tracking on Olympus E-M1 mII: I have a Canon 7D mII, and am pretty happy with it, but have rented an E-M1 mII to check out some of the new features. I love the stabilization in video...

idahoshooter Loc: Coeur d'Alene

I have a Canon 7D mII, and am pretty happy with it, but have rented an E-M1 mII to check out some of the new features. I love the stabilization in video mode, and being able to see more information in the EVF (and a variety of information). The Pro-Capture feature is awesome, its one of the reason I am considering this camera (until the other manufacturers catch up and offer it).

However, tracking of BIF (with a telephoto) seems pretty hard, Whether in Low speed continuous or high speed continuous, and whether silent or not, the display is dark too much of the time. Even with the mirror slap on my 7D mII I can keep the bird in the field of view better than on the E-M1.

Am I missing a setting to change this detail? Even slightly slower data so that its still visible rather than dark would be an improvement.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

I own an E-M5II and there is a setting for the viewfinder - It can be shown brightness wise as the camera sees it (with darker for smaller apertures) or as seen with the lens wide open. In my camera it is S-OVF (settings optical viewfinder)

See the 4th post in this thread (Some of the other posts may be helpful as well):

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4093037#forum-post-58823064

Edit
See Page 121 (S-OVF) of the PDF manual for your camera - it looks like the same as for my camera.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

idahoshooter wrote:

I have a Canon 7D mII, and am pretty happy with it... (show quote)

Two things to try. The fast 300 f4 Pro IS lens and the EE-1 viewsight. And be sure to check your settings. You should be seeing what you are getting in the viewfinder. If the viewfinder is dark, you might be hitting a limit of some sort. I usually shoot in Program mode and use the exposure compensation dial to get the exposure to look correct in the viewfinder. Usually my ISO is left "floating" and aperture is the other control along with exposure compensation. But you can change the aperture dial to be a shutter dial instead for BIF.

idahoshooter Loc: Coeur d'Alene

I am using the 300F4 PRO IS lens. By "dark" what I means is when the picture is taken closes, the image disappears from the EVF. Unlike in video mode, where you have always have the image in the EVF, in continuous shooting mode, the EVF shows the "shutter" opening and closing. At high speed continuous, the shutter isn't "closed" enough to see much image on the EVF.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

idahoshooter wrote:

I am using the 300F4 PRO IS lens. By "dark" what I means is when the picture is taken closes, the image disappears from the EVF. Unlike in video mode, where you have always have the image in the EVF, in continuous shooting mode, the EVF shows the "shutter" opening and closing. At high speed continuous, the shutter isn't "closed" enough to see much image on the EVF.

The viewing of the taken image immediately after the shot is taken in the viewfinder can be turned off. I wish I had done it so I could tell you exactly how, but it is in the manual, books, on line, and at Olympus Technical Support. That will help you with BIF, but I think the EE-1 viewsight would start to make you love BIF with the Olympus.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

idahoshooter wrote:

I am using the 300F4 PRO IS lens. By "dark" what I means is when the picture is taken closes, the image disappears from the EVF. Unlike in video mode, where you have always have the image in the EVF, in continuous shooting mode, the EVF shows the "shutter" opening and closing. At high speed continuous, the shutter isn't "closed" enough to see much image on the EVF.

Also, once the viewing has been shut off, it will look very similar to the video mode with a continuous view of the scene.

idahoshooter Loc: Coeur d'Alene

Thanks, I will try it. I know where it is, its the Rec View setting.

Jerrin1 Loc: Wolverhampton, England

idahoshooter wrote:

I have a Canon 7D mII, and am pretty happy with it... (show quote)

I owned a Canon 7D mark II and used it with a Canon 300mm f2.8L IS and Canon 100 - 400mm f4.5/5.6L IS II and thought it worked brilliantly for birds in flight. I then changed it (and my 70D) for a Nikon D500 and Olympus EM1 Mark II. in my hands, both of these blew the 7D mark II out of the water for BIF. In fact, I pefered the EM1.2 over my D500 for wildlife. I think you need to look at how you had the EM1 mark II set up. When shooting against a clear sky I would use all 121 focusing points. When shooting against a cluttered background I would use 9 focus points. I was always impressed with it: and now it has had a firmware upgrade it will be even better.

SteveG Loc: Norh Carolina

What is BIF? I just returned to Olympus OM-D EM5 MARK II after a brief "encounter" with both the Olympus first, then a Sony a7II, then FINALLY deciding on the Olympus OM-D EM5 MARK II. What or where is the best and most simple place, or source, to learn about the Olympus? Am I starting a new topic? I don't know but the Olympus menu system was the main reason I returned to the Sony after years of working with them, but I decided I want the Olympus for both the size, quality and choices of lenses. I must learn how to navigate the Olympus system. Maybe this will help this topic for both of us?

moonhawk Loc: Land of Enchantment

Good source for Oly info is mu43.com. Excellent, FRIENDLY forum.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

SteveG wrote:

What is BIF? I just returned to Olympus OM-D EM5 ... (show quote)

BIF = Bird(s) In Flight
The best way to navigate the Olympus menus is to use the simple back screen panel for most of the majority of changes and to use the scroll menu for the more controlled functions.

SteveG Loc: Norh Carolina

Birds in Flight! Ah, thank you! As far as that Quick menu, I know that, but me, being me, I like to know how to do whatever the camera is capable of and knowing the actual menu I really would like to be able to navigate. I'm sure I can find something on YouTube but I was hoping that someone might have done the legwork finding the best source those more controlled menu functions. Thanks!

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

SteveG wrote:

Birds in Flight! Ah, thank you! As far as that Quick menu, I know that, but me, being me, I like to know how to do whatever the camera is capable of and knowing the actual menu I really would like to be able to navigate. I'm sure I can find something on YouTube but I was hoping that someone might have done the legwork finding the best source those more controlled menu functions. Thanks!

Think about purchasing "Mastering The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II" by Darrell Young. This book and other books like it have done all the legwork for us photographers.

SteveG Loc: Norh Carolina

Just what I was thinking about. Have you read it? Pretty much an easy way to go at it?

moonhawk Loc: Land of Enchantment

There was a recent major firmware update. Make sure if you buy a book it includes it and the previous ones. They have been quite significant.