Take a moment and think about the 2-Step-Exposure-Technique. As you know the 2nd step allows us to optimize our exposure settings and the performance of the image sensor. We also discussed how shifting the histogram to the right (ETTR) increases the recorded tonal data.
You will find more about the 2-Step-Exposure-Techniquehere.
In one of my previous articles, an EM5 III owner asked how to improve shadow details and whether HDR is a viable option. Thinking about HDR, we know the Olympus HDR function uses stacked images as is Adobe Photoshop. Stacked images generally help us to improve Image Noise, Dynamic Range, and the Tonal Data of the final image.
You will find more about the EM5 III article here.
How to create a detailed 32-bit image in Photoshop
Another way of increasing our tonal data is the Merge to HDR Pro feature in Photoshop. This feature combines two or more bracketed images into one detailed 32-bit image. This function is great for product photography or landscapes. It can be compared to the Hi-Res mode from Olympus.
I did a quick search of my image collection and found 3 bracketed shots. I used the Photoshop Merge to HDR Pro function to merge these images. See the final result below.
Taken with my Canon 350D in 2004
Here are the histograms of the 3 bracketed images. I did not know anything about optimizing the image sensor or how to record better tonal data when I took these images. I basically applied what forum experts or photography magazines said and took the three +/-1EV bracket images.
Which starting exposure is best for an HDR sequence? Is it better to expose the first image normally or should we shift the exposure for more shadow or highlight details? One method is to simply optimize the sensor for the first image. The two bracketed images at +/-1EV should be enough to have a good balance between the shadows, mid-tones, and highlights.
It shouldn't be necessary to shift your initial exposure in a bracketed sequence. It's best to experiment if you need to improve the shadows or the highlights. The final step is to determine the difference between the lowest and highest exposures. This will determine if you select 1/3, 1/2, or 1-Stop increments for your bracketed sequence or whether you will use 3, 5, or 7 bracketed images.
Another interesting method is the Exposure Blendingfunction in Photoshop. It blends 3 bracketed images into separate layers with a mask for each. This enables photographers to see which parts of each image are selected by Photoshop for the final image. The photographer can then edit the separate masks to focus more on specifics like image data and shadow details.
My advice is to practice and experiment with your camera and the histogram until you find the best combination that works for your photography style. The presenter in the video below used 2 bracketed images to explain the Merge to HDR Pro technique in Photoshop.
What about the HDR function in OMD cameras?
The Olympus HDR function is one of the most underestimated features from Olympus. It is available with most Olympus cameras and is generally in the Shooting 2 menu. The secret to using the Olympus HDR function is Manual Mode and not one of the Auto or semi-Auto Modes.
Use HDR1 or HDR2 on your Olympus and follow the basic principles discussed in the 2 Step Exposure Technique. You will see the camera automatically goes to ISO200 which means you might need a tripod in low light conditions. The base or starting exposure will determine if your focus is shadows or highlights. Use ETTR or target the shadows to improve the tonal data. You can also use the Olympus HDR function in normal daylight.
Conclusion
While studying the above histograms, you will see the base exposure was perfect. My old Canon 350D did a great job of selecting the base exposure. This is not always the case. Practice makes perfect and I can only recommend that you use your camera as frequently as possible. Create your own opportunities and projects to practice these and other techniques with your Olympus.
In this article, we will take a look at the different Color and Creative Photography features available with the Olympus Pen F. I will also discuss the new functions Olympus added to the Monochrome, the Color Profile, and the Color Creator functions with the latest V3 firmware upgrade. We will study the Pen-F integration with WorkSpace and how one can share and upload profiles. We will discuss how to create and change profiles and finally, we will have a look at the new Pen F gallery on the official Olympus website.
These images were part of the ad campaign introducing the Pen F as a definition of style and substance in 2016
The Pen-F is one of the most radical and elegant mirrorless cameras ever designed. That said, it was received amidst "unexpected" hostility as most reviewers and forum experts immediately complained about the menu, and then demanded an OMD type "Pen F". These M43 experts also rejected the Pen F, claiming the Creative Dial had no real purpose, it's in the wrong location, and the Creative Dial and ART Filters have no place in modern digital photography.
Search "Pen F" on the DPReview and the Mu-43 forums and you will be blown away by the negative reactions and the gossip from Olympus and M43 photographers. The most surprising was that none of these "experts" figured out that Olympus was really in the process of introducing a completely new and future Color and Creative Photography concept.
We also saw how the Pen F enabled street photographers and how they welcomed the EVF placement. The unique MonoChrome and Color features made the Pen F special and one of a kind. They could simply select from a list of up to 32 different Color and Monochrome Profiles without having to spend the time on location to select individual camera settings.
Something I discuss in my WorkSpace "how-to" article, is the unique Live View feature of WorkSpace. This feature enables photographers to develop their Color and Monochrome Profiles on any WorkSpace "Live View" display. Photographers can now develop and test their new profiles before entering them into the Pen F. Also see Part 6 in my Color and Creative Photography series.
See this launch video of the Pen-F (less than 5 minutes)
Street Photography with the Olympus Pen-F
The interesting Pen-F video with the POV Photo Guy (Highly Recommended)
The Pen F had two firmware updates, see the details below:-
Olympus added the "Bleech Bypass film" ART filter to the Pen F
Custom settings C1 to C4 are now included when saving the camera configuration
This makes it possible to share Pen F configurations with C1 to C4 with friends
The ability to extract color and monochrome profiles from jpeg images
You can now share color or monochrome profiles by sharing your jpeg files
Shading effects have been added to the color profile and the color creator
The ISO auto settings have been expanded and are the same as the EM1 II
The monitor AF Targetting Pad performance has been improved
ART filter selection and the touch function operation have been improved
Below is the User Manual (V3.1) page #, and the related creative Pen F functions:-
Page 38 - Creative Dial operation
Page 39 - The Color Profile Tool
Page 40 - Monochrome Profile Control
Page 66 - Monochrome Profile Grain filter
Page 41 - The Color Creator
Page 42 - Art Filters
Page 67 - Color filter effects to the Monochrome Picture Mode
Page 116 - Assigning photo story to C3 and SCN modes to C4
Page 116 - Photo Story
Page 118 - SCN Modes
Page 33, 88 - How to set up Custom Modes
Page 179 - 182 - A summary of the Firmware updates V2 & V3
I wrote a 6 part color and creative photography series. Please go see parts 3 & 6 if you are new to the color wheel, color harmonies, and how to work with color and your Olympus camera. Also, see my article on how to use the Color Creator.
Setting up the Pen F to its full creative flexibility?
Your Pen F should always be ready for maximum creative use. It's really a mistake to wish the Pen F was some kind of OMD camera. For example, camera manufacturers will carefully select the image sensor for each camera to match the camera concept. This is why Olympus selected a different image sensor for the Pen F and not the same sensor found in the EM1 II. The EM1 II was designed for high performance and speed, whereas the Pen F was designed for street photography and ultimate creativity. The EM1 II and the Pen F are completely different cameras and together they cover a wide range of photography applications.
A = Creative Dial / B = Mode Dial (Custom Modes) / C = Lever
The Mode Dial on the Pen F is different from the EM5 II, the EPL9, or the EM1 II. For example, you will not find Photo Story or SCN Modes on the Pen F. You need to first configure the Custom Modes C3 and C4 for Photo Story and SCN Modes before you can use these features on the Pen F. See the above user manual summary and the relevant pages in the user manual. That leaves C1 and C2 open to save your preferred camera configurations and any additional color and monochrome profiles. This enables you to save up to 9 additional colors and 9 additional monochrome profiles.
Tip:-If you like to save new color or monochrome profiles to the custom modes C1 and C2, start by selecting your preferred exposure mode like Aperture Mode (A-Mode). Now you can configure the Pen F as you like, plus the 3 Color or the 3 MonoChrome Profiles. When done save the configuration to C1 or C2. It is not possible to save a new configuration directly to C1 or C2.
The Olympus Pen-F main creative modes?
It's sometimes difficult to picture the complete creative magnitude of Olympus cameras and especially, the Pen F. The reason is the different creative features and options are linked to more than one function. For example, looking at ART filters you might say no they are not that interesting.
It's only when you select ART filters that you see that each ART filter has several more options. Some of these options you will also see when you work with the Color or Monochrome Profile. You could be in a situation where you quickly want to record a series of images with Photo-Story. You do not want to edit the Photo-Story images when back home, so you decide to use a Pop ART filter with Photo-Story. As you can see these cameras are truly creative masterpieces.
One can summarize the Pen-F creative modes in 6 groups:-
The Color Creator
The Color Profile (One can save up to 9 profiles in C1 & C2)
The Monochrome Profile (One can save 9 profiles in C1 & C2)
Monotone "Picture Mode" (different from the monochrome profile)
ART Filters, SCN Modes, Photo Story, and HDR
Live Composite, Live Time, Panorama, Stacking, Timelapse
Each of these creative groups has access to more options like curves, grain filters, color filters, and shading to assist the photographer to create the perfect image look and feel in the camera.
The Color Profile Tool
A = You can select 1 of 3 factory set Profiles (Profile 1 is neutral)
Olympus describes the above color profile presets as:
"Of the three color profile presets, Colour Profile 2: Chrome Film Rich Colour provides rich, deep tones, and Colour Profile 3: Chrome Film VS gives rich film colors with high levels of saturation. You can make adjustments to these two presets, or you can create your own color profile from scratch using the Colour Profile 1 preset."
The first color profile (Profile 1) is neutral and available to the user. Profiles 2 & 3 are factory preset color profiles. If you assigned your preferred camera configuration to custom modes C1 and C2, you have 6 (3+3) more options for saving your own profiles. Set up your different color profiles for C1 and C2 and you will have a total of 8 preset color profiles and profile 1 for unique situations. I keep a summary of all my profiles on my mobile phone with a brief description of each profile.
The following variables are included and saved with color profiles:
Color Profile tool with 12 different color selection
The Shading function
The Highlight/Shadow & Midtone function (Curves)
Sharpness and contrast settings (See the SCP)
Exposure compensation (Exposure Comp dial on the Pen F)
These are the main settings when creating your own color profiles. Keep profile 1 at the factory setting so that you can quickly adapt colors when out doing photography. Save your own or any shared profiles in the Picture Modes C1 and C2 (6x Profiles in total). Always practice your color awareness.
For example, practice your color awareness by doing the following:-
Practice scanning your surroundings, identify colors and build color harmonies
When paging through a magazine identify the main colors and the color harmonies
Be aware of the people's clothes (colors) and check their selection of colors
Practice using different color harmonies (Complementary, Analogous, and Triadic)
In time you will find your color awareness and creating harmonies will improve
See this interesting photographer and his article on working with color - link
With practice, it will become second nature to scan your surroundings, select colors, and build harmonies. Adjust your target colors with profile 1 using the Color Profil. The more you do this the easier it gets. The secret is to apply small adjustments at a time. In most cases, subtle chances are more effective than extreme color effects.
For example, you are out visiting a historic city with the family. Your partner is dressed in a bright yellow shirt with jeans. The sky is clear so you decide to focus on the complementary colors yellow and blue. You like these colors to stand out with the blue skies above the buildings. Highlighting these complementary colors, you can increase the vividness of yellow and blue with +2. Next, you will reduce the vividness of all the other colors with -2. Next, you will increase the contrast with the curves function, and in the final step, you can create a slight pinhole look with the shading function.
Monochrome Profile
A = Monochrome Profiles / B = Grain filter setting or selection
Olympus describes the above monochrome profile presets as:
"Of the three monochrome profile presets, Monochrome Profile 2: Classic Film B&W provides a grainy monochrome look, and Monochrome Profile 3: Classic Film IR emphasizes red color filter effects for the look of infrared film. You can make adjustments to these two presets, or you can create your own monochrome profile from scratch using the Monochrome Profile 1 preset."
The first Monochrome Profile (Profile 1) is neutral and available to the user. Profiles 2 and 3 are factory preset monochrome profiles. If you assigned your preferred camera configuration to custom modes C1 and C2 you have 6 (3+3) more options for saving your own profiles. Set up your different monochrome profiles for C1 & C2 and you will a total of 8 preset monochrome profiles and profile 1 for unique situations. I keep a summary of all my profiles on my mobile phone with a brief description of each profile. All said, with a little practice it's often faster to evaluate the scene and adapt Profile 1.
The following parameters are saved with each monochrome profile:
The Monochrome Profile with 9 target colors with 3 levels each
The Shading function settings
Highlight/Shadow & Midtone settings (Curves)
Sharpness and contrast (SCP adjustments)
Film Grain Effect in the (See the SCP)
The Monochrome base color (found in the SCP)
Exposure compensation (Exp Comp dial on the Pen F)
When creating your own monochrome profiles follow the steps below:-
Like with color profiles, be aware of your surroundings and dominant colors
With monochrome, you only focus on the target color and the opposite color
When adjusting the blues in the sky, blue will darken and yellow will brighten
With landscapes, one typically targets the sky, clouds, trees, fields, or structures
With monochrome or black & white scenes, focus and work on strong contrasts
The first step is to select your target color and adjust it with the profile tool
The next step is to activate the SCP
Select a monochrome base color (T) or leave the base color neutral
From the SCP you can also select black & white or monochrome grain settings
Finally use curves to add more contrast and the shading function as required
See the examples below:
Original image on the left and the Monochrome profile using a yellow base color on the right
Again the original image w a color profile, then a monochrome only profile, and finally adding a base color
The monochrome profile tool is not the only monochrome or monotone option on the Pen F. All Olympus cameras have the monochrome picture mode. To activate the monochrome picture mode, turn the creative dial to the "OFF" position and press the OK button to activate the SCP. Move the cursor to picture modes and turn the front dial until you see monochrome. The different monochrome options will be available in the SCP.
Olympus Pen F with 50mm f1.8 - ISO200, f4.5, 1/800 (MonoChrome Profile plus a little Photoshop)
How to create/manage and share your color or monochrome profiles?
See my WorkSpace, how-to page here. Go to how-to technique #7 for a detailed explanation of how to manage your profiles. Olympus added a new gallery with color and monochrome images created by different Olympus visionaries. You will find the collection here. Each image can be downloaded and the Exif data is included. Each image also has additional information about the profile. This is a great resource for Pen F photographers looking for ideas and inspiration...
You can now lift any of these profiles with WorkSpace and transfer them to your camera. You can also open the image in WorkSpace, open the Exif Info, and manually transfer the settings to your Pen F.
Part of the Olympus Pen F collection of color and monochrome profile images
The available information for each image in the gallery
A more advanced technique for developing profiles is described in this article.
For example, it is possible to use color cards to copy and create your own profiles. I created a series of color cards with different DXO film profiles applied to them. Each image has another DXO film profile applied to the color card. This is a little more advanced and you need to be patient and ready to practice. The color cards are also a great help to develop a feel for color and to identify what the other person did when creating profiles.
Then finally visit my Pen F Profile page where I regularly add new profiles I developed or profiles I see on the web. You are also welcome to let me know when you developed a new profile you like to share with others...
I have added a few videos below. They offer more information on additional Pen F creative functions. Sometimes it's enough to apply a basic ART filter, it's not always necessary to look for complex solutions. Unfortunately, I had to remove several links, it seems Olympus is deleting videos from YouTube, I do not know if it is linked to Olympus selling the camera business.
Live Composite
See this link for 7 interesting TIPS on how you can use the Live Composite function. You can also subscribe to this Olympus webpage.
Photo Story
Rob Trek showing how to enter a version of the Kodak 25 profile
My wife and I were driving past the old town Rapperswil at the far end of Lake Zürich. Returning from our appointment, we decided to stop over at Rapperswil and spend an hour or two in this lovely old town. My wife with her EM10 III and myself with my Pen F with my 12-50mm lens.
I also wanted to test the Gossen light meter. The idea was to try the Gossen with more demanding exposure settings like ETTR for street/city photography. (Walimex is a Gossen)
Olympus EM1 II w 30mm Macro, 2x FL600, mini studio, RC Mode set-up the w Gossen
Regular visitors to my blog will know that I have been on a journey studying exposure, the image sensor, and focusing techniques.
While I was searching for information on my Gossen, one thing led to the next and I came across the Sekonic YouTube presenter, Joe Brady. In his videos, Joe demonstrated the benefits of using external light meters with modern cameras. Joe convinced me to add the Gossen to my exposure toolbox.
In the past, my Gossen was tucked away in my photography "to-do" box. This was until I saw Joe's videos. The video below is the first in a 4-part series.
It is now 3 years since I started researching the image sensor. In that time I studied different articles on DPReview and I participated in various (some heated) forum discussions. I always compared the information I learned with theoretical and technical articles published by schools, image sensor manufacturers, the European Machine and Vision Association, and other enthusiast websites.
Like in all situations, to get to that one thing that matters most, you need to first remove all the smoke and talking. Without getting too much into the sensor size debate, those who did consider changing from one camera system to another, know its way more than sensor size. Three basic factors to consider are buying/selling costs, the size/weight of equipment, and the available lens range.
Pointing out that one thing, I discovered the key to optimum image quality is to operate the image sensor at its ideal SNR. (Figure 1) It was clear, the digital camera is not an artistic paintbrush. The ideal SNR is specific and it happens in a small operating window only. This moved me to re-adjust my artistic expectation of the digital camera. The artistic part of digital photography can be considered as the pre-recording and the post-processing phases of creating the final digital image.
The image recording phase is simply a data collecting phase and nothing more. The goal is to select the "right" exposure settings that will push the sensor to its ideal performance. This "ideal" performance happens at the sensor full SNR or full Saturation point. (See Figure 1) At full saturation, the sensor will record maximum tonal data at the lowest noise levels.
Even though I like to write more about all the benefits of recording more tonal data, the challenge is, it will quickly grow into a full separate article. (See this article I wrote)
Figure 1
Traditionally I prefer to use Aperture Priority Mode. That said, our photo walk in Rapperswil took about 2 hours. Based on the conditions I knew it was safe to manually select ISO200. Next, I will select my "starting" aperture. For this kind of city scenes, I used f5,6. From here on I will carefully select my focus points, always check the histogram, up the exposure compensation if needed, and then take the image. This is a quick process that will literally take seconds. As you learn more about the 2-step Exposure Technique discussed in this article, the question is, is there any benefit changing to Manual or Shutter Priority Mode?
Olympus Pen F with 12-50mm f5.0, ISO200, 1/500 - Raw file edited in PS (only basic settings)
The above image was taken using my Gossen exposure readout. See the histogram. The Gossen exposure reading was the equivalent of the camera reading plus 0,3EV. The dynamic range the camera will "see" is influenced by the percentage of clouds in the frame. For example, pointing the camera up a little will increase the percentage clouds in the frame and vice versa. When the camera exposure reading is weighted more towards the clouds, the street level shadows and noise will increase.
Not that shadows generates more noise, what happens is less exposure (image signal) results in a smaller SNR, a drop in tonal data, and more noise. Interestingly, my Gossen was less impacted by how much clouds were in the "frame" and capable of measuring the overall exposure more accurately.
This is the same image edited in Luminar 4 - As you can see the camera handled the DR well
The above image is an edited version of the RAW file. While editing the RAW file in Photoshop, I knew the RAW file had maximum tonal data, enabling me to push the RAW file a little harder.
I increased the exposure by applying the aperture "gain" principle with the image below. As the exposure increased, I monitoring the histogram shifting to the right plus how the image brightness increased at the tree and street level. The final exposure compensation I selected was +1(EV).
When you move the histogram to the right, the darker areas also benefit from recording more tonal data. An increase in tonal data does not only happen in the highlights. If you think about it, this is one of the reasons why it's so interesting to work with HDR. I also used the camera over/underexpose warning system to check for any clipping. The sky had a few warnings (red spots), which was OK.
I am rarely aiming for no clipping. In this example, the clouds did clip a little in some of the white areas. I was OK with that. I will do the same when I have dark shadows. When having no choice, I found it's better to clip select dark shadows to black and prevent having non-critical dark "details" with noise. This is a simple technique Panasonic has been applying to video recording. Below you see the jpeg, directly from the camera.
This is what the jpeg looks like when applying an ETTR of +1EV
The image below is the edited RAW version of the above jpeg image. I knew the RAW image had maximum tonal data which was reassuring when editing the RAW file.
For those preferring their jpeg files ready out the camera, read the following. The secret is to treat the RAW and the jpeg files differently. The RAW file can be pushed to record maximum tonal data and the jpeg readjusted to mimic the scene. To get a better jpeg result, you might have to tap down the ETTR to +0,3 or +0,5EV. Keep in mind, using a smaller ETTR will give a smaller SNR, and risking more shadow noise. Tip:- Check out the exposure shift function on Olympus.
The next settings will help you "prepare" a jpeg profile for your camera. Use mid-tones (camera curves) to pull back the ETTR compensation (effect). Set your Picture Mode to i-Enhance (not the Mode Dial, leave that on Aperture Priority). You could also add a "safe" contrast using an S-Curve. (Highlights +1 and shadows -1 or -2) The key is to experiment. One will obviously NOT get the same results in the camera as in Photoshop.
Olympus Pen F with 12-50mm f5.7, ISO200, 1/250 (+1EV) - Raw file edited in PS and Luminar 4
Final thoughts on pushing the image sensor and the 2-Step Exposure Technique
If you want to learn more about the basics of ETTR or what "flooding" the sensor is, see this article. When you study the 2-Step Exposure Technique, the first step setting up your camera exposure is to select the right depth-of-field (DOF) and shutter speed in terms of aperture and movement. The second step is to optimize the exposure you selected in step 1. When you completed step 1, you will see the settings below, displayed on your camera:
ISO200(Manual setting - see intro text))
Shutter speed of 1/400(Aperture-Mode - shutter speed selected by the camera)
An aperture of f5,6(Selected by the photographer in Aperture Mode)
With this example, the Gossen showed +0,5EV "ETTR" for max SNR
My histogram confirmed that it is safe to shift the histogram with +0,5EV
Finally, I use the under/overexposure warning function on the camera
In the second step, you will focus on the actual image signal reaching the image sensor. The aim is to expose the sensor optimally using techniques like ETTR. Which one of the above settings will you adjust if you do not want to impact the DOF and shutter speed you selected in the first step? As you know, I manually set the ISO to 200. We also know that ISO does not control the amount of image signal reaching the sensor. The next 2 options are to increase the shutter speed or the aperture.
Something we haven't discussed much is to
think of aperture as gain.
When you adjust the aperture as "gain", you specifically targeting exposure and not DOF. When you increase the aperture with 1 stop, you basically doubling the exposure on the sensor. This is seriously exposing (flooding) the sensor. The question is, how will this affect the DOF you selected in step 1.Something not talked about much is the flexibility M43 cameras enjoy in terms of DOF.
When your "starting" aperture (DOF) has been set for city scenes, it's safe to
slightly increase the aperture "gain" to expose the sensor more.
An interesting analogy of the camera DOF is the motorcar steering. The "full-frame" steering is direct while the "M43" steering is indirect. We know this M43 flexibility varies from application to application, think of macro or insect photography. Always experiment and compare your own unique photography style first.
M43 photographers tend to select higher aperture values than necessary. Instead of selecting f5.6 for a landscape, they will select f7.1 or higher. The difference between f5,6 and f7,1 or higher is the "indirect" steering flexibility I am referring too.
Pen F with 12-50mm, ISO200, f5.1, 1/200 and +0.3EV (ETTR)
The same advantage full-frame photographers enjoy on background blur, they lack on DOF. We know Full-frame owners will strongly disagree on forums, while it's nothing new to see serious full-frame photographers use focus stacking on critical DOF applications like with macro or landscape photography.
When you break free from "background blur", you will learn the M43 aperture is one of Micro Four-Thirds cameras' most exciting strengths. The key to unlocking this benefit is to re-think how you work with aperture when using crop sensor cameras. The depth of field you will have at f4,5 is enough for most landscapes, the key is to select the right focusing point. See this article.
This means it was safe to open the aperture with a half-stop in my first image of Rapperswil. This brightened the image plus added 50% more image signal (exposure) onto the sensor without affecting my original DOF (acceptable sharpness).
Take a moment and think about this, for years full-frame marketers successfully distracted photographers by focussing on equivalence and background blur. In the process, they effectively distracted crop sensor Photographers from exploring this exciting DOF versus "gain" technique.
If you really want to see the full impact of using gain to impact sensor performance, apply this technique on small sensor cameras like the Olympus Stylus 1.
The takeaway is to think of aperture not only as DOF but as both DOF and gain. When you expose to the right (ETTR) use aperture (gain), especially in poor light conditions when you already using slower shutter speeds or higher ISO settings. You need as little as half a stop to "flood" the sensor. A full stop gain will seriously flood the sensor. A better-exposed sensor results in a higher SNR, more tonal data, and less noise. This explains why it's so important to also think in terms of gain.
When you practice this simple 2-step exposure technique, it will quickly become second nature. Once you master this concept of working the M43 aperture setting as gain plus DOF, your photography and especially low light photography will improve.
It is a good idea to start practicing with older 12 or 16MP MFT or compact cameras. The benefits are more visible with older image sensors plus it will help you to master the DOF versus gain principle.
Will the latest and greatest 20MP cameras also benefit from this technique? Absolutely, the only difference is the visible benefits will be less obvious. On some more recent OMD's, like the EM1 III, the camera auto-exposure appears to automatically measure for maximum SNR.
The possible expiry date
Yes, it is correct, the 2-step exposure technique does have an expiry date. The reason is simple, as more M43 photographers learn how to select the right aperture, the window for flooding the sensor will disappear. That means if you currently use f8 for your landscape images, you have a large window for using this gain benefit technique. If you typically using f4,5 with your landscape images, you have no gain window available. That said you could always decide to create this "gain" window for yourself by selecting f6,3 in step 1 of the 2-Step Exposure Technique. The advantage with crop sensor cameras is they have this unique "build-in" DOF flexibility and this has no expiry date.
I posted a brief summary of the new 2-Step Exposure Technique over at the Mu-43 forum trusting that M43 photographers will appreciate any new information that will help them improve their M43 image quality. I am a little surprised by the aggressive response. You will find it here. It makes you wonder who is really interested in helping other M43 photographers get great results.
Pen F with 12-50mm, ISO200, f5.0, 1/350 and +0.3EV (ETTR)
Much is said and written about ETTR (Exposing to the Right). Enough to believe most photographers see the value of using ETTR. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The challenge is YouTube talking heads and forum experts continuously promote wild statements, resulting in a powerful technique being lost in a cloud of confusion. See this article for more about modern marketing.
We are looking at an example of using ETTR in this article. If you like to see more information, go to this article. Also, see this article discussing the 2-Step Exposure Technique.
Olympus EM1 II with Leica 25mm f1.4 lens - ISO6400 f7.1 1/13Sec w ETTR - Raw file converted in WorkSpace and edited in Photoshop
Think of ETTR as a process of determining the best possible exposure. We know fast shutter speeds are used for sports photography and large apertures for isolating subjects. Sports photographers prefer good light and/or higher ISOs. We also know an underexposed sensor means more image noise.
The key to top image quality is a Saturated Sensor and
ETTR is one of many exposure techniques.
What is Exposing to the Right (ETTR)?
ETTR is a basic process of adjusting the shutter speed and aperture to ensure more reflected light on the image sensor. The key is the sensor. The ISO setting does not control the reflected light reaching the sensor. We know camera sensors perform best when fully exposed. See this article for an illustration showing the different terminologies like luminance and reflected light.
What is the role of the ISO function?
The ISO function is another variable in the exposure formula used in the camera. It's important to remember the ISO setting does not control the reflected light reaching the image sensor. Use Auto ISO for general use and Manual ISO for critical applications. Use a fixed ISO for challenging applications and the shutter speed and aperture to control the reflected light to the sensor.
For example, select an appropriate ISO for use with the ambient light in buildings and adjust the shutter speed and aperture to find the correct exposure settings for the sensor. Study this article for more information about the ISO function, shutter speed, and aperture.
The most important technique for improving image quality is to know the ISO. Avoid the auto ISO setting and learn how to manually set the ISO.
What are the benefits of ETTR?
When you clear away the talk about photons, pixels, and sensor size, then one fact remains. The average consumer camera is designed to record more tonal data in the highlights. That means the camera captures 2x more tonal data for each +1EV of ETTR. The image signal SNR improves with a more saturated image sensor. Image noise increases with an underexposed sensor.
How does one apply ETTR?
ETTR is not meant for every situation. For example, I often use an Exposure Shift of +0.3EV to increase my average exposure. I prefer Aperture Mode and a fixed ISO of 64 or 100 during the day. I will up my exposure settings with another stop in the late afternoon or blue-hour photography.
Assume you have a critical shot and like to have top image quality. The first step is to manually select the ISO. Use the histogram and increase your exposure with the Aperture and shutter Speed.
Tip:-Keep the ISO fixed
Olympus EM1 II screen
Olympus cameras use an Exposure Headroom of up to 1EV. This is why the histogram is less than optimally exposed in Auto Mode. The exposure meter is linked to the exposure headroom. ETTR helps us to manually bridge this exposure headroom. It is critical to practice with your exposure settings. For example, one can increase the exposure by up to 2EV in a blue sky behind the subject. In other situations, it's only possible to safely increase the exposure with 0.5EV. The camera's exposure meter will show an overexposure with ETTR, and the histogram will simply move to the right.
Study the image below. I upped the exposure with 1EV. There was enough dynamic range headroom available to increase the exposure. This is how much the camera meter underexposed the sensor.
Olympus EM1 II screen
General comments
Photographers are told ETTR is only applicable to the camera's base ISO. This is incorrect because the sensor is designed to capture more tonal data in the highlights, irrespective of the ISO value. Promoters will say the dynamic range decreases at higher ISO values. The solution is to use your histogram, the exposure meter, and other visual features to prevent unwanted clipping.
Tip:- The ISO effectively adjusts image brightness and not exposure.
In terms of exposure, the following is critical:-
Only the Shutter and Aperture determine the reflected light reaching the sensor
The ISO function only amplifies the image signal coming from the image sensor
The samples and the info below were taken from the first image in the article:-
Conclusion
Olympus cameras generally underexpose the sensor. This is the main reason for the loss of image details and more shadow noise at higher ISOs. Knowing Olympus cameras, we know it's OK to overexpose the sensor with up to 1EV. The key is to monitor your histogram at higher ISOs and shutter speeds, no matter what ISO you need for that next winning image...
How does ISO invariance impact ETTR? Not much because consumer cameras are designed to capture more image data in the highlights. This will not change shortly.
To optimize your camera exposure, apply this simple method:-
Fix the ISO to the value you need (Go to the SCP and select the ISO)
Confirm the ISO is fixed in M-Mode. The next step is to set the exposure
Select your aperture or shutter speed (A or S mode) and check the exposure meter
Follow the histogram with the exposure meter on 0EV (this is 18% gray exposure)
The camera "auto" mode will generally select a safe or conservative exposure
When you see free space to the right of the histogram, increase the exposure
Check the histogram as the histogram moves to the right. (Do not go too far)
The exposure meter will show you are overexposing by a 1/3, 2/3, or 1EV
It's done when you are satisfied with the histogram and the exposure meter...
You can now safely take your image
Your image will be overexposed. This is easy to correct in the camera or Workspace. The result is an image with less noise and more image data to work with in post-processing.
Sony A7 III with 50mm, f1.8 - ISO25600, f7.1, 1/30sec w ETTR - Raw file edited in PhotoLab 3 using PhotoLab 3 noise reduction
See this helpful video from Ron Trek. Rob has a great YouTube channel with lots of information on Olympus cameras. In this video, Rob discusses the Olympus exposure meter, the histogram, and what features we have with Olympus cameras.
In this short article, we will study the image look at different focus points, focal lengths, and apertures. How does the focus point influence the look of the image and what happens if we change the aperture, focus point, or the size of the sensor?
For example, if you are looking for a new lens and the salesman mentions Depth Of Field or Hyperfocal Length, are you OK with these terms? In this short article, we will also look at how to select a new lens and why it's a good idea to select a lens for the right application.
Let's look at a definition for Depth-Of-Field (DOF) so that we are all on the same page. See the definition from Wikipedia below:
For most cameras, depth of field (DOF) is the distance
between the nearest and the farthest objects that
are acceptably sharp in an image.
Why would photographers want background blur or a nice bokeh? Why would they isolate subjects from the background? What is the so-called cinematic look? How does videography impact the use of depth of field or what do videographers want from the various focusing techniques?
Over the past 10 years, we saw how photographers progressively gave away more control to the camera. Automated functions became increasingly more dominant each year and in the process, photographers even started to question proven photography principles.
Mirrorless cameras now apply built-in lens corrections and mobiles phones made it possible for anyone to now isolate subjects with a simple App. Do we still need to consider old-school photography techniques or should we only rely on the digital camera?
Canon 650D with 15-85mm - f9, 1/125, ISO200 (Used Kodak Porta film simulation with DXO FilmPack 5)
Let's ignore AI for a moment, mobile phones, and things like sensor size, dynamic range, and Auto Focus (Contrast/Phase Detect). Step back 50 years and let's look at photographers from that era. I bet, they will challenge us with questions like:-
What criteria will you use when you select and purchase your next lens?
Hyperfocal distance, Depth of Field, acceptable sharpness, circles of confusion
Focus twice the distance to the nearest subject or focus one third into the scene
Lens design, number of lens elements, lens groups, and how it impacts the lens?
Testing your lenses, how to determine your lens sweet spot and diffraction point?
Video recording introduced new rules with new lens variables, or are they new?
Start using full Manual Exposure or continue using Auto Mode in A or S-Mode.
Did you ask yourself, why does the Olympus wide-angle 12mm lens have f2?
What about the backlighting or from the side, how does it impact your image
How about the right lens, focal length, and using infinity FL on your lens
Those, not 100% familiar with Depth of Field (DOF), HyperFocal distance, or Circles of Confusion, or the infinity method, please have a quick look at the articles below:
Link 1:- A great article about sharpness, lens sweet spot, and the App we will discuss... Link 2:- A great article about focusing techniques, all you need to know about focus... Link 3:- A quick and simple technique to determine Hyper Focal Distance... great article Link 4:- An article discussing how to use Hyperfocal distance for landscape photography Link 5:- The App (OptimumCS-Pro) we will be discussing in this article... pls study Link 6:- One final idea and a great practical example using the CS Pro App... a great read
Link 7:- Great presentation on infinity focusing techniques at Photography on Line...
Olympus EM1 with 60mm f2.8 Macro Lens - f7.1, 1/125, ISO100 - (Fuji Velvia film simulation with DXO FilmPack 5)
Here is a short summary of the key points in the above articles:
Top lens sharpness (sweet spot) is typically +2 stops above the widest aperture
Lens sharpness is determined by the aperture de-focus blur or its diffraction blur
A long focal length offers a better illusion compression than a wide-angle lens
Wide-angle lenses are more effective when used with large depth-of-field applications
Large sensors need a smaller aperture for the equivalent DOF as smaller sensors
Different focusing features and techniques with MF and AF:
Use full Auto Mode, AF (SAF or CAF) when doing street or landscape photography
Selecting the focus point at double the distance from the closest "sharp" subject
Thirds focussing rule, for max DOF, select a point one third into the scene and focus
Using the camera preview button, available on most OMD cameras - see Link 3
Manual Focus - various MF assist features like Pre-MF, magnify, and peaking
Selecting the right lens and infinity focusing technique to ensure an infinite DOF
The OptimumCS-Pro and Simple DoF Applications
A quick look at the OptimumCS-Pro App. I trust you studied the information in the above articles and are familiar with the CS Pro App. Did you install the above Apps on your mobile phone?
When we photograph at a too wide aperture, we could lose image resolution because of defocusing (the blurring of objects in the front and back of the focus point); and vice versa with a too narrow aperture, we could lose sharpness due to diffraction. So we always need to think about the optimum aperture setting and focusing distance. The CS-Pro application can help us with that.
How does this app work? The app looks at sensor size, focal length, distance from the closest point to the furthest point that needs to be in focus. It then calculates the aperture and the focus point at double the distance from the closest focus point.
The Simple DoF App is free and easy to use. It calculates the hyper-focal distance for each lens, focal length, distance, and aperture. For those new to the App, it's important to practice first, before using it on critical projects. Having had the app on my phone for several months, I do use it from time to time but I found it's more valuable for learning purposes than my day-to-day photography.
Let's try the App and see what we learn about the Olympus 17mm f1,8 and the 12mm f2,0 fixed focal length lenses. Which apertures and what focus distance will work best to achieve an acceptable depth of field? I noticed that the lens data you will use with the App is those displayed on the lens and not the full-frame equivalent.
There are basically 4 ways to select a focus point:
Using full Auto (A-Mode) and focussing on the far distance using f5,6 to f8.0
Use mobile phone apps like simple DOF and CS Pro app, to calculate camera settings
Select the closest focus point in the scene and set the focus point at double that distance
Select an appropriate aperture and then use the rule of 3rds to determine the focus point
Pen F w Lumix 14-140mm - ISO200, f5,6 1/200
1. Using full auto A-Mode, AF, and f5,6 to f8
To use this method it is important to have a good understanding of what lens to select for every scene or photo application. The ideal is you tried and tested all your lenses, you know the best aperture (sweet spot) for each lens and you experimented with selecting different apertures for street, landscape, product, and portrait applications. When you apply these rules you will find they become second nature. Let's have a quick look at the following lenses:
Olympus 17mm f1,8
For example, we know when doing street photography in crowded areas, the camera will select an AF point reasonably close to the camera. Let's see if that will support a preferred DOF from 1,5m to 30m. Using the Simple DOF and the OptimumCS-Pro applications, we see when selecting an aperture from f6,3 to f7,1 and a focal distance starting from 2,7m to 4m, the DOF will be from 2m to infinity.
Testing the 17mm f1,8 you will find its sharpest aperture is between f4 and f7,1. With a little practice, you will see that you can safely dial in an aperture of f7,1 for both street and landscape photography. For portraits, you will typically work with apertures ranging from f1,8 to f4.
Olympus 17mm f1,8 best DOF settings
Olympus 12mm f2,0
Peter Forsgård proposed using a wide-angle lens with apertures f5,6 to f8 for one month. Using the above applications, we see the advantage of WA lenses is the closer in-focus distance to the camera, and the wide-angle lens DOF characteristics tend to benefit a wider range of photography applications.
Studying the above examples we see the 17mm f1,8 hyper-focal distance was 1,4m. The CS-Pro App proposed a focal length of 4m. This is important when you need the foreground sharp. The general habit of focussing on a far distant point is therefore not ideal.
Repeating the above exercise with lenses like the Olympus 12mm, 17mm, and 25mm, you will find they are all great for street or landscape photography. The 45mm, 60mm, and 75mm lenses lean more towards portrait or product photography. Applying the same process you will see the 9-18mm f4 or the 12-50mm kit lenses are great for a wide range of applications.
To set up the camera so you can safely focus at any point, then lift your camera, reframe the image and take the shot, see this article. Look for - "Customizing the camera AEL and AFL"
2. Hyperfocal Distance Method
(Using only the Simple DOF App)
Looking at a hyperfocal distance I wanted to see the results when using the settings suggested by the App. I also selected to use a fixed MF distance. See the calculated results from the app below. See if you get the same results I did.
Olympus MFT lens 12mm f2,0
- Using f7,1 everything from 1.2m to infinity will be in focus - Set the camera FL to 2m (MF or SAF) - Hyperfocal distance is 1.4m
Olympus MFT lens 17mm f1,8
- Using f8 everything from 1.7m to infinity will be in focus - Set the camera FL to 3m (MF or SAF) - Hyperfocal distance is 2.4m
Sony A7 III lens 34mm f2,8
- Using f8 everything from 2.5m to infinity will be in focus - Set the camera FL to 5m (MF or AFS) - Hyperfocal distance is 4.9m
Pen F w Lumix 14-140mm - ISO200 f5,6 1/400
3. Using the OptimumCS-Pro App
With this example, I again selected MF to test what the results will look like when using the settings suggested by the CS-Pro app. See the results below. Again see if you get the same results I did.
Olympus MFT lens 12mm f2,0
- Using f7,1 everything from 1m to infinity will be in focus - Set Focal Length to 2m (MF or SAF)
Olympus MFT lens 17mm f1,8
- Using f7,1 everything from 2m to infinity will be in focus - Set Focal Length to 4m (MF or SAF)
Sony A7 III lens 34mm f2,8
- Using f13 everything from 2.5m to infinity will be in focus - Set Focal Length to 5m (MF or SAF)
What's really interesting about using this method was finding the right focus point. I ended up using another app on my phone that only measures distance. When the app recommended a focus point of 2 meters, I used the other app to measure that distance so I could mark a focus point. I would then manually focus on that point.
Another interesting thing I noticed was the camera reacts differently in Manual Mode and Auto Exposure. The camera seems to "automatically" optimize the DOF when in Auto Mode. When in Manual Mode this was not the case. This happened with both the A7 III and the EM1 II.
4. Using the thirds and doubling subject distance, focussing methods
Considering what we learned, I see this final method as a practical example as it summarizes what experienced photographers have been doing for years.
Setting up a home studio
Let's look at how to set up a home studio for a new YouTube channel. We will look at the lens and the position of the camera in relation to the target. What focusing method will you use?
We often see camera reviewers walking around in a video to test and demonstrate the camera's CAF abilities. Do we really need this kind of CAF capability when setting up a simple home studio? Let's assume your home study consist of a desk, a chair, and something like a green backdrop. Considering what we discussed, we can now calculate the preferred aperture and focusing distances. This enables us to use older cameras like the Panasonic GH4, the EM10 II with MF, and save money.
You can select any focal length ranging from 12mm to 25mm. I used the 17mm f1,8 and the Olympus 25mm f1,8 for this example.
Olympus 17mm f1,8 is camera A
Olympus 25mm f1,8 is camera B and C (One could also a 45mm f1,8 for C)
I like to have a DOF from the center of the table to +2m behind the chair. See the CS Pro results below.
With a single camera set-up, you will select either camera A fitted with the 17mm lens or camera B with the 25mm lens. The key is the lens FOV (Field of View). If you prefer an upper body with a face view, the 25mm will work well, and if you prefer to have part of the desk included you will select the 17mm. This example is not an exact design, you still need to calculate the details. Camera C is meant for product views, that is if you like to have detailed product views in your presentation video.
Selecting an aperture and focus point for landscape images
One can use any application to calculate the best focal distance for a landscape. As said, it is key you practice with your camera. The practical experience provides a good feel for what works best for you. My personal lens preference for landscape photography is 9mm to 25mm. I test each of my lenses and then record the results in my aperture "sweet spot" notes book. My preferred landscape apertures range from f5,6 to f7,1, and in some cases, I will go up to f8.
The key is not to focus on the far distance but to select the "best" focus point. I prefer to use the rule of thirds to determine my focus point. I will then use SAF in Mode 2. This is similar to the back focus technique and enables me to select a focus point, move the camera, reframe, and take the image. See this article for more on this focussing technique.
The thirds method works on the principle that the distance from your camera to the focal point should be a thirds distance into the scene. That means everything twice that distance behind the focal point will be in focus. The closest in-focus point will depend on the lens aperture and the lens FL. This is the reason we prefer to focus on the first thirds when doing landscape photography. Again, you need to practice this method and experiment until you are comfortable with the results and your camera.
One more focusing method - Focus Stacking
In more serious cases photographers prefer to use focus stacking. Some Olympus cameras do this all automatically inside the camera. Others will take the stacked images and as explained in this video, create the final image in Photoshop. When watching the video, think of where you will select the different focal points for each stacked image. In other words, break each stacked scene up into thirds and select the focal point on the first third. (What camera did the presenter use, a crop sensor, or a FF camera?)
My final thoughts
Preparing for this article I spend a lot of time and I took many images while testing the two Apps. I was trying different focussing techniques like MF, SAF, and CAF. I was looking at what works best, a single AF point, 9 group AF points, and more. Each time I came back to the single AF point placed in the center of the camera screen. I also preferred MF or SAF depending on the situation.
I often used my EM1 II together with my A7 III. Interestingly, the A7 III images are more detailed than the EM1 II and one would expect that (24MP versus 20MP). That said, the closer I get to my camera/lens combination "perfect" settings, the smaller these differences are. Practicing with your camera and finding those sweet spots and best settings will result in significant image quality improvements.
The worst thing you can do is buy a lens, have no sweet spot or preferred aperture strategy, focus in the far distance, and expect great results...
