E-P5 focusing issue

very occasionally, one might say even randomly infrequently, my e-p5 stops focusing correctly.  You can see in the viewfinder that it focuses right past what is in the box, green light goes on and it makes a focusing confirmation beep, but the image in the box is not in focus.  Various actions gets the focusing to work again -- switching lenses, turning off and on, re setting the lens, taking the battery out.....  But none of these work all the time, nor consistently, it seems randomly fixed.

Has anyone else experienced this issue with their e-p5?

This doesn't happen very often, but when it does it is very frustrating.  I'm hesitate to send it to Olympus for service as it probably won't do it when it is being service.

Jay Siegel wrote:

very occasionally, one might say even randomly infrequently, my e-p5 stops focusing correctly.

Has anyone else experienced this issue with their e-p5?

I have similar issues with my E-P5 when I use a Panasonic lens, particularly the 20mm or the 12-32.  Does that compare to your experience?

Thanks for the informative responses.  It looks like this is a problem with the Pen series of cameras and is not worth sending to Olympus for servicing, the probability is too high that it would come back with the same problem.

Has anyone found a consistent action to "reset" when the focusing problem occurs in the camera so that it will once again focus correctly?  I haven't found a repeatable, consistent action to correct this focusing problem when it occurs.

The auto-focusing has failed consistently over the past few days.

Checked with Olympus and the cost of servicing (including replacement parts) is $131.70.  Decided to send it in for servicing as I think this is a reasonable fee.  Plus, there is a 6 month guarantee!

Will report in when I get the camera back from servicing.

I also have an E-m5 and am very happy with it.  However, I really got to like and use the WiFi in the E-P5 and miss that feature in the E-M5.1.  I hope that Olympus will replace the auto-focus circuit board so that I can keep using the E-P5 till the E-M1.2 is released.

I started my photography hobby in the late 1960's with an Olympus Pen-FT and have stuck with Olympus every since.  I really appreciate the retro styling of the E-P5 and it's strong resemblance to the Pen-FT.

Are you all using the small focus box right? This improves the situation somewhat

The auto-focusing failure also occurred with the small focus box.  I tried a lot of different settings to no avail.  I think the problem is with the circuit board and have sent the camera to Olympus for servicing.

My worry is the old "car mechanic" problem -- the car works perfectly when in the shop for evaluation but resumes it's problem when back home from the shop!

Jay Siegel wrote:

The auto-focusing failure also occurred with the small focus box. I tried a lot of different settings to no avail. I think the problem is with the circuit board and have sent the camera to Olympus for servicing.

My worry is the old "car mechanic" problem -- the car works perfectly when in the shop for evaluation but resumes it's problem when back home from the shop!

yeah that would worry me too. the best you could do is perhaps record the focus issue with your phone camera.

Well, the camera arrived today from Olympus service.  Put in a battery, sd card and mounted a lens -- it still doesn't auto focus.  The green dot lights up and there is a beep indicating that focus has been found, but the view is still fuzzy.  Put on the viewfinder just to be sure and when half pressing the shutter button, you can see the lens go right past the focus and indicate that it is in focus when it is NOT in focus.

Called Olympus service and they sent me an email that arranged for UPS to package up the camera and return it for servicing and no charge to me.  The original service cost was $131.70 with a six month guarantee, so at least Olympus is doing the right thing and paying for shipping it back to them for another go at fixing the problem.

I'll report back when the camera returns from its second round of servicing.

Denisio Fabuloso wrote:

I take it when you were doing your tests the diopter was adjusted? What if the camera tech guy adjusted for his eyes and didnt return it to original setting? Just a thought. Wouldnt be the first time a diopter was overlooked in the scheme of things.

'To live outside the law you've got to be honest'. R. Zimmerman.

Good point, I didn't think about the diopter!  I don't think it was the diopter, as I could see the image come into focus and then the lens continued on past the point of focus.  Also, before depressing the shutter button half way, the image looked OK, not blurry as it would if the diopter needed adjustment.  But when I get the camera back I will definitely make sure that the diopter is set for my vision.

Thanks for wishing me well on my second go at servicing.  Will report back when the camera returns!

Well, my E-P5 returned this past Thursday from its second trip to the Olympus Service center.  I have been testing the focusing issue daily since its return and am happy to say that it has performed flawlessly!

The report on the servicing was pretty much identical to the first service, so not sure why this time made a difference.  After the first return, the camera failed to focus properly on the first attempt.

So, persistence and two trips to the service center (four weeks away, a short week each with a day in repair) seems to have fixed the problem.

I'll report back if the focusing problems returns!