Setting Up the OM-D EM-1

The EM-1 has more option than you can shake a stick at. As I was getting to know the camera, I noticed how easy it would to duplicate functions let alone making it complicated to reset everything when needed. And there are unintended consequences when making many customizations - changing one function may not allow something else to work as designed.

Products that can be configured to user preferences are nice, but they are a double edged sword.

∙If someone else uses your product or you need assistance with figuring out a situation, can they figure out your set-up without hindrance.

∙If you make many customizations, can you remember what is assigned to do your customized functions.

∙If you have to do a reset (which happens all too often with software/computers), how easily can you make all of the customized changes so you can get back to operate the product as you desired, or can you adjust to the default settings if needed?

For these reasons - I'm more inclined to learn how the designers originally set-up the product and use the product this way, while only making minimal changes.

Any or all of these changes are all subjective to the individual user, so any discussion about right, wrong, my way or the highway, or my way is better than yours really doesn't apply. I'm not only showing you some the change I've made but why I chose to implement some of the way I did.

The DP Review's "USER Guide: Getting the most out of the Olympus EM-5" is mostly applicable to the EM-1 as well, so it is very good place to start. My write-up here is complimentary and doesn't replace what they've done. I have reiterated the Super Control Panel as I still often use it. A couple of caveats about their user guide, the buttons and dials are a little different on the EM-1 (and covered pretty much here), the Faster Viewfinder is not applicable to the EM-1.

Super Control Panel (SCP)

A great thing about Olympus digital cameras is the Super Control Panel (SCP) - from this panel menu you can quickly see current settings and in a few clicks you change many settings which is far better than scrolling through menus. Settings include : ISO, Flash mode, Flash intensity, sequential shooting, white balance, picture modes, sharpness, contrast, saturation, graduation, B&W filter,