First proper trip with the EM1 - and I have some issues

[danellis]

I took the EM1 to Fairford today, with a total haul of over 2000 photos to work through, but I have some issues so would like some advice here please:

While shooting, on several occasions the EVF would show black as if I had a lens cap on. The screen was definitely working because I could see the settings along the side (aperture, that sorta thing). At least some times it was showing as being set to manual focus, when I had it set to CAF. Pointing the camera at the ground seemed to fix it after a few seconds.

The second issue was when I got back home: I plugged the camera into my PC and the screen pops up to select the connection type. I obviously picked "storage," and the screen says "One Moment." It stays like that. I tried the same a couple of times and with the "MTB" setting. Fortunately my laptop has an SD slot, so I'm moving it to a USB card as I type.

Update: As I typed this, the card slot's stick-worth of images transferred over, but my PC failed to recognise the card, so I'm going to try a shutdown-restart in the hope that fixes it.

dJE

[MikeOxon]

Re: First proper trip with the EM1 - and I have some issues

The blank screen problem you describe is usually due to loss of contact between lens and body. Cleaning the contacts will probably help but, if it persists, you may need a repair. Does it happen with all lenses or just one?



It sounds as though your card contacts may be causing a problem too - again, try cleaning.

[danellis]

Re: First proper trip with the EM1 - and I have some issues

Thanks for the reply Mark.

It happened with both lenses I tried it on (an Oly 55-200 f2.8 I've borrowed and a Sigma 55-200 of my own), BUT both were running through an Oly 1.4x teleconverter and a third-market 4/3 to m4/3 converter. It sounds like I need to google how to clean the contacts!

The shut-down restart worked, so I think that issue IS with the USB on my PC.

dJE

[Ricoh]

Re: First proper trip with the EM1 - and I have some issues

Good lord, 2000+ images to sort, I wouldn't know where to begin.

It was Henri Cartier-Bresson who said one's first 10,000 'shots' [I doubt he would use the word 'shot' incidentally] are the worst, so you're well on your way to becoming a star!

I use LightRoom and import direct from the SD card. Never had an issue, but I generally have no more than 50 digi shots from a day's photography.

[pdk42]

Re: First proper trip with the EM1 - and I have some issues

It was Henri Cartier-Bresson who said one's first 10,000 'shots' [I doubt he would use the word 'shot' incidentally] are the worst, so you're well on your way to becoming a star!

Yes, Steve - but Cartier-Bresson never took shots of airshows!

[Ricoh]

Re: First proper trip with the EM1 - and I have some issues

Yes, Steve - but Cartier-Bresson never took shots of airshows!

Just think, the Red Arrows and the "decisive moment", or the French equivalent 'The Patrouille Acrobatique de France'! Leica M3 avec le 5cm.

[danellis]

Re: First proper trip with the EM1 - and I have some issues

Good lord, 2000+ images to sort, I wouldn't know where to begin.

I use LightRoom and import direct from the SD card. Never had an issue, but I generally have no more than 50 digi shots from a day's photography.

I'm importing them now. A usual day's outing for me is probably 50-200 shots.

I also use Lightroom, principally the pick/rejects flags. My usual process is to go through them initially and "reject" the ones that aren't even worse looking at - obviously out of focus, bits of trees, that sorta thing. In this case I'm hoping to end up with 100-200 images at the end of this stage. I'll then go through again, picking the best versions of multiple singe shots (so if I have say, five versions of three red arrows going from left to right I'd pick the best of them and reject the others. I may choose to do some light processing as I do this pass through. I'll then do the final full edit of whatever's left; obviously rejecting any that deserve it. I need to get better at naming and tagging my images.

It was Henri Cartier-Bresson who said one's first 10,000 'shots' [I doubt he would use the word 'shot' incidentally] are the worst, so you're well on your way to becoming a star!

I've heard the quote before, and I'm also aware of the 10,000 hours to become an expert line.

To my surprise, my LR catalogue's at nearly 28k - but I'm not sure I've put the hours in yet

dJE

[Bassman51]

[stevewestern]

Re: First proper trip with the EM1 - and I have some issues

Dan - I guess this is on what was my E-M1. I didn't own it long, but never had any problems with it, but as already suggested, it did sound like a contact issue. It would be good to know if/when you sort it out as I'd hate for you to think you were sold a duff camera..

[andym]

Re: First proper trip with the EM1 - and I have some issues

It happened with both lenses I tried it on (an Oly 55-200 f2.8 I've borrowed and a Sigma 55-200 of my own), BUT both were running through an Oly 1.4x teleconverter and a third-market 4/3 to m4/3 converter. It sounds like I need to google how to clean the contacts!



dJE

Think I'd suspect the third party adapter. Also check if the locking lug is fitting in place between the lens/adapter/body. This will cause a screen blackout if not correct.

[Walti]

Re: First proper trip with the EM1 - and I have some issues

I’ve had the same isssue on third party extension tubes.

Contact cleaning sorted it 99% and the remaining issues were due to poor alignment of the contacts when the tube was in place due to a large amount of slack in the mount system. Fiddling around with it I found I could simply give the tubes a slide to the side to get the alignment sorted - tubes have been replaced!

[Ian]

Re: First proper trip with the EM1 - and I have some issues

Good lord, 2000+ images to sort, I wouldn't know where to begin.

It was Henri Cartier-Bresson who said one's first 10,000 'shots' [I doubt he would use the word 'shot' incidentally] are the worst, so you're well on your way to becoming a star!

I use LightRoom and import direct from the SD card. Never had an issue, but I generally have no more than 50 digi shots from a day's photography.

At Le Mans last month I took 10,000+ images - just with a smartphone It has a rather ravenous burst mode!

Ian

[Ricoh]

Re: First proper trip with the EM1 - and I have some issues

At Le Mans last month I took 10,000+ images - just with a smartphone It has a rather ravenous burst mode!

Ian

Very good, but what's your 'keeper rate'?

I have difficulty exposing and keeping 36 frames, but I generally hit 80%. However, I won't embarrass myself by saying how long it takes me.

Film has had a knock-on affect with my digital work. I'm equally parsimonious but my composition goes to pot for some unknown reason.

[davy59]

Re: First proper trip with the EM1 - and I have some issues

I know exactly how you can get carried away at Fairford! Been there myself there is so much to see and photograph.

I am a some what regular airshow photographer and I now only bring home about 500 -600 shots, it helps me to use Low burst although I use High burst when panning take-off and landings