OM System, formerly known as Olympus, is one of the few companies that truly revolutionized film and four-thirds photography. They created some of the most sturdy cameras, which can withstand challenging conditions outdoors. And now, in a new message, OM System shares a snippet about what to expect from them this year. Let’s just say that the company wants to advance and particularly focus on building cameras that will benefit wildlife and landscape photographers. Seemingly, that means that we’ve got no hope for a Pen F successor of any sort — making it nearly a decade since the cult camera, which still holds its value, was released.
No Pen F Successor Planned?
According to a letter shared by CEO Shigemi Sugimoto on January 6, the company is focusing on “outdoor photography.” This comes at a time when OM System is celebrating its fifth anniversary. after separation from their parent organization, Olympus Corporation. Per the letter, Sugimoto wrote:
Shortly, we plan to add a new camera to our lineup and bright, compact single-focal-length lenses with splash & dust-proof performance. All created to meet the challenges of harsh outdoor environments to ensure that you enjoy not only landscape photography in the great outdoors, but also authentic photos of life every day.
He also spoke about the future of their business, stating the company will provide “more options for compact, lightweight, splash and dust-proof products to expand photographic horizons for our customers.” That’s not all; with a new camera on the horizon, features such as “computational photography, our dust reduction system, and powerful image stabilization” will also be available to photographers. In addition to the camera, Sugimoto reveals that OM System will continue to work to release the long-awaited mid-range telephoto zoom lens, which has been detailed on their road map.
Now, this doesn’t directly state that the OM System Pen F won’t be coming. But the brand continues to only focus on outdoor photography. And by that, I guess we really should simply move on. However, every time that we want to move on, the Japanese camera brands always make a late entrance for certain cameras.
More of the Same
Although Sugimoto does not share an exact date or what the new camera will be like, it could mean that users may see a better version of the existing cameras like OM-1 and E-M5 Mk III. In our reviews, the OM-1 truly impressed us, while the E-M5 Mk III was an underperformer. We didn’t bother to review the OM1 Mk II because it felt like nothing more than an expensive firmware update. So, we hope the new camera, which will be designed to impress outdoor photographers, can improve on existing products. For instance, their weather-sealed bodies are some of the most impressive things about their cameras, and so are a plethora of features, which include computational photography. But to build on it and bring newer modes and settings could truly boost their brand image.
Since OM System is ready to push boundaries it seems, it has the perfect opportunity to expand its user base with a smart strategy it just announced. However, one thing it has to be careful about is maintaining a competitive price. While outdoor photographers benefit from the features, some may not be okay with paying more for a Micro Four Thirds system over an older full-frame camera compared to full-frame alternatives.
Further, they’ve been doing this strategy for years — and it cost them being sold off by the larger Olympus company.
As for the lenses, Sugimoto aims to bring “bright” lenses as they are likely to work better with the limitations of a small sensor. Since many wildlife and macro photography also work in darker areas, an f1.2 could really help with issues such as grains. Sugimoto mentions mid-range zooms, and the company’s road map has a variety ranging from 40mm to 200mm. However, there is no clear answer as to how these lenses would differ from existing models.
Sugimoto mentioned that OM System has seen an increase in profits and revenue, with celebrities like Taylor Swift using their system, which could further help get a better reach for the company. If OM Sytems manages to work on its strong strategy, especially focusing on compact, durable, and innovative products, it will make a huge difference in 2025.
We do hope they don’t buy into the need to cater to content creators; for that, we have Canon, Sony, Nikon, and Fujifilm.
Honestly, what we really want is a fixed lens compact camera with a Four Thirds sensor that’s weather sealed. There were reports of an Olympus Trip camera from over a decade ago. But I don’t think they’re going to do it.