Quote Originally Posted by Stagecoach View Post
Dan,

I too use the exact same method as you but I have read that this is not quite so feasible with an EVF because of the refresh rate if you are trying to get macro type focus on a critters eyes, if there is slight movement of the critter.

Not sure if this is the case with all EVFs but I can certainly understand the problems it could cause.
No the problem is pixel counts. The refresh rate on Olympus has always been adequate despite some silly comments at times on the web. There can be a very slight lag is perhaps the best way to put it but I've never noticed it so have to wonder if it really exists to a significant extent. The worst problem on early cheap Olympus Pens was noise in lower light conditions.

The basic problem is simple. The EVF has 1.4mp in the case of the E-M5 the sensor has 16mp. There is no way that a 1.4mp image can show that a 16mp one is sharp so a magnified view has to be used. I did a lot of this with 12mp Pens and found 7x was needed. 5x was too iffy. I'd guess 7x may still work out on an E-M5 with it's 16mp sensor. Some might be inclined to think that if it's seen sharp at 1.4mp an image reduced to that size or even smaller might work out. I chucked that idea out of the window rather quickly.

I suspect Rita has been using manual focus assist. With that the view magnifies as soon as the focus ring is turned. I've not done much of that and it will work providing the camera hasn't moved from the correct position when the shot is actually taken. I don't hold out much hope for that shooting macro. When I used a manual lens I found I had to use a magnified view all of the time which in the case of the spider I posted meant that I couldn't be sure where it was in the frame. Focus assist will be fine on a tripod and can be useful for making sure that the camera focuses past something that is in the way.

I'm finding that the best way to use this kit is to make use of the AF. People need to remember it's nothing like dslr phase focusing. It looks for focus over a significant area. Not sure on an E-M5 as I have got used to using an E-M1 but the camera also indicates the best focal point in the viewfinder after the shot is taken. I always take more than one shot anyway when I can.

I've taken way more shots with a zoom lens plus achromatic close up lens now than the 60mm macro lens but what I do is fairly simple. Look at the subject and decide on a zoom setting - for that read magnification ratio. I then focus via the viewfinder in the same way as a dslr user does - camera movement and then take the shot using the camera's AF to finalise the focus. I also check the level of detail visible in the viewfinder and want to be able to see the detail I want to capture there so may find I need to adjust the zoom. Actually I think that any macro photographer who uses more mag than needed is just making life difficult for themselves. This just means learning just how much crop can be used. Eye detail wont be seen in an EVF without a magnified view but I expect to be able to judge that shortly from the electronic view of other detail - say make that twice as big as I think it needs to be for a decent shot.

The 60mm macro lens has a distance and mag ratio scale on it which can be adjusted before the camera is even pointed at something via the manual focus ring so Rita could use the same technique. If she allows manual focusing preferably with no magnified view or the lowest one available she could also trim things up in much the same way as I do, camera movement plus focus ring but still let the cameras AF finalise the focus. I can't make my mind up about which is the best AF mode to use but am getting the impression that a slowish button squeeze and continuous is best. By default the camera has a setting that prevents an exposure if the camera hasn't focused - take too long to squeeze the button and there is more chance that the camera will loose focus because of shake so nothing happens. On the other hand I have had it track perfectly as I move the camera closer or further away from the subject with the shutter button half pressed. Normal focus and a simple press the button entirely also works out.

Results last week 121 shots of maybe 40 insects some of the same type and only a couple of focus failures plus some dof down to shot angle problems but this has taken a bit of practice. Shake hand held - I might get away with 1/125 sec. 1/200 or faster seems certain once I manage to relax and not worry about it.

As I see it Rita has one problem and that is Olympus deciding to produce a 60mm macro lens. That's why I mentioned a 2:1 mag ratio as it has a similar working distance to a 100mm macro lens at 1:1, probably a bit better than some. That amount of magnification will show plenty of detail in all sorts of things. Higher mag needs a slightly different technique. The focus range setting gizmo can be flicked to set the lens to 1:1. The best way to use that is set to 1:1. Move the camera until the image looks sharp then draw back slightly so that the image fuzzes up a little and then take the shot. I found that the AF is likely to just sail through the subject doing this any other way. The same approach might help at other magnifications. In fact I found that the same approach can be used at any mag but the result isn't seen first as the image will be fuzzy and it's size will change when the camera actually focuses. I'd guess this is because the camera knows it can't focus any closer so has to focus out.

Rant - At least 60mm is significantly better than Panasonic's 45mm but I reckon the Olympus at least would be wonderful with something like a 150mm, maybe even a bit longer. Hopefully mostly plastic as that keeps the weight down. F2.8 - no way, even F5.6 would be fine providing like many m 4/3 prime lens it works well wide open. Only problem - more rant - I expect the lens would be priced on the basis of their FF equivalent. I'm expecting that when Olympus introduce a 300mm F4 prime - a super telephoto as it's on m 4/3 and equivalent to 600mm F4 on on FF which of course it wont be as far as resolution is concerned. Price wise it should really work out some what more than a 300mm F4 FF lens. More because it needs to be optically superior. Probably lots of metal too - interesting area. I suspect they are machining lens parts from solid material going on the pro standard zoom lens. Low tooling costs but it often results in prices that seriously limit sales.

Higher end EVF's a pain - afraid I started feeling the advantages out way the problems some time ago. Olympus have always been an adventurous lot. The latest move seems to be to leave hardly and high light raw head room over what gets in the jpg. Weird - not really as any clipping can clearly be seen in the viewfinder before the shot is taken. I would also encourage Rita to shoot raw plus best quality jpg as she is using a camera that does produce excellent jpg's reliably as the metering works like that. Lots of pp can be done on them as well. Where raw can offer an advantage really is when the final shot doesn't really match reality in a fashionable pp way but often even that aspect is dubious and of course at the dark end but jpg's can be rather surprising in this area as well. Backing cakes? Well personally i don't like some cakes. That aspect in my view is a load of twaddle.

John
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