The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

For those with the G1 and EP1...

D

daggerlee

Guest
I was just wondering how the two LCD screens compare - is it easier to MF with the 460k dot screen of the G1 compared to the EP1? How big is the difference?
 
V

Vivek

Guest
VERY BIG.

The G1 has a swivel LCD while E-P1 requires you to stretch your arm out in front of your eyes.
 
R

rover

Guest
Yeah, but what about the difference in the screen resolutions and does that make one easier to MF on?
 

Mike Hatam

Senior Subscriber Member
The screens are quite different. As Vivek noted, the G1 is articulated. Handy for shots held down low or up high.

The Oly screen is lower res, but has a very high "angle of view". Meaning you can see it very clearly at an angle. I'm actually able to hold it down low or up high, or out to the side, and still view it clearly, in situations that would normally require an articulated screen

I find both screens pretty easy to MF on. Both have a MF assist feature which "zooms". The G1 version of that feature is implemented with better ergonomics.

Overall, I've not really had any challenges or problems manually focusing on either body.
 

simonclivehughes

Active member
Mike,

Since you have both, is the MF easier on one or the other with regard to getting the camera into the zoom focus mode?

Cheers,
 

pellicle

New member
I have my G1 set so that all I do is press the middle left button to bring up the selector, then press the center button to accept the location (or move it around if I want another place).

actually I notice that I seem to be wearing the paint off these already
 

Mike Hatam

Senior Subscriber Member
I sold the G1 about a week ago to a fellow forum member, who happens to have posted in this thread :), so I'm going on memory here as it related to the G1...

The G1 was very easy for me to trigger the MF assist mode (zoom in) and also turn it off.

With the E-P1, you can program the "OK" button (in the middle of the directional buttons) to be this toggle. But there are two problems. #1 - you have to be in a parcticular live-view mode (the "green square" mode) to trigger it, and #2 - the button is not in a natural position to easily push it once you've got the manual focus achieved. It requires an unnatural thumb manipulation to "turn it off" in order to complete your composition. There is a workaround (push "play" twice, as a way to turn it off), but that's only marginally better.
 

simonclivehughes

Active member
I have my G1 set so that all I do is press the middle left button to bring up the selector, then press the center button to accept the location (or move it around if I want another place).
Yeah, you can actually do it in one movement by rolling your thumb from the left to center button.

My question is whether it is this "easy" on the E-P1? Personally, I'd rather a single button push.

Cheers,
 

nostatic

New member
It should be noted that if you're using one of the Oly u4/3 lenses (and maybe the G1, haven't tried it), when you're in MF mode the moment you touch the focus ring it zooms into MF assist - no button pushes needed. When you touch the shutter it goes back to framing mode.

But with a MF lens, you have to do as Mike outlined.
 

Mike Hatam

Senior Subscriber Member
The E-P1 is a single-button-push, assuming you're already in the green-square mode. That single button is the "ok" button in the middle of the directional buttons.

I think Oly needs to rethink how to trigger/toggle the MF assist mode.

It should be "triggerable" from any live-view mode.

It should be programmable to any rear button (or even have a dedicated button on future models).

A half-press of the shutter button should turn it off. Right now, that only works when using an Oly lens - you start turning the focus ring, and it instantly activates MF assist (too easily in my mind), and then if you half-press the shutter it will toggle off the MF assist mode (back to normal view). But this half-press mechanism doesn't work when using a fully manual lens (such as a Leica lens on adapter).
 

simonclivehughes

Active member
Thanks Mike, didn't see your reply until I finished my post.

Ah, that's what I thought I'd heard. I wonder if Oly will "belly up to the bar" and release an updated firmware to address this kind of user unfriendliness? As good as any of these next gen cameras are, they don't seem to be able to get the whole team on the same page... the concept is good, but most often it seems as if the interface/firmware people aren't real shooters, and are not getting the proper guidance from those on the team who are. Result: a good concept, marred by the weakest links in the chain.

It's a real pity that with the expertise available, and the instant, deep and considered knowledge available to them over the web that these companies don't ever manage to provide us with what we've asked for.

I know, some will claim that the mass audience doesn't need or use these refinements, but good grief, so much of this is available through correct design decisions and thoughtful coding. So what if the masses don't use feature "X", at least it would be there for those of us who want and do use it.

It's also a pity that the hackers seem only to hack Canon! They're the guys who should be hired by the likes of Panny and Oly!

Cheers,
 

woodmancy

Subscriber Member
Is Daggerlee asking if the LCD resolutions of the G1 and E-P1 affect the accuracy of manual focus?

I've just tried a simple experiment of putting the same lens on both - a CV 40mm/1.4, and checking MF zoomed view. I switched a number of times and to be honest there isn't much difference - both work well. The Olympus LCD gives a little noisier image, but the focusing capability is as good as the G1.

But, as everyone has pointed out, the logistics of using MF on the G1 work much better than the E-P1

Keith
 
D

daggerlee

Guest
Is Daggerlee asking if the LCD resolutions of the G1 and E-P1 affect the accuracy of manual focus?

I've just tried a simple experiment of putting the same lens on both - a CV 40mm/1.4, and checking MF zoomed view. I switched a number of times and to be honest there isn't much difference - both work well. The Olympus LCD gives a little noisier image, but the focusing capability is as good as the G1.

But, as everyone has pointed out, the logistics of using MF on the G1 work much better than the E-P1

Keith
Hi Keith,

Yes that's what I was asking about! Thanks for the information. Glad to see there's not that much of a difference. Do wish Oly would implement a better way to zoom in...
 

kevinparis

Member
I have only ocassionally used liveview on my 510 and have only briefly played with an ep1.

My suggestion to Olympus for a firmware update would be to offer alternative zoom levels for the MF. To me in most cases the 7x and 10x is too much... the image moves too much and is a big jump visually ... to me 3x and 5x would offer a better set of starting values... especially for ballpark street photography with wider lenses... with the other values being better for those of us with more time or tripods or who need that micro level of focus

just a thought

K
 

Mike Hatam

Senior Subscriber Member
Kevin - great point - I should have mentioned that. We should be able to dial/scroll the level of magnification, from 2x up through 10x.
 
Top