Modified firmware, looking for users

[kelstertx]

Olympus must have introduced some stability bugs. They popped out with a 3.1 release for E-M1.2 today, citing fixes for stability. I personally had my E-M1.2 freeze with black LCD two or three times this weekend. I never saw it do that before the 3.0 update.

Just letting Abel know, in case he wants to keep up with latest OEM FW versions.

 

[wjiang]

Hi @ABel, this looks like excellent work. I haven't had cause to try and use it yet as I'm not that into focus stacking or video.

Something that does interest me, however, is pro-capture on the E-M1 II.

Olympus used to have a restriction where this only worked for Olympus lenses. In a later firmware update, they opened up pro-capture high (with AF and exposure locked) to other lenses, but left pro-capture low (with AF and exposure enabled) restricted to Olympus lenses.

What was the process you went through to do your focus stacking lens restriction hack? Could a similar process be used to unlock pro-capture low for other lenses?

I have a professional background in embedded software so I'm not afraid to roll my sleeves up and help.

 

[PhotoDmiK]

You may start from this link Olympus hacks - Personal View Talks
For additional tricks on loading offset for modern models and updated tools you need to wait for ABel.

 

[wjiang]

You may start from this link Olympus hacks - Personal View Talks
For additional tricks on loading offset for modern models and updated tools you need to wait for ABel.

Well I managed to disassemble at least... have to admit it's a little beyond me to do this level of reverse-engineering at the raw instruction set level, and I don't want to risk bricking my brand new camera...

Unfortunately, it seems like Olympus have pulled firmware 1.4 and 2.0 from their server - that was the update where they opened up pro-capture high to all AF lenses. It would have been interesting to see what might have changed.

 

[ibd]

... And it seems like there are no mirrors for these two files:
1.4: OLY_E_125_1401_0000_0000.BIN
2.0: OLY_E_125_2001_0000_0000.BIN

(At least I couldn't find any via Google.)

I guess the only hope is that someone in the community still has these files and can upload them to a mirror for analysis.

 

[barry]

Unfortunately, it seems like Olympus have pulled firmware 1.4 and 2.0 from their server

Hi, you can download them at
Olympus firmware update tool

 

[ibd]

Hi, you can download them at
Olympus firmware update tool

I thought so too, but they just point to Olympus' servers. And there you get a 404 error.

 

[kelstertx]

I'm looking forward to Abel's next firmware based on the Oly 3.1 firmware for E-M1.2. I went on a shoot yesterday and my camera froze with black preview screen 3 times in about 30 minutes (had to remove battery to reboot it). That's been about typical for the last few shoots I've been on. The hack 3.0 firmware is definitely less stable for me than the last one of the 2.x series which seemed rock solid. I'll try the native 3.1 from Oly to make sure it's their instability, not Abel's tweaks.

 

[barry]

Hi, I've seen reports of the Oly 3.0 firmware crashing; 3.1 is reportedly better.

I'm looking forward to Abel's next firmware based on the Oly 3.1 firmware for E-M1.2. I went on a shoot yesterday and my camera froze with black preview screen 3 times in about 30 minutes (had to remove battery to reboot it). That's been about typical for the last few shoots I've been on. The hack 3.0 firmware is definitely less stable for me than the last one of the 2.x series which seemed rock solid. I'll try the native 3.1 from Oly to make sure it's their instability, not Abel's tweaks.

 

[ibd]

Hi @ABel, this looks like excellent work. I haven't had cause to try and use it yet as I'm not that into focus stacking or video.

Something that does interest me, however, is pro-capture on the E-M1 II.

Olympus used to have a restriction where this only worked for Olympus lenses. In a later firmware update, they opened up pro-capture high (with AF and exposure locked) to other lenses, but left pro-capture low (with AF and exposure enabled) restricted to Olympus lenses.

What was the process you went through to do your focus stacking lens restriction hack? Could a similar process be used to unlock pro-capture low for other lenses?

I have a professional background in embedded software so I'm not afraid to roll my sleeves up and help.

+1 wish for enabling Pro Cap L for arbitrary lenses. @ABel how do you see chances of adding this?

@wjiang I have a similar background, so I might contact you about your progress so far. We may be able to figure out how to hack it together.

 

[dbateman]

Has anybody else made a crack at this?
The only feature I would love to have in my Em1mk1 is to expand the electronic shutter from the stupid 1/8 second limit to a more reasonable 30 seconds or 60 second limit like in the Em5mk2.
I know the sensor can do it as the same sensor is used in the Zwo 1600 astro camera, which has only electronic shutter and can go for very long times.

Firmware 3.0 released for the Em1 was before electronic shutter was added and firmware 4.0 was when it was added. So hopefully the setting can be discovered.

Thank you,
David

 

[KBeezie]

Has anybody else made a crack at this?
The only feature I would love to have in my Em1mk1 is to expand the electronic shutter from the stupid 1/8 second limit to a more reasonable 30 seconds or 60 second limit like in the Em5mk2.
I know the sensor can do it as the same sensor is used in the Zwo 1600 astro camera, which has only electronic shutter and can go for very long times.

Firmware 3.0 released for the Em1 was before electronic shutter was added and firmware 4.0 was when it was added. So hopefully the setting can be discovered.

Thank you,
David

Likely a hardware limitation, if it could never do slower than 1/8th before in silent mode.

You can do slower than 1/8th in anti-shock drive mode though (first curtain electronic). Depending on why exactly you want it slower on electronic shutter.

 

[ibd]

Has anybody else made a crack at this?
The only feature I would love to have in my Em1mk1 is to expand the electronic shutter from the stupid 1/8 second limit to a more reasonable 30 seconds or 60 second limit like in the Em5mk2.
I know the sensor can do it as the same sensor is used in the Zwo 1600 astro camera, which has only electronic shutter and can go for very long times.

Firmware 3.0 released for the Em1 was before electronic shutter was added and firmware 4.0 was when it was added. So hopefully the setting can be discovered.

Thank you,
David

I know it's not the answer you're looking for, but why not do exposure stacking instead? That would work as well with the e-shutter, wouldn't it?

 

[dbateman]

No I need 1 second to 4 seconds per image with my UV light in focus stacking. I think Olympus just limited it to push you into using other cameras. The sensor is capable, as I said.
I use my Em5mk2 for this, but I don't have it full spectrum converted like my Em1. Would just be nice to use the Em1.

 

[KBeezie]

No I need 1 second to 4 seconds per image with my UV light in focus stacking. I think Olympus just limited it to push you into using other cameras. The sensor is capable, as I said.
I use my Em5mk2 for this, but I don't have it full spectrum converted like my Em1. Would just be nice to use the Em1.

I'm guessing you can't use mechanical shutter for this, because focus stacking is strictly using electronic shutter.

And not sure how "pushing" into using other camera logic works, before the replacement camera has been created. And I think there's a bit more to it as well such as whatever space is available for the firmware versus newer models.

 

[wjiang]

No I need 1 second to 4 seconds per image with my UV light in focus stacking. I think Olympus just limited it to push you into using other cameras. The sensor is capable, as I said.
I use my Em5mk2 for this, but I don't have it full spectrum converted like my Em1. Would just be nice to use the Em1.

The E-M1 doesn't have the same sensor as the E-M5 II. The E-M1 has way more long-exposure noise, among other things.

 

[cedge]

I noticed recently that this modified firmware doesn't allow focus stacking on AF lenses attached to my E-M1.1 e.g. the excellent 50mm 4/3 macro via the MMF-3 adapter or is it just a case that my 3rd party adaptor doesn't allow this to work?

 

[dbateman]

@cedge,
Even with the modified firmware, focus stacking will not work with 43rds lenses. I have tested the MMF3 and a cheap Chinese 43rds to m43rds adapter. You need to use m43rds lenses. But the modified firmware will allow any m43rds lens. The Sigma 30mm f2.8 on a 10mm extension tube, works great.

 

[Reflector]

Unrelated:

If you're using the latest Metabones firmware (the Aug 2019 release) in conjunction with modified firmware for the E-M1II then you will have in camera focus stacking. Just confirmed on my EF-S 35mm Macro.

 

[Bytesmiths]

This could possible be a hardware limitation.

Okay, for something totally different…

I shoot a lot of legacy OM glass on my E-M1.2, including the use of 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters and 0.7x focal reducers. The combinatorial quickly sucks up the 10 available slots for entering IBIS and EXIF data for legacy lenses.

Wouldn't it be great if one could simply change a "10" to a "50" (for example) in the firmware, and have 50 available slots for legacy lens IBIS/EXIF info?

I submitted a formal request for such a change to their engineering department, but I'm sure they don't see it in their best interest to encourage people to use legacy glass.

I've done embedded software and disassembly and patching. But like @ABel, I don't have a lot of time to spend on such things. (Considering the time I spend re-entering EXIF/IBIS data for my various lenses, perhaps I should re-consider that…)