My OM1 settings for landscape and long exposure photography

This is a companion to my settings for birds in flight (which are shown in detail here, and here). This time it’s my settings for landscape and long exposure photography. The OM1 is an extremely sophisticated camera, with 400-500 settings that can be changed, and a multitude of computational features. These can all be saved into 4 custom settings, typically one for each major genre. This enables the OM1 to be fine-tuned for very efficient photography workflows across a whole range of photo genres like BIF, landscape, macro, astro and street.

It’s the combination of advanced computational features and flexibility that makes the OM1 punch well above its weight for long exposure and landscape work. IMHO, it is the equal of bigger but dumber full frame cameras, and I own one of the best, the Nikon Z7. In the eight years since these features were first introduced in the EM1 Mark II, I have developed custom settings that exploit all the power of the system without the need to dive into menus.

The problem for me, and I suspect many other photographers, is that months can go by where I don’t take a landscape photo. Then, when I go out with the camera, I cannot remember how I set up the system, and the camera doesn’t tell me much either, as most of the key settings are buried in the menus.

To help me remember, I have written “cheat sheets” for each genre. Before I go out, I have a cup of coffee and scan the cheat sheet, to refresh my memory about what the buttons do, how the camera is set up, and how to take shots. The info is in a word file, and formatted in A5 size, so it can easily be read on a mobile phone. I have a set of 5 cheat sheets (one per genre) for the OM5 and the OM1. It occurs to me that these cheat sheets might be helpful to other OM1 photographers, below I provide the information for landscape and long exposure. I also provide the actual settings files so you can install this setup as a custom setting on your OM1.

Who are these settings for landscape and long exposure for?

If you are happy with running the OM1 in aperture priority without computational features, and living with the occasional blown-out image or unrecoverable shadows, this is not for you. I would argue that you are wasting the core benefits of the camera, but you are in good company – simple aperture priority is how most landscape photographers shoot.

These custom settings and workflow are oriented towards getting the absolute best from the most difficult scenarios – long exposure shots, and high dynamic range situations. Using the workflow to its fullest extent will get you shots that have equal or better DR to a full-frame camera, and as much resolution as you need.

These settings are for people who want to use everything the OM1 has to offer, but have struggled to make it all work, or even remember how it works. Because you can do so much in landscape with the OM1, this cheat sheet is far more detailed than any of the others, like BIF, There is a huge amount of experience and technique built in here. Even if you don’t use all the settings, you might use some, and the thinking behind them may be of interest (see the notes at the end for tons of useful tips).

Blimey, this all looks really complicated

That’s because it is complicated. Mind-bogglingly so. But the complexity is all in setting it up, and understanding what the camera does. Along with the cheat-sheet, I have provided install files for the landscape/LE custom setting on your OM1 (Mark I or Mark II). You can install just this single custom setting via the OI share phone app or OM workspace on your PC (save your existing settings first if you have any).

Once the camera is set up, all you need to do is follow the cheat sheet recipe for each specific scenario. Then 90% of the complexity goes away, and you can start making difficult long exposures or high dynamic range landscape shots just by using custom buttons on your OM1 and following the recipes. I would argue that without this kind of customisation, it is almost impossible to use all the OM1 features. But with it, you just select the right tool for the scene.

The files

Below I provide the MS Word file for the cheat sheet, the configuration files you can install on your OM1 Mark 1 or Mark II to get exactly the same settings, and finally the link to the giant spreadsheets of all settings for these cameras.

And below is the cheat sheet for both models. One major tip – read the notes at the end. There is a huge amount of potentially helpful information buried there. Note: the cheat sheet assumes this custom setting is on C1, but you can put it on any custom mode you wish.

Landscape and Long exposure cheat sheet for the OM1

Before Shooting

Recall the landscape custom setting into main memory, see note 5 below. Set lever to Position 2 (front dial shutter speed, rear dial aperture), see note 1 below. Make sure IS, HDR, BKT, LND, NLV are off on monitor (will be off by default).

Buttons:

• Hi-Res: record button (top left display indicator)
• ND: +/- button (top left indicator)
• HDR 3×2 Upper front button (top left indicator)
• Focus bracket: lower front button (bottom centre indicator)
• GND – OM1 Mark II : “View selection” button next to menu button (top left indicator). Set GND location with up and down arrows, then return to shooting screen by pressing button again. Turn off by long pressing the button.
• AF-on: AF-on
• IS: on by default (note 8) but if necessary use manual switch on 12-100 and 40-150 or SCP.
• Night LV: ISO button (green bottom centre)
• Spot metering: AEL button (bottom left indicator) see note 6

Settings (check on SCP)

Manual, WB Auto, ISO 200, Monitor to 0, SIS off. Save to slot 2 (see note 3). SAF, Focus area default: small (4 dot), every other point spacing. Home AF by pressing joystick: single (1 dot), every dot spacing. SAF release priority on.

AF by half pressing shutter button: off (see note 2). MF with Clutch on. NR auto for mechanical, off for silent shutter (see note 4). Aperture 5.6, SS 1/400s. Single shot silent.

Monitor info: default appearance: level, light/dark blinkies, histo, press info for clear. EVF style 1, default appearance, info: light/dark, histo, level only, press info for clear.

Focus beep off. Live time interval 15s. SIS on (see note 8). Hi-res set to 14-bit 50MPx (=Nikon Z7).

Note: histogram is set to 245/10 vs default of 255/0, and JPG set to muted. This is to gain more realistic histo and display per Thomas Eisl.

Procedure

Tripod long exposure for 1-2m using Bulb/Live time with physical filters on.

• For single shots: set mode to C1
  • Take ND 64/128 matrix metering (default) exposure of whole scene for max Dynamic Range. If a up to a 60s exposure of the entire scene and a DR of 12 (Nikon Z7 level) will do, then that’s all.
  • If it is a very high DR scene, and horizon is flat (ish) e.g. sunset with dark foreground rocks and very bright sun, on OM1 ii take 3 stop GND shot. Exposure can be up to 60s (but bulb mode not available). Again if 60s will do for LE, then that’s all
• For layered shots with separate layers of sea, sky, rocks, and longer LE times. Set mode to M (note 5).
  • Take sky exposure (s) – typically 30s if wanted
  • Use AEL and touch screen to spot meter rocks/structure and take exposure
  • Then, without filters, spot meter water, and adjust FNo and ISO to get an exposure time of 1/10, 1/60 or 1/640 in Manual using Electronic shutter for a 2m exp (for explanation of table see note 7 below)

• • Clip on ND filters from table and run 15s exposure for 1/3 across the histogram (see below).
  • Make any adjustments that might be needed.
  • Switch to Live time which defaults to mechanical shutter with NR. Make sure shutter speed ISO are the same as test shots. Take the full 2-minute shot .

Tripod LE fast water 1/5-1/8s exposure

• Use the table below to determine the ND needed for 1/5s. Try to get to 1/160s (or 1/320s with a polarizing filter).
  

• The ideal shutter speed for an OM1 is 1/160 or below, as you can then use the 5 or lower stop Live ND filters to obtain a shutter speed of 1/4 second.
• If it’s a bright day, and you require 1/320th s, then slap on a polarizing filter to reduce the light by a further stop, so ND 32 will still be right.
• There are few situations where you will want more of an ND filter than 5/6 stops as the specular highlights of the water in super bright conditions will probably blow out the white water exposure.

Standard landscape on tripod.

• BKT, HHHR, LND, NV off – check screen display.
• If bright day and using monitor, then turn monitor brightness up to plus
• ISO to 200, Aperture to f5.6, adjust SS to get exp to right of histogram and over/under blinkies in balance
• Touch screen to select focus point or focus with AF on button. Check focus if necessary with manual focus clutch.
• Expose with shutter button (2s timer) and/or remote shutter.
• If High DR scene,
  • For single shot, with some movement in the scene, use GND
  • For layered shot with movement, use HDR 3×2 (upper front button)
  • For single shot, no movement in scene use LND 64 (see note 10)

Standard plus focus stacked and/or light point selection C3

• Auto: press focus bracket button (front top)  – may need to set up first with rear dial
• Manual: touch to focus on 3 to 4 points from front to back of the scene. Focus with AF on button, then expose.
• For light point selection, set metering to spot and touch on areas as the light hits them. Focus with AFL button, then expose.

Handheld Landscape

• BKT, HHHR, LND, NV off – check screen display.
• Check IS on (SCP or lens switch)
• ISO to 200, Aperture to f5.6, adjust SS to get exp to right of histogram and over/under blinkies in balance
• If long shutter speed, turn on handheld assist
• Use AF via AF on button.
• For extra DR, use LND 32
• For extra res plus DR use HHHR or THR shot.

Dark scene C3

• If dark, press NLV (ISO) button, possibly also turn down monitor brightness
• Compose shot with NLV
• If exp under 60 seconds do test shot and correct as necessary
• If very dark, and ISO is too high for normal exposures up to 60s switch to bulb/live time. Use table above to calculate bulb time.

Handheld LE (1/8 waterfalls or fast sea 1/8) with live ND

• Make sure IS is on
• press live ND button (top front), and rotate back dial to choose ND level
• Set shutter speed to 1/8, and adjust aperture ISO and ND to get correct exposure.
• repeat at 1/ 4 and 1 /13 and choose desired water appearance

Handheld LE C4 (1/8 waterfalls or fast sea 1/8) with filters

• Attach VND
• Set drive to silent sequential
• Adjust to get 1 / 8 at F4/ ISO 200, ensuring with ETTR
• Take 1-2 sec shots to select best appearance later

Notes

1. Across all my custom settings, the function lever in position 1 has shutter speed on the front dial and exposure compensation on the back dial, and in position 2 has shutter speed on the front and aperture on the back dials. Position 1 is used for birds in flight and street so that you can rapidly adjust exposure compensation if the bird is overexposed or underexposed. Position 2 is for all other situations including landscape and also to preset the aperture for position 1. For Landscape and manual, the ISO is set to 200 by default. For BIF and street, the ISO is set to auto-ISO by default.
2. For landscape manual focus to be effective, the shutter button is set up so that once manual focus is carried out the camera does not refocus when the shutter button is pressed to take the shot. To do this, AF menu/1/”AF by half pressing shutter”, is set to “No” for SAF. SAF is available via the AF-on button for when autofocus is required.
3. I always keep a high-speed 64G card in slot 1, and a slightly lower speed 256 GB card in slot 2. For Landscape and Macro, where the capture rates are low, I save to card 2 by default. I rarely reformat the card, and just use it without checking for months at a time. For BIF and street, where the frame rates are high, I save to the high-speed card, and usually take the card out, and transfer the files and reformat every shooting day.
4. Noise reduction cannot be assigned to a button and is not accessible from the SCP. Doing LE test shots is therefore extremely tedious since either you have to delve into the menu to turn NR off or you end up doubling the time for every test shot. However, it is possible to have NR on for mechanical shutter and off for silent/electronic (see below). All bulb modes default to mechanical shutter but my Landscape custom mode is set to silent. Hence it is possible to test the exposure in silent shutter without NR, but then switch to Bulb/Live Time which will always have NR on.
   
   Here’s how it’s done. Make sure that Camera menu 1/7/”Silent settings” is set to noise reduction off, but that Camera menu 1/3/”Noise reduction” is set to auto. That way, silent shutter has no noise reduction, but mechanical shutter (which is used automatically and by default in bulb) has noise reduction.
5. My landscape custom setting is C1, so it is right next to Bulb mode on the mode dial. Switching between them is a single click. However, the B modes inherit the camera settings from the M mode, not from the Custom modes. As a result, aperture and ISO will change when switching from C1 (test images) to B (final LE shot in live time). I frequently got wrong exposures when switching from C1 to B.
   
   The way to handle that is as follows: before starting, call the Landscape custom setting into main memory, so all the custom landscape settings are in place on the manual/M setting. Then switching between M and B does not change the settings. The test and background (sky/rocks) shots can be done in M mode with no NR. Then switch to B for the water shot, and the Live time time results (with NR) will be exactly as in the test shots.
6. For scenes with very high dynamic range, such as a long exposure shot of sunset or sunrise over dark rocks, I take separate exposures of the sky, rocks and water and blend them together in post. To get the correct exposure for each I use spot metering. This is assigned to the AEL button, which can be set to spot-meter in Camera menu 1/5 “metering during AEL”.
7. I use two ways of finding the correct exposure for ND filters.
   
   Accurate way: Use the table. It shows what ND filter to attach for the required exposure time. For example, let’s say I want a 2-minute exposure, and it’s a bight day. Without ND filters on, adjust the aperture and/or ISO so the shutter is 1/640. Then ND 16 is required for a 2m shot. Slap on the filters and take the shot in live bulb mode. If it’s a duller day and you need to go to 1/60 shutter speed, then you need ND 13 for a 2m shot. The table also provides data for 30s to 6 minutes.
   
   Quick way: It turns out that with the ND filers on if the histogram reaches about one-third of the way across after 15 seconds, it will be correctly exposed after 2 minutes, so a quick test exposure on electronic shutter (and therefore without noise reduction) with the above settings of 15 seconds will enable you to quickly find the exact aperture/ISO. I use this as a quick check in live time to see if the table was right. If the exposure is about 1/3 along the histogram, I let it continue. If it is way off, I kill the exposure and adjust.
   
   Using only the quick way, you have to try different combinations of ND filters, ISO and aperture to find the one that gives a 15s exposure. With experience, I can often guess this quite quickly. At night it’s much harder to guess, so I use the table instead. If it’s really dark, you don’t need ND filters.
8. SIS is left on for tripod and hand-held shots. With most cameras, this is not recommended, but it is a good idea with the OM1. The OM1 techs say that in static conditions SIS has no effect on sharpness, but in windy conditions it can help with tripod vibrations. Hence, there is no button assigned to SIS. The handheld assist option is turned off by default as it is quite intrusive.
9. The OM1 Mark II has a computational graduated ND filter capability, to reduce the exposure in the sky for example. The advantage is that a high DR can be obtained with a single shot, and a wide range of shutter speeds can be used. However, for it to work well, it requires the light/dark boundary to be fairly straight. Otherwise, as with a physical grad ND, the filter will make dark areas even darker. The max effect of GND is 3 stops.
   
   An alternative is to use normal ND, which at ND 64 increases the dynamic range by 2.5 stops from 9.5 to 12. This is as effective, and unless there is movement in the scene, more flexible for post processing.
10. With the f1.2 and f1.4 lenses in very dark or twilight conditions, metering starts normally with no numbers flashing. With the f2.8. or F4 lens the shutter speed number flashes. However metering still seems to take place and is fairly accurate.
11. Indicated dynamic range in the dark seems to be much worse than in the light with the same ISO, judging from the H/S blinkies. A scene taken in light conditions will show no or minimal H/S blinkies. The same scene taken in dark conditions with the same ISO but with a longer shutter time shows both light and dark blinkies flashing. My solution for this is to use exposure bracketing/HDR bracketing at night.