Olympus Photographers

Just wanted to give you all an update on a recent change that I have made to my settings...

On a previous post I had mentioned that I use all four custom modes on my OM-1. C3 was set for "high-res" shot mode. I want to let you all know that I have decided, for several reasons, that it is much better to use Topaz GigaPixel Ai instead of "high-res" shot mode.

The biggest reason is the most logical. With "high-res" you get one shot every few seconds and there can be absolutely no movement. With Topaz GigaPixel Ai you can upscale any image (ie, no more single shots) and honestly...the results look the same if not better. Check out these two images of a snowy owl. One taken with "high res shot mode" and one enlarged with GigaPixel to match the resolution.

Snowy Owl with GigaPixel Ai

This weeks Olympus Tip:

While this is still a lot of fun (to get down and dirty) it isn't necessary to get that "low angle" we're looking for when photographing shorebirds, waterfowl, etc...at least, not with your OM or Olympus bodies. So this week's tip is to remember to take advantage of that incredibly flexible LCD in the back!

I unfortunately don't have a great photo of me using this technique but essentially the idea is to flip the screen out and then tilt it up (so you can look down on it). An extra helpful tip is to turn your lens foot to the top so you can hold it with your left hand. Here's an image (don't mind me...I just found a small hole in my waders while in an arctic tundra pool) where you can kind of see the camera as I was using it to photograph…

One of the best things you can do for your Olympus kit (and really any kit) is to properly maintain it. This is just one of the essential steps I take to make sure my kit is properly maintained.

Most people know to clean their kit regularly to prevent dust and grime build up on the lens. This will help to make sure you have sharp images and your focus is accurate. All of this is great but there is something most people don't think to check and that is the connecting mount between the lens and the body. Now you really shouldn't need to do this constantly. If you find that you are, you should contact OM as you may have stripped thread or faulty screw but checking it everyone once in a while or especially if you use a carrying system that puts a lot of strain on…