E-M1 mkII Sanity Check

[mawz]

Picked up a used E-M1 mk II yesterday.

Extremely impressed overall, getting acceptably sharp shots at 105mm and 1s is outstanding and the high ISO IQ is a real step up from the 16MP bodies I'm used to. Liking the handling after a year and a half on Fuji, Nikon and Sony, although I was surprised that the 2x2 lever seems less configurable than I remember it being on the E-M1 and E-M5 mk II that I was shooting in 2019 before my last kick at the FF bucket.

That said, it looks like my body is bad. Getting constant lockups, especially if I power on with no lens or card and hit menu (that's a 100% guarantee of a lockup). I'd initially thought the issue was the body hating on Sandisk, as I've read that Sandisk Extreme Pro cards are somewhat problematic in E-M1 mkII's, but I tried my trusted Sony 32GB UHS-1 cards that have been rock solid in all my bodies for the last ~5 years and same semi-random lockups. I can usually generate one by hitting menu while the card activity icon is flashing during startup.

Just want a sanity check that I'm not missing something.

Body has been updated to 3.4 (it was on 2.3 when I got it). Settings reset done twice.

Lenses tested were the classic Lumix G Vario 14-45 (the G1 kit lens and a real classic) and an ZD 40-150 f4-5.6 on both a MMF-3 and a DMW-MA1 adapter. On and a manual lens too (Nikkor 105/2.5 AI-S on 4/3rds adapter stacked to the MMF-3). 14-45 is on latest firmware (1.2)

 

[mawz]

Is it possible that the battery is bad? I only have one BLH-1 (legit Oly, not 3rd party)

 

[Ghostbuggy]

Just to be sure, have you tried the camera without any SD card inserted? I'd be surprised if two different cards would cause the trouble, but it might be worth a try.

 

[mawz]

Just to be sure, have you tried the camera without any SD card inserted? I'd be surprised if two different cards would cause the trouble, but it might be worth a try.

Yes, in fact it's worse with no SD card. My original thought was that the body hated the Sandisk card (it's been flaky in UHS-II bodies in my experience, but solid in UHS-1)

I get 100% reliable lockups if I hit Menu when the camera is turned on with no card. It's intermittent with a card in it. Sony card in slot 2 is mostly functional, Sandisk card in slot 1 is mostly non-functional, in terms of how likely a lockup is to happen. Sandisk in slot 2 and Sony in slot 1 are somewhere in between.

Note that specific Sony card was rock solid in my E-M1 and E-M5II when I had them.

 

[Mack]

Try a full reset and maybe a reload the firmware version? I've had lockups on my E-M1 II due to either dirty lens contacts or the need to wiggle the lens in the mount to seat it better. I used some DeOxit Gold (From local Guitar World store.) on the lens and body contacts and the battery contacts both. So far so good.

Could be some internal ribbon cable is failing in its jack too. Got that tidbit from the guys who are fixing my used E-M1 for the erratic shutter dial (which I suspect is contact oxidation given its age, but dunno.).

Good luck!

 

[bargainguy]

Did your used body come with any guarantee?

I'm assuming the problem was obvious enough such that the seller knew that you were getting a questionable camera.

If there's any way you can return, that's my suggestion. Way too many problems to be considered a firmware issue.

 

[mawz]

Try a full reset and maybe a reload the firmware version? I've had lockups on my E-M1 II due to either dirty lens contacts or the need to wiggle the lens in the mount to seat it better. I used some DeOxit Gold (From local Guitar World store.) on the lens and body contacts and the battery contacts both. So far so good.

Could be some internal ribbon cable is failing in its jack too. Got that tidbit from the guys who are fixing my used E-M1 for the erratic shutter dial (which I suspect is contact oxidation given its age, but dunno.).

Good luck!

I've updated firmware without success, and done 3 resets

Did your used body come with any guarantee?

I'm assuming the problem was obvious enough such that the seller knew that you were getting a questionable camera.

If there's any way you can return, that's my suggestion. Way too many problems to be considered a firmware issue.

90 days warranty, the vendor does a basic sanity check but I've found they rarely do a thorough test of used gear they take in. I've been buying used gear from the vendor for 2 decades (Henry's in Canada) and this is the first bad digital body I've had from them in that period, out of a LOT of bodies.

I'll be returning for exchange, but unless they are willing to do something for me, I'll be out of pocket a bit as all the other E-M1 mark II's they have in stock are more expensive and I'll be stuck paying the difference.

 

[Reflector]

Shouldn't be the case, my E-M1II is very stable and I never encountered a lockup with it.

 

[ac12]

Yes, send the camera back.
Not worth the hassles, and once you go past the 90 days, the problems is yours.

 

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

I have used 2 Sandisk UHS-II 64 GB cards in slot 1 of my EM1 II. The first card gave me lots of problems, but the second card is fine. The first card seems to be ok in slot 2 or in my EM10.

 

[mawz]

I have used 2 Sandisk UHS-II 64 GB cards in slot 1 of my EM1 II. The first card gave me lots of problems, but the second card is fine. The first card seems to be ok in slot 2 or in my EM10.

The Sandisk card is one of the Extreme Pro UHS-1 '170MB/s' ones. My Fuji X-T2 has had occasional issues with it as well (UHS-II slots), but no UHS-1 slot I've tried it in has been a problem. I won't be buying more of them though.

Yes, send the camera back.
Not worth the hassles, and once you go past the 90 days, the problems is yours.

Just got off the phone, they've got another one set aside for me. I'll be a little out of pocket,but I'm getting a box and all accessories this time, the one I have now was only battery/charger/strap. Not that I'll use the other bits much, but nice to have for eventual resale.

 

[fortwodriver]

If you can, I think you should send the camera back.
It's far too difficult to really know what's going on. It could have even been subject to water ingress or even worse, salt-water ingress somehow.

Your "new" camera purchase should require you to diagnose this - it's certainly not fun.

 

[mawz]

If you can, I think you should send the camera back.
It's far too difficult to really know what's going on. It could have even been subject to water ingress or even worse, salt-water ingress somehow.

Your "new" camera purchase should require you to diagnose this - it's certainly not fun.

Camera is going back tomorrow for replacement

It is unusual, while I know how basic the functionality check the vendor does is (slap a lens and card on it and test focus/image), usually it catches any major issue like this.

This is a major reason why I almost always buy used from a dealer. It costs more but I get a real no-hassle warranty.

 

[bargainguy]

A few years ago, a friend was complaining to me about his Nikon D2X that he recently purchased from a major US reseller. Major banding problem if memory serves.

My first question was, how many clicks / shutter actuations?

He said, no clue. So I hooked him up with Opanda, open source software to check shutter count, among other things. Here's where things get interesting.

Shutter count on the first defective D2X was 169K+. So the same reseller replaces it with another D2X, this one with - wait for it - 363K!

That one bombed as well. Never heard what happened with any replacement.

Curious, did Henry's disclose shutter count? Better places do this, so you can tell whether your camera has a decent amount of life left.

 

[mawz]

Yes, they did, and in advance of the purchase. 95k, so about 50% of the rated life used assuming all shots were mechanical. Henry's has disclosed shutter count on every body with shutter count reporting that I've bought in the last 3-4 years. (last body I bought was an X-T2, which cannot be trusted for shutter count as certain firmware updates will reset it)

Given I shoot 10-15k images a year, I'm quite happy to buy a high mileage body as long as it's fully functional and the price reflects the condition.

 

[Ghostbuggy]

I think sending it back was the best idea. The E-M1 Mark II is pretty famous for being robust and reliable. If the camera keeps locking up again and again even without any SD card inserted, the problem seems to be with the internals rather than anything within your own influence.
If you have been doing business with that store for quite some time, they should not only be interested in keeping that business relation on the positive side, but they should also be able to offer a quick turn around solution. I hope your replacement will fare better.

 

[mawz]

Picked up the new body yesterday, it's in mint shape and fully functional. The Sandisk card works fine in it.

 

[ac12]

Picked up the new body yesterday, it's in mint shape and fully functional. The Sandisk card works fine in it.

Give it a good workout.

 

[mawz]

Give it a good workout.

Did that today. 7km and 70 images.

Very happy with it, everything I loved about the E-M1's I've owned in the past, without RAW files that get crunchy too quickly (my ongoing challenge with the 16MP bodies)

I also picked up a 12-40 Pro yesterday. Really kicking myself for not buying one of these years ago. I'm a cheapskate and tend to use mid-range lenses over the top-end, but I got a deal I couldn't resist. Man, what a great little lens.

 

[Carbonman]

Did that today. 7km and 70 images.

Very happy with it, everything I loved about the E-M1's I've owned in the past, without RAW files that get crunchy too quickly (my ongoing challenge with the 16MP bodies)

I also picked up a 12-40 Pro yesterday. Really kicking myself for not buying one of these years ago. I'm a cheapskate and tend to use mid-range lenses over the top-end, but I got a deal I couldn't resist. Man, what a great little lens.

I found the Mk. II a huge step up from the Mk. I - the grip is better suited to my hands, the image quality is a bit better, focus speed in all conditions is much better etc. I bought a used 12-40 a couple of months after buying my E-M10 Mk. I and was amazed at how sharp and contrasty a lens it is.