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

This opened my eyes a lot this morning. Like many on here I can get 'obsessed' by having to have the 'best' or sharpest lens, and then I see shots like these taken with the £100 pancake 'kit' lens supplied with the entry level Ollies and see that they're better than anything I've shot. OK so street's not my forte and not something I've done a lot, but still. It makes me wonder why I bother paying the price carrying heavier gear around.

https://robinwong.blogspot.com/2015/09/5-reasons-why-your-kit-lens-is-awesome.html

.... Ooops! I'm sure you'll make gear decisions to best suit your needs and aspirations and we both know the potential qualities which only full-frame D-SLR can offer, but :D the best Olympus gear is very very good indeed (as you also already know). I say this having just returned from a trip to Greece where I shot about 9,000 images using 2 E-M1X bodies and 3 Pro lenses and not having to leave any lens behind each day. Yes I fell over but was not carrying any camera gear at the time.

If you are able to keep both the Nikon and Olympus systems you have then it's just a matter of choosing the right horse-for-the-course each session but if you find yourself not reaching for your Nikon very often, then perhaps it's time to streamline and get more out of the Olympus system.
 
Hi,

Have been using my EM1ii for almost the first time in anger recently and notice that it has a big blob on the sensor. It has a small round dark blob in the middle and then a larger concentric paler ring around it. I've read about oil on the sensor with some cameras; could that be the explanation?

And more importantly I can't find sensor clean in any of the menus or the manual. There must be a way of doing it......
 
Hi,

Have been using my EM1ii for almost the first time in anger recently and notice that it has a big blob on the sensor. It has a small round dark blob in the middle and then a larger concentric paler ring around it. I've read about oil on the sensor with some cameras; could that be the explanation?

And more importantly I can't find sensor clean in any of the menus or the manual. There must be a way of doing it......
I doesn't need a sensor cleaning mode it doesn't have a mirror to move out if the way.
It runs the sensor cleaning program on start up but it obviously hasn't shift this yet. Canon and Nikon have had oil issues not heard of Oly having this
 
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Hi,

Have been using my EM1ii for almost the first time in anger recently and notice that it has a big blob on the sensor. It has a small round dark blob in the middle and then a larger concentric paler ring around it. I've read about oil on the sensor with some cameras; could that be the explanation?

And more importantly I can't find sensor clean in any of the menus or the manual. There must be a way of doing it......
that's definitely not right , if you have a u.k purchased camera send it back for a exchange .. in any case contact Olympus customer services as they are really impressive
 
I'm thinking stabilisation plays a very big part, no coincidence that Olympus ibis has always been rated the best.
Not sure IBIS is effecting the IQ here tbh, but either way the result from the kit lens are impressive imo.
 
Not sure IBIS is effecting the IQ here tbh, but either way the result from the kit lens are impressive imo.
The 14-42 EZ is an amazing lens for is size and price
I like using it on the E-M5II as a small pocket camera
 
This opened my eyes a lot this morning. Like many on here I can get 'obsessed' by having to have the 'best' or sharpest lens, and then I see shots like these taken with the £100 pancake 'kit' lens supplied with the entry level Ollies and see that they're better than anything I've shot. OK so street's not my forte and not something I've done a lot, but still. It makes me wonder why I bother paying the price carrying heavier gear around.

https://robinwong.blogspot.com/2015/09/5-reasons-why-your-kit-lens-is-awesome.html

I'm a big fan of Robin Wong in general. He has a very pragmatic approach to his photography albeit with a strong pro Olympus viewpoint.
His street work or "shutter therapy" sessions usually pop up some interesting images.
He lives in quite a vibrant place with lot's going on, if you went for a wander in my village you'd be lucky to see another human being who wasn't in a car ;)

I guess the thing that's obvious about those images is he's shooting in what looks like decent light. When it's grim and dark then having an f2.8 lens is a clear advantage.
I'm a big fan of the little 14-42mm EZ lens on my E-M10ii, I've been seduced by the 12-40 PRO but I should probably give it another outing when the weather and light are a bit brighter.

It'll be interesting to see what the rumoured f4 "kit" zoom is like, it would be nice if it were decently small as well as reasonably fast.
 
I'm a big fan of Robin Wong in general. He has a very pragmatic approach to his photography albeit with a strong pro Olympus viewpoint.
His street work or "shutter therapy" sessions usually pop up some interesting images.
He lives in quite a vibrant place with lot's going on, if you went for a wander in my village you'd be lucky to see another human being who wasn't in a car ;)

I guess the thing that's obvious about those images is he's shooting in what looks like decent light. When it's grim and dark then having an f2.8 lens is a clear advantage.
I'm a big fan of the little 14-42mm EZ lens on my E-M10ii, I've been seduced by the 12-40 PRO but I should probably give it another outing when the weather and light are a bit brighter.

It'll be interesting to see what the rumoured f4 "kit" zoom is like, it would be nice if it were decently small as well as reasonably fast.
Yeah you're right about the light etc, but it just opened my eyes a little as I'd lost touch of what I used to know, in that the picture is what counts and not that it has ultimate sharpness. Those photos are far more interesting than anything I take, and are plenty sharp enough to boot.
 
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I doesn't need a sensor cleaning mode it doesn't have a mirror to move out if the way.
It runs the sensor cleaning program on start up but it obviously hasn't shift this yet. Canon and Nikon have had oil issues not heard of Oly having this

that's definitely not right , if you have a u.k purchased camera send it back for a exchange .. in any case contact Olympus customer services as they are really impressive

I can see when the blob first appeared : no lens changed involved. That suggests something internal......?
 
and to me , for some reason dirty sensors at this moment in time anyway don't appear to be a problem on olympus ..you dont mention the age of the camera or if its a grey one or not
 
I'm a big fan of Robin Wong in general. He has a very pragmatic approach to his photography albeit with a strong pro Olympus viewpoint.
His street work or "shutter therapy" sessions usually pop up some interesting images.
He lives in quite a vibrant place with lot's going on, if you went for a wander in my village you'd be lucky to see another human being who wasn't in a car ;)

I guess the thing that's obvious about those images is he's shooting in what looks like decent light. When it's grim and dark then having an f2.8 lens is a clear advantage.
I'm a big fan of the little 14-42mm EZ lens on my E-M10ii, I've been seduced by the 12-40 PRO but I should probably give it another outing when the weather and light are a bit brighter.

It'll be interesting to see what the rumoured f4 "kit" zoom is like, it would be nice if it were decently small as well as reasonably fast.
Forgot to say I do love the 12-40mm and I think the bokeh is pleasing too. However, it does get annoying when on Holiday or days out and you go to a cafe or restaurant or whatever and it still takes up half the table (including the peak design strap), it just feels like it gets in the way. I think I just need to separate holidays/days out from photography and think about what kit is most suitable. In these situations photos are always pretty much grab shots as my wife doesn't want her holiday's ruining by them becoming "photography holidays" which I totally understand.

I have a bit to mull over, but I'll not be making any snap decisions for sure. Things I've been looking at are the G5x-II 1" compact for ultimate compact size, maybe an EM10-III or EM5-II with Pancake zoom (or 12-45mm f4 if it's small and light), and the Fuji X-T200 (finally a Fuji with Bayer sensor) with 14-45mm or 18-55mm f2.8-4, all of which are considerably lighter and smaller than my EM1-II with 12-40mm f2.8.
 
and to me , for some reason dirty sensors at this moment in time anyway don't appear to be a problem on olympus ..you dont mention the age of the camera or if its a grey one or not


Its about 2 - 3 months old and barely used. Bought from HDEW so probably grey.

The blob doesn't look like any dust speck I've ever seen before.
 
I doesn't need a sensor cleaning mode it doesn't have a mirror to move out if the way.
It runs the sensor cleaning program on start up but it obviously hasn't shift this yet. Canon and Nikon have had oil issues not heard of Oly having this
I assume the means the sensor clean rather than cleaning mode (mirror up) that you needed to do a manual clean with DSLRs
Its about 2 - 3 months old and barely used. Bought from HDEW so probably grey.

The blob doesn't look like any dust speck I've ever seen before.
Can you physically see the blob on the sensor when you look inside or is it just on images? Can you post a pic?
 
Forgot to say I do love the 12-40mm and I think the bokeh is pleasing too. However, it does get annoying when on Holiday or days out and you go to a cafe or restaurant or whatever and it still takes up half the table (including the peak design strap), it just feels like it gets in the way. I think I just need to separate holidays/days out from photography and think about what kit is most suitable. In these situations photos are always pretty much grab shots as my wife doesn't want her holiday's ruining by them becoming "photography holidays" which I totally understand.

I have a bit to mull over, but I'll not be making any snap decisions for sure. Things I've been looking at are the G5x-II 1" compact for ultimate compact size, maybe an EM10-III or EM5-II with Pancake zoom (or 12-45mm f4 if it's small and light), and the Fuji X-T200 (finally a Fuji with Bayer sensor) with 14-45mm or 18-55mm f2.8-4, all of which are considerably lighter and smaller than my EM1-II with 12-40mm f2.8.

I know what you mean about half the table :) and that's the E-M10ii with the 12-40PRO. I don't get Photography holidays so I carry as little as is reasonable and grab what I can when I can :)
I wouldn't bother with the E-M10iii unless 4K video is your thing, there are lots of things wrong with it (IMHO) I believe I read over at e-group that it can't do HDR or bracketing in S/A/M modes which seemed very weird - only in iAuto and SCN modes.

SRS have the E-M10ii at great prices - £230 body only it was even cheaper at one point. I think that with the EZ is the smallest possible solution that meets my needs (EVF, pop up flash for fill in etc.) I've tried other pocket cameras and they just don't get used. YMMV :)
https://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/c.../olympus-csc-cameras.html?dir=asc&order=price
 
I know what you mean about half the table :) and that's the E-M10ii with the 12-40PRO. I don't get Photography holidays so I carry as little as is reasonable and grab what I can when I can :)
I wouldn't bother with the E-M10iii unless 4K video is your thing, there are lots of things wrong with it (IMHO) I believe I read over at e-group that it can't do HDR or bracketing in S/A/M modes which seemed very weird - only in iAuto and SCN modes.

SRS have the E-M10ii at great prices - £230 body only it was even cheaper at one point. I think that with the EZ is the smallest possible solution that meets my needs (EVF, pop up flash for fill in etc.) I've tried other pocket cameras and they just don't get used. YMMV :)
https://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/c.../olympus-csc-cameras.html?dir=asc&order=price
Interesting about the HDR. I’d obviously do some proper research if I start to think about it seriously. At £350 grey for the EM5-II it’s hard to look past.

One thing I don’t get with Olympus is that they seem to be at the forefront of a lot of tech and features (such as live composite) but have never offered sweep panorama, a feature I tend to use at least once on holiday.
 
Its about 2 - 3 months old and barely used. Bought from HDEW so probably grey.

The blob doesn't look like any dust speck I've ever seen before.
Well that’s a relief ,contact H.dew and get it sent to there repairer centre ( Johnson’s Glasgow ) I believe .. having had to have a lens from h.dew repaired I know it’s genuine .. don’t try and do it yourself .. give h.dew a ring and get the ball rolling
 
The blob -

_1230184.jpg

it's the thing towards the bottom left. I have bumped the black and white points up to make it clearer.

And in case you're wondering about the rest of the image, it's a brocken spectre seen yeterday in the Rheidol valley, although unfortunately a rather faint one.........
 
The blob -

View attachment 266697

it's the thing towards the bottom left. I have bumped the black and white points up to make it clearer.

And in case you're wondering about the rest of the image, it's a brocken spectre seen yeterday in the Rheidol valley, although unfortunately a rather faint one.........
Odd one that, contact HDEW/Olympus and see what they say as they may advise not trying to clean it yourself.
 
if nothing else thats a relief . might have been a air borne spore that decided it like the dark environment and decided to multiply a good result though . I presume the other lens/camera is now all o.k
 
Interesting about the HDR. I’d obviously do some proper research if I start to think about it seriously. At £350 grey for the EM5-II it’s hard to look past.

One thing I don’t get with Olympus is that they seem to be at the forefront of a lot of tech and features (such as live composite) but have never offered sweep panorama, a feature I tend to use at least once on holiday.
I know what you mean about panoramas
 
Not that we need to be told the results, but I found this video comparing prints from a Canon 5DIV and EM1-II and it seemed to surprise them (I skipped most of it tbh and just viewed from the bit when they actually start comparing prints).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGn3yPl59ZM
 
I should have swapped lenses. There was a circular mark on the glass which I have removed with difficulty. It has cleared the blob - but where did it come from?

:exit:
:ROFLMAO:
Bit embarrassing really.......but I really don't remember changing lenses and it arrived quite suddenly. Anyway, as you say, its a bit of a relief.
Could have been some pollen, that's quite difficult to get off.
 
I'll drip feed more pics from my trip to Lake Kerkini in Greece in due course and also post a link to the album on Flickr I have only just started.

But after about 9,000 shots in 4 days I am still culling and post-processing.

This trip has proved to me beyond any doubt that, much as I loved my Canon system, the Olympus E-M1X Pro system suits me much better. However any smaller size/weight Olympus or m4/3 would not interest me at all for the photography I do.

During one sortie in an open fishing boat I placed one of my two identical cameras (with different lens mounted) on the floor of the boat and accidentally got thick soft mud from the top of my boot all over the back of the body. It was no problem whatsoever and after cleaning you cannot tell which body got dirty.

The M1X rugged build and weatherproofing also enabled me to place it on the beach and use the articulated screen to see what I wanted to shoot.

Due to conditions I was unable to take any landscape shots up in the mountains but am going to another part of Northern Greece for a longer period in April and there will definitely be landscape opportunities to use High-Res options. Also, Macro.

DALMATIAN PELICAN IN THE PINK LIGHT OF DAWN by Robin Procter, on Flickr
 
I'll drip feed more pics from my trip to Lake Kerkini in Greece in due course and also post a link to the album on Flickr I have only just started.

But after about 9,000 shots in 4 days I am still culling and post-processing.

This trip has proved to me beyond any doubt that, much as I loved my Canon system, the Olympus E-M1X Pro system suits me much better. However any smaller size/weight Olympus or m4/3 would not interest me at all for the photography I do.

During one sortie in an open fishing boat I placed one of my two identical cameras (with different lens mounted) on the floor of the boat and accidentally got thick soft mud from the top of my boot all over the back of the body. It was no problem whatsoever and after cleaning you cannot tell which body got dirty.

The M1X rugged build and weatherproofing also enabled me to place it on the beach and use the articulated screen to see what I wanted to shoot.

Due to conditions I was unable to take any landscape shots up in the mountains but am going to another part of Northern Greece for a longer period in April and there will definitely be landscape opportunities to use High-Res options. Also, Macro.

DALMATIAN PELICAN IN THE PINK LIGHT OF DAWN by Robin Procter, on Flickr

Fabulous Rob
 
Has anyone here tried the E-M5 mark ii alongside the E-M1 mark 1 or gone from one body to the other?
What were the conclusions, was either preferble to the other and if so in what areas please?
I have both and use both
I prefer the E-M1 for macro with sigma 105 f2.8 as it is large and use the grip handheld.
For most other stuff I use the EM5ii
 
Thank you. I have the M5ii and love it but just find the grip on it a bit fiddly. Wondering wether to get a E-M1 and sell the M5, looks like the M5 sells for more so I'd have a bit of spare csh too but don't want a downgrade in any way.
I have both and use both
I prefer the E-M1 for macro with sigma 105 f2.8 as it is large and use the grip handheld.
For most other stuff I use the EM5ii
 
Thank you. I have the M5ii and love it but just find the grip on it a bit fiddly. Wondering wether to get a E-M1 and sell the M5, looks like the M5 sells for more so I'd have a bit of spare csh too but don't want a downgrade in any way.
You will lose hi res mode
Have you considered a grip for the EM5ii
 
Has anyone here tried the E-M5 mark ii alongside the E-M1 mark 1 or gone from one body to the other?
What were the conclusions, was either preferble to the other and if so in what areas please?
I had the EM5-II and then the EM1. As a whole I like the EM5-II better, BUT if you're going to be using the heavier lenses (12-40mm f2.8 and bigger) then the form factor of the EM1 is much better, and why I went for this on my second venture with Olympus rather than having another EM5-II.
 
I think you meen Redshank Jeff.
Rob.
 
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