Film-ify your OMD

[Harry Caul]

What settings do you like for your OMD? I found the following settings get me very close to the feel of my various film cameras, even the autofocus ones like the Contax G.

Shooting Menu 1 -> Picture Mode -> Monotone (when using film I nearly always shoot B&W)
Shooting Menu 1 -> Still Picture -> LF+RAW (I can always get back to color if needed)
Custom Menu -> A -> Full-Time AF -> OFF (stop continuous focus hunting/battery drain)
Custom Menu -> A -> AF Illumination -> OFF (don’t annoy people, only turn on if very, very dark)
Custom Menu -> A -> AEL/AFL -> S1/C2/M3
Custom Menu -> A -> Set Home -> Single Center/Point (when using EVF I focus and recompose, but I can still use the LCD to touch-to-AF/shoot)
Custom Menu -> B -> Button Function -> Fn2 -> MF (allows for quick switching between MF and S-AF)
Custom Menu -> D -> Displayed Grid -> 3x3
Custom Menu -> D -> Audio -> OFF (stop annoying focus confirmation beep, just watch for green box)
Custom Menu -> G -> Noise Filter -> Low
Custom Menu -> J -> EVF Auto Switch -> OFF (Use button on side of EVF to switch)
Custom Menu -> J -> Frame Rate -> High (only works on PASM, but much improved for moving targets)
Wrench -> Rec View -> OFF (reduce chimping)
In Shooting Menu -> Focus Type -> S-AF

[nikku]

Thanks for this, those were some useful tips!

[Mackinaw]

Excuse the somewhat sarcastic response, but wouldn't it be easier to just shoot film?

Jim B.

[v_roma]

This article from The Online Photographer also talks about how the OM-D's characteristic curve is similar to film. So, you are already one step ahead there

By the way, the article linked above is actually about RAW files in general and not the OM-D. I found it interesting.

[v_roma]

Not necessarily if your ultimate goal is to get digital files. Besides, it seemed that his points were more to the handling of the camera and not the look of the images.

Originally Posted by Mackinaw

Excuse the somewhat sarcastic response, but wouldn't it be easier to just shoot film?

Jim B.

[nikku]

Originally Posted by v_roma

Not necessarily if your ultimate goal is to get digital files. Besides, it seemed that his points were more to the handling of the camera and not the look of the images.

Right exactly. How to "film camera-ify your OMD" was how I understood it.

[DNG]

That is a standard setup for me..except,
RAW ONLY. I convert later to BW.
Auto EVF ON.
Single shot advance.
Video button = Spot meter/AEL
Fn1 = 2x digital zoom

[traveler_101]

I'm with Mackinaw: each mode has its own inherent character. Bring that out; if you want film, shoot film. I do both. Saying this I feel i am being pedantic, for which I apologize. Nonetheless ---

[V-12]

Originally Posted by Mackinaw

Excuse the somewhat sarcastic response, but wouldn't it be easier to just shoot film?

Jim B.

You can make digital look like film, but you can't make film look like digital, so you get both options by using digital.

[dasuess]

I have done several of these same settings on my EM5 and similar ones on my EP2 - just to "dumb it down" to the basics. Makes using it simpler, but if I need to use some esoteric setting, it's there. So far, I have not had to resort to that or to modifying my basic setup.

[kuzano]

Originally Posted by Mackinaw

Excuse the somewhat sarcastic response, but wouldn't it be easier to just shoot film?

Jim B.

You can't get 3642 shots on a roll of film....

[kuzano]

At this point in time, and diminishing... try to find a scanner that will scan film and give a final result as good as a digital capture, once you understand how to make your digital camera simulate various films.

In that respect, these setting are now in the form of a Word file in my archive of HELPFUL tips.

Pedantic, Sarcastic, or any other ick...

[heed]

Also, the number of people worldwide who can competently service my old OM-1n and 4T are shrinking. I don't have to worry about it with my OM-D!

[sevres_babylone]

Thanks for this. Got mine about 3 weeks ago and still getting comfortable with it. This should be helpful.

[wblynch]

Funny statement considering that the OM-1 and OM-4 can still be serviced 30-40 years later.

I wonder if that will be true of the EM-5 in 2052?

[DNG]

Originally Posted by wblynch

Funny statement considering that the OM-1 and OM-4 can still be serviced 30-40 years later.

I wonder if that will be true of the EM-5 in 2052?

NO,

Consider that Leica no longer services the M8 ... 1st time ever for Leica to drop service on a camera under 10 years old..

I think we may have 10 years of OEM service with the E-M5...

OTOH, My 1980's Nikon FE can still be serviced!!
That is how I prefer B&W 99.5% of the time.

[valdas]

Originally Posted by kuzano

You can't get 3642 shots on a roll of film....

why would you need 3642 shots? I am happy if I shoot two rolls a week

[Lss]

Originally Posted by DNG

Consider that Leica no longer services the M8 ... 1st time ever for Leica to drop service on a camera under 10 years old..

Leica still services the M8. What you mean is that Leica does not fix/replace the LCD screen on that model due to shortage of components.

[robert blu]

The idea to use a digital camera and get a result similar to film is always interesting. Sometimes I shoot film and many times I need the benefits of digital, therefore I have to use digital. There is nothing wrong with this. Not sure if I'll end up buying the small Oli, anyway many thanks to Harry Caul for these tips. Grazie!
robert

[Photo_Smith]

Originally Posted by V-12

You can make digital look like film, but you can't make film look like digital, so you get both options by using digital.

Yes you can, you there are several films that look smooth and grain free. Conversely there are few digital cameras that are capable of say the quality of MF or large format film.
If you want to shoot film and a camera that feels like a film camera something like an OM1 for £50 will get you there.
If you want the benefits of digital-shoot that.

[maggieo]

Thanks for the extremely useful tips, Harry!