I finally received the E-M1 video specs. here they are:
MOV (MPEG-4AVC/H.264), AVI (Motion JPEG):
Full HD 1920 x 1080 (16:9) 30p, 24Mbps (MOV)
Full HD 1920 x 1080 (16:9) 30p, 16Mbps (MOV)
HD 1280 x 720 (16:9) 30p, 12Mbps (MOV)
HD 1280 x 720 (16:9) 30p, 8Mbps (MOV)
HD 1280 x 720 (16:9) / 30 frames per second (AVI Motion JPEG®)
Not really a [shoplink 33624]Panasonic GH3[/shoplink] killer 🙁
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472 Responses
should i be happy 🙁
I am happy. I don’t have to pay for what I do not need – advanced video taking features. What’s in there is already more than what I need.
+1
Like most still shooters. There are other still and dedicated video cameras for those who need better specs.
Well, paying for advanced video features…
24/25p are not ‘advanced video features’ in any, for that matter, my 5 years old Canon P&S can do that fine, my even older ‘camera phone’ can do that fine, my tablet can do that fine, as can virtually all other such devices whenever they happen to include a kind of camera, absolutely nothing advanced about it whatsoever.
Advanced (high bitrate) codecs and raw video out could qualify as ‘advanced’ features, but its hard to see how those would in any way affect the qualities of the camera for still images.
I don’t do much video, and when I do its really just simple short clips, and for me this won’t matter much, but its not a smart move from Olympus if this rumor is true and there is no 24/25p/50i support at the very least.
It’s stills not still :).
hahahahahaha 24/25p is a basic video mode!!!
For this more than ridiculously price you should have paid for good video as well! 😀
ridiculously high, sorry.
Olympus cameras have video??? What for? I thought was all about taking pictures…
Sadly it’s looks like the same video quality of the E-M5, my only hope is if they leave the HDMI output clean and uncompressed.
Hmmm…if I bought this camera (which I will not, for other reasons)..the video capabilities would be irrelevant to me as I am a stills shooter only…but even I think that Olympus has shot themselves in the foot here from a sales perspective…At the quoted price point..this camera should have video spec equal to the GH3. Had Oly taken the “pro” model to supposed “pro level”…they definitely would sell a lot more units.
Personally I would like to see a stills-only camera..no video…it’s a completely separate discipline. 🙂
I am with you, but I do not mind some basic video taking features. So, this is fine with me, if it means Olympus can keep the price lower.
Exactly, it means the camera is not compromised in design like the GH3, at the expense of still photo taking quality and convenience, to provide fancier video that many people don’t care about. EVF or LCD that is too wide, electronics that generate too much heat for higher bit rate, additional costs …
I’m curious how the GH3 is a compromise. DXO mark shows that it has the same image quality as the E-M5 and thus they even think it’s the same sensor. So aside from IBIS, how is the GH3 not as good as the E-M5?
So no 24 and 25p? no 50i?
Sorry but that is a total fail for any kind of serious video use.
Why? Why on earth would Olympus sabotage their own camera like this? A scattering of fanboys might pay $1500 for this piece of junk (and they’ll no doubt be vociferous about not caring about video), however educated consumers are NOT going to spend that kind of money for tacked on 30p video in 2013. It’s a competitive market out there Olympus, treat the consumer like chumps and see where it gets you. What an absolute embarrassment. Bitterly disappointed by this decision.
+10000 And Olympus could have had such a great video camera if they only tried a little harder. How hard can it be to add the other needed frame rates? 24p, 25p, 50i, and 60i all take less processing resources than 30p. I have been waiting to buy an Olympus camera with Image Stabilization and good video modes for years to use with legacy long telephoto lenses for bird video. This would be the killer camera and worth every penny of the price if only they had gotten the video right. Now I will stand by and wait for the next refresh to see if they come to their senses. So, Olympus, are you reading this? You lost my sale.
Note to Panasonic, too. GX7 was so close to what I needed, but you forgot to add the microphone socket! GH3 still does not have focus peaking that you added to G6. If you are reading this, you still have some work to do also, but you are much closer than Olympus.
And again, STILL TOO EXPENSIVE for what it is..
I am happy Olympus does not follow GH3 and get more and more video stuff in the OMD cameras and stuff them up.
Fantastic!
Olympus must have some kind of deal with Panasonic that they won’t step on the GH series video capabilities. Those specs are pretty bad.
Pro Camera? lol, -NO.
In before: “I’m just a stills shooter anyways..”
Pro cameras should not be hybrids or jack of all trades. Pros shooting video can get another videocam for serious video work. Pros shooting stills want their camera uncumbered and compromised by video design considerations.
Looks like Olympus is getting more and more pro for still photo taking.
I agree. Only amateurs will use this type of cameras for video.
Wrong.
“Upstream Color”, awarded movie with amazing cinematography by Shane Carruth: filmed with an GH2 with Voighlander and Rokinon lenses.
A lot of shots in top tier TV series and even in some blockbuster movies are shot with DSLR camera because of their convenience.
Canon sells a lot of their 5D Mark III because of their video capabilities – and it not crippled the camera as a excellent still shooter because of it, as a lot of people here are saying.
It’s just the case that Olympus had the chance to make an amazing stills camera with good (for a lot of people) video specs and sell a lot more cameras, and missed the opportunity. As I said in another reply, I like Olympus a lot, and want they to succeed.
WOW! and I thought it was the content of the film that was most important!
And it is. But having a good cinematography, with a good tool helps.
Just like still photography. 🙂
REALLY?? Olympus is THAT dumb to agree to gimp their own cameras? lol! Let me tell you, Olympus THEMSELVES gimp their own cameras.
They ran a hole in the 12mp sensor until people complained.. they had access to better sensors, they just didn’t want to PAY for them. They do everything to cut cost, like selling you lens hoods.
Olympus is a bunch of crooks. They know what they’re doing. Passing the savings to the customer is CLEARLY not one of them.
Olympus would rather have the stills advantage and Panasonic would rather use the video advantage. The GH3 handles all sorts of video configurations but doesn’t do stills well. It’s not terrible, but Olympus definitely does a better job with the E-M5.
There is only so much room in the firmware.
Don’t feed the Olympus troll. GH3 is not a good stills camera? Are you serious?
Sadly, he probably is serious. Seriously uninformed.
I agree. This is good. Olympus should just concentrate on making its camera perform its best in still photo taking. I don’t care about video. Let GH3 and Black Magic fight for video supremacy.
Room in the firmware? Since when is firmware limited? It is only restricted my memory.
I had the same thought while I was waiting for a firmware update with 24p, 25p and higher bitrate for my e-m5. In the meanwhile I’ve given up on hopes for better video codecs 🙁
The e-m1 might be a picture cam but there’s no excuse for not including better video specs!
Thank god I got the gh-2 for serious video work!
No 24p!!! What a joke. Olympus have gone and crippled the camera in video again. I dont expect any improvements in the codec if they haven’t even done this for European users. Absolute idiots if this is true.
Now, I don’t buy this camera!!!!, doesn’t improve in video it is the worst for the market
Hope the increased bandwidth and truepic VII would fix the motion blocking that plague current Olympus machine
that’s very disapointing. doesnt look like theres a headphone jack either. man if only they could stick on that internal image stabilisation to the gh3
I’m sure it’ll the same IS as the GX7. Sure, it’s not better than the ibis in the Olympus cameras, but its better than nothing, plus it’ll have all your video needs.
Anonymous, you’re right. 24 and 25p we really need in Pal country’s. It stopped for me buying the E-M5.
And what about audio, Olympus has this great audio recorders.
What trouble to play 30p video in PAL countries?
I’m in the PAL country, and there is no trouble, but i not producing video for mass production
It’s required for TV/broadcast production. Just because it’s not a problem for you doesn’t mean it’s not a problem for others.
if your content is good enough they’ll accept it…
30p is not an issue if all you ever do is record a short clips for direct playback on a consumer TV set.
If you are only a little bit more serious then that, there are specific reasons to want specific framerates, as together with shutter speed, those determine to a very large extent the ‘fluidness’ of video. Removing choices in this is like removing shutter speed as something that can be changed by the photographer for still images.
Beyond that, how well 30p really displays on a typical TV depends a lot on the exact equipment used for playback, and its not possible to produce a specific quality reliably that way.
Last but not least, living in the pal part of the world, you may well want to combine your clips with other locally recorded clips, which is bound to make you spend a lot of time on frame-rate conversion (which will never look truly good) or end up with very unprofessional jumpy results.
So no, for any kind of video beyond the simple short clips for direct playback, just using 30p isn’t an acceptable solution.
Like your comment
Thank you!
Again the old 25 p issue ;-(
If you want to use your camera in a semi-pro or pro-environment in a PAL country 25p or 50p on the acquiring side is absolutely essential (to repeat: absolutely essential) apart from what anybody does or doesn’t do as home video or if the display shows it or if it get’s converted.
So this camera misses the opportunity to also work as a B or C cam in a pro or semi-pro environment in a PAL country. If this is a problem for most users or not is a completely different question.
oooops… sorry… somebody had answered that already…. 😉
I use dedicated video cameras to shoot video. Mostly in 1080p/60. It could be useful for me to have access to a forth camera, that can shoot a compatable format, should it be required. I can really see the EM1 being mounted on my mini steady-cam to reproduce the “high dollar” moving camera shots, thanks to 5 axes stablization.
I have made several wedding videos for friends/clients in Europe, shot at 1080p/60 on my panasonic camcorders. Edited with Adobe and output as hq 720p. They look good and to my knowledge, they have all played problem free.
Its always possible to create a set of restrictions that makes 30p totally workable in the PAL world, but that really isn’t the point.
And no, 720p won’t play back on all devices, even if it were 720p25. It may surprise you, but a substantial part of the people didn’t yet find much reason to upgrade to a ‘hdtv’ set while their current one is still working perfectly fine. There is a substantial part of the people that didn’t yet bother with a bluray player since their older dvd player is working quite fine. Not surprisingly, the number of such people increases somewhat with age, and your chances of encountering that mother or grandmother of the bride not being able to play back your 720p30 video is simply totally realistic in the PAL part of the world. Its even more realistic when you move slightly outside the ‘rich’ parts of the western world.
@mbieser
same here 🙂
Either you never shot in a place with fluorescent lighting, you don’t care about nasty flickering effects, or you are blind. Else shooting 30p in PAL territory is a problem, before you even start on editing and mastering, and totally independent of playback compatibility.
Might also just suggest that you are in fact not speaking the truth and you actually never did what you claim.
Yes, of course, as long as you stay within your own workflow and then transcode you have no problem – besides flickering. But once you shoot and want to integrate material inti a pro or semi- pro workflow in a PAL or Secam country, you may have a big problem because transcoded material may not get accepted and/or may produce problems.
Dissapointing. Need more options than 30 fps.
Olympus has missed the opportunity!!!!!! Really sad!!!
Exactly!
I will hold on my next lens purchases b/c of ignoring video and probably will slowly sell most m43 lenses.
All I ask was decent video for Europe in 5-axis, now they still (2013-2014) will not get my money. Next stop: GH5.
PS. Is Sony next Panny for Olympus?
+1000!
This really took the wind out of my sails. I can’t believe Olympus could be so short sighted. Well, not really…as this is typical. I know they like money…but they just don’t seem to want mine. I’ve had some much hope that they could finally quit lagging the marked in this aspect. At a minimum, I just wanted at least basic Rebel video functionality. I was hoping video would be the last big reveal before official announcement. So so very sad.
Wait! I miss interpreted…if I can get 24p NTSC I may have to wait for the official reviews. At least they’ve finally caught up to the Rebel T2i. glorious! Why is it so hard to implement this for PAL? I really feel for my video brethren overseas. I love Olympus stills but I never wanted to carry two machines.
Last time you also said: “True Pic VII processor improves video quality like moire reduction.”
So if the processing is good (not oversharpened) that’s way more important than just throwing a giant amount of bitrate into it. With MPEG-4AVC/H.264 24Mbit *can* be enough. Well, not for true video enthusiasts, but this is a stills camera first.
Guess it’s still a stills camera. Not a deal breaker for me as I don’t need professional video quality. For all the people screaming out for video specs to match GH3… guess you just have to suck it an get GH3 or the canon.
I’ll go for the 12-40 first then.
Besides top video quality will only make sense to match with a fully articulated screen which the em1 doesn’t seem to have.
Ok, well now I know that the GX7 is the one I want. No 50p/24p options did it.
FT5
81-99% chance the rumor is correct?
Well it is a small step, 20Mb/s to 24Mb/s and as Nelson said the True Pic VII should help, and who knows maybe they’ve changed the encoder. I am happy for any improvement, the IBIS is killer good for video.
Agree with many of the comments above.. for what is being touted as their flagship product … pretty short sighted to not include 24p and 25p & 50i for pal regions.
When you buy a digital camera you use it mainly for pictures and occasionally for movies (70%/30% or 80%/20%). If you are a videographer you could buy an excelent HD video camera for half the price of a pro mirrorless or dslr.
Y’know, the stills cameras that take excellent video? That still sell and put in use because of the video quality?
+++++
Funny how some folks seem to forget that the GH2 and GH3 shoot excellent stills along with excellent video.
Jeff, please answer my question, what would you like more for f/0.95 lenses:
1. EM1 with huge hi-res EVF, with decent codec in hbr mode AND STABILIZED in 5-axis
or
2. GH3 w/o mar sensor, IBIS with so so EVF but with just decent codec/bitrate.
Thanks.
Good question.
Having never handled an EM1, I can’t really say anything meaningful about it.
GH3 with multi-aspect sensor. The EVF is pretty good, although better would be better. The times I’ve tried it I haven’t seen the problems that others have mentioned. It seems to pop-up mainly for people trying to use it with glasses. I take mine off when using an EVF.
I don’t care about IBIS, but wouldn’t kick it out of bed. 😉
Right?? My GH2 is fantastic. The only thing I wish I had was the 5-axis for legacy lenses when shooting stills.
Well, it was unlikely to compete with GH-3 in video from the beginning as the two makers have clearly staked out their territory for some time. If the E-M1 fail basic capability that’s one thing, but serious requirements ought to be expected on the pana side mostly.
Well that seals it then, no EM-1 for me, why oh why don’t they open up the market for this camera, I was hoping this could be a break through combining so many good elements of stills and video with amazing stabilisation, it just gives people more reason to buy into the M43 world, it’s infuriating, i’ve already got my M43 lenses up for grabs, sick of it, bye.
Did you really expect it to have same features as Panasonics have?
I really must be fanboys. 😀
I = You.
Whopsie 🙂
Perfectly enough for the (North American) casual shooter. Not enough for film producers. To me stabilization is far more important than 24p or high bit rates, but I’m not exactly a power user of video.
The lack of 25p suggests Olympus is restricted to crippled video features by an agreement with someone (Panasonic?)
I wonder what they got in return.
It’s called Cutting Costs… shows how blind of a fanboy you are to believe Panasonic would restrict Olympus to use better video components in their cameras.
Just goes to show how PATHETIC, ignorant and Lowly a Olyfanboy can stoop to.. “don’t blame Olympus, blame Panasonic!!”
SAD.
I’m not blaming Panasonic. Only speculating that it makes so much sense to include 25p Olympus would have done it unless something stopped them. If I were in a position to cripple a competitor (I don’t know whether Panasonic, Sony or anybody else is/was in such a position or not) I would certainly take advantage of it.
Dont mind him Sneye; the moment Olympys releases a camera with all the bells and bling bling video specs, he will be the first one to say that this was all possible thanks to Panasonic.
But, by the time there is a perfect camera from Olympus, its gonna have “SONY” slapped across the front.
I own other camera brands as well, not just Panasonic. Calm down.
Mr ALLCAPS
Seriously, can any body explain why? I didn’t expect something like 50mbps or anything but why no 25/50p?
The only reason I could think of is that they are adopting fuck-you-and-your-PAL-countries kind of marketing strategy. What a waste!
No 24p? No 60p? Not again…
I really hope that the FT5 rumor is wrong this time!!!
what did you expect??
2200 € for this kind of video? Pathetic. I am not going to pay that much for this little, sorry. Almost any latest-gen Panasonic m43 camera will trump these specs. I am disappointed. This camera is for still shooters invested in 43 glass, that’s it. A refreshed EVF will not do it for me. Thank you.
You sir are CORRECT!
Hey Don Quijote, isn’t it time for you to leave this place now. You are making a big fool of your self.
The leaked video even shows it with a 43 lens, so we know its being directed towards the 43 lens owner.
It is what it is, no more, no less…
Fail!
I never expected it to be in the same leauge as the GH3, its all about the framerate.
If it would have had 24 or 25p = Instant Buy
Now = Will never ever buy
It is such a shame but I will try to get on with my E-M5 until I find another camera to be my option for small and hand held. It would have been a real gamechanger and easaly sold for $2000 if it had the framerate.
since I just do video for fun and do stills for a living
good enough 🙂
I would think video pros would be looking at the black magic and a few other setups anyway ?
the guys in the wedding industry I know who are good still swear by the current crop of really nice video cameras
sure even if it had 24p/25p some people would whine about something else 🙂
Not being a video guy so I’m curious why is 24 or 25 fps so important. Afaik pretty much every modern display device even here in Europe can do 60 Hz, so why settle for crappier frame rate? Do we still broadcast in 50i PAL or something? Since I’d only video fast moving kids for personal use and I really hate stuttering panning, I’d love 60 fps, but seems like that didn’t happen either.
Petri, not meaning to be disrespectful, but what you say is the exact same reason as why the average person not interested in photography won’t need a camera with lots of manual settings and a bag full of lenses, that doesn’t mean its not useful for people being a bit more serious about this.
Uses are for example: broadcast indeed (that is 25p/50i in pal/secam territory), combining video from multiple sources, mastering to proper DVD or similar formats for a region, guaranteeing playback quality according to official specs instead of what just happens to work most of the time (but slightly differently depending on the used equipment), having more control over motion, being able to use ‘cinematic’ effects etc etc.
Your problem with motion at a lower framerate can usually be solved by using a longer shutter. This will result in slightly more blur, but also slightly more impression of speed. Having control over this is actually a pretty relevant aspect of videography.
Thanks, I just wanted to know the reasoning and now I am again bit more enlightened. As I said I don’t do video, but I’m an avid consumer and the whole ntsc/pal conversion things do bother me sometimes. But would think that choosing either way, one would have to make conversion between regions, unless of course the productions are purely domestic. I suppose 24 fps is pretty universal though.
Anyway it is pretty disappointing they don’t offer these framerates, as it shouldn’t be too hard to implement and certainly there is demand for it.
The shutter speed issue otoh seems interesting, I may have to read more about that.
It totally depends on your target audience, but for Joe random wedding photographer, international distribution is generally a non-issue, but that video he also recorded and edited should definitely play back properly on the home playback equipment of everyone who was involved in the wedding, especially also that of the parents of bride and groom, also if that happens to be slightly older equipment (say ‘hd ready TV’ and regular dvd player).
Framerate conversion (transcoding) always comes with a penalty, being it the amount of time it takes, the loss of fluidness or the loss of detail, there is always a penalty to pay for it, so if you can prevent it, that is really highly preferable.
Its also about the lights. Florecent lighting in Pal countries is set at 50Hz and that is after an agrement between the TV industry and the manufacturers of lights.
That means that if I shoot at 30p I have to use a shutterspeed at 1/50 which is breaking the 180 degree shutter rule.
30p is also a problem since the OMDs video codec sucks to much to be my A-Cam and therefore is mostley used for hand held steady shoots. It is then not compatible with the footage from my GH3 or D800 without a pain in editing, And like someone said, no matter what conversion you use the end result is pretty crippled.
Thanks, I tend to forget about that one as most of the little bit of video that I do is recorded outdoors, but this is something that even the typical consumer just recording short clips for playback on their own TV will notice.
Forget the camera, just get the lens.
Its stil a great camera for the wife and kids. I now they gonna love it. But putting a pro tag yet again on this 43 creation is just sad. Only thing thats pro is its price……..doa.
MANIFIEST ERROR OF OLYMPUS!!!
Error of the decade! from Olympus.
It will cause big, big loss for camera division.
Can’t see whether Panny or Sony is behind this.
Stop trying to blame other companies for Olympus mistakes. It’s the same sensor. Want to blame Sony? Sony didn’t force Olympus to use the same sensor.
This sensor has been used for how many Olympus bodies now??
But, it’s not the sensors fault, it’s Olympus… As usual.
Olympus tries to hide the fact that it’s BEEN losing money? -Blame the Yakuza and the CEO.
Olympus uses the same old 12mp sensor? -Blame Panasonic.
Olympus won’t step to the plate in Video? CORRECT! -Blame Sony.
LOL!!!
>This sensor has been used for how many Olympus bodies now??
its a new sensor dickhead
It’s cool though, You being upset is a Feel-Good situation for me. Tells me I’m doing my job.
if i was resorting to names cockbreath,
i could probably do a whole lot better
interesting you say this is your job though
pay well does it?
But I’m not here to brag… LOL.
Calling you DH was actually being polite and restrained, I thought. Your incessant trolling deserves far more srenuous invectives such as bringing your mother into it and your father, but I hear he’s an unknown.
Enlighten me… I’ve heard many jokes today reading these comments. Having nothing to add to the conversation shows desperation.
Buy the camera, make me laugh even more… buy the extra grip, LOL! Get some 43 lenses off of ebay, heck, buy 43 lenses NEW!! LOL!!
-TOO expensive.
-Same sensor as the OMD. Buy that instead.
-Uglier than Frankenstein.
-Video is Laughable.
-Camera is targeted to shooters with near-extinct Lenses. ‘Nuff said.
Looking forward to this camera setting new lows in sales..
Money save!!!!!!!! I am still gh2 a new lens, maybe, but no olympus
GH2 here too! New lenses? Do you know anything about CV 12mm f/0.95 😉
Considering the fact I am replacing my E-30, which has no video at all, this is all gravy. I got in so deep ($$$) with the 4/3 pro-lenses I am stuck with whatever Oly can produce to support them.
Still a happy man and the $1500 for the body is a drop in the bucket compared to what I would lose in changing systems.
Happy Man!
Given this is intended as a pro level camera and many pros moving into video as well as stills I see this as a mistake. Canon is waking up and Olympus is sleeping.
+60 “you’re all aspiring for TV assignments?”
That was meant for Mr. Aaseth
Forgive my ignorance about video (I never use it), but how come it’s a “not buy” simply because it has no 25p? Isn’t 30p useful for anything?! And what is the clue w/ 25p? I know the European TV PAL standard require 25p, so do all these “no buy” statements mean that you’re all aspiring for TV assignments? And nothing but?! I mean really, how many are producing for TV without a proper and dedicated video rig? I don’t get it – please explain…
Again… 😉
In PAL country you absolutely NEED 25p or 50p on the acquiring side for video IF you work in a pro or semi-pro environment because the complete work flow is 25p and if you start with a weaker codec anyhow you do NOT want your material being transcoded and maybe producing other problems (sync, etc….)
PAL:
– Europe
– Asia (only India and China equal 2,5 bilion people)
– Australia
– Africa
– big part of South America (Brasil)
NTSC
– North America and part of South America
– Japan
Without 25/50 Olympus ignore PAL system, therefore ignore majority of humanity.
And also only 24mbps. This was offered by the GH2 when launched back in 2010, plus 80% slow motion, 24p/25p/30p, 720/60p… simply unbelievable for a pro cam nowadays.
this is true, its the Hz compatibility for Europe standards it doesnt suit
The cinema framerate is 24p, and (if I’m not wrong) 25p is closer to that and avoid issues of flickering with lights in countries which have 50hz power grids.
Images in 30p looks like very “videoish” – after I started using 24p, never came back.
Every cam in Europe works in 25P/50i, so everything you film (or can publicly broadcast) is in this framerate. No, it’s not inherently better than 30P (in fact, it’s a tad worse by itself), but you have very limited options if you can’t support that.
Basically, the cam is just good enough for web clips this way. Combined with the IBIS, which works very similar to a personal SteadiCam, this would have been a small and mean machine for video production.
This will cost Olympus dearly in the European market. Why did they bother putting a video record button on this thing?
That goes way beyond ‘serious’ TV production work.
If you want to combine clips from multiple sources (say.. you are at your grand grand parents 70 years wedding anniversary.. and there are a few people recording some video), you want everything to be in the same framerate. Since most devices in the pal world record 25p, you want 25p.
If you ever want to put the result on say a DVD for your old aunt so she can play it on her 1990s TV set and DVD player, it MUST be 25p or it won’t play. It won’t comply with the standards implemented in most ‘A brand’ DVD players either (the cheap ones from China play everything, but the expensive ones from say Japan won’t), so even if the TV set could handle it, there is a fair chance the player won’t.
Again, if all you ever do is record short clips for direct playback on your TV set (or a computer for that matter), it won’t matter, but for most uses beyond that, it matters a lot.
How dose the bit rate compare to the 5D Mark II which I currently use for video and stills? I shoot 30p and render to 24p if needed it adds a nice little slow motion effect on the clips which looks great, but then again I shoot stock footage so no worries on audio. Would love to know how this images would compare with the 5D as if it matches that then with the IBIS it would work for me. I would still love 1080 60p so I am strongly considering the GH3 now
I suspect GH3 would be better, unless it has something up its sleeve with DR we dont know about, and it might. Although it might mean back to track and dolly without ibIS.
What software are you using to render from 30p-25p?
The classic deception after the classic Olympus hype…..
🙁
Olympus has not hyped anything in regards this camera and for sure, NOT VIDEO! This is the replacement for the E-7 to support 4/3rds lenses and pro to semi-pro photographers.
Anything you PAL standard video guys were dreaming about was manufactured in your own minds. So don’t blame Olympus!
Olympus did not promise us PAL framerates, that is correct.
But we can still blame Olympus for not supporting framerates that are used in most of the world if they insist on including video at all. Its their decision, so its totally right to blame them for it.
This is Olympus losing the oportunity… again… 🙁 🙁 🙁
looks like the FF nex with much rumoured olympus 5 axis ibis , is the way to go , sony should have a decent video spec as well , olympus really missed a trick here , very little video improvement in last few camera releases , yet video would benefit so much from there ibis tech
HUGE letdown, not cured a bit by the experience that Olympus in the past *never* cared to address such features with a firmware update. I don’t care much about 50/60P, though it would have been nice, but 30P only is a pathetic joke.
25P & 50i is standard in Europe since the existence of TV, it’s about time Olympus gets it. There is no justification for ignoring the standard of a whole continent, its just a parameter setting.
As with their pathetic menus it’s about time they look beyond Japanese borders.
24p is becoming less and less used. The omd series will never be a good video camera due to the ibis, it creates too much heat to run very long. For most photographers this video specs will be better than good enough but for pro videographer it lacks but seriously if your a pro videographer you will not use this camera anyway.
“24p is becoming less and less used.(…)”
In fact, it’s just the opposite – 24p is used more and more, even in TV productions. Gives it a cinematic feel – 30p is more suited for action videos.
Apparently your not in the business. Most all wedding videographers have switched to 30p because 24 is just too choppy. The cinematic look is more about dof not frame rate. If you played a 24p beside a 30p you would not notice much. The action stuff you speak of is shot at 60p
Then it is a matter of taste. I’ve shot a lot with both 30p and 24p and I prefer 24p, don’t think it is choppy. But, yes, I know some people that prefer 30p.
But if 24p is so bad, why most of the top content in TV – just look all the big budget series – are still filmed in 24p? 🙂 (and no, most of them are not shoot in film)
Have you ever heard such a bunch of whinging over reacting complainers. You can all go back to your European hovels and watch your morbid low frame rate subtitled diatribes and let North America get on with making entertaining movies at 30p.
Tiny little detail…
Most movies in the USA are shot at 24p.
Ok but was right about their boring cinema and cramped living conditions
You were wrong in the only bit of your post that was actually on-topic.
You do know that USA is concidered a poor nation in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Germany Zwitserland etc etc etc?
Terry, are you aware that 8% of Americans live in trailer parks – caravans in our parlance? That’s over 25 million people.
Pot kettle.
Poor Terry….. the tiny rest of the world is PAListani…. 😉
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/PAL-NTSC-SECAM.svg
I was not expecting a GH3 killer, but I tought that Olympus could bring something in the ballpark of the G6 specs (1080p60/50 28Mbps, 1080p24/25 24Mbps), but it was worse than I’ve imagined. Olympus is like Fuji, really don’t care about video.
They are clearly focused in photos, which is not a bad thing, but with a nearly better specs in video, it could sell a lot more cameras. Sad – I was torn between E-M1 and GX7 as a camera to replace my GH2, and that news settled my choice for the GX7.
For people that want the camera only for stills, it’s another story – looks like a very compelling one.
I agree, the specs gave away it wouldn’t compete with the GH3 on video, but they could have put a bit of effort into video. Film makers are a huge market, just look at the prices that GH2s sell for on eBay, the prices equal E-M5’s even though E-M5s are all a year newer.
I’ve been looking at getting a new camera for video and the GH2 is still winning on price/what I can get in terms of features. If Olympus had decent video specs then I would have considered selling my E-M5 and replacing it with this. I’m not selling it for the GH3 due to the 5-axis and smaller size.
A little disappointed. Hope they can at least solve the flickering under 50Hz mains fluorescent light (even at 1/50 shutter speed), and improve motion estimation (the blocking artifacts under moderate motion). I guess SONY’s 35mm mirrorless might eventually get my money if Olympus keeps at this pace.
Personally, I don’t care, but I acknowledge that I may be in the minority. For me to consider the E-M1, tracking focus through on-sensor PDAF will have to be truly effective. If it is, I would absolutely consider this over the GH3. If not, then it doesn’t matter (again, to me) what video is offers, I’ll keep my E-M5.
(Note: I’m not an Oly fanboy either, as the E-M5 was the first of the 6 m4/3 bodies that I have owned that wasn’t made by Panasonic.)
“Personally, I don’t care, but I acknowledge that I may be in the minority”
Nope, you are in the majority. Don’t let you fooled by the very vocal minority who is composed by anti-olympus fanboys, who would never buy an Olmpus camera even if it had 24/25p. Those people are very happy now and shout it loud!
Most people who’ll buy the EM-1 (like the EM-5 which was the hottest Olympus seller ever)are still shooters and occasionally use video.
Funny you should say that… I’m the same anonymous who made the comment saying
“So no 24 and 25p? no 50i?
Sorry but that is a total fail for any kind of serious video use.”
Olympus hater? would never buy an Olympus camera anyway?
Well, I have 3 4/3 cameras and 3 m4/3 cameras from Olympus, including 2 E-M5s. I also have one Panasonic m4/3 camera simply because it does 24 and 25p and can use the lenses I already have. So much for that little bit of your theory.
Sorry but not complying with the video standard used in most of the world is plain stupid, it always has been, and it still is. Almost every P&S, camera phone and competing mirrorless or dslr does comply, there is nothing ‘advanced’ about it, and not including this is just plain stupid.
Same here. Could have been a little better, but really didn’t expect that much. If it’s proper video given these specs, it’s good enough!
Loving the spoiled child mentality, though! Makes me feel better about getting an E-M1 – with these video specs, I’ll be in better company 😀
Funny, but I have the feeling most of those who are “very dissapointed” would never buy this camera even if it had 24/25p anyway 😀
That said, I agree that Olympus would have missed an opportunity, if the rumor is true.
So looks like they missed some opportunity in the codec side if they miss doing a good job on video + autofocus (look at Canon 70D videos) then they REALLY missed the boat. I was also looking forward to this body in hopes it will have decent video. 5-Axis is magical in video more so than still photos and pairing it with a body with 0 focus on video is the biggest waste in the hybrid camera world. Hopefully the 20 to 24mbs greatly reduces the video breaking apart with a lot of detail (water splashing or trees rustling causes the video to break apart on the em5).
So what..
If you want to take videos – you will take movie camera, camcorder and that stuff..
This is a camera mainly for taking photos..
Nowdays, everybody want’s all in one, everything, small enough to place it into pocket..but still so powerful to take 3D, 4D videos, lord of the rings and similar..
You’re not getting it. At the cost of this camera and YEARS of falling behind on video makes this a huge miss. 5-axis IBIS in video is like shooting with a huge steady cam rig. Phase detection has the ability to make autofocus USEFUL. Both those things could have made the m43 system the top with video and on top of that fantastic for photos. To say it’s a stills camera only in today’s world of do it all cameras is really behind the times. There are camera phones with better codecs than Olympus. I’m beginning to think they just don’t have the staff or their processing is just not there. Hopefully Sony exploits the 5-axis with a good codec and gets phase detect focus close to or better than 70d on the upcoming nex7.
Clearly a lot of folks were waiting on this. Hybrid shooting is a norm especially in the pro world. Weddings, events, etc.
OK, understand..
Weak video codec params and ignoring 25P standard shows Olympus is still unable to rival Panasonic in video part. So Oly remains “just” a photo camera maker, no more.
This is the chance for Pana GH5 to beat Oly if they could upgrade well their photo part 😉
Why are so many people horny about video ???
You buy a camera for its PICTURE TAKING … a nice to have , but how many people new it ? I have travelled the world over the last decade , and I rarely see people shooting video. Geezers, some people expect too much.
If I look into the future:
*****43 rumor news item *** 2019
So, my sources tell me that Panasonic will include a cappuccino mode on their GX17 ! Single cup dispenser !!! (Continued)
***** forum. *****
JOHNNY
… Panny is shooting themselves in the foot again!!!!!
What ????
NO MILK FROTHING WAND ???????
How can this be a ‘pro’ camera, when you have to pack a milk frothing machine ???? Screw mirror less and Panasonic !!!!
I am just as interested in video as photography. Just because it is not a priority for you does not mean it is not a priority for others. The versatility of an all-in-one solution was one of the reasons I bought into M4/3.
A lot of people like me went to m43 so i don’t have to carry a camera and camcorder. Olympus has one of the greatest techs for video in hybrid cameras but has the worst implementation of video. That’s why we’re all sad.
Sorry…but with no 50/60 fps even in 720p this is shit…
ABSOLUTE RUBBISH!
No 25 fps? BIG, BIG FAIL. How dare they call that a ‘Pro’-camera?
Oh boy… this is Olympus pro level… it simply says fuck you to all videographers… Every stubborn stills camera manufacturer in the world… even nikon.. starts putting serious video options into their bodies…
– 24Mbit/sec
– 8Bit colorspace
– fixed 30p
excatly the stats filmmakers revolutionary Mark II had… 5 YEARS AGO! (not to mention that that cameras framerate was later upgraded to 24, 25, 30)
it is still a still picture camera with video capabilities… don’t whine.
Ignorance is bliss…
Would be nice to show this thread at the Olympus Master, just to show him How many buyers have Lost with this last fail.
actually its just about 3 people trolling this forum continually
3 people that never would have bought this camera anyway
Riley I think you’ll find most of us are Olympus owners (E-M5 here) who are bitterly disappointed with the lack of video capabilities. It’s fascinating that you feel the need to create some type of fantasy situation to justify this overwhelming amount of negative feedback. Your rampant fanboyism seems to be causing you quite the amount of anxiety and stress. Perhaps you should take some sedatives, do some breathing exercises, practice some yoga, etc. I worry for your health my friend.
thing 1, im not your friend
thing 2, the posting rate today is 4x what it usually is, reason for that an obsessed troll
thing 3, you can fuck off now,im out of things
So wrong. Would sell my EM-5 and buy this immediately if it had proper, modern video.
i agree.. You know what.. If these people are correct, the camera sales will fail miserably and the price will come down so we ‘image makers’ can get a deal on a great camera.
As i have said before, great video would have been the icing on the cake.. but the majority of picture takers are amateurs at home and on vacation.. I have rarely seen video done while travelling around the world.
The reason people are upset about the video is because anyone who has used an E-M5 for video knows how world beating the IBIS technology is and they just can’t believe Olympus doesn’t try to capitalise on that by making a world class video camera. But as a few people have rightly pointed out the transfer rate has been improved, so it means they have paid the video some attention, lets see it in action before we claim the sky is falling. It also has a dedicated Mic port, which is great.
you´re definitly right about the ibis thing, but the other specs are simply nothing for the future… even present 🙂
that mic input is a joke, if these specs are correct… they better had made the camera cheaper instead…
The specs may fall short of the competition, but I suspect that most video shot by the users falls far short of what the specs are capable of.
besides beeing completly wrong, you miss the point mark
maybe he is wrong, maybe not…but like in complaining about too low mp, DR or poor ISO, most people just want an UP-TO-DATE spec’ed device, without even realising if they really make use of all these capabilities.
well yes, it´s fairly bold to expect a brand new pro camera to be the top of the line… you miss the point too Ulli… because it DOES NOT matter what people intend to do… What lame excuse of camera flaws is that?
I think you are missing the point that we dont miss.
I wouldn’t say it’s a disappointment. Video has never been Olympus’ forte so the outcome is not anything surprising. Olympus has also given the 5-axis stabilization to Sony. Maybe it’s the thing for you video guys…
not if you´re invested in mft glass… but yes, true, maybe better off with Sony.. it still hurts the mft system, which also hurts those lol-I-don´t-care-about-video photographer..
Some of us don’t want to carry two different machines/ different platforms.
You wouldn’t say it’s disappointment?
I wouldn’t is well, because it’s total FAIL.
what a pack of whining bitches, you moan like Olympus jumped your fence and kicked your dog.
Olympus is shooting themselvesin the foot, nothing more to say 🙁 What a waste.
At least I know I don’t like the video on my XZ-1 and E-5. That HD on XZ-1 is rather 360p, that on E-5 is a little better, rather like 480p. I hope if Olympus can improve this to true 1080 HD, I will be satisfait. However, neither XZ-1 nor E-5 on video is not comparable with my Panasonic SZ10 which is sold before buying XZ-1.
Wel no pal support is a bi… Fortunately i Use it 99% as a stille camera and even in europe my hdready tv and video player Both support ntsc… Else we would have a big issue with all those illegale download movies.
So wil i get it yes, no problemo….
Point me to a television currently sold in Europe that doesn’t support NTSC…
and bullshit that any of you will broadcast video you shoot on your camera’s. You’re lucky if you’ll get a few thousand hits on YouTube.
rubbish for 1500$ (1500€), completely ignore PAL-countries, behind competition…
if you are EM-5 user and you want better movies – Panasonic is only good choice (or Blackmagic)
I don’t have much knowledge on video but based on what I have seen on video setup, merging the best of both features (photo and video) is an inefficient solution as they have different set-up. Depending on your priority, one of the features will suffer causing inefficient use of the device. If you set the camera for a serious video work (attached dedicated video lens, mount it on railings, tripods, etc, then you end up wasting the photographic features, same goes when you set it up as photography tools, you cannot just convert it to be a serious video rig as it needs some set-up time, optimization, etc. (i’m talking of those professional set-up). I would rather top-up the extra saving from getting the OMD or Panasonic GX7 and get a dedicated portable video cam such as the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema camera. For me it’s a better value for money, portable, and practical.
You don’t always need rigs to use it in movies – and these rigs are attached in the same tripod mount that every photographic camera have. There are no compromises in the photographic sector.
Regarding the Blackmagic Pocket Camera and praticability, it’s the opposite – it makes great images, but the internal microphones are useless and the internal mic input have poor amps – you definetively need a external audio recorder and microphone for a little more serious use. And it’s not working very well with a lot of m4/3 native lenses because of lack of software correction – and since it’s image is very “flat”, needs more work in color grading. It’s more practical than a large camera for “run and gun” style shots – but for other uses, needs even more rigging than a m4/3 camera.
As I said, with a little bit more in video specs, Olympus could sell a lot more cameras (all the people that works with video CRAVES for the 5-axis IBIS, it’s groundbreaking tech for video) without losing it’s focus in still photos, cash more money in, and gives us even more excellent cameras. I like Olympus, and don’t like to see them missing oportunities.
Looks like Panasonic and Olympus have an agreement between to do something differently. Panasonic focus more into the video feature, and Olympus is not. Also Olympus focus more on prime lenses, and Panasonic focus more on Zooms!! 😛
I find Olympis to be very consistent and don’t understand why people to be so surprised. Olympus has proven time and again that they don’t listen to their market. Just look at that ugly detachable EVF on the camera they just released a couple of months ago. Or that every single lens review has to start with the complaint about the missing lens hood.
Olympus wants to be Leica. Simple as that. We would like Olympus to be better. Who is going to change? My bet is that we will have to change,
When the EM5 eventually is discounted I’ll probably pick up a body to experiment with. I figure it’s worth about $499 or less. But the GH3 and GX7 are much more appealing to me in terms of features that you get for the price.
And that’s the irony here. This lack of investment by Olympus in improving video performance makes them the opposite of the brand they would like to be!
Something to pick up heavily discounted only.
Not interested in this camera any more.
Only 24Mbps?
And Olympus calls it improvement??!
They must be joking.
LOL
I still hope that there will be also release of E5 mk2 🙂
with the new sensor..
I don’t know why did they quit this production :/
It’s not complaining to want at least the same video
capabilities as the nearest MFT competition.
LIKE IT OR NOT COMBINED STILLS AND VIDEO IS THE FUTURE.
RED got this in 2006, Olympus still stubbornly hold on to
old notions of market share. Simply put there are too many companies
fighting for a diminishing share of the pie.
Something has to give, it’s only a matter of time until some of them go out of business
or are taken over by their competition.
Between now and NAB 2014 we will see 20 new 4K cameras
most of these will have some combination of video and stills.
The future will be built around those companies who can innovate and
offer better products and features than their competition.
Olympus is doing this in everything except the video market.
My guess is they are being dictated to by Sony who wish to maintain
their video market share.
For those who love innovation and value for money our only
hope is companies like Blackmagic and Red enter the market and
force them to innovate and compete.
The History of Red and 4K shows us they will not do this on their own.
And Olympus crashes and burns with this news.
Zzzzzzz. No one cares….
Video is anyway, snore, snore and snore.ZZZZZ LOL
“LIKE IT OR NOT COMBINED STILLS AND VIDEO IS THE FUTURE.
RED got this in 2006”
Time out! Anyone buys RED for stills?!?
oly has had better video in there bridge SZ cameras than any m43 for ages… its crazy!
I mean i prepared myself for the video to be bad but this really has me lost for words. I am gobsmacked.
Nothing else would really explain this to me other than Olympus having indeed some sort of backroom deal with Panasonic not to compete with eachother in their perceived domains. I mean we’re talking about a camera body priced above the vast majority of tools on the market, $1500 puts this camera above everything out there except FX. We’re in a word where video is now nearly 5 years a standard feature across all systems, these video “features” on the Em1 are basically on a par with what i have on my ipod. Its not really good enough, is it? Can i buy this product without it leaving a sour taste in my mouth?
At this point in time there really is no justification for any camera coming onto the market not having 1080 60p, let alone 24, 25, 30. And if its 30p only with no option’s for frame rates below it is bonkers, not wanting to position yourself in the market being filmmaker friendly is one thing, but from a practicality standpoint alone many of us live in PAL land and 30p isn’t even a standard to us.
I guess it just goes to show there really is no perfect camera. Everything must have built in compromises. I’m not intending to make a hollywood production with my OMD and until 5 minutes ago i was waiting with cash in hand to just into the line for one of these, but to me this spec is just too low, too calculatingly crippled for me to stomach. And so the search goes on.. come on Sony i guess, show me what’s in store for the E-mount.
If they (the non-Canikon) are scrambling to protect each other’s turf, then no wonder the camera business has gone soft.
Olympus with its 5-axis stabilization could have had the best run-and-gun, highly mobile capturing system.
I guess we now have to wait for Sony to see how they will deploy the best IBIS in the world.
Hopefully Sony will announce something along those lines at IBC next week. A pro-camera with exchangeable lenses and 5-axis stabilizer.
I will immediately dump my M43-lenses and jump to the new system. My hope that Olympus will ever bring something usable on the PAL-market had faded for ever.
Olympus: “Hey panasonic, I won’t mess with Video, as long as you don’t mess with Stills, DEAL?”
LOL!!!
OH, FT Rumours… where Olympus can do no wrong, it’s always someone else’s fault…
LOL!!!
Well said. It’s hard to justify the price when I can’t count on this to replace my GH2 which is now years old.
Blackmagic doesn’t has 60p either and they’re made for professional. It might be nice to have, but not everyone needs it.
As a happy gh2+em5+d800 pro I was decided to upgrade to the em1 with no doubt only because of a possible better codec and 24p+60p. This is the biggest mistake Oly could do in 2013. In a few years only a few pro/enthusiasts photographers will remain stills-only, that is how it is..what a mess!! The camera seems a killer in the other aspects. Think forward in 2015-terms when the camera could be replaced… when everybody will be talking about the new 4k hype,,,,,bfff…EPIC FAIL if this is confirmed, optimusPRIME-EM1 could be the deffinitive HYBRID camera…that 5axis stabilization is a bless… so sad :_(
For a pro-build camera, the E-M1 is NOT expensive. For still shooters, movie performance is irrelevant. If it can handle 43 lenses as well as m43 lenses, and will track moving targets as well as the E3/E5 (something which has not yet been revealed – and which the E-M5 is totally incapable), I will be standing in line to buy one, along with several lenses. And, I know a number of photographers who feel the same way.
Totally agree with you about the E-M1. I haven’t shot a video with my E-M5 so I really don’t think I will start with the E-M1. I do like to do wildlife photography and C-AF and Tracking needs improvement, which I hope the E-M1 will do ok with this. I also thought the ergonomics of the E-M5 was lacking with the small cramp buttons, having to dive into the SCP for basic changes and the lack of the grip being built-in. It looks like the E-M1 solved those problems. If the E-M1 does perform for still photos like a pro-level camera should I will be getitng one.
Still I do wish the video performance was up to or better than other pro-level dslr cameras. It should perform at pro-level on all features.
Dave
“…and will track moving targets as well as the E3/E5…”
Well, that doesn’t take much, as neither my E-3 or E-5 have ever been able to CAF anything. Regardless of setup, be it S-AF, 5-AF diamond or all 11-AF frames in action, sensitivity small or normal, spiral or loop search order… All it does is an initial zip/rack/hunt, then die for some 5 seconds, then awake and repeat the zip/rack/hunt, without ever finding the subject. Not even a big black bird against a white sky. And it happens w/ any lens in any light, whether you keep the shutter half pressed or keep feathering it, prefocused or not, with both the E-3 and the E-5. So if the E-M1 is simply on par w/ that, they may as well leave CAF out all together.
So I’m hoping for something better than the CAF joke that the E-x series is. Have learned to live without it though. You can to a large extent do it w/ SAF and prefocusing, along w/ precise and balanced aiming. I do hope the E-M1 can do better of course, but my expectations are not high in that regard. The rest sounds promising though, as video is of no interest to me.
Maybe you should read these comments on C-AF here, http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3285464#forum-post-50099629
Yes, tried all that, believe me.
In addition to all I mention above, I’ve tried with and wihout the powergrip, with batteries in in any state from top charged to nearly empty (both BLM-1 and BLM-5), with both SWD and regular Zuikos (35-100, 50-200 SWD, 90-250), with and without teleconverters, with any AF frame configuration thinkable, at any FPS rate possible, from single shots to full 5 FPS (high and low settings too), AF lock on or off, single shots, short bursts, continous bursts… No charm. Same happens. With 3 different E-x bodies.
I have tweaked AF settings endlessly to try make CAF work – but no.
Here are a couple of DPR threads I’ve written on general AF config/optimization for the E-x. Might be useful (even though the CAF seems to be beyond rescue):
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/26306450
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/26391866
I believe you tried a lot, but it seems you didn’t try very well, or especially understand what you were trying.
1. Order in which it cycles through focus points has totally zero to do with this.
2. Use 5 point (diamond shaped) AF only, there is a simple reason for this which gets explained in the article you were pointed at as well as in the E-3/5 manual. All alternatives work less good.
3. Ensure C-AF lock is turned ON.
4. Try focusing on something that itself has contrast.
Especially 4 is a dead giveaway that you simply do not understand at all what you are trying. A black bird against a blue sky is NOT something that itself has contrast, it is something that contrasts heavily against the background. Not the same kind of thing at all.
So many stupid comments!
Most Pro videographers don’t shoot with an hybrid camera like the GH2/3 or even with DSLR.
They shoot with RED, Arri, Blackmagic or Pro Sony and Panasonic cameras like Sony FS700
You want the proof? Where do you see the GH3 on Panaonic Pro video website?
http://www.panasonic.com/business/provideo/index.asp
Most vocal posters here are just Olympus bahsers who are very happy that the EM-1 has inferior video specs that the GH3, which (the GH3)is an amateur video camera and a Pro stills camera 🙂
You don’t see the GH3 on that website because the Panasonic video camera division is separate from the division that produces the GH3.
Of course.
The GH2/3 are fantastic cameras that can take pro-quality footage. The are fantastic deals for Indies on a budget who want a cheap but good specs camera.
Why do you think Panasonic provide those cameras? Because those Indies are potential future pros that could well upgrade to real professional cameras in the future.
Olympus hasn’t such a pro video camera division. They are NOT looking for this market. They are focusing on Pro Stills Photographers. So don’t be astonished they do not focus on video specs.
“Most Pro videographers don’t shoot with an hybrid camera like the GH2/3 or even with DSLR.”
More and more are using hybrid DSLR/mirrorless, especially independent ones. But that’s beside the point. The problem is that it’s not even competitive at all. I mean, it doesn’t need to be as good as a GH3 but come on, have 1920×1080 @ 24fps and 25fps at the very least. Ideally it should have 50fps/60fps as those are becoming common already.
With more competitive video spec coupled with 5-axis IBIS and on sensor PDAF, Olympus would really have a solid hybrid camera. Lost opportunity right there.
When the biggest names in the movie industry, including Francis Ford Coppola, get together for a blind testing of video cameras and together reach the conclusion the GH2 produced the best results, I would be astounded by your claim that professional movie makers aren’t using the device they themselves decided was the best.
http://www.zacuto.com/shootout-revenge-2012/revenge-the-great-camera-shootout-part-two
Unless you can prove otherwise, I don’t think you have a clue what you are talking about.
olympus , simply are NOT LISTENING to their customers when it comes to video , crazy
I have a theory, Olympus has intentionally crippled the video mode on the EM-1 due to it’s partnerships with Sony and Panasonic.
Likewise I bet Sony and Panasonic will only get 3 axis sensor shift stabilization for their cameras.
That way each model can have a sudo edge over the other in at least one aspect.
After being let down by Olympus time after time, waiting for that perfect camera, I’ve now given up hope.
They always fall just shy of the bar. Why would they cripple the game changing sensor shift technology with 2010 video capability?
It’s truly beyond my comprehension,
there needs to be a way to mass boycott Olympus until they can change their strategy regarding video.
If Olympus’s target demographic is the artsy Fashion, Landscape or Nature photographers like they have showcased in the past, why would they include video in the first place. Why include a half hearted implementation of any technology on whats supposed to be a flagship pro-model camera.
If anyone is interested in what’s so bad about the video specs, it’s the bitrate cap of 24Mbps.
24Mbps is adequate for general video capture, but suffers on complex high detail scenes.
On high detail shots the h264 encoder has to make best guess decisions on where to allocate it’s factory imposed limit of 24Mbps, when the encoder runs out of space usually the shadow areas suffer greatly, or the whole image will get macro-blocking mud, or just break up altogether for a few frames.
That’s why the GH2 gained so much momentum, it was hackable enabling users to get around it’s 24Mbps limit allowing the users to capture great detail in pretty much any situation.
IMHO, saying that Olympus is intentionally crippling their camera is pure fantasy!
Think about this :
Do Olympus have a pro camera division like Panasonic or Sony? No.
Do Olympus have a financial interest to attract (captivate) pro videographers, like Panasonic or Sony? No.
I think those two points are clear enough to understand why Olympus do not focus on video.
mmm financial interest – yes – make good video, lots of people say wow nice video and buy camera – so yes selling cameras is good for oly and having features that people want helps sell cameras…. so it is very much in olys interest…
The fact the GH2 was hacked to provide a higher bit rate indicates Panasonic deliberately crippled it, otherwise the hack would not have been possible, so it is not pushing the boat out too far to suggest Olympus may have done likewise.
nope, not right at all. You can push the bit rate in just about anything hackable.
Only 24Mbps… No RAW, no ProRes…
Now E-M1 is officially a total FAIL.
p.s.
2014 mobile phones, most probably, will be shooting better video than E-M1.
Uh, you’re on crack there. Not a single phone out there can match the video on even a crappy camera. Why? Lenses.
Just wait for 2014 mobiles with 4k video, when you will bite your tongue.
dunno about that – mobiles/pads are now shooting 4k and using 41mpix sensors – I’m shocked the camera world is getting its massively CONSERVATIVE ass whipped by a bunch of phones….
This is kind of selfish, but since I would use my next camera for several years (5+), I was considering to get the E-M1 because of future-proof features, but I said to myself that it should have significantly improved video specs. Now, bam! I can confidently grab an E-M5! 😉
But still I think this not a good idea of Olympus….. -.-
I was all set to buy the E-M1 have the money ready.
But not after seeing the video specs !!!
I need a second small camera for run and gun interviews and web coverage with great stills.
For run and gun and street shooting this type of camera stand out a lot less than even the smallest
video camera which tend to have terrible stills capabilities.
Not every paying job requires a Red or even a Blackmagic. The 5 axis stabilization would have been
great, and size wise it’s perfect, even the addition of an external mic input was
promising.
However I really hoped they would create a killer HD-2K Raw video
and compressed codec setting with additional frame fates and improved moire and rolling shutter.
It would have rocked the whole MFT and DSLR market.
IMO they really missed an opportunity.
Wow, this is just…..disappointing.
I was so ready to sell my GH3 and get this beauty but now I don’t think that will happen. :'(
You screwed up again, OLympus.
I think what people are missing that in order to be the total success some of us want Olympus to be it needs to be strong in video and stills. The more cameras they would sell by being stronger in video would also benefit stills photographers. More sales more money more research more cameras strong brand. I’m an olympus fan I don’t want them to fade into has been territory again. That being said I own a GH2 and would love OLympus to get my next camera money. Maybe they should leak firmware to some hackers like Vitaly or Magic Lantern and they can make them great has they have done for Panasonic and Canon respectively.
I will save my money and waiting for a PRO Pana with 4K and Ibis maybe…or an E-M7 with better video spec and 4K video.
Serioulsy a camera without 4K in 2014 will be a joke.
Was almost certain on 24/25p being on EM-1, but still i crossed my fingers. Now i really hope the info is false or Olympus adds proper video options, it’s 2013 for crying out loud. I don’t have problem with 24Mbps, Lumix G6 shows 24Mbps is good enough.
I live in Europe and 25p is a must if you shoot video in artifial light.
I love my OM-D E-M5 but also need useable video, but video on the E-M5 is almost unusable and the amazing IBIS is completely in vain. I live in Europe and 25p is a must if you shoot in artifial light. The flickering caused by 30p in European evironment however is’t the worst culprit with the camera. What really ruines it is the macro blockings, which appears mostly when panning or moving objects and lights. And it happens frequently, i can only shoot static video (very beautiful GH-2 like quality when nothing moves) but what’s the point of video then. Really hoped to upgrade to EM-1, now seriously considering selling my E-M5 for a Lumix G6.
Dear Olympus, please add 24 or 25p to E-M1 or introduce it in a firmware upgrade.
Can’t remember Oly ever introduced a feature in a firmware update. It’s just bug fixes for them. Every change in functionality would mean new QA, Documentation etc. – and they are not going to do it.
Either someone high enough in the food chain realizes NOW that this is a huge stupidity, or the users will have to live with it.
They added the ability to use IBIS with all lenses to the E-M5. When it was released, it would only work with native lenses.
wow. one feature.
If you’d actually care to look, that wasn’t the first time they added a feature through firmware either.
Tell us, how does Panasonic do with regards to adding features through firmware?
Come on.
Give Olympus some credit.
They have koncentrated on getting the hybrid AF to work.
They have good IQ, superb Ibis, great EVF, great speed and now, apparently , great AF.
They havent promissed anything else, and i´m certain that good videospecs is the main koncern in the E-m6 for 2014
If it was easy, they would have done it this time.
Some of the things people are asking for are not at all ‘good video specs’, but rather, the bare basics for video that about every P&S camera has been doing since about the first day video appeared on such devices, for that matter, that about every camera phone can do. Support for framerates that are used in the large majority of the world. Sorry but if they bother to include video, even add a mic input for recording decent audio, then asking for this is not unreasonable. Its not new either, and it is something they should have fixed years ago.
Not a surprise, but officially killed any possibility of my purchasing this camera. The GH2 continues on until the GH3 has it’s inevitable massive price drop.
maybe there are 2 models, one with PAL and one with NTSC (ever hopeful!)
Fun experiment for Admin:
Gimmick the site so that half the viewers see this page. The other half see a page which says the E-M 1 will feature 96Mbps, ProRes 4:2:2, clean HDMI output, and dual XLR jacks in the baseplate, with 4K promised in a 2014 firmware update as soon as industry-wide specs are more finalized.
Prediction:
Commenters on this page will be uniformly furious that the E-M 1’s video specs are so lackluster. Commenters on the other page will be uniformly furious that Olympus is packing its new camera with video “gimmicks” instead of commenting on the clean, pure needs of clean, pure still photographers.
Those are very disappointing specs. Particularly in light of the excellent stabilisation for hand-held video. As many above have pointed out, high quality video is now an essential component for any camera that has aspirations for the serious enthusiast / professional market. Olympus obviously don’t see it that way. Even Leica are taking video seriously these days.
This has always been somewhat of a weakness in Olympus m4/3 cameras, considering what Panasonic have achieved. Nikon were in much the same position with regard to canon, but they soon caught up.
As someone who gets asked to shoot video and stills these days, a camera without higher specs. than these just doesn’t even merit my attention, I have recently bought a GH3 and wondered if the E-M1 was going to be a better option. However it seems I made the right choice, in terms of a work camera.
wont be buying this then
If you have 43 glass then pick up one of these soon to be discounted bodies.
@admin
can you double/treble check your sources because the E-PL5 specs are:
Full HD 1920 x 1080 (16:9) 30p, 20Mbps (MOV)
Full HD 1920 x 1080 (16:9) 30p, 17Mbps (MOV)
HD 1280 x 720 (16:9) 30p, 13Mbps (MOV)
HD 1280 x 720 (16:9) 30p, 10Mbps (MOV)
HD 1280 x 720 (16:9) / 30fps (AVI Motion JPEG®)
which are higher bitrates than the E-M1…
are there any other video features known?
If these are really the video specs from Olympus it is an epic fail. I cannot for the life of me understand why Olympus would use these sub-par video spefications, for a supposed pro-camera, which will make it of no interest to many pros.
What planet is Olympus on? Don’t they understand that a lot of pros shoot both still and video now.
Canon found this out quickly with the Canon 5D MkII where they only implemented a moderate 30p mode as an add on. The massive interest meant Canon provided extra frame rates. That was 5 years ago. Weren’t Olympus listening?
There is great interest from video shooters in the IBIS in the E-M5 because it is so good, but very little interest in using the E-M5 for serious video because the implementation is so poor and limited. Self-evidently the hardware is capable of far more, so why cripple it? It doesn’t make sense.
Even if you have no interest in video at all, it is in your interest for Olympus to have have a much better video implementation, because they would sell far more cameras to influential people, who would sell more cameras themselves. The more cameras Olympus sell, the more lenses they can produce, and the bigger the likely system. It really is Olympus cutting off their nose to spite their face, and wilful obscurity.
I cannot for the life of me understand why Olymus have done this? If they had just employed a video expert it would more than pay for itself.
A so called pro-Camera with a limited video implementation, in an era when far more pros are using video, even ones that primarily shoot stills, is always going to have a very limited market. Why cripple a camera with the best video image stabilization, with a video feature set which makes it of little interest to those that shoot video?
Olympus need higher bit rates and a greater selection of frame rates. Ideally they need 24p, 25p in PAL countries, and ideally a higher speed 50p/60p mode.
Sorry, but there are digicams with better video implementations than this. My old Sony HX9V is better. It just doesn’t make sense.
PAl SECAM NTSC HAVE BEEN DEAD FOR YEARS….
720/1080 24p 30p or 60p are better…
25p and 50p should not even exist.
You know that the electricity in PAL/SECAM countries is 50Hz right?
Oh gosh, how ignorant some people are, claiming to know so much without having basic knowledge in matter that is discussed.
Like poster above me mentioned frequency of the emitting light in Europe is 50 Hz.
What will happen if you record a scene under artificial light sources with a camera that can record in frequency that is not same as or even multiple of the light frequency?
Ever heard of term “flickering”?
At least 80% of the comments on this post are made by amateurs who are by far primarily stills shooters, rarely use the REC buttons on their cameras and will never have to shoot anything that might go on broadcast in Europe or elsewhere. Yet most of them will never touch a camera that is not capable of professional standard video. I don’t know whether I should laugh or weep.
Everybody knows you need full HD 60FPS to record cat videos for You Tube. Nothing but the best for Mr Fluffy.
That is still a compromise. If you love your Mr Fluffy, then his antics deserve 4K.
^^^ Totally agree with the above!! ^^^ XD
I agree. And the truth is the EM5 takes wonderful video for my purposes.This will likely be better. Who has time for extensive grading and video post processing when you are a stills shooter? But a few videos of a scene can be handy, and these specs will work fine, especially with the great IBIS (you have to buy a steady-cam to match with other cameras).
That would my case too.
+60
That is overly harsh. I am principally a stills shooter, but when on vacation with my family, particularly when skiing, I have had great fun shooting videos on my phone. Then I got the E-M5 and found exactly the same tantalising frustration that others have reported, namely that the motion smoothing capabilities of the E-M5 are astonishing. The prospect of ‘great’ video results is just there almost at ones fingertips but the codec lets the package down and keeps the desired result just out of reach.
There is simply no benefit to Olympus, or it’s customers, in mediocrity. There is nothing to be gained by being supercilious about users aspiriations with regard video capabilities. You might as well state that since most buyers of Olympus cameras are only amateurs, they shouldn’t aspire to a stills camera that produces excellent results.
@sneye
You are mistaken. There are 3 very very different things that are being asked for, 3 things that only at very first glance seem related.
1. Support for common frame rates: 24p and 25p at least besides 30p. This has totally zero to do with the results being broadcasted, and everything with stupid flicker from 50hz lights in the large part of the world where 50hz and PAL happen to be the standard. The ‘but you only need 25p for broadcast’. This has been explained so many times in this discussion already that it is simply silly and actually rather dishonest to keep arguing that 25p is only needed for those producing for broadcasting. Actually, solving this could also solve related banding and flickering effects in the EVF when using the camera indoors with some kinds of artificial lighting, way beyond the use for video.
2. Better codecs, which has again nothing to do with broadcast use, but simply with wanting a simple video of something that moves rapidly to look somewhat decent still. Again nothing to do with broadcast, and actually desirable for most.
3. Raw video out, this one still hasn’t to do with broadcast, but is certainly only for more advanced users.
It would really help to actually think about the arguments people are making instead of dismissing them out of hand based on bad assumptions and lack of understanding.
What a shame that Olympus can’t get its act together on video! Here they have this industry-leading 5-axis IBIS that’s simply brilliant for video, but I can’t pull the trigger on one of these cameras when they don’t have a decent flat profile, higher bitrates, or 60P. Frustrating!!
Pretty dissapointed by lack of PAL support again.
Pro? Pro what? 50 art filters, no need. One touch HDR, no need. Gazillion frames per sec, no need.
Oly need to consider broadining their market. EM-5/6 will do stills just fine with downgraded video specs.
But the EM-1 just doesn’t hack it without the video specs that the everage other brand has that cost half or less.
Why bother to offer lame video spec at all? The sensor can take it. If video capabilities hurt the stills output, why offer 30p video. Come on Oly, get with the program and do PAL. Even sorry ass framerate would be better than none.
The flickering of fluorescent is so bad and converting to 25p is a nightmare if you try to sync sound with other material.
Meh. I have no desire to record cat videos to put on YouTube so this is of no interest to me. Call me old fashioned, but I like a camera to be good at being a camera, not to make pizza or bring my pipe and slippers.
😉
Maybe all my photographer friends are atypical, but I don’t recall any of us carrying about video. Maybe if HCB has lived another few years he would talk about the decisive half-hour, but I doubt it… In the meantime we’ll continue to enjoy the challenge of capturing a single image to tell the story of the moment.
If we need to record a video for YouTube we’ll just use our GoPro – YouTube would be just a banal even if everyone had broadcast quality video equipment.
+ 1 gazillion
massive overpriced camera, tiny sensor. What’s the point? Answers below…
This is “pro”, stupid.
Oly, I don’t care about the video – so now that so many people have given it up, I may be ready to buy it at the appropriate discount! 🙂
Please allow the disappointment to build a bit more. I don’t feel any get need to buy a new camera in 2014, but if the price is driven low enough I could be tempted 😉
I don’t care. I just want to know when the $1800 special edition color package will come out in silver. We know they will pull that stunt again. I think Olympus marketing is the issue with Olympus.
just wait until the official unveiling
I’m thinking the same too, I think admin’s source is mistaken….
i hope so
Why is this surprising to anyone? This camera is about “pro” shooters looking to use 43 glass. For that, it’s probably awesome. People expecting Olympus to put top of the line DSLR video in their flagship stills camera…I mean, on what basis would you have that expectation? Because there is absolutely no factual basis for such an expectation.
+100!
Olympus has no pro video division like Panasonic or Sony. They are not looking to attract potential Pro videographers with GH-like cameras.
take a look at the names, know many of them?
this is the same goon making a new nick up and reposting time after time
the response to me up ^ there ‘IF YOU ONLY KNEW HOW WELL’ says to me he’s paid for it
Please don’t insult the ‘goons’ ’cause they had class! 😉 🙂
“Epic fail”, “What a shame”, “no buy”, “plain stupid”, “all gravy”, etc.
are not words that a real videographer would use to qualify the situation.
Those are words from spoiled children who want to have specs just to have it, and who will only make one video or two with the camera, before selling it for the “greatest and latest”.
Or words from anti-olympus trolls happy to bash.
The vast majority of future EM-1 users will accomodate happily from those video specs, which are even well beyond the needs of most vocal whiners and sunday videographers!
+100.And good for Oly. I don´t want to spend 1€ more in depurated video things. Olympus was ever great making photographic tools, so for me is perfect that they still focuses on stills.
Seriously if someone needs to shoot pro video why don´t buy a pro camcorder?.Is as easy as if I want a pro photographic cam I never will buy a camcorder I will buy a pro photographic cam like this EM1.
Too much noyse from a few people that simply don´t like enought photography.
So, a “real videographer” who had interest in the E-M1 will now calmly and quietly investigate the situation.
Eventually he or she might come to the conclusion that the E-M1 doeesn’t fullfil the needs of a “real videographer” and therefore will walk away from the product.
How does this help Olympus?
I for one am of the opinion that if a company offers both still and video capabillities in their flagship product they ought to make sure that both, stills & video, represent a flaghip feature set.
The E-M1 obviously doesn’t do so for video.
admit it, youre just sour the “pro” em5 doesnt have the video specs even basic cameras have, and youre just desperately trying to give oly a pass. But then again, this IS 43rumors.
“Those are words from spoiled children who want to have specs just to have it, and who will only make one video or two with the camera…”
Yes, its acting like a spoiled child to actually want the video function in a premium camera to not look like total crap whenever trying to record a simple video clip with grid powered artificial light present, how dare we ask for such a thing that about every phone cam can do!
You realize your argument isn’t just silly, it is actually bordering on dishonest?
Dishonest? Most certainly, as it isn’t exactly any kind of advanced video spec that is being asked for, its something very basic and relevant to like 90% of the world.
Not to mention, having 25p/50i support will allow Olympus to address a few issues with the EVF in certain artificial light conditions in that large part of the world that uses 50hz on the grid as well, so actually as a still photographer never ever recording any video, you’d still benefit from Olympus dealing with this.
The childish part here is people defending ‘their choice’ of brand against what simply is justified criticism.
sony kill m43 🙂 sell all the useless lenses but sony or fuji
hey kid.. go back to sony alpha rumor quickly.. your professionalism might get tainted by visiting this site.. you will become less pro. By the way.. if you ask nicely.. maybe dad will buy you a full frame camera on your 12th birthday..
Maybe they shouldn’t have called it a PRO..
Still seems to be an awesome camera but not the All-In-One option every m43 was hoping for.
Darn it.. I thought they’d finally would have built upon the EM-5 greatness and created the Best Still AND Video option available but instead left the community divided still. They had a chance to knock panasonic out of the game with a trifecta of EP-5, EM-5 and EM-1 Pro but missed their chance.
The precious GX7 gets a real spanking in both Raw SNR and RAW DR by the 18 months old E-M5. BIG FAIL!!!!
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/cameras-and-camcorders/cameras/digital-slrs-hybrids/panasonic-gx7-1168602/review/5#articleContent
Only fail is in that it Single image IQ is at best.. practically equal in terms of real life scenarios but they launch a camera with a very good EVF and EXCELLENT video.. Not a Olympus killer cam but definitely as good as the EM-5 depending on what you are looking for in a camera.
Nope, it’s an overpriced pice of crap with substandard sensor for still photos and a couple of years old VF technology. BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG Fail.
There are so many I’s in your BIG that you must be right. Glad I caught your post before going out to buy it.
If you hurry up and buy it you will get this top of the line Pany equipment for free.
http://shop.panasonic.com/shop/kitchen-appliances-rice-cookers
No you’ve convinced me. I”m OLY all the way now. Too bad they don’t make household appliances tho. 🙁
But they make colonoscopes, so you can look up your arse and se if there is a Pany there. When you are looking you can se if you find “full frame”, ” true homer” and ” Mr Allcaps” there to
No that sort of photography wouldn’t interest me. Doesn’t mean it couldn’t be a hobby for you though, since you’ve already given it some thought. Knock yourself out, Nonny!
“Real spanking”? I wouldn’t say that. It seems like a well rounded tool with more useful features than any other camera in that comparison. It should do as well as any camera in real life conditions.
You can check GH3 test result in TechRadar, which is the same sensor as E-M5,
and compare it with GX7’s result.
After checking that, do you need to modify your comment?
Or do you really know how TechRadar to test camera sensor performance?
Ha ha. Oly protects Sony’s turf, meanwhile Oly fans say this cam is for REAL photographers, not video shooting amateurs.
Wrong.
It IS actually for video shooting amateurs, who shouldn’t need more that those specs.
GH2/3 specs are for PRO videographers.
No, Red and ARRI are for Pros, or so someone said up thread. But whatever.
Indeed amateurs wouldn’t care about flicker inducing artificial lights or being able to edit their recordings made with different devices into a single video, and they totally love wasting their time on transcoding to make that editing possible still.
With all respect, your argument is not just wrong, its totally silly and actually dishonest.
Come on now, even a phone (Acer Liquid S2) already can shoot 4K video.
Looks like it will be a great pro still photo camera for those that don’t need more than 16 Mpix images.
For for Indie and lower cost video work it’s still GH3 all the way.
GH3 specs are PRO, but cameras body isn’t. Red and Arri, Panasonic and Sony Pro cameras are.
Panasonic released GH2/3 to captivate Indies, that are future potential buyers of their pro gear.
Olympus has no pro camera divison.
Is it difficult to understand?
Actually I wouldn’t agree. Pro specs would include some sort of RAW or DNG capability. GH3 offers higher bit rates, which is better than nothing, but not Pro.
Theres probably less then 5% of the worlds pros that shoot raw. You clearly have no clue about the TV/Film/media industri.
Well, you clearly know your stuff. Less than 5%.
And neither Olympus has big market share so they should be looking every possible way to increase that.
YES, it is
olympus, very bad!!!
Interesting all these people saying how good the GH2/3 is good at shooting video. So far I am yet to see any video clip that these people put up on the various sites which are particularly good apart from pleasing themselves in the fact they have made a film. Arty farty is about the best one can say regarding just about every thing I have seen on line, so no I see no reason why those people can be so authoritative in saying this camera will fail, this camera is going to prove a big success for Olympus and Panasonic are going to wonder what are we going to do to steal it’s thunder.
Your ad hominem attack betrays you my friend. If you need to embarrass yourself so thoroughly please do it elsewhere. It’s quite unbecoming and we all feel embarrassed and ashamed for you.
+1000 OMEGA! Where is the fantastic movies ? All I can see is just “First test with my gh3” etc…
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/upstream_color/
Shot entirely with GH-2.
oh lord. So disappointing. I was ready to buy, but now I’ll be just fine with my EM-5.
Please let this be a mistake … Oly? are you reading this? Fix your mistake if you want my Money.
lots of disappointed people…and happy people too….
That guy in your new pic looks certainly on the happy side. Perhaps he’s a still only shooter also collecting old Olympus lenses, waiting to buy the new EM1.. or maybe it’s just the Company?
that guy was happy because he never came that close to a MAXIM model.
I hope Olympus Management read this forum.
It just shows how one big slip up and compromise can affect a company.
At some stage somebody at the top decided (against all trends, information and common sense)
to ignore the massive movement towards combined Video and Stills and 2K-4K Raw video.
By deciding to try and maintain their market share rather than take the lead, they may have signed their death warrant.
Olympus will probably be taken over by Sony who will divided their product lines and maintain
certain technology for their high margin products.
The only problem is they are running out of time, as Blackmagic, Red and other smaller companies
are catching up and producing products customer want without the need to try and protect certain
products and market shares.
No 25p – no buy. End of story.
I wonder how hard it really is to just add a few frame rates, say at minimum 25p and 24 p? Even without 60 fps or higher, many here would be satisfied with some frame rate options for video (even without greatly improved encoder). It can’t take more processing power (and hardware cooling) to get lower frame rates than the 30 fps specified.
I am thankful that Olympus chose to concentrate on the photography and not videography. If I want to take video it would be with a camcorder.
“If you want to do video, use a camcorder”
I think this statement probably upsets many of us that care about video, more than all of the other arguments against addition of extra frame rates for video.
Who still buys camcorders?
Do those camcorders let you use m43 lenses too?
Do you really think many people carry camcorders and high quality photo cameras, opposed to solutions that to both very well?
How is this going to hurt your ability to take stills with the EM1, when there is already a red record button, a movie mode occupying one of your dial positions, and a microphone input making your camera bigger?
Many here want good video and will wait, rather than buy a product that doesn’t have standard video options. Most of us would consider the GH, or Gx7 for that reason alone, when we would be willing to buy the EM1 if it has some simple frame rate improvements. And don’t tell me to buy a GH (I already have a GH2, but love what the EM1 is looking like it will be in every way but video options, but that one little way is a big deal).
I prefer Olympus design, but because of lac of video features, I’ve simply bought Panasonic since my initial EP1 purchase. I guess a weather sealed GX7 is still a ways away, but it will come.
Camcorder = less convenient, less efficient at switching between stills and video, more expensive, less lens selection, and smaller sensor meaning less subject isolation (less bokeh, unless you pay thousands for a RED or similar) the last two of which mean less creative freedom.
Why would you want a camcorder?
If it is as good as GH3 in Video, I will definitely switch over, given the up coming 12-40 f2.8 and possible 40-150 f2.8. Sigh.
Ignorance, stubbornness, perversity…
The E-M5 has HDMI for playback only… will the E-M1 have live HDMI out for external monitoring?
I was still thinking about that live HDMI out. Admin…any more info about that?
George.. No way it can be with those specs.
I for one do wish Olympus had better video for the few times I wish I could record a snip it of a party or event. At several weddings, I wish I could record better of the 1st dance or a speach or a moment where a pro videographer isn’t at a certain point of the event.
Now due to having a child on the way, once again I wish I had better video and was looking to upgrade my EP2 to an EP5 but was waiting for the EM-1 to see what it had to offer and now left wanting more video from an Olympus body. I don’t want to carry to 2 bodies but want 5-axis IBIS.. tisk tisk tisk olympus for leaving me hanging. Hopefully, the EP-5 video is good enough as the video on the EP2 is horrible until Olympus does an EP-6 or EM2 that has 24p. Sucks to spend over a 1,000 on a camera again and still feeling like i’m getting cheated. So I will have spent over $2,000 on 3years aand still have sub optimal video performance from what are consider semi-pro cameras in 2013… Its nice to make a significant upgrade in sensor tech and 2-3 stop iso improvement but seriously.. ancient video specs.. blah.
I don’t get all the comments about lack of support for TVs in PAL countries 25p, 24p, whatever… I do find 60i/60p more fluid, but it’s not a deal breaker for me. I live in a “PAL country” but I don’t know anybody who plays videos from his/her camera by connecting it directly to a TV. All the people with LCD/plasma TVs have their sets connected to a PC via HDMI or DVI cable, copy video clip to PC and watch it on TV. What’s the problem with that kind of viewing? Do all “pros” requiring “pro” video specs watch their videos by hooking up a camera to the TV? Or am I just too unfamiliar with video?
Editing in combination with video from other devices is the obvious problem for anyone doing something more serious then just playing back clips as they have been recorded. No, don’t have to be a ‘pro’ for that at all.
But there is another issue that you’ll encounter even when never ever editing your recordings, interference with many grid powered artificial light sources which causes an annoying flickering.
If you only record outdoor videos, thats not going to be an issue mostly either…
But lets look at the restrictions this imposes:
– don’t try to combine with video from other sources unless you are prepared to spend a lot of time on it and accept lower quality results (because of transcoding)
– don’t try to record video indoors without first testing if the available light sources might cause flickering effects, and when they do, well, you are out of luck.
That isn’t just preventing ‘pro’ use, that is preventing most kinds of amateur use as well.
This really is sad news…was hoping for GH3 like video output with OM-D still imaging under the Olympus name plate. I’m not interested in carrying two dedicated rigs, especially when the rest of the industry is showing that you do not need to. I’m sure the EM-1 will be a nice camera, but anyway you look at it the video specs are anemic and not appropriate for this level of camera, stills focused or not. I simply do not understand why Oly willfully chooses to lag the competition. Really, how hard is it to add a 24p framerate for those looking for the cinematic effect? Entry level canons have been doing that for 5 years. In fact, I don’t think there is a single SLR maker that doesn’t offer this now. It’s outright neglect towards the consumer…especially because many EM-5 owners showed that this was a widespread point of interest when they were anxiously awaiting a firmware update. All you yahoos who say, “just get a camcorder” are as short sighted as Olympus themselves. This if true, is a big missed opportunity to have captured a significant group of users. Honestly, makes me feel a little foolish for even hoping. I remember buying my E5 with it’s paltry 720p video – pro level camera that lagged my brother’s T2i for less than half the cost. I won’t tolerate that type of neglect this time around.
I have heard from very interesting source that there could be PAL and NTSC models coming for different regions!! Let’s hope so??
something similar happened with GH2
if you bought a camera out of your region you had to use the Vitaliy hack to get the PAL support menu option
so, what do you do if you travel?
Video system has nothing to do with your destination, you are going to edit and view the footage at home on your home TV, therefore the need for versions of camera containing different video formats.
It also has to do with your travel destination, at least when doing some video recording with grid powered artificial light. Ensuring framerate and frequency of the power grid match will make the result look a lot better, no editing or any kind of ‘advanced’ processing or use required for enjoying that benefit.
The real purpose of this camera is to get owners of. 4/3 lenses to start using a m43 camera, so that they can be sucked into the m43 fold and buy some m43 glass.
If you own no 4/3 glass, why buy this camera?
If you’re spending $1500 on a camera today you want all the features of that camera to be of a certain standard.
That’s the real problem here. Olympus treats us as idiots.
Someone hack this camera, then I’ll buy.
WHat? It won’t accept nespresso(tm) pods? How in earth can it be called a PRO coffee machine? Olympus you screwed it BIG TIME!!!
What? Not a coffee machine nor camcorder? Only a pro stills camera? Ah ok. What else?
You’re a paid Oly shill. Tell your japanese masters that they screwed it up Again, but this time they will not get my hard earned Cash.
Sony will announce the NEX7 with IBIS around the same time. I have a feeling it’ll steal a lot of the EM1s thunder. Sony is releasing lenses like mad and that gap is also filling. If Panasonic and Olympus don’t resolve these gaps between them and offer us a complete hybrid system that leverages ALL M43 has to offer, I for one will go somewhere where I can get all the techs in 1 camera. What saddens me also is I know Panasonic has 5-axis with their camcorders. If M43 let’s other mirrorless systems get these tech advantages first they’ll lose people. M43 is losing their lead in tech and lenses fast. APS-C mirrorless will long term probably get better lens support too since they likely will just need to change metal contacts and mounts between systems. I don’t see a bright future in M43 if Panasonic and Olympus keep this up. Having to choose Panasonic for better video and Olympus for better stills is silly. They need to work and share techs better to survive as a system.
Why don’t you people get it? Olympus does not care what you say. I’ve been working with Japanese companies before and they just dont get feedback right and Oly is the worst in that.
Oly has the worst old style management, with same old guys at the steer and no fresh, disruptive thinking at all. And the European and US divisions have no say or acces to the old guys at mount Olympus. Old guys know best and they only follow what they think is the best. They can’t keep up with todays trends and remind me of Chipzilla with the difference being that Intel is working hard to catch up with mobile revolution while Olympus just look at their poor sales and do nothing. Such a shame. IBIS + good video spec would disrupt todays market big time!
that is what grates, knowing it is just some stuck up grumpy old arrogant men with the maturity of teenagers. what they think is pride and strength is just laziness and boredom.
Japanese mentality certinaly plays its part, yes.
come on olympus, where is your mft camera with advanced video features????
bull_sh1t, go to the fu-ck1n-g he-ll olympus 🙁
Lol, Admin should run another poll on this site to see how many people lost the intent to buy this camera now.
R E A D
T H I S
T H R E A D
O L Y M P U S !
Disappointing. If 24 and 60 fps included, I’d buy in a heartbeat
It comes down to that.
24p, 30p, 60p.
It’s only frame-rates Olympus!
We all know it can take video already, so give us the frame-rates!
OLYMPUS YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO REDEEM THIS SITUATION BEFORE THE LAUNCH OF THE E-M1
Announce you are offering 2K Raw Video and Compressed Video Recording with additional frame rates
and no Moire, Aisling, Rolling shutter etc….with improved audio monitoring and recording.
IF YOU DO THIS AND ANNOUNCE IT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BEFORE OR SHORTLY AFTER SHIPPING YOU
HAVE A CHANCE OF APPEASING POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
BE UNDER NO ILLUSION THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE AND YOU WILL LOOSE A LARGE MARKET SHARE TO
OTHER CAMERAS IF YOU DONT.
Just in case I’m accused of exaggerating I have the money ready to invest in the E-M1 and new MFT lenses
as I need a second run and gun camera, however I will not be buying the E-M1 as it stands. Even with
25p the video quality need to be greatly improved.
The trolls are back in town 🙁
You are the true troll, come back to your cave, monster
Wow. Even most point and shoots offer 60p now.
Either:
(a) sensor limitation hence olympus can’t do it.
(b) olympus marketing believes the R&D investment in better video will not sale enough additional cameras, hence olympus won’t do it.
(c) some panasonic / sony anti competition clause. I doubt that’s the case, especially since Panasonic now has in body IS.
I also had high hopes for this camera and ready to purchase. I even have the Olympus 14-35 F2 ready for action but if they video is barely better or same as my current EM5 I’m hoping NEX 7 does it right. I wanted 5-Axis when I had the GH2, I wanted codecs and better focus with my current EM5, if Panasonic and Olympus can’t work together and sell their best tech to Sony and they do it right. See you later!
Sony will announce the NEX7 with IBIS around the same time. I have a feeling it’ll steal a lot of the EM1s thunder. Sony is releasing lenses like mad and that gap is also filling. If Panasonic and Olympus don’t resolve these gaps between them and offer us a complete hybrid system that leverages ALL M43 has to offer, I for one will go somewhere where I can get all the techs in 1 camera. What saddens me also is I know Panasonic has 5-axis with their camcorders. If M43 let’s other mirrorless systems get these tech advantages first they’ll lose people. M43 is losing their lead in tech and lenses fast. APS-C mirrorless will long term probably get better lens support too since they likely will just need to change metal contacts and mounts between systems. I don’t see a bright future in M43 if Panasonic and Olympus keep this up. Having to choose Panasonic for better video and Olympus for better stills is silly. They need to work and share techs better to survive as a system.
I don’t understand Olympus. The E-M1 might have been an equal, maybe even a superior competitor to the GH3. And I might have bought one. But I don’t want to carry two cams with me – one for video and one for photography. Panasonic cuts the ground of the EP-User with the new GX7. But Olympus still leave the video market. The only good thing about it: I will save money.
My (major) public relations firm was looking at the E-M1 as a potential inexpensive video/still solution for our client work, especially due to IBIS. Would have purchased multiple bodies and a compliment of lenses. If these video specs are the reality, we’ll be looking elsewhere.
Oly just doesn’t get it. WTF.
They should have never put video in a camera to begin with
yeah, how absurd is that. Video capability in camera…how audacious a request!
LOL @ vidiots. Camcorder fanboys.
stills fanboys, is the same song
whats the matter with people who wants good video quality on a camera?.
video cameras can get stills too, and what is the problem???
if cannot respect that, come back to your cave.
F you olympus, I’m gonna make my Big Time Video with a Canon, no chance I’ll buy your camera now!!!
they should just make the firmware hackable and let Vitaly and co do the hard work
est. Olympus sales target 100,000
Customers lost due to price – 50,000
Customers lost due to Video codec – 30,000
Customers lost because it is not a RF styled and is too big – 10,000
Customers lost because it is to small for 4/3 glass – 2,000
Customers lost due to 1 SD slot – 1,000
Customers lost because it has video – 25
= 6,975 est. sales to Hobbyist with G.A.S.
Shipping: Not Available
Store Pickup: Not Available
While all the arguments go on about this video and that video. It might be worth knowing what the argument is about. If the specs some seem to want are beyond this article. They definitely do NOT belong in a stills camera.
http://www.steves-digicams.com/knowledge-center/video-frame-rates-24p-25p-30p-60i.html
30p can be shown anywhere. The European video playback systems can do the conversion. however the other way round is not allways possible. A legacy limitation of the US power system that is not widely used in the world.
Power supply round the world.
What TV specs are based on.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country
Red is NTSC and 60Hz hence 30 or 60 progressive/interlaced frames
Blue is PAL and 50Hz hence 25 or 50 progressive/interlaced frames
This does not make the NTSC standard better as the lines per frame are less (480) than the PAL (576)
While HD formats are world standards the playback equipment may not be. But if you can afford an EM1 then you have a HD TV anyway so it does not matter much.
“This does not make the NTSC standard better as the lines per frame are less (480) than the PAL (576)”
‘better’ has nothing to do with it whatsoever.
“While HD formats are world standards the playback equipment may not be.”
30p/60i is mandatory for HDTV compliant playback equipment in PAL countries, but its a mistake to think that everyone ownes HDTV compliant playback equipment in western Europe already, let alone in other parts of the (PAL) world, say Africa or much of Asia.
Your argument is based on wrong premise and on misunderstanding the issue.
“But if you can afford an EM1 then you have a HD TV anyway so it does not matter much.”
Bullshit, independent choices.
Not to mention, its totally irrelevant if the owner of the camera has HDTV compliant playback equipment, its relevant if the people (s)he wants to give the recording to have such equipment.
Nothing of what you say addresses the basic issue of editing video from multiple sources (no, not talking ‘pro’ video here, just you with an E-M1 and your niece with a 650D both recording some video of your grand-grand dads 105th birthday, and then wanting to edit it together so your grand-grand dad can play it back on his 1990s era TV.
And last but not least, nothing of this prevents the nice interference between 50hz grid powered lights and 30/60hz recording.
Your argument is totally based on gearheads always owning the latest and greatest, thinking you only ever record things for yourself, while actually missing on 2 rather relevant technical issues.
Go think about real-world use someday, or when you lack the experience for that for this specific subject, realize you are in no position to comment. Sprouting nonsense like this isn’t going to help anything and just makes you look silly.
I am making a better go of explaining than you. I deliberately chose simple links and very simple comment with even simpler explanations. If you don’t understand or wish to complain then you are probably the problem that still camera owners do not want to see.
your comment on my post.
““This does not make the NTSC standard better as the lines per frame are less (480) than the PAL (576)”
‘better’ has nothing to do with it whatsoever. ”
I was pointing out that 30Hz sounds better than 25Hz. Got that. And that may not be the case as 30 gives 480 lines and 25 gives 576. Don’t act thick all the time. The rest of your response is equally devoid of any thought. Nothing I have posted is misleading or wrong. If fact there is one response thanking me for the link. If you want to get into indepth technicalities then go talk on a video site not here.
Go take an enema then see your comments for what they are.
Problem is that your simple explanation is too simple, it misses one extremely relevant issue with regards to frame rates that has absolutely zero to do with playback or editing, and purely and exclusively with the recording itself.
Since you like links and ‘simple’ explanations, here is a simple tutorial from RED explaining how to prevent flicker in video:
http://www.red.com/learn/red-101/flicker-free-video-tutorial
Quote from the tutorial: “Frame Rates. Choose a frame rate equal to the lighting pulse rate divided by some integer. This is often the simplest option since most corresponding shutter speeds will appear flicker-free”
THAT is an issue with lacking 25p/50i that some are simply totally failing to understand.
Yes straight forward information that’s been around since dot.
But why should my stills camera be set up to manage all this. I don’t want to pay for the cost of something I and MOST others here will not use nor are interested in. Go buy a RED or Black Magic and then complain to them about ISO when you take stills.
And buy some DC based lights if your so particular. They don’t have a cyclic resonation potential.
As antibiotics said here if you want a truck buy one if you want a family car buy one. Don’t try to get the makers to combine them. He said you were a “lame brain” I concur.
I like video in my stills camera. Nice to use and have available. But If I wanted to “do” video. Or take it up in a “hotrod” manner as you seem to want us all to do, I would use a video camera or hack something. Not force it on others who have no interest, or even a casual interest
Just get it into your head your in the wrong place.
Stop spouting common sense and hard facts, they are not wanted here. Most of the detractors regards the video specs won’t even read this.
Thanks for providing actual information!
Reading the linked article, I gathered that the rumored video capabilities of the EM1 will be at least sufficient for most photographers. I don’t know, but if EM1 video is too limiting, then maybe a whole different kind of camera would be needed anyway.
Memory is fuzzy, but a few years back wasn’t there a feature film that included a few minutes of video made using an early Pen? (E-P1/2?) And didn’t Oly shoot an ad for TV with one of Pen cameras? If true, it seems a safe bet the EM1 would do video at least as well…
I seem to remember that, but not the details. I think the issue was weight and space requiring a smallish camera, the pen won out over a 5d or something at the time. I think the pen was also used by Mercedes to make an ad for TV.
The reality is some people seem to think that the full range of video standards (and world class codecs) should be applied to still cameras.
Many don’t know what they are, or how they work. But they sound important “so we want them”. “NOW”. But they will complain anyway, the cost would be out of their range.
Yes. Stand alone dedicated video cameras are still available. An interchangeable lens one, with good specs cost about $2-3K. But general run of the mill “do a recording” camcorder types are available from $500. That’s why some want that top capability in their stills camera, to have the $2-3K product in the $1.5K stills camera. They think it will not cost anything.
And many others say no, because they know that it costs and they don’t do serious video. They do video, yes, but any video is just video to them.
And I’m sure that many of those detractors today would scream out how shame it is that this >$2K video camera can’t even take good stills 😀
They want it all for the price of a pumpkin in halloween season… and they end up with bitter stomach 🙂
Thing is the capabillity sits right inside the OMD/M1 etc… its just not allowed to be used… why should a stills camera not take video if it has the capability right there? and why not use known standards for video rather than limmiting to 1. Its like not having HDR or selectable jpg quality/resolution… just add the feature and be done – perfict! – there is no argument for leaving out video from a camera – CAMERA being the word… and stating that most people don’t know all the video modes or how they work is just being a bit snobby – I’m sure there are hunderds on this forum who know perfictly well what they would like to use a spacifc mode for. And I bet there are parts or procesess used in still frame aquasition that you know absolutly nothing about, but it won’t stop you desiring there features and abillitys.
Jim.
I have no interest in “hotrod” video. I like video in my camera as do many here. But need super specs video? No.
As for the capability of the camera you are partially correct. But there are many things that may need changes or additional parts. Is there sufficient memory to handle video manipulation? Is there enough memory to handle the software and firmware? you can’t just keep pushing in application extensions with nowhere for it to go. What about the poor old prosessor, what else can it handle above its current design capability? And the shutter? what is available here? And lots more.
So you see that it may not “all be there” already. The extras will cost. Along with the R&D to put it all together.
I like most others here like video and use it. But I, like most of those same others do not want to pay for all the extra inclusions in my still camera, so a very very small minority can get their super video recorder, at a cheaper cost than a quality dedicated video camera.
It is totaly all there – if it can do 30fps it can easly do 24 & 25 fps – they are less intencive and require no real changes in the architecture of the camera just the frame rate switchable to a lower one…
Its all there and would cose near nothing to implement!
Part saying “Due to the fact that 30 fps (NTSC) video is rather easily converted to 25 fps (PAL) by most equipment” just shows how little people know about real issues related to frame rates. If you use several cameras and need to edit clips with different frame rates, good luck getting result without edge morphing etc.
This is alleged pro camera, not toy for wannabes. These two groups have different needs.
This is not an all purpose camera, this is a still camera first that can record some movies. It is not mainly a video camera.
And don’t tell me that a smartphone can do 41mpx and 4K video and “dunnowhat”. You won’t zoom, play with DOF, change lens on that “wonderful smartphone”.
If you need a pro video cam, then look for a pro video cam.
If you need a pro still camera, that EM1 is a viable choice
If you need both, then buy both or accept compromises!
Dude, support for 24/25p video has ABSOLUTELY ZERO to do with ‘pro use’, it is an extremely basic requirement for like 90% of the world.
Why?
Because 90% of the world uses a 50hz power grid, and lights running from that grid can cause nasty flickering effects when recording 30p or 60i video.
Ignoring this is just plain stupid, and has totally nothing to do with this not being an ‘all purpose camera’, if that were the case, why is video there at all? If its there, why not at least make the basic video support actually usable beyond rather insanely restricted situations?
Asking for advanced codecs, raw video out etc is a different matter, that indeed has to do with ‘more then just basic video support’, but the request for other framerates has to do with the basics, and really, arguing that that is only needed for ‘broadcast use’ is at least extremely misguided, and considering how often the issue has been explained by now, actually dishonest.
Please educate yourself :
“RULE 2 ON POWER CYCLES AND FILMING UNDER FLUORESCENT LIGHTING: To avoid the rolling bars look on your video, set your shutter speed to 2x the cycle rate (expressed in hz) of your local electricity supply. So if you are in a country with a 220v/50hz power system then you want to try to for 1/100th of a second or if that doesn’t work then multiples of 1/100 like 1/50th, 1/200. Keep in mind that as you get into the higher shutter speeds you may not like the look of the video – some people call it “jittery” or “hyper realistic” or “video like” or “lacking motion blur.”
Yes educate yourself, shutter speed is set according to Hz of your electricity. Frame rate is set in every region according to same principle…
Nope. You have the freedom to choose your framerate, knowing that it will affect motion blur.
Your point was about flicker. I provided the solution.
Framerate is another story.
Yes, there’s a rule of thumb called the 180 degree shutter that advice to set your shutterspeed 2x your framerate. But it has nothing to see with flicker.
Advice : take your present camera, whatever it is, and go experimenting that, instead of basing yourself on theory you don’t master.
“Advice : take your present camera, whatever it is, and go experimenting that, instead of basing yourself on theory you don’t master.”
Rather, how about you taking the advice that a device that is not aimed at serious videographers should kinda get this right from the start because of being aimed at people who likely do not have the knowledge required for your suggested solution?
And eh, you don’t master the theory yourself either.
“Nope. You have the freedom to choose your framerate, knowing that it will affect motion blur.”
Frame rate has to do with motion blur?
Frame rate dictates how many ‘samples’ of the continuously changing view you’ll be having per time.
Shutter speed together with motion in the scene dictates how much each frame will be blurred.
Frame rate changes the amount of motion blur desired for natural looking motion. This is why the rules of thumb for shutter angle work regardless of frame rate, the actual shutter speed changes in relation to the frame rate, ‘automagically’ increasing or decreasing the amount of blur.
“Your point was about flicker. I provided the solution.”
No, you provided one of 3 possible solutions.
1. change the lights
2. pick a frame rate matching the cycle rate or being an integer part or multiple of it
3. pick a shutter speed that is a multiple or integer part of the cycle rate.
In that order of preference, you only point at the least desirable of the 3 possible solutions.
Yes educate yourself, shutter speed is set according to Hz of your electricity. Frame rate is set in every region according to same principle…
Same that above
The zoom and dof is not the bit we complain about – it the bit the smart phones are doing perfictly well that cameras are mostly failing to do! simple!
And now, of course, that the em1 video doesnt even compete with basic cameras, the fantards are all “oh, video is not important” “who shoots video anyway?” hahahahahaha this place is a joke
For me video doesn’t matter, I suppose the quality is decent enough and that is good for someone who likes to shoot a video. I am not a film maker and I just don’t care.
Actually, having 24/25p is merely as small part of the deficiencies. It all starts with the compression and codec. The picture is prone to turn to mush/mud anytime the E-M5 pans or something moves in the scene. It ruins my footage constantly. http://www.eoshd.com/content/8565/olympus-om-d-e-m5-review
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
i dont understand…. where is the innovation!?!?!?
i realise that we have no right to innovation, but it would be bloody nice.
these days, most photographers need and want to have option of high quality video embedded in there camera. Look at mobile phones, they incorporate everything. Sure the video and photo quality leaves much to be desired vs an SLR, but if you look at how smart phones have cannibalized the compact camera market, you can see it is only a matter of time before multi functional devices start creeping into the ILC camera market.
I truly hope companies like olympus and panasonic do start focusing more energy on innovation, and less energy on maintaining under the table agreements with their competitors. Otherwise, while olympus/sony panasonic/fuji are busy negotiating in their own little world… the next google of ILC cameras is going to ambush them like a horny grizzly bear in mating season.
lets fucking hack it and build our own custom firmware like magic lantern…. get it outputting raw etc etc etc.
The quality is better than the phone you go on about. It is good enough for casual use. So take a pill and shut up.
you my friend are a fine troll.
The fineness is unbelievable.
‘Unbelievable’ good or ‘unbelievable’ bad. Take your choice. I would have put ‘unbelievably’ but some here would not understand that tense.
I suggest you take up hacking. That way I am not paying for it.
but the phone has more electronic muscle/ability…. making it better than a camera at doing some things a camera is designed spacificly for… so I guess you can shut the fuck up then…
Go get a GH3 or a GX7 if you want video.
Perhaps the admin is a video guy, that’s why the higher concentration of video people here. All of my Oly shooter friends care no shxt about the video feature and we 43 users are just glad that there’s a camera that will promise our lenses to work. Past rumours had already stated that the EM1 has a targeted group, hence the integrated grip, on-sensor pdaf etc. The true successor of the EM5 is yet to come and given Olympus’ record, there’s a high possibility that the later models will support pdaf as well. There’s clearly a division of labour between m43 partners. If you want video, go for the GH series. Not that I want to pick anyboday, but I thought the Panasonic people always think the GH is better, if so why so many people are buying into Olympus right now or are people bitxhing just for the sake of it. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it and wait for the later version.
Well said. And most don’t even know what they are talking about.
Robbie,
Sure, us 4/3rds users want lens compatibility, but can’t you imagine the goodness of professional level video quality coming from a 90-250mm f2.8, 150mm f2, or 75mm f1.8? I want Olympus to make a flagship camera that leverages the potential for mirrorless for video and stills. Olympus wants to sell cameras to everyone and not just people who want to just do one or the other. Cheers, Seth
Try Black Magic. Don’t put your costs on me.
Lame video capabilities?
That means that Olympus doesn’t want me as a customer.
If so, then piss off Olympus with your epic fail named E-M1.
You are the fail.
If you want a family car that’s what you buy. If you want to carry 5 tons of dirt you buy a truck.
Would you want a family car that has a capabulity of carrying 5 tons of dirt? Or even a truck that could seat a family? Where would you park it when you take it on holidays? Or the local shopping centre. The local shopping centre would charge you extra for parking, bet you would complain you big fail.
And the suspension. Don’t even go there.
What a moronic analogy. To convert a family car or truck as you suggest would cost thousands, whereas an E-M1 already has all the hardware necessary for top quality video. Only a firmware change is necessary to add better codecs, 24p, etc.
Don’t be a lame brain.
Conversion cost is irrelevant. Nothing to with any of it.
It’s the idea behind it, so the analogy is totally valid. You get one, or you get the other. A combination is entirely possible but fits no one and ends up not suiting either this or that purpose.
That’s the analogy. Read it again and think this time.
See simple.
Whatever…
Good luck with buying two E-M1 cameras. One that you’re going to buy and one that I will not buy now.
Or even better, go for hundreds E-M1, that other people will not buy after Olympus announced it’s lame video capabilities.
If these rumoured specs eventuate would it be possible to hack the firmware / codecs of the E-M1 to include 24p, 25p, 50i, 60i?
Perhaps if enough complaints are made to Olympus, they would eventually release an official firmware / codec upgrade.
Video whingers and whiners. Whaaaaa. Whaaaaa. E-M1 fail. Olympus die. Whaaaaa. Whaaaaa. I’m so depressed. LOL. Maybe next time. Or maybe not.
God this is irritating to read the backwards and forwards about video. It isn’t there, sure it would have been nice… It would have been nice if it was $500 cheaper, it would have been nice if it had a tilt and swivel screen, it would have been nice if it was a bit bigger/smaller/humpless/humpfull…
We have one of the best systems out there, want better video keep your EM5 and get GH2, want more professional video, get a black magic, want the Olympus IBIS, colour, Jpeg engine, focus technology and weather sealing… well you will have to live with a bit more effort in your video ventures… Olympus has never had a strong showing for video… It has been perfectly useable just not broadcast quality.
Live with it if you feel it is worth it… I mean it is hardly like anyone else has the IBIS plus the video codecs you are asking for… no they all lack the 5 axis IBIS… So what is your other choice? OIS… With every other camera maker… every, single, one.
Would it have been nice? Sure. But if I was working for broadcast quality video I would get a GH3 or black magic plus steadycam and work on my skills.
Abraham, your reply is one of the most interesting and intelligent of all this “video codec saga”. Here there’re a lot of people which talk about technical details and they look to appear as the ones who have “built” camera for years
So we assume that Oly may be not liked by some photographers ok, that’s fine, but this doesn’t mean that all the Olympus users are “stupids” or they want to waste their money. So, I think that Olympus has worked very hard during these last months
to deliver a good or excellent product to the ones who wants to buy and have another masterpiece camera.
Thanks again
True, for most part these codec discussions are a waist of time.
I’m a photographer that only does video as a supportive feat. It supports the stills and it’s not meant to be professional broadcast anyway. For that the GH3 might be more viable, but I’d think the dedicated video camera’s like a AG-AF100A oer the Canon C300 etc are even better suited.
Making a video with a stills camera is a nice bonus and with the present codec Olympus is using very capable, just never fully pro, but it don’t need that imo. Cutting the video is also not a big deal.
But it seems I’m an exception since so many amateurs complain they need studio broadcast capabilities, maybe they all think they are, or need to be, George Lucas.
Hi
I would like to have had better video. I have an EM5 but just bought a GH1 for video use (having previously sold one to help fund the EM5). Having decent video in one camera would be nice.
Berni
now that the troll has returned to sleep mode
notice how the vicious posts have slowed right down
@admin – its too easy to corrupt this forum the way it is
@riley
Yeah defo! Can’t wait till Admin installs Disqus on comments next month, then its bye bye “full frame”, ” mr all caps”, “edfgredf” etc 🙂 maybe that’s why they are trolling hard, I can’t believe they have jobs in the real world much less girlfriends….
I’m pretty sure Disqus will mean bye-bye to many people. I don’t care for being followed across the Web from one blog to another. Disqus is one big data mining operation. I am too lazy to make an extra account just to comment here – or am I?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disqus#Criticism_and_privacy_concerns
Thanks for that info link. It’s bad enough with Google tracking when I don’t want it & I’m not sure I would want this to as well.
You can attribute that to most stills people here being morons.
You spelt morons incorrectly.
That made you look did it not?
hahahahahahha…. any smart-phones does have better video specs than this camera ….. for a $1500 body only camera this sucks. GX7 is way better than this camera overall.
What a ridiculous comment. Call me when a phone has a lens anywhere near as good as the cheapest lens on an ILC.
Same trolls and idiots at Sony Alpha rumors now too 🙁
So disappointing, note even 25p. I would have considered the camera so I would get a stabilized 9-18mm and 45mm. Even for wide-angle I find a stabilizer so useful for video. But all my footage of other cameras are in 25p and 50p and I do not want to mix it with 30p, so I will not buy olympus.
Apparently, almost everyone here shoots only for TV broadcasting. I thought video pros used at least an AG-AF100 or better…
Everyone wants the all-singing, all-dancing, egg-laying wool-milk pig.
the 25/24 issue is the equivalent(duh that word again…)of a still shooter demanding many MP, while only using his pics for a pc display.
but with all respect to the cameras which have all the options that Olympus does not have, and the people who really need it…
Sorry Ulli that is totally wrong.
Asking for 25p specifically for a video camera is asking for it to not produce totally crap results whenever it is used with artificial lighting in countries with a 50hz power grid.
Broadcast use, ‘pro’ or all those things have absolutely nothing to do with this little bit at all.
+100! Spoil Child Mentality
Spoiled child? like.. people pointing out a basic thing missing in this rumored spec, having explained a gazillion times why it actually matters way beyond ‘broadcast’ and ‘pro’ use, and then people like you going ‘lalala I can’t hear you’?
No sir, childish behavior here is ignoring arguments because your prospected camera of the future is rumored to not comply with a certain rather basic spec.
Funny thing is, I’ll get an E-M1 for its still image capabilities, just means I’ll still be forced to carry a Lumix G2 also, or use my tablet for some video clips. No, its not at all about the quality of the codecs, its about not looking like total crap in certain pretty common artificial light conditions, and about being able to do simple edits from multiple clips without having to bother with motion quality killing transcoding.
Mmmm… What’s worse: Bad image quality (ie video with a tablet) or motion quality killing transcoding (ie video with em1)?
Proper (non stuttering) motion and consistent brightness are more important for video then raw image quality of the frames.
Not to mention, you kinda don’t seem to realize that this transcoding stuff doesn’t just reduce motion quality, its also time consuming and is riddled with potential audio/video sync issues when not done carefully.
Ok, when you’ll shoot video of this quality, come back and then we’ll speak.
Video from Vadim Action, shot with an EM-5, conformed from 30p to 24p :
http://vimeo.com/69368786
That is a fallacy, first of all because lacking 25p does not at all stop you from shooting decent quality video when in ntsc territory or not dealing with artificial light, and second because I never argued its not possible to shoot decent quality video in the right circumstances to begin with.
Here, go have a read as to why this thing of why only supporting 30p isn’t a good thing:
http://www.red.com/learn/red-101/flicker-free-video-tutorial
Note how there are 2 ways for preventing this issue, one is simple and easily used by non videographers, the other is more complex and requires understanding of video and motion that could well be considered ‘too advanced’ for many non-videographers. Note how the first method requires…. picking the right frame rate.
Also, again note how this has absolutely zero to do with broadcast, and also doesn’t prevent you from shooting decent quality video, but it does quite limit the situations in which you can without needing a fair bit more knowledge and having to make often undesirable compromises.
Just choose a shutter speed of 1/50 or 1/100 and you’ll have no flicker, even if 30p. Duh!
Here is why that might not be the ‘duh’ solution you suggest for those a bit more serious about their video recording…
http://www.red.com/learn/red-101/shutter-angle-tutorial
Not to mention, when we are talking ‘simple’ video, not broadcast or commercial productions, but simple stuff that average people would record for small distribution among their friends/family, its pretty reasonable to expect people to not switch to manual or shutter priority modes for video and then pick a proper shutter speed for the situation, rather its totally reasonable to expect people to use an auto mode and merely have their camera configured for their part of the world as manufacturer default.
When we are talking ‘semi pro’ work intended for broadcast or commercial release, we are in totally different territory and can expect totally different levels of knowledge and willingness to put in effort. All the ‘work arounds’ for this are technically possible, but typically with a penalty and with an investment in time and knowledge that is totally unreasonable to expect unless you are looking at a somewhat more serious videographer making a somewhat more serious production.
Bottomline is that especially the lack of 25p doesn’t just hurt those interested in broadcast productions, rather, it especially also hurts those merely interested in recording some bits of video for not too serious uses.
Another solution : get a GH3
More seriously, I know and use the 180 degree shutter concept for ‘natural’ motion blur. It’s a good start for beginners.
Knowing that, you can also lower or fasten your shutter speed to get creative effects.
If you shoot in very specific situation (neon lights) at 1/50 and 30p, you likely won’t see any motion artefact and will have no fliker, don’t worry, I have tested.
Now if you shoot most of the time in artificial light (discos, night parties,…), it’s better to choose a camera that can do 24/25p or 50i. In that specific case, you won’t buy an Olmypus.
In all other cases, you will be able to shoot good serious (not to say pro)footage with your 30p camera, knowing that in very rare and specific cases you’ll need to dial 1/50 instead of 1/60.
re: get a gh3, yes that is a solution. Most current compacts and many camera phones will solve the issue just as well and much cheaper if you don’t need professional quality video. Please remember that wanting video to be (reasonably) free of flicker does not in any way imply wanting professional quality video.
With regards to your other solution, yes that can be workable, but again (and this was what I pointed out to begin with) it requires more knowledge of video and can result in undesirable compromises. The average consumer will not have this knowledge, nor will the average photographer. Those much more interested in video might and that puts this solution squarely in the ‘serious videographer’ territory, something for which this camera is lacking other features, and which this camera is clearly not targeted at (both in my opinion, and evidently also in your opinion).
50hz light is actually rather the norm in PAL territory whenever you happen to be inside but also out on the streets after dark. The cases where you encounter this aren’t exactly limited to your examples, rather, they very explicitly also include the typical kind of circumstances in which parents might want to make a video recording of their kids for example, such as eh.. them being on stage for a play? for receiving their diploma or some award? Just examples, go think about it and you can come up with many more. You wouldn’t shoot a video there? Irrelevant, if the typical consumer might want to shoot a video of it is what this is about. We aren’t talking serious aspiring videographers here, this camera doesn’t target those people and is lacking features for them. We are talking average Joe wanting to use his rather expensive camera for some video besides pictures.
Sorry but you are desperately trying to limit circumstances to where 30p is completely workable. That may also be realistic for YOU, but it means RESTRICTING USABILITY and you really should try to step out of your box and look at what NON VIDEOGRAPHER consumers may encounter, what knowledge they have, and how their impression will be, and then keep in mind that they can as easily buy a device not having this issue, probably for less. This simply limits the market for the E-M1 and works as an argument against it whenever a consumer that might be able to afford it considers it. Really, the first comment will be: but Joe’s simple P&S just does this right out of the box!
Go buy another device.. well, yes, I might, seeing how I actually have a need for a camera that can do proper AF with actually existing long tele lenses for still images, which makes the GH3 a no-go. Where to go for that? Oh.. if I do want 25p video recording… Canon seems to have little trouble with that, even Nikon can do this perfectly fine even on entry-level DSLRs.
Again, not asking for professional quality video, that is really another issue. Simply asking Olympus to remove a rather ridiculous restriction that needlessly makes the camera less attractive and hence puts it at a disadvantage in the market.
” RESTRICTING USABILITY and you really should try to step out of your box and look at what NON VIDEOGRAPHER consumers may encounter, what knowledge they have,”
They have, mostly, not a clue what you are talking about and are quite happy in their ignorance. They are quite happy with what they understand and can throw up quickly on the TV.
I bet if you did a survey, here, of those who make a few casual video shots. It would show they do not even use the video editing capability of the software that came with the camera. Let alone a quality one.
Here, a picture of the aforementioned critter: http://whichboxmedia.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/coolstory3/eierlegende_wollmilchsau.jpg
OK, but I want it to taste of onion or orange. Or I won’t buy it.
Now that’s a beauty! 😀
Also i use 30p in Europe ,it’s better than 25p,never had a problem even in low light condition.
But really need 4K 120p mode for E-M1 ,Olympus…the only way i forgive you is if there is a lot of new lenses and if E-M1 6400 iso look like 1600 iso of previous models.
“But really need 4K 120p”
What would you do with it?
Same i do with 2K but in 4K to watching on my 4K TV…not too hard to understand.
When I asked for the HD in 2006 ,i was called a troll too
_________________________________________
Wake up people 4K will come by the end of year.
Camera without 4K movie in 2014 is like a camera without 2K movie in 2013.
@Admin
http://codecanyon.net/item/wordpress-ip-banner/832829 I’ll pay for it!
Honestly I have the GH3 had the hacked GH2 and recently got an E-M5.When sitting at my PC processing the video there are clear advantages to the Panasonic footage.But to be blunt when sitting in front of my TV a 65″ Samsung UE65F8000 at any kind of normal viewing distance differences are at best negligible.Perhaps if you moved more than three feet away from your 4k TV you would be a happier poster.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/baig/2013/09/04/sony-4k-tv-review/2756083/
Same média will say to you after PS4 launching you need 4K…
why would he do that when all he has to do is steal someone elses?
I advise you to ask for 16K right now (better think ahead no?)
Oh, and btw, do you throw away all your 2K or HD movies now you have a 4K TV? You should, just to stay coherent to your own self.
Before shooting hd ,it was sd and i love my oldies but now i would like to shoot as soon as possible in 4K and i will waiting another Olympus PRO model with 4K or a Pana PRO with ibis and 4K…
To take good picture and shoot 1080p i have already an E-P5.
Go to sleep troll and stop changing your name.
This is becoming ridiculous. Have half the people whingeing here actually tried shooting some video with a recent Olympus camera? To my eyes it looks more than good enough: DR is great, colours are rich and there are very few noticeable artifacts.
I know it is fashionable to analyze the output at the single frame level and to seek a “flat” native look which is easier to process and grade, but who needs it? Most of us don’t have the time, the skill or the tools to optimize footage for the cinema, the only format where those subtleties may count. I’ll tell you a secret only known to a select few these days: video – even more so than stills – is all about content. If you are humanist enough to produce emotive, engaging video footage no one will notice its technical flaws. All this discussion applies to mediocre work which can in the minority of cases benefit from impeccable technical quality.
Honestly, I feel ashamed to have anything in common with some of the comment posters here. So much poison.
+1
+1
I was curious about the artifacts and checked my videofootage at close and slowmo speed. Okay it was not a critical scene (concert in daylight with pretty static people)but i could see some blocking effect sometimes, even while the video bitrate was set a max at FHD. I can understand videographers/editors want sourcematerial which is free of such artifacts. But in general the OMD output is decent, and i found the IBIS very helpfull for handheld recording, and it prevents the use of software stabilizing (cropping)during post stage.
Hey Sneye, I give you my rationale. I am on the camp of those that really don’t need it, but they just demand it 🙂 and here’s why.
In a nutshell, when I am coughing up 2500 bucks for essentially taking pictures (which admittedly I can do already now with a variety of devices I already own, so no strict needs to be solved here) I want to reassure myself that I am doing an investment. If there’s any major areas subpar with the competition, and I might needed one day, then me not happy. This is basic consumer behavior I guess, but that’s what it is. It’s the price tag, in a way. At least my two cents.
I can see your point, but it’s powered by irrational consumerism. An expensive camera is seldom an investment (from the economic point of view). Usually it serves a hobby, a need for self expression, social status or just a fetish. You don’t need it, you just want it and its price, as long as it is remotely within your abilities, does not deter you.
The shortcomings of whatever camera you desire have nothing to do with your practical needs, but they might destroy your fantasy.
I can say same thing for photography or any field…but it would be a childish debate.
Olympus video is enough for you not for me.
Some people like me doesn’t want to carry a camcorder and swith between camera anymore…+ E-M1 would become a weather sealed camcorder.
In 2014 i would like for a PRO camera to have better video spec than my E-P5.
“Can you respect my wishes and my choices rather than to say that I do not understand anything …because it different from your point of view.”
Of course I respect your view.
Total conjecture here – but has Oly done a deal with Panasonic long ago not to put fully featured video into their cameras? To me, this seems the most likely reason the cameras don’t have 24/25 fps codecs. There are no technical reasons not to include them. Oly are not stupid or deaf. They would surely want extra sales for minimal effort. Seems obvious to me that it has got to be a contractual issue rather than a technical one.
I have no doubt this is indeed the case. Panasonic and Sony were both in a position to force such an agreement on Olympus, at different points in time. You can’t ride a tiger and stay unhurt.
On September 28, 2012, Olympus and Sony announced that the two companies will establish a joint venture to develop new surgical endoscopes with 4K resolution (or higher) and 3D capability.
Since then,i hope Olympus grow up in Video ,like Sony’s fan hope an Ibis and a small lenses.
Folks – this camera is not intended to be a pro video cam!
The E-M1 is targeted towards those invested in 4/3 glass, hence the PDAF, the grip, the size… And that demographic is largely into photography, not video. Moreover, as the reason for PDAF implemntation is 4/3 lens support, extensive video capabilities is moot anyway, as such glass is not optimized for video either, neither their AF motors, nor the aperture control needed for sequential video capture.
My guess is that more extensive video specs will come w/ the E-M6, whilst the E-M1 is the first camera having PDAF support, brought to the market to accomodate the 4/3 user base, to cover their need for an updated body replacement for the DSLR E-series. Being one of those users, i find the current E-M1 video specs more than sufficient, and I’m glad I don’t have to pay big bucks for a video-tech overhead I don’t need. I guess the E-M6 is already in the wings, so stay tuned, and all you video gearheads will have your bases covered then.
@erik,
I totally accept that the E-M1 is primarily aimed at people interested in still images, and that video is less important for that and hence it doesn’t have to support all kinds of ‘advanced’ things like high-bitrate codecs, raw video out etc, but I don’t accept that as an excuse for not getting the basics for video right. Those are really 2 entirely different issues.
Not getting the basics right is something that goes back to the very first m4/3 camera from Olympus, and while such might have been acceptable for an entry level camera, this is not an entry level camera, and after something like 4 years, they had every chance in the world to address the basic issues.
Again, not asking for anything ‘advanced’, merely asking that if they bother to include video recording as a feature, that they at least get the basics right after all those years. I’m sorry but ‘its not primarily a video camera’ is a rather lame excuse for that, even more so because this ‘not a videocam’ camera does happen to have microphone inputs for audio recording during video, which is an ‘advanced’ feature dedicated for video. Why waste space on that?
Considering they didn’t solve the basic issues after many years, its rather unreasonable to assume they’ll all of a sudden have solved this for the E-M6. Rather, its a clear indication that somewhere at Olympus, some product manager still doesn’t realize the market outside Japan actually exists and is many times larger and more relevant then the domestic market. See, for the Japanese and US markets, the basic video implementation is totally fine, but for the remaining 90% of the world it isn’t.
dinosaur
Dont’t be so cocky, you only come across as lame. People have different needs, and different preferences. As a grownup you ought to be able to face that fact, and respond with a reasonable argument, without resorting to mindless personal insults. Grow up, shape up, or shut up.
What I’m saying is that the rationale behind the E-M1 is to comply with the 4/3 community needs, and its specs is therefore geared towards 4/3 compatibility and stills photography. Take it or leave it. There will be other cameras coming soon, w/ better video specs for the more video-oriented user groups, like m4/3 purists and others who have never owned any native 4/3 gear. But in this case, those are not the main target. Besides, embedding state of the art tech for both video and stills in one single camera, will increase the price to say 2000-2200$, body only, and imagine the scream in here then, from the deluded poor snappers who believe The Holy Grail should be sold for a mere 349$, golden, w/ pouch, hood, grip and all…
Nuff said.
If your mind is still back in 2002, your perspective holds a bit of water. But there are some of us who are multimedia guys who do both photo and video, who use Olympus and Panasonic glass almost exclusively, but on Panasonic camera’s.
Personally if there were a valid offering from Olympus that did both photo and video really well, I’d be all over it.
Before the onslaught of video capable SLR’s guys like my self would run 2 different systems, an SLR and a Camcorder.
My first combo was the original Olympus E-1, and a Canon XL1.
Having already acquired a decent collection of Four Thirds glass, the burning need to use them also for video was a must once Panasonic came out with the GH series.
So for Olympus to come out with a Pro level camera, but with specs that barely reach 2010 capabilities is a huge calculated blunder.
Just think, you have a system with great glass, game changing sensor shift stabilization, finally a decent sensor with fast AF for all the original glass, weather sealed, but in video mode it’s smart phone grade; low bitrate codecs.
Talk about a huge let down.
Awww.. Boo hoo! Seriously though… What exactly are the video guys looking for? Isnt the gh3 good enough?
Video guys want that perfect combo, every thing the GH3 has but with the in-body 5 axis sensor shift stabilization.
The stabilization = freedom
Freedom from having to rely on steady cams, movi’s, monopds for mobile shooting.
All the event and ENG guys would love to be able to slap on any lens and produce smooth shake free video.
Right now there are only 2 Panasonic lenses that are considered fast enough for event and ENG use, the old 14-50mm Leica f2.8-3.5 OIS and the newer 12-35mm f2.8 with mega OIS.
Video is a growing market——and if you don’t believe this, go ask Youtube.
Some of their content is approaching a trillion views!
The E-M1 is the flagship in the Olympus mirrorless product line. Video should not be an after-thought——a graft.
If only the Panasonic GX7 had the Olympus 5-axis stabilizer.
The problem with 43rds as a system before this Camera was announced was that it exists in a competitive market where the pie is getting smaller and smaller. People are losing interest in replacing camera’s because these Japanese companies have a policy of making tiny, basically meaningless, advances from one model to the next. And the digital camera, like the desktop computer has already reached the good enough level.
Across the whole of the industry there are not many camera’s released this year that are that much better than last year. Just like with computers where processors reached a speed that suddenly became adequate for day to day needs, so cameras have reached a point where image quality is good enough in almost everything for almost anybody. And now its boring. Now its hard for something to grab our attention. And just like computer users who abandoned their spending on desktops and laptops to invest in smartphones, so are many photographers. Because phones are on the cutting edge, they are advancing at a faster pace relative to other things around them and as consumers we can appreciate that this years iphone is appreciably better than last years. And that gives a buyer confidence.
The reason video is important to ALL digital system camera’s is that the quality it currently offers is still in the basement. its possible to make massive gains. The spectrum from low megabit, low fps 8 bit, line skipping, bad codec video that these cameras have now through to the 16 bit compresssed raw at 100fps with 16+ stops dynamic range quality of a professional offering like from RED camera is enormous. There is room to grow into, but 5 years after video made its appearance its gone virtually nowhere. There are people out there so frustrated by a lack of willingness by these tech giants to offer better video devices at affordable prices that they are starting their own camera companies on kickstarter and making their own camera’s that shoot 100 times better images than what we get in the likes of this OMD. The fact that a curious billionaire could start a company based on a whim and within 7 years produce the greatest digital imaging device ever made- RED- to a the hacker community that digs into the firmware of cheap, old, digital cameras and find ways to deliver raw video to SD cards out of something that wasn’t even sold with a video feature in the specs enabled- Canon 50D- or that a video card maker could after a year in the camera business offer us a sub $1000 prores/compressed raw shooting marvel- Blackmagic. These are things proven to be more than achievable. These are things within grasp.
The jump from 8 bit to 10 bit recording, or from 30p to 60p, or from 1080 to 2.7k to 4k. All these steps are the significant advances in quality on a par with the 4 to 8 to 12 to 16 to 24 megapixel improvements used to sell new camera bodies every year. It makes no sense why you’d leave all those possibilites on the table and go backwards even in Olympus’s case when the market is going cold the way it is. Video is the saviour of the DSLR and Mirrorless camera market. Not embracing that is effectively making camera’s that do nothing new, and when everyone has a camera already because you sold him one last year and the year before, not doing something new is suicide. When your Apple it doesn’t matter if people stop buying your computers because guess what the phones and tablets they’re buying you make too. When your a camera company with all your eggs in the 43 basket that struggles to compete even against other systems in its own class, it is wilful ignorance and the price you pay for missing opportunities is your business fails
Insightful ,thank for your long post.
Get Sigma Foveon for video.
RED cameras. http://www.red.com/store/cameras Look at the prices.
The fringe lunatics want the ability of these cameras in the E-M1. At an E-M1 price, which they also keep pointing out is to high.
While I do concur that the E-M5 should have 25p and 50p (though it is not a world stopper as shown above by the video that Pixnat linked). I find the call for exquisite and unique video capability in a camera such as the E-M5 a bit, nae, totaly lunatic, as in the case of the confusing poster ‘anonymous’ presenting things that most here inc me do not understand. Let alone want. Those that want to “hotrod” video should get a hack hotrod, not force their costs on the rest of us.
Do these same people go to the RED site and complain about the RED stills ability? I think the answer is no. Yet they profess to want an all in one.
I like most others here like video and use it. But I like most of those same others, do not want to pay for all the extra inclusions in my camera, so a very very small minority can get their super video recorder at a cheaper cost that a quality dedicated video camera.
Yes, we all have different needs and wants in a camera. However reality says that all needs and wants are not going to be in one camera at a cost anyone can reasonably afford. I can’t really afford photography, but I find the money here and there bit by bit. I am not interested in serious video so why should I pay for it. If the videographers want special gear let them go get it in an appropriate place. A consumer camera is not that place.
Just go look at these RED prices. Do you want to pay that money and more for your fancy video enabled EM6
Price are nothing to do with RED…
PS4 can read 4K and is less expensive than PS3 at launch.
Last cheap Go Pro can shoot 4K
All new smart phone can shoot 4k
And all Panasonic products in 2014 will be 4K…
So that’s you catered for. So what’s your complaint?
What’s PS4 and PS3? Can any one afford them? Does any one use it?
Now go and bother the RED people to get 500,000 ISO on stills.
Panasonic GH2 and GH3 use sensors that are optimized for video. That may allow faster frame rates beyond just having the software control. The E-M1 has a sensor that was modified to incorporate PDAF. Both specializations are useful and it would be ideal to have both. For my purposes, optimization of autofocus using PDAF is key and I am glad they put priority on that. If the video is at least as good as on the E-M5 that will be fine with me. The dedicated mic port is very welcome.
I do expect to purchase the E-M1.
Peter
let’s hack him !