In this post:
Thomas Stirr explains why he uses a single AF point with bird recognition CAF+Tr. It is something that I am currently experimenting with.
Has anyone here tried this and if so what did you think?
I sold my M1X some time ago, but I know you should use Bird detection/recognition/AI together with C-AF, i.e. not with C-AF+Tr.
1 Like
Thank you for taking the time to reply.
Your comments about not using CAF+Tr is advice that I have seen for the OM-1.
On the E-M1X it is not possible to use CAF with the subject recognition system without using tracking.
They are linked together by design.
A quote from the manual:
“The camera can detect and track subjects of specific types when focusing using
[C-AF+TR] or [C-AF+TR MF]. You may find it hard to focus on the driver or cockpit
of a fast-moving subject such as a race car or airplane. This feature detects and
focuses specific elements of such subjects.”
These two functions were split in the OM-1 with the tracking part not getting developed much/ if at all when compared to the E-M1 series.
Thanks again.
Stephen
yep, i second jappie52’s comment. I dont have a EM1x, but i have the OM1 and i change the size of the box depending on what i am shooting. AI bird detect and Caf. thats all. i keep the fps at 15 max, gives the af breathing time and my card stays relatively empty. 
1 Like
Yes bird detect and CAF works on the OM-1 but, unless I am missing something, (and it wouldn’t be the first time) I know of no way on un-linking bird detection from CAF+Tr on the E-M1X.
If either of you can point me in the direction of the settings to do this then I will give it a go.
@jappie52 Correct. And if Thomas Stirr is recommending otherwise then his credibility is in doubt. I no longer have my E-M1X but I found Bird Detection so unreliable I turned it off. Different case with the OM-1 where it works really well for me.
Mike
Hi Mike,
Thanks for joining the conversation.
When you said correct what did you mean?
I meant what jaffie52 said, that if using subject detection, then C-AF works best.
My understanding is that if you use C-AF+TR then subject detection is only used for the first shot and thereafter turned off. Subsequent shots use the TR function which attempts to follow shape and colour, which is much less accurate than seeking out a bird’s eye.
If the E-M1X truly can’t do Subject Detection with plain C-AF, that might explain why I found it didn’t work well.
Mike
Mike,
Thanks for getting back to me.
I think what you say about tracking taking over the subject detection may be correct for the OM-1. But as far as I can find out bird recognition on the E-M1X only works if CAF+Tr is selected.
I too had little success with tracking on the E-M1X but was using all points. The Thomas Stirr post on his website shows that he is having success using a single (the larger of the two available) point. It is that I am trying out and my initial question was to see if anyone else had tried it and if so, how they had found it.
P.S. Glad to see you are still around.
I am looking forward to seeing how you get on with the 90mm macro when the bugs arrive.
@Stephen I can’t comment on using the small AF point on the E-M1X. I just gave up with Bird Detection along with many others. The motorsport option worked though.
Yep, short of bugs at the moment. After the rain we’ve had today they’ve probably all been washed away.
BFN Off to pub.
Mike
“I think what you say about tracking taking over the subject detection may be correct for the OM-1.”
This is what Thomas Eisel says too, in his video: OM System OM-1 - C-AF+TR - Expert Guide for Autofocus Tracking - YouTube
An interesting video.
Thanks for the link.
Sorry for the wrong advice I gave, it looks like my memory isn’t quite what it used to be. Just did some research and indeed on the M1X the Bird detection only seems to work with C-Af+Tr. Which may be the reason why, like Mikero, I gave up on it and eventually bought the OM-1.
No worries.
I gave up on it too. But the idea of using one focus point as standard was one I had not tried. All the advice from Olympus and the visionaries at the time bird recognition was released was to a use all points and only go to fewer points if multiple birds were in the frame, enabling you to select the one you wanted to focus on. After seeing how much success Thomas Stirr has with a single point I will give it a good go this year. (And try to master it rather than quickly reverting to 5x5 at the first sign of problems!)
All the best.
Stephen