Thursday, April 15, 2010

Olympus Promises Faster Auto-Focus via Firmware Update

Auto Focus Performance
This update will improve camera AF performance when shooting both stills and videos with the E-P1, E-P2 and E-PL1 cameras when using any Micro Four Thirds or Four Thirds lens. Auto Focus Lock time when shooting stills is improved by 15%. Auto Focus tracking accuracy when shooting movies is also improved.

Viewfinder/LCD Simultaneous Playback Function
This upgrade also brings additional display functionality to the E-P2 and E-PL1 cameras when fitted with the VF-2 Electronic Viewfinder. Photographers using these combinations can now view menu and recorded images on the LCD while the VF-2 Electronic Viewfinder is in use.

Movie-Still-Compatible (MSC) Lens Compatibility
This update also ensures that like the E-PL1, the E-P1 and E-P2 camera models are fully compatible with and able to take advantage of two recently announced and soon-to-reach market lenses; the M. Zuiko Digital™ ED 9–18mm F4.0–5.6 and M. Zuiko Digital ED 14–150mm F4.0–5.6 lenses. Olympus is designating these two lenses as MSC, or Movie-Still-Compatible. They are optimized for shooting high definition video with accurate and silent autofocus.

The new firmware will be available on April 22, 2010.

3 comments:

  1. I am considering getting an e-p2 but have so far been deterred by the auto-focus complaints. So far, I can't find any comments on whether this firmware update has helped significantly to make Oly's AF compare favorably Panasonic's. Any comments?

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  2. I have upgraded the firmware, but honestly I have not noticed any significant differences in speed - then again my shooting style may be the problem as I tend to only shoot static subjects where auto-focus tends to be less significant.

    Dpreview tested the firmware and found appreciable gains, but I believe if Auto-Focus is a very important factor in your buying decision, the Panasonic bodies are still hard to beat.

    http://www.dpreview.com/news/1004/10042202olypenfirmware.asp

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  3. Thanks D. I was looking for this info and until your post, couldn't find it. If I am reading DPReview's story correctly, the firmware actually would eliminate any advantage that Panasonic has in this matter as long as I stay away from the kit Oly 14-42 zoom.

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