A new camera is about to steal this idea – but Olympus did it first

Close-up of an Olympus PEN-F camera body, against a purple background, focusing on the Creative Dial.

What's old is new. We all know this. But we're about to see the launch of a major new camera that steals this old idea – and I want you to know where it came from.

I can't tell you what this new camera is, or I'll get into trouble (you'll have to pay attention to the latest camera rumors to work it out). But very soon this camera will be announced, and one of the most noteworthy features will be that it has a "new" creative dial. 

Turning this dial will give you quick access to the body's suite of in-camera filters, enabling you to get creative with your JPEGs without having to keep diving into menus to choose the right one for the scene.

This is a feature I've seen before, because it first appeared in 2016 on the legendary Olympus PEN-F. On that camera, the Creative Dial enabled you to switch between a variety of modes, such as Color (with enhanced color profiles), Mono (with a number of black-and-white options, including an unlicensed but distinctly "Tri-X-like" film simulation) and Art (wherein you could select from 14 customizable art filters).

It was a brilliant little dial. So brilliant, in fact, that it made a stripped-down reappearance in 2021 as the Profile Control switch on the Olympus PEN E-P7. 

The Creative Dial on the mighty Olympus PEN-F, which was launched in 2016 (Image credit: James Artaius)

But here's the thing: even in 2016, Olympus wasn't a brand that the cool kids got behind. 

This despite (or, perhaps, due to) the fact that Olympus, along with Panasonic, basically dragged the industry kicking and screaming into the mirrorless age – and despite the original Olympus OM-D E-M5 setting the standard for modern cameras. 

Still, the DSLR brigade and even the full-frame mirrorless brigade ganged up. They mocked Olympus bodies for being "toy cameras", and ridiculed the PEN-F's Creative Dial because it was a JPEG-based tool. And nobody who shoots JPEG, let alone with an art filter or film simulation, could ever be taken seriously.

I ask you to remember all this, later this month, when a new camera is launched that recycles the idea. Because I'm pretty sure that it's going to be received very differently – and not necessarily because it's been implemented any better. 

One more spill of sip on the kerb for Olympus, and the PEN line. Come back soon – the industry misses you.

In 2021, the Profile Control switch was a key feature on the Olympus PEN E-P7 (Image credit: James Artaius)

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