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Olympus OM-D E-M5, E-M1, E-M10 - Mk1, Mk2 & Mk3 Owners Thread
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Oh that, thought you meant it had a 'special' close focus mode
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Getting a 2.5kg lens defeats the purpose of moving to Olympus for me, but then my previous heaviest lens was 1.93kg
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as some will have seen a couple of weeks ago I invested in a four thirds 50-200mm f2.8 pro lens plus MMF-3 adaptor the lens works fine on its own and I'm more that pleased with i.q from it on the omd1-mkii . last week I also bought a EC-14 teleconverter for it to gain a bit of extra reach . my initial test shots with it were putting it mildly soft and disappointing . so after a bit of reading up I decided to do a micro adjust .. something I have done on a DSLR but never on a complex mirrorless.
so first I took some test shots to establish if there was a problem and yes it threw up that it was front focussing ,I used my tripod and trusty sliding gauge for this I then went into the camera menu and to the focus adjust section in cog wheel . quickly realising that you can actually adjust focus on every single focus point individually .I bypassed that though and simply went to the centre point . I did a setting of +5 +10 and +14 after reviewing them most showed it had pushed it the other way to back focus (perhaps the smaller sensor is more sensitive ) I finally settled on +4 as being as near as dammit for the time being .
I then had a couple of hours break having to take the daughter to the dentist ,and finally got to test it in real world conditions late afternoon .. to me it seems to have worked to expectations but now I know how to adjust it I think it can be done in the field if further adjustments are needed the initial results are below . but all are subject to change due to learning curve and results .. this now gives me just under 500mm reach in full frame terms and at a decent aperture to further testing will take place in the field .. the t.c does slow down focus a tad but its still faster than a DSLR to grab focus
well that worked by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr
cureation by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr
the cure by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr
so first I took some test shots to establish if there was a problem and yes it threw up that it was front focussing ,I used my tripod and trusty sliding gauge for this I then went into the camera menu and to the focus adjust section in cog wheel . quickly realising that you can actually adjust focus on every single focus point individually .I bypassed that though and simply went to the centre point . I did a setting of +5 +10 and +14 after reviewing them most showed it had pushed it the other way to back focus (perhaps the smaller sensor is more sensitive ) I finally settled on +4 as being as near as dammit for the time being .
I then had a couple of hours break having to take the daughter to the dentist ,and finally got to test it in real world conditions late afternoon .. to me it seems to have worked to expectations but now I know how to adjust it I think it can be done in the field if further adjustments are needed the initial results are below . but all are subject to change due to learning curve and results .. this now gives me just under 500mm reach in full frame terms and at a decent aperture to further testing will take place in the field .. the t.c does slow down focus a tad but its still faster than a DSLR to grab focus
well that worked by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickrcureation by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickrthe cure by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr
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is the purchase of the new lens and tc a viable way to go , well putting it into context I have a good pro lens set up for under £400 in total which suits my pocket
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I didn't realise there was a close focus switch (runs off to check the lens
.... As you now know, what switching usually and essentially does is save the time and energy involved in focus hunting/seeking over longer distances. It's not an artificial macro mode < Is it?
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No I misunderstood. He said the 100-400mm had a close focus mode so I thought it must have some hidden macro mode kind of thing, didn't realise he was just referring to the focus limiter
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ah but fast focus can make or break a pic with insects as they move so fast . so it's a very useful addition and saves faffing about with macro lenses
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.... I think I am going to take advantage of HDEW's offer and 'buy-to-try' the ED 40-150mm F/2.8 PRO bundled with the MC-14 (1.4x) all for £929 and hence save £600 which in time I can spend on the 2x Teleconverter and put the rest towards the ED 12-40mm F/2.8 PRO for example.
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For info - According to Camerapricebuster Amazon have the 40-150 Pro + 1.4 t/c for £1153
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So have you ordered a body ?
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I'm luckier in that I have a dealer less than 20 miles away.
Oddly, I didn't buy the OMD 1 MK2 when I went back. Idly I picked up a Pen F and fell in love with it....
I did buy the OMD some months later, when I realised the Pen F is astoundingly good as a carry round camera and for street, but I
Now I can do horses for courses.
Fast long lens work - OMD
Sport - not the Pen F
Street and casual - Pen F
Critical (commercial..?!) - Nikon
Low light - Nikon
Silent (conferences, royalty etc) - OMD
Gigs - OMD with 12-40 and Nikon with 70-200 - quite interesting using two completely different setups in a time-limited, three songs and you are out situation.
Ha! That list of subjects sounds a lot more impressive than it is.
I think I am aware of the shortcomings of each 'system' and the benefits. I love the feel of the OMD and the lack of weight in a 12-40 40-150 set up, but appreciate the narrower depth of field and low light/higher ISO capabilities of the heavy Nikon.
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RedRobin
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.... WEX's price totals £1,529 not as a bundle compared to Amazon's £1,153 you quoted. But regardless of Amazon's price I would not buy from them as I have longstanding excellent relationships with WEX (and equally HDEW) who are both happy to ship it free to me to try for as long as 30 days without any obligation to buy. Also, WEX will part exchange Canon gear with me if I want to. But I appreciate that your post of Amazon's price was for the benefit of others rather than just me.
.... I haven't ordered (to then try out without any obligation to buy) any body or lens yet but expect to do so this week.
The only body I am interested in is the E-M1X and not the E-M1-II. I appreciate that the spec between them is close but the M1X has several important features I prefer to have - I haven't even looked at the price difference as it simply is not a factor for me personally. The physical size and weight of the M1X and its ergomics with controls feel very good to me and in some ways even better than my Canon 1DX-2 (I have handled one with the ED 300mm PRO mounted). If it didn't feel tactile enough I would not be interested in changing from Canon. Regardless of specs I don't like the physical feel of the Sony equivalents. I use a camera most days and want it to feel right physically - It's why I sold my EOS-M5 in spite of its excellent performance and IQ. I'm like that with cars too - They need to be tactile and responsive.
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Regarding Canon v Olympus for wildlife... I have a IDX2 and a Olly 1 Mk 2. I have not yet managed to get what Scott Bourne does out of my Oly system - check him out; he is a visionary or an ambassador - not sure which - and he posted some fantastic eagle shots with the 1Mk 2 as well as an article explaining his settings. He runs tours to shoot the eagles amongst other stuff. He is based in the North West US so I think it is Alaska he heads to. Mike Inkley - another Oly ambassador who was a Canon shooter until an HGV almost killed him when he was on his bike - talks about his transition which was really rapid. Once he was able to work again, he had a very short time to learn the system as he could no longer deal with the weight of his Canon kit. Anyway, he is convinced that one system is the way to go. Perhaps if I knew I couldn't reach for my Canon kit, this would have made a difference. I would agree with you about the Sony feel. I bought my Oly following a visit to the Photo Show three years ago. I was convinced I was going to get either a Fuji or a Sony but didn't like them in the hand and the large lenses available then didn't feel any lighter; I picked up the Oly and next time we were near a dealer, took it out on a test and wow. I also appreciate the recent firmware upgrade; if only Canon were as generous!
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I already had the PL100-400 lying around ,basically for the wife to use when the mood took her , so that was a large part Of the equation out of the way , I was tempted by the e.mix As it was discounted by £600 the day I did the deal .. but I had to reduce gear weight so went for the mkii ,a 66 month warranty also helped that takes away a lot of worries ..
Have I regretted it not in the least .. I think that Panasonic and especially Olympus are streets ahead of the nearest competition
Have I regretted it not in the least .. I think that Panasonic and especially Olympus are streets ahead of the nearest competition
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.... I'll check out Scott Bourne (Thanks!) and I agree with Mike Inkley in that surely shooting with one system is the best way to go for lots of reasons, unless you are a professional needing quite different systems such as one for studio work and another for outdoors work etc.
Do you not find, Chipper, that you tend to use your Olympus more than your Canon (or of course vica-versa)?
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https://picturemethods.com/2019/01/23/olympus-om-d-e-m1x-first-look/ . This is his "first look at the Em1X article" revised since first publication.
I use my Canon system more often but would not be without my Oly. They are very different. I suppose it is my equivalent of a compact camera.
I use my Canon system more often but would not be without my Oly. They are very different. I suppose it is my equivalent of a compact camera.
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I think if you’re a pro you really need to stick to one system, muscle memory is so important, forgetting button placement or settings can caused missed shots, not something you want to do if your income depends on it.
It was very interesting and eye opening spending the weekend with Mike Inkley earlier this year, there is a huge difference in how a pro approaches things and how us mere hobbyists approach things. No faffing, no repeated shots, just get in, get the shot and get out again, job done. It was a real privilege to witness. He is very pro Olympus and constantly sings its praises, often ribbing fellow pros about the weight they’re carrying too
For the record I don’t believe it was a HGV but was knocked off his bike.
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.... An interesting and very justifiable/logical list. I'm always saying "Horses-for-Courses" but in my case I specialise in wildlife and directly related subjects only and as I don't sell my work it's not so critical. For me there wouldn't be any justification in keeping two different systems - It's like when I had three different EOS bodies and one hardly got used. I would own and keep three different cars though!
But, as we all know, there is no such thing as a perfect camera and I can see that owning two systems helps bridge the gaps.
In D-SLR-speak, 2 bodies (1DX-2 & EOS-R), 24-105mm, 100-400mm, 500mm, 100mm Macro, Extenders, covers all my needs. Olympus can cover that for me but I'll see how well I get on going back to having only one body. That's all assuming I like the Olympus M1X enough to keep it.
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.... I have highlit some of your comment in bold to then say how much I agree with you about this and to add that you don't want to miss shots even when you are not a professional with income depending on it.
Muscle memory has to adapt even with two bodies within the same brand of system. For example the differences in physical controls between my Canon EOS 1DX-2 and EOS-R. Even using either camera often several times a week can confuse my muscle memory between the two.
My initial impression is that the physical controls layout of the Oly M1X seems to be very similar to the Canon 1DX-2 - Something which my muscle memory will be happy about.
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.... Yes I did. I seriously considered one when I was trying out the Canon 500mm F/4L II. But I already owned and loved my Canon 100-400mm L II plus Extender and so I decided that the 400mm DO II wouldn't extend my reach potential as much as the 500mm would and I wanted reach.
I would still want to mount my 1DX-2 on a 400mm DO and I would still need my other lenses and so my overall camera gear weight and sizes would not reduce that much.
I used to have the renowned 400mm F/5.6L but one day a pair of Bearded Tits were mashing up a bullrush within about 8ft away and I couldn't step far enough back without physically entering a thick thorn hedge to beat the lens' 12ft Minimum Focus Distance. The 100-400mm goes down to just under 4ft.
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Hi @RedRobin - I can see everyone's been giving you lots of info
I use the EM1ii with back button focusing. The Olympus menus are a bit tricky, as has been mentioned, and for BBF you have to set it up for each type of focusing, S-Af or C-Af. I did a post on it here #16,364 when someone asked how to set it up.
I think that the reason there aren't many people here with the EM1x is because many of us with the EM1ii feel they don't need to upgrade. I'd quite like the option to go portrait mode easily and also the in built ND, but otherwise the Em1ii more than meets my requirements at the moment. I actually dial down the fps as I get too many images and the battery life is pretty good.
I think the focusing on the EM1ii is massively better than on the Canon R. I still use my Canon 5Div if I have to photograph a football match under floodlights rather than my Oly as it does handle noise better, but mostly I just prefer using my Olympus system and you can carry a range of lenses without too much effort.
I know what you mean about near focusing distances. I was chuffed to be able to focus on a butterfly at my feet with my 100-400 Canon. The 300mm Oly is also impressively close.
I use the EM1ii with back button focusing. The Olympus menus are a bit tricky, as has been mentioned, and for BBF you have to set it up for each type of focusing, S-Af or C-Af. I did a post on it here #16,364 when someone asked how to set it up.
I think that the reason there aren't many people here with the EM1x is because many of us with the EM1ii feel they don't need to upgrade. I'd quite like the option to go portrait mode easily and also the in built ND, but otherwise the Em1ii more than meets my requirements at the moment. I actually dial down the fps as I get too many images and the battery life is pretty good.
I think the focusing on the EM1ii is massively better than on the Canon R. I still use my Canon 5Div if I have to photograph a football match under floodlights rather than my Oly as it does handle noise better, but mostly I just prefer using my Olympus system and you can carry a range of lenses without too much effort.
I know what you mean about near focusing distances. I was chuffed to be able to focus on a butterfly at my feet with my 100-400 Canon. The 300mm Oly is also impressively close.
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.... I am going to check what WEX would offer me in part exchange for my Canon 500mm but it's a good idea to also ask MPB - Thanks Jeff. I'll have to check if MPB buy without obliging me to part exchange.
Although I have a very good record re selling/buying on TP Classifieds, I can understand a private buyer wanting me to meet some distance from my home with the lens and without any guarantee of a sale. And so it potentially becomes a hassle and would doubtless be much easier to sell to WEX or MPB even though at lower price than if sold privately.
But although I haven't crunched the numbers yet, I think it's realistic to expect that selling all my Canon gear will easily cover the Olympus body plus three ED lenses and even go some way towards the yet to be released ED 150-400mm. Even without the 150-400mm I am able to match my existing specs of Canon gear with Olympus gear and even improve lens capabilities.
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RedRobin
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I have now ordered an E-M1X, ED 40-150mm PRO, MC-14 to test so I can decide about switching systems or not from Canon to Olympus. I can see the sense for some photographers in having both systems but my right choice of Oly ED lenses will match/cover the focal lengths of my Canon lenses. Keeping both the Canon and Olympus systems will defeat my desire for reducing weight and sizes. Also, it is more cost efficient for me to switch system.
Has anyone used a MC-20 Teleconverter 2x on the 40-150mm please? If so, your comments would be appreciated.
Has anyone used a MC-20 Teleconverter 2x on the 40-150mm please? If so, your comments would be appreciated.
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300mm definitely much sharper, better colour rendition and contrast too. Thanks for this, shows the 40-150mm with 2xTC is no substitute for the 300mm f4.
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the 2x works best if your subject is quite close to start with I find this with all tcs -using a tc on a subject that is too far away like the above is not the best way to go bare lens will always win but of cause you have to have the focal length
RedRobin
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the 2x works best if your subject is quite close to start with I find this with all tcs -using a tc on a subject that is too far away like the above is not the best way to go bare lens will always win but of cause you have to have the focal length
.... Thanks for posting this Robert - Much appreciated
. I assume that no post-processing has been applied, especially sharpening because that last image is mushy and would be totally unacceptable to me as presented here.As you say and also illustrate, a lens focal length is critical to 2x results. My Flickr album of images shot with Canon EF 500mm + 2x also illustrates this. But it was worth me asking just in case Olympus had managed a dark art magical solution.
So, it looks like I'll be buying an ED 300mm PRO + MC-20 as soon as I decide to keep the Olympus - I need that kind of reach simply to cover my wildlife (low maintenance) garden from my kitchen window hide. Plus I have 3 wildlife trips abroad in 2020, all benefitting from the extent of reach I am used to with my Canon system. In fact the Olympus lenses could increase my current reach which is 1000mm in DSLR-speak. I don't often shoot my EF 500mm without either a 1.4x or 2x mounted.
My future plan would be to possibly/probably replace the 300mm with an ED 100-400mm+1.4x PRO next summer when it is expected (according to Olympus UK).
Once I have added an ED 12-40mm PRO and ED Macro lens, I will have matched my total Canon range.
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.... That third image further proves that mounting a 2x on the 40-150mm gives totally unacceptable results - I think it is shockingly poor.
I'll find out when my Olympus gear arrives but I'm hoping I find that ED 40-150mm + 1.4x results are acceptable. It would be replacing my Canon EF 100-400mm L II and so without the MC-14 the equivalent is 80-300mm and with the MC-14 its equivalent is 112-420mm < Both zoom ranges being acceptable to me when compared with the Canon.
I know from Jeff that there are other alternative lenses such as Panasonic but I always prefer to stay with original brand lenses and the PRO spec is also important to me to match the weatherproofing of the M1X. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link and, for me and my photography, not having that weatherproofing standard throughout compromises having a M1X.
I know the ED Macro lens is not PRO spec but it is less critical on a macro lens due to different shooting conditions - Insects simply aren't available for portraits when it rains etc.
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.... Thanks Rob! This illustrates that the ED 300mm + 2x reaches basecamp and looking at that I would be fairly confident that my post-processing could transform it.
But as the ED 300mm is equivalent to a Canon EF 600mm natively I expect that I might not often mount a 2x on it but rather a 1.4x occasionally - It depends on the target. A future ED 100-400mm+1.4x internal is another level and would probably make shooting with the ED 300mm obselete for my photography.
I really think that Olympus are intentionally and directly giving the full-frame camera systems like Canon and Nikon serious competition with their PRO range. Will the paparazzi and sports pros adopt Olympus? Probably not but perhaps it depends on how mucky or snowy an outdoors sport is.
I previously found that the image I got from RAW with no changes looked poor and posted here about my struggles on getting my head around it.
However it really was just a matter that Olympus RAW files need to be treated differently to Canon/Nikon/Fujifilm files (required higher amounts of adjustments) but that's just because the Olympus are processing the data in camera differently to what I was used too. (As there is some image processing going on still even if it is RAW)
I would recommend when you test the camera to process the RAW files in a variety of programs to see which output you like best. I have found to be most happy with Capture one due to the fact they set a lot of the values/sliders to the correct amount because they have performed extensive testing with the Olympus kit already.
This saves me loads of time, however you could come up with your own solution in LR, On1 or Oly Workspace by experimenting & saving as a preset.
Now I am much happier with the results, but can see others who get better images still so clearly there is more I can do.
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It does work better on the 300f4 I rarely use the 2x but like to have it ,I think if say you were in a hide on a king fisher and low iso at f11 it would give very good IQ on the 300 pro.
and on this lens you get 7 stop is I think its 5 on 40/150 .
It all gets so involved lol
Rob.
and on this lens you get 7 stop is I think its 5 on 40/150 .
It all gets so involved lol
Rob.