OM-1.1 autofocus issue: please tell me I'm just being stupid!

[antpitta]

HELP!! I've just been sorting out my gear before we head off to Ecuador next week. Just thought I'd check out the settings on my "spare" OM-1.1 body which I doubt I've used since very early this year - although it travelled to Canada in September without seeing the light of day.

Basically autofocus isn't working at all!! I've tried with both the big white and the 12-100 and neither will autofocus (manual focus is fine): - and both lenses autofocus as usual on my regular OM-1.1 body. I'm just hoping this is some weird setting thing and not a body fault as although the body is still under warranty I can't see that being resolved in less than week ... and based on last years experience throwing myself down a hill & landing on the original body (since repaired & the still working body) I'd hate to be travelling without a second body.

Any suggestions however dumb that makes me feel more than welcome.

Thanks - Chris

[cedge]

Was the focus clutch engaged?

[BDennis]

What does your SCP (super control panel) display regarding the AF mode? Maybe post a photo of it in case anyone spots anything.

Usually when this happens I’ve engaged focus clutch or accidentally pressed a button configured to set MF.

Another thing worth checking is that the lens is mounted properly and the lens release button is not snagging in the pushed in position - I’ve noticed if it’s pushed slightly it can turn off some functions like AF and the aperture shows dashes on the SCP. Worth a check!

Bill

[pdk42]

Full reset and start from there.

[MJ224]

The best starting point, re-boot...

[Joe_T]

You might also want to check that you have the same up to date firmware on both bodies. If not you might want to update them. The latest firmware for the OM-1 is V1.7

[antpitta]

Thanks - both current (1.7) and updated the same day a few weeks back.

[antpitta]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm happy it isn't a physical thing: I'd checked the focus clutch (plus the big white doesn't have one that I can see), that the lens was fully engaging/clicking on. So pretty sure this is some sort of button or menu setting (software or human error).

Seeing Bill's suggestion I've compared the SCP of the working & non-working body and pretty sure I can see the problem: for all custom modes on the problem body it's showing the focus mode as MF (on the good body it shows either S-AF/MF or C-AF/MF based on how I set the modes up) so I guess that is why I have no AF! I checked all the relevant menu items (actually all the others too) and both match exactly so I'm not sure where it is picking the MF "override" setting ... and more to the point although I can select the focus mode from the SCP I can't see how to change/correct it despite following the manual's suggestions.

OK so this is clearly me being stupid but any idea about how to change the focus mode from the SCP as even when selected it won't rotate through the various options using the front wheel (which does work that way on the good camera). Some option somewhere seems to be restricting the options for this item to MF rather than offering the usual choice of settings. I hope that makes sense!

[c12402]

As suggested before, reset to factory settings, double check the clutch or even better disable it and check the presetting modes included in the C1-C4 from factory. It should work fine.

[Ian]

Have you tried toggling the mode lever?

Ian

[blackfox]

Yep a full reset then input new settings to various C. modes As required. Don’t think of it as camera but rather a computer with a glitch

[Box Brownie]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm happy it isn't a physical thing: I'd checked the focus clutch (plus the big white doesn't have one that I can see), that the lens was fully engaging/clicking on. So pretty sure this is some sort of button or menu setting (software or human error).

Seeing Bill's suggestion I've compared the SCP of the working & non-working body and pretty sure I can see the problem: for all custom modes on the problem body it's showing the focus mode as MF (on the good body it shows either S-AF/MF or C-AF/MF based on how I set the modes up) so I guess that is why I have no AF! I checked all the relevant menu items (actually all the others too) and both match exactly so I'm not sure where it is picking the MF "override" setting ... and more to the point although I can select the focus mode from the SCP I can't see how to change/correct it despite following the manual's suggestions.

OK so this is clearly me being stupid but any idea about how to change the focus mode from the SCP as even when selected it won't rotate through the various options using the front wheel (which does work that way on the good camera). Some option somewhere seems to be restricting the options for this item to MF rather than offering the usual choice of settings. I hope that makes sense!

You say that the issue is MF in all your custom C1 etc modes.,...do you mean that if you select for example Shutter or Aperture modes you can see & select AF?

If so it suggests to me that you have stored (set) MF in all the C1 etc. custom modes. If my surmise is correct then rather than going via the SCP can you change MF to AF via the appropriate top plate switch? NB I am saying to try this when in the Custom C1 etc of choice.

[BDennis]

This is a weird one. So you’re saying from the SCP, AF menu or the top left AF button the only option offered is MF?

Have you tried it not in your custom modes like one of the PASM positions on the dial? Just in case the custom modes are corrupt or somehow set to MF.

I can’t see any menu option that would override and limit to just MF being available. The only way I can reproduce that on my camera is the focus clutch or to hold in the lens release button.

It sounds like you need to do a reset of the camera. I’d pull and reinsert the battery too because when the switch for these things is set to off it’s not really off. Also worth a check of the battery or try a other one.

Was this the camera repaired when you had the accident? Just wondering if the mount or contact pins in there are damaged or not springing out properly.

Bill

[antpitta]

Thanks Bill, I appreciate your many suggestions - and happy now it's a software/logic problem (see note below) but very frustrating when you're sitting with 2 identical cameras, previously with identical settings and one behaves completely differently and for no logical reason. As I note below, once resolved both interfaces work identically. Strange indeed. This was the new, not repaired body.

[BDennis]

Ah good to hear it’s sorted Chris! Sounds like custom mode data got corrupted somehow. Maybe if we leave cameras unused for a while we should restore the settings from a backup. Have a good trip.

[antpitta]

Sorted. Thanks again for all your suggestions - fortunately nothing physically wrong but I eventually managed to override the cameras' insistence on using MF by changing the AF mode through the menu for each custom mode in turn and after making the change go into the custom mode page and performing a "set" operation before exiting the menu. This seems to work as any other way I found to change the AF option defaulted back to MF-only as soon as I changed the camera mode. I still don't know why I couldn't change the focus option from the SCP - although I can now since making the change to the mode through the menu.

I guess that this is just some kind of logic/software glitch. As Jeff reminded me this is more a computer than an optical instrument! While it would be nice to know what caused the problem in the first place I'm relieved to know it seems to be fixed now and at least I'll know what to try if it happens again. I will try to give both bodies a good run out over the next few days before packing away for our trip.

[MJ224]

Phew, thank goodness for that.

Suggest you use both cameras, rather than lay one up for months......

[rustyarrow]

I find on my OM1,2 the r/h button on the four buttons around the OK button sets MF or AF - single push to toggle, I did not set that so not sure of that is a default setting- once I discovered it I do use it. I only found it because my camera would suddenly slip into MF so I must have touched that button somehow.

[blu-by-u]

I have set those 4 buttons to directions for the AF square.

[drmarkf]

That's a relief!
Probably a good idea to use this body a bit each day before your trip to make sure it stays OK.

If anything recurs before this coming Sunday, drop me a Private Message. I'm just south of Cambridge, and as long as you could come over to collect it, you'd be welcome to borrow my spare E-M1 Mkiii body, if that was any use.