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+The original Olympus PEN-F arrived on the scene in 1963 and quickly gained something of a cult following thanks to its solid design and unusual half-frame file format (which let it pack in 70 images in a single roll of film). 
+
+The new digital PEN-F takes that legacy of simple, compact design and wraps it around a best-in-class 20MP Micro Four Thirds sensor with 5-axis image stabilization and a very nice, bright, 2.36 million dot OLED electronic viewfinder.
+
+Other notable specs of the new PEN-F include 10fps continuous shooting (20fps with electronic shutter), 1080/60p video (yet another Olympus camera with no 4K video) and a very cool, if somewhat limited 50MP "High resolution image" mode. More on that in a minute. The PEN-F also checks all the standard boxes you'd expect with a fully articulating 3" touchscreen, wifi, nine different auto focus modes, and a nice, very customizable, set of buttons and controls.
+
+However, thanks to the PEN-F's retro design, which features an aluminum and magnesium body with no visible screws anywhere, and a ton of dials and knobs, I very rarely needed to head into the menu system at all. The PEN-F is the most film-like camera I've used since I sold off my Nikon F3 and went pure digital. It even comes with the nicest faux-leather strap I've seen come with a camera. Even more useful is the included articulated flash attachment, which is much nicer than the fixed pop variety common in this camera class.
+
+If that sounds like something that's going to add up a pricey camera you're absolutely right. At $1200 the PEN-F is a wonderful camera that simply costs too much. 
+
+Outwardly the PEN F actually looks more like a Fujifilm X100 series body than its namesake. There's no optical viewfinder like the X100 offers, but the EVF is in more or less and same position. The EVF is wonderfully bright, though the diopter did not agree with my eyes. I'm honestly not sure what the difference is or if perhaps there was something wrong with my review model, but I could not get the EVF to look sharp for my eyes. If you wear corrective lenses it might be worth getting your hands on a PEN-F to check how it does for you before you commit.
+
+Honestly though I didn't really miss the EVF. With Micro Four Thirds cameras I've long since become accustomed to using the rear LCD screen for composing images. 
+
+Much has been written of Olympus's included image effects, which get a dedicated knob on the front of the PEN-F. As others have noted they are fun for about an hour and then I generally ignored them. I prefer to shoot RAW and add any effects when I'm processing images, but if you want straight out of the camera JPGs, Olympus has an impressive set of customizable options available. They are not on the level of Fujifilm's offerings (the sharpening can be a bit harsh), but they're a close second. 
+
+Part of the reason the filters had little appeal for me is that the images coming out of the PEN-F are so good to begin with, particularly the RAW files which offer perhaps the best dynamic range I've seen in Micro Four Thirds (it's very likely that the PEN-F uses the same sensor as the Panasonic GX8, but to my eye it produces better results). The images are still Micro Four Thirds images to be sure, but they're definitely best in class.
+
+Many of the PEN-F's features are similar to what you'll find in other recent offerings from Olympus, but slightly better. For example the multi-shot high-res mode of the PEN-F is capable of 80MP (RAW, JPG is limited to 50MP) which is up from the OM-D E-M5 II's 64MP files. That said, high-res only works with a tripod and a really still subject. Even landscapes I tried were generally marred by wind-induced blurs in leaves. It would probably do just fine in the treeless deserts of Utah though.
+
+In terms of handling the PEN-F is very comfortable. If you have larger hands you might find the grip a little skimpy, but that's a common complaint with the smaller bodies of Micro Four Thirds in general. If it were any larger people would complain it's oversized (see the Panasonic GX8). I found the PEN-F to be just about perfect in terms of weight and camera balance. I tested it with two lenses Olympus provided, a 17mm (35mm 35mm equivalent) and a 25mm (50mm 35mm equivalent) both of which felt well balanced on the body. Even a larger Panasonic zoom that I own, though front-heavy, was certainly more comfortable to hold than it is on the GF1 it's usually attached to.
+
+The PEN-F's dials and knobs strike that perfect balance Olympus is justifiably noted for and they won't rotate on their own in your bag.
+
+In the end using the PEN-F was a joy, enough so that every time I remembered I was holding $1200 camera I got a little disappointed. Price this thing at $800 and you'd have a best in class camera I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. Still, when the Fujifilm X-E2S can be had for $700, which gets you an APS-C sensor, it's tough to justify the PEN-F's price tag. Still, the PEN-F is an excellent camera and if you want something that looks good while it produces the wonderful images it does, then you might not have a problem with the fashion tax Olympus is imposing on the PEN-F.
+
+Wired: Great sensor that produces some of the best images you'll get from Micro Four Thirds, nice extras like a decent flash and highly customizable creative filters.
+
+Tired: Pricey for Micro Four Thirds, no 4K video.
diff --git a/published/mini-drone.txt b/published/mini-drone.txt
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+The wild west days of flying drones came to end earlier this year when the FAA began requiring that the pilots of, as the FAA so formally calls them, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, register with the FAA. If you want to use your UAS for anything remotely commercial you'll need to go a step further and pass a test.
+
+The registration is not particularly onerous, though there is a processing fee. The whole registration process starts to feel a bit Kafkaesque when you get to the end and realize that you can "display" your registeration number by writing it on the battery and then tucking that inside the aircraft. WAT? 
+
+It's also unclear how the regulations will be enforced, particularity given the range of newer models which can be nearly two miles from their operator. On the whole the FAA registration is like the sheriff showed up, laid down the law and then promptly rode off into the sunset never to be seen again.
+
+Whether you agree or disagree with the FAA registration, it does put something of damper on flying a drone.
+
+There is, however, a loophole in those FAA regulations -- weight. The FAA does not regulate drones that weigh less than .55 lbs. Cue the rise of the mini drone.
+
+I first played around with a mini drone for a review last year in wired. The [JetJat Nano](http://www.wired.com/2015/12/review-mota-jetjat-nano/) is so small it fits inside it's own controller. It might seem like a toy -- and it is -- but it's also a lot of fun. And, as I mentioned in my review, it's a great way to practice flying without worry about crashing your $1500 baby.
+
+Since I started playing with the Nano similar drones have started popping up everywhere you turn. And each new mini drone manages to feel a little less toy-like. Today's mini drones still lack the stabilization and advanced flight features of their larger, regulated brethren, but several of them are very nearly as capable on the two fronts that have the most appeal -- fun and photography.
+
+Mota, the creators of the JetJat Nano, have since released the JetJat Ultra, which picks up where the Nano left off, adding hovering capabilities, a camera with live streaming and an app-based controller. The flight control system has also been significantly overhauled and is much better than the Nano. All this still managed to fit in a package very nearly the same as the Nano -- the Ultra weighs just 8 grams and manages to fly up to 130 feet away. That might not sound all that impressive next to DJI machine, but consider that the JetJat Ultra fits in the palm of your hand with room to spare.
+
+The JetJat Ultra is the smallest of the mini drones I've tested, but it's also one of the most fun and it delivers passable quality video. It won't make HD movies and the quality is closely related to how well you fly, but it is possible to get usable footage.
+
+Another contender for the small drone title is the Aerix Black Talon. It's considerably bigger -- about the size of four Ultras joined together -- but still well under the FAA weight limit at tk lbs. The Aerix is slightly more expensive, $140 to the Ultra's $130 (still only a pre-order), but for the extra money you get a much stabler flying experience and a 720p camera.
+
+The larger size gets you more than just stability though; the Black Talon can also stay in the air for 25 minutes according to Aerix. In my testing it was more like 20 minutes and it depends a bit on how you fly, but either way that's quite a bit longer than the Ultra's 6 minutes. In fact it's long enough to blur the line between mini drone and full size. 
+
+The Black Talon also has an interesting feature dubbed altitude hold, which eliminates the need for manually maintaining altitude. Get the craft where you want it, activate the altitude hold and you are free to focus on side to side, front and back, and rotational movement. It's a really nice feature for creating decent video as well since you can lock the altitude and fly forward for a nice smooth approaching shot. 
+
+The Aerix skips the smart phone in favor of an included LCD monitor, but it's also compatible with the company's FPV goggles if you want have a more immersive flying experience. Unlike larger drones though I almost never used the display unless I was hovering. Because these drone are never as high (and therefore clear of obstructions) as you'd be with larger models, it's far easier (for me anyway) to fly by watching the aircraft than to try to fly in first-person point of view.
+
+The Black Talon will save your live stream video to a micro SD card built in the side the body, but it was here that it shows its low price most painfully -- the cheap plastic body has its shortcomings. The SD card slot sits atop the main card and it's possible to accidentally insert the SD card into the actual body of the device if you miss the narrow slot. The card that shipped with mine disappeared forever into the body, though, in the Black Talon's favor, it has not thus far hampered performance in any way. Suffice to say, be careful inserting the SD card.
+
+If none of the smaller models have grabbed your FAA-dodging fancy yet there is a slightly larger class of drone out there that still manages to fall under the FAA weight limit. RC Toy maker Swann has cranked out several drones like the company's Xtreem Gravity Pursuit model which is very nearly as large as the Phantom 4 but weighs just a fraction of DJI's model. Comparing the two would be ridiculous, the Phantom 4 could quite literally fly circles around the Gravity Pursuit, but the Gravity Pursuit is still plenty of fun and it can shoot 1080p video.
+
+As with the rest of these lightweight drone there's no real gimbal or stabilization which means your video is as good as your flying. But you don't buy one of these drones because you want high quality imagery, you buy them because you like flying. These are first and foremost, RC quadcopters. Were it not so frequently used in a derogatory way I'd call them toys, because they are toys and they're a lot of fun for not much money. And or course the FAA man won't keep you down with that pesky registration thing. Viva la revolución.
+
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