Olympus EM1 mkII issue of low FPS with L mode, CAF and mechanical shutter

JDCamera said:

Apologies for the poor videos that I've taken but I didn't have lot of time to shoot them so pardon the quality. I'm seeking inputs from people who have this combination to determine if only my unit has this problem or it is widespread.

I'm facing a problem with Em1mkII and Zuiko 300mm f2.8 combination with mechanical shutter and CAF in L mode. While pressing the shutter and back button AF together the FPS drops to about 2 FPS per second. With only shutter button pressed, it goes up quite significantly approx 10 FPS.

Click to expand...

jpfotog said:

In the video I first show the speed with the AF button pressed and when the green rectangle shows up is when I press the AF button and speed drops.

Mechanical shutter video link:

With Em1mkII and Zuiko 300mm f2.8 combination with e-shutter and CAF in L mode I don't see that problem.

Click to expand...

jpfotog said:

Although the speed drops a bit when AF button is pressed, it still doesn't feel as drastic as mechanical shutter. In the video I first show the speed with the AF button pressed and when the green rectangle shows up is when I press the AF button and speed drops.

E-shutter video link:

This issue is really annoying me as my primary use case for this combination is BIFs. I've been succesfully shooting BIFs for many years but it was always a pain with the original EM1. I bought the new version after reading that blackout is very minimal. But I'm getting minimal blackout and fast FPS only with e-shutter but cannot use it due to rolling shutter effects. I need decent FPS and reduced blackout between subsequent frames with mechanical shutter. I also own a PL100-400 and I don't see this problem on that lens.

Thanks for your help in advance.

JD

Click to expand...

Messier Object said:

JDCamera said:

Apologies for the poor videos that I've taken but I didn't have lot of time to shoot them so pardon the quality. I'm seeking inputs from people who have this combination to determine if only my unit has this problem or it is widespread.

I'm facing a problem with Em1mkII and Zuiko 300mm f2.8 combination with mechanical shutter and CAF in L mode. While pressing the shutter and back button AF together the FPS drops to about 2 FPS per second. With only shutter button pressed, it goes up quite significantly approx 10 FPS.

Click to expand...

Try this:

Go into the [ ]]] L menu setting and set the max rate to 1 FPS and shoot a sequence to confirm that you get 1 FPS. Listen to the repetition rate. Then increase it to 2 FPS and repeat the test. Then repeat the test incrementing the FPS to 3, 4, 5, 6 . . . and each time listen to the rate and see how far you get before you hear that the speed is max's out.

Mine goes to something around 5 FPS. ( which I then checked by counting out 10 seconds during which I got 51 frames))

I don't use BBF so my focus is always activated when I press the shutter

Messier Object said:

In the video I first show the speed with the AF button pressed and when the green rectangle shows up is when I press the AF button and speed drops.

Mechanical shutter video link:

With Em1mkII and Zuiko 300mm f2.8 combination with e-shutter and CAF in L mode I don't see that problem.

Click to expand...

I don't either, and I can hear and see the aperture blades clicking inside the lens, and I get about 15 PFS in []]] L♥

In []]] H♥ it works per design and I get the full 60 FPS, and also per design the aperture closes down and stays closed for the duration of the burst and AF is set at the initial frame

Messier Object said:

Although the speed drops a bit when AF button is pressed, it still doesn't feel as drastic as mechanical shutter. In the video I first show the speed with the AF button pressed and when the green rectangle shows up is when I press the AF button and speed drops.

E-shutter video link:

This issue is really annoying me as my primary use case for this combination is BIFs. I've been succesfully shooting BIFs for many years but it was always a pain with the original EM1. I bought the new version after reading that blackout is very minimal. But I'm getting minimal blackout and fast FPS only with e-shutter but cannot use it due to rolling shutter effects. I need decent FPS and reduced blackout between subsequent frames with mechanical shutter. I also own a PL100-400 and I don't see this problem on that lens.

Thanks for your help in advance.

JD

Click to expand...

I noted this speed limitation a few weeks ago. I wasn't really concerned as I wasn't expecting lightning speed with the 4/3 lenses.

It's also interesting that this 5 FPS speed limit with C-AF mechanical is the same with my 12-60mm SWD and 50-200mm SWD lenses. I suspect that Olympus has deliberately hobbled C-AF mech frame rate with all 4/3 lenses either to ensure that the slow AF motors are working within their design limits, or to 'encourage' sales of the m.43 lenses

IMO 5 FPS is good enough for BIF work, but unfortunately the C-AF and especially C-AF Tr are not good enough for my needs. Still it's much better then the old E-5

The 7D MkII is still my choice for BIF work, but If I'm out shooting with the E-M1 II it will do an OK job in a pinch if a nice BIF opportunity presents itself.

Peter

Click to expand...

alouette said:

Thank you for this detailled information. As I understand the TO, he get's 10fps if the normal shutter is used. If you get max. 5 fps, there must be something else limiting your E-M1II (because I would believe, all FT-Zuikos actequal if adapted at the same camera).

Click to expand...

artistguy said:

Messier Object said:

JDCamera said:

Apologies for the poor videos that I've taken but I didn't have lot of time to shoot them so pardon the quality. I'm seeking inputs from people who have this combination to determine if only my unit has this problem or it is widespread.

I'm facing a problem with Em1mkII and Zuiko 300mm f2.8 combination with mechanical shutter and CAF in L mode. While pressing the shutter and back button AF together the FPS drops to about 2 FPS per second. With only shutter button pressed, it goes up quite significantly approx 10 FPS.

Click to expand...

Try this:

Go into the [ ]]] L menu setting and set the max rate to 1 FPS and shoot a sequence to confirm that you get 1 FPS. Listen to the repetition rate. Then increase it to 2 FPS and repeat the test. Then repeat the test incrementing the FPS to 3, 4, 5, 6 . . . and each time listen to the rate and see how far you get before you hear that the speed is max's out.

Mine goes to something around 5 FPS. ( which I then checked by counting out 10 seconds during which I got 51 frames))

I don't use BBF so my focus is always activated when I press the shutter

artistguy said:

In the video I first show the speed with the AF button pressed and when the green rectangle shows up is when I press the AF button and speed drops.

Mechanical shutter video link:

With Em1mkII and Zuiko 300mm f2.8 combination with e-shutter and CAF in L mode I don't see that problem.

Click to expand...

I don't either, and I can hear and see the aperture blades clicking inside the lens, and I get about 15 PFS in []]] L♥

In []]] H♥ it works per design and I get the full 60 FPS, and also per design the aperture closes down and stays closed for the duration of the burst and AF is set at the initial frame

artistguy said:

Although the speed drops a bit when AF button is pressed, it still doesn't feel as drastic as mechanical shutter. In the video I first show the speed with the AF button pressed and when the green rectangle shows up is when I press the AF button and speed drops.

E-shutter video link:

This issue is really annoying me as my primary use case for this combination is BIFs. I've been succesfully shooting BIFs for many years but it was always a pain with the original EM1. I bought the new version after reading that blackout is very minimal. But I'm getting minimal blackout and fast FPS only with e-shutter but cannot use it due to rolling shutter effects. I need decent FPS and reduced blackout between subsequent frames with mechanical shutter. I also own a PL100-400 and I don't see this problem on that lens.

Thanks for your help in advance.

JD

Click to expand...

I noted this speed limitation a few weeks ago. I wasn't really concerned as I wasn't expecting lightning speed with the 4/3 lenses.

It's also interesting that this 5 FPS speed limit with C-AF mechanical is the same with my 12-60mm SWD and 50-200mm SWD lenses. I suspect that Olympus has deliberately hobbled C-AF mech frame rate with all 4/3 lenses either to ensure that the slow AF motors are working within their design limits, or to 'encourage' sales of the m.43 lenses

IMO 5 FPS is good enough for BIF work, but unfortunately the C-AF and especially C-AF Tr are not good enough for my needs. Still it's much better then the old E-5

The 7D MkII is still my choice for BIF work, but If I'm out shooting with the E-M1 II it will do an OK job in a pinch if a nice BIF opportunity presents itself.

Peter

Click to expand...

Thanks for this, I'd love to change over to m43 for wildlife, BIF and action and have seen other threads and reviews saying it is the camera to do these things, along with the 300 pro or 100-400. I'm currently using the 7DII with Sigma 150-600 and it's good but heavy and large. I thought the em1.2 would have a faster frame rate with the mechanical shutter, but you're both saying that it's only 5fps?

Thanks again

Click to expand...

Messier Object said:

artistguy said:

Messier Object said:

JDCamera said:

Apologies for the poor videos that I've taken but I didn't have lot of time to shoot them so pardon the quality. I'm seeking inputs from people who have this combination to determine if only my unit has this problem or it is widespread.

I'm facing a problem with Em1mkII and Zuiko 300mm f2.8 combination with mechanical shutter and CAF in L mode. While pressing the shutter and back button AF together the FPS drops to about 2 FPS per second. With only shutter button pressed, it goes up quite significantly approx 10 FPS.

Click to expand...

Try this:

Go into the [ ]]] L menu setting and set the max rate to 1 FPS and shoot a sequence to confirm that you get 1 FPS. Listen to the repetition rate. Then increase it to 2 FPS and repeat the test. Then repeat the test incrementing the FPS to 3, 4, 5, 6 . . . and each time listen to the rate and see how far you get before you hear that the speed is max's out.

Mine goes to something around 5 FPS. ( which I then checked by counting out 10 seconds during which I got 51 frames))

I don't use BBF so my focus is always activated when I press the shutter

Messier Object said:

In the video I first show the speed with the AF button pressed and when the green rectangle shows up is when I press the AF button and speed drops.

Mechanical shutter video link:

With Em1mkII and Zuiko 300mm f2.8 combination with e-shutter and CAF in L mode I don't see that problem.

Click to expand...

I don't either, and I can hear and see the aperture blades clicking inside the lens, and I get about 15 PFS in []]] L♥

In []]] H♥ it works per design and I get the full 60 FPS, and also per design the aperture closes down and stays closed for the duration of the burst and AF is set at the initial frame

Messier Object said:

Although the speed drops a bit when AF button is pressed, it still doesn't feel as drastic as mechanical shutter. In the video I first show the speed with the AF button pressed and when the green rectangle shows up is when I press the AF button and speed drops.

E-shutter video link:

This issue is really annoying me as my primary use case for this combination is BIFs. I've been succesfully shooting BIFs for many years but it was always a pain with the original EM1. I bought the new version after reading that blackout is very minimal. But I'm getting minimal blackout and fast FPS only with e-shutter but cannot use it due to rolling shutter effects. I need decent FPS and reduced blackout between subsequent frames with mechanical shutter. I also own a PL100-400 and I don't see this problem on that lens.

Thanks for your help in advance.

JD

Click to expand...

I noted this speed limitation a few weeks ago. I wasn't really concerned as I wasn't expecting lightning speed with the 4/3 lenses.

It's also interesting that this 5 FPS speed limit with C-AF mechanical is the same with my 12-60mm SWD and 50-200mm SWD lenses. I suspect that Olympus has deliberately hobbled C-AF mech frame rate with all 4/3 lenses either to ensure that the slow AF motors are working within their design limits, or to 'encourage' sales of the m.43 lenses

IMO 5 FPS is good enough for BIF work, but unfortunately the C-AF and especially C-AF Tr are not good enough for my needs. Still it's much better then the old E-5

The 7D MkII is still my choice for BIF work, but If I'm out shooting with the E-M1 II it will do an OK job in a pinch if a nice BIF opportunity presents itself.

Peter

Click to expand...

Thanks for this, I'd love to change over to m43 for wildlife, BIF and action and have seen other threads and reviews saying it is the camera to do these things, along with the 300 pro or 100-400. I'm currently using the 7DII with Sigma 150-600 and it's good but heavy and large. I thought the em1.2 would have a faster frame rate with the mechanical shutter, but you're both saying that it's only 5fps?

Thanks again

Click to expand...

No, in Continuous AF mode with the old 4/3 lenses it's 5 FPS. With the newer Micro 4/3 lenses such as the 300mm f/4 Pro it's up to 18 FPS.

The OP discussion was regarding the ZD300mm f/2.8 which is a 4/3 lens.

If you have the 7D2 I have to ask if you've tried the 100-400mm IS II. I suggest it's not only sharper than the Sigma 150-600 but has better IS and AF. I find it an extremely good BIF combo with the 7D2, and will cost you about the same as an E-M1 MKII

Peter

Click to expand...

jpfotog said:

I'm facing a problem with Em1mkII and Zuiko 300mm f2.8 combination with mechanical shutter and CAF in L mode. While pressing the shutter and back button AF together the FPS drops to about 2 FPS per second. With only shutter button pressed, it goes up quite significantly approx 10 FPS.

Click to expand...

Danielvr said:

Danielvr said:

I'm facing a problem with Em1mkII and Zuiko 300mm f2.8 combination with mechanical shutter and CAF in L mode. While pressing the shutter and back button AF together the FPS drops to about 2 FPS per second. With only shutter button pressed, it goes up quite significantly approx 10 FPS.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure if you're using the camera as intended. Without BBF, when you press the shutter button in C-AF mode, you're effectively telling the camera that you want to keep adjusting focus whilst shooting. The camera's algorithms are optimized for that scenario, and so it performs the shooting and focus adjustments as efficiently as possible.

Click to expand...

Danielvr said:

With BBF though, when you press the shutter you are telling the camera "I just want to shoot, shoot, shoot!" and then you interrupt that by pressing your focus button! You're telling the camera "Shoot! No, focus! No, shoot! No, focus!"

Click to expand...

Danielvr said:

I just don't think it is supposed to work that way. And, I'm not even sure what benefit BBF still brings in that scenario, except that it may be easier to get the focus as intended for the first frame (wouldn't manually turning the focus ring do that too?).

Click to expand...

artistguy said:

artistguy said:

With BBF though, when you press the shutter you are telling the camera "I just want to shoot, shoot, shoot!" and then you interrupt that by pressing your focus button! You're telling the camera "Shoot! No, focus! No, shoot! No, focus!"

Click to expand...

Surely BBF does not activate the shutter, the shutter button still does that. BBF simply activates the autofocus. You then choose the moment or moments you want to capture with the shutter button without affecting the focusing?

Click to expand...

artistguy said:

I set BBF to C-af, when I release the BBF it automatically locks the af as if in single af mode. Very useful.

Click to expand...

drj3 said:

With the mechanical shutter the 50-200 SWD slows down to 4-5 fps when the lens needs to stop down.

Click to expand...

Danielvr said:

Danielvr said:

With the mechanical shutter the 50-200 SWD slows down to 4-5 fps when the lens needs to stop down.

Click to expand...

True, but that still doesn't explain 2 Fps.

Click to expand...

drj3 said:

With the mechanical shutter the 50-200 SWD slows down to 4-5 fps when the lens needs to stop down. If you shoot in Aperture Preferred mode wide open, it will maintain 10 fps with Low Sequential. Both these using the normal shutter button focus. It is the lens limitation of the aperture stop down speed, on the lens, not a limitation set for the camera.

--
drj3

Click to expand...

GBC said:

I use the 300 f2.8 and em1 mk2 with back button focus and I've not encountered this issue at all.

Click to expand...

Messier Object said:

JDCamera said:

Apologies for the poor videos that I've taken but I didn't have lot of time to shoot them so pardon the quality. I'm seeking inputs from people who have this combination to determine if only my unit has this problem or it is widespread.

I'm facing a problem with Em1mkII and Zuiko 300mm f2.8 combination with mechanical shutter and CAF in L mode. While pressing the shutter and back button AF together the FPS drops to about 2 FPS per second. With only shutter button pressed, it goes up quite significantly approx 10 FPS.

Click to expand...

Try this:

Go into the [ ]]] L menu setting and set the max rate to 1 FPS and shoot a sequence to confirm that you get 1 FPS. Listen to the repetition rate. Then increase it to 2 FPS and repeat the test. Then repeat the test incrementing the FPS to 3, 4, 5, 6 . . . and each time listen to the rate and see how far you get before you hear that the speed is max's out.

Mine goes to something around 5 FPS. ( which I then checked by counting out 10 seconds during which I got 51 frames))

I don't use BBF so my focus is always activated when I press the shutter

Messier Object said:

In the video I first show the speed with the AF button pressed and when the green rectangle shows up is when I press the AF button and speed drops.

Mechanical shutter video link:

With Em1mkII and Zuiko 300mm f2.8 combination with e-shutter and CAF in L mode I don't see that problem.

Click to expand...

I don't either, and I can hear and see the aperture blades clicking inside the lens, and I get about 15 PFS in []]] L♥

In []]] H♥ it works per design and I get the full 60 FPS, and also per design the aperture closes down and stays closed for the duration of the burst and AF is set at the initial frame

Messier Object said:

Although the speed drops a bit when AF button is pressed, it still doesn't feel as drastic as mechanical shutter. In the video I first show the speed with the AF button pressed and when the green rectangle shows up is when I press the AF button and speed drops.

E-shutter video link:

This issue is really annoying me as my primary use case for this combination is BIFs. I've been succesfully shooting BIFs for many years but it was always a pain with the original EM1. I bought the new version after reading that blackout is very minimal. But I'm getting minimal blackout and fast FPS only with e-shutter but cannot use it due to rolling shutter effects. I need decent FPS and reduced blackout between subsequent frames with mechanical shutter. I also own a PL100-400 and I don't see this problem on that lens.

Thanks for your help in advance.

JD

Click to expand...

I noted this speed limitation a few weeks ago. I wasn't really concerned as I wasn't expecting lightning speed with the 4/3 lenses.

It's also interesting that this 5 FPS speed limit with C-AF mechanical is the same with my 12-60mm SWD and 50-200mm SWD lenses. I suspect that Olympus has deliberately hobbled C-AF mech frame rate with all 4/3 lenses either to ensure that the slow AF motors are working within their design limits, or to 'encourage' sales of the m.43 lenses

IMO 5 FPS is good enough for BIF work, but unfortunately the C-AF and especially C-AF Tr are not good enough for my needs. Still it's much better then the old E-5

The 7D MkII is still my choice for BIF work, but If I'm out shooting with the E-M1 II it will do an OK job in a pinch if a nice BIF opportunity presents itself.

Peter

Click to expand...

alouette said:

Thank you for this detailled information. As I understand the TO, he get's 10fps if the normal shutter is used. If you get max. 5 fps, there must be something else limiting your E-M1II (because I would believe, all FT-Zuikos actequal if adapted at the same camera).

Click to expand...