OM System PEN returns at ~US$999.99: stylish Micro Four Thirds street companion

OM System has revived the PEN name with a compact Micro Four Thirds mirrorless body now open for pre-order at about US$999.99, pitching a pocketable travel and street camera with a proper electronic viewfinder and computational photography tricks usually reserved for larger OM bodies.

According to Digital Camera World and TechRadar, U.S. retailers including B&H and Adorama list the body near that price, with UK pre-orders around £849. Specs include a 20.4MP Live MOS sensor, TruePic IX processor, roughly 393 g with battery and card, a 2.36-million-dot OLED EVF, IPX1 weather sealing with a matching lens, 121-point phase-detect AF with AI detection for people, cats and dogs, up to 30 fps bursts, and 5-axis IBIS rated to about 5.5 stops. Dedicated colour and monochrome profile controls, Handheld/Tripod High Res, Live ND, Focus Stacking and a Computational Photography button aim to keep editing in-camera. Video covers DCI/UHD 4K and Full HD with a mic jack.

PetaPixel’s Chris Niccolls scored the PEN 7.5/10, praising style, the EVF, colour modes, IBIS, computational modes and battery life on the new BLS-7 pack, while noting familiar OM-5 II–class tech, a shallow grip, limited subject-detection options and soft 8-bit video. He frames it as a “street-styled OM-5 II” that is more appealing as a companion than the outdoor-oriented sibling despite similar capability and price. PhotoWorkout’s launch coverage likewise highlights the first PEN under the OM System brand and the creative JPEG tools. Buyers should weigh Micro Four Thirds lens ecosystems and Canadian import pricing before pre-ordering from U.S. or UK shops.

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Sources: Digital Camera World — OM System PEN pre-order; TechRadar; PhotoWorkout; PetaPixel — OM System PEN review.