Troubleshooting Olympus OM-D cameras

see also:

• the Olympus OM-D system and how to make the most of it

• check that the AF mode is S-AF or C-AF
  • viewfinder should display the AF mode on left side of screen, if not try pressing INFO button to toggle through display styles
  • alternatively, whilst viewing scene, press OK to bring up SCP which will allow you to not only see the AF mode but also select that cell then press OK to change it
  • on the E-M1 cameras, the top left controller has a quick access button to the AF mode menu
• AF mode is displaying MF and it will not let me change it
  • check that the MF clutch type ring on the lens (if it has one) is not pulled back towards camera which forces camera into manual focus mode
  • if you have a lens which is not compatible with AF mode, you will not be able to select it
• AF mode is displaying S-AF but half-press shutter button still does not try to AF
  • the camera may be set to AEL/AFL = S3 which disables shutter from performing AF
    • in menu under cogs:A1, set AEL/AFL to S1
• AF mode is displaying S-AF Limit
  • no subject detected with the allocated in-camera AF limit range
  • lens is not compatible with in-camera AF limit - eg. Canon EF lenses with Metabones adapter

• check the AF selection
  • press the rear left arrow button to display AF region selections
  • when the full number of AF regions are selected to use, AF will generally be acquired on the closest subject unless the camera detects a face, in which it will try to focus on the closest face if face detection AF enabled
  • to gain more control:
    • choose a smaller AF region or just a single AF region
    • consider turning off face detection AF if you don't want to AF on the face
• in C-AF modes, things get much more complicated with AF tracking algorithm settings on the E-M1 cameras

• camera moving too much
  • hold camera steady
• subject moving too fast
  • try using manual focus or AFL to lock autofocus on expected subject distance
• insufficient contrast on subject
  • AF on a contrasty subject at same distance
  • consider using MF
• strongly backlit subject or close strong lights or reflections
  • you may need to resort to MF
• subject too small (eg. thin stem of a flower)
  • try to AF on a subject at similar distance, then try again on the thin subject
  • alternatively, go into magnified view mode then try AFL
• subject too dark
  • remove any ND or polarising filter
  • turn AF illuminator on (menu:cogs:A2:AF Illuminator)
  • use a torch, or if in studio, increase the modelling lights or ambient light
  • use a lens with a wider aperture that lets in more light
• subject too close for the lens
  • move further away
• subject outside the focus limiter range
  • check the lens - it may have a focus limiter switch
  • the E-M1 Mark II allows the user to set an in-camera focus limiter range in the menu system
• check the lens is not malfunctioning
  • if the viewfinder is not displaying an aperture, see next item to troubleshoot

• if whole screen info is blank:
  • press INFO button to select a different EVF display which does have the settings displayed
• if shutter speed is visible but only hyphens for aperture:
  • this suggests the lens is not mounted correctly, or the contacts are dirty, or it is an incompatible lens
  • turn off camera, remove lens and re-mount it securely to see if the issue was a mount misalignment

• ensure camera has not powered itself OFF
• if a compatible flash is attached and flash mode is not FLASH OFF, shutter will not fire until flash is charged and ready
• in S-AF mode and AF is not able to be acquired, shutter will not release if Release Priority S is set to OFF which is the default
  • this can be changed via menu:cogs:c1:Release Priority S
• in C-AF mode and AF is not able to be acquired, shutter will not release if Release Priority C is set to OFF which is the default
  • this can be changed via menu:cogs:c1:Release Priority C

• if using the bundled “popup” flash - make sure it is attached properly and flipped up 10-20 degrees
• if using an external flash, ensure it is properly attached in the hotshoe and turned on, and ready light is ON
• ensure RC mode is OFF unless you are using remote compatible flashes
• ensure flash mode is not set to Flash Off
• if using the E-M1 Mark II in silent shutter mode, check that flash in this mode is not disabled in the menu: Camera2: Anti-Shock/Silent:Silent Mode Settings:Flash Mode (note flash sync in silent shutter is limited to 1/50th sec)

• ensure flash exposure compensation not set to a minus value
• ensure main exposure compensation not set to a minus value
• if flash unit is in manual mode, increase the manual flash output
• flash unit not powerful enough (ie. despite maximal output it is still too dark):
  • subject may be too far from flash - move closer, or increase ISO, or widen the lens aperture
  • lens aperture is too small - widen the aperture or increase ISO
  • you have left a ND or polarising filter on - remove it
  • ISO too low - increase ISO
• top of frame is dark but bottom is OK
  • you are using a shutter speed that is too fast for the flash sync (this usually will only occur with flashes triggered via PC sync port or with non-TTL compatible flashes)
    • use a slower shutter speed or change to Super FP mode (high speed sync), although this will reduce the power of the flash output

• change exposure mode of camera to Manual
• choose a desired aperture and ISO (these will not affect the background differently to the flash)
• now make the shutter speed longer - this will brighten ambient lit areas without affecting the flash lit areas

• if in Aperture Priority mode, check that the camera has not forced a longer shutter speed to sync with the flash and the selected aperture and ISO is causing the ambient light to be too bright even without the flash
  • lower the ISO, and/or,
  • use a smaller aperture, and/or,
  • use a ND or polarising filter to effectively lower the ISO further
• ensure flash exposure compensation not set to a plus value
• ensure flash is not too close