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| OM-1 Mark II (Press Photo) |
I have a question for those of you who own and use either an OM-1 or an OM-1 Mark II camera. Here's some background.
Several weeks ago, a photographer friend emailed me puzzled that he was not able to capture a particular image that required high speed sequential shooting. The particular circumstance was photographing a Revolutionary War re-enactor firing a musket. His intention was to capture the spark from the flint AND resultant smoke just as the weapon was fired. He set his OM-1 camera for 120fps, a very high shutter speed (I think he said 1/2000th sec.), used one of the lenses that will allow 120fps using Pro Capture SH-1 but was not able to record both simultaneously. Half pressing the shutter to pre-record the rifleman's action faster than his reflexes, on multiple tries, he only recorded the smoke. From all indications he had set his camera correctly to record at 120fps and Pro Capture to record the action just prior to the musket being fired. He should have been able to capture both in the same image or either in sequential image files. But no.
Puzzled why he wasn't able to make the image he wanted, he then tested his camera for how many frames it was recording when set to 120fps under controlled conditions. He made a series of images at 120fps and then checked each image file's metadata as well as also photographing the timer in his mobile phone. The most he could get was 60fps. He subsequently tested a friend's OM-1 Mark II and was not able to achieve more than 60fps. He asked me for my thoughts.
After an email exchange, I decided to test my OM-1, which on menu item Tab 1, Page 7, entitled "Sequential Shooting Settings > SH1, it clearly shows a setting for 120fps. That said, according to OM, 120fps can only be achieved with certain 'Pro' lenses. Here are the settings I made on my camera to conduct my multiple tests.
+Manual Mode
+1/2000th sec.
+f/2.8
+ISO 800 (no Auto ISO so the camera can't be potentially slowed calculating ISO between exposures)
+120fps
+SH-1
+JPEG only in two tests and raw only in two tests
+Only 1 memory card (Angelbird AV PRO; 128gb; UHS-2; V90; 300mb/s read speed; 260mb/s write speed so writing to two memory cards doesn't slow down the frame rate)
+Manual Focus (no focus to calculate between exposures)
+WB Cloudy (no auto WB for the camera to have to calculate between exposures)
IBIS off
+12-100mm f/4 PRO lens (one of those specified by OM as compatible with these high speed sequential shooting speeds
I tried to take all settings off automatic and disable any setting that might interfere with the sequential frame rate or slow the camera in any way.
I then set up my camera on a tabletop tripod, positioned my iPhone 14 PRO Max about 2 ft. away, manually focused the lens and then started the timer. I photographed the timer, which has hundredths of a second, several times for over 10 seconds each and then counted the exposures in the first full second recorded (a full buffer should not affect the first second in any way) as well as each subsequent second up to the 10 second duration.
In every case the result was the same. The camera recorded a maximum frame rate of one or two more than 60fps or a frame rate of one or two fewer than 60fps. Nowhere near 120fps that the camera should have achieved. I was puzzled, to say the least.
Thinking there may be a flaw in my testing procedure, I decided to test my Nikon Z8, which is rated at 120fps using JPEGs. I set identical settings on the Z8 to those on the OM-1. Those tests turned out to be 117-120fps. So my protocol seemed valid. The Nikon basically achieved the published frame rate.
So why doesn't the OM-1 achieve the published 120fps? What are my friend and I doing wrong? What are we missing? It has to be some oversight on our parts. Are any of you actually getting 120fps? I'm not sure what settings need to be changed to achieve the OMDS published top speed. Maybe one or more of you can shed some light on this. Can this mystery be solved?
Just for reference, I copied and pasted the specifications for the OM-1 directly from the OM website. Here they are:
OM-1
Speed
Approx. 10fps (selectable 1-10fps)
Anti-shock mode
----------
Speed
Approx. 10fps (selectable 1-10fps)
Pro Capture mode
----------
Speed*
Approx. 20fps (selectable 5, 10, 15, 20fps)
Speed SH1*
Approx. 120fps (selectable 60, 100, 120fps)
Speed SH2* **
Approx. 50fps (selectable 25, 50fps)
Note
*Slower shutter speeds and flash cannot be used
-----
*Compatible lenses are limited.
Speed
Approx. 20fps (selectable 5, 10, 15, 20fps with blackout)
Speed SH1*
Approx. 120fps (selectable 60, 100, 120fps without blackout)
Speed SH2* **
Approx. 50fps (selectable 25, 50fps without blackout)
Conditions
Memory card: Toshiba SDXU-D032G with standard card setting in slot 1
-----
When using the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II
-----
Low ISO processing: Priority is given to sequential shooting
Max. number of frames
All values are approximate
10fps
RAW: 139 / JPG (LF): 169
20fps
RAW: 108 / JPG (LF): 116
50fps
RAW: 96 / JPG (LF): 97
120fps
RAW: 92 / JPG (LF): 92
Speed
Approx. 10fps (selectable 1-10fps)
Anti-shock mode
----------
Speed
Approx. 10fps (selectable 1-10fps)
Pro Capture mode
----------
Speed*
Approx. 20fps (selectable 5, 10, 15, 20fps)
Speed SH1*
Approx. 120fps (selectable 60, 100, 120fps)
Speed SH2* **
Approx. 50fps (selectable 25, 50fps)
Note
*Slower shutter speeds and flash cannot be used
-----
*Compatible lenses are limited.
Speed
Approx. 20fps (selectable 5, 10, 15, 20fps with blackout)
Speed SH1*
Approx. 120fps (selectable 60, 100, 120fps without blackout)
Speed SH2* **
Approx. 50fps (selectable 25, 50fps without blackout)
Conditions
Memory card: Toshiba SDXU-D032G with standard card setting in slot 1
-----
When using the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II
-----
Low ISO processing: Priority is given to sequential shooting
Max. number of frames
All values are approximate
10fps
RAW: 139 / JPG (LF): 169
20fps
RAW: 108 / JPG (LF): 116
50fps
RAW: 96 / JPG (LF): 97
120fps
RAW: 92 / JPG (LF): 92
Compatible lenses to SH2 (50fps)
M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO,
M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO,
M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II,
M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO,
M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F2.8 PRO,
M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm F4.5 TC 1.25x IS PRO,
M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm F4.0 IS PRO
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Thanks for looking. Enjoy!
Dennis A. Mook
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Jack, my apologies. I accidentally deleted your comment but have copied it and am pasting it here.
ReplyDelete“I think it may be dependent on shutter speed. I did some tests similar to yours and the fasted shutter speed at which i was able to achieve 120fps is 1/500. Whether I used auto ISO or static ISO, MF or AF, one or two SD cards, the results were the same. All of my tests were done using RAW+JPG. Also, I was using the OM-1 with the 12-40 Pro lens.”
Thank you for your input. I would think a faster shutter speed would not have any effect but it might, indeed. A slow shutter speed, of course, could prevent the camera from achieving any high speed sequential photography. It just would not be able to cycle fast enough. I’ll run an experiment with slower shutter speeds. Thanks. ~Dennis
This probably has no effect, but try going to menu 1, pg 7 and under sequential shooting and for ProCap SH1 try changing the limit to none.
ReplyDeleteThat is how I have always had my Olympus/OM cameras configured. ~Dennis
DeleteWell, I managed 109 (once). That was in SH-1 set for 120fps, IS OFF. I am able to consistently reach the high 80's exposures per second with this setting. Something happens when in ProCapture 1. Apparently there is a buffer or writing hangup creating a variance in the number of FPS. This is still a lot of exposures, but I was using ProCapture to help with my slow reflexes. The maximum FPS speed is good but not at the loss of the ProCapture advantage.
ReplyDeleteI am still trying to figure the whole thing out. There is REAL TIME of 1 second divided into 90 image frames. Isn't this 1/90th of a second actual frame rate, regardless of shutter speed or camera rate setting?
If I expose a scene 1/100th shutter speed, camera setting SH-1, IS OFF, with 120 FPS I get 92 actual FPS. I'll test this will a subject in motion.
The pure fact is that the Z8 captures many more time slices as image frames than my OM-1.
Thanks for the information. I wonder if anyone has ever challenged Olympus and now OM to demonstrate their cameras will actually hit 120fps? ~Dennis
DeleteThe OM1 behavior is not what I expect as well. As a comparison, we were in Colonial Williamsburg the week of 9/30/2024. I had the same goal of capturing an image of the musket flint strike and fire emanating from the muzzle. I employed a Canon R5M2 set to pre-continuous, 20 fps, 1/1000 second shutter speed, and f8. I was able to my surprise and delight capture the desired image on three separate occasions. I did find that 1/1000 was not fast enough to freeze the striker drop.
ReplyDeleteThat’s good to know. Thank you for adding to our knowledge base. ~Dennis
DeleteOne other thought to offer, in menu 1-8 Sequential Image Stabilization perhaps if the camera is set to FPS Priority vs IS Priority then that may help (or not).
ReplyDeleteThanks. I had that turned off altogether. ~Dennis
DeleteI appreciate the help with my confusion. My theory is the image frames per second is the real time exposure. The shutter speed is the actual time of recordation within the real time slice. Before this matter came up, I assumed my 1/2500 to freeze bee wings, or musket fire, was actual time but evidently it is only shutter time.
ReplyDeleteIf 20 FPS, according to my theory, the successful frame contains a visual of 1/20th of that one second recorded at a 1/1000th interval within that slice. I don't know how many pre exposure frames the Canon records, or what the pre exposure time interval might be.
I was also able to record 1 frame of the musket fire that had both the spark at the pan and the fire from the muzzle. My puzzlement originated because there was just one frame that contained both events. I thought that at 120 FPS (which I now know was actually 60 +/-) and 1/2500 shutter speed there should have been progressive images and declining images that would allow me to choose the peak image. As it turned out there was only the one exposure that contained the ideal condition. I was probably lucky at that.
My tests indicate the OM-1 captures the greatest number of FPS when set at SH-1 120 FPS IS OFF. This is good to know but is not helpful when I planned to use Pro Capture to cover the lag time created by my poor reflexes.
From a perspective of curiosity, I am going to give the musket image another whack using a different camera setup.
This is a lot more fun for me than raking leaves.
More good information. Thank you. ~Dennis
DeleteI just tried it out. I had absolutely no issues with the 120 fps. It worked fine. I was basically using the Set-Files for the OM1.2 published on a site here (https://www.smile.pics/bedienungsanleitungen-oly/#Sets) and changed to PreSH1 with 120 fps. My SD-Cards are the fastest Sony. I even made a small test and photographed a Powerpoint-created watch with 120 indices to see whether it really works. While the picture refresh rate of the monitor was less than 120 fps the photos were fine. The exposure time was set to 1/1000s.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the information. Everything helps. ~Dennis
Delete