Setting up the FZ1000 Part 2, Fn buttons, Q Menu, Custom Modes

I am finding that pictures from the FZ1000 have a pleasing quality indoors or out. This is a quick shot made while walking through an underground shopping mall. I held the camera close in at chest height viewing on the articulated monitor.  ISO 200, 1/60sec, f2.8. The excellent OIS allows the use of slow shutter speeds which in turn keeps ISO settings down. Note that at f2.8 most things in the frame are in focus. If I had used, say, a full frame camera then f8 would have been required, which in turn would have required ISO 1600, which in turn would have at least the same amount of grain/noise as the FZ1000 at ISO 200.   My point is that I don't see how a larger/more expensive camera/sensor would actually allow me to make  better picture.

 

The FZ1000  allows you to allocate your chosen function to 6 buttons. These are the AF/AE-L button, discussed in the previous post and the 5 Function buttons. When recording there are 46 options from which to select. At first this might seem like baffling overchoice. However I have some suggestions which are designed to make the selection process easier. In any case the function allocations can be altered at any time.

Phases of camera use  I like to identify four phases of camera use: Setup, Prepare, Capture and Review.

As a general guide I like to leave in the main menu items which require change in Setup Phase. These are the items you want to set at home with the Owners Manual to hand and not need to access while out and about with the camera.

Prepare Phase is the several minutes just before making photos when you prepare camera settings for the task to hand. The Q Menu is a handy place for items requiring adjustment in this phase.

Capture Phase is self explanatory. This is when you are in the process of taking photos. Adjustments in this phase need to be made  quickly and automatically, like using the controls to drive a car.  The main control modules used in this phase are the Focus/zoom ring on the lens, the shutter button, the zoom lever around the shutter button, the rear dial, the AF/AE-L button, the 4 Way cursor keys and the Function buttons.

Function Buttons   Page 45 of the Owners Manual.

Look at the list below of available options for the Fn buttons.  Try to decide which of those things you might want to adjust in Capture Phase. If you have never tackled  this exercise before, take a guess. There is no "wrong" answer. If your first selections doesn't seem to work for you, just change them.

The nice thing about this system is that each individual can set the camera up to personal preference then change it as experience prompts a different approach.

2. Preparations before Recording

You can use assigned functions by pressing a function button when recording.

• The following functions can be assigned to the button [Fn1], [Fn2], [Fn3], [Fn4] or [Fn5].

¢Function button settings at the time of purchase.

Making the function button settings for recording

[Rec] menu/Recording functions

– [Wi-Fi] (P251): [Fn2]¢

– [Q.MENU] (P40): [Fn3]¢

– [LVF/Monitor Switch] (P58): [Fn5]¢

– [AF/AE LOCK] (P151)

– [AF-ON] (P151, 157)

– [Preview] (P91): [Fn4]¢

– [One Push AE] (P92)

– [Level Gauge] (P67)

– [Focus Area Set] (P46)

– [Photo Style] (P122): [Fn1]¢

– [Aspect Ratio] (P131)

– [Picture Size] (P131)

– [Quality] (P132)

– [AFS/AFF] (P139)

– [Metering Mode] (P163)

– [Burst Rate] (P167)

– [Auto Bracket] (P171)

– [Self Timer] (P174)

– [Highlight Shadow] (P124)

– [i.Dynamic] (P134)

– [i.Resolution] (P134)

– [HDR] (P135)

– [Shutter Type] (P164)

– [Flash Mode] (P203)

– [Flash Adjust.] (P207)

– [i.Zoom] (P198)

– [Digital Zoom] (P199)

– [Stabilizer] (P195)

– [Sensitivity] (P160)

– [White Balance] (P126)

– [AF Mode/MF] (P138)

– [Macro Mode] (P155)

– [Restore to Default]

[Motion Picture] menu

– [Motion Pic. Set]

([Rec Format] (P212)/[Rec Quality] (P212))

– [Picture Mode] (P219)

[Custom] menu

– [Silent Mode] (P186)

– [Peaking] (P152)

– [Histogram] (P66)

– [Guide Line] (P66)

– [Zebra Pattern] (P193)

– [Monochrome Live View] (P194)

– [Rec Area] (P216)

– [Zoom Lever] (P200)

– [Manual ring (Zoom)] (P200

My Fn button function allocations with reasons for each, are below. You might use these as an aid to your own thinking process. Recall from the previous post that I use Direct Focus Area on the 4 way cursor keys:

Fn1: ISO.  This is one of the three primary exposure parameters (the others are shutter speed and aperture) so it goes to a high accessibility location. I use Auto ISO most of the time but want direct access to ISO adjustment if I am unhappy with the Auto ISO selection.

Fn2: The Fn 2 button  is impossible to reach without releasing grip on the handle with the right hand. It is therefore more suitable for Prepare Phase adjustments than Capture Phase ones. So I put the Q Menu on this button.

Fn3: I need to switch back and forth between RAW and JPG capture quite frequently. I mostly use RAW but switch to JPG for iZoom and action with AFC and Burst Mode.  So I put Quality on Fn3.

Fn4: I quite often like to know if my camera is level, but I don't want the electronic level gauge obscuring  my preview image all the time. So I allocate this to Fn 4 so it can be quickly switched on or off.

Fn5: I like to photograph flowers often by the wayside and often with a hand held camera. So I want quick access to AF Macro which resides on Fn5.

Your priorities and photographic preferences will be different from mine and will lead to selection of a different function set.

Q Menu  Page 42-43 of the Manual.

Go to page 8 of the Custom Menu and set the Q Menu tab to CUSTOM.  You don't want the PRESET version which is not very user friendly and doesn't have your own preferred items. Below is the list of functions which can be assigned to the  Custom Q Menu. By the way, if you assign a function from a main menu to the Q Menu or a Fn button it remains in the main menu and can be adjusted from either location.

Try to figure which of these items you might want to change in Prepare Phase of use.

Up to 15 items can be allocated to the Q menu, with a maximum of 5 appearing at any time. Any more than 5 requires scrolling across with the Cursor keys or rear dial.  There are 36 from which to choose.

The actual method for selecting items for the Q Menu is well described in the Manual. You might need to jiggle and fiddle a bit with some of the items to set them where you prefer in the line.  

[Rec] menu/Recording functions

– [Photo Style] (P122)

– [Picture Setting]

([Aspect Ratio] (P131)/[Picture Size]

(P131))

– [Quality] (P132)

– [AFS/AFF] (P139)

– [Metering Mode] (P163)

– [Burst Rate] (P167)

– [Auto Bracket] (P171)

– [Self Timer] (P174)

– [i.Dynamic] (P134)

– [i.Resolution] (P134)

– [HDR] (P135)

– [Shutter Type] (P164)

– [Flash Mode] (P203)

– [Flash Adjust.] (P207)

– [i.Zoom] (P198)

– [Digital Zoom] (P199)

– [Stabilizer] (P195)

– [Sensitivity] (P160)

– [White Balance] (P126)

– [AF Mode] (P138)

– [Macro Mode] (P155)

L

– [Motion Pic. Set]

([Rec Format] (P212)/[Rec Quality]

(P212))

– [Picture Mode] (P219)

– [Silent Mode] (P186)

– [Peaking] (P152)

– [Histogram] (P66)

– [Guide Line] (P66)

– [Zebra Pattern] (P193)

– [Monochrome Live View] (P194)

– [Rec Area] (P216)

– [Zoom Lever] (P200)

– [Manual ring (Zoom)] (P200)

My own selection for the Q Menu, with reasons,  is:

* Flash adjust. Because I am currently experimenting with flash at minus 2 EV as an alternative to high ISO settings in low light.

* White Balance. I usually just use Auto White Balance but in artificial light manual adjustment can be useful.

* Autofocus Mode.  I usually use 1 Area. However sometimes Face Detect is useful and sometimes I use Pinpoint. I have not yet found a use for Tracking. I don't like 49 Area as it does not give me enough control over the point of focus. I have played around with Custom Multi but not yet found a convincing use for it.

* Burst Rate.  I usually use M as this gives live view on each frame. But L could be useful for slowly moving subjects and H might be handy in a situation where focus and framing can be fixed at the beginning of a burst. For instance a high jumper going over the bar.

* Self timer. I generally use 2 seconds but sometimes 10 seconds might be appropriate.

* Shutter Type. I probably should remove this as I always use the mechanical shutter. I came to the FZ1000 from Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras most of which are subject to shutter shock with some lenses. This requires frequent switching from E-Shutter to mechanical shutter. But the FZ1000 is not affected by shutter shock and can be operated with the mechanical shutter all the time.

* Silent Mode. E-Shutter is automatically activated if  Silent Mode is set. This is the only time I would use the electronic shutter on the FZ1000. By the way the camera is not completely silent. The OIS module makes a little grinding noise anytime the camera is powered on. In addition the focus motor and lens diaphragm actuator make some noise.

 

Custom Modes   Page 120-121 of the Manual.  Custom Settings are the first tab on the Custom Menu.

The FZ1000 has two Custom Mode positions on the Mode Dial, accessing four possible Custom Modes. These are C1, C2-1, C2-2, C2-3. C2-2 and C2-3 are accessed by pressing the Menu/Set button with the Mode Dial on C2, at which point a Custom Mode Menu appears, allowing the user to scroll to the hidden custom modes.

The process of registering a Custom Set is well described on Page 120 of the Manual.

A Custom Set allows you to memorise and recall many settings at one place on the Mode Dial. There is a list of items which cannot be registered in a Custom Setting at the bottom of Page 120 of the Manual. Otherwise all settings in the Menus, Q menu, Fn Buttons and Mode Dial are registered. Obviously settings on the Drive Mode Dial and the Focus mode Lever cannot be registered to a Custom Mode because they cannot be over-ridden by software.  If they could you would have a ridiculous situation in which the setting in the camera was different from that indicated on the dial or lever.

The possibilities raised by the information above are very appealing. You can for instance allocate a Custom Mode to Video in which some or all the Fn buttons have different task allocations from those used in your setup for still photos.

Here are two suggestions for Custom Modes for still photos,  there is no limit to the possibilities available for each of the 4 Custom Modes.

C1- Sport/Action:

Hard Control Modules:  Burst Mode, AF-C

Software: Shutter Priority AE, shutter speed 1/1000,  Mechanical shutter, JPG quality, Burst M, AF Mode 1 Area.

C2 - Tripod/landscape/night:

Hard Control Modules: Timer 2 Sec, AF-S

Software: Aperture priority AE, f5, Mechanical Shutter, RAW Quality, AF Mode 1 Area, Review Hold. Note: I normally set Auto Review (Custom Menu Page 7) OFF. However the FZ1000 in its current firmware configuration has an irritating glitch. If you make a few shots then press the Playback button to check the results, the lens retracts itself, unbidden, after a few seconds. The time delay appears to be variable. This happened to me one evening when I was making night shots which took quite a while to frame up and focus accurately.  I was not amused when the lens retracted, forcing me to zoom, frame and focus over again.

If Auto Review > Duration Time > Hold is set, then image review comes up automatically and remains in place until you half press the shutter button, allowing the next shot to be taken. This appears to prevent the irritating lens retraction provoked by pressing the Playback button.

In the next post I willstart working through the menus.