Olympus FE-47 vs. PEN-F: An In-Depth Comparison for Every Photographer's Needs

When I first pulled these two Olympus cameras side-by-side on my light table, the contrast couldn’t have been more stark - not just in their appearance, but in their philosophy, target users, and capabilities. The Olympus FE-47, a bite-sized compact from the early 2010s, stands as a simple, point-and-shoot with a humble feature set, while the PEN-F, released in 2016, is a fully-fledged mirrorless system camera aimed at enthusiasts and semi-pros who crave creative control and robust performance.

Over my 15 years in camera testing and thousands of shots in various challenging conditions, I’ve come to appreciate how vastly different cameras - even from the same brand - can serve very different photography communities. This head-to-head seeks to help you determine which Olympus gem fits your style, budget, and ultimate goals, from street snapshots to studio portraits and beyond.

Let’s unpack the technical chops, real-world usability, and value propositions of the Olympus FE-47 and the PEN-F across the full spectrum of photographic disciplines.

First Impressions: Holds and Feel - Size, Controls, and Ergonomics

At a glance, you’ll notice the FE-47 is a pocket-friendly small sensor compact camera - ultra-lightweight at 204 grams and measuring about 98 x 61 x 27 mm. This is the quintessential cheapskate’s companion for casual snapshots or travel convenience. You won’t find any clubs for your thumbs or fancy grip contours here, but the FE-47 fits easily in almost any pocket or tiny purse.

Contrast that with the PEN-F’s significantly larger and heavier body (427 grams, 125 x 72 x 37 mm), sporting a classic rangefinder-style ergonomics infused with modern mirrorless muscle. It’s got dials, customizable buttons, and a heft that communicates serious creative intent. The larger size gives better handling, especially with larger lenses - essential for enthusiast photographers who shoot beyond casual family photos. Despite its weight, the PEN-F remains pocketable for jacket pockets but not quite compact enough for tight pockets.

From my long-term use, the FE-47 feels like a lightweight travel buddy that’s always ready but limited in ambition, whereas the PEN-F invites you to shoot more intentionally, still portable but more of a serious photographic instrument.

Looking closer at the top controls:

The FE-47’s controls are simplified - no manual wheels, no exposure compensation dials, just the bare minimum to click and point. The PEN-F is a playground of command dials, shutter speed rings, customizable function buttons, and a shutter-release that feels precise and satisfying. If you love tinkering with settings on the fly or want tactile feedback on your exposure adjustments, PEN-F excels here.

Sensor & Image Quality: Smaller Sensor vs. Four Thirds Flagship

The core difference underlying image quality is the sensor:

• FE-47: 1/2.3” CCD sensor measuring roughly 6.08 x 4.56 mm with 14MP resolution.
• PEN-F: 17.3 x 13 mm Four Thirds CMOS sensor packing 20MP resolution.

This translates to a massive jump in sensor area - roughly 8 times larger on the PEN-F - resulting in significant improvements in light gathering, noise performance, dynamic range, and detail retention.

The FE-47’s sensor limits the camera in several ways:

• Maximum ISO 1600 native, not exactly stellar in low light.
• Limited dynamic range leading to washed-out highlights or crushed shadows.
• Some degree of softness due to smaller pixels and basic processor (TruePic III).
• Anti-aliasing filter potentially impacting ultimate sharpness.

By contrast, the PEN-F’s sensor gives a very respectable DxOmark score of 74 overall with a color depth of 23.1 bits, dynamic range of 12.4 stops, and low-light ISO performance rated at 894. What does this mean practically? Clean images with richer tone gradation, better shadow detail, and ISO flexibility that will preserve your shots when the light fades.

For enthusiasts interested in portraits, landscapes, or detail-rich macro work, the PEN-F provides a clear technical edge. The FE-47 produces acceptable images for snapshots and social media sharing but won’t satisfy professionals or dedicated hobbyists seeking image quality.

User Interface and Display: How You See Your Shot Matters

The FE-47 sports a tiny, fixed 2.7-inch LCD screen with 230k-dot resolution - adequate for framing in good light but not much else. There’s no touchscreen, no articulating design, and viewing outdoors is a struggle.

The PEN-F features a fully articulated 3-inch touchscreen LCD, boasting a sharp 1,037k-dot resolution. This screen allows for easy composing at difficult angles (low or high), touch focus selection, and a highly responsive interface. The PEN-F also includes a bright electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 2,360k-dot resolution, 100% coverage, and a 0.62x magnification - amenities the FE-47 lacks entirely.

When shooting in bright daylight or precise manual focus situations, having the PEN-F’s EVF is a major benefit the FE-47 cannot come close to matching. For videographers and creative vloggers, the touchscreen articulation on the PEN-F is invaluable.

Autofocus and Shooting Mechanics: Speed, Accuracy, and Creative Control

The FE-47 relies on contrast detection autofocus only, with no phase detection pixels or sophisticated tracking - fine for stationary subjects indoors or in good light but prone to hunting in low light or action scenes. It offers single AF mode and some multi-area AF but no face or eye detection.

Conversely, the PEN-F boasts 81 focus points with contrast-detect AF augmented by advanced algorithms to provide face detection, eye detection, and continuous AF tracking. It also supports focus bracketing and focus stacking - tools absent on the FE-47 but incredibly useful in macro, landscape, and product photography.

Burst rates show a stark contrast as well - PEN-F shoots up to 10fps burst, terrific for sports, wildlife, and street photography, while the FE-47 has no continuous shooting mode of note, underscoring its casual snapshot design.

Building for the Real World: Durability and Weather Resistance

Neither camera offers environmental sealing, waterproofing, shockproofing, or freezeproofing. The FE-47’s light plastic body reflects its entry-level positioning, whereas the PEN-F’s metal body, though not weather sealed, is sturdier and better built.

If your work entails rugged outdoor use or inclement weather (wet landscapes, wildlife trips), serious weather sealing may require looking outside these models, but the PEN-F still feels more reliable over prolonged professional use.

Lens Compatibility: Fixed Lens vs. Micro Four Thirds Ecosystem

The FE-47 is a fixed-lens compact with its 36-180 mm equivalent zoom (5× zoom range at F3.5-5.6). There’s no lens swap or upgrade path here - what you see is what you get.

The PEN-F uses the Micro Four Thirds mount, granting access to over 100 native lenses ranging from ultra-fast primes to versatile zooms, including many professional-grade optics. This availability enables photographers to tailor their kit for portraits, macro, landscapes, or wildlife.

If you value creative flexibility and long-term growth, PEN-F’s lens mount is a huge advantage.

Battery Life and Storage: Working All Day?

The FE-47 uses two AA batteries - readily available and cheap but not always reliable for long days or rapid shooting. Battery life can be inconsistent and depends heavily on battery quality.

The PEN-F uses a rechargeable BLN-1 Lithium-ion battery with a respectable CIPA rating of about 330 shots per charge. Not stellar compared to some DSLRs, but manageable with spares or power-saving modes.

Both cameras support SD/SDHC cards, but the PEN-F also accommodates SDXC cards - important for high bitrate video or large RAW files. The FE-47 lacks RAW support entirely (shoots JPEG only), limiting post-processing flexibility.

Connectivity and Video: Modern Features vs. Basic Snapshot

Olympus designed the FE-47 primarily as a basic point-and-shoot, so unsurprisingly it lacks Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, HDMI, or microphone/headphone jacks. Video shooting tops out disappointingly at 640x480 VGA at 30fps, with Motion JPEG compression - almost cute by today’s standards.

The PEN-F includes built-in Wi-Fi for remote control and image transfer, a micro HDMI port for clean external monitoring, and delivers Full HD 1080p video up to 60fps with H.264 compression. While not a cinema-grade camera, it’s perfectly suited for casual videography or creative hybrid shooters.

Neither camera offers 4K video, but the PEN-F’s video quality is significantly better in resolution, bitrate, and color depth.

How Do These Cameras Stack Up Across Popular Photography Genres?

Let’s break down their relative merits in the key photography disciplines:

Olympus FE 47 front Olympus FE 47 screen back Olympus PEN F front Olympus PEN F screen back

Performance Ratings: Quantifying The Differences

To provide a visual summary, here are overall performance ratings derived from extensive tests and user feedback:

The PEN-F consistently scores higher across image quality, autofocus speed, usability, and video capabilities, reflecting its status as a highly capable advanced mirrorless camera. The FE-47 scores lower, reflective of its entry-level compact design and limited feature set.

Specialty Genre Scores: Zooming In On What Matters

This chart maps the cameras’ scores across photography areas, highlighting where the PEN-F’s strengths shine (portrait, sports, landscape), while the FE-47’s modest performance is best in casual street photography or travel snapshots where convenience outweighs quality.

Final Thoughts - Which Olympus is Right for You?

Olympus FE-47: For The Budget-Conscious Casual Shooter

The FE-47 is a pure no-frills point-and-shoot designed for those who want a simple camera they can slip in a bag and point at the family birthday cake or vacation landmarks. If you don’t care about RAW files, manual controls, or video quality - and want a camera that’s cheap (often found used under $50 to $100) - the FE-47 is a solid little companion. But temper expectations: image quality and low-light performance are humble.

Best for: Absolute beginners, casual vacation snapshots, and those who want a lightweight, no-hassle camera without investing much money.

Olympus PEN-F: For The Creative Enthusiast or Semi-Pro

If you want to pick your lenses, shoot RAW files with full creative control, enjoy advanced autofocus, and explore hybrid photo/video work, the PEN-F is a serious workhorse. It offers the classic Olympus style with a retro aesthetic, plus modern usability and solid image quality thanks to a larger Four Thirds sensor.

The PEN-F will serve well for portraits, street photography, landscapes, sports, and even modest macro and video projects. With a current price around $1000 new (and good deals on used models), it is a long-term investment in your photographic growth.

Best for: Enthusiasts, hybrid shooters, semi-professionals, and content creators ready to dive into manual controls and a robust lens ecosystem.

Personal Recommendations Based on Use Case

• Just want something simple for casual photos? The FE-47’s point-and-shoot simplicity may be just right.
• Planning to grow and experiment? The PEN-F’s versatility will not disappoint.
• Travel light but want quality? PEN-F balances portability and excellence; FE-47 weighs less but compromises image quality.
• Shooting events, action, or wildlife? PEN-F’s fast autofocus and burst mode are invaluable.
• Love street or documentary style? PEN-F can handle low light better; however, if you prioritize concealment above all, FE-47 is super discreet.
• Into video content creation? PEN-F outclasses the FE-47 by a wide margin.

Wrapping up: Olympus FE-47 vs. PEN-F - The Tale of Two Cameras

Comparing these cameras is like comparing a tricycle to a sports bike - both get you moving, but in wildly different styles and speeds. The FE-47 is an entry-level snapshot tool, convenient and cheerful for point-and-shoot use, but limited in fidelity and creative control. The PEN-F steps into serious enthusiast territory, packing advanced features, manual controls, and a thriving lens system.

Choosing between them boils down to your photography ambitions, budget, and how much you value image quality, control, and future-proofing. Having used both extensively, I recommend investing in the PEN-F if you want a camera to grow with you - particularly if you shoot portraits, landscapes, or creative projects. The FE-47 works well only for those who truly want the absolute simplest in a no-frills lightweight design.

Thanks for joining me on this detailed Olympus camera deep dive. If you have questions about specific photography genres, lens recommendations, or accessories for either system, drop me a note - I’m happy to share what years of testing top-to-bottom Olympus gear have taught me!

Happy shooting!