[quote]I'm off to see if the EM-5 tracking can cope with cheetahs[/quote] My bet is that it won't (if they are moving fast). I shoot things like that using SAF and frequent blips on the shutter button to maintain focus tracking, the speed of AF is so fast that it seems to work very well, for me :)

Quote:I'm off to see if the EM-5 tracking can cope with cheetahs


My bet is that it won't (if they are moving fast). I shoot things like that using SAF and frequent blips on the shutter button to maintain focus tracking, the speed of AF is so fast that it seems to work very well, for me

I have just had a look and played with the new Olympus EM-1 at my local dealer, in a nut shell I'm impressed, but won't be getting one as I like my Sony's.

I have just had a look and played with the new Olympus EM-1 at my local dealer, in a nut shell I'm impressed, but won't be getting one as I like my Sony's.

[quote]I have just had a look and played with the new Olympus EM-1 at my local dealer, in a nut shell I'm impressed, but won't be getting one as I like my Sony's.[/quote] Did you ever try the E-M5?

Quote:I have just had a look and played with the new Olympus EM-1 at my local dealer, in a nut shell I'm impressed, but won't be getting one as I like my Sony's.


Did you ever try the E-M5?

What happend to the poster of this thread, did he get bored and leave or was he pushed.

What happend to the poster of this thread, did he get bored and leave or was he pushed.

The latter I suspect m'man! ;)

The latter I suspect m'man!

I suspect so :)

I suspect so

probably tried an EM-1 and liked it so purchased it but was embarrassed to tell us so :P

probably tried an EM-1 and liked it so purchased it but was embarrassed to tell us so

You lot are so wicked, but hey I have no hesitation in telling you that I purchased an EM-1 a couple of days ago c.w. 2.8 kit lens. This was after much pondering as to the best system for me. I have spent a part of the last couple of days just taking some test shots to get a feel for the camera. So far I am pretty impressed. I am a Canon user (5D mk2 and mk3) and have some very good L lenses. I have no fears that this will continue to be much used. What I wanted was a lighter lens that I can just grab when I am out-and-about or when I am off somewhere for the day and want to travel light. I didn't think that a compact would give me what I was after. I am spoilt and used to the high quality that my DSLR kit provides. I didn't want my choice of MFT camera to be a disappointment on that which I had come to expect. From my little experiments so far the OLY EM-1 is delighting me and I am in little doubt that I have made a good decision. The EM-1 is not cheaper ....quality never is. I frequently use a tripod with remote shutter release. The little screw on shutter release port on the EM-1 seemed fiddly. Then I realised that I can trigger the camera via a smart phone app. This is now loaded, configured and trialled also as part of my experiments. It works brilliantly!!!

You lot are so wicked, but hey I have no hesitation in telling you that I purchased an EM-1 a couple of days ago c.w. 2.8 kit lens. This was after much pondering as to the best system for me. I have spent a part of the last couple of days just taking some test shots to get a feel for the camera. So far I am pretty impressed.

I am a Canon user (5D mk2 and mk3) and have some very good L lenses. I have no fears that this will continue to be much used. What I wanted was a lighter lens that I can just grab when I am out-and-about or when I am off somewhere for the day and want to travel light. I didn't think that a compact would give me what I was after.

I am spoilt and used to the high quality that my DSLR kit provides. I didn't want my choice of MFT camera to be a disappointment on that which I had come to expect. From my little experiments so far the OLY EM-1 is delighting me and I am in little doubt that I have made a good decision. The EM-1 is not cheaper ....quality never is.

I frequently use a tripod with remote shutter release. The little screw on shutter release port on the EM-1 seemed fiddly. Then I realised that I can trigger the camera via a smart phone app. This is now loaded, configured and trialled also as part of my experiments. It works brilliantly!!!

Gotcha Roy! :D Have fun

Gotcha Roy!

Have fun

It the same as other hobby forums I go on. You get people who work for another brand rubbishing their competitors stuff. I had the EM5 and now I have the EM1. Whilst there are similarities there are BIG improvements on the EM1. The EVF alone on the EM1 does it for me, never mind the other improvements like upgraded IBIS (the worlds best without doubt), no AA filter, Wi-Fi, etc etc. Mirror cameras are on the way out as users want smaller and lighter gear, the only real way is to get rid of the mirror. I love my Oly EM1. It is my opinion that Nikon & Canon are being overtaken in the R&D department. The one to watch at the moment is SONY who have some really nice FF mirrorless cameras - and we all know they make the best sensors which is the heart of the camera - and the Zeiss glass is excellent too. The best camera is the one you have with you! The smaller/lighter it is the more you'll carry and use it. I'll stick with my Oly as my main camera, followed by my pocket Sony and amazing Nikon V1. Sod carrying around a beast and tripod! :D

It the same as other hobby forums I go on. You get people who work for another brand rubbishing their competitors stuff.

I had the EM5 and now I have the EM1. Whilst there are similarities there are BIG improvements on the EM1. The EVF alone on the EM1 does it for me, never mind the other improvements like upgraded IBIS (the worlds best without doubt), no AA filter, Wi-Fi, etc etc.

Mirror cameras are on the way out as users want smaller and lighter gear, the only real way is to get rid of the mirror.

I love my Oly EM1. It is my opinion that Nikon & Canon are being overtaken in the R&D department. The one to watch at the moment is
SONY who have some really nice FF mirrorless cameras - and we all know they make the best sensors which is the heart of the camera - and the Zeiss glass is excellent too.

The best camera is the one you have with you! The smaller/lighter it is the more you'll carry and use it. I'll stick with my Oly as my main camera, followed by my pocket Sony and amazing Nikon V1.

Sod carrying around a beast and tripod!

"Mirror cameras are on the way out as users want smaller and lighter gear, the only real way is to get rid of the mirror. " I don't think so! I have been at Kimmeridge today playing with my OM D E1. It was fun using the camera on tripod and triggering with smartphone app. However I found it a bit fidderly changing exposure comp and such like and with no where the same degree of control, speed and all round flexibility as when I was last here in May and using my Canon 5D. In saying this I am most certainly not knocking the Oly. It is a great bit of quality kit and was purchased as much lighter "carry everywhere" camera. For serious and per pre-planned photographic sessions I will stay with my Canon DSLR thanks. I believe this will also hold true for many others who are in a position to choose.

"Mirror cameras are on the way out as users want smaller and lighter gear, the only real way is to get rid of the mirror. "
I don't think so! I have been at Kimmeridge today playing with my OM D E1. It was fun using the camera on tripod and triggering with smartphone app. However I found it a bit fidderly changing exposure comp and such like and with no where the same degree of control, speed and all round flexibility as when I was last here in May and using my Canon 5D. In saying this I am most certainly not knocking the Oly. It is a great bit of quality kit and was purchased as much lighter "carry everywhere" camera. For serious and per pre-planned photographic sessions I will stay with my Canon DSLR thanks. I believe this will also hold true for many others who are in a position to choose.

Everyone has a choice. Yes, there are those who will stick to their Full Frame bigger cameras come whatever, a lot of it because they have invested heavily in the lenses for it/them. But, taking photo's of a number of subjects with various cameras in various conditions, very few indeed would know what came from a full frame or other camera. I've seen this test on a photographic forum and everyone was just guessing. I'm hearing so many complaining of carrying the weight, that I'm sure with the continual improvements it won't be long before the trickle from Big cameras turns into a flood. How many are still using the old film cameras? Many said never to digital but gave in eventually!

Everyone has a choice.

Yes, there are those who will stick to their Full Frame bigger cameras come whatever, a lot of it because they have invested heavily in
the lenses for it/them.

But, taking photo's of a number of subjects with various cameras in various conditions, very few indeed would know what came from
a full frame or other camera.

I've seen this test on a photographic forum and everyone was just guessing.

I'm hearing so many complaining of carrying the weight, that I'm sure with the continual improvements it won't be long before
the trickle from Big cameras turns into a flood. How many are still using the old film cameras? Many said never to digital but
gave in eventually!

[quote]However I found it a bit fidderly changing exposure comp and such like and with no where the same degree of control, speed and all round flexibility as when I was last here in May and using my Canon 5D[/quote] As I made the switch from my Canon kit I found that whilst using both systems the EM-5 did seem less instinctive than the canon 5Dmk2 but, once I'd fully committed and stopped thinking "Canon first", after 3 months of use the Olympus was just as instinctive I found it interesting when at a recent studio group session I borrowed a friend's 1DX and found the handling and controls totally alien. It just confirmed in my own mind that we become comfortable with the tools we use most and it takes time to become as equally customised with new ones At the end of the day, as always, what works best for the user is the best solution, for them

Quote:However I found it a bit fidderly changing exposure comp and such like and with no where the same degree of control, speed and all round flexibility as when I was last here in May and using my Canon 5D


As I made the switch from my Canon kit I found that whilst using both systems the EM-5 did seem less instinctive than the canon 5Dmk2 but, once I'd fully committed and stopped thinking "Canon first", after 3 months of use the Olympus was just as instinctive

I found it interesting when at a recent studio group session I borrowed a friend's 1DX and found the handling and controls totally alien.

It just confirmed in my own mind that we become comfortable with the tools we use most and it takes time to become as equally customised with new ones

At the end of the day, as always, what works best for the user is the best solution, for them

As a matter of interest, Brian how is the E-M1 shaping up for birds in flight? With the E-M5 you talked about gong back to the old ways of pre-focusing and waiting for the bird to get there before pressing the shutter. Can you use the phase-detect for better focus tracking? How does it compare to the 7D+L lens?

As a matter of interest, Brian how is the E-M1 shaping up for birds in flight? With the E-M5 you talked about gong back to the old ways of pre-focusing and waiting for the bird to get there before pressing the shutter. Can you use the phase-detect for better focus tracking? How does it compare to the 7D+L lens?

Pretty good Mike, I've done a blog on it [link=http://www.imagesfromnature.co.uk/article/first-impressions---a-brief-review-of-the-em-1-4441]here[/link] which shares the settings that I find work best for me and you will find several galleries of bird and action images shot using this camera there too. [quote]Can you use the phase-detect for better focus tracking[/quote] The CAF mode with m4/3rds lenses uses a composite PDAF + CDAF mode which does seem to work very well In good light I rate the focus acquisition as good as that which I got with the 7D + 70-300LIS, when following fast moving sequences I use CAF not CAF + Tracking (as it doesn't work for me but then neither could I get the 7D tracking function to work :) ) and I have managed to capture several sequences that I never managed with the canon combo (falcons coming in off the stoop and taking the lure for example) Pre-focusing is no longer required and "grab-shots" can be made with a fair degree of confidence that a usable image will result I believe that it is still essential to have the skill to focus on and manually track a bird in the air, keeping the focus box on the bird, in order to get sharp, detailed shots as CAF + Tracking is not designed to do this (as I understand what I have read) In poor light with low contrast differential I stay with SAF mode and single point / 9 point box The IQ of the images from the EM-1 + 75-300 don't quite match those of the 7D + 70-300LIS but they are very close and people are hard pushed to tell which is which up to 30"x20" prints in the gallery. The noise handling of the EM-1 is better than the 7D to my eye

Pretty good Mike, I've done a blog on it here which shares the settings that I find work best for me and you will find several galleries of bird and action images shot using this camera there too.


Quote:Can you use the phase-detect for better focus tracking


The CAF mode with m4/3rds lenses uses a composite PDAF + CDAF mode which does seem to work very well

In good light I rate the focus acquisition as good as that which I got with the 7D + 70-300LIS, when following fast moving sequences I use CAF not CAF + Tracking (as it doesn't work for me but then neither could I get the 7D tracking function to work ) and I have managed to capture several sequences that I never managed with the canon combo (falcons coming in off the stoop and taking the lure for example)

Pre-focusing is no longer required and "grab-shots" can be made with a fair degree of confidence that a usable image will result

I believe that it is still essential to have the skill to focus on and manually track a bird in the air, keeping the focus box on the bird, in order to get sharp, detailed shots as CAF + Tracking is not designed to do this (as I understand what I have read)

In poor light with low contrast differential I stay with SAF mode and single point / 9 point box

The IQ of the images from the EM-1 + 75-300 don't quite match those of the 7D + 70-300LIS but they are very close and people are hard pushed to tell which is which up to 30"x20" prints in the gallery.

The noise handling of the EM-1 is better than the 7D to my eye