XZ-1 Tips & Tricks

phazelag · Sep 3, 2011

I thought I would start this thread if there is another it's not coming up in search. Please post things you learned you were surprised by, no matter how small you think it is. Some of us may not know.

I will start: When viewing your photos on the XZ-1 you can rotate the images by rotating the lens collar for setting the aperture.

I kept wondering how my photos were getting turned!

Z

Kevdog · Sep 4, 2011

If getting a reddish tone in your jpegs, use the following settings:

Muted color picture mode, sharpness +1, contrast +1, saturation +1, NR off (Gradiation normal).

To prevent the focus hunting while taking video in low light, set the focus point to only the center (or where you want to focus). If that still won't work, snap a picture (to set the focus) then switch to manual focus.

lensblade · Sep 4, 2011

Thanks for the useful post. I am not sure how we can get the NR OFF setting when taking jpegs. Can explain what you meant by this?

John McCormack · Sep 4, 2011

Are you referring to adjusting RAW images in post processing? Unless I'm missing something there's no way to adjust these setting in camera. Please elaborate on where these settings are located in the camera menu system. Thanks.

Kevdog said:
If getting a reddish tone in your jpegs, use the following settings:

Muted color picture mode, sharpness +1, contrast +1, saturation +1, NR off (Gradiation normal).

Model Mike · Sep 4, 2011

I'm sure this has been mentioned but in case not:

For more responsive shot-to-shot shooting experience, disable 'Rec View' in the menu.
To avoid switching on the camera when accidentally knocking the playback button disable the 'power on [via playback button]' option.

--
Mike
http://flickr.com/rc-soar

Dwip · Sep 4, 2011

Another well-known trick but for the newbies:

The XZ-1 doesn't have an external ISO button. However, if you're using aperture (A) or shutter speed (S) mode, simply turn the mode dial to 'P' (program), adjust the ISO using the front lens ring, and then turn the mode dial back. After practicing a couple times it's hardly slower than having a dedicated external ISO button.

TangoRose · Sep 4, 2011

Tried this – but could not get the referenced result and receive the following message when I rotate the lens ring “not available in these settings”. Could you elaborate on the process you are using?

Thanks

Dwip · Sep 4, 2011

TangoRose said:
Tried this – but could not get the referenced result and receive the following message when I rotate the lens ring “not available in these settings”. Could you elaborate on the process you are using?

Thanks

Hm. Try this:

1) Set the mode dial to P. The LCD screen should display:

[P] Program Auto
Sets the Aperture and Shutter Speed Automatically

2) Turn the lens ring. The LCD screen should display a yellow box that says "ISO" and the ISO number selected.

If it still says "not available in these settings" at this point -- I dunno, you got me on that one.

TangoRose · Sep 4, 2011

Thanks – still no luck.

Perhaps it's the software version that I am running. I’ll try updating to the latest version - if it works I'll post back.

Kevdog · Sep 5, 2011

Yes, it is tricky to find. The manual is useless for setting it as well!

And actually after shooting a few more (I still shoot RAW + JPeg) I'd take the contrast setting off.

So, open up menu. Go to the camera looking one, then Picture mode, press right, then you have Vivid, Natural, Muted, Portrait and Monotone. I chose muted and PRESS RIGHT. Now you can individually set contrast, sharpness, saturation and Gradiation (normal is off).

Muted sets sharpness down one, so set it to +1 to get back to "normal" sharpness.

Hope that helps!

John McCormack · Sep 5, 2011

Great tip. Just goes to show us how bad the XZ-1 manual is. Thanks.

Kevdog said:
Yes, it is tricky to find. The manual is useless for setting it as well!

And actually after shooting a few more (I still shoot RAW + JPeg) I'd take the contrast setting off.

So, open up menu. Go to the camera looking one, then Picture mode, press right, then you have Vivid, Natural, Muted, Portrait and Monotone. I chose muted and PRESS RIGHT. Now you can individually set contrast, sharpness, saturation and Gradiation (normal is off).

Muted sets sharpness down one, so set it to +1 to get back to "normal" sharpness.

Hope that helps!

John McCormack · Sep 5, 2011

I leave the "AF" setting in Macro (flower icon) all the time. This allows me to focus closer when necessary (10cm / 3.9 inches at wide setting and 30cm. / 11.8 inches at telephoto setting.)

I don't see any difference in this setting than the regular "AF" setting except for the ability focus closer. Correct me if I'm wrong. Only if I want to do really close macro. do I switch to Super Macro.
--
"Gear is good. Vision is better."

Dwip · Sep 5, 2011

John McCormack said:
I don't see any difference in this setting than the regular "AF" setting except for the ability focus closer. Correct me if I'm wrong. Only if I want to do really close macro. do I switch to Super Macro.

There's been one or two times that I've had trouble getting focus on a normal subject if I leave it in macro, but it's rare.

Kevdog · Sep 6, 2011

The main difference is that it may take longer to focus on subjects at normal distances. It has a longer set of focusing points to search through and close up focusing requires fine adjustments.

I know on the 50mm Macro lens for the Olympus DSLRs one of the biggest complaints is that they didn't put a focus limiting switch on it for when using it as a normal or portrait lens. This means it does take longer to get focus!

joe6pack · Sep 6, 2011

For that, you pay the steep price of having to extend the lens just to review photos when camera is off.

Model Mike said:
To avoid switching on the camera when accidentally knocking the playback button disable the 'power on [via playback button]' option.

IcanHazPics · Sep 6, 2011

Don't know if I should start a tread of "How do I..." or just ask here, so I'll ask here anyway:

Is there a way to delete a picture right after taking it without going into review mode? I used to do this on my Canon: if during the preview I'd hit delete, I could delete it right there without needing to switch to preview mode.
In preview mode, is there a way to page through the pictures rather than going row by row? The Canon would allow another 'zoom out' in review mode to allow paging.
In the Oly Viewer software, is there a way for it to always have the "Not transfered only" selected in the combo box when it connects to the camera? I don't empty the card very often and it's kind of annoying...
In the Oly Viewer, the rotate picture buttons do not seem to work: is there a fix to this?

Thanks in advance!

joe6pack · Sep 6, 2011

To achieve AFL, try one of the followings

1. Set the camera in AF, half-press to lock focus, press OK and L and switch to MF. You focus is now locked. To switch back to AF, press OK and R.

2. Set the Scene mode to underwater and press Down for Focus Lock. The camera will even show you a square where the focus is locked. But you will likely want to edit your photo in RAW because you cannot use Natural Color mode.

Either way, you can now half-press to lock the exposure. Sort of a lame AEL.

Photo-Ventura · Sep 6, 2011

IcanHazPics said:
Don't know if I should start a tread of "How do I..." or just ask here, so I'll ask here anyway:

IcanHazPics said:
In the Oly Viewer, the rotate picture buttons do not seem to work: is there a fix to this?

the front wheel (around the lens) will rotate images in Viewer.

--
Light, Camera, Serendipity... http://www.photo-ventura.blogspot.com

IcanHazPics · Sep 6, 2011

Photo-Ventura said:
IcanHazPics said:

In the Oly Viewer, the rotate picture buttons do not seem to work: is there a fix to this?

Click to expand...

the front wheel (around the lens) will rotate images in Viewer.

Yes, when viewing in camera, but once transfered into my pc, the rotate buttons in the Olympus Viewer 2 software do absolutely nothing...

IcanHazPics · Sep 6, 2011

IcanHazPics said:
Photo-Ventura said:

IcanHazPics said:

In the Oly Viewer, the rotate picture buttons do not seem to work: is there a fix to this?

Click to expand...

the front wheel (around the lens) will rotate images in ~~Viewer~~ review .

Click to expand...

Yes, when viewing in camera, but once transfered into my pc, the rotate buttons in the Olympus Viewer 2 software do absolutely nothing...

Strange, this problem occurs only when the pics are on my network drive, which they always are: the Oly Viewer 2 transfers them there straight from the camera...

Of course, I do have full read/write access to the network drive.

I'll count this one as a software bug - maybe I'll pester Olympus with it... :|

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