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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>
>
> --
> _________________________________________________________________
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