Bird Detection AF - How Effective Is It?

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  • Опубликовано: 27 янв 2025

Комментарии • 53

  • @robinwong
    @robinwong  Год назад +51

    This is a one time thing. I don't do bird, and after this session I still don't enjoy the shots I took. Since everyone is raving about how good the bird detection is, I wanted to test it.
    God help me for how many "how about bird in flights" in the comments I will receive. You won't see any birds flying in this channel.
    When I said I wanted to do some content on OM-1, I meant it, and I always kept my promise. There will be more coming.
    That also means, I will report both the good and the bad, as I must always be honest to maintain my credibility as a photographer and reviewer.
    Yet, when I just mentioned about a valid issue I faced, people sent nuclear bombs at me. How is this fair?
    I realized, people just want to hear what they want to hear.
    Just because I reported some AF issues with the OM-1, some people had the audacity to say "you should just sell the OM-1" or give it away or that I have become bitter. And some people said I did not deserve the OM-1 that was given to me, and I was being ungrateful. How was being honest equal to being ungrateful? That makes zero sense to me.
    Needless to say, I have blocked some of these nasty people and I don't have to deal with such unpleasant people.
    Like seriously!
    Is there no room for non-hostile, civilized, and productive conversation? People seem to just be interested in throwing insults. All these years of sharing tips and tricks and I would like to think that I am one of the largest, if not the largest supporter for Micro Four Thirds system, all that went down to drain because people think "I don't know how to use the camera".
    I am done being nice. If you don't like what I do here, please leave.
    I will continue to be true to myself, I want to protect my integrity, and I will be as honest as I can when I evaluate whatever gear that I have in my hands.
    If you just want people to validate your expensive purchase, or tell you your gear is the best, this is not the channel for you.
    I am passionate about photography, and I won't let such pettiness affect me.

  • @mimstyle
    @mimstyle Год назад +17

    If you have multiple birds and you want to choose one, move the focus point where the bird you want 👍
    You can't imagine how fast even with very very fast small birds, the autofocus of om1 is!

  • @TheNarrowbandChannel
    @TheNarrowbandChannel Год назад +1

    Bird AF does feel like magic. Good thumbnail for it.

  • @arianvangend2536
    @arianvangend2536 Год назад +7

    With a smaller focus point it will allow you to choose the bird to focus on. You only need to get near the bird you want in focus and it will make the box around it white instead of grey.
    I think the reason they did it this way is that if the autodetect fails you still have the focus point right there to correct it the old fashioned way. It takes a little getting used to but once you do it is way faster and much more accurate the exact placing the focus point yourself. It really works very well!

    • @robinwong
      @robinwong  Год назад

      If I choose a small focus point, I might as well just move the focusing point to where I want to focus and grab the shot. The idea of smart AF AI detection is to not have to tinker with AF points, the camera should just detect it and work. To choose which birds, why can't I use the dial to select quickly? That would have been so much easier.

    • @arianvangend2536
      @arianvangend2536 Год назад +2

      @@robinwong I think Canon's system works the way you describe. It's certainly an option. But what do you do when it fails in difficult cases? It works really well but it isn't foolproof. In those cases you have to turn it off and fall back to regular focus points. This takes time. The way it works on the om-1 you don't lose that time because the focus point is already there. I like the way that works.
      Having said that giving both options in the menu might be a good way to go for this. Since this is only the first iteration of the autodetect for OM (it is a complete overhaul from the em1x under the hood) this can certainly be tweaked further.

  • @stevenmeisel4288
    @stevenmeisel4288 Год назад +15

    Thanks, Robin. I do a lot of bird photography and must admit that the OM-1 has been a major game-changer for me since I upgraded from the EM5iii last year. The tracking on the EM5iii was so poor that capturing birds in flight was almost impossible and I gave up trying; now I can capture amazing images just by pointing and shooting.
    I use the custom settings for bird detection. Custom-1 is for a single shot for a stationary bird; Custom-2 is a continuous mode (50 frames/second) for birds in flight; I have Custom-3 set for Pro-Capture (50 frames/second) when I am anticipating a bird taking off from a perch. Switching between them is very simple and I do not need to take my eye off the viewfinder. Just yesterday I was attempting to capture a perched bird when I heard some sandhill cranes in the sky. I immediately pointed the camera upwards while flipping from Custom-1 to Custom-2 and was able to capture some amazing shots of the cranes in almost a point-and-shoot method.
    Occasionally while I am in the field shooting birds a different animal or sometimes an insect such as a dragonfly suddenly appears. I have found that the bird-subject detection system will actually focus on these subjects without the need to change settings. This pleasant surprise allows me some flexibility when there is no time to change settings, although switching to M/A/S mode is also an easy option.
    As good as the bird-subject detection is, it does struggle when there is a busy background such as lots of brush. This is especially true when the bird is of a similar color as the background. While I have no experience with Sony or Canon or Nikon, I understand those systems also can have problems finding the subject under these conditions.
    Your park looks amazing and the ability to use a relatively short lens is remarkable. I use the 300mm f4 pro exclusively for bird; when in the field I often add the 1.4x teleconverter because it is really difficult to get close enough to the subject; even if the terrain allows that, the bird will typically get skittish and take off before I can get into range. So even an effective focal range of 840 mm is often insufficient. I'd love the flexibility of a zoom but the only reasonable option is the extremely expensive 150-400 pro lens; the 100-400 lens is simply not sharp enough when compared with the pro lenses and its IS bizarrely does not sync with that of the body.

  • @BerndMeyer56
    @BerndMeyer56 Год назад +9

    Hi Robin, great video again, thank you. As far as the problem with multiple birds is concerned, I think you need to use a smaller target area or even a single target point. The camera will then detect the bird within this target area or at the single target point.

    • @robinwong
      @robinwong  Год назад +2

      If that is the case, I don't see the point. I'd rather just move the focusing point like how I normally do and grab the shot immediately, why bother with AI? The idea of the subject detection is I don't have to work so hard, the camera should find the birds. All I am asking is quick switch between the birds in frame, using the dial to quickly toggle between birds. I don't think that is too difficult to implement.

    • @BerndMeyer56
      @BerndMeyer56 Год назад +2

      @@robinwong I understand what you mean, but it is not implemented that way. I just wanted to present a possible way using the currently implemented feature.

  • @opelastratom
    @opelastratom Год назад

    Hello Robin.
    you just have to continue reviewing cameras as always.
    Your experiences with the OM-1 are exactly the same for me. slower less accurate AF S .
    C off + tracking not usable. And selecting from several birds 1 where it focuses is impossible.
    Olympus still has a lot to improve on.
    I tried out the first Sony a9 with the 200-600mm. you only have to set the C af + tracking on that camera. and everything is sharp.
    Let something else fly by in front of your subject. It stays sharp.
    I actually traded in the sony combination because of Mark Lane's review. He tested the OM-1 and the Sony Alpha 1 and ultimately opted for the Olympus.
    So I have now switched to Olympus. And hope that they can improve a lot with updates.
    And otherwise maybe Sony or Nikon

  • @rossstellino2104
    @rossstellino2104 Год назад

    Thank you, I really enjoyed this session Robin,I have just purchased om mark 3 ,I will give it my best go.❤luv your work.

  • @RTFM70
    @RTFM70 Год назад

    Thanks Robin.

  • @keithspillett5298
    @keithspillett5298 Год назад

    What a beautiful park that place is!

  • @dougbcoulson8138
    @dougbcoulson8138 Год назад

    Robin, I’ve had good luck with my OM1 bird detection focusing on birds in bushes, crisscrossed with bare branches in the foreground and background. Thanks for the great video. Cheers, Doug

  • @1957PLATO
    @1957PLATO Год назад

    Great video, Robin. Thanks.

  • @gocekuzman.4037
    @gocekuzman.4037 Год назад +1

    The fact that you used the 40-150 F4-5.6 and still came out with amazing results just adds to your portfolio. Using the older and cheaper lenses with newer gear does highlight the body's abilities, but it also shows that you don't need the latest and greatest to make beautiful photos.
    I know you're not a bird guy, neither am I, but I love to photograph motorsports, airplanes, and my dog. I'm not in the market for an OM-1, I'm still very happy with my EM5.3. Would you consider trying the subject detection for motor vehicles in the city during one of your photo walks to highlight the feature for things that aren't birds in motion? I don't know your proximity to an airport or train lines, but those subjects might be out of the way and not interesting for you to capture. Maybe compare shots in motion with a standard lens vs a PRO lens.
    As always, love the videos and really enjoyed the music. 🤟Thank you for all you do!

  • @luciamorais-wc6bd
    @luciamorais-wc6bd Год назад +1

    Hi Robin, there is a video on OM system dated Feb/Mar this year that explains how to focus two birds at the same time.

    • @robinwong
      @robinwong  Год назад +1

      It is impossible to focus on two birds at the same time, if the birds are not at the same distance. You have to choose. And the camera does not let you do that quickly.

    • @luciamorais-wc6bd
      @luciamorais-wc6bd Год назад +1

      @@robinwong if I find it, I’ll let you know. I might be making some confusion thought 🤨

  • @christopherbonis
    @christopherbonis Год назад +1

    Robin, these shots are exquisite. I wish I could visit this marvelous bird park myself. I am also quite fond of the bird subjection detection and find it to be very reliable. However, I cannot say the same when combined with C-AF, where I’ve found AF to be slow and constantly jumping around/losing focus, causing me to miss shots. Am I doing something wrong here? If I were primarily a bird photographer, this would be a deal-breaker for the camera. It’s too unreliable. Does anyone else have issues with AF-C (in bird mode) failing to stick to the subject? It’s very frustrating.

  • @kaminobatto
    @kaminobatto Год назад

    I don't have an OM-1 so I don't know if there is some feature that will allow you to toggle between birds in this AF mode. However, I could clearly see that the camera was detecting and putting white boxes around several birds as it detected them in the same scene, so I'm guessing the functionality has to be there otherwise there is no point of highlighting those other birds. Great review!

  • @HypnoNett
    @HypnoNett Год назад +1

    I am deciding between the OM-1 and OM-5. I really like the bird detection with the OM-1, but the OM-5 is more in my price range

  • @vaclavpotucek9060
    @vaclavpotucek9060 Год назад +4

    Hi Robin, I'm glad to see some OM-1 content here again. And it's great to hear that OM-1's subject detection works well even with the plasticky cheapo 40-150mm F4-5,6 R. This lens is insane. I've bought one new just for fun, when there was some promo, like 50% off. I'm spoiled with my M.Zuiko PRO lenses, so I did not expect much. But it was a really pleasant surprise!

  • @drontng
    @drontng Год назад +2

    Great video! Waiting for similar video with astrophoto tests from Robin with few different lenses on OM1. Robin, please, DO THIS! )))

    • @robinwong
      @robinwong  Год назад

      What is with people asking me to do astrophoto? There are so many sites out there that deals with this topic. We are not lack of options these days!

    • @drontng
      @drontng Год назад +1

      @@robinwong thanks. actually, there are no good comparisons mft lenses for astro. Say pl 9mm 1.7 vs pl 12mm 1.4 vs zuiko 12mm f2 vs laowa. Its not clear what lense is good enough with wide open and allows to get more light before stars become tracks. Also, there is no comparison mft vs full frame with similar lenses. Anyway, in case this is not interesting for you, just skip it. This is only a comment on RUclips afterall :-)

  • @thomasli2561
    @thomasli2561 Год назад

    Dear Robin, your photos are very beautiful. The bird detection AI performance by OM-1 is excellent.

  • @photosbymichelperez8297
    @photosbymichelperez8297 Год назад +1

    Great shots with the plastic fantastic Robin. OM1 bird detection is topnotch and complemented with Pro-capture makes for a wonderful experience

  • @ImageMaven
    @ImageMaven Год назад

    Hi Robin, I really enjoyed this video. Might try out the OM-1. I’m a G9 user. Does this camera and the bird detection feature work with Lumix Leica M4/3 lenses. PS I love how you made the best of your equipment failure situation! 👌

  • @aerialfilm1
    @aerialfilm1 Год назад +1

    I’ve had my om1-1 for about eight weeks and at first I wondered if I should have just stayed with my em1.2. Live ND drove me to upgrade, but I’m delighted to say I’ve discovered the subject detect modes work very well and I’m surprisingly happy. The only thing I’m struggling with is the subject detection boxes sometimes fool me into thinking that’s my entire frame. It looked in your opening you may have done the same.

  • @dayeah765caoni3
    @dayeah765caoni3 Год назад

    Bird park is such a AMAZING idea🎉

  • @tiburon2781
    @tiburon2781 Год назад

    Does my om1 mark iii have this feature? I can't find it..

  • @WhoIsSerafin
    @WhoIsSerafin Год назад

    I saw autofocus and I’m thinking oh boy, is he going to get the om people in a uproar again 😂

  • @stevepersighetti3400
    @stevepersighetti3400 Год назад

    Great video and kudos for shooting one handed at slow shutter speeds. Sorry if I missed it, but were you shooting with all focus points?

  • @JimiCanRead
    @JimiCanRead Год назад +2

    Wow you’re lucky to have that bird park and the butterfly park in Kuala Lumpur!! We don’t have anything like that near where I live. I am usually satisfied with my camera (Panasonic G80) and just want new lenses, but the bird detect stuff makes me want to upgrade. I can’t afford to upgrade tho so I just watch videos about it and dream 😅 I do lots of different types of photography, birds aren’t my main thing, but it is one of the types of photography I have most fun with. In fact, the bird tracking and the idea of the auto stacking for macro photography make me feel like if I got an OM-1 I would get way more into bird and insect photography because those tools would make it so much more accessible. Maybe in 8 years a second hand OM-1 will be in my budget!

  • @Simoneister
    @Simoneister Год назад +1

    Great video Robin! It's wonderful to see how reliably the bird AF works. For my casual bird photography I use an E-M1X which ostensibly has that feature, but I don't find it super reliable. I'd love if OM System made an OM-1X!

    • @JimiCanRead
      @JimiCanRead Год назад

      What is the difference with the EM1X , or what would the differences be with an OM1X? (Sorry I’m a Panasonic user, not familiar with all the Olympus lineup!)

  • @JezdziecBezNicka
    @JezdziecBezNicka Год назад +2

    Before getting the OM-1 i didn't even think I'd ever need the 300/4 pro. Now I can't wait till I gather enough money to buy it :)
    I hope OM will carry over the improvements to subject detection to humans, right now people are the worst recognized animals lol.
    Fun fact: the pet detection works on most four legged mammals.

    • @JezdziecBezNicka
      @JezdziecBezNicka Год назад +3

      Also, a usability tip: using the two front buttons (next to the lens) - one for face detection, one for subject detection - makes adapting to shooting scenarios blazingly fast.

    • @JezdziecBezNicka
      @JezdziecBezNicka Год назад

      @@witssen9954 I'm kinda disappointed with the 40-150 + 2x combo tbh. I think I'm gonna swap it for 1.4.

    • @JimiCanRead
      @JimiCanRead Год назад

      @@JezdziecBezNickais that because the 2x softens the image too much?

    • @JezdziecBezNicka
      @JezdziecBezNicka Год назад +2

      @@JimiCanRead yup. And while zoomed in, the ibis struggles to stabilize.

    • @j16m02
      @j16m02 Год назад +2

      Interesting phenomena. I really only use my OM-1 for birds. I have a Sony 7Rv for everything else. For a switch, I took my OM-1 with the 12-100 F4 to my grandson's T-ball game, just to see how it would perform. I thought it would be a total bust because on face/eye detect mode, it seemed to be all over the place, regardless of how small a focus area I chose. It would select people all over the frame and routinely pick the person standing near my grandson, and I could find no way to force it to change. Very disappointed. But then when I got home and put the images in LR, surprise, surprise, nearly every shot was perfectly in focus. GO figure .All I could figure was that the depth of field was sufficient that didn't mater where it was focused. It doesn't do this when there is only 1 person in the frame. So I was pleasantly surprised . On the other hand, it doesn't inspire a whole lot of confidence either.

  • @bittof
    @bittof Год назад +3

    Hey! Mathieu with mirrorlesscomparison has a guide for how to use the OM-1 for birds, including how to choose which bird the OM-1 focuses on. (In short, AF target areas.)

    • @robinwong
      @robinwong  Год назад +4

      If I were to change the "target area" I might as well just move the focusing point and get the shot the normal way without the AF detection. There should be a way to just quickly switch between all the birds detected in a frame. Simple programming.

    • @richardfink7666
      @richardfink7666 Год назад

      @@robinwong Hello, as far as I know it doesn`t work with any camera! You can save subject detection in "my menue".

    • @BerndMeyer56
      @BerndMeyer56 Год назад

      @@robinwong Yes, but it would not necessarily focus on the bird but other things within the target area and definitely not on the eye of the bird.

    • @robinwong
      @robinwong  Год назад +1

      @@BerndMeyer56 why not put the focusing point on the eye? I did it so many times in the past it never failed me

    • @robinwong
      @robinwong  Год назад

      @@richardfink7666 I think you are very lost here. What we were talking has nothing to do with my menu.

  • @nsevv
    @nsevv Год назад +1

    35 ringgit is cheap compared to Singapore zoo. Btw come Singapore zoo to take pictures.

    • @robinwong
      @robinwong  Год назад +1

      I did not go to the zoo.