EM1 continous AF and tracking

Paul Amyes wrote:

DonParrot wrote:

Paul Amyes wrote:

SkiHound wrote:

You should have been using High burst. With m43 lenses I believe the system only uses the PDAF focusing system in H sequential.

I tried both and even contacted Olympus for advice. They are actually very coy about saying when the camera switches over from contrast based to phase detection AF. So coy that they would not give a straight answer just "depends" and I got no answer to "Depends upon what exactly?". I don't wish to slag them off as the EM1 is a nice product but I wish they weren't so obtuse on the AF issue. If they wish more professionals to use the system then they should say straight up how it is implemented. Sony took a lot of grief over the AF in the A7R and quite rightly so it was absolutely appalling, but they have redressed a lot of the issues with the mk ii and the 399 point phase detection system is pretty impressive. It would be nice if Olympus could implement something similar that just works straight out of the box.

Well, as I said there are µFT cameras that C-AF out of the box - the DFD AF equippped Panny cameras. And they C-AF really alright, giving you a lot of keepers. If you want the maximum result, however, you have to learn to adapt the E-M1 to your likings and your shooting to the E-M1. Have you ever read the chapter im the 7D manual on the use and optimisation of the C-AF system? Compared to that, optimising the E-M1 is a walk in the park. And someone like you who has been shooting sports for decades should be aware that new tools need a new approach.
If the E-M1 soesn't suit your kind of shooting - fine.
If you couldn't adjust it to meet your needs - fine.
If you just don't like it - fine.
But claiming that it can't do what it can do - as it has been provem thousands of times by pictures and long bursts of fast moving subjects - is just a bit, well, inappropriate. You as a long-term action shooter should know better.

Oh I see! No cricism of the camera allowed. Blimey its not as if I'd slept with your sister! As I said I tested the thing, got nowhere, contacted Olympus here in Oz and got nowhere. No I've never used the 7d but the zone and mode focusing system on the 5d iii is similar and it was easy to set up thanks to the instructions and it did just what it says on the tin. There was no such help in the manual for the EM1, Oly support couldn't help me because they didn't really know. For me a camera is not a play thing, I earn money with them, if they are not reliable, easy to operate or have good support they don't stay in the tool chest. Simple. If that upsets your fanboy sensibilities then so be it.

What a poor reply. I have been criticising the cam often enough. For the blackouts in the EVF the Pannies nearly don't have, for the fact the Pannies aquire focus faster and in poorer light conditions, for the far more customisable AF system and so on.
But claiming a camera can't do something it can do - as it was proven countless times - is just a poor effort. And calling other people names because they point out that this camera can do what you claim it can't ist just ridiculous. There are even people shooting swallows in flight, with the E-M1's C-AF And they aren't called Harry Potter. Go figure.