Picked up an E-M5 mk III after all

[Darmok N Jalad]

Been on the fence for a while on getting the E-M5 mk III, but I finally did it when I found a great deal on a very lightly used (1800 shutter clicks) model. I’m trying to get myself back to the reason I liked this format—small, light, easy to carry, compact zooms. Don’t get me wrong, the gripped bodies and pro lenses can do great things, but once I was there, the advantages of M43 started to diminish, and I stopped using gear because I didn’t want to carry it.

Quite happy with my initial impressions, but I’m new to Olympus bodies, so I have a couple questions to start. Can you do blown highlight zebras, or do you just work from the histogram? Also, I’m a little confused on what aftermarket batteries work with this camera. Any recommendations for picking up a few spares? Maybe I’ll have more questions, but once I got my head around the menu system, I think I can work with it.

 

[amp]

Still plan on keeping your g9?
How is the feel of the grip compared to the g9?
I'd definitely like to hear more of your impressions as you get to know it!
Good luck!

 

[Reflector]

Quite happy with my initial impressions, but I’m new to Olympus bodies, so I have a couple questions to start. Can you do blown highlight zebras, or do you just work from the histogram?

Yes, you may want to set your histogram settings to 245/5 first because it will give you headroom (when you hit it, you want to pull back 1/3 EV) as it applies to the blinkies. It should be in one of the modes when you hit info a few types (if the E-M5III is like the E-M1II controls wise) where it will highlights register as red and shadows as blue. If it doesn't, go to the "I" menu with EVF, then you will see an entry called "Info Settings" and you can go into it. It will probably have "Basic Information", "Custom1" and "Custom 2." Go into the custom settings and have one of them display "Highlight&Shadow" by ticking it. When you cycle into that display mode with info it will show the red/blue now.

I think it should be on by default, so hit info a few times and find a scene with a bright light source set against shadows to check.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Still plan on keeping your g9?
How is the feel of the grip compared to the g9?
I'd definitely like to hear more of your impressions as you get to know it!
Good luck!

The future of my G9 is an unknown at this point. I don’t need to sell it at the moment to fund my purchases, but I also don’t know if I’ll want to keep 2 bodies. I’m kind of a “use it or lose it” person, where if something sits around, I’ll sell it. Otherwise I’d have a basement full of stuff taking up space!

I initially thought that it would feel weird with the 40-150 pro, but I’ve shifted to holding by the lens and stabilizing with the camera, as opposed to the other way around with the G9. If I keep the other lenses light enough, I don’t even think I’ll need to spring for the grip.

 

[Deleted member 29285]

If I want to fine tune AF, or manual focus, I use image magnify. Very hard to find in the E-M5 manual. You need to search for "button function" and then assign the image magnify function to one of the buttons. I use the HDR button because it's relatively large and easy to find in the dark, and I don't use HDR anyway.
I find the sparkly zebras confusing so don't use them.

 

[John King]

Been on the fence for a while on getting the E-M5 mk III, but I finally did it when I found a great deal on a very lightly used (1800 shutter clicks) model. I’m trying to get myself back to the reason I liked this format—small, light, easy to carry, compact zooms. Don’t get me wrong, the gripped bodies and pro lenses can do great things, but once I was there, the advantages of M43 started to diminish, and I stopped using gear because I didn’t want to carry it.

Quite happy with my initial impressions, but I’m new to Olympus bodies, so I have a couple questions to start. Can you do blown highlight zebras, or do you just work from the histogram? Also, I’m a little confused on what aftermarket batteries work with this camera. Any recommendations for picking up a few spares? Maybe I’ll have more questions, but once I got my head around the menu system, I think I can work with it.

Congrats on the new body, Randy.
Oh, and the new camera, too ...

 

[Vermont3133]

Batteries?.....I've used Wasabi's on multiple bodies without any issues.
Can't imagine ever paying the inflated price for the 'official battery' from any brand!

 

[retiredfromlife]

Can you do blown highlight zebras, or do you just work from the histogram?

As per @Reflector suggestion enable the highlight&shadow under custom "I" "Info Settings" This is one thing I like over Panasonic as you have both shadow and highlight warnings to balance out both at once. Can also use the same in playback of photos.

You will find with olympus there is often one place to enable a setting /option then another place to select it for use One of the things to get used to compared to Panasonic.
If you can keep the G9 as well, I really like that camera as well, especially that punch in to check focus.

 

[John King]

If you can keep the G9 as well, I really like that camera as well, especially that punch in to check focus.

With Olympus, you can set the magnify function to come on if you touch the MF ring.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Yes, you may want to set your histogram settings to 245/5 first because it will give you headroom (when you hit it, you want to pull back 1/3 EV) as it applies to the blinkies. It should be in one of the modes when you hit info a few types (if the E-M5III is like the E-M1II controls wise) where it will highlights register as red and shadows as blue. If it doesn't, go to the "I" menu with EVF, then you will see an entry called "Info Settings" and you can go into it. It will probably have "Basic Information", "Custom1" and "Custom 2." Go into the custom settings and have one of them display "Highlight&Shadow" by ticking it. When you cycle into that display mode with info it will show the red/blue now.

I think it should be on by default, so hit info a few times and find a scene with a bright light source set against shadows to check.

I think I have found this, at least when reviewing a shot after it was taken. I think I can live with that if I keep an eye on the histogram. I did notice that sometimes the view through the veiwfinder is brighter than the resulting picture. It’s a little more generous with light than the G9, but again, maybe I have something to figure out. I know live exposure is working, as I can see the changes as I adjust the dials.

 

[RichardC]

"Picked up an E-M5 mk III after all"

Well it would be rude not to really.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Well, it’s been less than a day, and it’s been hot, but that has never stopped me. I prefer to shoot in JPG, so I’m trying to decide if I’m just missing focus, or if the camera is over-softening the JPG. I also seem to just miss focus on my bug shots, but on to some samples.

Mildly cropped:

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Mildly tweaked, good test of DR, since the face of this hibiscus was mostly in the shadow:

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Straight outta camera jpg:

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Another DR test for harsh sunlight:

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On this one, I took two shots of Mr Cardinal. The first was with + type AF, and it missed the bird and got the branches, The second, I pulled the AF ring and dialed it in myself, and it is below:

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Does animal/bird detect automatically enable, or no? I see faces detect no problem, but for the bird shots I took, it didn’t see them.

 

[John King]

Randy, as you are unfamiliar with Olympus cameras, the default settings for noise filter, sharpening, saturation, contrast and gradation are mostly too aggressive.

I set mine as follows:

noise filter = low
sharpening = -1
saturation = natural
contrast = -1 and
gradation = normal

Of course, set JPEG quality to LSF (large super fine).

Then adjust to taste ...

Just suggestions, not a 'recipe'.

 

[Will Focus]

My local camera shop has been selling me pro master batteries for my em10ii and my em5iii. They seem to last at least as long as the Olympus batteries for a few dollars less.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Randy, as you are unfamiliar with Olympus cameras, the default settings for noise filter, sharpening, saturation, contrast and gradation are mostly too aggressive.

I set mine as follows:

noise filter = low
sharpening = -1
saturation = natural
contrast = -1 and
gradation = normal

Of course, set JPEG quality to LSF (large super fine).

Then adjust to taste ...

Just suggestions, not a 'recipe'.

Thanks, John. It took me forever to figure out that the settings for sharpening, contrast and graduation were buried under the Natural picture mode.

 

[John King]

Thanks, John. It took me forever to figure out that the settings for sharpening, contrast and graduation were buried under the Natural picture mode.

Should be available on the SCP, Randy. All except noise filter ... .

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Should be available on the SCP, Randy. All except noise filter ... .

Well I guess I did it the hard way! It actually helps to go through the menus that much. The more I do it, the more I learn. I’ve made the changes, so I’ll have to give it another test run next time I go out.

My P25 1.7 arrived today (also used, excellent condition), so now I have my “indoor” lens. That lens on this camera leaves me with a kit that is as light as a feather!

 

[Vermont3133]

This will most likely produce a yawn from Olympus users but one thing I recently discovered with my newish EM5 ii is a function of focus peaking.
Prior to this I regarded focus peaking as something to be used with manual focusing.
Now I have function button set to peaking which shows the peaking after auto focusing while using ,say, aperture priority.
Very nifty!

 

[John King]

@Vermont3133 I reckon that there are as many things I don't know about my E-M1 MkII as there are things that I know ...

So. There is no such thing as a stupid question or observation! Chances are that these will help someone, no matter how simple they appear to us, with 20:20 hindsight.

Whereabouts in Melbourne are you?

 

[Vermont3133]

[QUOTE}

Whereabouts in Melbourne are you?
[/QUOTE]
Just a hint John....starts with 'V'