"Panasonic G series" Owners Thread

BJP said:
The amount of settings on digicams is mind boggling but we will get there

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Sometimes I feel like a weird cross between Animal and Beaker :LOL:
 
srhmoto said:
Am I going mad here?
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I have the G9 in shutter priority, set at say 1/200s and f2.8 and ISO200 (this tends to be my starting point for motorsport and these settings are saved to C3-1). The camera has constant preview enabled and is setup to focus with the AE/AF button on the back of the camera.

When I look through the EVF (with those settings above, indoors late afternoon), I see a nicely exposed image in the EVF, and the histogram (which I like to be displayed at all times), confirms a nice exposure. Now, given the light in the room and the settings on the camera, I know that this can't be right, and sure enough as soon as I half press the shutter button, the EVF darkens considerably, the histogram bunches right up on the LHS and my aperture and shutter speed flash red.

While this is probably the muppet behind the camera, is there not a way to show the exact exposure through the EVF with these settings without using fn5? Any advice welcome, even if it is to confirm I am a total muppet
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Thanks,

Simon.
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I thought about this and tried it out with my GH4. I'm guessing the camera hasn't chosen an aperture setting until you half press the AF/AE button, at which point it decides on the aperture and adjusts the preview & histogram accordingly. In full manual mode you instantly see any changes you make on screen or through the EVF because aperture, SS and ISO are all set, but with aperture or shutter priority the camera has to meter first to make an exposure decision before it can display the appropriate histogram and preview.

Hope this helps.
 
CSB said:
I thought about this and tried it out with my GH4. I'm guessing the camera hasn't chosen an aperture setting until you half press the AF/AE button, at which point it decides on the aperture and adjusts the preview & histogram accordingly. In full manual mode you instantly see any changes you make on screen or through the EVF because aperture, SS and ISO are all set, but with aperture or shutter priority the camera has to meter first to make an exposure decision before it can display the appropriate histogram and preview.

Hope this helps.
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I’m sure you’re right Sam. Interestingly, doing something similar but in aperture mode, yields the correct exposure settings without a half press of the shutter. A quirk of the system I guess and thankfully easy to work around.

Cheers,

Simon.
 
Well I got my hands on the 100-300 II, not had much chance to play with it yet but I did manage this shot last weekend. Fingers crossed for some better weather.

Cropped & edited in LR.

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CSB said:
Well I got my hands on the 100-300 II, not had much chance to play with it yet
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Same here , not been out with it yet , also I'm now post Xmas decorating so unfortunately the camera will have to rest a while :(
 
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Nice review of the Panasonic 25mm f/1.7:


It makes me wonder how many people own this lens and report less than great results because they have constant preview off? Or they shoot only in auto modes?

It's not surprising to me that he finds the lens amazing when in M mode and constant preview on, because that is the only way I ever shoot and I find similar results. It does surprise me though, that there is such a huge difference with other settings.
 
Cagey75 said:
Nice review of the Panasonic 25mm f/1.7:



It makes me wonder how many people own this lens and report less than great results because they have constant preview off? Or they shoot only in auto modes?
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Is it beneficial to have constant preview on with all lenses ?
 
BJP said:
Is it beneficial to have constant preview on with all lenses ?
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For lenses that focus by wire it's definitely better to have it on. With other lenses I would keep it on anyway, I think the camera uses other methods such as bumping ISO for live view if you have CP off. Either way, you're not getting a true representation of the scene without constant preview. The only time I switch it off is if I'm using off cam flash in a very dark situation and I'll use it for framing.
 
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Good stuff, it is easier explain in a video than words :) Panasonic's wording can be a bit misleading. Some will imagine that constant preview = clear constant view, but instead it is an actual preview based on your settings.
 
I also presumed it would only work in the Live View but no it also works in the view finder :)
 
Going back to the 25mm 1.7f I couldn't make my mind up between it and the 20mm , I got the 20 in the end as I wanted to later add the 30mm Macro .
 
Cagey75 said:
Good stuff, it is easier explain in a video than words :) Panasonic's wording can be a bit misleading. Some will imagine that constant preview = clear constant view, but instead it is an actual preview based on your settings.
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Am i right in thinking it wouldn't benefit me with the 100-400, i shoot shutter priority.lens wide open and exposure compensation on the front dial. i see any adjustments i make in the EVF image.
 
mikew said:
Am i right in thinking it wouldn't benefit me with the 100-400, i shoot shutter priority.lens wide open and exposure compensation on the front dial. i see any adjustments i make in the EVF image.
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If you're seeing the adjustments live in the evf, then you must have it on already, when it's off you don't see any adjustment whatsoever, having CP off is really only useful for framing in the dark.
 
Cagey75 said:
If you're seeing the adjustments live in the evf, then you must have it on already, when it's off you don't see any adjustment whatsoever, having CP off is really only useful for framing in the dark.
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Will have a look.thought i had it off because in my ignorance i thought it was to do with image review which i have off.
 
Cagey75 said:
If you're seeing the adjustments live in the evf, then you must have it on already, when it's off you don't see any adjustment whatsoever, having CP off is really only useful for framing in the dark.
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Just checked and it is off, i have shutter priority,auto iso and the front dial set for exposure compensation. i see exposure adjustments in real time in the EVF if i use the front dial.

Camera G80
 
I wouldn't worry too much, I read around a bit more on the issue and it seems it only affects the 25mm 1.7 specifically. All other lenses should be fine with whatever settings you're comfortable using. It's an odd one, I never would have noticed as I only ever shoot M, I must try it for myself later on. Shoot the same scene in A, S and M to see if there's any notable difference.
 
Here's my brief [and very scientific] test, comparisons between A mode, and M mode using the Panasonic 25mm 1.7 on the G80:


Constant preview on, RAW, no PP

I shot these in A mode first, then matched the settings in Manual, I did shoot at other apertures but F4 shows the most severe differences, where the lens should be at it's sharpest. The Tree and lens box were shot using a mini tripod, the chimney shot was hand-held, hence the slight variance in composition [had to change settings between shots of course]

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I don't think I need point out which side the shots taken in M mode are on above. Less obvious here in the lens box shots, but note the colour cast difference too?

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I think it goes without saying that if you own this lens, keep constant preview on at all times and shoot in M mode.
 
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Cagey75 said:
I wouldn't worry too much, I read around a bit more on the issue and it seems it only affects the 25mm 1.7 specifically. All other lenses should be fine with whatever settings you're comfortable using. It's an odd one, I never would have noticed as I only ever shoot M, I must try it for myself later on. Shoot the same scene in A, S and M to see if there's any notable difference.
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Just seen the last few posts, decided to turn it on and leave it on with my G80 as I use the 25mm f1.7 quite a bit.

Have always noticed some results seemed a bit off.
 
ian-83 said:
Just seen the last few posts, decided to turn it on and leave it on with my G80 as I use the 25mm f1.7 quite a bit.

Have always noticed some results seemed a bit off.
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You only get the benefit from it in M mode unfortunately. Some are saying it's something Panasonic could easily remedy in a firmware update for the lens, hopefully they will do that. I never noticed as I only ever shoot in M mode, and I switched on Constant preview and just left it on since I bought the camera.

When in Manual mode, if you look through the front element on the lens while changing aperture, you will see it physically stop down, or indeed, open up - switch to P,A or S and try it, you'll see the lens remains wide open, and this is where the problem lies. In the semi auto modes the lens is focusing wide open, then only stopping down when you press the shutter, there's a shift in focus when this occurs. Staying in manual mode, with CP on avoids the issue and you get the true sharpness the lens can output. Many people who buy this lens won't be aware of the issue and won't think highly of it. The truth is, the lens is very sharp, even wide open, but it has to be used this way or , well, you see my quick testers above
 
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Cagey75 said:
You only get the benefit from it in M mode unfortunately. Some are saying it's something Panasonic could easily remedy in a firmware update for the lens, hopefully they will do that. I never noticed as I only ever shoot in M mode, and I switched on Constant preview and just left it on since I bought the camera.

When in Manual mode, if you look through the front element on the lens while changing aperture, you will see it physically stop down, or indeed, open up - switch to P,A or S and try it, you'll see the lens remains wide open, and this is where the problem lies. In the semi auto modes the lens is focusing wide open, then only stopping down when you press the shutter, there's a shift in focus when this occurs. Staying in manual mode, with CP on avoids the issue and you get the true sharpness the lens can output. Many people who buy this lens won't be aware of the issue and won't think highly of it. The truth is, the lens is very sharp, even wide open, but it has to be used this way or , well, you see my quick testers above
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I had noticed the slight shift in focus with some pictures I took using the lens at about f4 in aperture mode. Might have to try it again but in manual mode and see what the difference is.
 
ian-83 said:
I had noticed the slight shift in focus with some pictures I took using the lens at about f4 in aperture mode. Might have to try it again but in manual mode and see what the difference is.
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When you get the chance, directly compare images you test in A mode vs M mode at F4 in particular, keep the settings close as possible, constant preview on.
 
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