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| LX100 |
The first Menu to tackle is Setup even though it is the fourth of five menus listed.
As usual, please regard my comments as informative not prescriptive. Each individual has his or her own ideas about the way they want a camera to work. The LX100 offers many options so the camera can be configured to personal preference.
As we go through the menus I will refer only to those items about which I think I can offer helpful information not readily available in the operating instructions.
Procedures for Wi-Fi are well covered in the operating instructions.
BeepThere are three submenus, Beep Volume, Shutter Vol. and Shutter Tone.
The settings are largely self explanatory however I just point out that the shutter sound is made up of both a real sound (in the case of the mechanical shutter) and an artificial sound. The Shutter Vol. tab just affects the artificial sound.
With this artificial sound switched off the mechanical shutter is very quiet, often inaudible if there is a moderate amount of noise in a room.
Live View Mode This appears to be a refresh rate option, but it is not clear whether it applies to the EVF, Monitor or both. The options are 60fps and 30 fps, with the higher rate said by Panasonic to give smoother panning at the cost of slightly higher battery drain.
I set 60 fps and still get good battery life.
Monitor Display [NOTE: This changes to Viewfinder when you look in the viewfinder, upon which adjustments apply to the EVF]
Both are highly adjustable.
After considerable experiment I currently have the following settings.
Parameter | Monitor | EVF |
Brightness | 0 | -1 |
Contrast | 0 | -3 |
Saturation | 0 | -2 |
Red Tint (R/G) | 0 | -1 |
Blue Tint (B/Y) | 0 | 0 |
Each individual has their own preferences for the displays. The amount of adjustment on offer should keep everybody happy.
Some early reviews of the LX100 made negative remarks about the EVF as being over contrasty and saturated with blocked up shadows. At default settings I would agree. However I suspect some of these reviewers simply failed to realise that the EVF is adjustable.
Monitor Luminance You get three manual settings and Auto. I just set Auto. There are so many things to adjust I don’t need another one.
Sleep Mode I just leave this at 5 minutes which I think is the default.
USB Mode I have never used this so I have no advice. Likewise TV Connection although the options appear self explanatory.
Menu Resume This is handy. There is, unfortunately, no user selectable “My Menu”. However Menu Resume is a reasonable second best. Set Menu resume ON and the camera will jump to the last used menu item when the Menu/Set button is pressed.
Menu Background There are several options here. I use the second one from the top.
Menu Information When ON, this displays a moving banner of information about the current menu item across the top of the screen. I suggest you leave this ON until you are familiar with all the menu items then switch it OFF to declutter the screen.
Version Disp Shows what firmware version is installed.
Self Timer Auto Off This is very useful. When set to ON the self timer will be automatically turned OFF when the camera is powered off. This is for all those people like me who forget to turn off the self timer.
Now we come to the Rec Menu
Photo Style
Here you make decisions which determine the appearance of JPG images coming off the camera.
You can scroll across the options at the top of the screen. These are presets such as Standard, Vivid, Natural, Mono……………etcetera.
Or you can scroll down from any of the presets and adjust individual image parameters, creating a
Custom Photo Style. I have created one of these under the [Standard] tab, as below:
The rationale behind these is that the Standard JPGs tend to produce mushy looking details apparently due to a high default level of noise reduction. In addition JPG colors are often exaggerated and contrast high.
Contrast -2
Sharpness +3
Noise Reduction -5
Saturation -2
Even at these settings the JPG colors are rather exaggerated and sometimes inaccurate. Some people like that. For me these settings are a work in progress.
Picture Size
You can set L [approx. 12 Mpx], M [approx. 6.5 Mpx] of S [approx. 3 Mpx].
I see little reason to set anything less than L. It’s not as though there is an over abundance of pixels even at L.
Quality
This is a good one to locate on a Fn button or the Q Menu. The camera can capture JPG, RAW or both.
Note that if you want to evaluate sharpness on the monitor or in the EVF when reviewing images it is desirable to shoot JPG (fine) + RAW so you have a high resolution JPG to review. If you just shoot RAW the camera creates a very low res JPG for the EVF and monitor.
AFS/AFF/AFC (AF Single, AF Flexible, AF Continuous) Page 114 of the Instructions.
There has been some discussion on user forums about which setting is best.
With AF Single if the shutter button is half pressed the camera focusses and locks focus while the shutter button is held half pressed. The AF box goes green, a green focus dot appears top right on the screen and there is a quick double beep focus confirmation.
With AF Continuous a half press on the shutter button brings up the green AF box, green dot upper right and quick double beep but focus does not lock. Instead the camera keeps continuously refocussing. With a still subject you can see this most easily at the edges, where the preview image appears to pulsate. In a quiet room you can hear the focus motor running continuously, hunting back and forth.
AF Flexible works like AFS when the subject is still. But if the camera detects subject movement it will switch to focus behaviour which is similar to but not the same as AFC. The camera will refocus then stop. If movement continues the camera will again refocus and stop. The refocussing is intermittent.
You can demonstrate this for yourself by moving the camera towards and away from the subject to simulate subject movement.
I use either AFS or AFC which is probably because I like to feel as though I am in control of proceedings.
Other users have reported they use AFF and are happy with that.
I can only suggest you experiment.
Metering Mode
There are three choices, Multiple (a.k.a. Nikon Matrix, Canon Evaluative), Center Weighted and Spot.
There are plenty of websites which provide tutorials on the pros and cons of each. Here is one https://photographylife.com/understanding-metering-modes
Cambridge in Colour also has a section on metering.
My practice is to use Multiple Metering all the time and to apply exposure compensation if the subject requires this.
One sure fire way to get a lot of incorrect exposures is to routinely use Spot Metering. That should be kept for special circumstances and even then requires very careful management.
Burst Rate
The choice is between S(uper) H(igh), H(igh), M(edium) and L(ow). Pages 142-144 of the Operating Instructions.
Super High is only available with the E-Shutter selected.
The fastest rate which allows image preview and focus on each frame is M, which is nominally 6.5 frames per second, but on my tests actually provides a variable rate depending on the subject, Quality (JPG/RAW) and exposure settings.
SH or H might be useful for monitoring a golf swing, for instance. M is most useful for catching moving subjects such as children, together with AFC.
Note the list of exclusions and possible causes of slow frame rate listed on Pages 142-144.
Auto Bracket
The camera can fire a series of shots in pre set exposure steps, usually on a tripod to ensure each frame is exactly in registration with the others. This is to facilitate subsequent blending of the frames in Photoshop or similar image editor.
Unfortunately as per long standing Panasonic practice the camera will not allow Timer Delay and AEB to be combined.
So you have to physically press and hold the shutter button and hope the camera does not move during the exposure sequence OR use a cable shutter release OR actuate the shutter via a smart phone.
The three sub menus are
1. Single/Burst If set to Single you have to actuate the shutter for each exposure of the sequence.
If set to Burst you have to press and hold down the shutter for the duration of the exposure sequence.
2. Step This ranges from 3 shots each 1/3 stop apart to 7 shots each 1 stop apart. There should be enough here for just about everybody although I have read complaints from some users wanting more, for what purpose I cannot imagine.
3. Sequence Take your pick.
I set Burst, 5 exposures at 1 stop intervals and -/0/+ sequence.
I have to confess however that I hardly ever use AEB as I am not a fan of the results produced by the Merge to HDR function in Photoshop. I find it much easier and the final image usually more satisfactory if I simply use RAW capture and Adobe Camera Raw.
Highlight/Shadow
This provides a way to tweak the tone curve of JPG images prior to capture. I have never thought the feature necessary or useful and have never seen a post about it in user forums.
I suspect Panasonic’s engineers included it because they can.
i-Dynamic
however is definitely useful for JPG images especially when subject brightness range is high and there is a risk of blown highlights.
i-Dynamic uses less exposure than normal (to protect the highlights) then applies a tone curve correction to bring up the low and middle tones.
You have to choose between Auto, High, Standard, Low and Off.
I set Auto and leave it there permanently. My tests have shown that the effect is the same as High when it needs to be.
i-Resolution
Having tried this at various times I am yet to be convinced that i-Resolution has something beneficial to offer. (JPGs only).
Simultaneous record w/o filter Pages 89-99 of the Instructions.
Did someone request this? Who knows ?
The menu item is greyed out until you press the Filter button. If the feature is On the camera captures two versions of the photo with one exposure, one version with the effect, the other without the effect.
Note that because the LX100 lacks a Mode Dial the filter function works differently from that on a camera with a Mode Dial, for instance the FZ1000.
On the FZ100 the filter effect is easily switched on and off simply by turning the dial.
On the LX100 pressing the filter button enters the filter menu but pressing the button again does not exit the menu. You have to scroll back to [No Effect] in the filter menu to make pictures without the filter effect.
i-Handheld Night Shot Page 78 of the Instructions.
This fully automatic (JPG only) function only works in [iA] Mode and the menu item is only accessible in [iA] Mode.
If set to ON the hand held camera detects both low light levels and camera movement. It makes multiple captures in quick succession then combines the in camera with the hope that by so doing the effects of camera shake will be reduced.
I have never used this function but maybe someday…………
i-HDR Here is another fully automatic, [iA] Mode, JPG only function which, if high subject brightness range is detected fires three exposure bracketed shots in quick succession and combines them in camera.
I have tested this function and it works, producing decent results.
I think [iA] users could probably leave [i-Handheld Night Shot] and [i-HDR] set ON permanently. They only self activate when required. Both are automatically disabled when one of the P, A, S, M Modes is engaged.
HDR Page 112 of the Instructions.
This is like [i-HDR] but it works in the P, A, S, M Modes when JPG Quality is set (not JPG+RAW).
Three exposure bracketed shots are taken in quick succession and combined in camera to output one file.
Setup options include the amount of bracketing (Dynamic Range), Auto Align (On/Off) and feature On/Off.
I have tried the feature. It works. I use the maximum DR setting available (+/- 3 EV) and Auto Align ON.
Having said that I mostly use RAW capture which in most cases allows me to get an even better result. But for the user who just does JPG capture, HDR could be useful.
Multi Exp Page 159 of the Instructions.
This works with RAW or JPG capture. The instructions are explicit and seem easy enough to follow.
I have yet to find a use for this feature. Maybe I lack the requisite imagination.
Time Lapse Shot and Stop Motion Animation are well described on Pages 153-158 of the Instructions. I have no experience with these features.
Panorama Direction Pages 150-152 of the Instructions.
This is the place to set Panorama sweep direction. To activate the Panorama function enter Drive Mode, which is best allocated to the Q menu or a Fn button. I have it on Fn1.
If the Panorama Symbol is greyed out in Drive Mode this indicates an incompatible setting elsewhere. This could be RAW or JPG + RAW Quality or HDR in the Rec Menu.
There are 4 options for sweep direction, left/right and up/down. Each works in landscape or portrait orientation, giving a total of 8 sweep options.
Some practice is recommended. Follow the arrows as indicated on screen.
Shutter Type
On Micro Four Thirds camera this is a big deal because the spring loaded focal plane shutter on many of these cameras causes unsharpness due to shutter shock. With Panasonic M43 cameras such as the GH4 I routinely use the electronic shutter for all general photography.
However the LX100 uses an in lens diaphragm type mechanical leaf shutter which is very quiet and never causes shutter shock. Even better it uses electronic commencement to each capture, completely eliminating shutter induced vibration prior to or during exposure.
So with the LX100 the mechanical shutter can be used all the time with no ill effects.
The only reason I can think of for using the electronic shutter would be to access the ultra fast speeds, from 1/5000 to 1/16000.
Some owners might be concerned about wearing out the mechanical shutter. Panasonic does not, as far as I am aware, provide a service life estimate for the leaf shutter.
Flash Pages 180-186 of the Instructions.
The problem with this camera’s flash is that it is not built in. This is sufficient disincentive for me that I never use the flash and never put it in the carry bag.
This is a pity as the flash appears to be quite capable including the ability to operate as a commander for multiple wireless off camera units.
ISO Limit Set
This determines the upper limit which the camera will set in Auto ISO. I use 12800 as 25600 is really not useful in my view.
ISO Increments
Aperture and shutter speed are available in 1/3 stop increments, so I set ISO to whole stops. 1/3 stop ISO settings seems like overkill to me.
Extended ISO
This allows manual ISO settings down to 100 to be set. Auto ISO will still use 200 as the lowest setting however.
There has been some discussion on user forums about aspects of image quality at ISO 100. However DXO Mark has posted results showing ISO 100 to have slightly better signal to noise and dynamic range figures than ISO 200, so I see no reason to avoid ISO 100 in bright light or on a tripod.
Long Shtr N(oise) R(eduction)
The camera has a set of algorithms such that at some settings of ISO and long shutter openings, noise is automatically removed in a process which requires twice the original exposure time. This means that if the exposure is, say 20 seconds the NR function requires another 20 seconds before the camera is ready for the next exposure.
i-Zoom and Digital Zoom (Electronic virtual zoom functions)
These are both JPG only digital zoom functions. i-ISO is activated when either is used.
I-Zoom allows virtual zoom to focal length E150mm and retains control of the AF box.
Digital Zoom goes out to E300mm but uses a fixed large AF box. There is obvious deterioration of picture quality even on the monitor at the limit of Digital Zoom.
I have not used either of the electronic virtual zooms on the LX100. However I experimented with them quite extensively on the FZ1000 and found that shooting RAW and cropping gave better results.
Color space
There has been some discussion about this on user forums. The usual advice given in photo books and tutorials is to set Adobe RGB as this provides a larger color gamut. However the sRGB setting may be better for images which are not destined for high output printing, which I imagine would be the great majority.
Stabiliser
Allocate this to a quick access portal. I have it on the Q Menu.
My usual practice is to leave the stabiliser on the top setting (Normal) for all general hand held photography and to switch it OFF when the camera is on a tripod. There is also a Panning setting which I have not used as the camera is not one which will generally be used for sport/action.
Face Recognition and Profile Setup appear to be for gimmick tragics. Those camera users who can never have too many features and frills no matter how dubious their merit.
No wonder people yearn for a camera without all this fairy floss.
Next: Custom Menu
