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Re: [OM] The E-M5 has arrived

Subject: Re: [OM] The E-M5 has arrived
From: Paul Braun <pbraun42@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2013 13:55:45 -0600
I originally used the DPReview defaults, then changed some after watching that 
online seminar.  Still many layers I haven't experimented with yet....


Paul Braun
Certified Music Junkie

"It's such a fine line between stupid, and clever." -- David St. Hubbins

"Music washes from the soul the dust of everyday life" - Harlan Howard

On Jan 19, 2013, at 13:33, "Jim Nichols" <jhnichols@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I know the feeling of being overwhelmed, Chuck.  My solution is to pick the 
> most useful features, learn them, and forget about the other features that 
> you paid for.  Use the manual if they must be activated.  I firmly believe 
> that, as I push more details into this old brain, others are pushed out.  It 
> works like a maxed out HD. ;~)
> 
> Jim Nichols
> Tullahoma, TN USA
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Chuck Norcutt" <chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: "Olympus mail list" <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2013 12:14 PM
> Subject: [OM] The E-M5 has arrived
> 
> 
>> The E-M5 has arrived but I am nowhere near figuring out how to use it.
>> 
>> I fully expected the battery to need charging first but was surprised to
>> see that it indicated near full charge... or so I thought.  I started
>> with some basic setup including setting date and time.  After about an
>> hour of fiddling with things the battery symbol turned red indicating
>> need for recharging.  I charged it for about 4 hours.  After
>> reinstalling the battery I was surprised to see that the date and time
>> setting had been lost.
>> 
>> My first thought was something was wrong with the small lithium backup
>> battery such as used in my Canon 5D.  A thorough search of the camera
>> and manual turned up no such device.  As it turns out the clock is
>> maintained only by a capacitor.  That requires that a well charged
>> battery has been in the camera for some unstated period of time to
>> deliver a charge sufficient to last "about one day".  Clock is now
>> working and doesn't get reset if you remove the battery.
>> 
>> The menus are extensive and almost overwhelming but I am finally getting
>> a bit more comfortable with them.  I've done some basic setup such as
>> getting a grid displayed and enabling many things that were initially
>> off just so I can see the functions.  My biggest confusion point at the
>> moment is the "super control panel" and variants.  I couldn't even get
>> it to display for a long time since the instructions seem to start from
>> the default state of the viewfinder/monitor control switch as it comes
>> out of the box.  I had apparently pushed that control a few times and it
>> took much more reading of the manual before I really understood how it
>> was controlled.  And I'm still not 100% sure I completely understand it.
>> 
>> The Canon 5D has a single button dedicated to ISO and drive mode.  After
>> pressing that one button you turn one control wheel to change ISO and
>> the other control wheel to change drive mode.    The E-M5 has two
>> buttons labeled Fn1 and Fn2 which are freely reprogrammable between
>> various functions.  I had already reprogrammed those to move the AF
>> button off the shutter button and add the missing DoF preview button.
>> But I was missing a button for ISO.  I didn't realize at first that the
>> video mode button can be reprogrammed in the same way.  If you want to
>> shoot video and have reprogrammed that button just switch the mode dial
>> to video/movies.  Anyhow the movie button is now something else.
>> 
>> I've moved the buttons around and am not sure whether the assignments
>> will move around again.  I wanted the Fn1 button (thumb operated on
>> back) to be the focus button but it's partially blocked by the ridge of
>> the raised thumb rest and a bit difficult to press.  So right now the
>> Fn1 button is depth of field preview, Fn2 (next to the shutter button)
>> is the focus button and the movie button is the change ISO button.  The
>> X-Y arrow keys can also each be individually reprogrammed to some other
>> function but you'd have to give up the ability to move the focus point
>> while shooting.
>> 
>> But I have a long, long way yet to go.  I haven't even begun to
>> understand manual focus, the touch modes of the screen (when enabled),
>> various live view stuff and much, much more.  I just stumbled across the
>> fact that it has bluetooth a few minutes ago.  I'm not surprised but I
>> hadn't known that until just now.
>> 
>> I'd like to get a small waist belt bag for it but don't know what.  I'd
>> like to carry the camera, the two lenses (12-50 & 14-150),  maybe a
>> third lens, a flash (probably a T-32 but maybe the Canon 540-EZ) a spare
>> battery and some other miscellany.
>> 
>> Carry bag, lighter weight tripod and usage suggestions will be greatly
>> appreciated.
>> 
>> Things that bug me a bit -
>> I'd like to shrink the giant screen in favor of another couple buttons.
>> Can't view flashies and histogram at the same time
>> Top of shooting histgram is truncated
>> Separate colors RGB histograms (plural) only available in review mode.
>> Olympus owner's manuals, eg; page 30, 31 show high data content
>> viewfinder and monitor displays that I have been totally unable to
>> reproduce on my own camera.
>> 
>> Luke warm -
>> The 800x600 EVF display is not bad but even I (vs Eagle-eye Moose) can
>> see some pixellation.  It blows my Minolta A1 out of the water but it
>> will take another generation or two before it's really great.
>> 
>> Things I love
>> Both highlight and shadow flashies
>> Live preview of exposure and compentation
>> Freely moveable focus point over most (but not all) of the screen
>> Full time vertical/horizontal leveling bars
>> Multiple grid displays
>> Body with 14-150 about like carrying an OM-1 with 135/3.5
>> 
>> Chuck Norcutt
>> -- 
>> _________________________________________________________________
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> 
> 
> -- 
> _________________________________________________________________
> Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
> Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
> Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
> 
-- 
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