Olympus E-M1 II mini-review - a sign of things to come with the Panasonic GH5?

[fuzzynormal]

1 minute ago, Cary Knoop said:

It is disconcerting to me how many people do not seem to realize you should not output a video with levels outside the 16-235 range.

Gear is so cheap you're gonna have the majority of users making technical mistakes.  They're hobbyist, not pros.

[Inazuma]

@DBounce Where are you seeing crushed blacks? :/

[DBounce]

1 hour ago, Inazuma said:

@DBounce Where are you seeing crushed blacks? :/

Well for the previously posted video that compares the image stabilization of the Sony A6500 to the Olympus EM1Mk2... notice the trees on the upper left hand corner of the frame. Notice that while the EM1MK2 is clearly more stable the Sony maintains far superior detail in the shadows. Both images seemed exposed similarly. That's just one example. You don't have to dig very far to find other. Just about every video I have seen from the EM1Mk2 seems to exhibit lack of shadow detail. 

 

[Cary Knoop]

40 minutes ago, DBounce said:

Both images seemed exposed similarly.

The levels comparing the two cameras are clearly off in the video.

Here is an image with two more or less similar frames (Olympus is left, Sony is right) after the levels are corrected:

Neither frame has crushed blacks!

If look at the negatives and expand the blacks a little, there isn't much of a difference:

 

[DBounce]

3 minutes ago, Cary Knoop said:

The levels comparing the two cameras are clearly off, here is an image with two more or less similar frames with corrected levels:

 

Sure it's easy to crush the blacks on the Sony to match the Olympus... so now lets see you recover the shadow detail of the EM1Mk2. 

[Cary Knoop]

3 minutes ago, DBounce said:

Sure it's easy to crush the blacks on the Sony to match the Olympus... so now lets see you recover the shadow detail of the EM1Mk2. 

There is no crushing going on, just watch the waveform scope. 

Perhaps your monitor is miscalibrated?

 

[DBounce]

3 minutes ago, Cary Knoop said:

There is no crushing going on, just watch the waveform scope. 

Perhaps your monitor is miscalibrated?

 

Well I'm on my mobile workstation, so perhaps. But it does seem like there is more detail on the Sony.

[John Brawley]

On 12/15/2016 at 10:59 PM, DBounce said:

Much to like about this camera, but the crushed blacks are not one of them. There is no detail in there at all.

Like Andrew, I am a fan of blacks being black.  That's how this piece was deliberately graded (in the link)  I detest the LOG grades people seem to be doing these days.  I haven't found that the camera is short any detail in blacks more than others of similar specs.  Perhaps you're not liking their flat curve, and it sure could be bent a little more.

But I think a very loggy image with an 8 bit codec doesn't work either when you try to put contrast back in.  It's a fine line trying to stretch DR over 8 bits. Not many do it, but the Oly cameras also have their great curve editor so you can make your own flatter profile.  Give it a try !  INterested if anyone has ?  It's what I used to do before the FLAT profile.  Sometimes it's good, but I find it's diminishing returns to try and put a nice look back onto the image.

And yes, the EM5 Mark II is meant to be their "video" oriented model.  But it does have a different sensor family.  Personally for stills I very much prefer the EM1 Mark 2 and the video is a very decent improvement over the EM5 mark 2 for many practical reasons.  4K helps a lot too.

Look at how far they've come within 2 models of suddenly waking up and taking video seriously.  I have been active with Olympus and they really are listening and want to improve their video capabilities. They're never going to make a fully video oriented model, as photos and optics (and actually mostly endoscopes) are their core business but, I've been pleasantly surprised at how a they've come, and that's from sitting on the inside somewhat of product development.

And they know what semi professional, serious enthusiast users want from video now...it's up to them to see what they can add, but they've always been true innovators.  It's why I've always liked them.  I've been shooting Olympus digital still since the E1 (Kodak CCD sensor back then) 

They don't get enough credit really when you look at what they've done.  They have always been genuinely innovative. They created the ultrasonic sensor clean, they were the first to do live view, their cameras and lenses have always been smaller, lighter, robust and weatherproof.  They just haven't been paying attention to video till recently.  Now they've woken up.  

What's fascinating about Olympus is that the imaging division is a small part of their business however, it's R&D is what drives their innovation in their cash cow, the endoscope market, in which they currently have a stranglehold of something like 70% of all that business.  So the R&D in the camera division means their medical imaging division stays so far ahead of everyone else.

I'm a few weeks away from releasing some studio test footage.  I'll do some Alexa side by sides and we'll see how that goes....:-)

JB

Disclaimer - I've shot Olympus cameras for years, but I'm now an Olympus Visionary and have travelled and met with the wonderful people at Olympus Japan for the purposes of bringing better video features to these cameras :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[fuzzynormal]

6 minutes ago, John Brawley said:

photos and optics (and actually mostly endoscopes) are their core business

Well, I guess I can literally say that Olympus has been so far up my ass, that they left an impression.  I do remember laying in the colonoscopy room and thinking, "hmmm, I wonder what resolution that camera has?  Hopefully the DR is good."

BTW, John, in all seriousness, I'm trying to get an Olympus rep her in SoCal to visit a film festival I'm part of and do a demo of the EM5II and EM1MII during the event in January.  If you got any idea who I can contact, much appreciated.

[mat33]

2 hours ago, John Brawley said:

Like Andrew, I am a fan of blacks being black.  That's how this piece was deliberately graded (in the link)  I detest the LOG grades people seem to be doing these days.  I haven't found that the camera is short any detail in blacks more than others of similar specs.  Perhaps you're not liking their flat curve, and it sure could be bent a little more.

But I think a very loggy image with an 8 bit codec doesn't work either when you try to put contrast back in.  It's a fine line trying to stretch DR over 8 bits. Not many do it, but the Oly cameras also have their great curve editor so you can make your own flatter profile.  Give it a try !  INterested if anyone has ?  It's what I used to do before the FLAT profile.  Sometimes it's good, but I find it's diminishing returns to try and put a nice look back onto the image.

And yes, the EM5 Mark II is meant to be their "video" oriented model.  But it does have a different sensor family.  Personally for stills I very much prefer the EM1 Mark 2 and the video is a very decent improvement over the EM5 mark 2 for many practical reasons.  4K helps a lot too.

Look at how far they've come within 2 models of suddenly waking up and taking video seriously.  I have been active with Olympus and they really are listening and want to improve their video capabilities. They're never going to make a fully video oriented model, as photos and optics (and actually mostly endoscopes) are their core business but, I've been pleasantly surprised at how a they've come, and that's from sitting on the inside somewhat of product development.

And they know what semi professional, serious enthusiast users want from video now...it's up to them to see what they can add, but they've always been true innovators.  It's why I've always liked them.  I've been shooting Olympus digital still since the E1 (Kodak CCD sensor back then) 

They don't get enough credit really when you look at what they've done.  They have always been genuinely innovative. They created the ultrasonic sensor clean, they were the first to do live view, their cameras and lenses have always been smaller, lighter, robust and weatherproof.  They just haven't been paying attention to video till recently.  Now they've woken up.  

What's fascinating about Olympus is that the imaging division is a small part of their business however, it's R&D is what drives their innovation in their cash cow, the endoscope market, in which they currently have a stranglehold of something like 70% of all that business.  So the R&D in the camera division means their medical imaging division stays so far ahead of everyone else.

I'm a few weeks away from releasing some studio test footage.  I'll do some Alexa side by sides and we'll see how that goes....:-)

JB

Disclaimer - I've shot Olympus cameras for years, but I'm now an Olympus Visionary and have travelled and met with the wonderful people at Olympus Japan for the purposes of bringing better video features to these cameras :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to seeing your results John.  I too think Olympus deserves more appreciation for their innovation of the years.  I also love the ongoing support they give to their flagship camera.  The E-M1 got a massive firmware update in 2015 -focus stacking, focus bracketing, silent electronic shutter, increase in shutter speed to 1/16000, adding 24/25p modes etc 2 years after it was released -most manufacturers (especially if they start with s and end with -ony) would have just released a new model. Will be good to see what they bring to the E-M1ii and future cameras now they are taking video more seriously.

[liork]

7 hours ago, John Brawley said:

Like Andrew, I am a fan of blacks being black.  That's how this piece was deliberately graded (in the link)  I detest the LOG grades people seem to be doing these days.  I haven't found that the camera is short any detail in blacks more than others of similar specs.  Perhaps you're not liking their flat curve, and it sure could be bent a little more.

But I think a very loggy image with an 8 bit codec doesn't work either when you try to put contrast back in.  It's a fine line trying to stretch DR over 8 bits. Not many do it, but the Oly cameras also have their great curve editor so you can make your own flatter profile.  Give it a try !  INterested if anyone has ?  It's what I used to do before the FLAT profile.  Sometimes it's good, but I find it's diminishing returns to try and put a nice look back onto the image.

And yes, the EM5 Mark II is meant to be their "video" oriented model.  But it does have a different sensor family.  Personally for stills I very much prefer the EM1 Mark 2 and the video is a very decent improvement over the EM5 mark 2 for many practical reasons.  4K helps a lot too.

Look at how far they've come within 2 models of suddenly waking up and taking video seriously.  I have been active with Olympus and they really are listening and want to improve their video capabilities. They're never going to make a fully video oriented model, as photos and optics (and actually mostly endoscopes) are their core business but, I've been pleasantly surprised at how a they've come, and that's from sitting on the inside somewhat of product development.

And they know what semi professional, serious enthusiast users want from video now...it's up to them to see what they can add, but they've always been true innovators.  It's why I've always liked them.  I've been shooting Olympus digital still since the E1 (Kodak CCD sensor back then) 

They don't get enough credit really when you look at what they've done.  They have always been genuinely innovative. They created the ultrasonic sensor clean, they were the first to do live view, their cameras and lenses have always been smaller, lighter, robust and weatherproof.  They just haven't been paying attention to video till recently.  Now they've woken up. 

Did you have the chance to compare E M1 II video quality to a Panasonic camera? And please ask Olympus team to improve the auto focus in video, let it stop breathing!

[VIKTORVISUAL]

Hi forum, want to ask I had the new  Olympus OM-D E M1 Mark II for testing for 1 day, and my impression is very strange I had the new pro lens 7-14mm 2.8,  had interior to shoot and wanted to try from hand to shoot like i had with Pentax K1, results are horendes by my standard, noise in shadows photo from RAW 1250iso, at 3200 it was to noise so I have try like the in all reviews say good result at 5sec from hand  this result are 1/20 1/10, and all are noise as hell and not harp like they could be in video 1600-2500iso in that shoot had big nose patterns in the shadows so no go for me, had canon III Pentax K1 DSLR bumped iso 2500-3200 much better result with no 5x stabilization. About video mix opinion also when I watch in 1080p on 1080 monitor for testing mode everything looks ok, but not like xt2 nx1 fotage that looks over sharpen, olympus when 100% in 4k I can't see any sharpness or details everything like 40-50% quality  jpg compression, not even could make   4K video export because it looks like bad 1080 sizedup for 4k. focus was on looked all shoots the quality the same 1000iso 5.6F  1/50. Tell your opinion is it me or the quality that they present is somehow other? Have downloaded original files from Cinema5D review have checked it also look ok in 1080 but at 4K I see lot of small nose and jpg compression ,  had XT2 for test did not any problems. This are 100% crops. I can't show  current project now.

[mechanicalEYE]

 

[liork]

So, who likes the X T2 color better and who prefer the Olympus? Let me guess...

[Stanley]

I think this is a good review for shutter bugs. Doesn't cover video that much at all, or the artsy side of the Mark11 for still photographers.

 

[John Brawley]

Hi.

A while coming but here's some 4K UHD files for download and a bit of a shoot with the new APO Cine primes in MFT mount. There's also some UHD Vimeo clips too.

https://johnbrawley.wordpress.com/2017/07/31/olympus-does-4k/

 

JB

[jonpais]

@John Brawley Really beautiful work.

[mercer]

1 hour ago, John Brawley said:

Hi.

A while coming but here's some 4K UHD files for download and a bit of a shoot with the new APO Cine primes in MFT mount. There's also some UHD Vimeo clips too.

https://johnbrawley.wordpress.com/2017/07/31/olympus-does-4k/

 

JB

Yeah... gorgeous. Every time I watch Curiosity, I want the E-M5 Mark II and that song on my iPod. I almost bought one twice over the past week.

[anonim]

As mentioned in interview for Cinema 5D, this clip is done using exclusively em1 II

 

[Dave Maze]

16 hours ago, anonim said:

As mentioned in interview for Cinema 5D, this clip is done using exclusively em1 II

 

Can you link the Cinema5D article?