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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Olympus OM-D EM-1 (1 Viewer)

E-M1 has 37 focus points in PDAF mode, but none of these points is cross. If I remember corect, all points are horizontal rows.

E-3 and E-5 have "only" 11 focus points, but all are cross.

The consequence is clear - in some situations E-M1 will have dificulties to find the focus, especially in low light.

The focus speed is visible improved on E-M1, if the focus-point size in PDAF mode is increased.
I am wonder if you, Ned, tried to increase the size of the focus point in PDAF. Because in this case I noticed big improvment in focus speed (I tested with 50-200 SWD in low-light).

It was told to me by an Olympus guy that E-M1 is still better than E-5 on C-AF. I believe that this is true, but probably only in day light where the lack of missing cross-focus-points do not have an major impact.
E-M1 still focuses better than E5 with some lenses, even in low-light. By example 50mm F/2 is faster on E-M1 than on E-5.

6.5 fps in C-AF mode is not bad at all. Is better than D800, D7000 and many other cameras.
And 50 pictures buffer can be found only in PRO cameras like D4.

As the first PDAF camera of Olympus, I think they made a very good job. As E-5 owner, I consider this camera as upgrade. When the time will come I will not hesitate to buy it.

-

No way the EM-1 can focus better than the E-5 in C-AF mode. I don't care what anyone from Olympus may say about this. And I bet they don't shoot birds :-D
 
I've been persevering with the EM-1 and the Olympus 75-300 for birds in flight. A few tweaks to the settings, and, more importantly, some good light, made a big difference. I still had plenty of "misses", but my ratio of keepers definitely went up. The attached pics were all taken using continuous autofocus.

Malcolm
 

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I'm hopeless at estimating distance. I would guess somewhere around 20-25 yards. All the pics are pretty heavy crops. I've attached an uncropped version of the bar-tailed godwit pic to give you some idea.

Malcolm
 

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I've been persevering with the EM-1 and the Olympus 75-300 for birds in flight. A few tweaks to the settings, and, more importantly, some good light, made a big difference. I still had plenty of "misses", but my ratio of keepers definitely went up. The attached pics were all taken using continuous autofocus.

Malcolm
They look good Malcolm. I especially like the Godwits. You seem to be getting to grips with the Continuous Autofocus. There has been a distinct shortage of birds for me on the couple of occasions when I have been out with my camera recently, so I haven't had the chance to practise BIF shots. Perhaps this weekend …

Ron
 
Thanks, Ron. Yes, it's frustrating when you go out and the birds don't "play ball" - especially if the light's good, which it so rarely is at this time of year.

Malcolm
 
Olympus have just released a firmware update 1.1 which addresses the following issues:

- Compensation for chromatic aberration is supported when using the E-M1 and Panasonic’s LUMIX G VARIO 14-140mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH./POWER O.I.S. (H-FS14140) together.
- Stabilization of shooting in the Sports mode and Children mode of the SCN mode or C-AF has been improved.
- Live bulb image quality while noise reduction is on has been improved.
- Improved AF operation.

I haven't had a chance to install it yet to see if it makes a noticeable difference.

Ron
 
Hows the accuracy of C-AF of this body with a slow aperture tele lens? Previous generation mirrorless and SLT cameras had a particular problem with this and focus tends to get off after a few frames.
 
EM-1 EVF lag?

Hello,

I am using the E-M5 together with long MF lenses and scopes, both on static and moving objects. I think the EM-5 is a great tool to use with MF lenses but when shooting moving objects (BIF) I experience difficulties keeping the subject within frame due to EVF lag, and manually compensating for this lag by panning ahead of the subject is kind of difficult.

So raising the question how the EVF EM-1 behaves in this respect, is the EVF lag improved compared to the EM-5?

Cheers
Tord
 
No way the EM-1 can focus better than the E-5 in C-AF mode. I don't care what anyone from Olympus may say about this. And I bet they don't shoot birds :-D

agree the E5 is the best DSLR ever made.

too bad i can't afford the 300mm prime.
 
I've been persevering with the EM-1 and the Olympus 75-300 for birds in flight. A few tweaks to the settings, and, more importantly, some good light, made a big difference. I still had plenty of "misses", but my ratio of keepers definitely went up. The attached pics were all taken using continuous autofocus.

Malcolm

great set of shots Malcom thanks so much.

you made me feel good about my new 75-300mm lens, although i did not get any decent shots wiht it until now, it has been a week with me now, but it was a busy week and did not have time to test it well.

but i can't help feeling disappointed with the IBIS performance compared with the fantastic OIS that i had in the Lumix 100-300mm.

also the small aperture makes using impossible in shooting at early morning.
 
So raising the question how the EVF EM-1 behaves in this respect, is the EVF lag improved compared to the EM-5?

I did not felt any lag when I played with E-M1. I had the feeling it has OVF, not EVF.
The bigest suprise was the LCD, because it was the same feeling - no lag.
They made really good job with E-M1.

It's pity I could not test it on birds in the daylight.

-
 
I still haven't really had the chance to practise flight shots with the E-M1. All the birds I have seen recently have been located on terra firma. Here are some less challenging shots of Pintails and a very confiding Robin which I encountered whilst out last weekend. All taken with the E-M1 and Olympus 75-300 II.

Ron
 

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Thanks Duha. I have been admiring your Stonechat image, taken with the Panny 100-300. Very nice indeed. I hope you are getting on better with the 75-300 now.

Incidentally the Robin shots were taken at ISO 3200. With the E-30 I couldn't go beyond ISO 800, so that is definitely an improvement with the E-M1.

Ron
 
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the Lumix has now stopped working with the EPL5 completely, a petty as i use to love it so much.

not much time to go around with the new Olympus 75-300mm, but i have noticed that it has a real super fast focus, noticed this when i was taking shots for the Menetiere's warbler and these warbler just can't stop moving but the lens was able to take several sequence shots all in focus following the birds movement brilliantly. hope in the coming weeks i will have a better chance with it.
 
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