EM1 continous AF and tracking

DonParrot wrote:

Martin.au wrote:

SkiHound wrote:

I certainly agree that the information on just what the camera is doing when is not transparent. And it would seem to be in everyone's interest to make users aware of how to optimize settings. Of course, some of optimizing settings is user specific. I don't THiNK pdaf is used with m43 lenses in low sequential shot mode. I do find CAF to work quite well in high sequential shot mode.

PDAF is used in high and low speed burst modes.

Low will use CDAF if outside the PDAF array.

Low may use CDAF as a final check/hint.

This would be new to me. As far as I know, full PDAF C-AF in L is only available for the FT lenses while the µFT lenses still use hybrid C-AF.

Don, you are right about it being composite focus with low setting.

(it seems that many have misunderstood this improvement that came with V3 / 3.1 of the EM-1 firmware

" By reworking the algorithm on phase-detection AF when shooting at continuous AF (C-AF), the previous AF sequential shooting speed of 6.5 fps is raised to a maximum high speed of 9 fps in Version 3.0. This improves AF tracking performance when using C-AF to shoot in Sequential H mode. When set to C-AF, 37-point on-chip phase detection AF is used. This lets users accurately capture moving subjects so they never miss a photo opportunity. "

from http://www.olympus-global.com/en/news/2015a/nr150205em1e.jsp )

for me there is still the weakness that the PDAF focus sensors are linear and not cross shaped so for shooting things like distant birds in flight I find that it gets focus lock quicker and holds focus better if the body is turned to portrait mode.

Having said that - the way I prefer to shoot fast moving action work is still to rely on SAF + MF as that suits me and I get a higher keeper rate (as indeed I did when using my canon 7D + lenses such as the 400 f5.6 L and 70-300 LIS)

Many examples of my action photography can be seen here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/75445098@N04/albums