E-M1 CAF compared to D800 question

Alan GR wrote:

I also have both, a D800 (now also a D810) and the E-M1 but I have not fully tested my E-M1 with the new firmware in terms of focusing on fast-moving subjects. I did however try both a few months ago on the same day at our local motorcross bike track. As much as I like my Oly gear, the results with my E-M1 were abysmal with, I would guess, only about a 15-20% success rate of a sharp photo, if that. My D810 however was vastly superior, having about an 80% success rate. I found the lviewfinder lag on my Oly, when doing high frame rate shooting, to be absolutely unacceptable as I kept losing sight and track of the fast-moving bikes completely between frames. With my D800, the mirror blackout was not a problem at all and I could follow my subject with no issues. For me, shooting fast moving subjects with my Oly has been very disappointing. As I mentioned however, I have not had a chance to test the firmware update properly. I tried shooting a flying gull recently and had about a 50% success rate of in focus shots which was better but by no means stellar...

Alan, I wonder if your low success rate with the EM-1 may in part be down to using the same technique as you do with the 800 / 810?

I ask this because when I originally moved from Canon pro kit to Olympus EM series I found I was getting much lower hit rate but after modifying my technique following loads of experimentation I would expect >70% keeper rate with something as predictable as motocross / motorcycle track racing / windsurf / kite sailing etc. with something similar when shooting BIF at a falconry display (even tracking and capturing a Peregrine taking the lure or Kites catching food on the wing on a consistent basis)

That said, there is no doubt that it is far easier to achieve this with a good DSLR rig than with an m4/3rds system

So much to learn, so little time left to do it!