next bummer: I can't figure out how to activate the focus assistant for manual lenses. I enabled this function in the AF/MF menu: MF ASSIST -> on. Now, if I use any AF lens it dose this auto zoom in when I switch to manual focus. On the GH2 you can assign this feature to the button you like. On the e-m5 it seems not to be assignable. So, no focus assistant with manual lenses?!

What a sophisticatedly crippled piece of a hardware! I guess there was a dedicated team involved who's task was specifically prevent it from functioning normally. I can't explain this case without evil conspiracy plan ;)

before I have to return my overpriced preorder E-M5 to Amazon, I still want to see how good DR and highlight roll off is rendered by this camera. Today I shuttled through all the settings and picture profiles to find a flat setup. This is where the E-M5 shines! There are many options to fine tune the image:

1. shaping an extreme curve that brightens the shadows and darkens the highlights
2. selecting a picture mode -> "Custom"
3. Setting up the custom mode by choosing base color mode -> "Muted"
4. Contrast, Sharpness, Saturation all set to -2
5. next there is the option "Gradation" where you can select auto, normal, high key and low key. I set this to "normal" before having tested the effect.
6. Noise reduction is a global setting and I turned it off.

now the image can really be considered to be FLAT!!

über flat

stills from this camera compare to the top of the line APS-H cameras (Nikon D7000 or even full frame cameras). Fuck tiny buttons - it really hurts to have to let this camera go. But it hurts even more that Olympus fucked up another video opportunity.

@Alex That's beautiful cloud, sir!

BTW if the camera gives less rolling shutter and less jellos, and more DR, why not use it with a rig? Or you want Gh3 instead?

Complain to Olympus and ask for a free vertical grip :)

Weather proof body + Full HD recording + Full-time IBIS would have burned the core.

if I setup every thing the same on the E-M5 and the GH2, the image of the GH2 is completely over exposed. ISO on the EM5 is 200 (lowest) and on the GH2 160. If the right exposure on the EM5 is reached at shutter of 160, the GH2 needs a shutter of 400 to reach the same result (judging from their histograms). Lens on both was a Zuiko OM 28mm set to f8.

without recording higher video bit rate, the amazing dynamic range you can get from the EM5 is completely useless. The resulting flat image would need the right grading, but the compression of the EM5 tolerates zero color work.

less jello/rolling shutter on the EM5!

... but not so much from a video perspective. Who cares where the EM5 sensor is coming from and if it was used for another camera. Olympus managed to put together one of the best non full frame photo shooter. The video results are lackluster.

I wonder if the in-body-software corrects rolling shutter effect, too.

Alex: What gives with the rolling shutter/jello comparison between the EM-5 and GH2? It appears as if you may have done some post production image stabilization on the EM-5 Clip? I get this impression from the black 'borders' that appear at the top of the clip for the EM5 in the last few seconds? You get the same appearance of black borders by using Mercali or some other image stabilization software in post to stabilize a hand held shot? Did you use some type of image stabilization on the EM-5 clip? If so: isn't that misleading as heck?

But, I assume there is some other explanation for the black borders jumping in and out at the top of the EM-5 clip, right? Just curious what causes that.

And: thanks for all the information you are supplying about the EM-5.

Cheers,

jjj