But first you have to do what?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the ever more powerful features for "fixing in post" have been persistent and omnipresent topics in photography these days. I was watching two recently beta released features in their photo editing suite. Give these videos a watch, they are to the point and not lengthy.

The videos show how easy it will be in manipulate depth blur and specific colour after the act of capturing the image with your computer. On reflection, a skilled artist directly working with physical media might produce a similar work of art,

So where do you go with your own photos? Abhor editing and stick to SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera) output? Embrace editing and change anything and everything?

Your decision to edit and which elements you edit are the real essence of you. Your artistic center Your artistic identity. Whatever photo gear or software you use, that's not the essence, Your artistic choices are the essence.

My preferences for setting up the Olympus E-M1 Mark III

 For my latest Custom Function Button assignments go to What You Can Assign to the Fn Settings 

For the rest, below are some notes.

I use:

• Aperture Priority when I am not so concerned about subject movement. For landscapes, cityscapes, still life, general photos
• Shutter Priority when I want a specific shutter speed either slow or fast.
• Manual Exposure when I shoot electronic flash as the primary light source or specific scene requirements. Or when the exposure metering is hyper active when I already know the lighting.

Fixed ISO, often with Aperture Priority or Manual Exposure.

Auto ISO, often with Shutter Priority especially for candid impromptu street photography

Cog Menu > E1 > ISO-Auto Setting > Lowest Limit / Default ISO 200 to ISO 6400

Cog Menu > E1 > ISO-Auto Setting > Lowest  - 1/160th sec 

Single Point Autofocus Patttern for patient, thought out scenes. Often with Aperture Priority. Trying to shift Focus Point using the Joystick as opposed to my long standing habit of Focus and Recompose

All Points Autofocus Pattern for street photography, often combined with Shutter Priority, With A2: AF Area Pointer: On2 - Display frame while shutter button is half-pressed,

S-AF-MF often with Single Point Autofocus Pattern and Aperture Priority or Manual Exposure.

C-AF-MF often with All Points Autofocus Pattern and Shutter Priority.

AEL/AFL: 

S2: Half Press S-AF. Full Press AEL/Exp.  AEL/AFL button: AEL

C2: Half Press AF Start, Full Press AEL/AFL/Exp. AEL/AFL button: AEL  

M3: Half Press: AEL. Full Press: Expose.  AEL/AFL Button: S-AF

*3: Half Press: AEL. Full Press: Expose.  AEL/AFL Button: AF Start/Stop

(Revised) What you can assign to the Fn buttons (OM-D E-M1 Mark III)

Revision 2

When I initially got my new-to-me Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III, I thought it was just the good ol E-M1 but with more features. Well, in some ways it is, but in many ways, it's a whole different level of camera. There is higher image performance, courtesy of the newer image sensor with higher res and less long exposure high ISO noise, but the camera handles really differently.

At first glance, the new camera body has only one more physical control, the autofocus joystick, the sophistication of the camera has endowed it with heaps of finer behavioural tweaks. This may have been what we have been crying out for when we had the E-M1 original version but the sheer number of detailed adjustments possible means that over enthusiastic assignment to buttons will make this newer camera unpredictable, act with a mind of its own, against your expectations.

I've had this camera refuse to autofocus with the LCD screen swung out. Another time, the camera went into video mode prior to starting a movie when it supposed to be on stills shooting. The ISO could change unexpectedly. So on and so forth.

I've reassigned the Custom Function Buttons several times. Below is my latest revision. 

Note: It's not the assignment of the Button to the Role that is important it's more the Rationale for that assignment because the choices are very personal.

My work-in-progress background thoughts are in my brain for this topic.