Olympus E-M1X will soon get a major firmware update…

[Angus Gibbins]

I may not know how machine learning AI works, but I’m going to stick with strapping a magnet next to your compass isn’t a great idea.

I don't know what their secret sauce is but I doubt it's anywhere near that advanced. Camera processors are pretty low tech in that sense. It'll be responding to preprogrammed algorithms.

It's not even AI in a true sense of the word. And it's certainly not machine learning. Machine Learning is when it can learn and adapt on its own accord.

 

[Angus Gibbins]

I had to use the Olympus Updater 2.1.3 as the one in Olympus Workspace 1.4 doesn't launch for me. I have the older Olympus Viewer that had the 2.1.3 version so that might be the issue, but I like the Olympus Viewer as it seems faster for me to cull with than Workspace. Had to do the Language thing and Time once installed with the E-M1X. The older E-M1 Mark II didn't ask me to set anything once updated.

My E-M1 mk III updated with the USB cable plugged into the USB3 hub built in to my monitors, however, my E-M1Xes will only update when they're plugged directly into a USB 3 port on my PC. USB2, the updater won't even launch.

 

[Angus Gibbins]

Just tried the bird AF with my cockatiel. Mixed results. Had her perched on her cage, ceiling fan (switched off obviously) and on top of a wardrobe. I'd say probably 70% of the time it focused on her. And about 50% of those on her eye(s). Other times it'd focus on an edge of whatever she's perched on. Will get up early tomorrow and do some birding before work.

 

[whumber]

I don't know what their secret sauce is but I doubt it's anywhere near that advanced. Camera processors are pretty low tech in that sense. It'll be responding to preprogrammed algorithms.

It's not even AI in a true sense of the word. And it's certainly not machine learning. Machine Learning is when it can learn and adapt on its own accord.

It is machine learning, the learning part only occurs during the training process. Nobody is doing real time machine learning for computer vision in any practical way.

 

[whumber]

I may not know how machine learning AI works, but I’m going to stick with strapping a magnet next to your compass isn’t a great idea.

As long as the magnet isn't moving relative to the sensor then it shouldn't actually have any real effect once the compass is calibrated. Given the distance between where RRS puts the magnet in their plate and where the sensor is located, I really doubt the magnetic field at that point would be strong enough to have much effect anyway. RRS uses 3/16" diameter rare earth magnets which have a surface field strength of ~4000 Gauss. Because magnetic field strength follows an inverse cube law we can estimate that at the electronic compass, the magnetic field from the plate magnet is going to be reduced to around 0.004 Gauss. Earth's magnetic field is on the order of 0.4 Gauss so even without being calibrated out I'm very skeptical that the plate is having any effect. Now if you put a magnet right near the hotshoe, then that's a completely different story.

 

[Mack]

As long as the magnet isn't moving relative to the sensor then it shouldn't actually have any real effect once the compass is calibrated. Given the distance between where RRS puts the magnet in their plate and where the sensor is located, I really doubt the magnetic field at that point would be strong enough to have much effect anyway. RRS uses 3/16" diameter rare earth magnets which have a surface field strength of ~4000 Gauss. Because magnetic field strength follows an inverse cube law we can estimate that at the electronic compass, the magnetic field from the plate magnet is going to be reduced to around 0.004 Gauss. Earth's magnetic field is on the order of 0.4 Gauss so even without being calibrated out I'm very skeptical that the plate is having any effect. Now if you put a magnet right near the hotshoe, then that's a completely different story.

Hopefully it's a bug in their programming since the arrow doesn't show in mine, yet it seems to show in others. If it were due to the RRS magnets, I'd expect to still see the arrow show up within the compass rose, albeit wrong if influenced by the magnets in the L-plate. It's not showing the heading arrow in the veiwfinder as shown on page 574 viewfinder photo to the left of the lat/long numbers and may be part of the bug.

I'm awaiting to see what RRS says about them no longer showing the L-plate for this camera on their website too. B&H Photo shows it in stock and the photo of it, but RRS has removed it from their website for some mysterious reason.

 

[Ranger Rick]

I'm awaiting to see what RRS says about them no longer showing the L-plate for this camera on their website too. B&H Photo shows it in stock and the photo of it, but RRS has removed it from their website for some mysterious reason.

I'm guessing it means RRS is no longer manufacturing it and the B&H ones are "NOS". RRS probably found the demand was less than they had anticipated.

At least I now know that should I see a photographer in the wild making big figure 8s with a camera in hand, it is likely another E-M1X owner

 

[Mack]

I'm guessing it means RRS is no longer manufacturing it and the B&H ones are "NOS". RRS probably found the demand was less than they had anticipated.
...

It could be they are ceasing production of plates for Olympus since Oly is going who-knows-where, or if JIP will make any cameras in the future.

I have the plate for my Pen-F and I see B&H Photo says it's "No Longer Available" on their site. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...stuff_bopf_l_set_l_plate_set_for_olympus.html I'd think there would be more Pen-F bodies still out there than the E-M1X bodies - aside from owners being cheap (ahem!) and wanting a $19 plate instead of a $140 one.

I could understand the "End of Production" for the Pen-F and to why they stopped making plates for them, but maybe the same is true for the E-M1X and maybe no further production of that body is foreseeable so RRS gave up.

 

[Ranger Rick]

We call it "Thrifty" I am so over paying $150-200 for a plate.

 

[Angus Gibbins]

I could understand the "End of Production" for the Pen-F and to why they stopped making plates for them, but maybe the same is true for the E-M1X and maybe no further production of that body is foreseeable so RRS gave up.

Could be sales demand just isn't there too. If it was that the production of the body is uncertain, typically you'd wait for sales to taper off first.

 

[Angus Gibbins]

Tried out the bird AF this morning. It's far from perfect but it does work. I'd say it hit 80-90% of the shots. Occasionally it'll still focus on the background or a branch in front.

Definitely nowhere near as game changing as Pro Capture but is still good. I think for me I'll be shooting with a 3X3 AF area rather than a single, smaller AF point.

I'd give it a B+. I'm probably a harsh critic though, as I was already not terrible at getting birds in focus. I normally shoot Pro Cap H when birding which is incompatible with C-AF, so I have to fallback to S-AF. Will be trying again over the weekend with either continuous shooting or Pro Cap L and CAF.

 

[Mountain_Man_79]

Tried out the bird AF this morning. It's far from perfect but it does work. I'd say it hit 80-90% of the shots. Occasionally it'll still focus on the background or a branch in front.

Definitely nowhere near as game changing as Pro Capture but is still good. I think for me I'll be shooting with a 3X3 AF area rather than a single, smaller AF point.

I'd give it a B+. I'm probably a harsh critic though, as I was already not terrible at getting birds in focus. I normally shoot Pro Cap H when birding which is incompatible with C-AF, so I have to fallback to S-AF. Will be trying again over the weekend with either continuous shooting or Pro Cap L and CAF.

So it’s still possible to have various target areas set and use bird AF? That’s nice. Same with using bird AF and Pro Cap. Are you aware of any weird limitations while using bird AF? Like if bird AF is turned on, x,y,&z stop working or can no longer be accessed?

 

[whumber]

Are you aware of any weird limitations while using bird AF? Like if bird AF is turned on, x,y,&z stop working or can no longer be accessed?

If any of the AI tracking modes are turned on, it won't detect human faces...unless it think you're a bird, =)

 

[Mack]

I agree it is far from perfect. I shot today playing with a 5x5 pattern. I did notice you must set it into CA+F + TR. Made a mistake by not having it set with the +TR part.

I think I'll try and set the len's switch to 4 meters to Infinity, otherwise it spends a lot of time hunting for birds in flight against blue sky. Don't know if the Focus Limiter works with it yet either.

Seems if the green outline eventually lands on the eye when you fire, that is the best outcome to insure it is in focus. Otherwise it might miss.

I need to review my Fine Focus Adjustments as mine seemed to front focus a bit as metnioned by Angus Gibbons above. I too got a lot of tree branches in front of the bird. I don't know if it locks on the primary AF point and keeps it while zooming around on the field to others. If so, that's about 25 AF tuning spots to double check on (ugh!) for the 300mm f/4 or the 420mm with TC-1.4.

One BIF from today with new version 2.0. Seems I also need to set the time and date in the camera too since the update.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Angus Gibbins]

I did notice you must set it into CA+F + TR

I am such a massive derp.

I can't have even had it enabled this morning then.

 

[Angus Gibbins]

Just tried again on my cockatiel. Much more accurate that time round, might sneak out again after work

 

[Angus Gibbins]

Just used it on some correllas out the front, now that I'm actually using it properly, it's a game changer for me.

 

[Ranger Rick]

BIF on E-M1X and new firmware by experienced professional (non-Visionary):

https://smallsensorphotography.com/mallard-overtaken-in-mid-air

 

[Mountain_Man_79]

The bird AF is currently nailing the goose ornaments on my Christmas tree, even if they are wearing stockings on their heads or have bow ties, a scarf, or other articles of clothing on.

 

[retiredfromlife]