You cannot update your E-M1 using the official Olympus Update Tool yet. But the 2.0 firmware itself has been already uploaded at Olympus Imaging (BIN file here). But to install it on your camera you must follow this “Unoffical” and “at your own risk how-to” steps described at Lightsnowdev:
- Download the firmware here
- Download my application “Firmware Control” here
- Edit the “host” file inside the software
- Start the server and select the firmware you just downloaded
- Use the official Olympus Update Tool just like normal. More information here.
I repeat this is at your own risk. Wait til the official release on September 15 to get a “save” firmware update!
If someone is that crazy to test this please let us know about the exact improvements! Thanks!
76 Responses
Wow! The real news here is that for the first time since the introduction of the first E-System camera, the E-1, which was eleven years ago, someone managed to intercept Olympus’ firmware update process which relies on an internet connection to a server controlled from within Olympus headquarters. And what’s even more, that someone seems to have found ways to introduce modifications into firmware. I expect the future of Olympus camera firmwares to become really interesting!
Erm, I hope this was a sarcasm I didn’t get – because the tools to decompress and re-build Olympus fw images have been available for a number of years now. The FW images sit at known URLs and there is an URL that’s used to poll for new images. FW image name can be found by means of trial and error because the file naming follows the same standard. Nothing new here – same as in the new firmware apparently 🙂 There is simply nobody interested in modifying Oly firmware it seems. I mean, there is nobody doing it. There is VK and his work on Lumix and a huge community using the hacked firmwares, but nothing for Oly.
Oops, I didn’t know it was already possible to install Olympus firmwares from other sources than the official one… Thanks for the heads-up!
There is actually this Lightsnowdev, who is trying to hack Olympus firmwares, that was also mentioned in this news. But so fat there has not been any breakthroughs.
The only thing here is that someone found the url of the new firmware. After that, you simply have to fool the software to think it is loading from Olympus server. Nothing spectacular and nothing new. Besides it sounds like this whole new firmware is just a sad joke.
1. Keystone filter
2. Vintage I
3. Vintage II
4. Vintage III
5. Partial Color I
6. Partial Color II
7. Partial Color III
8. Tethering mode detected when plugged into USB (Olympus Viewer update is needed)
9. DoF preview lock
10. Adjust power zoom speeds
11. Loss of MF in function buttons
12. No video updates
13. EVF refresh rates seems no different
14. Making changes Fn buttons still affects all MySets when they are assigned to program dial
15. Something I noticed, may have already been there before, *B Level Function-5, the ability to set different AF functions by lever. It’s ok, but to bad it only sets S-AF, C-AF, MF, etc., and not the focus square size or face detect. A lost opportunity.
16. Still no auto-ISO parameters, one still needs to adjust flash sync speeds to set minimum acceptable speeds
17. 0-shutter still not available during continuous shot H or L, even at slowest speeds.
More like firmware 1.5 than 2.0
18. Focus peeking is still black or white and no sensitivity settings.
19. No innovative features like Pentax’s exposure EV lock on manual or Panasonic’s ability to designate AF squares.
New art filters and what not, but no improvement of the poor video capabilities? I can’t believe Olympus is that stupid 🙁
15. Has been there for a while. This is how I’ve got my E-M1 set — lever in position 1 is S-AF+MF, 2 is MF with back-button focus. So if I’m taking the pictures, the lever stays in position 2; if I hand the camera off so someone can take a picture of me / us, I shift it back to 1 to make things simple for them.
Big disappointment after all the so called “source rumours”. Nothing is correct from the original rumour list.
its has been there: the 4k feature and people have seen it. Its was not an illusion.
olympus just removed it.
Did anyone got hands on the 4k firmware itself, or just get it deliver from Olympus in those specific cameras as some has got it?
Is it possible to download the firmware from camera at all with your tool? I believe not (usually firmwares can’t be backed up).
Would be nice if someone could have managed to download the 4k firmware from Olympus test camera 😉
Someone on the Lightsnow blog (anonymous) says in German that ‘after 16 minutes 4K the E-M1 got too hot, so they took it out of the firmware update for safety reasons. No dedicated cooling bridge on the E-M1 chip.’
So yes, the 4K update must be out there somewhere…
Guess it makes sense they took it out of the firmware. I am not a video guy, but doesn’t sound like an acceptable way to work with 4K to me.
I’ve been doing a sh1t-ton of reading and someone with comprehensive knowledge of stabilization advised that (in my own summary).
4k needs a grounded sensor on a camera do dissipate the heat across the metal/aluminum/magnesium camera body. The reason why the camera overheats, is that the em1’s sensor sits on that magnetic 5-axis stabilization system and heat does not dissipate properly.
@ guest and MJFX: That makes sense. I can now also imagine why 4K + 5 axis ibis isn’t as simple as 1 + 1 = 2 (or even 4 + 5 = 9).
The IBIS is likely a key problem in implementing 4K. Without a direct coupling of the sensor to a heat dissipation path to the camera body it would be difficult to keep the sensor cool and maintain reasonable battery life. Ramping up the throughput of the sensor to 4K makes the heat buildup problem worse. The problem may not be able to be solved or a limited 4K option (short clips only) may be the only “solution”. Of course, there are other video improvements that could be made on the codec side.
I guess quite a few people would find that 4K implementation very useful anyway, given that not everybody does 16 minutes long clips…
I call BS.
As you can stick E-M1 to little below 70 degree Celsius for 60 minutes recording 1080p video without heating problems
4K can not either cause more heating than continues full sensor readout what 1080p recording already do.
The problem is in CPU if somewhere, but when camera handles everything without problems in 65-70 degree temperature and longer period than that, it is BS.
And if you know how CMOS sensor readout works, it is no different from 4k and 1080p.
OK, if you say so. You can post this comment on the Lightsnow Dev blog as a reply to the anonymous source to try to get a reaction from him.
I don’t have a clue, all I know is it wouldn’t be the first time I heard about the heating issue, and it also sounds a bit surprising when you say there is no difference between 4K and 1080p readout.
is the focus peaking now more smooth? with 1.4 i never use it because it feels like having 15-20 FPS
What about the C-AF, did this get any improvements? often it feels laggy and puming when using it.
URL:s have been deleted.
Sorry your inconvenient
Those firmwares were alpha 1.89b and were never meant to be released.
Do NOT flash your cameras with it and draw any conclusions what are coming 15th.
Well well…
This happend just a minute ago. I will upload a new one.
About the : alpha 1.89b: not true… its an official update.
hash is same to 1.89b firmware but different to 1.92 firmware (that was btw 4k enabled). Someone is playing around at Olympus.
Can you send me the hash with all the information/files you have about it to hansi.best@gmail.com?
is there a way to get the 1.92 4k enabled firmware?
Why they have deleted the firmware if it is the genuine?
Why to upload it to server at all?
Like hoping it isn’t found?
With official path and name, Olympus software would find it and flash it if just requested update.
I waited until the real thing and did not order. No video improvements sucks, but expected.
How to install it on the Mac?
This is all very strange but it shows how different sources have given very different feature lists ! I guess its an effective way of Olympus getting interest in the E-M1 that otherwise wouldn’t be mentioned at the show.
While the pro-level DSLR’s that I’ve used don’t even have AUTO modes, Olympus is adding more gimmicky art filters to their pro-level camera.
And you don’t have to use them, do you.
My point is they should concentrate on adding or improving the features that would really position this as a professional camera.
Like tethering, DOF preview lock and in body keystoning?
Better implementation of focus peaking, improve the metering which can have a tendency to blow highlights, give more options to which functions can be assigned to the buttons. Add 24 and 25p video frame rates, onscreen sound meters, and allow focus peaking during video recording.
I’ve played with the art filters for personal use but have NEVER used them for professional work.
“I’ve played with the art filters for personal use but have NEVER used them for professional work.”
So?
There is an economy based on the YEN, have you used that? if not; does it mean it should not exist? Fiat make a tiny little car with an engine about the size of a box of matches. Do you use that? if not, does that mean nobody else should use it?
Bill is probably on the wrong system. In fact, M43 has the worst quality/price ratio on the market.
And no, I don’t use yen in my daily life, and I don’t expect to have that option. It would be confusing.
I think Bill is right. All pros have post processing tools and pros are picking m43 for size/quality. Price is generally more in pro market anyway though m43 lens are cheaper than full frame lens. Also, Both the body and lens in full frame are heavy and some folks don’t want to lug around heavy equipment if not needed for an assignment. Quality wise in proper lighting condition, images are very good on m43 as proved by bunch of pros.
Putting effort on art filters is more gimmicky. Now it maybe that Oly created art filters for famous selfie cam epl7 (which Oly forgot to advertise with epl5).
Sure Bill is right, but he expects too much from a system that was designed for more casual purposes. And the lenses are pricier than those for FF, if you look at equivalent lenses. FF with slow lenses is quite a bit cheaper, still superior and not much bulkier. M43 is slightly smaller overall.
Bill, it’s a free update. As in free. You are getting more features you may not want or need, added to your camera. For free. Otherwise, it’s the same camera that you paid for as advertised. You have no right to complain, and your attitude is like that of a child having a tantrum on the floor of a grocery store because he’s not getting the cereal he wants.
If you work for Olympus, as I suspect, you urgently need some soft skills training.
Or maybe the truth hurts! Whether David works for Oly or not, I think he’s right.
Why do you accuse someone of being a shill because you disagree with their opinion?
Are you read9ing impaired?
You are apparently unable to type correctly.
Sure. But do you know how fun those filters really are? Being professional doesn’t mean you are talented or skilled or that you follow specific style.
Being professional means only that you GET PAID from the task you do.
If you are professional, that is your profession and you make your living by that.
If you are semi-pro, then it is your second job and you get paid for it while your main job (daily job) is something different.
If you don’t get paid from task you do, you are amateur.
Being amateur and professional has nothing else difference than getting paid. And many amateurs are better than professionals, when amateurs are enough interested to the task.
Being Pro photographer (Pro means Professional) means you deliver what clients wants. And if you can deliver what clients want by using Olympus ART filters, then you are Pro.
Even if you would use iAuto mode and deliver what client want, you are Professional.
There are highly regarded professional sports or fashion photographers who doesn’t know anything about sensor sizes, electronics, digital technology, different memory card speeds or even how to use M but still they manage to get amazing photos that are admired around the world in magazines fronts or news papers.
And if Olympus can improve creative photographers workflow with ART filters, it isn’t away from “features that would really position this as professional camera”.
As a photographer, especially as getting paid (being pro) means you need to master different technics and styles and be able to learn new ways, visualize them and test them out.
And being able to do tests and have fun with the camera, keeps mind (vision) fresh that can accept new ideas.
No… If you want to work with filters, you will use a PC, which gives you a lot more control. Having the option in camera is useless and detrimental, because it adds confusion to the already poor UI.
It boild down to expectations: “pros” using m43 will want art filters, while pros using canon nikon or pentax will have different requirements.
Does this come with a “pro” sticker to put on the camera? Otherwise, no buy!
In fact every picture (RAW and JPEG) will be watermarked with a PRO label. Next firmware update will let you choose the font (only available in Arial now).
Not the font, you are allowed to choose transparency between 50-100% and location is it middle or one of the corners.
And of course it is written in Japanese.
Help us GM2, you are our only hope.
may it be possible, that the E-M1 with 4K facilities was a not a “normal” E-M1 with a new Firmware but a Camera with the same Body however with a new sensor-stepping, a faster engine and a bigger buffer?
YOu mean, a camera with a silver body? 🙂
Seriously: it’s possible, someone suggested just that in another thread.
And why they would do that? Same body but with different hardware?
E-M1 already has sensor capable to 4k at 30fps.
The buffer is larger than what Panasonic GH4 or Canikon cameras has.
Card reader is capable to 4k 200Mbits.
Question is just, can the CPU handle the encoding and that is a firmware question. Olympus have had over decade now a 4k cameras for professional use. They have high speed cameras for professional use that allow even million frames per second for couple seconds.
Olympus has even made a 4k endoscope for medical use with 3D lens system.
They have years old small pocket cameras capable to 120/240 fps at 720p/HVGA.
Maybe because Olympus doesn’t receive the permission from Panasonic to offer 4K function in the E-M1?
for sure, they will offer it in a future Body to be released – no, not the silver one 🙂
Nowadays they just test the function in the E-M1 Body with different Hardware.
It is starting to look like Panasonic and Olympus has a deal with it.
Why else would Olympus only make their pocket cameras with controllable videos etc?
Example: http://vimeo.com/86191735
But those often use a much worse quality and bitrate – at least the compact ones. When the E-M1 was developed 4k might not have been a topic and 4k data can be pretty demanding. These days smartphones have pretty powerful cpus but they also run into heavy heat issues with 4k, although they use a much lower bitrate.
It might just be a little cooling element that could solve the problem but if it’s not in there, because it was necessary before, it could be a serious problem. Maybe they could limit the maximum recording time fot 4k to 10 or 15 minutes at a time…which would already be more than enough for many.
Look up at comment from BdV. It overheated when testing 4k.
Thanks for this info.
Seems that overheating is the Sensor-shift’s Achilles tendon… 🙁
Do you believe that 4k suddenly causes sensor to get over 80 degree temperature from full sensor readout, while 1080p that does same way full sensor readout keeps it just below 80 degree?
Or how about few hour Bulb exposure with E-M1?
That means all the time whole 16Mpix sensor is being readout and operated, IBIS enabled. No problems from heat.
So again suddenly someone comes and calls that “4k” is so much worse than full sensor readout already IBIS enabled.
So you’ve tested it, have you?
You don’t read out the sensor when doing a bulb exposure (live bulb does, and that’s why the quality is worse).
Overheated by what? Does E-M1 really even have a temperature sensor in it? There are reports and videos about people using E-M1 in higher temperature than anywhere on earth naturally and recording video (1080p) with IBIS enabled without any heating problems.
Again this amazing “heating problem” raises head like we would be using 5-6 years old sensors that had the problem and were forced to shutdown camera when temperature raised too much.
Still we can get 1080p/4k in weather proofed cameras, in square inch size plastic boxes, recording hours without problems. And what causes the most heat? It is the battery.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOA7Aq5pXDc
“Overheated by what? Does E-M1 really even have a temperature sensor in it?”
YES! Look on page 139 of the manual.
If anyone wants their OMD hacked, please donate to this guy here:
http://lightsnowdev.blogspot.com/
There is a blog post at personal-view here:
http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/2789/olympus-hacks/p4
Lets get the word out and get him and others some money to get our videos bitrates and frame rates hacked, as we just found out, no video upgrades in the new firmware from OLYMPUS.
I’m sorry but while VK actually wrote new modules for Lumix, this guy is merely playing with changing values in the firmware files. I mean, good luck to him and all, but I’m not counting on much.
The FW tools are from 2010: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?215943-E-P1-E-P2-E-PL1-hack-research
This thread: http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/2789/olympus-hacks/p1 – this is from 2012 and has some good info like reference documents for the CPU.
you don’t have to donate though everything start small. The kid has started couple of months back so give him some time.
How about you try changing a value in the firmware in the meanwhile?
sooo, ive installed the firmware and my conclusion is:
less EVF response time: cant see any changes
faster live view of art filters: cant see any changes, some are smooth as before, some are laggy
improved focus peaking: no changes, still laggy, feels like 20-30 FPS
DoF-Lock: Well, nice to have
MF Assist: now 3x magnification available, before 5x was lowest . . . but why no option for 2x?
Live Composite: its integrated, basetime has to be set up down in the menues, not very confi
Keystone-Feature: Pretty useless, seems to work only for medium size JPEGs
Video: As already mentioned, absolutly no changes
C-AF: still unusable for me, lags for many seconds before the liveview gets smooth. So i still have to press the button halfway for about 10 seconds until it can be really used
dissapointing update in my opinion, most changes seems to be hot air for photokina
You are using 1.5 firmware, not the 2.0 that gets released in a week.
Sorry.
That is possible, but I am interested why they have removed the firmware if it is real?
People who have installed it, doesn’t see any real benefits than just the art filters.
So Olympus jumped from 1.4 -> 2.0 by adding few new art filters, making a DOF function as switch and adds keystone-feature that works only for few megapixel photos?
Seriously?
I have started to believe too that it is 1.5 or something as it can’t be 2.0. Or just a amazing PR stunt for Silver E-M1 model.
Or maybe the firmware wasn’t the final finished version that was accessible. Maybe someone could have been playing around or neglectful at Olympus since the release was not meant to be till the 15th. Before we start critiquing this update, wait till we have the legitimate, intended update next Monday.
Could it be there is a licence agreement for the use of that sensor & the licence agreement made at the time of using them for the E-M1 didn’t include 4k video or maybe even different frame rates (e.g. 25) & also would not allow further use of it in FW updates? Olympus obviously will test it though (hence with some FW out there with it enabled) & maybe future cameras can include it if the license allows & probably with a fee for that use of the sensor as well (increasing the cost price of the camera). Is it possible?
Someone shared the info that they had some heat issues with 4k recording. So the video features from previous rumors were true and available for some internal beta tests, but those features got pulled back because of that issue.
I would guess that we might see 4k in a new body with more cooling elements somewhere in the future, but we might get the other video features, beside 4k, with another update. Or they could limit the time of 4k recordings.
I would guess that a lot of testing will go on because they can’t risk to release a firmware that might harm the camera or includes features they have to pull back later.
You might have that opinion with what you have downloaded, but I am willing to wait & see what Olympus intends us to have in version 2.0.
after testing a little bit i have to correct some things
the keystone feature also works for large JPEGs . . .
when you activate keystone it is always set to RAW + M[sf]. You can change to L[sf]. when you disable keystone and change back to RAW only and than activate again it is set back to RAW + M[sf]. So you have to change the “save picture as” option everytime you activate keystone . . . wired.
to change basetime of live composite you can press menu button in live composite mode and directly have access to the exposuretime option, thats ok.