Egami spotted a new Olympus patent that falls under the category “Black Magic”:)
As you know it’s a big challenge for any camera to keep moving objects in focus while they are moving through your frame. Well Olympus seems to have found a way to analyze the image so that it can “predict” where the objects will move. An example is a train on rails:
Quite easy in this case. We will have to see how this could work when you try to predict the track of crazy running kids!
40 Responses
Olympus is an innovative company.
Patents demonstrate invention. They need to successfully apply that patent to justify the word innovation.
yes, and Olympus has applied many innovations in cameras, shall I list them?
Please go on. Petty sensor? No tracking AF? bad EVFs?
Did you get your name from sitting on one?
+100 …great reply! XD
I remember a few: TTL, first digital camera system, ultra sound wave cleaning sensor. Other mayor innovations in areas such as medical instruments. Just use google And you will find out more
they came up with alot of original ideas, even in their past photographer’s portfolios page, they included a nice portrait of a premier japanese adult video actress showing her ample bossom. great stuff.
Live view is a huge one. In camera IS. Reciprocating LCD. Things people take for granted now, Olympus introduced.
I am not too sure… You may want to check your facts.
TTL and first digital camera system? LOL the imagination. I am stuck with petty sensor, poor EVF and no tracking AF.
Brainless troll. What time does mommy and daddy get you off the Internet for your nappie.
CuntDavid, that is the sort of loser reaction I expected.
you can sure dish it out – but you fly apart like a 7th grader when it comes back.
you lose. your filth-mouth misogyny is the lowest from of argument on the entire internet. you are losing it – frothing and foaming at the mouth because FF is sucking wind just like you.
In English would be nicer. I see you are trying to sting, but that is more like uncoordinated panting.
Don’t even mention the trajectory of crazy running kids. I’d be happy if my EM-1 could track a runway model strutting down the runway at a brisk pace. Currently the EM-1 excels at making itself look like a piece of junk as the viewfinder stutters while trying to track motion. Great camera the EM-1 except for things that move. So I hope Olympus gets that Black Magic into a future EM-1 firmware update soon.
Here’s the question, though: do you think that predictive, tracking autofocus can be achieved on the EM-1 with no more than a software update? Maybe I need to clarify that. We might be able to agree that the major components [AF points, etc] do not need to be materially different between a tracking AF camera and a static AF camera [I don’t know, but I’ll grant it to you]…
But the issue with the EM-1 might actually be simple processing power in it’s processor… The question we need to understand would be: does it have the capability to process AF point data quickly enough to support a predictive algorithm; and, if so, can it keep up? (And if so, can it do that at the 11fps frame rate?)
Of secondary interest is going to be the performance of individual lenses. I say secondary interest because in personal experience M43 lenses can easily, effortlessly out-perform my Canon EOS7D with L-glass in a first-to-focus test… But that may not be true for all lenses.
I am hopeful that Olympus can release this as nothing more than a firmware update, but I suspect that we won’t see it before the EM-1 Mk II, and that it will require new (faster) silicon and a slightly bigger battery…
The EM-1 is most certainly not a cheap camera but sad to say Olympus cheaped out on the processig power. Just look at the competition like the Sony A7 and Fookie XT1. Those can maintain smooth EVF viewing with focus peaking while the EM1 delivers a horribly choppy viewfinder eperience. Youre right. The EM1 lacks processing power and that should not be the case with a camera at this pprice range.
In fairness to Olympus, I tihnk they probably had conflicting design requirements with the OM-D EM-1 AF System. It seems to me that they are scaling back or stopping development of full Four-Thirds camera bodies in favour of M43 technology and the pretty hugely impressive trio of the EM-10, EM-5 and EM-1. Integrating the different AF technologies of legacy ’43 lenses with this new M43 body took a lot of work, and the AF system built into this latest sensor seems to be pretty incredibly complex.
I think we’re being a bit harsh if we trash Olympus for not having full tracking AF with this generation of bodies. We just have to hope – and I am very much of this mindset – that Olympus will want to create “clear water” with the other ILC/Mirrorless competition (not just the Sony, but the Nikon and Canon and successive generations) and to do so we’ll see a considerably refined 2nd gen set of bodies in another 12-18 months. At least, I hope so!
Given the breadth of the design brief, I think that what we have now is pretty amazing. And, if the next generation can give me the same sort of frame rate, tracking AF as my Canon EOS 7D and L-Series, then the Canon gear will be up for sale… and I’ll be a very happy M43 user…
I hope you’re right. I have already sold my Nikon system after being fed the Bovine Excrement from Olympus Marketing about the great Dual Fast AF of the EM-1 and re-invested in u43 lenses. Imagine my disappointment. But hey, thanks! You seem like you know what you’re talking about and you bring a message of hope. But I’ll be more cautious about trusting Olympus on their claims about C-AF in future. For now I’m not buying the 40-150 F2.8 until Olympus releases a camera with real C-AF. Also, the Sony A77 MKII looks like it does real C-AF and then some! I don’t know. Maybe the Sony for things that move and the EM-1 for everything else.
The problem of the E-M1 isn’t the competitiveness of its C-AF system – it’s more than competitive – but the AF field that gets invisible as soon as you press the shitter button in burst mode. On a good day, when I’m good in guessing, I shoot series of 20 or even 25 properly focused pics of my running dogs at f2.8 or the likes. More often, however, I fail to keep the AF field on my chosen subject, former or later – and then, the C-AF just can’t keep on following my subject.
What we need is an AF field that remains visible in burst mode – and a dynamic AF such as the one of E-3, E-30 and E-5 also would be nice. Not to mention a tracking system with an AF field that doesn’t tend to jump away from your subject.
Say no more…
https://www.flickr.com/photos/63427925@N00/sets/72157644492384342/
This is good news and, if its true, it shows that Olympus is listening to their customers. Most of really don’t care for more megapixels as the m43 sensors have proven to be better than some FF cameras from a few years ago already and are competitive with some of today’s APS-C sensors. The one albatross hanging on most mirrorless cameras today is their focus tracking. It just does not compete with most DSLRs. Closing this gap will be very useful to those who are eyeing this format, but have waited until there is a true solution for this.
Yes, bad AF is the only problem. All the rest is as good as any other camera system. Not?
Please make sure you clarify. AF of moving subjects is not up to par. AF on static objects rivals or betters almost every camera with an OVF.
DFD competitor ?
When multi objects run back and forth or even in random direction with different focal lengh, does this black magic supposed to be helpful somehow?
What is the difference to Fuji XT1’s predictive autofocus?
The Oly tech doesn’t come with a thick layer of Fuki quirkiness,
Day late and a dollar short. Patents are meaningless really. If they don’t have mock ups yes, we are years away from this.
They need anything that can give them an edge over everyone else. The camera industry is thinning out. It’s survival of the fittest. Good luck Olympus!
I just don’t understand women. They say one thing but mean the opposite. It’s so confusing!
~(:-)
Hey if it’s implemented and it works I am openminded to it!
@admin – Troll is posting the “c” word (down below). He seems to resort to that when he loses a flame war (which he instigates 100’s of times/day).
No decent person, (especially women), will be comfortable here if that offensive epithet becomes commonplace. Please remove. For an idiot to post such offensive trash-talk is a horrible reflection on him. For your forum to tolerate it reflects poorly on you.
Relax now, and put down the 1870’s dictionary. Who flang the slur first? Some ignorant sod who cannot take having their toy badmouthed. Now, if profanity goes one way, it can also go the other way. Didn’t mum tell ya?
So far as I have seen, only you have ever posted that offensive slur on this forum. Nobody else gets as upset and loses control of their mouth like you do.
BTW, I don’t need a dictionary to speak simple English.
1) It was not me 2) If you start with an insult, you can expect a stronger one in return. It’s life, sunshine. 3) Whatever.
Actually the EM-1 is not ‘horrible’ at C-AF especially in decent lightning.
I shot quite a few action Photo of moto cross bikes recently using the EM-1 with the MFT 45 mm, the FT 50-200 F:2.8-3.5 and even with the old 70-300 mm.
Results where decent with a hti rate of about 60-70 % (best with 45 mm MFT F:1.8)
I switched of IS, used single small focus point, pre focused and set relase to 5 fps.
Next weekend I will take the EM.-1 and tje 50-200 mm to a raptor shjow if the weather allows.
In short C-AF could be better but I am able to use it in fair lightning.
A link to some of my favorite shots (all with 45 mm F.18
http://s296.photobucket.com/user/fsorensen/library/Action?sort=9&page=1
( I am not pretending to be a pro or even a skilled photographer, no I am just enjoying shooting Photos )