How Do You Set Up My OM-D

Why?

Newbies often ask "How do you set up your camera?"

I tend to scratch my head and say "It depends on what, how you shoot, it's personal choices" and point them to my spreadsheet of settings.

From the look in their eyes, that wasn't a very helpful answer or suggestion - they want the Holy Grail, a pronouncement from The Oracle and I give them what sounds like an ambiguous answer. So, I've had a re-think of what to say. Here goes.

1. Ensure I can get to the Super Control Panel when I want

There are several menu alternatives in Olympus PEN and OM-D cameras - Live Guide, Live Control and Super Control Panel.

SCP for me. All the time. Depending on your camera model make sure you can get to it with one button press.

2. I shoot in Aperture Priority nearly all the time

Yes, there are times when I switch to Manual Exposure mode but I got used to thinking in Aperture Priority from the Minolta film SLR line of bodies.

3. I've been used to Half Press Focus, Full Press Trigger of the Shutter Release

Recently I've liked using separate buttons for Focus and Shutter Release but years of hand memory are founded on this typical behaviour.

My E-M1 is currently set to C3: S3: M3

4. I'm used to S-AF - Single AF

I don't feel at home with Continuous AF (C-AF). I sometimes use Manual Focus. I sometimes use S-AF-M.

5. Sometimes I use Face Priority, Eye Detect Auto Focus

Especially with my eyesight degrading with age and on some cameras without EVF or some incidents, I don't aim with the camera to my face, this certainly helps. Face Priority however runs amuck if there is more than one face or there are no faces

6. I use My Settings a lot

There are so many settings and there are sessions when I want this or that changed, the most useful thing for me is to have one favourite bunch of settings stored as My Set 1 - I often change settings and to My Set 1 when I don't want to undo heaps of changes and forget one.

7. I ensure that I have Exposure Compensation and f/no selection easily at hand

For cameras with two dials like the OM-D E-M1, this is easy to set up. For the PEN E-PM2 there is only one over-used dial and overlaid over button pads - either way, my finger memory to these two features is essential.

8. I shoot with Picture Mode 3 - Natural

9. I'm guilty on relying on Auto ISO and on some sessions, I will choose fixed ISO when I want more control

10. In Body Image Stabilisation (IS) is usually on unless I am using a tripod

11. I'm usually on RAW + Super Fine JPEG

12. I prefer ESP (Matrix Metering) if it works, else Centre Weighted Metering

If you do, my heartfelt gratitude, every dollar counts.