Olympus Workspace Update for Apple Computers & OM-D EM1 Bodies
Aug 19, 2020 13:19:05 #
In attempting to use "Olympus Workspace" to save the settings of my Olympus OM-D EM1 iii on my computer, I quickly ran into a dead end. Turns out that every time that Apple makes a major system upgrade, Workspace will not typically be able to be used to save and restore settings. Removing and replacing Workplace is a complex process, and the only way I was able to do this was by requesting an Apple expert from Olympus Support.
However, even with a fresh copy of Workspace, the steps for saving/restoring camera settings aren't at all obvious. But here they are:
Put in fresh camera battery.
Always update the camera first, before any lenses.
Remove lens from camera body (otherwise things can really get messed up).
Keep WORKSPACE closed, plug in camera to your Mac system and turn on the camera.
Click on STORAGE.
Launch WORKSPACE.
To update firmware and automatically save camera settings, click on CAMERA>UPDATE.
Click “NEXT”, etc. (to OK changes, agree with upgrade requirements, etc)….
Camera will now save settings, and download and update firmware. IMPORTANT: DON’T TOUCH CAMERA DURING THIS DOWNLOAD/UPDATE PROCESS!! The “estimated” times to completion that will be shown are pure fiction—you MUST be patient until a big “OK” appears on camera screen.
When the “OK” appears, check “Confirm update & complete”.
Now turn camera off and on and check "Camera off" box.
Click on “Close”.
To update the lens firmware, repeat the above process after mounting lens and clicking on “Lens”, rather than on the "camera body".
To ONLY save camera settings, click on CAMERA>CUSTOM SETTINGS>SAVE (Typically pick “Latest settings and all Mysets”). Or you can RESTORE, if needed.
NOTE 1: You CANNOT restore camera settings from one OM-D model body to a different OM-D model body, because each model body has a different firmware (e.g., You can’t restore EM1 Mark ii settings to an EM1 Mark iii body).
NOTE 2: The same computer connection cord works for any OM-D EM1 body. I suspect the same is true for the EM5 and EM10 models.
NOTE 3: If you are using Apple computers, each time the OS has a MAJOR change, this procedure probably won’t work. In that case, contact OLYMPUS Customer Service and have them walk you through the many steps required to have a functioning OLYMPUS WORKSPACE program. This may also be true of PC OS changes—I don’t know.
However, even with a fresh copy of Workspace, the steps for saving/restoring camera settings aren't at all obvious. But here they are:
Put in fresh camera battery.
Always update the camera first, before any lenses.
Remove lens from camera body (otherwise things can really get messed up).
Keep WORKSPACE closed, plug in camera to your Mac system and turn on the camera.
Click on STORAGE.
Launch WORKSPACE.
To update firmware and automatically save camera settings, click on CAMERA>UPDATE.
Click “NEXT”, etc. (to OK changes, agree with upgrade requirements, etc)….
Camera will now save settings, and download and update firmware. IMPORTANT: DON’T TOUCH CAMERA DURING THIS DOWNLOAD/UPDATE PROCESS!! The “estimated” times to completion that will be shown are pure fiction—you MUST be patient until a big “OK” appears on camera screen.
When the “OK” appears, check “Confirm update & complete”.
Now turn camera off and on and check "Camera off" box.
Click on “Close”.
To update the lens firmware, repeat the above process after mounting lens and clicking on “Lens”, rather than on the "camera body".
To ONLY save camera settings, click on CAMERA>CUSTOM SETTINGS>SAVE (Typically pick “Latest settings and all Mysets”). Or you can RESTORE, if needed.
NOTE 1: You CANNOT restore camera settings from one OM-D model body to a different OM-D model body, because each model body has a different firmware (e.g., You can’t restore EM1 Mark ii settings to an EM1 Mark iii body).
NOTE 2: The same computer connection cord works for any OM-D EM1 body. I suspect the same is true for the EM5 and EM10 models.
NOTE 3: If you are using Apple computers, each time the OS has a MAJOR change, this procedure probably won’t work. In that case, contact OLYMPUS Customer Service and have them walk you through the many steps required to have a functioning OLYMPUS WORKSPACE program. This may also be true of PC OS changes—I don’t know.
Aug 20, 2020 06:06:43 #
srodday
Loc: Mass
I couldn’t get Workspace working on Catalina since Workspace isn’t 64bit. Did you get it working? I had to find an older computer at like High Sierra...
Suzanne
Suzanne
Aug 20, 2020 09:20:55 #
Thorburn
Loc: Virginia
The Om-10 Mk III uses it's own cord, the cord I have for my Pen F does not work my Om-10.
Aug 20, 2020 10:39:07 #
srodday wrote:
I couldn’t get Workspace working on Catalina since Workspace isn’t 64bit. Did you get it working? I had to find an older computer at like High Sierra...
Suzanne
Suzanne
Yes, I have it running on Catalina, but I had to be walked through the process by an "Apple Expert" via OLY Customer Service. The front line OLY CS people don't know how to do it.
Aug 20, 2020 10:41:15 #
Thorburn wrote:
The Om-10 Mk III uses it's own cord, the cord I have for my Pen F does not work my Om-10.
Sorry, I don't have an OM10 series camera to test.
Aug 20, 2020 10:44:16 #
wthomson wrote:
Yes, I have it running on Catalina, but I had to be walked through the process by an "Apple Expert" via OLY Customer Service. The front line OLY CS people don't know how to do it.
The explanation I got from the "Apple Expert" is that Apple significantly increases security with each OS upgrade, and that somehow destroys communication with Workspace.
Aug 20, 2020 12:49:06 #
fetzler
Loc: North West PA
This type of issue is why I don't use Apple products. I experienced many weird and unnecessary issues with apple products in the work environment. I don't want to hear from folks who like the Apple products. My experience over many decades has been unsatisfactory.
I have workspace on my PC. It works fine but has some peculiarities. In many respects it is a good program. With some computers the GPU must be turned off so as to prevent screen artifacts from appearing. Workspace saves your edits to raw files. This is a good thing. If you move your files over to another drive even by cloning to the other drive and assigning your new drive to the same letter the edits are lost.The Olympus team is very responsive but usually appears to be unaware of such problems and can't fix them anyway.
It would be great if upgrading the firmware occurred in two steps. First downloading a file and then uploading the file to the camera.
I have workspace on my PC. It works fine but has some peculiarities. In many respects it is a good program. With some computers the GPU must be turned off so as to prevent screen artifacts from appearing. Workspace saves your edits to raw files. This is a good thing. If you move your files over to another drive even by cloning to the other drive and assigning your new drive to the same letter the edits are lost.The Olympus team is very responsive but usually appears to be unaware of such problems and can't fix them anyway.
It would be great if upgrading the firmware occurred in two steps. First downloading a file and then uploading the file to the camera.
Aug 20, 2020 14:00:42 #
Thank you very much for the information. Really appreciate you taking the time!!
Aug 20, 2020 14:32:00 #
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