Olympus OM-D E-M5 II opinions?

[npole]

Thank you Npole. Will try that. Appreciate your suggestion.

One more advanced thing is to assign the focus to a Function key (to a separate button) and disable the autofocus on the trigger (because with certain housing can be hard to only half press the shot button). This way you have the autofocus completely separate from the shot button. The downside is that if you want to take shot of moving subjects, you have to press rapidly two buttons. I never tried if it's possible to leave the focus+shot to the traditional shot button, but then assign the non-focus+shot to a Function key... this way you will have all the possible combinations that you can use according to the situation. The great thing of the M5 Mk2 is the high customization of the camera functions and keys.

 

[Chris Ross]

I assigned AF to the video button on mine and achieved AF using my thumb, the Nauticam housing is setup to allow that easily, not sure what the Olympus control layout is like, but if you assign a reachable button to AF do that with your thumb you can then release re-compose and shoot.

 

[jmartel]

I assigned AF to the video button on mine and achieved AF using my thumb, the Nauticam housing is setup to allow that easily, not sure what the Olympus control layout is like, but if you assign a reachable button to AF do that with your thumb you can then release re-compose and shoot.

Chris,

Do you have a tray & handles? I have been trying to use back-button focusing like this but it's too much of a reach to most of the buttons for me, so I've just kept it at half-shutter focus. I haven't tried switching it to the video button though.

 

[Chris Ross]

Yes have tray and handles, the Nauticam housing is designed that way - the video activated by a lever. I also have the shutter release extension which helps, index finger on the extension and the video trigger is nicely placed for the thumb. This image shows the arrangement:

 

[jmartel]

That's the arrangement I have with the trigger as well. I'll have to give the video button a shot for focusing. Thanks.

 

[npole]

One more advanced thing is to assign the focus to a Function key (to a separate button) and disable the autofocus on the trigger (because with certain housing can be hard to only half press the shot button). This way you have the autofocus completely separate from the shot button. The downside is that if you want to take shot of moving subjects, you have to press rapidly two buttons. I never tried if it's possible to leave the focus+shot to the traditional shot button, but then assign the non-focus+shot to a Function key... this way you will have all the possible combinations that you can use according to the situation. The great thing of the M5 Mk2 is the high customization of the camera functions and keys.

So I confirm that need only to assign a button to turn off the autofocus (it's convenient to have the possibility to switch it on/off if you need to shot videos or fast moving subjects) and then you can assign the AEL to a separate button and configure it to focus (a/o set the aperture if it's in auto).
I assigned the AF ON/OFF to the right arrow (so i can use the thumb) and the focus button to the one next to the trigger (I still use the video button to do videos while in camera mode, because if you switch to Video mode you'll lose certain functionalitis, like the electronic zoom feature).

 

[Chris Ross]

I believe you also need to go into advanced menus and pick a mode so it's menu A, AEL/AFL , S-AF (if that is what you are wanting to work in) and pick a mode, you need mode 3 so it won't try to AF on a half press. So you can have different behavior in S-AF, C-AF and MF.

If you want to shoot video occasionally you can store a preset where the video is activated by the normal video button and assign one of the buttons to switch between your current mode and the video mode. For example you could assign the DOF stop down button to switch to a preset. You press it once you are in your video preset where you could use different AF options and video is activated by the video button. Press it again and you are back in stills mode. The preset will store whatever you want so you can be in stills mode and all that has changed is the assignment of buttons.

I like using the video button to activate AF as it's a lever quite convenient to the thumb on the Nauticam housing.

 

[npole]

I'm having another issue now, the camera refuses to shot videos below a certain deep (around 25m) ..I can take pictures fine. I believed it was due to the pressure that was randomly pushing some keys, but I can't find a way to replicate it out of the water (pressing random keys to replicate the same behavior).

The only way to replicate a similar behavior is to half press the shot button, it someway "lock" the camera (i think due to the stabilization, even if it's disabled) and won't let you switch to video mode nor the record button is operative, but doing so you would notice it by many signals (if it's in auto focus you will see the focus point/square flashing; it also print the current focal length in millimeters in the top right corner of the LCD) but this is not happening underwater, the camera works as usual, I can do everything except shooting videos with both the REC button but also by switching to Video mode and use the shot button.

I didn't noticed this because as a coincidence I never did videos below 25m with this camera before (only pictures) ...but now it's driving me crazy because I have no idea of what's going on. I'm sure it's the pressure that is "pushing" something.. knowing what is the problem!

 

[Chris Ross]

I would guess you have a weak spring under a button, which is what resists water pressure pushing the buttons in? try each button with an empty housing to see if you can find one that is very easy to press.

 

[npole]

The issue is, as I explained in the previous post, none of those buttons (pressed intentionally) will replicate the same behavior. That's why this is driving me crazy.