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Archive 2019 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

galenapass
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

The EM1x has some new features compared to the EM1ii. One of these was the promise of better AF tracking and another was the ability to capture handheld high resolution images (HHHres). The subject of this post will be HHHres. Camera labs posted a youtube video which implied that the EM1x HHHres results were sometimes good, other times there was not much difference between single shot and HHHres. A separate video by another reviewer also found the same thing, but I cannot remember which one that was right now. I have had this camera now for 2 days with limited use so far. However, one of the first things I wanted to check out was if the HHHres mode was working, and if I could find instances where this mode was not as effective, relative to a standard single frame shot.
For a short review on how this technology works , please see the following link.
https://digital-photography-school.com/understanding-sensor-shift-technology-high-resolution-images/
In summary, Olympus and Panasonic move the sensor ½ pixel, capture an image, then move the image ½ pixel etc…. [Note: if you notice something important that I am skipping or not getting correct please comment below.] The resulting image not only contains more information but also more accurate colors because there is less reliance on neighboring green pixels to guess when a red pixel sees green light (for example). In theory, each static pixel or photosite location will have had a red, green or blue photodiode sample the light collected at that location, because of the underlying sensor shift. Images captured in this manner are then merged and the resulting final image has more accurate colors and more detail.
There are several ways that we can get the photosites to shift while collecting images. Olympus has been using the IBIS to do this in very precise way as mentioned above. Alternatively, Photoshop users have been doing this for years by overlaying handheld images, aligning them and averaging the information in each pixel. This reduces noise and increases resolution. The inevitable small shifts in the sensor while handholding the camera simulates what Olympus does with the IBIS, but in a more uncontrolled manner.
How does all of this relate to the new HHHres ability of the EM1x? Olympus is apparently using an amalgam of both techniques for HHHres. As it has been described (and most reviewers’ explanations get fuzzy at this point), IBIS gets turned off for a short period of time, the photo is captured and then IBIS gets turned back on, then the process repeats itself. It sounds like Olympus uses the handheld shakiness to move the sensor slightly, and the IBIS limits how much movement is allowed to occur over the course of the captured images. The camera takes 16 shots and combines them for one result.
In my first set of shots I decided to shoot some patterns that would confuse the sensor in producing moiré. Sensor shifting should clear up this issue. [A few notes: For these 3 shots the same camera was used, the same lens, etc…. Single shot photos were then uprezzed to the same size as the HHHres photo so that a direct comparison can be made. I admit that this is not ideal but it is hard for the human eye to look at 2 shots that are different sizes and to tell which one has more detail.] In the first shot below you can see that the image is producing some false color, often associated with patterns that produce moiré. In the second image you can see that HHHres has cleared this up and there appears to be more detail. The third image was my attempt to see how HHHres might be working. This image was shot a on a VERY stable tripod with a delay of ½ sec after pushing the shutter button - then HHHres was activated. I reasoned that if HHHres was relying on handheld shakiness to move the sensor, then by removing that shakiness perhaps the false color would still remain. As you can see the false color is not there. I am not sure what to think of this result yet. I need to explore it further.

Edited on Mar 17, 2019 at 12:56 PM · View previous versions

Mar 17, 2019 at 12:26 PM

galenapass
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

In this second post I wanted to look specifically at how HHHres affected noise. Below are some crops of photos taken in my office with only dim light coming through the window. The first photo crop is a single shot at ISO 6400. We are all familiar with the noise that one gets off an m43 sensor at this ISO. The shot shows this. The second crop is the same scene, same distance, and same lens etc…but with HHHres. Here we can see additional detail, and also a dramatic reduction in noise. Based on this result, I would use HHHres whenever a shot was required at high ISO, and the subject was not moving substantially. Typical close up shots should benefit from increased detail as well.

Mar 17, 2019 at 12:28 PM

galenapass
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

I have additional shots at distance but the FM site is preventing me from uploading those right now. HHHres at distance works but the difference is not as great between single shot mode and HHHres.

Edited on Mar 17, 2019 at 02:18 PM · View previous versions

Mar 17, 2019 at 12:37 PM

galenapass
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

In this third post, I am looking at how HHHres performs in bright light at a distance. The first shot is a single shot with minimal sharpening. The second is HHHres with the same amount of sharpening. Again, the single shot was uprezzed to facilitate comparison. If you look carefully, there is more detail in the HHHres shot, but with a little sharpening I think the single shot would look nearly as good.
Overall my conclusion is that HHHres does work and the best results are from close subjects and situations where one can take advantage of the dramatic reduction in noise. In good light, with subject further away HHHres works but the results are less impressive. I think it is worthwhile to use whenever the situation involves landscapes or architecture, or any static object(s). By itself, does HHHres warrant the high price? I am not sure. A D850 can be had for a similar cost and I would bet the D850 image IQ would at least be as good as HHHres and probably a little better. But, there is no denying that HHHres works and if you photograph things that could benefit from this feature, then the high cost may be just fine.

Mar 17, 2019 at 12:41 PM

maf27
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

Thanks for posting these. The noise reduction at high ISOs is pretty cool, IMHO.

Mar 17, 2019 at 01:49 PM

galenapass
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

maf27 wrote:
Thanks for posting these. The noise reduction at high ISOs is pretty cool, IMHO.

I agree. I would say it is dramatic. Benefits of HHHres at longer distances, not so much. But it is there.

Mar 17, 2019 at 02:03 PM

Tokyoshooter
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

Very interesting, thanks for posting this. I am impressed by the noise reduction effect too.

Mar 17, 2019 at 04:55 PM

James Farrell
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

galenapass wrote:
I agree. I would say it is dramatic. Benefits of HHHres at longer distances, not so much. But it is there.

I agree too. Have not had much luck with my E-1MX HHHres test shots at longer distances either, even with faster shutter speeds. In fact, I find that taking a well-focused, well-exposed sharp raw ORF image and processing it in Photoshop and using the "Preserve Details 2.0" image enlargement algorithm up to as much as 30% or a tad higher gives me good results. Sure is easier and more reliable than deaiing with the nuances of the HHHres files. Others may disagree.

Mar 17, 2019 at 06:20 PM

ELinder
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

Good compaison shot demonstration, thanks for posting. I've found that even on the Mk1 that high resolution mode is not as useful at infinite focal distances such as wide open landscapes. The only thing I can think of is that even in the short amount of time it takes to do the multiple image captures that there is enough atmospheric disturbance to take the extra edge off the sharpness the higher resolutin would produce.

Erich

Mar 17, 2019 at 07:05 PM

galenapass
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

Here are a couple of more shots at about 10 yards (crops). The first is HHHres and the 2nd is a single shot. Its cool that one can actually use HHHres for a bird shot, even if the bird is a run of the mill Robin. The extra feather detail is a welcome addition.

Mar 17, 2019 at 09:41 PM

galenapass
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

ELinder wrote:
Good compaison shot demonstration, thanks for posting. I've found that even on the Mk1 that high resolution mode is not as useful at infinite focal distances such as wide open landscapes. The only thing I can think of is that even in the short amount of time it takes to do the multiple image captures that there is enough atmospheric disturbance to take the extra edge off the sharpness the higher resolutin would produce.

Erich

Thanks Erich, I think this is starting to make sense to me. For example, your HHHres butterfly pics look great but the further out we get the less HHHres works, and so we get conflicting reports from different users. There may be other factors at work as well. However, I would still shoot with this mode if I want the most detail regardless of distance. Why not? Olympus has made this easy.

Mar 17, 2019 at 09:53 PM

DanC.Licks
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

As someone who shoots almost exclusively with long lenses, I hate air! It is our worst enemy. Whether you shoot with a long or wide angle lens, normal or high res, too much air will kill detail faster than anything. Even 10 meters of it on a hot day can ruin a shot.
That aside, I have used my Mark II in high res a few times, and even it is impressive, and the HHHRes looks quite promising. That would be the one clear advantage of the X over the II, but not enough to get me to switch.
I do more with focus stacking (capture only in camera, processing on PC), and even did a few HRes focus stacks for fun. Mind blowing detail and no noise to speak of.

Mar 18, 2019 at 02:18 AM

dreamlander
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

It clearly makes a difference in the high iso situation. The question here is whether or not you would be better just lowering iso and slowing shutter speed and using the great image stabilization. All situational I suppose.

Mar 18, 2019 at 05:23 AM

Bob Kane
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

It would seem likely that HHHR just stacks and averages shots, the same method which can be used with Photoshop (and Affinity Photo) to improve resolution and kill noise. That relies on very accurate alignment, something which even Photoshop often fails at. It may be that the M1x is pretty good but not perfect at aligning, making some photographs pop and others scarcely better than a single well-done shot.

I use PSCC to increase resolution all the time, and while it would be nice to do it in-camera that's not enough to induce me to ditch my M1ii for the M1x. The main advantage in HHHR may just be in producing remarkably clean shots at high ISO. As remarked above, it may or may not be useful if a low-ISO shot is feasible. Katrin Eismann, for one, talked about the approach when Statistics showed up in PS extended maybe 10 years ago.

Mar 18, 2019 at 11:18 AM

ELinder
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

From what I've seen so far, the camera does an extremely good job of stacking and aligning the photos for the HHHR images. Of course, for the ultimate in sharpness a tripod and full high resolution mode is likely better, but for conveniance and versatility the hand held version is a worthy additon..

Erich

Mar 18, 2019 at 12:04 PM

robert_in_ca
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

ELinder wrote:
From what I've seen so far, the camera does an extremely good job of stacking and aligning the photos for the HHHR images. Of course, for the ultimate in sharpness a tripod and full high resolution mode is likely better, but for conveniance and versatility the hand held version is a worthy additon..

Erich
Erich, overalll how are you feeling about getting the X?

Mar 18, 2019 at 12:09 PM

ELinder
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

Overall I like it. The best way I can describe it, is that it's got just about all of the things that I said while using the E-M1mk2 “I wish this camera had or did...” For my uses it's the ultimate jack of all trades.

Erich

Mar 18, 2019 at 12:17 PM

Jack Kelley
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

Erich, what bag (if any) have you found that fits it well?

Mar 18, 2019 at 01:01 PM

ELinder
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

I'm a “bring it all just in case” guy, so I normally use a ThinkTank Airport Essentials or Airport Commuter. If it's just the camera and lens, a normal padded backpack.

Erich

Mar 18, 2019 at 01:08 PM

bobbytan
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · EM1x handheld high res - initial review

My solution to getting more detail and clarity is to take your single file (must be sharp and properly exposed) to Topaz AI Gigapixel and AI Clear:

https://topazlabs.com/ai-gigapixel
https://topazlabs.com/ai-clear/

DanC.Licks wrote:
As someone who shoots almost exclusively with long lenses, I hate air! It is our worst enemy. Whether you shoot with a long or wide angle lens, normal or high res, too much air will kill detail faster than anything. Even 10 meters of it on a hot day can ruin a shot.
That aside, I have used my Mark II in high res a few times, and even it is impressive, and the HHHRes looks quite promising. That would be the one clear advantage of the X over the II, but not enough to get me to switch.
I do more...Show more →

Mar 18, 2019 at 02:21 PM

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