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

Fabulous results there Robin. I use Affinity Photo, but I haven't yet for stacking.

The only hiccups I've had so far have been when it's been windy and the subject has moved.

Presumably because I usually only shoot RAW, I find that when I use the onboard stacking, it still gives me all the raw files as well as the jpegs, so I could also use Affinity as well as having the jpeg produced onboard. As yet, I haven't bothered, I've always been amazed at how good the jpegs are.

It makes sense to use less slices for animate objects and to use bracketing, rather than stacking (which I have only used for flowers anyway). I will have to give this a go - thanks for sharing!

.... Movement of the subject whether inanimate or animate is what messes up Focus Bracketing/Stacking - This is primarily why I shoot on a monopod even on the 40-150mm+1.4x combo. I find that Affinity is excellent at the first stage of aligning all the 'slices'.

In Affinity Photo use File > New Focus Merge, not New Focus Stack. And Export, not Save, as a TIF back into your main RAW editor. I don't do any RAW file adjustments until I have created my satisfactorily merged image file. Then I delete the slices.

Onboard Focus Stacking on the Olympus TG-6 doesn't offer the RAW files which result in a successfully* stacked JPEG < *It is only successful if all the onboard criteria are met and failure rate can be quite high. But the TG-6 also offers Focus Bracketing in RAW and let's you get ridiculously close to the subject.

Onboard Focus Stacking on the E-M1X (and doubtless the other M1 series bodies) is limited to both the number of brackets and differentials whereas onboard Focus Bracketing is not limited.

Another difference is that Focus Stacking will start bracketing backwards and forwards from your chosen AF spot whereas Focus Bracketing always only works backwards (into the distance) from your chosen AF start spot. Consequently Focus Bracketing offers far more extensive control of your background and its bokeh.

I have spent literally several hours chatting to Olympus about how this feature works and they have taught me what I am sharing here now in addition to my direct experience. This morning I went into my 1.5 acre 'BackYard' wilderness and shot over 700 images further getting familiar with Focus Bracketing, this time on the 40-150mm + 1.4x combo (on M1X). I have explored onboard Stacking on the TG-6 but not on the M1X yet.

If you don't already know, you can allocate one button to toggle between Bracketing On/Off by first saving your bracketing settings to a C-mode dial. I never ever shoot video and so have chosen the red button. This toggle is extremely useful in the field because it means you can grab a shot in the bag in normal mode (fully Manual in my case) and then think "hang on, he/she is staying dead still so I'll have a go at Bracketing".
 
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to any one that uses LR/PS there have been some fairly big updates today including to camera raw .. just done them all and there does seem to be a improvement . so worth updating
 
.... Movement of the subject whether inanimate or animate is what messes up Focus Bracketing/Stacking - This is primarily why I shoot on a monopod even on the 40-150mm+1.4x combo. I find that Affinity is excellent at the first stage of aligning all the 'slices'.

In Affinity Photo use File > New Focus Merge, not New Focus Stack. And Export, not Save, as a TIF back into your main RAW editor. I don't do any RAW file adjustments until I have created my satisfactorily merged image file. Then I delete the slices.

Onboard Focus Stacking on the Olympus TG-6 doesn't offer the RAW files which result in a successfully* stacked JPEG < *It is only successful if all the onboard criteria are met and failure rate can be quite high.

Onboard Focus Stacking on the E-M1X (and doubtless the other M1 series bodies) is limited to both the number of brackets and differentials whereas onboard Focus Bracketing is not limited.

Another difference is that Focus Stacking will start bracketing backwards and forwards from your chosen AF spot whereas Focus Bracketing always only works backwards (into the distance) from your chosen AF start spot. Consequently Focus Bracketing offers far more extensive control of your background and its bokeh.

I have spent literally several hours chatting to Olympus about how this feature works and they have taught me what I am sharing here now in addition to my direct experience. This morning I went into my 1.5 acre 'BackYard' wilderness and shot over 700 images further getting familiar with Focus Bracketing, this time on the 40-150mm + 1.4x combo (on M1X). I have explored onboard Stacking on the TG-6 but not on the M1X yet.

If you don't already know, you can allocate one button to toggle between Bracketing On/Off by first saving your bracketing settings to a C-mode dial. I never ever shoot video and so have chosen the red button. This toggle is extremely useful in the field because it means you can grab a shot in the bag in normal mode (fully Manual in my case) and then think "hang on, he/she is staying dead still so I'll have a go at Bracketing".
Brilliant - thanks for sharing that Robin - I will save this in a note for when I next have a go - which may well be this week for the 52.

I agree that knowing you are starting at the front and heading backwards leaves less guesswork. I like the idea of a bit more control.

Last Autumn when shooting fungi and landscapes, I put my focus stacking into C1, but I have now dedicated a button to bracketing - one of the buttons on the front of the Em1iii so that I can quickly turn it on and off with my eye to the viewfinder. I haven't used it in the field since setting it up, so I'll see how I get on - could change it to be C1.

For a while I set my L Fn button to be C1. Recently I've been playing with having that set to Focus Limiter - which caught me out the other day when a bird landed really close and I'd accidentally hit it :rolleyes: :rolleyes: My usual modus operandi is to shoot in Manual mode with auto ISO.

Thanks again
 
Brilliant - thanks for sharing that Robin - I will save this in a note for when I next have a go - which may well be this week for the 52.

I agree that knowing you are starting at the front and heading backwards leaves less guesswork. I like the idea of a bit more control.

Last Autumn when shooting fungi and landscapes, I put my focus stacking into C1, but I have now dedicated a button to bracketing - one of the buttons on the front of the Em1iii so that I can quickly turn it on and off with my eye to the viewfinder. I haven't used it in the field since setting it up, so I'll see how I get on - could change it to be C1.

For a while I set my L Fn button to be C1. Recently I've been playing with having that set to Focus Limiter - which caught me out the other day when a bird landed really close and I'd accidentally hit it :rolleyes: :rolleyes: My usual modus operandi is to shoot in Manual mode with auto ISO.

Thanks again

..... You are very welcome :)

That's a very very very good idea to allocate one of the two front buttons as a toggle for C1 (or other desired Custom Mode) and hence your Focus Bracketing settings - Cheers! I shall now reallocate it from my red video button which isn't easily accessed when shooting in portrait orientation on the M1X. A front button is also extremely easy to operate with a second finger while the index finger is on the shutter and thumb on the back button focus - YAY!!!

The ED 100-400mm doesn't have a L-Fn button on the lens but although certainly useful as a shortcut to something it's not ideal when you are also zooming and manual focus fine tuning on the fly while trying to capture a wildlife shot and especially while also holding a monopod.

I sometimes miss the full-frame image quality of my Canon 1DX-2 but I find the Olympus E-M1X far more satisfying and enabling to shoot with.
 
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There are so many options, I'm glad to have reminded you of another one @RedRobin :D I often tweak my set up, sometimes to my detriment, as recently with the focus limiter.

I have a Canon R5, and sometimes find it hard to decide which to use, but it's usually determined by how far I'll be carrying it and how much I might have to crop images, and perhaps how dark it is. The animal eye detect is superb on the R5, but the 'normal' focusing is superior on the Olympus, I think. I just love all the functionality of the Olympus cameras and they are fun to use.

Any news yet on when you might get the 150-400? When I think how short life is, I am tempted to sell some kit and indulge myself, but the wait is going to be a very long one I suspect.
 
Canon R5 vs Olympus M1X, eh? There is no such thing as the perfect camera (or perfect lens) :D. If I had stayed with Canon I would be shooting with a R5.

Any news yet on when you might get the 150-400? When I think how short life is, I am tempted to sell some kit and indulge myself, but the wait is going to be a very long one I suspect.

.... No news yet - I'll just get an email from WEX when they have my pre-ordered one ready to ship to me.

Word on the street is that if you haven't already pre-ordered one in 2020, you could be waiting anything from 12-18 months if you order one now. I can't imagine that Olympus are willingly going to let such an embarrassing delay happen. It's not helped by the world pandemic's effect on international transport, nor the extra bureaucracy created by Brexit plus it's a very sophisticated lens to manufacture requiring guaranteed high standards to the user.
 
up at 4 a.m for a mad cross country dash from north Wales to bempton cliffs in East Yorkshire this is the only one I'll be doing tonight but theres a few hundred top quality shots to process
its a family affair by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr
 
Love the colours in this one Jeff.

Rob.
 
Canon R5 vs Olympus M1X, eh? There is no such thing as the perfect camera (or perfect lens) :D. If I had stayed with Canon I would be shooting with a R5.



.... No news yet - I'll just get an email from WEX when they have my pre-ordered one ready to ship to me.

Word on the street is that if you haven't already pre-ordered one in 2020, you could be waiting anything from 12-18 months if you order one now. I can't imagine that Olympus are willingly going to let such an embarrassing delay happen. It's not helped by the world pandemic's effect on international transport, nor the extra bureaucracy created by Brexit plus it's a very sophisticated lens to manufacture requiring guaranteed high standards to the user.
Completely agree, no perfect camera or lens.

I watched an interview where they discussed the lens - I expect we all did - it sounded like they actually closed the production line down and will have to restart it. I reckon it will be a great lens.

I can’t wait for circulation to improve of camera gear in general. I have a friend who can’t get hold of a 1.4 extender at the moment, and the 100-400 doesn’t seem to be around either (just window shopping ).
 
another gannet shot from yesterday , what looks like dust bunnies is the myriad of flies around the cliffs ,(checked just in case) still got hundreds to plough through .
ready or not by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr
 
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I tried some focus stacking and some focus bracketing this morning - foggy and wet here. Also had a first try at @RedRobin 's method using Affinity Photo. Quite pleased with the results. I haven't quite got enough in focus for my tastes here, but that is user error. I'm impressed with Affinity.

I was originally planning on getting the web underneath, but then I quite liked this grass head poking through it.

Do you ever manually focus @RedRobin, or do you always let the camera stack?

20210610_BC2122373_week22.jpg
 
I tried some focus stacking and some focus bracketing this morning - foggy and wet here. Also had a first try at @RedRobin 's method using Affinity Photo. Quite pleased with the results. I haven't quite got enough in focus for my tastes here, but that is user error. I'm impressed with Affinity.

I was originally planning on getting the web underneath, but then I quite liked this grass head poking through it.

Do you ever manually focus @RedRobin, or do you always let the camera stack?

.... I really like the simplicity and also speed with which Affinity Photo 1.9.3 (latest version I think) merges Focus Bracketed images < I call them 'slices'. Btw, I find it best to add the slices from within Affinity rather than export from my RAW editor Capture One. Finally I Export the completed image as a TIFF back into Capture One for its first RAW editing adjustments.

Do you find that the process of merging reduces colour? Consequently my first edit adjustment is to increase the colour saturation and that seems to bring it all back.

Another advantage of manually choosing the slices for merger rather than having the camera automatically stack them onboard, is that it teaches you what inter-slice Differentials set in the camera suit you best. I started in the middle at Differential 5 but am now about to move to 3 for closer slices and more focus drop off in the background. I am currently set at 10 slices because the more slices set on a live subject the longer you need them to remain still and the longer time your camera is busy. I would expect landscape photos to give better results with different bracketing settings.

Coincidentally I shot a funnel spider web full of dew drops the other morning but the spider spotted me and disappeared out of sight. But I will be merging what I captured today and will post.

My ED 100-400mm has recently developed a fault which renders the MF ring dysfunctional - It moves as smoothly as ever but does not instruct the lens internals what to do. I have had very thorough conversations with Olympus tech support and our joint conclusion is that the lens needs to be sent to them for repair - Fortunately it's under warranty until September 2022. Let's hope that my replacement ED 150-400mm+1.25x Pro arrives in time! So this means that I am currently unable to investigate MF with Focus Bracketing on that lens. However, I have now switched to my ED 40-150mm + 2x to investigate how to use MF when fine tuning Focus Bracketing.

The 40-150mm has less reach but has a Minimum Focus Distance (MFD) of about 28 inches compared with about 6 ft on the 100-400mm. Being a Pro lens, the 40-150mm has the very useful MF clutch and is also a wider aperture lens. You can begin to see why I want the 150-400mm Pro can't you!

To answer your manual focus question, I never manually adjust the focus ring when Focus Bracketing as it's both much faster and more reliable to let the camera adjust the focussing onboard. Also, I have been using a monopod with two-way head and spike foot not tripod to help maintain the shooting position for subsequent auto alignment in Affinity. Note that I have only been shooting living minibeasts when bracketing.

However, when it stops drizzling with very grey skies here I am going to investigate the following technique :

1) - Zooming the lens and Back Button AF (BBF) to find the target minibeast.

2) - Keep Shutter remaining half depressed, not lifted to avoid it automatically refocussing when half depressed again.

3) - Slip the MF clutch to MF so that the MF ring will display Focus Peaking so you can decide more precisely where you want the Focus Bracketing to start. Changing the aperture will also valuably display the in-focus range.

4) - Slip the MF clutch back to AF so that the camera is then able to capture the preset slices when the shutter is fired. It is important to keep the thumb off the BBF and the shutter remaining half depressed so that the camera does not automatically autofocus on a spot you don't want it to. In all AF modes it's not currently possible to disengage AF from the shutter button unless you keep it half depressed.

An alternative to using the Focus Peaking display, which currently only works in MF mode, is to set the Focus Ring to Magnify but it also magnifies your camera movement and importantly when Focus Bracketing it doesn't display the whole subject of course which you need to see to help your focussing decision.

[Robin goes off to check if the 150-400mm Pro lens has a MF clutch - I hope so!] < EDIT: Unfortunately, unlike the other Pro lenses it doesn't have a Manual Focus Clutch so hopefully the AF-MF switch is well positioned to easily operate in the field while still in the viewfinder. MFD is 1.3m / 4ft 3ins.
 
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.... I really like the simplicity and also speed with which Affinity Photo 1.9.3 (latest version I think) merges Focus Bracketed images < I call them 'slices'. Btw, I find it best to add the slices from within Affinity rather than export from my RAW editor Capture One. Finally I Export the completed image as a TIFF back into Capture One for its first RAW editing adjustments.

Do you find that the process of merging reduces colour? Consequently my first edit adjustment is to increase the colour saturation and that seems to bring it all back.

Another advantage of manually choosing the slices for merger rather than having the camera automatically stack them onboard, is that it teaches you what inter-slice Differentials set in the camera suit you best. I started in the middle at Differential 5 but am now about to move to 3 for closer slices and more focus drop off in the background. I am currently set at 10 slices because the more slices set on a live subject the longer you need them to remain still and the longer time your camera is busy. I would expect landscape photos to give better results with different bracketing settings.

Coincidentally I shot a funnel spider web full of dew drops the other morning but the spider spotted me and disappeared out of sight. But I will be merging what I captured today and will post.

My ED 100-400mm has recently developed a fault which renders the MF ring dysfunctional - It moves as smoothly as ever but does not instruct the lens internals what to do. I have had very thorough conversations with Olympus tech support and our joint conclusion is that the lens needs to be sent to them for repair - Fortunately it's under warranty until September 2022. Let's hope that my replacement ED 150-400mm+1.25x Pro arrives in time! So this means that I am currently unable to investigate MF with Focus Bracketing on that lens. However, I have now switched to my ED 40-150mm + 2x to investigate how to use MF when fine tuning Focus Bracketing.

The 40-150mm has less reach but has a Minimum Focus Distance (MFD) of about 28 inches compared with about 6 ft on the 100-400mm. Being a Pro lens, the 40-150mm has the very useful MF clutch and is also a wider aperture lens. You can begin to see why I want the 150-400mm Pro can't you!

To answer your manual focus question, I never manually adjust the focus ring when Focus Bracketing as it's both much faster and more reliable to let the camera adjust the focussing onboard. Also, I have been using a monopod with two-way head and spike foot not tripod to help maintain the shooting position for subsequent auto alignment in Affinity. Note that I have only been shooting living minibeasts when bracketing.

However, when it stops drizzling with very grey skies here I am going to investigate the following technique :

1) - Zooming the lens and Back Button AF (BBF) to find the target minibeast.

2) - Keep Shutter remaining half depressed, not lifted to avoid it automatically refocussing when half depressed again.

3) - Slip the MF clutch to MF so that the MF ring will display Focus Peaking so you can decide more precisely where you want the Focus Bracketing to start. Changing the aperture will also valuably display the in-focus range.

4) - Slip the MF clutch back to AF so that the camera is then able to capture the preset slices when the shutter is fired. It is important to keep the thumb off the BBF and the shutter remaining half depressed so that the camera does not automatically autofocus on a spot you don't want it to. In all AF modes it's not currently possible to disengage AF from the shutter button unless you keep it half depressed.

An alternative to using the Focus Peaking display, which currently only works in MF mode, is to set the Focus Ring to Magnify but it also magnifies your camera movement and importantly when Focus Bracketing it doesn't display the whole subject of course which you need to see to help your focussing decision.

[Robin goes off to check if the 150-400mm Pro lens has a MF clutch - I hope so!] < EDIT: Unfortunately, unlike the other Pro lenses it doesn't have a Manual Focus Clutch so hopefully the AF-MF switch is well positioned to easily operate in the field while still in the viewfinder. MFD is 1.3m / 4ft 3ins.
Quick reply from me, but thank you for such a comprehensive reply.
1st thoughts - disappointing the 150-400 doesn’t have a MF clutch. Great MFD though!

When looking for birds, I change my settings to allow manual focus at the same time as C-Af (I use BBF). It just enables a bit more control (silently) if it‘s not quite focusing on the bird for some reason. In others scenarios, I leave MF to the clutch only.

My grass image was about 7 images (slices) chosen from a set of 15 - and it was a funnel web spider’s web behind.

I'm amazed at what a good job Affinity did - thanks for the info.
 
Hi all, just wanted to ask a few questions, but first let me explain
having sold all my Sony gear just as Covid started last year R3 GM glass etc, I still had my M4/3 Cameras EM10 mk3 and Lumix G9
Last week I had the option to look at some Olympus Glass that had been left in a will, the guy is my brother best friend
I went over yesterday and my eyes popped out my head, everything worth having in M4/3 land was on the table, after much looking and salivating I asked how much he wanted for my chosen units and we agreed a price of £1500. I came away with

17mm F1.2 Pro
25mm F1.2 pro
75mm F1.8 Unsure if its pro, but its the expensive one
10-40 F2.8 pro
40-150 F2.8 Pro + MC14
8mm Fisheye Pro
Voightlander Norton 0.95 42.5mm
Voightlander Notron 0.95 25.mm
14-42 Lumix Pancake
EM1 MK1
Tripods
Bags
Books
FL-600R flash

I think I did ok. But my question
75mm F1.8 what do you all use it for, Portraits ? walkabout 150 ?
And secondly 8mm Fisheye I used it yesterday and it wasn't fisheye, I did see the mk2 and Mk3 em1 has fisheye correction, but does my little EM10 mk3 have it also ? I couldn't locate it... very weird, but man is it wide :)

Next plan is to buy a MK3 EM1 as its kinda what I was going to get, I was just hanging in to see if a MK4 dropped. Im glad this happened the way it did as I was about to drop money on a New Sony R4 and glass, but now I've backed off..

Thanks
 
I use my 75mm 1.8 at concerts and gigs (obviously it has been gathering dust for a while now). It's a lovely, sharp lens. My only quibble is that the throw of the lens when focusing is too great. I have a second hand silver version and I'd really prefer black :) It's a shame it doesn't have the manual focusing clutch.
 
I use my 75mm 1.8 at concerts and gigs (obviously it has been gathering dust for a while now). It's a lovely, sharp lens. My only quibble is that the throw of the lens when focusing is too great. I have a second hand silver version and I'd really prefer black :) It's a shame it doesn't have the manual focusing clutch.
This one I have is the Black one, I got there a little too late as he also had
42.5 Panasonic Nocto
12-100 F4
em1 mk2
100-400 Panasonic zoom.

But a guy in the factory got them :(
 
You got a good deal there . A 1-mkii or mkiii will give you stunning results with any of those lenses
 
Quick reply from me, but thank you for such a comprehensive reply.
1st thoughts - disappointing the 150-400 doesn’t have a MF clutch. Great MFD though!

When looking for birds, I change my settings to allow manual focus at the same time as C-Af (I use BBF). It just enables a bit more control (silently) if it‘s not quite focusing on the bird for some reason. In others scenarios, I leave MF to the clutch only.

My grass image was about 7 images (slices) chosen from a set of 15 - and it was a funnel web spider’s web behind.

I'm amazed at what a good job Affinity did - thanks for the info.

.... Yes, I think Olympus missed a trick leaving out the MF Clutch on their flagship lens - Much easier to use than a recessed switch! But I'll reserve my final judgement on this until I get it in my hands and am shooting it in the field.

I use the same technique as you - BBF and mostly either S-AF[MF] or C-AF[MF]. It's a shame that you have to select the full MF option to then activate Focus Peaking but perhaps the M1X mk2 will resolve that.
 
I have had the replacement decoration collar for my 100-400 for a few months to take off the tripod mount and save some more weight . When I initially tried it it didn’t seem to lock on ,but reading a post today somewhere on the interwebby ,some one said fit and give it a extra click ,voila it worked nice fit now locked on solid . Make using it from the car easier and for hand holding
 
Anybody have a way of storing spare BLH-1 battery whilst in the camera bag to protest the contacts - bag, plastic holder etc?
I use a Tesco snack bag which has a resealable zip lock type closure. Another one for the lens cloth I never remember to use.
Over at the e-group forums they've discussed 3d printed covers for the contacts on and off over the years. I never needed one.
 
own compartment in camera bag ,with some lens cloths wrapped round .but TBH I dont think I have EVER yet had to change a battery in the field .. last week at bempton 817 shots and when I got home and checked 37% battery life remaining
 
own compartment in camera bag ,with some lens cloths wrapped round .but TBH I dont think I have EVER yet had to change a battery in the field .. last week at bempton 817 shots and when I got home and checked 37% battery life remaining

Thanks Jeff.
Curiously, I have found that when I stay in one place and take many shots, then maybe switch off and move and then take many shots again, the battery perofrms just as you have found. Yet one day I just meandered around Leighton Moss for a few hours, leaving it switched on (it went into sleep mode now and again) but not taking many shots, the battery seemed to drain much more quickly. This particular day it went down to about 15% and that has prompted me to get a second battery.
 
You don’t need it active while wandering and as it springs back to life instantly yes it’s best to switch off and on , I always keep my screen turned in as well (apart from chimping ) plus my EVF is set to live ,so it’s basically starting to aquire focus as I bring it to my eye .. yes I still get oof shots but I get a hell of a lot in focus to .. I also shoot in high speed burst around 13 FPS finding this to give a far higher keeper rate each to there own .. spent a good hour today practising on the gulls down the estuary and fine tuning a few settings on the camera that were peeing me off ,seems to have worked though
 
just spent a hour or so with my flock of friendly gulls down the estuary .. fine tuning the 1-mk3 to my liking .. there were a couple of things that have been annoying to me and the way I work . i.e I switched on highlight and lowlight alerts some may like it but I found it annoying , also my EVF while fine in sunlight has been quite dim on cloudy days . both now adjusted to my liking .. this is the problem with following u.tube settings videos your also inputting what other people like rather than what suits you .. I have to admit I have found this camera to be harder to get right than the mk2 but its now falling into place nicely and got some good shots on a dull grey day (sea mist ) will post a couple of shots later after p.p only gulls but perfect targets for adjusting settings ... with the help of some Aldi sliced bread a few samples from the session flight practice 5 .jpgflight practise 1.jpgflight practise 2 .jpgflight practise 3.jpg
 
own compartment in camera bag ,with some lens cloths wrapped round .but TBH I dont think I have EVER yet had to change a battery in the field .. last week at bempton 817 shots and when I got home and checked 37% battery life remaining


That's incredible!.

And just a quick heads up, juvenile would refer only to one of this year's birds so your most recent pic would be better described as an immature or subadult.
 
grey heron landing from today hand held ,uncropped image ,100-400 +1.4tc made a few changes to settings yesterday looks like they worked
parachute landing by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr
 
Anybody have a way of storing spare BLH-1 battery whilst in the camera bag to protest the contacts - bag, plastic holder etc?

.... When I bought several spare batteries for my M1X from Olympus they each came in their own semi-opaque box and with a triangular small opening which you can use to indicate whether the battery is full or empty by the battery face you display uppermost. You don't want to sweat your batteries in a totally sealed bag.

I keep two boxed batteries at a time in a neoprene RRS pouch inside a small Lowepro pouch on my Peak chest strap < All equals total weatherproofing.
 
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