Set-up tips for EM-1??

[erichK]

Do apologize if this has already been dealt with, but the sort of "crib-sheets" that Wrotniak and others provided for setting up the E3/5 would be greatly appreciated. Was having particular problems figuring out some of the multiple control-modes of this complex little beasts when I was at the the top of Mauna Kea two weeks ago, shooting images of the sunset and of the big observatories opening and starting to operate.

The EM-1 seemed to work just fine with the FT FE and 7-14 as well as its own lenses, but I could not, for example, get it shooting video (of the domes-opening event) even in video mode. Later found ou that the 1-2 switch seems to be the culprit,

(Of course I probably was not working "just fine" at the 60% Oxygen levels, 15C below zero temperatures and 20-20 mph winds of that nearly 14.000 feet mountaintop.)

Any tips, especially on video and that problematic switch - which Wrotniak apparently loathes - would be greatly appreciated.

(And a happy holiday and great new year to all!)

--
erichK
saskatoon, canada
Photography is a small voice, at best, but sometimes one photograph, or a group of them, can lure our sense of awareness.
- W. Eugene Smith, Dec 30, 1918 to Oct 15, 1978.
http://erichk.zenfolio.com/
http://www.fototime.com/inv/7F3D846BCD301F3
underwater photos:
http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/5567

 

[Garry Schaefer]

Biofos provides a good setup guide, unfortunately though, with the exception of the video portion, which I know you are also particularly interested in.

http://www.biofos.com/mft/omd_em1_settings.html

 

[erichK]

Biofos provides a good setup guide, unfortunately though, with the exception of the video portion, which I know you are also particularly interested in.

http://www.biofos.com/mft/omd_em1_settings.html

 

[Godfrey]

There are some setup options for video, but mostly the disconcerting one is that to use video capture, you first turn the mode control to the movie camera icon. Then you use the video button, NOT the shutter release, to start and stop recording. This is so you can make still shots while video capture is running. The video capture keeps running and is broken into clips surrounding the still shots..

Most of the video controls are accessed via the touch screen, the Fn2 and Fn1 buttons have special meaning.

 

[Roger Engelken]

Biofos provides a good setup guide, unfortunately though, with the exception of the video portion, which I know you are also particularly interested in.

http://www.biofos.com/mft/omd_em1_settings.html

 

[erichK]

There are some setup options for video, but mostly the disconcerting one is that to use video capture, you first turn the mode control to the movie camera icon. Then you use the video button, NOT the shutter release, to start and stop recording.

I did, indeed, try to start video recording several times by turning to video mode. The LCD would show itself to be in video mode -showing the icon and the remaining recording time- but the camera simply would not start recording video when the red-dot topped video button was pushed, although it would take still shots when the shutter-release button was pushed. Much latter, after trying everything else, I found that once I switched the 1-2 lever to the other position, video recording would indeed start. I had spent hours carefully setting up functions and the mysets, but have no idea how I had somehow, inadvertantly, disabled the video button in one of the two switch positions

This is so you can make still shots while video capture is running. The video capture keeps running and is broken into clips surrounding the still shots..

Am familiar with that from the OM-D, where it has mostly been an annoyance rather than a feature,

Most of the video controls are accessed via the touch screen,

Unfortunately, touch screen functionality is not very useful at the top of Mauna Kea or even during most of a normal winter here for those of us seeking to avoid severe frostbite. But I guess that most of the times I'd want to shoot video it would be under better conditions.

the Fn2 and Fn1 buttons have special meaning.

I had programmed those, and the video button (for non-video modes for things like ISO, WB, MF, etc) in non-video modes.

Godfrey
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdgphoto

Thank you for taking the time to make your reply.

 

[Godfrey]

You're welcome. I tried, but it seems you are somewhat put out by my response.

To me, enjoying the E-M1 is a matter of learning and becoming familiar with the its capabilities. You sound as if you have only had the E-M1 for a short time. This is too sophisticated a camera to learn overnight, IMO.

 

[Gerry Siegel]

Erich, anyone who climbs to top of that frigid mountain over here gets lots of respect. For you info, I have an e mail from A. Wrotniak in which he promises a more explicit set up guide for the camera in near future. I have not experimented with video yet. I am plowing through the rest of the 165 manual. Lots of us college grads find this machine a bit tougher than operating a back hoe. Courage. I use the GH 2 for video, takes a different mindset and different modality.....Aloha Nui, and come visit again....Gerry Mililani HI

 

[erichK]

You're welcome. I tried, but it seems you are somewhat put out by my response.

To me, enjoying the E-M1 is a matter of learning and becoming familiar with the its capabilities. You sound as if you have only had the E-M1 for a short time. This is too sophisticated a camera to learn overnight, IMO.

I really did appreciate your reply and agree fully that one should, ideally, spend weeks learning all the capabilities of a camera as complex and configurable as this. Unfortunately, life does not always work that way. The camera only became available about ten days before the already-booked trip, the manual that came with it is rudimentary and the online manual isn't much better. But I assumed that my familiarity with the E3 and 5, the half-dozen other FT's cameras I've owned and especially the OM-D and PL-5 would make it fairly straightforward to operate the E-M1, the only camera I felt it was safe to expose on top of a tripod under those conditions (as I hadn't been able to take the E-5 along for the trip.)

 

[erichK]

Erich, anyone who climbs to top of that frigid mountain over here gets lots of respect.

Thank you, Gerry, though the climb was a relatively easy, motorized one, using one of Harper's 4x4 Toyota 4runners as part of the public tour of the Keck. But staying out there for 90+ minutes and continuing to take pictures ubntil well after sunset was, indeed a bone-chilling undertaking.

For you info, I have an e mail from A. Wrotniak in which he promises a more explicit set up guide for the camera in near future.

Something to look forward to, indeed. His previous efforts have been very helpful.

I have not experimented with video yet. I am plowing through the rest of the 165 manual. Lots of us college grads find this machine a bit tougher than operating a back hoe.Courage. I use the GH 2 for video, takes a different mindset and different modality.

I almost bought a GH-2 but decided put up with Oly's lesser video talents because I did not want to have to learn a whole new menu, etc system, and also because video is a fairly minor part of my shooting,

But when those domes began to open and move (all of them did that night) I could not resist trying to take a moving-picture record of that against the beautiful sunset/

....Aloha Nui, and come visit again....Gerry Mililani HI

Would love to. You live in a beautiful place.

Aloha!

 

[erichK]

biofos.com; How to setup, configure and customise your OM-D E-M1.

OM-D E-M1 user guide, Olympus E-M1 user guide, E-M1 user guide, how to setup, configure and customise your new OM-D E-M1, setup your OM-D E-M1, how to configure your E-M1, how to customise your E-M1, how to customize your E-M1, setup & customise youe OM-D E-M1, configure and customise your E-M1...

biofos.com

Appears to be quite useful, and I will be trying their settings, though their oince again appears to be little on video.

 

[Pete_CSCS]

...figured out how to get the video working with the lever 2 position. You must have inadvertently reprogrammed it because it should work in position one. The other day my E-M1 stopped beeping when locking focus and I knew right away I must have shut it off trying to do something else. A little menu diving later, I found it and turned it back on. Thought I was shutting the Wi-Fi off............not!

Besides the E-M1 PDF manual and the Biofos guide, I also used the following two to help setup my camera:

http://photolisticlife.com/2013/10/17/olympus-om-d-e-m1-user-guide/

Keep climbing those mountains and your body will stay young!

 

[gnewylliw]

you can start the movie in P/A/S/M modes too. starting it in movie mode allows you to control Aperture/Shutter speed though.

 

[erichK]

...figured out how to get the video working with the lever 2 position. You must have inadvertently reprogrammed it because it should work in position one. The other day my E-M1 stopped beeping when locking focus and I knew right away I must have shut it off trying to do something else. A little menu diving later, I found it and turned it back on. Thought I was shutting the Wi-Fi off............not!

Besides the E-M1 PDF manual and the Biofos guide, I also used the following two to help setup my camera:

http://photolisticlife.com/2013/10/17/olympus-om-d-e-m1-user-guide/

Thanks for the refences, they're both very good, and I was able to watch Ralf in German (in which he has much less of accent) and English. His explanation of using the Bulb functions is very good, and his suggestion to turn release priority ON (I've always had it off for single shooting) also makes a lot oi sense.

But I'm still flumoxed by finding a good use for that lever, especially because of the way it seems inadvertantly change other settings.

Keep climbing those mountains and your body will stay young!

It was the monster RV (Toyota 2013 4Runner) that did all the real climbing, though we did at least scale the hill across the road from the Visitor's Centre. And standing behind the E-M1 at 14k feet and periodically also using my OM-D and changing lenses for 90+ minutes did, likely burn up a few extra calories,

 

[pris]

But I'm still flumoxed by finding a good use for that lever, especially because of the way it seems inadvertantly change other settings.

Why not just leave it at default? In lever's upper position dials control A and S, in lower - WB and ISO. Simple, convenient and doesn't influence any other settings.