Introduction.
Bright sunny days with clouds and shadows determine how we photograph and process our landscapes because the reflecting light from the clouds and shadows increases the scene's Dynamic Range. Many photographers use bracketing and HDR techniques to manage and capture such landscapes. This is one example of applying experience, reflected light, and tonal plus color data versus my equipment doing everything. Forum dwellers have a strange culture of trusting the sensor to do everything.
The most exciting aspect of Olympus M43 cameras is the features they have to manage the technical limitations associated with all digital cameras. The best advice for success with Olympus cameras is to ignore forum topics like DR, diffraction, or noise and learn how to use your digital camera.
Mobile phone companies manage the phone's technical and optical limitations with advanced image processors, high-sensitivity sensors, and computational features. Evaluating the iPhone 16 against the "size and capture" theory, one would think it won't deliver good image quality with its tiny sensor.
This article discusses the know-how and practical aspects of digital photography, exposure, and image editing. You will find more information about the following in this article:
- The Micro Four Thirds (M43) sensor format, including a short overview.
- Why do I focus on the Technical and Optical characteristics of cameras?
- Why are most social media dynamic range discussions mostly sales talk?
- Advanced exposure techniques versus the sensor does everything theory.
- Why did older HDR and ETTR techniques become less popular after 2012?
- The image sensor's role versus the image processor and post-processing.
- What does it mean to "paint with light" or consider the light conditions?
- How do photographers control (balance) the dynamic range of a scene?
- What is the difference between exposure settings and tonal adjustments?
- The OM System OM-1 II or Olympus OM-1 Stacked BSI Live MOS sensor.
- Why is the discussion about pixel size (well capacity) cheap sales talk?
- How to use the Olympus Pen F monochrome profile with the EM10 IV.
- A short video discussing Workspace, Raw conversion, and image editing.
- Features like Stacking, Auto HDR, Bracketing, Composite, and others.
TIP: It's best to study my images on a large display...
All digital cameras suffer from technical limitations, such as too little dynamic range, rolling shutter (sensor readout speeds), and image noise. Acknowledging these limitations, the Olympus engineering team designed innovative features like Auto HDR, stacking, composite, and computational features such as high-resolution mode, ND filters, SCN modes, and a new M43 sensor or digital format.
Even the most expensive medium-format cameras share the same technical limitations as other digital cameras. This includes any optical limitations associated with the size of the sensor. Like others, the landscape photographer Gavin Hardcastle uses focus stacking and exposure bracketing to manage these limitations. See how Gavin manages his landscape scenes in this short video.
The M43 format is a new digital format. The entry angle of the reflected light to the pixel is critical. Olympus preferred a 90-degree entry angle. The goal was to control any shot noise in the image signal path from the lens to the sensor, via a new lens flange design, plus the pixel entry angle. That meant improving the optical efficiency plus sensitivity of the sensor. For example, Live MOS sensors have a larger "wiring-free" photon-sensitive area and are +/- 25% more efficient than older Standard CMOS sensors. Standard CMOS is known for creating more shot noise than Live MOS sensors.
Did you know that most Canon digital cameras use Standard CMOS sensors?
Why did Olympus select a 4:3 ratio? The 4:3 ratio fills the sensor's image circle more efficiently than the old 3:2 film format. This enabled Olympus to design high-efficiency Zuiko lenses with a 90-degree entry angle to the Live MOS sensor. The Olympus engineers created a new digital format that meets the future needs of high-sensitivity sensors (higher Optical and Quantum efficiencies).
How does the 4:3 ratio benefit your Image Quality? Photographers do not control the efficiency of the reflected light path from the lens to the sensor. Considering the image quality benefit of this new format, the absolute IQ improvements are typically less than 1%. It's important to know that many such examples enable manufacturers to improve their image quality by more than 1%. Most FF sales lines or "fact statements" fall into the less than 1% or singular IQ improvement categories.
The difference between commercial theories and experience is interesting. Sales arguments focus on smaller than 1% improvements while experienced photographers have a huge advantage. For example, the exposure techniques explained in this article contribute to significant IQ improvements.
What are the benefits of Olympus (Zuiko) M43 lenses? Study this info.
See this interesting article comparing the IQ of 15 cameras.
Complex digital camera components like the image processor, image sensor, IBIS, and computational features like Auto HDR and the Olympus High Ress mode did not replace the need for knowledge, complex lighting skills, and experienced photographers. They also didn't replace the need for a tripod, fill-in flash, lens filters, diffusers, reflectors, remote shutters, or any other camera option.
IBIS improves our chances of sharp images in tough situations. That said, IBIS did not replace the need for a tripod. The same applies to the advantages of having a more efficient sensor with a smaller noise floor plus in-camera noise or external AI noise filters at high ISOs. It's always the creative option to plan or patiently wait for an optimum lighting window for street or landscape photography.
Advanced landscape and street photographers carefully select photo locations, equipment, weather, quality of light, and sunrise/sunset times. Amazing images require planning and typically 3-minute photo windows of perfect lighting. For example, the lighting could be ideal until the next cloud covers the sun. Capturing those special moments and great scenes plus post-processing can take hours or days. It's not a case of having a large sensor and randomly pointing and shooting photos.
This is one of my favorite photographers. See his last two videos...
Advanced photography means knowing the camera, editing, and how to apply light. The various "tree" images show this concept of painting with light. I like to select an optimum dynamic range between the highlights, mid-tones, and shadows with the time of day, clouds (diffused light), and the sun's position (incident light). The above EM1 III image benefited from the afternoon sun, colors, and the brighter reflected light from the mid-tones and shadows exposing the RGB filter and sensor.
The above trees illustrate why knowledge and experience are as critical as the camera. For example, older cameras like the Olympus EM5 and Stylus 1s have excellent image quality in good light. Studio photography is another genre illustrating the importance of managing the available light. The above trees show the potential of reading a scene, prepping your camera, and post-processing.
The most common mistake digital photographers make is ignoring the sun's role (natural light) in the final image. Every landscape image is a collection of natural highlights and shadows that follow the sun's position. Many photographers ignore these natural highlight/shadow contrasts by lifting the shadows too much when editing the image. Experienced photographers practice the art of reading and painting with Reflected Light while photographing or post-processing the final photo.
What about Dynamic Range? I never saw any social media discussion about the following. Why do we have Dynamic Range differences between 2 full-frame or M43 sensors? Are image sensors technically more complicated than the "size and capture" or "bigger is better" theory? For example, the electronic design and manufacturing of image sensors could be way more complex than what we're told.
Camera reviewers and forum "experts" prefer oversimplified sales lines like "bigger is better". For example, they will say the EM5 II in the above example has less dynamic range than the EM10 IV. Does it mean the EM5 II has too little dynamic range to capture enough shadow details or did I select the worst time of day? The Photons to Electrons graph (Figure 1) shows how we manage the camera's dynamic range by carefully matching the reflected light to the subject matter. In addition, Olympus developed several options to adapt the camera's Gamma (tonal) curve to our subject.
One of the most critical aspects of digital photography is the difference between the Gamma (tonal) curve and exposure. Ask yourself: Can we change the light without an ND filter to parts of the sensor? Tonal adjustments like highlights or shadows are not part of the camera's exposure formula. That's why we treat the tonal curve differently from light and exposure. Why is this knowledge critical? Because it changes the way we plan, capture, convert, and edit our raw files in Workspace.
Photographers select or manage the reflected light exposing the image sensor (Saturation and SNR). This is huge because this information equates to more than 1% image quality improvements.
TIP: The images in this article were taken with cameras like the EM1 III, EM5 II, EM10 IV, and EP-7.
- The Enhanced Raw Format layers the sensor's raw data plus image and creative settings
- Raw converters like PS, LR, and Capture One do not access all these Enhanced layers
- The benefits of using Workspace outweigh the constantly repeated forum complaints
- The Olympus camera (image) settings are available in Workspace. This lets us:
- Experiment with the camera's creative color settings in Workspace
- Create and test different color and creative profiles in Workspace
- The Enhanced Raw format replicates the camera's live-view display
- Workspace and the Enhanced Raw Format allow us to share profiles
Technical versus Optical Characteristics.
- Optical characteristics like FOV, DOF, and lenses are linked to the sensor image circle.
- Technical characteristics like DR, SNR, and Noise are linked to sensor type and design.
The camera's optical characteristics are linked to the sensor's diagonal measurement. The Lens Image Circle has to cover the complete image sensor (Fig. 3). This explains why the 25mm M43 lens is the same as a 50mm full-frame lens, why the Field of View (FOV) of M43 lenses is less than full-frame (FF) lenses, and why it's possible to design higher-quality and smaller M43 lenses than FF lenses.
Diagonal measurements determine lens factors.
Technical information helps photographers because it explains the design and type of sensor, camera features, and image processor. Contrary to social media FF statements, sensor size doesn't guarantee good image quality. An experienced EM1 III photographer will get similar IQ results in the same light conditions as most forum "experts" with FF cameras. For example, technical information helps us to manage the digital camera's technical limitations. Technical details are valuable when reviewing and analyzing a new digital camera and image sensor. The technical limitations of image sensors apply to all digital cameras and are managed by all photographers with knowledge and experience.
Tip: Start a discussion on DPR saying your M43 camera's IQ is better than the Canon 6D II.
Do large sensors have more colors? The theory behind color is basic. The camera removes the color information from the reflected light with an RGB filter covering the sensor, which means the sensor captures Black-and-White images. The Image Processor uses the RGB filter values, WB measurement, and the sensor's B&W image data to recalculate the final color information in 8, 12, or 16 bits. The quality of light and the camera's Image Processor is responsible for the camera's Color Rendering.
The practical side of Optical and Technical knowledge. Social media experts rely on the size of the sensor. The "bigger is better" theory's value proposition is less image noise, more color, more dynamic range, and better image quality. Experienced photographers manage the camera's (sensor) technical and optical features (camera settings, lens, framing, plus options) to match the scene, time of day, and lighting. The benefits are technical and optical control plus more creative freedom.
How does technical info improve my photography? Technical papers and the following Photons to Electrons graph explain that the sensor's Noise Floor consists of Read Noise (Temporal and Dark) and Shot Noise. Social media experts focus only on Shot Noise because the "size and capture" theory says larger sensors capture more light with "less" noise. Wouldn't the shot noise increase with more light? (Fig. 1) A better way is to control any visible noise (noise floor) with the sensor's SNR and Saturation. The Photons to Electrons graph summarizes several key aspects of the image sensor.
See this link for a more recent paper discussing image sensors.
Photons to Electrons Graph. Each photographer should study Figure 1. Did you know that the typical grainy noise effect is caused by Temporal Noise? The sensor's noise floor (Dark and Temporal noise) is active when we turn the camera on. The sensor only produces an image signal once the reflected light exceeds the sensor's AST (Absolute Sensitivity Threshold). I added the histogram to the above graph to help photographers visualize more visible shadow noise at smaller SNR values.
Did you know the sensor's temperature and noise floor increase with long exposure times such as blue hour, night, or astrophotography? That's why many astrophotographers prefer a water-cooled sensor or cameras like the Panasonic GH6 has a fan to manage the sensor's temperature. Higher sensor temperatures increase the sensor's dark and temporal noise levels. For example, if you had a choice, would you use your digital camera in the sun with a tripod on a warm summer day?
What is the best way to learn more about the OM-1 image sensor? Forum "experts" refuse detailed discussions because the "size and capture" theory dictates the priority is sensor size. The Photons to Electrons graph (Fig. 1) and the video below help us understand the technical and optical differences between M43 Live MOS and Stacked BSI sensors. For example, the sensor's Optical and Quantum efficiencies determine its Sensitivity, and the sensor's noise floor and full saturation point determine the camera's dynamic range and image noise (SNR) characteristics. Understanding these basics it's easy to imagine what sensor manufacturers prioritized when designing a new image sensor.
See this short video explaining the new OM-1 sensor.
Why is the push for more pixels a marketing program? Each pixel needs control wiring. More wiring plus connection points increase the sensor's Read Noise. That is why you see more shadow noise from cameras with 30MP or more. The optimum resolution for as many as 90% of hobby photographers is 12 to 24MP. How often do you use the High-Resolution Mode on your Olympus camera?
This article (test) by Chris Hau and his team compares 12MP to 100MP.
The Average Scene Luminance in the exposure formula (Fig. 2) is proportional to Reflected/Incident Light, time of day, and weather (quality of light). That's why Pro photographers are good at managing light. The role of the Aperture and Shutter in Exposing the sensor is also critical. Photographers use these external and camera variables to manage the sensor's Saturation (DR) and SNR.
A short summary of the camera's Exposure Variables are:
- The Aperture and Shutter Speed expose the image sensor
- The ISO setting amplifies (brightens) weaker image signals
- Flashes and Diffusers control the Average Scene Luminance
- The time of day and the sun change the scene's Luminance
- Different materials and colors influence Reflected Light
Why do I say pixel well-capacity is sales talk? How big are those photons that can't fill M43 pixels? Do yourself a favor and Google "photon size". Did you know that light particles (photons) are way smaller than water or oxygen particles, or image sensors are designed to saturate when they convert enough photons into electrons? For example, low-cost sensors convert fewer photons into electrons. Again well Capacity is only one of several factors influencing the efficiency of image sensors.
Do we need information? A general understanding of digital cameras is enough to improve your IQ by more than 1%. Knowledge changed my photography, technique, and editing style. Knowledge helps us in difficult situations such as blue-hour, wildlife, and high-speed cases like dogs playing. Who benefits when photographers say they don't need knowledge? The photographer or marketers?
The Image Signal Path is the final part of this Technical and Optical summary. The next illustration is a helicopter overview of the image signal path inside digital cameras. The illustration was designed to give photographers the basic know-how to master key aspects of Olympus cameras and Workspace.
This flow diagram is the key to mastering Workspace and the Enhanced Raw Format.
See this video discussing more advanced exposure techniques.
What did we learn from this article?
Final thoughts.
