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| Horizontal Waterfall, Kimberley Coast, Australia. GH4 + 14-140mm, helicopter. |
The Custom Menu hosts a long list of items which don't obviously belong in the Rec or Setup Menus.
Cust.Set.Mem This is the place to assign a group of settings to a Custom Mode. The procedure is quite straightforward. First ensure that ALL Menu, Q menu, WB, ISO, +/- buttons and Fn button settings are as you want them for the intended use and that the Main Mode Dial is where you want it. Set your preferred aperture if using A Mode or shutter speed if using S Mode, or both is using M Mode. Then simply follow the screen prompts to allocate all those settings to one of the Custom Modes. Once in a Custom Mode you can change all settings as usual. They will revert to the saved settings when you switch to a different mode than back to the original one.
I actually find this feature more useful on Panasonic's intermediate models such as the G6 which does not have direct hard control access to Drive Mode and Focus Mode. Neither of these Modes can be included in a Custom Mode on the GH4 as they are accessed via labelled hard controls. In addition OIS setting on lenses with an OIS switch on the lens barrel cannot be included in a Custom Mode.
Silent Mode This is very useful especially for environments which demand quiet camera operation. This switches E-Shutter On and all beeps Off. Note that there are still physical functions which are not silent. These are
* Aperture mechanism which is quite audible even with my poor hearing 2 meters from the camera in some lenses such as the 12-35mm f2.8 when stopped down.
* OIS mechanism and focus mechanism both of which are audible with one's ear on or very close to the lens.
AF/AE Lock This sets the function of the AF/AE Lock button. Individual preferences vary. The GH4 gives you plenty of choice, between AE lock, AF lock or both. I set the 4th (bottom) option, AF ON. This operates like back button focus on a pro style DSLR. In AFS it starts and locks focus. In AFC it commences and continues AFC. Note that on the GH4 setting the back button to AF On still enables AF with half press of the shutter button. So you can initiate AF either way without having to change settings.
AF/AE Lock HoldThis determines how the lock hold function operates. With this function Off, AF or AE is locked while the AF/AE Lock button is held down. With the function On, AF or AE is locked with a single short press of the button.
AF/AE Lock Hold is inactive if AF-ON is set for the function of the AF/AE Lock button.
Shutter AF This determines whether half press of the shutter button will initiate AF or not. If you want to fully separate autofocus from autoexposure, set AF/AE Lock to AF ON and Shutter AF to Off.
I leave it On so I can initiate AF with either the shutter button or back button.
Half Press Release If set to On the shutter will fire with half press of the shutter release button. I am not quite sure of the purpose of this feature. Maybe it is intended to produce a super speedy shutter response. I always leave it Off as having the shutter fire on half press would confuse me no end. When time permits I like to half press, confirm focus has been achieved then full press.
Quick AF has AF working continuously prior to capture even when AFS is set on the Focus Mode lever. Presumably this is intended to speed up proceedings but it does use more power than standard AF. I leave it Off.
Eye Sensor AF This is another feature designed to speed up proceedings. AF is activated by bringing the eye to the viewfinder eyepiece. It works just fine but I leave it Off just because I prefer to have a bit more control over the camera's behaviour.
Pinpoint AF Time When you use Pinpoint AF the camera automatically magnifies a small section of the image at and around the focus point so you can see exactly what is in focus. The magnified frame within a frame appears for a time. Options are Long, Mid and Short. Mid gives about one second which suits me well enough. It gives me an opportunity to check focus without slowing down the capture flow too much.
AF Assist Lamp Low light AF sensitivity on the GH4 is so great that I hardly ever use it. The camera will focus (slowly) without the lamp in light so low you can hardly see. The lamp does speed up AF acquisition in very low light and could be useful if flash will be the light source for capture.
Direct Focus Area With this On, the active AF area is highlighted and starts to move immediately when any part of the Control Dial is pressed. If Direct Focus Area is Off it is necessary to press another button (which one depends on Fn button function allocations) to activate the AF area prior to moving it with the Control dial.
I always set Direct Focus Area On. The camera has clearly been designed to operate this way with no other functions allocated to the Cursor Buttons (4 way controller). This allows the user to change AF area position and size very quickly. Recenter AF area with the Disp button.
Focus/Release Priority This option may be particularly relevant to AFC/continuous Drive. If Release Priority is set the camera will take the shot even if it thinks exact focus has not been achieved. If Focus Priority is set the camera will try to confirm focus before activating the shutter. Since I have no interest in out of focus shots I always set Focus Priority.
AF+MF When On this allows focus to be adjusted manually (with focus assist if set) after autofocus has operated (half press the shutter button or AF/AE Lock button and hold). When combined with Peaking this allows very fine tune of focus. I always set it On.
MF Assist This zooms into the frame when manual focus is operating. It can be set to activate by turning the focus ring on the lens, pressing the Fn3 button , both or Off. The amount of zoom can be controlled with the front and rear dials. I set MF Assist to operate when the focus ring is turned as that seems the natural thing to do.
MF guide When On this brings up a horizontal analogue distance indicator in the lower part of the frame. This could assist with turning the focus ring the correct way. Unfortunately no specific focus distance is indicated, just a flower symbol on the right and a mountain symbol on the left.
Peaking At last peaking comes to Panasonic's top camera. On the GH4 it is well implemented with numerous options. There are two Detect Levels, High and Low and three colors at each detect level. Page 111 of the Manual has the details. The High setting is described as being more precise than the Low setting. I have it at High and Light Blue which seems to work well.
Some people are sceptical about peaking but if well implemented as is the case with the GH4 I find it effective and useful.
Histogram This is a real time pre capture histogram, presumably representing the JPG which the camera would produce from the scene presented to it at the current settings. When this feature became available on digital cameras a few years ago I dutifully put it on the screen. But now I leave it Off. It uses up a big chunk of the image preview area, it distracts me from making the shot and the GH4 (and all current and past Panasonic cameras in my experience) gets the exposure right pretty much every time. So for those fussy users who want to expose to the right and want to use Exposure Compensation a lot the real time histogram may be of some use.
Guide Line Now here is a more useful feature. You get 4 options, 2x2, Double diagonal, 1x1 and Off. I use 1x1 which presents one vertical and one horizontal line both of which can be placed anywhere. I run both of them through the frame center. In that position the vertical one is very useful for ensuring the camera is held level particularly with architectural subjects.
Center Marker This is a new feature for the GH4. It's a minor addition but I have it On to help locating the frame center.
Highlight This for some reason unknown to me is in the Custom Menu but refers to behaviour in Playback. If a part of the picture has blown out highlights those areas will flash black and white (a.k.a. "blinkies"). I find this useful so I leave it On. Note that with RAW capture useful detail can often be retrieved from blinking overexposed areas.
Zebra Pattern This is like a preview version of blinkies with several options for use. The details are on Page 210 of the Manual. You can have right leaning or left leaning zebra pattern and set the brightness (as a percentage) to be displayed as a zebra pattern. I have to confess I am still experimenting with zebras. I find them quite distracting so am inclined to switch them Off. However they do provide a pre capture indication of highlight overexposure which is more user friendly than the histogram. I am currently trialling a level of 100% which seems to set a reasonable balance between sensitivity and distraction.
Monochrome Live view If you want to see what the world looks like in monochrome this is the place. I leave it off and forgot the feature existed until I trawled through the Menus for this post. It could be a useful feature however for the photographer anticipating monochrome for final output.
Constant Preview This one is very useful. When On, the live view image becomes lighter or darker as Exposure Compensation is changed or as Aperture and/or Shutter speed are altered in Manual Mode. This is beneficial when photographing in ambient light. But when photographing with flash it may be best to switch this feature Off so you can see the subject properly in preview.
Expo.Meter This is a large display of the aperture and shutter speed combinations which would result in correct exposure, spread out across the lower part of the preview screen. It is only visible with some Display options (cycled with the Disp button). Panasonic cameras have had this feature as an option for several years. I find it a complete distraction from the capture process and always switch it off.
LVF Disp. Style and Monitor Disp. Style You can set the EVF (called LVF in Panasonica land) and Monitor to either "SLR" style with key camera data beneath the preview image on a black background strip or "Monitor" style which provides a larger preview image but the key camera data is overlaid on the lower part of the image. I set both to "SLR" style which makes the camera data much more consistently easy to read. This means I can be aware of the shutter speed, aperture and ISO is use at all times while in Capture Phase of use.
Monitor Info. Disp When the Disp. button is pressed repeatedly the monitor display changes in data content. One of the display screens (not available on the EVF) has no preview image, just camera data info. This is not a live control panel, the data cannot be changed from this screen. I never use it but I can see that it provides a quick reference guide to many current settings. If set to Off, the screen does not display.
Rec. Area The angle of view and aspect ratio for still photo may differ from that used for motion picture. This sets one or the other.
Video-Priority Display This appears to be self explanatory.
Auto Review When On, Auto Review automatically plays back the photo last captured. It can be set to Hold or 5-1 seconds or, of course Off.
A submenu is Playback Operation Priority. When On, this allows review functions to operate during Auto Review.
I always switch Auto Review Off. I will review photos at a time of my choosing, which is never immediately post capture.
Fn button Set and Q Menu will be covered in a later post.
Dial Set There are three submenus
1. In Manual Exposure Mode, the dials can be allocated as Aperture (Front) Shutter Speed (Rear) or the reverse. Select the one which you find most comfortable, possibly in line with previous experience with another camera.
2. Rotation direction can be as per default or the reverse. Beware messing with this, changes can be confusing.
3. Exposure Compensation can be assigned to either dial directly. This operates in P, A, and S Modes. It may be tempting to use this feature however I have tried it and found an unacceptable frequency of unintentional +/- activation as a result. It is safer if slightly slower to confine initiation of +/- to the +/- hard button behind the front dial.
Video Button If like me you have no use for video switch the video button Off. Unfortunately it cannot be otherwise assigned.
Power Zoom Lens This function is only available when a PZ lens is fitted.
Lens W/O Focus Ring Panasonic does currently supply a lens without focus ring for the GM1. It will work on other M43 cameras including the GH4 although the big body/small lens combination might be an odd match. Anyway the instructions for focussing become accessible if such a lens is mounted.
Eye Sensor There are 2 submenus. The first is Sensitivity. Some users have complained that Panasonic EVF proximity sensors are a bit too sensitive. I set Low.
The second submenu selects operation of LVF (EVF)/Monitor switching. The options are LVF/Mon. Auto, LVF and Mon(itor).
Note that if the LVF/Fn5 button has been allocated a function other than LVF/Monitor switching (I use it to select E-Shutter /Mecha shutter) then it is not available for LVF/Monitor switching. In this case you may want to set LVF/Mon. Auto so the proximity sensor automatically switches to the EVF when you look in it.
Why might you want manual LVF/Monitor switching ? When the camera is held at waist level with the fully articulated monitor swung out to one side, you want to hold the camera close in to the body for stability. But if the proximity sensor is active this switches the monitor off, so you have to hold the camera out about 20cm from the body which is less stable.
There is another way to get around this problem and it makes the proximity sensor redundant. Set the LVF/Monitor Switch submenu to Mon(itor). Now the Monitor is always active if it is visible. However if you close the monitor facing in to the camera this will automatically activate the EVF. Simple. I usually set up the GH4 this way as I generally turn the monitor inwards for protection when using the EVF.
I discovered this when using the FZ200 which has no proximity sensor. Many people who criticised the camera for it's lack of proximity sensor did not realise that switching is automatic, it just requires the monitor to be turned inward.
Touch Settings There are 4 submenus, Touch Screen, Touch Tab, Touch AF and Touch Pad AF. The details are on page 314 of the Manual. If Touch Screen is Off the other submenu items are disabled.
Some users like touch screens and complain about cameras which are not so fitted. The problem with a touch screen is that it requires the user to look at the screen not at the subject and not through the viewfinder. It is thus a distraction from the capture process.
Some users have reported a positive experience with Touch Pad AF. This allows the active focus area to be moved around the frame by touch even when looking through the EVF. There are two versions, Exact and Offset. I have tried both and found either to be an awkward, clumsy, difficult to control alternative to Direct Focus Area using the cursor buttons (Control Dial).
But, give it a go.
Touch screen operation could be viable with the camera on tripod, when you don't have to hold it and will probably use the monitor for viewing.
I note in passing that most pro level cameras do not offer touch screen operation presumably because pro photographers do not want it.
Touch Scroll This switches the speed for forwarding or rewinding pictures continuously. Page 314 of the Manual.
Menu Guide This is something of a mystery item, with a confusing name. It displays the selection screen for the Creative Control Mode. So if you set Creative Control Mode on the Main Mode Dial and the screen does not display the items described on Page 77 of the Manual it is because this item buried in the Custom Menu is set to Off. Go figure.
Shoot W/O Lens Set this to On so the camera can operate without a lens mounted if required. I use it to observe operation of the 4 phase mechanical shutter.
Next post Recording Menu.
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