The Olympus PEN-F is a 20MP Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera announced in January 2016, reviving the name of the classic 1963 Pen F half-frame film SLR - this record covers the digital 2016 model only. It sat at the top of Olympus's PEN range as a design-led counterpart to the OM-D series and was never given a direct successor.
Its rangefinder-styled all-metal body (no visible screws on the exterior plates) houses a 20MP Four Thirds sensor, 5-axis in-body stabilisation, a 2.36M-dot electronic viewfinder positioned at the corner, a fully articulating touchscreen, and a 50MP high-res composite mode from a tripod. The signature feature is the front-mounted creative dial driving dedicated monochrome and colour profile controls, with dial-heavy manual handling throughout; there is no weather sealing.
The PEN-F has become one of the most collectable digital Olympus bodies: it was expensive at launch (£999 body only), discontinued without replacement around 2019, and its looks and mono profiles have given it a Fuji-X100-style afterlife among street photographers. Consequently, UK used prices have held or risen where most 2016 mirrorless bodies have sunk, and demand comfortably absorbs the supply.
When buying, favour function over cosmetics-only listings: check the front creative dial and rear dials for wobble or skipping detents (the known wear points), inspect the leatherette for lifting corners, and confirm the EVF and articulating screen are free of delamination. Ask for the shutter count, test the IBIS by comparing stabilised and unstabilised half-second exposures, and remember there is no weather sealing - corrosion around the dials suggests a hard outdoor life. Boxed examples with strap, charger and both caps carry a genuine premium.