Most cameras have at least one exclusive attribute, and the OM System Camera has more than most. Its ever-expanding “Live” collection contains a number of unique computational photography features. Let’s dig into its five tools to learn what they do and how you can use them.
Some new users of the OM System are initially discouraged by the above array of features OM-1 camera and their predecessors. Go back three generations with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, a flagship camera that’s marketed as over-engineered because of its plethora of functions and customization capabilities. Present OM-1 Mark II has gone much further.
I am a lover of technology and what it can do; I come from the generation that could program VCRs and saw the first digital watches and smartphones appear. Previously, I worked in a highly technical engineering environment, so using advanced features was relatively easy for me. However, I also understand that the camera functions can make many people nervous.
Cameras are easy to use once you understand how their various functions work. So this article explains how to use some of the OM System’s most useful tools. While primarily aimed at OM System users, this might also be interesting for those who use other camera systems and are curious about these computational photography functions.
What is computational photography?
Computational photography uses the camera’s processor to enhance the quality of captured images. It improves the camera’s capabilities by using the unique features of digital photography. Examples of computational photography include in-camera focus stacking, HDR compositing, and creating high-resolution images using sensor-shift technology. The OM system has many of these features. However, the “Live” group was most helpful to me.
Live time and live bulb
What are they doing?
Live Time and Live Bulb let you watch long exposures develop gradually on the live view screen or viewfinder. You can also see the histogram move to the right while shooting, allowing you to accurately gauge the correct exposure. This takes the guesswork out of very long exposure times and makes bulb mode more accessible to photographers.
Images can be saved as raw or JPEG files.
Where to find it
Live timing is found in bulb mode with the latest mode OM system camera and Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III. Select B on the mode dial and turn the rear dial one click clockwise and you’ll go from Direct Bulb to Live Time.
On older Olympus models, Live Time is hidden in Manual Mode beyond a 60-second shutter speed. (Unlike most cameras that are limited to 30 seconds in manual mode, you can do 60-second exposures with the OM System camera.)
How do you use it?
Once you’ve selected Live Time or Live Bulb, as shown above, you can choose how often you want the Live View screen to refresh. The number of times the camera refreshes the view depends on the ISO; The higher the ISO, the fewer refresh times. Press the Menu button and you’ll see at ISO 80 it will refresh 24 times and you can choose a refresh interval from 0.5 to 60 seconds. So for long exposure star trails, you would choose 60 seconds. Meanwhile, for aurora shots where you might only want an 8-second exposure, you’ll refresh every half-second.
With Live Time, you start the exposure by briefly pressing the shutter-release button and stop the exposure by pressing it again. Meanwhile, for Live Bulb, you hold down the shutter button for the entire exposure; I usually use Live Time. You can operate the camera using a wired trigger or a wireless remote. You can also use a smartphone or tablet and the OM Image Share app. You can then see how the exposure is developing on that device.
The maximum duration for Live Time and Live Bulb is 30 minutes.
Other comments
When shooting very long exposures you need your camera on a stable platform and a good quality tripod is ideal. General advice is to turn off In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) when using a tripod. However, I leave it on auto because it turns off when the camera is stationary but also counteracts any small movements caused by wind or vibrations under my feet.
Silent mode using the electronic shutter will prevent vibrations in the camera, and if you don’t have a means of triggering the camera remotely then a self-timer will work fine.
Even if you misjudge the exposure time and run out of screen refreshes, you can usually estimate the correct exposure time by looking at how far the histogram has moved to the right. For example, if it only moves a quarter of the way from the left in eight minutes, you know that it will take another eight minutes for the chart to move halfway.
Long exposures can cause noise in your photos, so it’s a good idea to turn on Noise Reduction. On the OM-1, this is located in Camera Menu 1.3 ISO/Noise Reduction. I have this set to Automatic.
Direct Comp
What does it do?
Live Comp (Live Composite) mode continuously captures a series of images, often of the same scene. It just adds new, brighter light that appears in subsequent frames to the first image. The biggest advantage is that you can effectively shoot a scene over an extremely long period of time—up to six hours—and never overexpose the original frame.
Therefore, Live Comp can be used for light painting, star trails and car headlights, lightning photography, etc. The final image can be saved as raw or JPEG.
Where to find it
Live Comp is located adjacent to the Live Time setting, located at the bottom of M mode on older cameras or two clockwise clicks of the thumb wheel in Bulb Mode on newer models .
How do you use it?
After selecting Live Comp, press the Menu button, which will take you to Comp Settings. You can set the shutter speed of the exposure between 0.5 and 60 seconds. You can then adjust the lens aperture and ISO, and attach an ND filter if needed to get the correct exposure.
Place the camera on a tripod and press the shutter button once to prepare to take a composite photo. A second press of the shutter button will start stitching. Once again, you can see the image pattern on the back screen with brighter lighting added to the original scene.
Other comments
Like Live Time, the best photos are taken with a tripod. Again, the final image can be saved as raw or JPEG.
Because the shortest shutter speed available is 0.5 seconds, in daylight this will result in overexposure, even at ISO 80 and f/22. Therefore, when using this feature to photograph lightning during the day, I attach an ND1000 filter to the lens to reduce the shutter speed.
Direct ND and Direct GND
What are they doing
Live ND filters somewhat eliminate the need to carry physical ND filters by providing them electronically. On the original OM-1, ND filters go from ND2 (one stop) up to ND64 (six stops), and up to ND128 is available on the OM-1 Mark II. The second model also offers a graduated neutral density filter up to ND8 (three stops). Live ND darkens the image, thus allowing for longer exposures.
Direct GND works similarly but affects the part of the image to which it is applied. It allows a scene to be captured with greater dynamic range because it darkens the highlighted area, usually the sky at the top of the image.
Images can be saved as raw or JPEG files.
Where to find them
Live ND is available on the OM-1 Mark II, OM-1, OM-5, and some earlier OM-D cameras. Direct GND is currently only available on the OM-1 Mark II. In older models with the older menu system, Live ND is found in Shooting Menu 2. With the newest models, Live ND and GND are found in Shooting Menu (camera icon) 2.1 Calculation mode.
Live ND is only accessible in manual mode (M on the mode dial) or shutter priority (S on the mode dial). Meanwhile, Live GND is also available in aperture (A) and program (P) priority modes.
How do you use them?
Both filters are enabled in the menu, as shown above. Live ND will allow longer shutter times.
Meanwhile, Live GND can be moved up and down with the arrow button above and below the OK button. It can also be rotated using the front and rear rotation buttons, and the axis can be moved around using the left and right arrow buttons. In the menu you can also select a soft, medium or hard boundary between the filtered and unfiltered areas.
Because OM-1 offers up to 8.5 stops of image stabilization, which you can use without a tripod. I took a 5 second exposure by hand.
In bright sunlight, my screw-in ND1000 filter will only allow, at most, something like a one-second exposure. However, combining it with Live ND gives a maximum exposure range of one minute even at midday.
