E-M1 Mk II FW 2.0 coming 28th Feb.

[Ross the fiddler]

Finally, we are going to get a major firmware update 2.0.
The privileged in the EU can see this information if their camera is registered with MyOlympus/EU, but thankfully someone has shared it, so here it is.

Release Date: 28/02/2018
Version: 2.0

New Features:
New art filter [Bleach Bypass] has been added.
Possible to use focus stacking photography with “M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO”.
Small targets have been added to AF target mode.
Possible to set a maximum of 35 pre-shutter frames for Pro Capture shooting.
Display has been improved to show that Pro Capture shooting is recording.
“Flicker Scan” has been added so it is possible to reduce flickering by fine adjustment of shutter speed while looking at the live view when using electronic shutter.
Fisheye compensation photography has been added for use of M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 8mm F1.8 Fisheye PRO. You can view the effects in live view while shooting images.
Possible to set zoom ratio during playback. Also, added pixel equivalence display to zoom ratio.
Pro Capture shooting is available for additional lenses.
Display of remaining battery power has been improved.
Response when assigning AF to AEL/AFL button has been improved.
Stability of camera operation when using OLYMPUS Capture has been improved.
Stability of image stabilizer operation when shooting video has been improved

In addition another person added this as well.

Performance of C-AF when shooting still images has been improved.
Color reproduction of photographed images has been improved.
Stability of operation when shooting still images has been improved.
Corrected issue of autofocus (AF) function not operating correctly when using the "LEICA DG ELMARIT 200mm F2.8 / POWER O.I.S. (H-ES200)" interchangeable lens produced by Panasonic.

I'm looking forward to having smaller AF targets similar to the E-M1 (Mk I) as there are circumstances it is really needed. Other improvements will be welcome too, & of course, there just has to be another Art Filter. It's actually the new one introduced to the E-M10 Mk III, "Bleach Bypass" so it had to come to a higher level model as well (only in the latest models though).

So come the 28th, get your cables out with batteries charged & enjoy! For the brave there is always the LightSnow Dev method via SD card (when the FW 2.0 is available).

[John King]

Ross, I'm looking forward to having focus stacking with my 12-100. Small AF points will also be highly useful to me.

[Ross the fiddler]

Ross, I'm looking forward to having focus stacking with my 12-100. Small AF points will also be highly useful to me.

Yes, that was a surprising disappointment when that lens wasn't included initially. I'm just disappointed I couldn't justify buying one on the last sales. I had suffice myself with the 12-40 lens instead.

[John King]

Yes, it was disappointing Ross. Good to see it now.

As for the 12-40, I was never tempted by it. Primarily because I already have the FTs 14-54 MkII, but also because of its short long end. A friend has one, and is very happy with it.

But I quickly succumbed to temptation after handling the 12-100 for about 20 minutes .

[Ross the fiddler]

Yes, it was disappointing Ross. Good to see it now.

As for the 12-40, I was never tempted by it. Primarily because I already have the FTs 14-54 MkII, but also because of its short long end. A friend has one, and is very happy with it.

But I quickly succumbed to temptation after handling the 12-100 for about 20 minutes .

I've had the 14-54 II lens since it came out (when the E-30 was released, which I bought used a year later) & it was only in 2016 that I bought a used 12-60 SWD lens, but that got sticky aperture blades a year later (as did the used 50-200 SWD lens earlier) & now Olympus won't touch it, referring me to a Sydney camera repairer instead. I would have liked the 12-100 f4 lens but to stay married & also because I want the lens for indoors, I went for the 12-40 lens on the Boxing Day specials instead. The 14-54 II lens is good optically, but it is slower to focus & doesn't go as wide as 12mm, which I like. I do have the 12-50 kit lens & while it is OK for outdoor & video & not bad at 12mm, I wanted something suitable for low light at f2.8 over the whole focussing range. I'd love the 300 f4 lens too, but that really would be stretching my marriage friendship.

[John King]

Ah. The secret of my success was pre-approval by the Chief Executive Officer of Domestic Operations (CEOoDO, for short ... ).

[Ross the fiddler]

Ah. The secret of my success was pre-approval by the Chief Executive Officer of Domestic Operations (CEOoDO, for short ... ).

My usual method is to seek forgiveness afterwards. Actually, I usually print off details of the Bonus value & great savings on sales etc & talk excitedly about them & then she has forewarning I'm likely to want to buy it. Sometimes I 'talk excitedly' about items knowing full well I can't afford it (like the 300 f4 lens).