Olympus e-PM2 - what am i doing wrong?

KeMc wrote:

300Bee - are you playing with the settings to get good shots or just using auto and scene options? The focus was ok in the day but some kids running around were always blurry, in bright sunshine, so maybe the focus isn't ok if this is happening? It's fine when people aren't moving, or are moving only slowly, but that's it.

Blurry images on moving subjects, a smell of slow shutter speed.

As your kit zoom is not very fast (only f/3.5~f/5.6 instead of its pro siblings of f/2.8 etc), it might not allow you to use very fast shutter speed (depending on the lighting conditions). If I was you, I would set ISO to Auto and allowing it to max 3200, shot in A mode (always keep at the fastest aperture, says f/3.5 or f/5.6 in case at its long end), to make sure that your EPM-2 would use the fastest shutter speed to freeze action of your kids. Normally, if not running 100m wihin 10", 1/125"~1/250" should be more than enough to capture their motion.

Secondary, I'm sure you may know it well, but just in case.... Before firing your shutter, I would half press the shutter to lock AF focus. When your subject would be in focus, a green box would bracket the in-focus point (for a kid, normally on his lovely face), then fired. No matter how lightening fast AF of M43 (it is the fastest S-AF mirrorless until recently catching up by SONY), it would be out of focus easily if not sufficient time to AF. One thing, I would set EMP2 to Focus Priority (if not in focus the camera would not shoot). Furthermore, using a single medium size box would also be helpful (not multiple focus points as it would always focus on the wrong places) for moving subjects. For still subject, a single smallest box at the center would do the work faster and better. As per some comment before, Face Detection AF might not be perfect until now. We also needs enough practice as our prediction to the moving direction of a kid could help faster AF a lot, otherwise, a better tracking ability DSLR might be easier (M43's tracking ability is always behind DSLRs. Only until recently, EM1 and GH4 could close the gap to the pro DSLRs).

If shooting with scenery option, in low light shooting a tripod and flash would be a must. Normally the camera would set preference on using a slow shutter speed (allow longer time to capture more light for a brighter background, and the flash to light up your subject). Without tripod, blurry images would easily been seen. It might explain when shooting in the dark you would feel the camera had taken a long time to complete shooting.

EPM2 is a nice camera having much better IQ, higher flexibility (when more lenses added to your collection), more capable than P&S. But it needs practice (specially for its mini design), understand and familiar with it before you could appreciate. For majority of shooting EPM2 could always be not far away from a DSLR (specially for entry~med classes). Wishing you can enjoy your gear some days.