What is amazing is that people really blow the menu out of proportion. I think people just see sooo many options and they go running. Does anyone actually read them? What a shame to lose out on potentially using such a great tool just because of a bunch of optional content.
The first two menus are straight forward. As is the playback menu. The custom menu barely needs anything digging. It's all advanced setup and preference. Same kind of stuff that the canon custom menus would have for instance. You don't need to use any of it.
There are already hard buttons for ISO and white balance, stop down, focus, ael, and bracketing...just like every other camera. That's no different.
Yes you can m are these buttons whatever you ent or turn them off.... but you don't have to. How hard is it to then just put the camera in p, a , s , or m and shoot like any other camera?
Super control menu comes from pressing the center OK button and that lets you change everything else you could possibly need for most scenarios.
Maybe it's just me, but I personally love the deep options. If anyone is really having trouble wrapping their heads around the menu system, I have a video on you tube, and my blog going option by option through the entire system, and telling you how to set it up in a great way. It's broken up by custom menu. I hate to put a plug for my own stuff, but if you need it, that's why it's there. Check it out from my link below. Or search unlockingolympus on YouTube. I guarantee you it's easier than the manual.
And once you set the camera up, even if you don't menu dive...how often will you go back in? I never do. I've set up friends' cameras that are totally not tech people that don't care or want to deal with any camera's menu and they are making the best images of their lives. They've never had to readjust anything.
It's only daunting if one makes it daunting.