Olympus OM-D E-M5, E-M1, E-M10 - Mk1, Mk2 & Mk3 Owners Thread

snerkler said:
Cool, right up my street. It all depends what look you're after and how much motion you want to portray. One thing to take into consideration with motorbike racing is that apart from long straights the rider is constantly moving around and therefore you might not want to use as slow a shutter speed as you might shooting cars.

My go to settings for motorsport is shutter priority (sometimes manual sometimes with auto ISO) and start off around 1/125 shutter speed and work my way to slower speeds, that being said at 400mm (800mm eq) slower speeds will be more tricky. In terms of focussing I mostly use single point AF-C, but sometimes will shoot manual and pre-focus.

If shooting through a fence and you want to shoot at low shutter speeds it's a good idea to get some ND filters so that aperture is as wide as possible to minimise the risk of the fence spoiling the shot.

I need no excuse to post photos :LOL:

This is one of my favourites, shot at 1/160 at the inside of Brooklands through a fence. This has had some processing to add a bit more motion but very little, maybe 5%

Marc Marquez by TDG-77, on Flickr

This was 1/10 and all motion is as shot SOOC, no fence

P6302247-Edit-Edit by TDG-77, on Flickr

If you're 'lucky' you can get slow shutter motorcycle shots without complete rider motion blur (1/15), no fence.

A9_07749-Edit-Edit by TDG-77, on Flickr

And for head on shots I will use higher shutters such as 1/1000, through a fence.

A9_06545-Edit-2 by TDG-77, on Flickr




Sorry the last 2 are shot with Sony ;)
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Just WOW - splendid sports photography there - great compositions/angles/colours - respect…!!!

mac
 
macvisual said:
Just WOW - splendid sports photography there - great compositions/angles/colours - respect…!!!

mac
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Thanks very much, I appreciate the kind words.
 
Stephen L said:
On the way back down I briefly paused at Sony, but although the IQ was certainly there, ergonomics to me wasn’t. And if a camera doesn’t feel right in the hands, then it doesn’t encourage enjoyment. So here we are.
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.... Results seen from Sony cameras are certainly excellent beyond any doubt and their features are also good. However, the tactile feel and ergonomics of any camera (and machine) are fundamental even if it's just personal preference.

Regarding Olympus I only have experience of the M1X and although there is no such thing as the perfect camera, I can find no fault with its feel and ergonomics.
 
RedRobin said:
.... Results seen from Sony cameras are certainly excellent beyond any doubt and their features are also good. However, the tactile feel and ergonomics of any camera (and machine) are fundamental even if it's just personal preference.

Regarding Olympus I only have experience of the M1X and although there is no such thing as the perfect camera, I can find no fault with its feel and ergonomics.
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For me ergonomics are vitally important and even though I have big hands the EM1-II is one of the best bodies to hold for me. The EM1-x also feels great (although these bigger style bodies aren't for me), but I'd have to say the best I've used for ergonomics is the Z7. Sony used to be horrible, and in fact up to and including the gen III bodies they still are for me. The gen IV, A1 and A9-II are all very nice to hold though.

It is, of course, as you say all preference (y). I think the Olympus package on the whole is very difficult to beat, great cameras, great lenses, great image quality and great features. I still don't understand why other manufacturers haven't stolen some of the ideas from Olympus.

I wonder if Olympus will bring out a true real time blackout free shooting experience at some point :thinking:
 
snerkler said:
For me ergonomics are vitally important and even though I have big hands the EM1-II is one of the best bodies to hold for me. The EM1-x also feels great (although these bigger style bodies aren't for me), but I'd have to say the best I've used for ergonomics is the Z7. Sony used to be horrible, and in fact up to and including the gen III bodies they still are for me. The gen IV, A1 and A9-II are all very nice to hold though.

It is, of course, as you say all preference (y). I think the Olympus package on the whole is very difficult to beat, great cameras, great lenses, great image quality and great features. I still don't understand why other manufacturers haven't stolen some of the ideas from Olympus.

I wonder if Olympus will bring out a true real time blackout free shooting experience at some point :thinking:
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I had the Z6. A great camera ergonomically and IQ-wise, but the means of accessing some features were baffling and convoluted. And although the body was acceptably compact, the lenses weren’t.
 
I've noticed that about the Z lenses, they seem to be at least as big as the FTZ adaptor plus older lens. I'm sure they aren't that big, and the technical benefits are great, but I have no desire to get rid of my 2 f2.8 zooms - way too much money.

On My Z6ii I was frustrated about the image checking after a capture, so I mapped the front top button near the lens with preview (or whatever it is called). (Also it you set the Z to show what you have just taken, it isn't cancelled by pressing shutter release, as it is on Old. That's annoying)

Otherwise I love the mirrorless benefits that the Z brings - it helps a bit of levelling up with the Olympus experience, albeit at the cost of weight and size. What shooting I'll have OM-D 1 ii with 12-40 and Z6ii with 70-200. Using two systems at the same time does wonders for my muscle memory and staving off mental decline.
 
I’ve thought about replacing my d600 with a z6 but not sure if it’s “worth it” in terms of gains for money spent…
 
damianmkv said:
I’ve thought about replacing my d600 with a z6 but not sure if it’s “worth it” in terms of gains for money spent…
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You would have to factor in the additional price of an FTZ adapter if you want to use your existing Nikon lenses. My experience of this suggests that it makes the combination too bulky - others will no doubt disagree. But you’re really better asking this question in the Nikon forums.
 
I’ve been with olympus for around 3 years now with lots of highs + a few lows , but in general there’s no way I would go back to a heavy system ,any downsides can be overcome with decent processing and learning the menu system . Toby ..a.k.a snerkler says he wants a blackout free shooting . The way I have my camera set up I already get that . The owls i been shooting plus other b.i.f I do with c.a.f ,low speed burst , single point A.f . Personally I have no problem tracking them like this with no irritating blackouts even with the 100-400 lens .
In fact the blackout between shots nearly made me sell my first 1.mkii body within days .. so finding a way round it was my first priority
 
Pound Coin said:
Otherwise I love the mirrorless benefits that the Z brings - it helps a bit of levelling up with the Olympus experience, albeit at the cost of weight and size. What shooting I'll have OM-D 1 ii with 12-40 and Z6ii with 70-200. Using two systems at the same time does wonders for my muscle memory and staving off mental decline.
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.... I am the opposite! :ROFLMAO:

I have always preferred to shoot with two bodies and I think of it as having two lenses at hand with the bodies just as mounted control modules. Time lost faffing around changing lenses on one body is critical with wildlife photography.

So when I shot with Canon I often went out with both a 1DX-2 and a mirrorless EOS-R but my muscle memory got in the way and interfered with my mental processes.

Now I shoot Olympus I shoot with two identical MX1 bodies each with exactly matching customisations (via Olympus Workspace).

There is no right or wrong way of course but what suits us best as individuals - What we enjoy shooting with most.
 
On the subject of having two camera bodies, at the moment I am mostly going out with just one of my identical M1X and with one lens mounted - The superb Olympus 150-400mm TC + MC-14. I get 'Surf's Up!' calls nearly every day in this wonderful stormy weather hitting the coasts of Dorset, North Devon, Cornwall.

Was out in pouring rain on a windy beach for 4 hours yesterday - Absolutely no problem and I'm off out again now to a local spot only a couple of miles away.

HAVING FUN! by Robin Procter, on Flickr
 
Stephen L said:
I had the Z6. A great camera ergonomically and IQ-wise, but the means of accessing some features were baffling and convoluted. And although the body was acceptably compact, the lenses weren’t.
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Yeah I found the same, the Nikon DSLRs were better in this regards, and so is my Sony which is one of the reasons I've swapped. I have that set up to work perfectly for me now :)
damianmkv said:
I’ve thought about replacing my d600 with a z6 but not sure if it’s “worth it” in terms of gains for money spent…
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The only 'gains' you'll get really is if you prefer mirrorless, and/or want some of the fancy trick stuff like eye AF, otherwise safe your money imo (y)
the black fox said:
I’ve been with olympus for around 3 years now with lots of highs + a few lows , but in general there’s no way I would go back to a heavy system ,any downsides can be overcome with decent processing and learning the menu system . Toby ..a.k.a snerkler says he wants a blackout free shooting . The way I have my camera set up I already get that . The owls i been shooting plus other b.i.f I do with c.a.f ,low speed burst , single point A.f . Personally I have no problem tracking them like this with no irritating blackouts even with the 100-400 lens .
In fact the blackout between shots nearly made me sell my first 1.mkii body within days .. so finding a way round it was my first priority
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That's why I said true real time blackout free shooting. To the best of my knowledge (and I'm always happy to be proven wrong), olympus doesn't have this and 'mimics' blackout free shooting by adding frames, but at the cost of a slight lag. This may or may not be an issue for the user (y)
 
alfbranch said:
Thanks Toby
I am lucky to live in West Cumbria but that has its drawbacks like rubbish weather and lack of truly natural environment and rubbish public transport etc
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We've just booked 4 nights in the lakes in March so am hoping to get some pics. They'll only be 'grab' shots though as it's a 'family' holiday. Hopefully I might be able to get out at one of the golden hours but I'm not holding my breath ;)
 
snerkler said:
We've just booked 4 nights in the lakes in March so am hoping to get some pics. They'll only be 'grab' shots though as it's a 'family' holiday. Hopefully I might be able to get out at one of the golden hours but I'm not holding my breath ;)
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Good luck on getting out about and having some nice light when you do.
 
Well I am still getting to grips with the camera and wandering around our local mashes to practise on the local birds. I must admit I am not in anyway a bird photographer but just love many areas of photography so please forgive me for asking what may be a daft question to many - but what bird is this?
unknown by Gordon Ford, on Flickr
 
Stephen L said:
Well, to cut a long story short, as you know I had been with Olympus since regular 4/3 days, and moved on basically because the grass was greener. But that meant increased bulk and weight. Meantime on that journey up to and through FF I had been keeping an eye on the developments of Olympus and Panasonic but was worried that my IQ would suffer if I went back. But seeing some excellent results from others, including @alfbranch , convinced me that a reduction in weight and bulk (of the camera) was not a bar to good quality. Only my own (lack of ) capability was the bar. On the way back down I briefly paused at Sony, but although the IQ was certainly there, ergonomics to me wasn’t. And if a camera doesn’t feel right in the hands, then it doesn’t encourage enjoyment. So here we are.
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Stephen and I have to some extent followed each other around systems. My digital also started with Olympus 4/3 and I had three generations of m43. One or two gaps in the lens line-up (long since plugged) made me take a five year marriage with Fuji. Somehow I had hankered after Nikon -- like my D200,700 and 600, the latter together with Fuji, but somehow they didn't last long -- one of the main issues was sensor dust. IQ was fine by the D600 anyway. Three years ago I did move to a Z6. This the first camera (apart from the D600) where I could pretty well rely on the IQ for more difficult lighting situations. Shots like these excellent Crummock landscapes are well within the compass of the m43 sensor but unless there has been a dramatic improvement in the m43 sensor in recent years --which no-one seems to have suggested -- it will still struggle on occasions. In some with Fuji and esp. m43, there was just nothing that could be done to rescue the images which is hardly ever the case with the 35mm sensor. Of course this means bigger lenses but I don't notice when carrying a rucksack around which is most often the case when on a walk/excursion. And Fuji lens sizes with the extra stop required for equivalent DoF and light capture, were not necessarily much smaller.

So I have had the same camera for over three years now -- unheard of previously -- because there's simply nothing of significance wrong with it. Although I take Stephen's point that some features (particularly relating to tracking) are pretty obscure, the learning curve with the E-M5 was not that short either and from reviews, more seem to complain about the Oly control system than the Nikon. I actually still have a Penmini which is pretty hopeless without a viewfinder outdoors but every now and again I do think about a second hand EM5 or something which crop up pretty regularly in local shops, esp. as there is more chance of getting a decent lens fairly cheaply. It doesn't help that my wife is now happy with a phone for the most part as there'd be more incentive as she won't carry any big beast around.

I think possible the biggest attraction of full frame for me is the greater ease of selective DoF control. For those who don't care about that, Olympus as a system still has a great deal to commend it
 
lunar22 said:
Stephen and I have to some extent followed each other around systems. My digital also started with Olympus 4/3 and I had three generations of m43. One or two gaps in the lens line-up (long since plugged) made me take a five year marriage with Fuji. Somehow I had hankered after Nikon -- like my D200,700 and 600, the latter together with Fuji, but somehow they didn't last long -- one of the main issues was sensor dust. IQ was fine by the D600 anyway. Three years ago I did move to a Z6. This the first camera (apart from the D600) where I could pretty well rely on the IQ for more difficult lighting situations. Shots like these excellent Crummock landscapes are well within the compass of the m43 sensor but unless there has been a dramatic improvement in the m43 sensor in recent years --which no-one seems to have suggested -- it will still struggle on occasions. In some with Fuji and esp. m43, there was just nothing that could be done to rescue the images which is hardly ever the case with the 35mm sensor. Of course this means bigger lenses but I don't notice when carrying a rucksack around which is most often the case when on a walk/excursion. And Fuji lens sizes with the extra stop required for equivalent DoF and light capture, were not necessarily much smaller.

So I have had the same camera for over three years now -- unheard of previously -- because there's simply nothing of significance wrong with it. Although I take Stephen's point that some features (particularly relating to tracking) are pretty obscure, the learning curve with the E-M5 was not that short either and from reviews, more seem to complain about the Oly control system than the Nikon. I actually still have a Penmini which is pretty hopeless without a viewfinder outdoors but every now and again I do think about a second hand EM5 or something which crop up pretty regularly in local shops, esp. as there is more chance of getting a decent lens fairly cheaply. It doesn't help that my wife is now happy with a phone for the most part as there'd be more incentive as she won't carry any big beast around.

I think possible the biggest attraction of full frame for me is the greater ease of selective DoF control. For those who don't care about that, Olympus as a system still has a great deal to commend it
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Interesting thoughts. I must have missed it, which camera is it that you've kept for the last 3 years, the Z6?
 
A reminder to those who have the Olympus 1.4 TC Check the tightness of the screws today whilst about to set off from the car to walk to the hide I looked down to see my 300mm pro hanging on for grim death further investigation revels 3 of the 4 screws were lose and as I carefully removed the lens with the TC attached one fell right into the mud! So I now have a TC that is unusable. Its out side of warranty so I have dropped Olympus a line with my displeasure of this failure. I hope the famed Olympus customer care may be of some help on this one

Any one any idea as the size of screw that is required? going down the loctite route if I can or have to fix it myself if Olympus cannot help
 
mazdaman said:
A reminder to those who have the Olympus 1.4 TC Check the tightness of the screws today whilst about to set off from the car to walk to the hide I looked down to see my 300mm pro hanging on for grim death further investigation revels 3 of the 4 screws were lose and as I carefully removed the lens with the TC attached one fell right into the mud! So I now have a TC that is unusable. Its out side of warranty so I have dropped Olympus a line with my displeasure of this failure. I hope the famed Olympus customer care may be of some help on this one

Any one any idea as the size of screw that is required? going down the loctite route if I can or have to fix it myself if Olympus cannot help
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Not a nice thing to happen. Do you mean the four in each faceplate? Just checked mine and all were tight.
 
Mine on both sides were tight too.
 
wornish said:
Not a nice thing to happen. Do you mean the four in each faceplate? Just checked mine and all were tight.
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Yes the four on the faceplate
 
Went over to Hannington on Sunday, andthere was some sunlight for the first time in a month.
P1098848KiteTP.jpg

I also got my first photo of a buzzard, which was a treat!

P1098141TP.jpg

The camera behaved itself perfectly.
 
Pound Coin said:
Which faceplate? There are 4 screws one each side of the TC
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Sorry should said faceplate side that mounts tc to the body here's a quick snap from my phone20220113_074014.jpg
 
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OM have extended their £175 off promotion on the EM1mk3 to the end of January. More reason to think the new WOW camera isn't far away?
 
snerkler said:
Interesting thoughts. I must have missed it, which camera is it that you've kept for the last 3 years, the Z6?
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yes, it's the Z6. To be honest, the chances of it not still being with me in another year's time are fairly slim. Of course the Z9 is a game-changer with focus tracking now supposedly intuitive and sophisticated enough face/eye detect to keep with the best of the competition. Automatically bringing down a dust shield when the camera is off is a biggie -- something which should have been implemented in all mirrorless cameras years ago in my view (although my EM5 never had problems in that area). Of course a Z9 is completely overkill for me but a trickle down of the most important developments like these means that perhaps next year, the Z6iii might exist and come into consideration.
 
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