A MINI, an Olympus Pen F Digital, and the Concept of 'Fun'
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- Опубліковано 25 лип 2024
- ..in which I try to explore the notion of 'Fun', comparing my BMW MINI Countryman to my Olympus Pen F. Both camera and car are often discussed in terms of being fun to use but what does that mean? Are there any salient characteristics of 'fun' and how does fun impact on the experience and outcomes of photography?
Cameras: Olympus Pen F Digital
Lens: Various
Location: Examples shown from all over the world
Date: 2018-2023
web: markmcmahon.me
instagram: @patternsinsand - Розваги
One of the best written and presented photography videos I've seen on UA-cam.
Thanks so much, Simon.
What is this?? I was under the impression that I was on UA-cam, but feels like I watched an episode of quality television documentary!
Thanks so much! You might want to moderate your expectations moving forward :)
@@patternsinsandloved this video! As a Mini owner looking for a new camera system (not happy w my current) this video was a bit of fate to come across! Just picked up a used predecessor of the F the E-P5. Can’t wait till it arrives!
@@shantytownbrown Great camera! Enjoy your purchase.
That was one of the most enjoyable, entertaining and FUN videos on photography I have ever watched.............and I don't even aspire to own an Olympus Pen F. ( or at least until now !!!) Well done Mark, you're a natural, behind and in front of the camera.
This is the best explanation of the Pen F experience I have seen. I feel the same way. Thank you.
Thanks. Glad it resonated with you!
This is an incredibly well put together video, from its concept right to the execution. Thats subscribe from me.
Thanks, Max!
This video should be on TV. Far better than 99% of the nonsense that gets broadcast. Subscribed!
Thanks, Andrew!
Thank for the Video! Love my Pen F too
Enjoy!
That was an exceptional video presentation. Keep up the great work. 😊
I'll keep at it :)
Seriously tempted to pick up one of these. Fun is so important. Already enjoy the EM 10 mark ii. Thanks for such an enjoyable review.
Glad you enjoyed it. It's still my favourite camera.
I don't know why it took me so long to get to your video but thank you professor! It was fun. Subbed.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the sub and comment.
Loved the video- Bravo!!
Thanks!
Wonderful and thoughtful video. I love my Pen Fs, both digital and half frame. And yes, the form factor is the main reason, next to the cool factor. And it takes great images. I also love my OMD EM1 Mark ii, even though it's larger. The IBIS is fantastic. I also agree with the principle that fun is important, even if it entails some fiddliness. If everything worked without some sacrifice, it would be straight up boring. And boring means it stays on the shelf or gets sold.
Thanks Andrew, totally agree.
Great video. I love using my Oly EM5 iii for similar reasons.
Thanks David. The OMD's are a great alternative, even if the viewfinder bump adds a bit to the size. A bit more practical too but still the same sense of fun. I also have an EM10 ii and it's a joy to use.
Great video Mark! and fun to watch! 1K subscibers coming soon and time to celebrate! My daughter loves to have a Mini someday and I'd love to have an Olympus Pen F someday too!
Thanks for your best wishes. My daughter was the one who encouraged me to get the mini. It was supposed to be a stop-gap till we could afford an electric car and she buys the mini off me. Not likely to happen since she's already pretty much using it whenever I'm at home!
Amazing! Great video. You are really precise and funny. Really liked it. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love this video!
Glad you liked it!
Say, how are you impressed by the EVF? I hear it is laggy and takes a long time to reset after taking a shot@@patternsinsand
@@Clicker3 It's good for a 2016 camera. I wouldn't say lag is a huge issue for composition. The colours aren't super accurate. You do get a moment where the image pauses after taking a shot. I like that. It gives you the jpg view of the last shot before you compose again. Definitely not for sports, action or wildlife, though. I'd say it's not as good as my Nikon Z6, better than my previous micro four thirds cameras (Panasonic GX7 and GF1 - the later having an accessory viewfinder that was almost useless).
Thank you so much for the reply! I am a happy subscriber!!!@@patternsinsand
Nice video. Well thought out and executed. Keep producing.
Thanks so much!
It seems to be a serious-fun camera that looks beautiful too. You explained everything so well ! I enjoyed the video ! Thank you. 🙏🏽
Thanks for watching!
I discovered you this morning. I’ve liked, subscribed, and binged off and on all day. Thank you for being on UA-cam, Mark!
Rosemary, I'm very happy that I could have such a negative impact on your productivity :)
This…was… FUN 😂😂😂
Haha, glad you enjoyed it!
@@patternsinsand unfortunately the Pen F isn’t fun enough. Just tested it on the streets and the AF is frustrating.
@@Ralph7D It definitely has all of those frustrations of a 2016 camera with contrast detect autofocus. Continuous AF isn't very reliable and forget AF tracking. I have three modes I tend to use depending on the conditions. S-AF is pretty solid and sometimes I set to auto area and hope for the best. Secondly, the touch screen shutter is excellent to pick out specific subjects (would be better with a tilt rather than flippy screen but that's another rantworthy topic). Finally, it's a great snapshot camera. M43 gives a decent depth of field with a reasonably wide lens and smallish aperture, so pre-setting focus and shooting within a range works well. It's the approach used by other 'street' cameras such as the Ricoh GR series and the 35mm f/1.8 in the thumbnail's manual focus clutch is great. One final hint, the 20mm f/1.7 that was the fast prime that many panasonic cameras came with has ridiculously slow AF - one of the reasons I use the 17mm is that it's much more responsive.
I always thought the mini was a fun car, and small camera’s that are pocket friendly are going to be with you instead of gathering dust waiting to be used, that’s why the phone cameras are all young people use these days. I’ve just subscribed and hope you keep making great videos.
Agreed. And imagine a Pen F II with all of the computational smarts of a phone in a retro tactile hand-holdable form factor. That'd be fun!
I’m so glad UA-cam recommended this video! Thank you for putting it together. It was fantastic! I have the Olympus Pen F and I absolutely love it! I bought while on a trip to London and I use it all the time now. I have a number of lenses for it too. It’s a really flexible and compact system. I’ve started learning macro photography and I’ve been amazed at the images the Olympus produces when paired with the right lens. As for the Mini, I can’t comment. I haven’t driven one yet! 😊 I might need to give one a try now.
The Pen F doesn't need petrol or servicing so that's definitely the most economical way to start.
Great video 😂 it's fun, i love my Pen F, i have a lumix G9 but for all the fun comments you brilliantly made i use more the Pen F.
The best camera isn't just the one you have with you, it's the one you enjoy using :)
wow! i was thinking the same! planning to talk about this too. Good content!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wonderful video, yes all the serious heavy drivel on you tube about photography. When photography is and always has been to me an utter joy pleasure and FUN 🎉
100%
Subscribed 🎉 another Pen F lover. Despite owning the higher OMD & Panasonic full frame cameras, Pen F is the one which sits in my bag full time. Agreed totally with your honest review and analogy 👍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stay safe
Thanks for your kind words. There’s talk of one big OMD announcement later this year and I don’t want to get my hopes up but keeping my fingers crossed for a Pen F mark II.
@@patternsinsand yeah, I’ve heard of the rumours. Hope it will materialise. If so the pricing sure gonna be crazy high due to it’s cult following. It’ll be full frame price I guessed. If OM price it like when it first came out, i’m in surely. But then it’ll be like the Fuji X VII where demand is above supply. In the meantime let’s enjoy our Pen F ya. I just added an oly pancake 14-42 mm to my 17 & 45 prime & voigtlander 17.5 f0.95. It’s truly a bmw mini 🤣 cheers & Stay safe
I have a Mini (my 5th) and a Pen F. Won’t give up either.
Can't fault that loyalty.
A few years ago l bought a E-PL6, my first venture into the Micro 4/3 system...It's a great little camera, since then I've added a E-PL8 and hope to add a Pen F sometime in the future. About forty years ago l bought a Leica 3b with a couple of lenses. My very first 'small' camera...l just loved it. Since then I've much preferred smaller cameras. The Olympus Pen range have that small chunky quality build feel...small, unobtrusive and functional...Great cameras.
Hoping for a renaissance to justify them bringing out a new Pen F!
Excellent video, cleverly and very well executed. I have three Pen Fs, two silver for photographing during the day and a black one for the night :-)
I love them.
Sounds like you just need a film Pen F now.
The best camera love letter ever made. Holy shit it made me giggle like hell. Thank you for making it.
Glad you liked it!
@@patternsinsand yeah I feel about the same towards my fujifilm system. The fun factor of genering effortless excitement towards the results.
haha we need more videos about the PEN series of cameras, especially in an "ode to" format. I actually like the characterization of the camera as being fun that stands out from all the "serious" camera models we currently have available for purchase in 2023 from current manufacturers. The camera industry is in a weird spot right now, and the line between professionals, enthusiasts, influencers, hobbyists, amatuers is becoming very blurred. My own collection reflects a rejection of the more modern photography tools that opt for fun cameras like my Olympus PEN E-P5, which with practice can produce results that people today can appreciate with today's aesthetics. These small cameras + lens pairings tend to unlock a flexibility with taking photos, its quick, nimble, and doesnt immediatley put other people on guard when they smell a photographer around with a serious camera setup. Its an seriously designed unserious fun camera that has potential to take some seriously good photos.
Your comment really resonated with me. I'm in Guangzhou right now and took my Pen out for a walk through touristy old town. Bulky 'professional' cameras and arms length iPhone instagram photography allowed the Olympus to be a discreet and quality little package.
Nice well-polished, engaging video! Looking forward to more M43 content!
Hopefully more to come!
The Olympus Pen PL-8 is fun sized. I use it now and then. In MFT cameras, the gem for street photography is the Panasonic GX-9, which has a tilt only screen, very fast focusing, and a newer 20MP sensor. Sadly Olympus chose a swing-out monitor, and the focusing is not top notch. At least the Olympus Pen PL-8 is tilt only monitor, great looking, and a great mini. My other newest buy is the Nikon Z5 which is compact, relatively light in weight, tilt-only screen, and looks fine to me. Sort of a retro black pro-Nikon camera of the past look. Shooting in B&W jpeg + RAW it is fun to use. The PEN F being a screw-less look body is awesome -- sexy no doubt. Great video -- thanks, Loren
Yes, focusing is one of the big weaknesses and the main thing I'm looking for in a 'next gen' micro four thirds compact camera. If only the other Pens had an EVF!
Great Video, Thank you! I have one that I bought second hand in great condition, and you describe it perfectly. Without going into too much tekky stuff you describe how the instrument invites playfulness, and playfulness is at the core of invention, even serious invention.
Well put!
What a marvellous video! It made me an even happier Pen F owner that I already am. I’ve also been a secret fan of Minis, hopefully I didn’t get infected now 😂
G.A.S. for a car is an expensive proposition!
Great video! Got a nice picture of what this camera is like to live with and I love the comparisons to cars, culture and whatnot :)
Glad you enjoyed it!
Good lord. You’ve reminded me that my EM-10 was the most fun I’ve had with a camera and I pulled it out of storage. I was getting ready to sell all of my M4/3 equipment but now I’m saving up for a Pen F, because that’s what I always wanted to begin with.
PenF envy is debilitating.
Great video! I love my Pen-F and I used to own a Mini Paceman similar to your Countryman and they both exemplify ‘fun’ 😁
That’s the zippier one!
@@patternsinsand I loved how weird it was, it was an "suv" but was also very impractical due to the massive doors and the fact that it only had two of them. I loved it, but the n18 engine was very unreliable
Great discussion. I use Nikon DSLRs (D850 and D500) with lots of pro grade lenses. I just discovered Olympus MFT mirrorless and I bought several used bodies, to include the Pen F, and have been acquiring lots of great used lenses.
You nailed it.
Fun = Small and portable
Additionally, the Olympus MFT system generally has quality builds, computational features, and in some cases weather-sealing. So you get fun portability without many compromises in quality.
Definitely. Lots of great lenses and cameras around. Still, a Pen F II with weather sealing is on my wish list.
I have the original OM-D E-M1 and the Pen-F. I love my Pen-F, I tend to mostly use my Leica 25mm f1.4 with it, but i also use the lumix 12-32mm. For what i need from a camera, it's a perfect setup/system. I agree that this camera does make shooting photos fun.
The Leica 25mm is a legend and I love the lumix 12-32mm for its size:sharpness ratio.
Very nice video. Thank you.
I was late to buy Pen F Digital, I got an E-P7. That is close. It is fun.
Thanks. I think all you're missing out on with the E-P7 is the evf.
I really wish OM Systems would release an update to the PEN-F Digital.
+1 though I doubt anytime from OM Systems is reading this.
They did, it's called EP-7.
@@cineffectand its rubbish plastic
@@GrimYak No it's not, it's very good, I am using it to shoot a feature.
My most fun camera is a Voigtlander Vito CL. It doesn't take the most remarkable images, it's certainly not an advanced camera but the shutter is adorable. It snicks. The shutter gives this wonderful snick sound that brings a smile regardless. Old, charming, bit heavy and something of a bear to focus but the snick makes it worth it.
I have the Vito C (without the light meter). Same beautifully discreet-sounding leaf shutter!
The Pen F is probably the most handsome of all the micro 4/3 cameras. I always thought the APS-C sensor would become the redundant format, but it turns out Fujifilm is smarter than me. The x100v is probably the closest thing we have to the Pen F today. If they applied the same formula as the x100v (fixed 35mm equivalent) to a micro 4/3 camera it could be truly pocketable without needing to use a dust-sucking retractable lens like a Ricoh GR series. It is already hard to sell fixed focal length, fixed lens cameras. Add a smaller sensor and at some point you are just too close to what a phone can do for the average consumer. Remember the Pentax Q?
It's true that the X100V has a lot of the same allure as the Pen. But then what do I do with these amazing M43 lenses! I think Fujifilm had it right with the X30, which had a good zoom lens but struggled with the 2/3 inch sensor, similar to the Q.
You got it! Not the newest tech. But it does what I want. I love it. There in lies the answer.
Word!
Lovely review. I’m buying one to compliment my daily travels rather than my bulky OM1.
I'm sure you won't regret it!
"They're getting bigger and bigger. To where you're losing many of the benefits but still living with the tradeoffs."
This is exactly why I left the Fujifilm XF system this year after a decade with them. My X-T2 finally died, and I couldn't for the life of me find anything in production or stick that was smaller and lighter than the Canon R8, Sony Z-VE1, or Sony a7CII full frame systems. It drive me up the wall to the point that I said *forget it* and bought a Ricoh GR III.
I have since been looking at the Nikon Z30 and the 24f1.7 as a possible alternative ICL system because it's gorgeous and very good for the price, but they don't seem super committed to making ZX lenses, and I don't want to buy into another EOS M fiasco. 😂
I love the too Velvia look. Are you tweaking the HSL in-camera? That's amazing!
@@-grey I love the look of the GRIII but might miss the ability to swap lenses. As for the colours, I do have an in camera profile for kodachrome that I modified from a video by Rob Trek (search for it here). I still prefer having the full control of a raw file. Velvia is skirting the edge between vivid and ugly and I just find Lightroom gives me a bit more room to tweak.
A kindred spirit. Two items I've had in my shopping cart although I like the stormtrooper color Clubman S better. It's the doors. This video could rival the penf and mini themselves. Super fun and perfect fit comparison. Nailed it. The m43 community needs to watch this one. 👏
The M43 community needs to petition OM System to release a Pen F ii :)
@@patternsinsand yes everyone saying that. Hopefully they do, so it drops the price of the 1.. bloody expensive for old camera.. like that Fuji x100 thing.. cult classic
Excellent video.
I have a question about the thumb grip rubber replacement that you've mentioned. What kind of authorized service center was it that replaced it for you? I've contacted a few online shops around here but they're all out of that part, it seems. And OMDS themselves didn't answer my request... Thank you!
I got mine from Hartland Camera Repairs in Malaga in Perth.
As having owned three proper Mini's you've finally reminded me what a BMW Mini is actually based on ... the Austin Montego, a set of bloated curves on an alien chassis. Have to say that the digital Pen F doesn't really float my boat either, it just not sleek like the original. I like the idea of being able to visually change your colour space though, rather than just the white balance.
But hey ho, we're all different.
Oooh, have to shield the ears/wing mirrors of my MINI so it doesn't hear that unflattering comparison!
Nice video! hello Innaloo cinemas carpark ;)
Yes, the one place nearby that was a large open empty space on a Sunday morning!
The Pen-F’s unique contribution is the Mono/Color dial, which allows you get JPGs that mimic Tri-X or Kodachrome from the film days. Easier to create film sims than on Fujis.
Very true, though Fuji are very smart, the way they baked in their simulations.
Great video! Which zoom lenses can you recommend? Greetings from Salzburg!
Hi Maria, thanks for watching. My favourite standard zoom lens is the Panasonic Leica 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0. That's sharp all the way through the zoom range and focuses nice and closely too, so it's the best quality standard zoom I own. It's not cheap, though, and big, so a little unbalanced on the pen F. The Panasonic LUMIX G Vario 12-32mm f3.5-5.6 ASPH, though, is probably the closest in spirit to the theme of this video. Optical stabilisation, which Olympus doesn't use (the IBIS is great anyway) but tiny, crisp and making the Pen F almost pocketable!
I think I might have just accidently deleted my reply! My favourite zoom lens is definitely the Panasonic Leica 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 - sharp corner to corner and throughout the zoom range and does well close up. So, very versatile but expensive and a bit ungainly on a small body. The tiny Panasonic 12-32mm kit lens is probably the best in the spirit of the mini, being small, fun and good quality. The build quality might not be quite there but it's images are strong and it makes for a discreet companion for the Pen F. Thanks for watching!
What lens did you have on the camera for the shot of the metro at 11:28 minutes in? / Ta
That photo outside the Paris metro was taken with the laowa c-dreamer 7.5mm f/2 for M43. Amazing sharp lens, just has a tendency to flare and flares ugly when it does!
Very interesting video.
Actually the Pen-F reminds me more of a Leica 3.
I‘ve been considering buying a used PEN-F for at least 3 years. Maybe some day. I‘ll never sell my GM5 though.
The GM5 was the perfect next step from the GM1. How cool would it be to have a GM10?!
Not sure if you know this but you do look like Jeffrey Rush 😊🇦🇺 oh and I too love the Olympus pen f cheers from Oz 🇦🇺
I'll take that. I normally get references to Pete Townshend :)
Hmm. Both OM Digital and Panasonic have released new camera bodies over the past year. I'm not sure that indicates a "waning" format, but I do agree. The Pen-F is a fun camera. And m.four-thirds users are spoiled by all the tiny but fast primes that are available from both manufactures.
I think/hope M43 is still very much alive. I just worry that as awesome as cameras like the OM1 and G9II are, they aren't that much smaller than full frame or APS-C. The Pen F holds something of a unique place as a tiny fun camera with an EVF to make the most out of those tiny primes.
Yes you're right about the size. I have a Z7 and an OM-1, and they are virtually the same size. But I still reach for my OM-1. The full frame lenses are quite a bit bigger though. @@patternsinsand
z Excellent 😂
Thanks!
Nice, but the E-M1ii does it all, is weather-sealed, not that big really, wonderful grip, not pretending to be a Leica and second hand is half the price.
The E-M1 ii is just as well made, weather sealed and takes even better images. Perhaps just not quite as much fun :)
Like a quality image is different to image quality. Most of the people that poo poo micro four thirds fail to comprehend the fun factor and get hung up on DXO scores and background blur.
And let's not forget some of the high quality lenses, such as the Olympus 75mm which does get great DXO scores and with f/1.8 gives you buckets of bokeh too!
My cheaper Pens are more fun. This PEN F is too expensive.
If I want to go that route I’ll just grab one of my small Fujifilm’s. X-T30 or X-E2
The Pen F is definitely up there in terms of price and the cheaper ones are great - I just need my evf!
selling a car?
Nope, and not my Pen F, either!
and very overpriced, all the olympus cameras can be conigured to your needs..the mini also has someawful faults if you look at some of the trade videos
Yes, overpriced and flawed. I think that's true of both the car and the camera... yet, somehow, still fun!