Mẹo vặt đồ gia dụng

Panasonic Lumix TZ80 (ZS60) Pointer to the next little big thing ?

Some will tell you the TZ80 is no use indoors. But with careful management in Capture Phase of use and some post processing in Photoshop, decent results can be achieved.

What will be the most important advance in camera technology over the next few years ?

100 Megapixels on full frame ILCs ?

50 frames per second with image preview on each frame ?

ISO 500, 000 ?

I suppose we will have those capabilities thrust upon us in some expensive product which the camera makers would like us to buy as it makes them a substantial profit per unit.

This location has very high subject brightness range and mixed light sources, both challenges for any camera. But the TZ80 manages decently well. Details in the skylight have blown out but otherwise highlight and shadow detail are quite good.

But consider the most popular cameras of all time.

The Kodak Box Brownie appeared in the early years of the 20^th Century.

The smartphone arrived a hundred years later in the early years of the 21^st Century.

What do these devices have in common ?

Each brought to ordinary people the ability to make and share photographs.

The TZ80 does auto panoramas rather well as you can see here. Highlight and shadow detail is quite good as is detail and overall rendition of a scene which I chose because I knew it would present any camera with a challenge. The guy walking seems to have lost a foot. Oh well.....

I think the next big thing for cameras is the compact, carry-in-your-pocket-or-belt-pouch superzoom camera which is inexpensive, easy to use and can photograph just about anything, anywhere, anytime.

Hand held close-ups ? No problem for the TZ80, even with direct sun shining on some parts of the flowers but not others.

As the grandchildren might say, five minutes after setting out on a voyage….”are we there yet” ?

Not quite, but I believe some cameras are headed in that direction.

Consider the Panasonic TZ80 (ZS60) which I have been using quite a lot recently.

This is a budget travel zoom compact which attracts very little attention on review sites or user forums.

The TZ80 manages well close in at the long end of the zoom.

Somewhat to my surprise I have discovered this thing can make pictures which print rather well up to an actual picture size of about 400 x 550 mm, or even larger if one is a bit less fussy about absolute sharpness.

The current model of the TZ80 can only produce prints like this if handled by an enthusiast/expert user and only after careful work in Photoshop.

But the potential is there for evolutionary development which would allow less photographically sophisticated users to make excellent photos in almost any circumstance.

If sensor performance improved about 1- 2 EV and lens sharpness was upgraded to match and the hardware and software were also upgraded to support the improved image quality, you could have a compact camera which would make most other types and models of any description irrelevant for most amateur users, most of the time.

TZ80, tripod. Photographed across a surf beach. The club building in the foreground is 1.3 kilometers from the camera. You can see the effects of atmospheric distortion. Of course you can find a camera/lens combination which will render this distant scene more clearly. But, I suspect, not one you can carry in a pocket.

Heritage coal loader. Subject selected for high subject brightness range, high contrast light/dark transitions and complex detail.

Đọc thêm »

Pansonic TZ80 (ZS60) Four month user review and reappraisal Part 2 Photoshop strategies

Mẹo sử dụng đồ gia dụng 03:19

Arcade, TZ80

In the previous post I described some usage strategies designed to coax the best possible (RAW) files from the TZ80.

In this post I describe some post capture strategies in Photoshop Camera Raw (Lightroom has the same functions but in a slightly different user interface) to further enhance those files for optimum printing output.

With most cameras which I have used in recent times including several M43 and ‘One Inch’ sensor models very good output can be achieved with a few modest adjustments in Camera Raw.

But files from the TZ80 require much more vigorous intervention. A few subtle adjustments will not do the job.

The three tabs on which I concentrate are Basic, Lens Corrections and Detail.

TZ80

Before getting to the details here are some basic principles:

The unprocessed files which come off the TZ80 tend to have somewhat low mid tone contrast, low local contrast and low sharpness with low color saturation. Sometimes the RAW files look so flat and soft they might at first seem beyond redemption and sometimes that is so. But energetic resuscitation in Camera Raw can be successful, sometimes surprisingly so.

The basic aim of processing is to make the files look brighter, clearer, sharper and more colourful.

Each of these things is easy enough to achieve but each increases luminance noise (grain) so effective luminance noise control strategies are essential for success.

Note that ‘Contrast’, ‘Clarity’ and ‘Sharpness’ are each variants of the same concept which is to enhance the brightness differential between adjacent parts of the image.

Contrast increases the brightness differential between mid tones in the image.

Clarity is Adobe’s name for a type of local contrast which works like the Unsharp Mask filter in Photoshop.

Sharpness increases the brightness differential between closely adjacent tones in a spatial dimension of 1-3 pixels.

No extra information can be imparted to a file with adjustments but if applied effectively the combination can impart a markedly enhanced appearance of sharpness.

I start in the Basic Tab.

I don’t worry too much about getting the adjustments ‘right’ first time around. Everything can be changed at any time and likely will. If I drag a slider too far it can easily be pulled back any time later.

Adobe suggests you work down the adjustment items from the top but I usually start with Contrast and drag the slider to the right by an amount which looks right for the particular image. This will often be in the 20-60 range and much more than I would use with an image from a larger sensor camera.

Now I look at the histogram. Most of the tones should be midway between the left and right ends of the scale. If not I move the Exposure slider to make them so.

Now I drag the Clarity slider to the right. When I work with images from a micro Four Thirds camera I find I have to be very cautious with this slider as Panasonic M43 files already have substantial local contrast. So my M43 files might receive +5 Clarity. But files from the TZ80 often benefit from much larger displacement of the Clarity slider to the right, often in the range +20-+40.

Now I look at the histogram and inspect the highlights, which after cranking up Contrast and clarity will usually be over the top, requiring strong left drag of the Highlights slider, to zero if required.

Now I look at the image. Do the dark tones appear overly dark with lack of detail ? If so I drag the Shadows slider to the right until they appear more natural.

I now experiment with the Vibrance and Saturation sliders. With cameras having a larger sensor I rarely use the Saturation slider as it too easily pushes colors over the top. But the TZ80 files are a bit lacking in color to start with so I often find I need to drag the Saturation slider to the right.

So now I have a file which is brighter, more contrasty and more colourful than it was at the beginning. Things are looking up.

But increasing Contrast and Clarity also increases luminance noise and the details still lack sharpness.

So I move to the Detail Tab.

Again Adobe suggests you start at the top and work down, I suggest a different strategy. Note that modern cameras have virtually eliminated chroma (color) noise from RAW files so it is usually un-necessary to make any further action regarding chroma noise.

I start with Noise Reduction (Luminance). I find all TZ80 files need some NR, even at ISO 80. The amount varies from around 5-50 at low ISO to around 50 at high ISO settings.

I view the file at 100% on screen for these adjustments.

I don’t try to eliminate all grain with the NR (Luminance) slider as doing so destroys details.

The Detail tab default setting is 25. I reduce this to about 15 for low ISO images, 5 for high ISO images.

Now I look at the Radius slider. The default will usually be 1.0. For low ISO files at the wide or mid range of the zoom I push this up to around 1.6-2.0. For images taken with the long end of the zoom this goes up to the maximum which is 3.0.

Last I increase the Amount and watch the image as I drag the slider to the right. I generally use about 50 with M43 cameras, but the TZ80 needs between 50 and 100, the high figure being required with images made using the long end of the zoom.

Butcher-bird TZ80

Warning to grain phobic readers: You ain’t gonna like this. You must use a high level on the Amount slider to banish that mushy look which characterises the unmodified RAW files but the more you drag the slider to the right to more grainy the image becomes.

The good news is that grain which appears really prominent on screen may be almost invisible in a print.

Hint: Reduce on screen size to 50%. Suddenly everything looks better. My experience is that if an image looks good at 50% on screen it will usually print well without any appearance of excess grain.

The Lens Corrections tab is next. Here I can remove chromatic aberration if any is evident, remove residual distortion and remove any purple or green fringing which may be present.

Now I usually go back over the Basic and Detail tabs again, repositioning each slider until I arrive at the best possible result for each image.

At this stage experience and practice play a large part in achieving an optimal overall result, balancing grain and sharpness.

Suggestions for readers:

Hint 1: Be bold. Make large adjustments with the sliders and constantly review the result, pulling back when you have overdone it.

Hint 2: Print. I find that mid tone contrast, clarity (local contrast) and sharpness are more important than grain which is less evident in a print than on screen.

I am making prints at an actual picture size of 410 x 540mm from TZ80 files. These look clear and sharp with good presence on the wall. Grain is barely noticeable and only when I get my face right up close to the print with extra strong spectacles.

Summary Is the Panasonic TZ80 the ultimate do anything supercamera ?

Well, not quite. But it can make better pictures than some reviewers appear to believe with good technique at Capture and specific strategies in Adobe Camera Raw.

Đọc thêm »

Panasonic TZ80 (ZS60) Four month user review and reappraisal Part 1 User strategies

Mẹo sử dụng đồ gia dụng 02:48

TZ80 wide angle, hand held

The Paradox of the Panasonic TZ80 (ZS60)

Paradox: A thing that combines contradictory features or qualities.

The TZ80is the latest and arguably best iteration of Panasonic’s pocket superzoom/travel zoom genre which began with the TZ1 in 2006.

The camera is aimed at buyers wanting to record family events, holidays and travel.

My own family experience is that most of these people are snapshooters who set the Mode Dial on [iA] and leave it there.

The problem is that the camera does not give its best results when used this way.

The paradox is that the person who canget the best from the camera is the expert/enthusiast/experienced user who is unlikely to buy it.

This series of posts is for that small and possibly eccentric group of expert/enthusiast users who like me decide to use the TZ80 and enjoy the challenge of coaxing the best possible results from it.

There is an old aphorism which holds that perfect is the enemy of good.

The quest for perfection is a prominent feature of camera reviews and user forums which host endless discussions, comparisons and debates about the relative merits of various models.

I have seen a well known photo magazine declare camera A which scored 4320 lines per image height ‘better’ than camera B which ‘only’ scored 3950 lines.

My own experience is that in the real world, 95% of the apparent sharpness variation between cameras is probably determined by the user’s ability to hold the device still and to ensure that the subject is in focus.

Preoccupation with the finer details of technical image quality appears to me more like obsession than meaningful evaluation of the real world merits of various camera models.

Which brings me to reconsideration of the Panasonic TZ80 (ZS60) compact superzoom.

Some time ago I bought a Panasonic TZ110 and a TZ80 when they became available in Australia.

After testing each I sold the TZ110 and was about to sell the TZ80 but my wife asked me to keep it as she found it to be an appealing little camera and thought she might like to use it from time to time.

As the camera was in the house, I picked it up again and re-acquainted myself with its capabilities which turned out to be substantial and its challenges which require thoughtful management strategies.

I doubt that any prospective camera buyer seeking some kind of perfection would give the TZ80 a moment’s attention.

TZ80 Long end of the zoom, hand held. The colourful workshop facades are one kilometer from the camera.

But consider what this camera offers:

* A 30x zoom spanning from really wide (FLE24mm) to super long (FLE720mm) with Optical Image Stabiliser.

* RAW or JPG output or both.

* Sophisticated autofocus with many features including Panasonic DFD which enables follow focus on moving subjects. Rapid control of AF area position and size.

* Useful manual focus with peaking and PIP display for speed and accuracy.

* 4K video and 4K photo.

* 18 Mpx sensor.

* Touch screen operation.

* Accurate exposure with decent highlight and shadow detail (dynamic range).

* Zebras and easily accessed exposure compensation for control of highlight exposure.

* A built in, always ready EVF of decent quality.

* Built in flash.

* Auto Panorama capability.

* Twin Dial control layout.

* Several buttons with user assignable function.

* Q Menu with quick access to 13 functions.

* An extensive Menu system enabling access to a multitude of user selected functions and features.

* No need for accessories such as a filter or external flash (and no way to fit them anyway).

* All this comes in a truly pocketable size, which I prefer to carry in a LowePro Portland 20 waist pouch. The camera with battery, card and wrist strap weighs only 280 grams.

You can see from the list above that this is a proper photographer’s camera.

The extensive list of specifications, features and controls put the TZ80 well beyond the realm of ‘happy snaps’ compact.

So why are enthusiast photographers not flocking to buy one and are not singing its praises on user forums ?

I think the answer to this question contains two elements:

1. The first and the one which I think will be most obvious to reviewers and new users is image quality. This in turn devolves to two factors, lens and sensor.

1.1. While the lens is a marvel of compact superzoom technology utilising multiple aspheric surfaces, it does have limitations. Specifically the edges and corners are soft towards the wide end of the focal length range and resolution over the whole frame progressively declines from mid zoom towards the long end of the range.

In the middle section of the zoom range the lens is actually quite decently sharp right across the frame.

1.2. The sensor has 18 Mpx on the so-called ‘1/2.3 inch’ size with actual dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm. This is about the same size as one of the buttons on the back of the camera. How they (‘they’ being presumably Sony but neither Panasonic nor Sony are saying so I don’t really know) cram 18 million pixels onto this smartphone size sensor is a micro-engineering achievement way beyond my comprehension.

Anyway somehow they do it but the result is abundant luminance noise at all ISO sensitivity settings including base ISO 80.

So the result of the ‘image quality’ factors is that when files from a TZ80 are viewed on screen at 100% the appearance tends to range from ‘acceptable’ at low ISO settings to ‘hideous’ at high ISO settings.

2. Which brings me to the second element which is a bit more complex so please bear with me…..

I have found that by using strategies involving RAW capture and judicious use of the A and S Modes, followed by adjustments in Adobe Camera Raw specifically tailored to the output from this camera, I can produce files which print decently well up to A2 size (420 x 594 mm) which is about as large as I want to print from any image source.

I am guessing that most reviewers and users do not make full use of these strategies resulting in a lower standard of output than is possible with this camera.

Aperture limitations

The widest lens aperture ranges from f3.3 at focal length equivalent (FLE) 24mm to f6.4 at FLE 720mm. The smallest aperture at all focal lengths is f8.

Now here is the problem:

a) At FLEs from 24 to about 50mm the edges and corners are soft at the widest aperture. This is most noticeable if fine foliage is present at the edges and corners. Best sharpness across the frame is at about f4.5-f5.

b) Sharpness degradation due to diffraction at the aperture diaphragm starts at about f4. On my tests center sharpness is detectably worse at f5.6 than f4. So you don’t want to stop down any further than about f5.

But at the longer focal lengths you don’t gots no choice because the lens only gives you f6.4.

Therefore it is impossible to get really sharp pictures at the long end of the zoom. This is where the post capture strategies come in to produce results which are quite presentable.

Aperture strategies

1. For landscape and similar subjects in bright light I set A Mode and f4.5-f5.

2. Indoors and in low light I set a low shutter speed in S Mode and let the camera use f3.3 at FLE 24mm. A large central area of the frame is decently sharp. Fine details at the corners don’t fare so well.

3. At the long end of the zoom I always use the widest available aperture.

Shutter speed limitations

With the TZ80 hand held and a reasonably static subject I always want to use the slowest possible shutter speed in order to keep the ISO sensitivity as low as possible in order to minimise luminance noise.

I recommend each user experiment to find the slowest shutter speed they can manage at each focal length range and still produce a majority of shake free frames. This can vary considerably between individuals and with exercise level, heart rate, breathing, hand tremor, technique and so forth.

I find that 1/15 sec at the wide end and 1/200 sec at the long end produce a reasonably high percentage of sharp enough frames if I am calm, still and use good technique.

Shutter speed strategies

Indoors at any focal length and outdoors whenever the long end of the zoom is used, I recommend setting S on the Mode dial. I do not use the long end of the zoom indoors.

I then set a low shutter speed appropriate to the focal length in use as determined by previous testing.

Firing solution strategies

The following discourse is based on hand held camera use. Settings and strategies are different when the camera is on a tripod, but the whole point of a camera like this is to operate without the need for a tripod or other accessories.

I call the combination of Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO and Exposure Compensation used for any exposure the ‘firing solution’.

In the Custom Menu I set the LVF and Monitor Disp. Style to ‘viewfinder’ type with key camera data beneath the preview image. In this configuration the Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO setting and Exposure Compensation status are most easily seen.

In Capture Phase of use I constantly monitor this data and switch between A Mode and S Mode to give me the best possible combination of Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO sensitivity for the conditions and focal length in use.

Occasionally I use P Mode but only if the camera gives me key exposure parameters in line with my predetermined optimums for each focal length and subject condition.

I also sometimes use M Mode if none of the auto exposure modes gives the exposure parameters I want.

I never use iA Mode.

I do shoot RAW + JPG to compare the results of my post processing with that of the camera.

Other strategies

When using slow shutter speeds with static subjects at the long end of the zoom range I quite often find frames with camera shake induced blur, sometimes with side-to-side double imaging. One strategy to manage this is obviously to increase the shutter speed but that runs up the ISO setting which increases luminance noise.

Another strategy is to use Burst M and fire off about 6 shots. I generally find one or two of these will be sharper than the others.

Another issue common in the TZ80 and other small sensor compacts is loss of highlight detail when subject brightness range is high. I watch the zebras and apply negative exposure compensation if they are prominent.

I allocate Exposure Compensation to the rear dial to make this quick and easy and use Zebra 1 set at 105%.

There is one little glitch caused by allocating exposure compensation to the rear dial, namely that the dial does nothing when M Mode is set. This is a firmware programming mistake by the boffins at Panasonic. What should happen is that the rear dial reverts to changing shutter speed when M Mode is set.

There are two workarounds for this.

One is to set S Mode on the Mode Dial then select the shutter speed required. When the Mode Dial is turned to M that shutter speed will be carried over. You can adjust Aperture with the lens ring as usual.

The other is to access shutter Speed via the Q Menu.

Neither is elegant. Fortunately M Mode is infrequently required.

Holding the camera still

I have found that the most important requirement for obtaining decently sharp pictures with the TZ80 is holding the camera still at the point of exposure.

This involves

* Relaxed posture, preferably aided by resting one’s arms on a horizontal or vertical support.

* Calm demeanour aided by mini meditation for breathing and body control.

* Optimum camera holding strategy which I have described here.

* Viewing through the EVF enables greater stability than monitor viewing.

Good camera holding technique is especially important at the long end of the zoom. The camera is very light with very little inertia. I have found a very big difference between the results of good versus not-so-good holding technique.

Next: Post capture strategies in Adobe Camera Raw

Đọc thêm »

Setting up the Panasonic GX80/85

Mẹo sử dụng đồ gia dụng 01:26

Admiring the view with Margaret Olley

Menus, controls and operation of the GX80/85 are very similar to other recent Panasonic cameras so much of the material here is similar to that in the posts on setting up the G7 and GX8

Like other recent Panasonic Micro Four Thirds MILCs, the GX85 is a very sophisticated piece of equipment with a multitude of features and capabilities. In addition the function of many of the external controls can be user selected from a long list of options.

This makes the GX85 very configurable. Each user can virtually design their own camera and decide what it will do and how it will work.

This is a wonderful thing but it requires many decisions to be made by the user. Experts who are familiar with Panasonic menus and way of doing things can breeze through all this in a few minutes.

But newcomers to the brand may face a steep learning curve.

This post on setting up the GX85 is designed to help those people.

I will refer to the GX80/85 Owners Manual (PDF) for advanced features which should be downloaded from a Panasonic website and open on screen. Fortunately Panasonic’s PDFs are easier to navigate than some with “jump to” and “jump back” capability and a decent layout.

The Owners Manual tells you a lot about what you can do but almost nothing at all about why you would select one of the many options in preference to any other.

I will try to offer some assistance with this. I will explain my understanding of the options available and my selection with reasons. Your requirements will be different from mine and therefore likely to lead to different selections.

I do not use video capture much so anyone who wants to use the GX85 primarily for video would best seek elsewhere for advice. This series of setup posts is aimed primarily at still photo users.

User groups and basic Mode Dial Settings

The GX85 is suitable for the full range of users from complete novices up to professionals.

Novices can set the Mode Dial on the [iA] icon, leave all menu items at default and enjoy the camera’s automatic, point and shoot operation which works very well.

The [Creative Control] (Artists palette) icon on the Mode Dial lets you play about with various in camera JPG effects, just for fun.

The [Scn] Mode is similar with imaging presets like “Appetizing Food” and “Cute Dessert”. I never use or recommend any of these as they give control of imaging parameters to the camera. One of the options is “Clear Sports Shot” but I would never use that for sport/action photos because that is one type of subject where you must have full control of the camera to get good photos.

Those wanting to take a bit more control can try [iA+] but I find iA+ more confusing than helpful.

Users wanting to properly take control of camera operation need to use the P,A,S,M Modes.

Basic ergonomic concepts

The GX85 like all recent Panasonic M43 cameras allows you to assign many menu based items to Function buttons and/or the Q Menu button. You can also decide which button is used for the Q Menu. The list of assignable functions is so long as to bewilder the newcomer. So you need a conceptual framework to guide the process.

The framework which I use and recommend is to understand the use of a camera in four phases: Setup, Prepare, Capture and Review.

Setup Phase decisions are made at home with the Owners Manual to hand. Items which do not need to be adjusted when out and about with the camera can remain in the main menu system, accessed via the Menu/Set button.

Prepare Phase decisions are made in the minutes before taking photos. This might involve, for instance switching from “tripod/landscape” settings to “hand held sport/action” settings.

Some adjustments in this Phase are made with the Mode Dial

Other adjustments in Prepare Phase can be allocated to the Q Menu and the Q Menu function itself is allocated to a Fn button. I leave it at the default location which is Fn2.

In Capture Phase you want to quickly adjust primary and secondary exposure and focus parameters without disrupting the picture taking flow. These include Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO, Exposure Compensation, AF on, Change position and size of AF box.

The best control modules for this phase are the front and rear dials, the programmable Function Buttons and the 4way pad (called Cursor Buttons in Pana-speak).

Review Phase is accessed via the [Playback] button the function of which cannot be reassigned.

Touch Screen Operation

The GX85 offers many sophisticated touch screen functions and operations (Custom Menu screen 8/9, Manual Page 219)

Someone coming from a smartphone background might think the touch screen would be the obvious way to operate the camera. However the screen on a camera is much smaller than that on a smartphone making all the touch icons smaller and more fiddly to use. In addition the camera is designed to be used with the EVF which makes touch operations very difficult to put it mildly.

I note that cameras designed for professional use generally do not offer touch operation.

The touch options in the Custom Menu are:

1. On/Off

2. Touch Tab. When [On] a line of flyout tabs appears at the right side of the screen like those unloved Charms in Windows 8. You get an extra 5 little Fn button pads and several other functions.

By all means give this a try but I find the tabs too small, too fiddly and the whole process a distraction from the capture flow.

To operate a smartphone you look AT the screen. To operate a camera you look AT the subject THROUGHthe screen or EVF. I find that if I have to look AT the screen to operate the camera it distracts my attention away from the subject.

3. Touch AF. This can be set to activate AF, AE or both at any part of the screen which is touched.

4. Touch Pad AF. The idea here is to allow you to move the AF Area using touch on the monitor, while looking through the EVF. Select OFFSET which allows you to move the AF area over the whole picture area while using only the right half of the screen. ‘Nudge’ operation is also supported.

Some people say they really like this feature, others of whom I am one find it easier to move AF Area with the cursor buttons.

My conclusion after several years is that the touch functions are probably most useful for video work on a tripod when you are viewing on the monitor and do not have to hold the camera.

I don’t do video and infrequently use a tripod so I switch all the touch functions off.

Direct focus Area

The next thing which I like to decide is whether or not to use Direct Focus Area (Custom Menu, Manual Page 212) as this influences what functions need to be allocated to the Q menu and Fn buttons.

Novices will be accustomed to the AF system which works in [iA] Mode. The camera uses 49 Area AF Mode and decides where to place the focus using algorithms in the firmware. This often produces multiple small green boxes when the shutter is half pressed.

Users coming from a DSLR background may be familiar with the “focus (in the center) and recompose” procedure, which you can also use with the GX85.

But there is a better way, faster and more precise than either of the methods above.

The GX85 is a mirrorless camera which allows the user to change position and size of the active AF area at will. This is achieved with the Cursor Buttons. With default settings the direct functions of the

Cursor Buttons are ISO, White Balance, Drive Mode and Autofocus Mode.

Note that Autofocus (AF) Mode is different from Focus Mode (AFC/AFF/AFC/MF).

In order to change position and size of the AF area you first press the left Cursor Button to enter AF Mode, then the down Cursor Button to activate the AF area Setting screen. This is indicated by a yellow bounding box around the AF area with up/down/left/right yellow arrows.

Now pressing a Cursor Button will move the box.

You can put it anywhere. Change the size of the box in 8 big jumps with the rear dial or 68 small increments with the front dial.

Press the Disp Button with the AF box yellow and arrows visible to return the box to center, press twice to restore the box to default size.

Half press the shutter button to restore the AF box to white, indicating readiness for focus operation.

Some users are happy to leave the camera like this and in fact it works fine. But you have to press the left then the down cursor buttons to enter the AF Area Setting Screen.

If you set [Direct Focus Area] in the Custom Menu then pressing any of the cursor buttons causes the camera to enter the AF Area Setting screen immediately and also moves the AF box immediately.

This is faster but you have to find a place to access ISO, WB (if desired) and Autofocus Mode. As it happens this is easy enough.

My practice and recommendation is to set [Direct Focus Area].

I put ISO on Fn4 and Autofocus (AF) Mode on the Q Menu on Fn2. Although Panasonic provides a plethora of AF Mode options I find that [1 Area] gives the most reliable focus in most situations with static and moving subjects. It also gives me the most control.

I don’t bother adjusting White Balance (WB) before capture as I run all my photos including JPGs through Photoshop where I find it much easier to achieve satisfactory white balance. If you shoot

RAW then setting WB doesn’t matter.

If you want to shoot JPG and use photos straight out of the camera it may be necessary to adjust WB pre capture. In that case you can allocate WB to a Fn button or the Q Menu.

I put Drive Mode on Fn3.

Dial Operation

The GX85 is a full twin dial camera like a professional DSLR but with better dial ergonomics than most of them, enabling the camera to be driven like a sports car. Which is wonderful but like a sports car the driver needs to have sufficient knowledge and skill.

I would advise someone who has never used a twin dial camera to leave Dial Operation at default settings initially then explore what’s available a little later when you are more familiar with the camera. But I put the explanations here because dial settings greatly affect the user experience.

Dial options are found under the [Dial Set] tab, screen 7/9 in the Custom Menu, Manual Page 46.

1. F=Aperture, SS=Shutter Speed. In Manual Exposure Mode this sets which dial changes Aperture and which changes Shutter Speed. Both dials are easy to use so the choice is by personal preference. I find the front dial easier to use than the rear dial so I use that as the main aperture/shutter speed control.

2. Rotation. Ask your self which way you expect to move a control for [value up], in other words higher f number or faster shutter speed . At the default setting rotating the front of the front dial >right (finger moves right) gives value up and rotating the back of the rear dial >right (finger moves right) also gives value up. My brain is wired to expect this so I leave the setting at default. If your brain is wired up differently you can try setting the reverse.

3. Exposure Compensation (EC). You can set up either (or neither) dial to give Exposure Compensation directly. The other dial will adjust aperture in A Mode and Shutter Speed in S Mode.

This is a very fast way to apply EC and it works well. When I set up my GH3/4 for direct EC on the rear dial it got bumped all the time so I had to switch it off. But that has not been a problem with the GX85. I prefer to adjust aperture/shutter speed with the front dial and EC with the rear dial. But you can have it the other way around if preferred.

Note that if you push the rear dial until it clicks, flash exposure adjustment becomes available with the front dial. Press again to return to previous function.

Dial Operation Switch Settings. This is a recent feature for Panasonic M43 cameras. The idea is to use one of the Fn buttons like an [Alt] key on a Windows computer, to temporarily reassign function of the dials.

I think Panasonic has taken a step too far with the Dial Operation Switch function. It’s all too convoluted both at setup and in operation.

I find that when using a camera that I need to train my nerve/muscle pathways to automatically perform certain movements when I wish to complete specific tasks. Neurologically this process actually involves certain nerve pathways firing preferentially when performing those tasks.

If the camera changes configuration in mid process I will have all the wrong nerves firing. That means I have to stop what I am doing and concentrate on the camera when I should be concentrating on the subject and the picture taking flow.

My solution to this is to leave Dial Operation Switch function well alone.

Function (Fn) Button Actions Custom Menu screen 7/9, Manual page 58.

Each of the Fn Buttons can be allocated one of 56 possible functions. On first sight the list looks impossibly long and the selection process daunting. But some principles can be usefully applied.

* The Q Menu must be allocated to one button and the default Fn2 is as good as any.

* That leaves three available hard Fn buttons.

* If Direct Focus Area is set for the Cursor Buttons you need to locate ISO, AF Mode, Drive Mode and, if desired, White Balance somewhere.

I put:

* Focus Mode on Fn1, because I often want to switch quickly between AFS, AFC and MF.

* Autofocus Mode in the Q Menu because I infrequently use any setting other than 1 Area, but I sometimes want Pinpoint and maybe Face Detect.

* Drive Mode on Fn3 because I want to change quickly between single, Burst and Timer.

* ISO on Fn4 because I quite often want to set a specific ISO sensitivity.

I never use the ‘soft’ Fn buttons as I find they are very easily touched accidentally.

So that is what I do with my reasons. But you will have different ideas about priorities so go through the list and try to work through which functions you want to bring out of the main menu system and onto Fn buttons for ready access.

The best part of this is that you can change your mind at any time. But at some stage you need to settle on a group of settings so you can train your neuro muscular system to function reliably and without having to think about it in the service of making adjustments quickly and smoothly.

AF/AE Lock button Custom Menu screen 2/6, Manual Page 210.

This is the button under your thumb as you hold the camera normally.

You may have read about “back button focus” on some enthusiast and high level cameras. Well this is where you can set up back button focus on the GX85. Or not as the case may be. You can choose.

Options for the button are Auto Exposure Lock, Autofocus Lock, Both, and AF-ON.

If AFL is selected the camera will focus and lock focus.

If the next tab down,[AF/AE Lock Hold] is set to ON, focus will stay locked when you release the button.

If AF-ON is set the camera will focus continuously if AFC is set on the Focus Mode lever. This is useful for sport/action where you might want to get the AF system up to speed before initiating a capture sequence with the shutter button.

I find the most useful combination for the way I use the GX85 is AFL and AF/AELock Hold ON.

There are plenty of options with which to experiment.

Q Menu Custom Menu screen 7/9, Manual Page 57.

This is the ideal access portal for items which you want to adjust in Prepare Phase of use, in the few minutes before capture. By default there is a preset list of items allocated to the Q Menu but I recommend you make a Custom list, selecting items from the 37 available.

The process for listing items in the Q Menu is reasonably well described on Page 57 of the Manual.

I find the custom Q Menu is most easily set up using touch screen to drag and drop items as required.

The active items line can contain 15 items but only 5 are displayed at any time without scrolling across. Therefore I recommend and practice using a maximum of 5 items in the Custom Q menu.

I allocate Photo Style, Stabiliser, Quality, AF Mode and Shutter Type to the Q Menu. However I have had no problems with shutter shock thus far so it may be possible to leave the mechanical shutter on permanently.

There appears to be no list of Q Menu items in the Operating Instructions, so you need to trawl through the options on the monitor screen. Decide which items you would be happy to leave in the main menu system and which you want available for ready access on the Q Menu but do not require a dedicated Fn button.

Expect to revise these decisions with experience. Fortunately the camera allows you to change your mind any number of times.

Got in a muddle ?

If you feel you have made a mess of things so far and gotten your settings in a muddle fear not. Go to the Setup Menu>Reset and start over.

Menus

In the Operating Instructions find

Rec Menu on Page 187

Setup Menu on Page 220

Custom Menu on Page 210.

The menu items are almost identical to those in the GX8 and G7.

For further details please refer to my posts for setting up either of those cameras.