OMD E-M5 MKII impressions

[raist3d]

More impressions after more time with it:

Continuos Autofocus- to my pleasant surprise this camera even though it's contrast only, can track moving objects and photograph with accuracy (F1.8 25mm m4/3rd prime lens). You need to make sure you set the release priority to "when in focus" for continuous auto focus or you will get a lot of duds. But it's pretty fast.

General focusing in low light- fantastic. Amazing. Can lock/is fast, etc.

Focusing using small squares- again, fantastic, amazing. AF capability hardly changes and it does it pretty accurately.

Note that this should not read "focus is perfect in every single situation" but relative to general camera focusing systems in general.

Focusing with 4/3rds lens - eh / meh. It's ok but it's not fast and it's not always accurate.
But not surprising.

- Ricardo

 

[jonoslack]

HI Ricardo
Thanks for the 'when in focus' tip - I'll try that.
I gave it a real hammering at Crufts dog show in horrible lighting on Friday, and generally speaking it performed really well

I like it!

 

[jonoslack]

Ho Hum
I was trying to use M mode with Automatic ISO at Crufts, and it didn't . . . . so I checked it on the E-M1 and it didn't either . . . has this changed? Am I having a brainfart? How do you implement TAV mode on an OMD?

On a different front, it's inspired me to get out the smaller zooms; the 14-150 is such a gas on an E-M5ii body - here's a couple from today

Swan

Chicken​

 

[jonoslack]

. . . and here's one of little Scarlett with the glorious 75 f1.8

Hippety Hop​

 

[mmbma]

why doesn't Lightroom support this camera yet?　usually Olympus is pretty quick in giving adobe an update in there.

 

[henningw]

For Auto ISO in M, try the following:

I don't know how it's done on the EM-5 II, but on the EM-1 you go to the custom menu (cogwheel) and to 'Exp/--/ISO' and there, under 'Auto-ISO' (below the Auto-ISO set). There you select 'All' instead of P/A/S.

Henning

 

[Knorp]

For Auto ISO in M, try the following:

I don't know how it's done on the EM-5 II, but on the EM-1 you go to the custom menu (cogwheel) and to 'Exp/--/ISO' and there, under 'Auto-ISO' (under the Auto-ISO set). There you select 'All' instead of P/A/S.

Henning

Excellent, Henning ! I couldn't remember how I had Auto-ISO enabled for the other modes.

Kind regards.

 

[k-hawinkler]

For Auto ISO in M, try the following:

I don't know how it's done on the EM-5 II, but on the EM-1 you go to the custom menu (cogwheel) and to 'Exp/--/ISO' and there, under 'Auto-ISO' (below the Auto-ISO set). There you select 'All' instead of P/A/S.

Henning

The same on E-M5 and E-M5 Mark II. :thumbs:

 

[Godfrey]

For Auto ISO in M, try the following:

I don't know how it's done on the EM-5 II, but on the EM-1 you go to the custom menu (cogwheel) and to 'Exp/--/ISO' and there, under 'Auto-ISO' (below the Auto-ISO set). There you select 'All' instead of P/A/S.

Yes. Remember also that AutoISO in Manual exposure mode on the E-M1 does not have an EV Compensation control or exposure lock (at least as far as I'm aware). You can only adjust the EV compensation by going to custom menu K and adjusting the exposure calibration for manual exposure mode. It's clumsy at best ... I wish they'd enable EV Compensation for this mode.

G

 

[raist3d]

. . . and here's one of little Scarlett with the glorious 75 f1.8

Hippety Hop[/SIZE][/CENTER]

I *almost* bought this lens today. I walked myself out of the store to make sure I am really going full feet in the m4/3rds. But I tried it and it sure looks like a great awesome lens.

- Ricardo

 

[raist3d]

For Auto ISO in M, try the following:

I don't know how it's done on the EM-5 II, but on the EM-1 you go to the custom menu (cogwheel) and to 'Exp/--/ISO' and there, under 'Auto-ISO' (below the Auto-ISO set). There you select 'All' instead of P/A/S.

Henning

Yup. This is it. I had to do the same. I was also perplexed at first.

There is no EV compensation on the Olympus m4/3rds currently. Pentax/Ricoh got this one nailed down.

- Ricardo

 

[Paratom]

Hi Jono
Allow me to ask: If you hadn’t got the Leica M, would you still sell the A7II and prefer the E-M5II instead? And why? Colours seem to be a tiny bit more “rich” and more “complete” from the A7II, or? The E-M5II looks more neutral but also a bit more “cold”/clinic?
And how about the subjective feeling for the two cameras? Which will do the better talking to you, instant handling etc.?
Thorkil

Dont have the e-M5II but just the E-M1 and the A7II and ... and here is my take:
-take DOF -requirements into consideration: The f4.0 24-70 and 70-200 have a theoretical 1 f-stop advantage over the f2.8 Zooms from Olympus in regards of shallow DOF. It does make quite a difference if you want to blur he background.
I think specially the 70-200/4.0FE has a very nice background blur.
If you use primes the difference is even bigger.
One the other side having a little more DOF can also be an advantage for some people/subjects
-I believe the images from the Sony are a little smoother in regards of tonal transitions
-Color...I have to say I think Oly color is hard to beat
-Size - m43 clearly has some advantage here; One thing (true for both systems)....they relation between body -size and lens size/weight is critical IMO. As soon as you use the higher grade pro lenses the combo gets frontheavy. Even the 12-40/2.8 on the EM1...its ok but not great balanced. Thats also the reason why I prefer the EM1 body over the EM5/10.

For me I will keep both systems at the moment. I most say in regards of user interface I kind of like/prefer the Oly over the Sonys.

 

[jonoslack]

For Auto ISO in M, try the following:

I don't know how it's done on the EM-5 II, but on the EM-1 you go to the custom menu (cogwheel) and to 'Exp/--/ISO' and there, under 'Auto-ISO' (below the Auto-ISO set). There you select 'All' instead of P/A/S.

Henning

Thank you so much Henning it would have taken me months to find that!

I *almost* bought this lens today. I walked myself out of the store to make sure I am really going full feet in the m4/3rds. But I tried it and it sure looks like a great awesome lens.

- Ricardo

Hi Ricardo
it's not a lens to miss. really an all time favorite and 150 is a surprisingly usable focal length (especially with IBIS).

We're off to the mountains for a few days:
E-M5ii with 14-150 and 45 f1.8
Leica M with 28 and 50 Lux
Teeny and perfect!

 

[henningw]

Recently I was in Cuba for 2 weeks and took the 7-14, 12-40/2.8, the 75, the 20/1.7 and 100-300. The latter was for birds, of which I saw few so it didn't get much use.

However, the 12-40 and 75 combo was fantastic. I also have the 35-100/2.8 Panasonic, but I like the 75 so much that the zoom gets little use. The 75 was just an ideal compromise with respect to speed, size and reach. Its image quality is just so outstanding that it always delights. In combination with Oly's IBIS it's just hard to get it wrong.

Henning

 

[raist3d]

Hi Ricardo
it's not a lens to miss. really an all time favorite and 150 is a surprisingly usable focal length (especially with IBIS).

Totally understand, 150mm is one of my favorite focal lengths and I came to discover there was another street photographer from the past that used it. Saul Leiter.

That's me with the Pentax 06 Q lens (at 202mm+). It's a question more of whether I was going to keep the OMD, but looks like I am. So I have to start selling stuff. (which also means the 75mm is my next purchase 98% likely now).



- Ricardo

 

[raist3d]

I was pretty surprised by the ISO performance here. This is ISO 6400 at F1.8, 1/15s (IBIS did its job too). To me this ranks as ~ISO 16,000 at F2.8, 1/15s, which is like ISO 32,000 at F2.8, 1/30s.

I mention the last equivalent number because that to me is what I call pretty low light. Not even in my wildest dreams my previous 4/3rds camera would have done this. And it still has enough detail also.

Sure, there's some noise. But I am not even using advanced noise reduction programs. If LR can do the chroma noise reduction as well as it does it for the Nikon 1 this should look pretty decent though I am not a fan of default LR color.

Converted with Iridient 3.0.

- Ricardo

 

[raist3d]

I have to say, I still find a bit odd that this camera has no "AA" filter. The shots I am taking still point that it has one (weak) one or Olympus is doing something to those RAW files to avoid moire.

I went out with the Nikon 1 J4 today and in the weekend one of the two days, and I found it can resolve detail better. With the better primes seems to get in some cases better micro contrast. Where the Olympus takes over it is in high iso and total DR. But if you get a shot within the DR of the Nikon, I am surprised how well it holds.

- Ricardo

 

[raist3d]

So I have been giving the latest Capture One 8.2 a spin and... I am seeing a lot of "pop" and color I like from the OMD EM5 MKII. I think this may be it. I will wait for LR 6 to see if they have improved their engine or something but looks I may just upgrade to Capture one, keep using the OMD.

Shots sometime later.

- Ricardo

 

[barjohn]

I tried, I really tried to resist this camera. I swore I would not go back to m43 as the IQ just wasn't good enough but this little bugger kept calling me and I finally said what the hell I'll give it a try. What an impressive camera! First, it is fast, fast and ACCURATE AF in almost all conditions. Perfect size and solid feel. Everything works like it should with a really quiet shutter, even without quiet mode where it is silent. Small but very sharp lenses. I have tried two, the 12-40mm f2.8 pro and the 14-150mm f4-5.6 II. I wasn't sure what to expect for the latter lens priced at $599 but I have been pleasantly surprised at how sharp this lens is. I tired my first ever BIF at 300mm equivalent and lens, IBIS and AF worked perfectly to get my first shot perfect. I'm not saying it was easy as the bird was a large black bird that was swooping and changing directions unpredictably and at 300mm a challenge to keep it in the lens. Without the IBIS in this camera it would have been impossible.

I have compared IQ against a host of cameras I have owned and been pleasantly surprised to see it matched or beat many of them and only losing out minimally to FF in resolution and DR (but not by much), In terms of color and contrast it is more accurate than my Sony A&7II with better contrast and sharpness. For stills, like interiors, the 40MP mode just produces stunningly high resolution images. If the Leica T or XV had performed like this camera they would still be in my kit and I wouldn't have purchased this camera. On the pro lenses the MF clutch is just fantastic giving a nice linear feel with real stops and it just pops into focus on the LCD or EVF. The lenses are not as large as the Leica or Sony lenses and that is a huge plus.

 

[jonoslack]

Hi there John
It's hard not to love it isn't it - a really fine camera.