(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. 

You don't have to accept that the default raw looks yucky

 Too often, people exclaim that when they display their raw image on the computer, the image looks yucky compared to the SOOC JPEG displayed on the back of their camera. You can customise that for all new images instead of re-working each image individually.

Here's how Adobe describes it:

https://blog.adobe.com/en/2020/06/16/streamline-edits-with-the-improved-raw-defaults

Oh, a new (old) camera

Fresh Greetings

I've been neglecting this blog, my (youtube.com/@AnandaSim) channel and Snippets of Photo Info site (for technical info). Life's been busy. I think the main reason I haven't been writing is because I've been out taking photos and posting primarily on my Instagram with older gear

Resuming this blog

What is it about a new camera that makes me want to reach out, chat, share? I reckon it's the idea of companionship and collaboration with new gear.  I haven't bought a new camera body for what seems like yonks - yesterday, the postman delivered my new camera, a second hand (but minty) Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III. After skipping the Mark II, this Mark III is intriguing. Let's see whether more articles here are the result.

In the meantime, have a look at my Keen

Where else to find me?

I'm back there at itsnotthecameraitstheperson. I had a flickr pro account but over the years lapsed into a free account at anandasim88. The hub to these and other website is at linktr.ee/AnandaSim Oh, I've the opportunity to teach photography fundamentals. Come play with me at CAE.

Amusing questions by people new to film

Hiya, is there a way to check the expiry of individual film rolls without boxes? Found some rolls at an op shop with the label ‘new’ that I simply do not trust

do i need to shoot the whole roll of film at the same iso or is it able to be changed for different photos? not sure if changing it affects the developing process or not?

C'mon, I don't want to save to CC

 https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-bugs/p-starting-in-v-23-1-1-keeps-nagging-me-to-save-to-creative-cloud/idi-p/12731870

Worldwide Pinhole Day - April 24, 2002

 So, that day is coming soon. Get your Pinhole ready. It doesn't have to be film, digital works as well.

Latest info on OM Workspace

 OM Workspace is the rebranded software formerly known as Olympus Workspace (Viewer). OMDS have added new features to support the new OMDS OM-1 camera. The Instruction Manual in PDF format does not seem to be ready so I retrieved the old Olympus Workspace manual. This and previous info is here:
https://sites.google.com/site/olycameras/olympus-om-d/adobe-lightroom-and-photoshop/olympus-workspace

Enjoy!

Olympus menu lockouts (old models)

 The new OM System OM-1 camera has a simple means to find out when a menu item is disabled / dimmed. We've been waiting for this. For those who still have older Olympus E-M1 models, here's the FAQ list I created a while back. https://sites.google.com/site/olycameras/olympus-om-d/menu-lockouts

Apple Photos (Mac OS)

 Apple Photos (Mac OS)

• Apple Photos is the free app that comes with Mac OS. Microsoft Photos for Windows has a lot of similarity in features to Apple Photos.

• The Photos User Guide is online for your reading

• The Apple Photos screen shows a vertical pane of objects (as opposed to Microsoft Photos which presents the objects as a top pane / menu

Menu items in the Left Pane

Library

On first use, Apple Photos creates a System Photo Library. Other DAM photo software may refer to this term as a Catalog.

• There is only one SPL.

• The SPL defaults to the Pictures Folder of the Mac but can be moved.

• You can make other Libraries but they are not connected to iCloud Photos and Shared Albums.
  • You can only work with one Library at one time.

Where are your photos really stored?

• When you import photos into a Library, they are copied to the Library folder (usually Mac’s Pictures folder).

• In Settings, you can choose not to copy the photos but reference the photos in other folders.

• If you reference the photos in other folders, they will not be automatically backed up to iCloud

Objects inside a Library

Photos have EXIF metadata. Apple Photos can use that metadata to bundle the photos together.

Memories

Memories will be a timeline of when you photos.

People

Apple Photos carries out face recognition so you can choose a person and drill down to their photos

Places

Photos can have geo location metadata embedded in them, especially mobile phone photos

Recent

Imports

Albums

• Albums are a bunch of photos and videos, given a name.

• Apple Photos creates some albums automatically, you can make additional albums and add photos to them
  • Albums can be nested
  
• You can Smart Albums which automatically collect photos for you based on keywords

Projects

Projects are customised slide shows that you can make

Creations

Apple Photos offers a launch point to create several different things

Photo Editing

Apple Photos has various editing features - some are fundamental, some are more advanced than the features offered by Microsoft Photos

Adjust

• Light (Exposure Brightness)

• Colour

• Black and White (Tones)

• Retouch

• Red-Eye (elimination)

• White Balance

• Curves

• Levels

• Definition

• Selective Colour

• Noise Reduction

• Sharpen

• Vignette

Filters

Otherwise known as Colour Grading

Cropping

Sharing

Guide to Sharing with Apple Photos

When sharing to macOS, be sure to choose "Open in Photos", otherwise

https://werkjohann.github.io/how-to-share-photos/

Using Microsoft Windows File Explorer to Organise Photos

Why would someone use Windows File Explorer to organise photos?

In a few words, because 

• it's there
• it's built into Windows
• it will always be in Windows
• the person already has Windows File Explorer familiarity
• the default Microsoft raw codecs have been installed and are satisfactory.
• for some additional features, Microsoft Photos is also part of the Windows 10 and 11 experience.

Why would some people want to use other software?

• They want more features
• They are not restricted from installing other software
• They don't like how Windows File Explorer presents itself

The Views and the Panes

People have different preferences to show how their documents or photos are displayed in the View. My most frequently used Views are Details and Large or Extra Large Icons.

In addition, Navigation pane display is on, the Details pane is on. I often have Item Check Boxes and File name extensions toggled to show

The Details Pane of Windows File Explorer allows you to look at and edit the following EXIF metadata

• 
  Date (Photo) Taken
• Tags
• (Star) Rating
  
• Title
• Authors
• Comments
• Camera Maker
• Camera Model
• Subject

Editing Tags is important for this tool because the other free tool in Windows 10 and 11 is Microsoft Photos and Microsoft Photos has no ability to edit EXIF Tags. Multiple tags can be used, a semi-colon separates them. If the Windows PC has OneDrive sync, then OneDrive will add tags using AI.

The Details View of Windows File Explorer can display more columns than default. There are many EXIF columns available. Tags, Copyright and Comments are editable.

Searching for images by metadata

It appears that the Search Tab in Windows 10 and Search Options in Windows 11 do  not display until there is something typed into the Windows File Explorer Search Box. 

Windows 11 File Explorer will search for words inside the Tags metadata of the files by default.

Window 10 File Explorer Search Tab does offer to search the Tags metadata explicitly.

Windows 10 File Explorer also offers a Picture Tools Tab. It can rotate photos without needing other software

Microsoft Photos (for Windows)

What is Microsoft Photos? 

Microsoft Photos is the free, built-into-Windows program that you can use to view and manage your photos. Microsoft Photos is either pre-installed in Windows 10 and 11 or can be downloaded from the Windows Store.

Who is it for?

If you

• can't install another photo organising program (sometimes referred to, with the lofty term Digital Asset Manager).
• want a DAM for free
• prefer not to use third party software
• have grown used to Windows File Explorer and want a few more features
• want to use it because "it's there"
• don't shoot raw image files or have a camera that is supported by the free available raw codecs
• are not bothered by missing features
• do minimal editing to your photos

It is also inevitable to discover and try out what comes in the box with Microsoft Windows before thirsting for more or better tools.

What's What

The top menu is displayed in a way that explains how Microsoft Photos thinks.

The Collection Tab

Collection presents your photos in a timeline view, Microsoft Photos automatically looks at all the folders you have nominated, at the files and shows them in groups according to Month-Year. 

You can choose to View by Date Taken or Recently Added. Date Taken would be from the EXIF metadata (?)

The Collection is automatically populated by Microsoft Photos

Along the top of the Collection screen are tiles representing actions you can take.

• Recent photos
• Protect your memories - Back Up to OneDrive
• On This Day
• Happy Days - it appears to AI identify the "Smile"
• Most Popular Tag - it appears to AI identify recognised subjects
• On This Day - specific date
• You're the director - click on the tile to switch to Video Editor Mode
  
  

The Albums Tab

You can create a virtual album by nominating photos into an album that you name yourself. The photos are not moved from their original folders, this is virtual. This means that a photo can be displayed in more than one Album. Certain albums are automatically created and named for you.

Where is the Albums metadata stored? In an SQLite database in

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Photos_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\MediaDb.v1.sqlite

This database contains details of all your albums, as well as metadata from images (date taken, camera models, etc.) as well as information extracted using the AI engine (such as recognising faces, types of scenes, etc.).

The People Tab

Microsoft Photos uses face recognition to show candidates for you to name. You can click on the person to dive down to all relevant photos.

The Folders Tab

The Folders Tab is surprisingly not a Windows Explorer like tree of folders. It is a set of Tiles, (including Recent) which you can click on to dive into to show the photos. Photos in those Folders will be displayed in the Collections Tab timeline

The first Tile is Add a folder. When you click on this tile you will see the suggested folders to add to the Windows Library - Pictures. Windows Photos relies on this library concept to populate its Collections

To remove folders from the Folders Tab, Click on the thee dots symbol (elipsis) on the top right of the Photos window and look at the Sources section.

The Video Tab

The Video Tab takes you to the Video Editor and shows your Video Projects

Integrates with Paint 3D

Editing Features of Microsoft Photos

Microsoft Photos has rudimentary editing features.

• Rotate
• Flip
• Crop
• Auto Enhance
• Adjust Brightness (Light)
• Colour (Saturation)
• Clarity
• Apply a Vignette
• Remove Red Eye
• Spot Fix
• Apply fixed set of colour grading filters
• Draw
• Resize
• Add 3D effects
• Add animated text

This program can also

• Edit Metadata on
• Filename
• Description
• Data and Time Photo Taken
• Tags can't be edited manually. You can use Windows File Explorer to edit Tags. Additionally, Microsoft OneDrive uses AI to autotag photos
• Set Favourite
• Save As
• Print
• Copy
• Set As
• Desktop Background
• Lock Screen Background
• Share
• Slideshow
• launch other Photo apps with Open With
• launch Microsoft Store for more editing Apps

File Type Support

• jpeg
• tiff ?
• bmp ?
• raw (given that relevant raw codecs are installed
• HEIC / HEVC - there is a codeC available for a small price from the Microsoft Store

Why you might not want to use Microsoft Photos

• You feel that there are many features you want, missing.
• You don't have faith that Microsoft will continue this line of software in future versions of Windows.

Migrating my Google Sheets table of Photo Editing Software to Notion

 Come and have a look: Photo Software