Olympus OM-D E-M1

dragonfly · Post by **dragonfly** » Sat Oct 26, 2013 11:51 am

Does anybody know if its possible to use the stackshot with the olympus OM-D E-M1 if yes could i use the olympus 60mm macro and 50mm macro and is there a macro flash for the m1, sorry to ask so many questions but I have just moved from Canon to Olympus

many thanks

Olympusman · Post by **Olympusman** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 7:49 am

Olympus hasn't put a Control Mode in any of the Micro Four Thirds cameras, eliminating computer camera control across the entire line. However, the camera can be tripped with an Olympus RC- USB remote cable. The cable control is more complicated than just a "go" button since it uses a stack of contact leaves to go through the same cycle as the shutter button, so it not a simple straightforward USB connection to trip the camera. I don't know what the pin out is for the RC-USB remote.

Yousef Alhabshi · Post by **Yousef Alhabshi** » Tue Nov 12, 2013 11:02 pm

Hmmm.. & to think I was planning to get one!!

I somehow forgot about the connection with the OMD.. good thing I came across this post!

jazzper · Post by **jazzper** » Fri Nov 15, 2013 9:12 am

Maybe I am misunderstanding something here! I use a cheap chinese remote control cable with my OM-D - nothing complicated in that!?!

Yousef Alhabshi · Post by **Yousef Alhabshi** » Fri Nov 15, 2013 3:08 pm

jazzper wrote:Maybe I am misunderstanding something here! I use a cheap chinese remote control cable with my OM-D - nothing complicated in that!?!

Is it connected & functioning with the stackshot?

jazzper · Post by **jazzper** » Sat Nov 16, 2013 8:48 am

Well, I was only referring to the remote cable release itself. I don't use the stackshot so I wouldn't know anything about that.

svbreakaway · Post by **svbreakaway** » Sat Nov 16, 2013 11:32 am

dragonfly wrote:Does anybody know if its possible to use the stackshot with the olympus OM-D E-M1 ...

I don't have any experience with the OM-D E-M1 on StackShot but the E-M1 Instruction Manual on p. 133 calls for a RM-UC1 Remote cable which is included in Cognisys's list of adapter cables. When you click on the link for details on that adapter cable, the E-M1 is not listed with the other Olympus models - maybe because it's new? You could probably confirm with Cognisys (sales@cognisys-inc.com) though.

Yousef Alhabshi · Post by **Yousef Alhabshi** » Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:20 am

svbreakaway wrote:
dragonfly wrote:Does anybody know if its possible to use the stackshot with the olympus OM-D E-M1 ...
I don't have any experience with the OM-D E-M1 on StackShot but the E-M1 Instruction Manual on p. 133 calls for a RM-UC1 Remote cable which is included in Cognisys's list of adapter cables. When you click on the link for details on that adapter cable, the E-M1 is not listed with the other Olympus models - maybe because it's new? You could probably confirm with Cognisys (sales@cognisys-inc.com) though.

Thanks Mike,
I just found it as well & came to write it down.. & that's where I found your reply

fotofreak · Post by **fotofreak** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 4:20 am

Unfortunately the Olympus E-M1 possess no separate connectivity for the remote control (as it was e.g. at the Olympus E-5). It is possible, to release the E-M1 by the Stackshot controller with a cable connected to the multi-connector of the camera. But in this case the multi-connector is blocked and there is no possibility to transfer the image files directly to the PC (to the Olympus Viewer or Olympus Studio), or is there one? The E-5 was much better suited in this matter.

Olympusman · Post by **Olympusman** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 9:13 am

When I was in Digital Technical Support at Olympus, you have no idea how much we complained to Olympus Tokyo about omitting the USB Control Mode. There were a great many people using Computer Camera Control in studio, scientific and technical applications. The Four Thirds DSLRs were awesome with the Computer Control in Olympus Studio. We saw this coming when they killed Olympus Studio. I have several Olympus DSLRs and if I were to buy another one it would be the E-620, hands down. You can unofficially get a download of Olympus Studio by contacting tech support and ask for Jim O'Neill.
There also used to be a program called Pine Tree Computer Camera Control, but the developer shut it down when there were no longer Olympus cameras that had a Control Mode.
As for the USB cable remote, some of the M 4/3 cameras weren't even compatible with it. Go figure.

Mike

Ichthyophthirius · Post by **Ichthyophthirius** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 7:07 pm

fotofreak wrote:But in this case the multi-connector is blocked and there is no possibility to transfer the image files directly to the PC (to the Olympus Viewer or Olympus Studio), or is there one?

- is the file transfer necessary?

- can't the file transfer be done independently by WiFi (using the OI.Share)?

fotofreak · Post by **fotofreak** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 2:28 am

Hello Olympusman,

thanks for the background informations. It is a pity, that Olympus didn`t continue or improve the Olympus Studio.
I do a lot of stacking, using an E-5, Cognisys Stackshot, Olympus Studio and Helicon Focus Pro. So the Stackshot is connected to the PC and controlled by Helicon Remote. The signal for the camera release comes from Helicon remote via the Stackshot controller to the camera. The camera is connected via USB with the PC, which allow the automatic file transfer to Olympus Studio, where the files are renamed, numbered and saved in a specified directory. And, of course, I can check the files immediately on the screen.
This may answer the question of Ichthyophthirius, whether the file transfer is necessary. Yes, it is.
As long as my E-5 is fine and working, I will continue my workflow with the mentioned hard- and software.
But what to to in the post-E-5-era? Should I switch to Olympus E-M1 or another model? Is it possible to trasnfer the files by W-Lan to Olympus Studio, Viewer or other program?
Or would it be more wise, to change the system, buying a Nikon or Canon? Cameras of these brands are much better supported by Helicon Focus and Zerene Stacker and can be controlled directly by these programs.
Olympus produces good cameras and lenses, but the support for special techniques as the macrophotography is better done by other manufacturers like Nikon or Canon. Also hard- and software for tethering and specialized macrophotography are available from these manufactuers as well as from several third-party manufacturers. Unfortunately Olympus is still quite isolated in this context.

Olympusman · Post by **Olympusman** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 2:47 pm

As I have written before I was disappointed and outraged that Computer Camera Control, USB Control Mode and Olympus Studio were discontinued. From what I saw, Olympus saw the future in "happy snappers" who were more interested in social networking (another "social disease") than serious photographers, scientists, technicians (and in our group)macro and microphotographers. To their credit, I think the Olympus color engines are probably the best in the industry. All of the associates in my department rarely shot in RAW because the Olympus jpeg file structure was so damned good. Plus, the best color I have ever seen.

Mike

Mirrorlessmacro · Post by **Mirrorlessmacro** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 4:34 am

Hi! I have recently switched from canon to the mirrorless system and I shoot with an OMD EM1, Olympus 60mm lens and and fl-14 flash. I actually have a blog dedicated to taking macro shots with the m43 mirrorless. Anyway it is possible to stack using the em5 and em1.

For more info on the equipments I used, pls visit http://mirrorlessmacro.blogspot.sg/2015 ... s.html?m=1

Feel free to ask me questions here should you have any. Happy to finally see another photog using the em1. Or are there more here?

frankw · Post by **frankw** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 7:32 am

Hi Mirrorlessmacro,
Welcome to the Forum!
I certainly do use the OM-D EM-1! It has become my go to system for backpacking, back country skiing, and a walk around camera. The Pro series of lenses are a joy to use, as well as just hold

. Voigtlander (sp?) also makes some outstanding lenses for M43 bodies. That being said, I still haul around and use in the field a DSLR for macro (hard to beat the Canon MP-E 65!), as well as in the studio, where weight is really not an issue. It's really neat to see you doing what you are doing, and getting good results with the M43 system! I do think that it is likely the direction most manufacturers will eventually go...
Best,
Frank

Olympus OM-D E-M1

Olympus OM-D E-M1

OM-D

Micro Four Thirds has no computer control options

Olympus Studio

Olympus OM-D EM-1