village, at the foot of the surrounding mountains, is the Monastery Valley - a mountainous area full of ancient churches, human dwellings, cattle sheds, stables, workshops and other premises, which are partly occupied by caves, and partly by halls carved in stone. Some of them are still used by the local population for their intended purpose, such as warehouses, cheese dairies and wineries.
For archaeologists, there is no end to the work, because the depth of "digging" the subject is very lame. And with the dating of the buildings, the situation is completely unimportant: there is only scattered evidence that the first settlers appeared here back in the Neolithic, then the Phrygians began to settle down, and in the I-IV centuries. n. e. - "dig in" the ancient Christians. First they hid in Cappadocia from Rome, then from Byzantium, the Arab conquerors and the Ottoman Empire.
However, all of this is of secondary importance to me now. Another thing is important: it is very sparsely populated, and no one bothers to systematically and slowly explore and photograph. This time I did not meet a single person in the Monastic Valley at all. And one more thing: this is very interesting. Climbing boulders and crawling along the stone passages of caves, you experience such delight and pleasure, as if you have returned to your own childhood.
For filming in these places, I used exclusively the “standard zoom”, and only in the maximum wide-angle position, that is, at a focal length of 12 mm.
At the end of the road. F2.8, 1/6400s, ISO 200.
Excellent sharpness and detail wide open.
Utility room in a processed cave. F2.8, 1/25s, ISO 250.
It is gratifying to know that the automation is very smart in setting the exposure parameters. When the shutter speed extension resource is exhausted, it does not immediately double the sensitivity (by one step), but does it carefully, in fractions of a step - in our case, up to 250 ISO units.
Stone steps in the cave church. F2.8, 1/25s, ISO 400.
A good example of a well-detailed texture of the surface of the stone and fine details of the vegetation (lower left) when illuminated by double reflected light.
Look outside. F2.8, 1/1600s, ISO 200.
Let's not pay attention to the fact that the landscape in the open air has been worked out flawlessly. Excellent detail is noticeable on the web. But it is very important that the matrix had enough dynamic range to show the details on the dark stone walls around the entrance. But it could also “fill up” everything in blackness.
Rock Church Kemyurlu ("Coal"). X century. F2.8, 1/25s, ISO 400.
When I first saw this place, for some reason I remembered Minas Tirith from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. The entrance to the cave-entrance is located at a height of about one and a half meters above the ground. In ancient times, they probably used a wooden staircase, which was removed to protect against uninvited guests. Now there are several stones here, but getting inside is still very difficult, especially with a backpack.
The interior of the Kemyurlu ("Coal") church. X century. F2.8, 1/25s, ISO 400.
The caves of the church (three floors!) were carved into the rock during the period of iconoclasm and do not contain paintings. However, images of a Maltese cross and later inscriptions in Greek from the 19th century remained inside. There is very little space in all rooms, barely enough to turn around.
In addition to the Monastery Valley, there is another remarkable place in the vicinity of Guzelyurt - the Church of the Ascension of the Lord. In fact, this is not a church, but a monastery with a rather large courtyard. But the most interesting thing is the location of this monument: on a mountain above the river valley.
Monastery of the Ascension. X century. Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro, 25mm, F8, 1/640s, ISO 200.
A mountain road leads to the Ascension Monastery, along which such stone giants stand here and there. This is not a freak of nature, but an act of human hands: the stones stand, stacked in twos.
Note Good work camera matrix, which was able to reproduce the smallest details in the dense shadow on the stones, and head to Gaziemir, an underground city that, like the cave churches, served as a shelter for ancient Christians.
city underground
Underground city of Gaziemir. Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro, 18mm, F2.8, 1/1600s, ISO 200.
This is the shallowest city of the underground cities of Cappadocia. Strictly speaking, many of its rooms have their own exit to the surface, so it is easier to consider it as a collection of caves.
Here are quite suitable conditions for testing the capabilities of the camera and optics: a large difference in brightness outdoors and indoors, an abundance of small details on stone surfaces. As you can see, the results of the test shooting are very good: the picture is adequately reproduced outside and inside the room, there are many distinguishable details in the shadows and in the highlights.
Entrance to Gaziemir caves. Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro, 12mm, F2.8, 1/40s, ISO 200.
Stone discs, like the one we see in the picture, were used in all the underground cities of Cappadocia as doors. They were rolled into special niches, blocking the entrances. It is simply impossible to open such a “door” from the outside.
Nowhere to the right. Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro, 17mm, F2.8, 1/8000s, ISO 200.
There is such a city in Cappadocia. There is nothing particularly interesting here, except for the name itself. True, in Turkish it is read "neide". This did not tempt me, and I turned left towards Goreme, a city in the very center of this reserved land, where I was to spend seven days.
stone wonders
Just an hour's drive and we're there. Here is the view from the mountain terrace from the entrance to our apartments at the Natureland Caves Hotel.
Goreme valley. Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro, 12mm, F8, 1/500s, ISO 200. 8-frame panorama stitched in Kolor Autopano Giga.
It was removed, so to speak, "from the back door." Below us is a horse breeding farm, and in the background are ancient caves, which, as mentioned above, the local inhabitants continue to use today.
We have not yet rested after a long journey and an abundance of impressions, but we really want to consider what is there, in the distance, in more detail. Therefore, we will not move anywhere yet, but simply change our standard zoom to a telephoto.
Stone wonders. Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F2.8 Pro, 90mm, F2.8, 1/6400s, ISO 200.
Actually, the town of Goreme, where we settled (more precisely, its old part), is such a termite mound: caves have been cut down in the mountains, in which hotels, cafes, workshops, warehouses, etc. are located.
Telezoom works well. Let's appreciate the high sharpness (already at an open aperture) and pleasant colors. And let's finish this long first day with the farewell to the sun.
Underage spectator. Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro, 17mm, F2.8, 1/1600s, ISO 200.
In the vicinity of Goreme, there is a place chosen by tourists for contemplating sunsets - this is the Aktepe mountain plateau above the Red and Pink valleys, which diverge from here in the directions to Cavusin and Avanos. The place is famous, and the nimble local authorities imposed a tribute of three Turkish liras per person on access to this site. Here we say goodbye to the past day.
Sunflower turned away from the idol. Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm F1.8, F1.8, 1/10000 s, ISO 200.
The shot is backlit, but the camera and optics worked out the details well. Contrast, of course, is lowered, but much less than one might expect.
The next day and the following days, I was overwhelmed with impressions: the underground catacombs of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli, the city of caves in the Monastic Valley, the rock churches in Zelva and the Ikhlara valley, the “fairy houses” created by nature in the Görselid and Pashabag valleys, the cave fortresses of Chavushin and Uchhisar, the abandoned cities of Old Gore and Ibrahim Pasha. And then there was a trip to Commagene - the ancient kingdom of the end of the II - beginning of the I centuries. n. e., from which the ruins of the sanctuary of Antiochus I on Mount Nemrut and the stone reliefs of Arsamea, the capital of Commagene, on the top of another mountain, have come down to us.
I sincerely hope that the Olympus PEN-F and the three lenses have helped keep some of my experience alive. Separate materials will be published on the lenses, in which it will be possible to evaluate the quality of the work of each of them separately. In the meantime (below) - examples of their work in the general gallery.
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Results
I worked with the Olympus PEN-F camera for three weeks and enjoyed it. It allows you to quickly react to what is happening without losing the opportunity to take a picture. It has a very good display that can be set in any position, including for shooting in unexpected positions and from such points from which it is impossible to do this with many other cameras.
Some inconvenience is caused by the location and design of individual selectors and switches, as well as a device for holding with the right hand (taking into account the need to simultaneously operate the controls).
The matrix, which has 20 million light-receiving cells, allows you to take pictures that can be printed on paper up to 40 × 30 cm and even more, without sacrificing either sharpness or contrast.
The functionality of the Olympus PEN-F is very rich, not only due to the presence of in-camera image stabilization, the possibility of taking pictures in series, bracketing, exposure compensation, but also due to a large set of scene modes, creating photo panoramas, shooting Full HD video (1920 × 1080 with progressive scan) .
The lightness and compactness of the camera make it easy to travel and travel, hiking and horseback riding and multi-day trips.
Olympus PEN-F is a modern high-end camera that will meet the needs of not only amateur photographers, but also professionals.
Kit includes:
- Olympus PEN-F,
passed field tests in a dry and humid hot climate, in a rocky desert, by the sea, in the mountains at an altitude of up to 3 km, in gorges up to 300 m deep, with an excess and lack of natural and artificial lighting, at sunrise and sunset, at noon and at night.
Verdict: good for travel photography.
We thank the company Olympus for the camera and lenses provided for testing
