Olympus Firmware Updates 2.0, 2.

1,
and 2.2 for the OM-D E-M5 Mark II
Derrick Story June 2016
Rocky Nook, Inc.

Firmware Update 2.0

One of the opportunities presented by digital cameras is the ability
to add new features to existing hardware via software updates.
Olympus is particularly adept at this, both in terms of innovation
and convenience.

Firmware Update 2.0 is an excellent example of this commitment, thanks to the many new
features added for OM-D E-M5 Mark II owners. Well provide you with a brief overview in this
document.

How to Update

Olympus Digital Camera Updater (http://oup.olympus-imaging.com/ou1download/index/) is

available for both Mac and Windows computers. It simplifies the updating process because the
photographer doesnt have to download the firmware update, copy it to a memory card, put the
card in the camera, and then figure out how to initiate the upgrade.

Instead, the Olympus method is to download the Updater to your computer, connect the
camera, and launch the app. As long as theres an Internet connection available, the updater will
check the firmware of both the camera and attached lens, and will recommend the proper
firmware if its available.

You can read about firmware update instructions here:

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_downloads_updater_info.asp

Since most Olympus lenses also have firmware, those can be updated as well while the camera
is connected to the computer. Just switch to a different lens and run the updater to see if new
software is available.

Main Features of Firmware Update 2.0 for the E-M5 Mark II

The following list provides you with the most important features added via Firmware Update 2.0.
For the most part, this firmware is an excellent improvement. Two minor bugs were introduced
with version 2, and they were subsequently eliminated with version 2.1, which is now available.
Focus Bracketing

At the top of the list is Focus Bracketing. This feature allows the photographer to automatically
shoot from 3 to 999 exposures at different focus points between the minimum focusing distance
and infinity. The photographer can later create a composite from the group of exposures using
software, such as Photoshop, to create a single image with expanded depth-of-field.

An additional benefit of Focus Bracketing is that the photographer can use wider apertures than
commonly needed in macro photography. This feature does require a tripod.

The setting for Focus Bracketing is in Shooting Menu 2. Turn on Bracketing at the top of the list
in Menu 2, and then navigate to the bottom of the subsequent list in the ensuing menu to Focus
BKT at the bottom. Turn it on, and youll be presented with the following 3 settings options:
Set number of shots
Set focus differential
Charge time (if youre using a flash and want a pause in-between captures for it to
refresh).

If youre not using a flash, a good starting point would be 12 shots, 5 focus differential, and 0
seconds for charge time. Remember to turn off Focus BKT once youve completed your work.

Manual Focus Clutch Disable

Manual Focus Clutch Disable was included in this update. This option can prove very useful for
photographers who have manual focus clutch lenses, such as the 40150mm PRO and the
17mm f/1.8 prime optic. Sometimes the lens is accidentally moved to manual focus without the
photographer realizing it. Now the camera owner has the option to prevent this from happening
by disabling manual focus clutch. Lens firmware may also require an update for this option to
work.

To disable the Manual Focus Clutch, navigate to Gear Menu A. At the bottom of the second
screen is MF Clutch. The default setting is Operative. But you can change that to Inoperative if
you wish to prevent accidentally setting your lens to manual focus mode.

Simulated Optical Viewfinder

Simulated Optical Viewfinder (S-OVF) increases the dynamic range of the electronic viewfinder
in order to simulate the look of a traditional optical viewfinder, such as with a digital SLR. This
can help a photographer better read the lighting of a particular scene while looking through the
cameras viewfinder. This only affects the viewing of the image; the capture remains the same
whether S-OVF is enabled or not.

To enable the Simulated Optical Viewfinder, navigate to Gear Menu J. Look for S-OVF. You can
turn on that mode, and turn it off here. Once enabled, you can confirm that its on by looking
through the Electronic Viewfinder. If you see S-OVF at the top of the viewfinder display, then
you know its on.

To make it easier to turn the Simulated Optical Viewfinder on and off, you may want to program
the Fn1 button to toggle the control, You can do this by navigating to Gear Menu B, then
selecting Button Function at the top of the ensuing screen. In the next screen, the setting for
Fn1 will be at the top of the list. S-OVF is one of its programming options. Choose it and press
OK.

Now you can quickly turn the effect on and off by simply pressing the Fn1 button on the back of
the camera.

4K Time-Lapse Video

4K Time-Lapse Video captures up to 999 pictures and combines them in-camera into a 4K
video file. Keep in mind that the E-M5 Mark II does not record 4K video in movie mode. This 4K
output is only available for time-lapse photography.

You can set up 4K Time-Lapse by starting at Shooting Menu 1. Navigate to the bottom of the
screen to what looks like the self-timer menu. Click on it and youll see Time Lapse Settings in
the next screen. Turn them on. At this point if you press the right arrow key, youll arrive at the
next menu that offers you a set of time-lapse options, including Movie Settings at the bottom of
the screen. Navigate to them and press the right arrow key again to set up your 4K Time-Lapse
video.

Compatibility with Advanced Olympus Capture Software

Olympus Capture software provides tethered studio shooting for both stills and videos.

Photographers can now use the Live Composite function via the mobile app, OI.Share. This
provides for remotely tracking the progress of Live Composite exposures on a smart device
without having to further adjust the camera. Compatibility requires OI.Share v2.6 or later on a
mobile device.

Additional Video Features

There are a handful of movie-related features in this firmware update. Starting off with Smooth
Aperture that is now supported with the M.Zuiko Premium lenses and the M.Zuiko 1442mm EZ
zoom. Essentially, this provides for step-less aperture settings in-between normal denotations
such as f/5.6 and f/4.

For photographers using Olympus PCM audio recorders connected to their E-M5 Mark II, the
camera can generate a Slate Tone, which adds a tone to both in-camera audio and the external
audio track on the PCM recorder. The advantage of this is that its much easier to sync camera
audio with external audio in movie postproduction.

Another audio/video feature addition is the Synchronized PCM Audio Recording in Video. If the
photographer connects an Olympus LS-100 recorder via an USB cable, an audio track can be
automatically synchronized with video. This allows moviemakers to capture higher quality sound
recordings for their video productions.

You can find these settings by delving into the Menu, selecting Gear I, and then choosing PCM
Recorder Link. Here you have access to the camera recording volume, Slate Tone, and
synchronized recording.

Moving to the video itself, the new Movie-Exclusive Picture Mode Flat; Noise Filter for Video
Shooting feature allows for more color control in postproduction by lowering the contrast to
minimize blown-out highlights and loss of detail in shadows.

Firmware Update 2.1

Version 2.1 is primarily a bug fix for a couple issues that arose from Firmware Update 2.0. The
issues addressed are:

When recording movies using the OLYMPUS Capture version 1.1, the Touch AF display
on the OLYMPUS Capture cannot be cancelled.

When an electronic zoom lens is in use, the zoom does not automatically adjust to the
wide-angle position even if the monitor is tilted to the self-portrait position.

Firmware Update 2.2

The stability of the image stabilizers operations has been improved.