Having fun with the E-P1

[Diane B]

If you find you use the viewfinder a lot with the G1, and prefer it for your critical focus work, I'd say the E-P1 is probably not the right camera for you. I'd wait for the next Olympus before doing it.

There's no need to be in a hurry. Consider your photography and act on that basis.

Good advice Godfrey. I'm still going to trek on down to Charlotte and handle the EP-1, but I think I'm better off waiting and seeing what else is coming. I'm in no hurry either as I am well covered camera/lens wise for about any situation, but am hoping the m4/3rds develops more as it suits for a lot of my shooting. For now--looking forward to getting my 17 f/2.8 for the G1. That and one other lens (maybe the 40 f/1.7) will be a very small kit that should work well for me.

Diane

 

[Diane B]

I'm very taken with the Terraclime 100 too. Sigh. As if the dozen or three bags I already have aren't enough. Best bag out of Lowepro I've seen in a long while.

I hate velcro closures too. I do like velcro on the interior to allow easily repositionable dividers and padding, however. Billingham does this just right.

LOL--I like it too, but one more bag, as you say. I have a closet full and all seemed 'just the thing' at one point or another with one camera/kit or another. I'm still sold mostly on my old Domkes (3 at last count) and have never tried the Billinghams--so many like them. What I like about the Terraclime is the seemingly very flexible body. The seaming seems different than on my Domkes where the structure makes them boxier--though soft. I do use dividers in 2 of my Domkes also.

Diane

 

[Ranger 9]

funny how people dislike velcro.

I don't think it's a matter of disliking Velcro(tm). It's a matter of disliking the "schplKKEEEEEEW" sound it makes when you peel it.

That, and the hook portion turning into a Museum of Lint of every sweater you ever wore...

But then, I don't like the plastic clasps that snap back and sting my fingertips, either. Zippers or buckles are too slow, and snaps aren't flexible enough. Magnets would be a thought, but would they damage your storage media? There's no perfect solution.

Doctor Who has his psychic paper, and I'm waiting for psychic adhesive -- stays firmly stuck when you want it stuck, lets go when you want it to let go...

 

[simonclivehughes]

... I'm waiting for psychic adhesive -- stays firmly stuck when you want it stuck, lets go when you want it to let go...

I think that's made by the same company that sells the "portable hole" used by Bugs Bunny, and the various gadgets for Wile E. Coyote.

Cheers,

 

[monza]

ACME

 

[Mike Hatam]

The G1's 'two-button-press to get to focus assist' is much more convenient than the E-P1's 'get to the right info screen, press ok, dial in magnification'.

Actually, if you configure the E-P1 correctly, it's a simple one button push to get the focus assist.

Cycle through the live views (using the info button) until you get to the one that has a small green square in the middle. That's the mode you want to be in. Once in that mode, simply hit the "ok" button in the middle of the dial, and the small square is magnified to fill the whole screen for focus assist. Simply hit "ok" again to jump back to the regular view.

Mike

 

[Terry]

Actually, if you configure the E-P1 correctly, it's a simple one button push to get the focus assist.

Cycle through the live views (using the info button) until you get to the one that has a small green square in the middle. That's the mode you want to be in. Once in that mode, simply hit the "ok" button in the middle of the dial, and the small square is magnified to fill the whole screen for focus assist. Simply hit "ok" again to jump back to the regular view.

Mike

Mike, my only issue with the green box screen is that there is no shooting info there at all (histo, shutter, ev, etc.). Otherwise I would leave it on that screen.

 

[hot]

Here we have the detachable EVF!!!
Karl

Laughing, rolling on the floor .... :ROTFL:

Buy a car without wheels and mount roller skates

GH1 is the better E-P1 :thumbs:

 

[Mike Hatam]

Mike, my only issue with the green box screen is that there is no shooting info there at all (histo, shutter, ev, etc.). Otherwise I would leave it on that screen.

Yes, which is just the way I like it, especially when shooting with my M lenses. Nice and clean.

Mike

 

[Terry]

Mike - I've turned off a number of the info screens so getting to the right one for manual focus is much faster.
There are sooooo many settings in these menus it is unreal.

 

[Terry]

Bracketing -
When I first set up the camera, I turned bracketing on. I am almost certain that the camera was automatically making the three exposures. At one point over the weekend I turned it off. Now when I try to turn bracketing back on, the only way I get a bracket is to actually go in and hit the shutter 3 times. Can't figure this out and the manual is not overly helpful. (The manual actually says you need to make 3 shots on your own). This does not make sense.

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Godfrey]

Bracketing -
When I first set up the camera, I turned bracketing on. I am almost certain that the camera was automatically making the three exposures. At one point over the weekend I turned it off. Now when I try to turn bracketing back on, the only way I get a bracket is to actually go in and hit the shutter 3 times. Can't figure this out and the manual is not overly helpful. (The manual actually says you need to make 3 shots on your own). This does not make sense.

Anyone have any thoughts?

It probably works like my E-1 and other Olympus cameras: setting "bracket" is independent of setting drive mode. You set the camera to bracket AND you set the drive mode to Continuous. When the controls are set that way, press and hold the shutter release will produce the bracket sequence and stop. If you set it to bracket only with drive mode on Single, you have to make each exposure with a separate press of the shutter release.

---
Just checked the E-P1 manual, page 52:

"• In single-frame shooting, the exposure changes every
time the shutter button is pressed.

• In sequential shooting, hold down the shutter button until
the selected number of frames are taken."

 

[Terry]

Thanks Godfrey,
I saw that. It just didn't jive with what I thought the camera was doing on Friday. I was getting brackets and I generally don't set the camera to sequential shooting.

The only issue with this is if you forget you are in a bracket and just take one shot and move on to a different subject, your next shot will be part of the previous bracket i.e. the exposure will be compensated.

If there were a quicker way to get in and out of bracketing mode it would be simple. It is just pretty deep in the menus and I need to figure out how my mode works....you have to shoot holding down the fn key????

 

[fordfanjpn]

Blown highlights?

I'm seeing a lot of blown highlights in the sample images I have looked at so far. And in many cases they seem to be blowing in a rather ugly way. Is this just a jpeg thing, or are the raw files irretrievable as well? This is the one thing that is preventing me from having a serious interest in this camera.

Bill

 

[Terry]

Re: Blown highlights?

I'm seeing a lot of blown highlights in the sample images I have looked at so far. And in many cases they seem to be blowing in a rather ugly way. Is this just a jpeg thing, or are the raw files irretrievable as well? This is the one thing that is preventing me from having a serious interest in this camera.

Bill

Where are you seeing all of the blown highlights on this thread or other places? I've actually have been surprised (and posted about it) that the camera seems to handle them pretty well. I believe a lot of people right now are dealing with jpegs waiting for additional RAW support.

 

[Mike Hatam]

A few quick shots from a neighborhood BBQ this evening...

These are all out-of-the-camera jpgs. I captured RAW+JPG, but haven't started processing the E-P1 raw files yet, as I'm waiting for LR/CS to support the files. These jpgs below have some cropping and minor exposure corrections, but this is pretty much how they look out of the camera. I use the "natural" setting in the camera, with no other adjustments.

 

[Terry]

Looking good. You seem happy with the set up. There was a short thread going over at LUF and there was the usual outrage the people would put their Leica lenses on a piece of garbage camera....there is a reason I don't hang out over there .

Which of your Leica/Zeiss lenses are you using here? I was keeping a 50 lux in my bag for shots like these.

 

[Godfrey]

Re: Blown highlights?

I'm seeing a lot of blown highlights in the sample images I have looked at so far. And in many cases they seem to be blowing in a rather ugly way. Is this just a jpeg thing, or are the raw files irretrievable as well? This is the one thing that is preventing me from having a serious interest in this camera.

I don't know where you're seeing blown highlights. I've only played with Terry's a little bit and tried to force blown highlights in the JPEGs, and I was unsuccessful.

 

[Godfrey]

... I was getting brackets and I generally don't set the camera to sequential shooting. [\QUOTE]

hmm. I have this vague recollection that the symbol indicating Continuous drive mode was on in your camera's display on Friday.

The only issue with this is if you forget you are in a bracket and just take one shot and move on to a different subject, your next shot will be part of the previous bracket i.e. the exposure will be compensated.

If it's like the E-1, again, the "bracket" signal will flash when you're in an intermediary bracket step and Single shot mode.

I haven't read all the way through the manual yet. I'm sure there's a lot to discover about the E-P1. I haven't even finished reading the G1 manual yet, to be honest. ;-)

 

[Jose Luis Gonzalez]

Hi all, Raw Developer (http://iridient.com/ ) version 1.8.4 can develop EP1 raw files, Mac only

Jose