Setting up the FZ1000 Part 3 Setup and Rec Menus

FZ1000 Does B.O.H. (Bird On Head)  I am finding this camera very versatile, delivering  good pictures in  wide variety of situations inside and outdoors. It focusses and operates  quickly. The pictures have very good detail and highlight/shadow information.

Preliminary note:  The contents and accessibility of the menus varies with the Mode set and with other settings such as Picture Quality and Size. For instance if you set P(rogramme) AE Mode then enter the menu system, some items such as  I-Dynamic and I-Resolution will be greyed out if Quality is RAW bur active if Quality is JPG.   i-Handheld Night Shot and i-HDR are only active if the Mode Dial is on iA. If you turn the Mode Dial to {Scn} or C2, new  Menu tabs appear allowing further selections.

I usually set the Mode Dial to P for menu setup but for some items, iA, {Scn}, C2 or video Mode must be set.

Setup Menu  Page 47 of the Manual.  I will not dwell on items like setting the time, which need no explanation from me and I pass on Wi-Fi which is extensively explained in the Manual, Page 250-267.

Beeps and Shutter Volume   Set the beep volume to personal preference.  I note that the default shutter sound is a composite of the actual sound of the leaf shutter working plus an electronic sound. I set the shutter sound to Off which removes the electronic component leaving the soft little blip of the leaf shutter.

Live View Mode  This feature is inherited from the GH4.  The Manual, Page 49, says this sets the frame rate of the recording screen (live view screen) at 30 or 60 fps, without specifying whether the monitor or EVF is meant. I tried both and can't really see a convincing difference. So I have it on 30 fps for now as the Manual says this uses less power.

Monitor Display Note: this changes to Viewfinder Display when you look in the viewfinder. Both can be adjusted for Brightness, Contrast/Saturation (increasing contrast increases saturation) Green/Magenta color (red tint)  and Yellow/Blue color (blue tint).

I am finding the monitor looks right to me at default settings. However the LVF looks different. Each individual has different preferences and eye sensitivity but for the record I use on the LVF: Brightness -3, Contrast +1, Red tint zero, Blue tint -2. This adjustment is to some extent a work in progress.

Monitor Luminance  There are four options. I just leave it at the default which is [A*] Auto, which appears to work well in a variety of conditions.

Economy  You can choose when the camera will turn the monitor off and when it will go into sleep mode to conserve battery.  As battery life is an issue with this camera I set  auto monitor off  to 1 minute and sleep to 2 minutes. The camera wakes up from sleep mode almost instantly with a half press of the shutter button.

USB Mode and TV Connection  I can't say anything about these features as I never use them.

Menu Resume  Set this ON.  When you press the Menu/Set button to enter the menus, the display will jump directly to the last used tab. This is very handy for accessing items such as Format, which can only be found in the menus.  Unfortunately this camera does not have a My Menu facility.

Menu Background  You can experiment with this. Personal preference will prevail. I use the second option from the top.

Menu Information  I would suggest users unfamiliar with the Panasonic interface leave this on for a while until they have become familiar with the options then later switch it off to declutter the interface.

Language and Version Disp need no comment from me.

Exposure Comp Reset  You can set exposure compensation directly with the front lever (if it is thus set up) or by pressing the rear dial until it clicks which activates the +/- function. Someone at Panasonic has realised that users like me invariably forget to cancel +/- at the end of a photo session. When Exposure Comp Reset is ON the camera will automatically reset +/- to zero when you change recording Mode or switch the camera off or if you allow the camera to go into sleep mode.  Excellent idea. 

No. Reset  Resets the file number sequence.

Reset   Returns all settings except folder number and clock to default.

Reset Wi-Fi SettingsDoes the same thing for the Wi-Fi settings.

Format  You should always format a memory card  after inserting it into the camera for the first time, or if it has been in another camera. I use this command frequently and wish it could be allocated to a My Menu. That not being available Menu Resume usually gets me to Format quickly enough.

Rec (ording) Menu 

Photo Style  Settings here affect the camera's JPG output. They have no effect on RAW files. So, for instance,  if you set Monochrome in Photo Style and select RAW Quality, the preview and playback image in camera will be monochrome but the downloaded RAW is  still a RAW color file.

I am generally a RAW shooter but I use JPG in two situations. iZoom only works in JPG. When I am following sport/action I have found the camera gives more shots per burst in JPG than RAW and writes to the card much more quickly.

You can select one of the preset styles such as Standard, Vivid, Natural, Monochrome.....etc or you can select Custom then adjust Contrast, Sharpness, Noise Reduction and Saturation separately.  Your selection will be strongly influenced by personal preference. I find the Standard preset rather over processed for my taste and of the presets prefer Natural.  Alternatively I use a Custom setting with Contrast 0, Sharpness +1, NR -5, Saturation 0.  Some experiment is indicated.

The selected Photo Style is used in iZoom in addition to normal JPG images. 

Aspect Ratio  The native sensor AR is 3:2. Anything else is just a crop. So I always capture 3:2 and crop later as and if required.

Picture Size  For best picture quality select L=20Mpx. I see little reason to select a smaller size except that if you want to use Ext.Opt.Zoom then the M or S size must be selected. By the way, I  recommend iZoom as the preferred digital zoom type.

Quality  The basic choice is between JPG (best quality, two lines of dashes),  RAW or both. I see little point in using the lower quality JPG setting (the one with only one line of dashes).

AFS/AFF  There is only enough space for three positions on the Focus Mode lever. So one of them has to do double duty. AFS is AF Single. AFF is one of those "helpful" settings which is supposed to function as AFS with a still subject but switch to AFC when the camera detects subject movement. Canon DSLRs have a similar setting called AI Servo, if I remember correctly. Maybe AFF will function as advertised,  maybe not, or maybe not quickly enough for my purposes. Anyway I want to know exactly which setting is currently active so I select AFS on this tab.

Metering Mode  The choice is between Multiple, Center Weighted and Spot. I find the most reliable in a wide variety of situations is Multiple so I use that all the time. It is basically centerweighted with consideration of the pattern of lightness across the frame compared to a database  of  subject types stored in the camera's memory.  If you want to achieve lots of incorrect exposures try Spot a few times. It is more difficult to use than the other two options.

Burst Rate  Page 167-168.  When you set the Drive Mode Dial on top of the camera to position 2 (multi page symbol) the camera will use the  Burst Mode setting made here.    The explanation of the  four burst speeds in the Manual is informative and detailed.  For sport/action the most generally useful is M Burst which allows live view, AF and AE on every frame at a nominal 7 fps.

I am using Focus Priority AF  ( Custom Menu, Page 169) in AFS  as I want all my single shot pictures to be in focus. I am still experimenting with Focus/Release Priority for AFC with moving subjects.

Auto Bracket  This is the place to establish auto bracket settings, which the camera will use when the Drive Mode dial is set to position 3 (multi page symbol with +/- ). The options are extensive.

Single/ Burst  Single means you have to actuate the shutter for each  frame of the sequence. Burst means you press and hold the shutter button (or wired remote) while all the frames fire off quickly.

 Step  Select from 3 shots at 1/3 EV step intervals up to 7 shots at 1 EV step intervals.  There is no option for 3 shots at 2 EV step intervals, which I would use if it were available. So I compromise on 5 shots at 1 step intervals.

Sequence  Select from -/0/+ or 0/-/+. Makes no difference to the result but the former always seems more logical to me.

Note there is no option to combine AEB with Timer Delay. So you have to actuate the shutter with the shutter button, wired remote or smart phone. Panasonic gets considerable negative comment in user forums about this. Some method of combining the two would be very popular.

Self Timer  You get the option of one shot after 2 or 10 seconds or 3 shots after 10 seconds for various types of selfie.

Time Lapse/Animation  I have to confess this function remains a mystery to me at present. One day..........maybe....... I might try to figure it out.............perhaps..................

 

Now follow a series of features which work with JPG captures:

Highlight/Shadow  This is a feature  which I first saw on Olympus M43 cameras a few years ago and found it a one day wonder there.   If  highlight/shadow is an answer I am not quite sure what the question was.  Somebody will love it. Maybe. There are already so many ways to adjust JPG images I am not convinced we need more of them.

i Dynamic  Used for subjects with high brightness range,  this feature underexposes the  shot to prevent highlights blowing out then applies a tone curve adjustment to the shadows. There are three levels, auto and off.  It works and might be useful for regular JPG shooters in locations with bright sunlight.

i Resolution  This one is supposed to do something clever which leads to better definition in detailed  parts of a scene without causing objectionable noise in even toned areas. I tried it on a GH4 with no apparent benefit and have not been moved to try it on the FZ1000 yet.

Handheld Night Shot  [iA] and [iA+] Modes only. This is, I suppose,  a kind of emergency feature for someone caught out at night without a tripod.  I tried it.   When the shutter is pressed, the camera makes a series of exposures then combines them into one. It works as advertised and the results look OK.  The feature can be left set On permanently as it only comes into play in very low light in [iA] or [iA+] Mode.

i HDR  [iA] and [iA+] Modes only. If the camera detects a subject with high brightness range it will fire off  three quick shots at different exposures and combine them in camera. Another emergency feature for the intrepid photographer without a tripod.

HDR  This feature is also JPG only but can be used in the P,A,S,M Modes with more user input and control. The camera fires three shots and combines them in camera. The step between them can be Auto, 1,2 or 3 EV and Auto Align can be used with hand held operation.  It works as advertised.

Multi Exp  Ah, the mysterious Multi Exp which has eluded my understanding through several generations of Panasonic M43 cameras and now the FZ1000. Maybe one day I might figure out how this one works........................ but not today.

Panorama Settings  The in camera auto stitching panorama feature in this camera works very well, so setting up the function to suit your preferences is  worthwhile. First set the Quality to JPG. Then turn the Mode Dial to {Scn}. Now access the Rec Menu and see the Panorama Settings tab on Page 4. You select Filter Effect, which I always leave at No Effect, and Direction. When you enter the Direction tab see four options designated by a screen symbol and arrows. Ignore these,  they are misleading. My preference is to select the bottom option of the four. This allows you to hold the camera in portrait orientation while panning left to right. Some practice is required to get  the function working reliably.

Shutter Type  The choice is M(echanical), E(lectronic) or Auto. I  leave it on M which is the best setting for all general photography. If  you set  Silent Mode the camera will automatically switch to the E-Shutter.

Flash  Manual, Page 203.  This camera has an advanced set of flash functions for on camera and off camera, including wireless operation. The Flash submenu covers three pages. Full discussion of flash functions deserves a separate post or maybe several of them. For the occasional/casual user some starting settings might be:

Firing Mode-TTL, The camera fires two flashes in quick succession.

Flash Mode-Forced Flash On (single lightning symbol),

Flash Synchro-1st,

Flash Adjust- Depends on whether you want the flash to be the primary light source or just a fill for darker tones and backlit shadows. I am experimenting at -2 stops, using the flash just as a supplement to ambient light.

Auto Exposure Comp-On.

Red Eye Removal  Page 211.  Either of the two flash settings with an eye symbol have this feature. The camera fires two flashes about 1/5 second apart.

ISO limit Set  Sets the upper limit for Auto ISO.  I just set the highest available which is 12800. The camera is quite reluctant to select an auto ISO above 1600. Picture quality at ISO 12800 is poor but better than nothing.

ISO Increments  The camera provides 1/3 stop increments on aperture,  shutter speed and Auto ISO so there is no need for 1/3 increments in manual  ISO settings.

Extended ISO  This allows ISO 80 and 100 at the lower end (very useful in sufficient light or on tripod) and 25600 at the top end (of dubious value in any circumstance). Set Extended ISO to ON.

Long shtr NR  Long shutter speeds give rise to increased noise levels. When Long Shtr NR is ON, the camera makes a second exposure with the shutter closed to identify and remove excess digital noise. The camera has algorithms which decide which combinations of shutter speed and ISO merit the extra exposure and processing. I leave this ON.

I-Zoom  The FZ1000 has three types of digital zoom. These are i-Zoom, Digital Zoom and  Extra Optical Zoom (which is as far as I can tell actually digital....??). Of these,  i-Zoom is the most useful and user friendly. It allows full control of the AF box and can be set permanently in the Rec Menu. It will only become active when Quality is set to JPG.  It provides a maximum zoom of E800mm  which is as much as this camera can usefully manage in my view.

So I set i-Zoom On and Digital Zoom Off.

Color Space  Set this to Adobe RGB. The camera will automatically revert to sRGB with JPG capture.

Stabiliser  Page 195.  Here you decide to set Normal (which compensates for vertical and horizontal movement, or in fact 5 axis movement according to the FZ1000 promotional material) or Panning which only compensates for up/down movement. Some contributors to user forums have reported that this may be useful at air shows and similar situations where fast panning would confuse the Normal OIS. The setting chosen here will become active when the OIS switch on the lens barrel is in the up position (On).

Face Recog (nition)   Page 187.  This is not your plain old face detect but a system for registering and detecting individual person's faces. I have to confess the purpose of this eludes me somewhat. It looks like another one of those clever answers to a question nobody (but the security services) asked.

Profile Setup  Last and least on the Rec Menu we have a system for "recording profiles of babies and pets on images". This is getting a bit Monty Pythonesque I think. Maybe the last two items are for grandparents  who can't recognise their grandchildren and can't remember their birthdays, or failed to write them down somewhere.................... whatever....... Seems like a waste of processing power to me.................

Next Post,   after I recover from writing this one will be about the Custom Menu.

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Setting up the FZ1000 Part 1 Basics

The FZ1000 is very suitable for documentary style photography. It acquires focus quickly and accurately.  It operates quickly and makes good pictures in a variety of settings including this underground shopping mall.  I held the camera at mid chest height looking down at the swung out monitor.

The FZ1000  is a very versatile and capable camera. It is highly configurable.  This means each individual  can decide how it will operate to suit personal preference.  This is a wonderful thing but it does present the user with the task of understanding how to make best use of  all  the  many options available.

Those coming from a recent Panasonic micro four thirds camera will feel quite at home with the FZ1000 interface but users coming from a bridge camera or other brand might find themselves facing a steep learning curve. 

In this little series of posts I will try to help the new FZ1000 user set up the camera to their own preference.

Throughout I will indicate my settings and the reasons for them. Your requirements will be different and unknown to me. So my settings are not prescriptive but suggestions to stimulate your thinking process.

This post is about still photo not video. There are other sources available for hints about setting up for video. I will not deal here with Wi-Fi either as it is covered fully in the Owners Manual.

Download and read  the Owners manual from any Panasonic website. It is well written and very useful. It is also jam packed with information which will take most people quite a while to digest.

Buy spare BLC-12E batteries  I have two spares, one would be the absolute minimum. I find genuine Panasonic ones last longer than any of the generics which I have used and they also take more recharge cycles. The FZ1000 uses power zoom, power focus and requires power for the EVF,  monitor and operating system so battery drain is substantial.

Get a 62mm clear protect or uv filter  Some users report they don't use a protective filter fearing image degradation.  I use a  B+W  007 Clear MRC Nano XS-Pro digital filter and have no problems at all. I much prefer to clean the filter than risk damaging the front element of the lens.

FZ1000 in Lowe Pro Apex 110 AW bag. A perfect fit with two spare batteries, several SD cards and microfiber cloth under the lens. Note wrist strap from a compact camera. I find the full neck strap just a nuisance because I carry the camera in the bag on in my right hand which is very easy with the full handle.

Locate a carry bag. I use a Lowe Pro Apex 110 AW bag as shown in the photo. The FZ1000 fits in this perfectly with room for two spare batteries, a microfiber cloth and several spare memory cards. I cut away the memory card pouch which sits above the camera handle to ensure the camera fits easily into the bag without strain.

Leave the neck strapin the box. Buy or steal from a compact camera a lightweight wrist strap. Even the smallest ones can easily hold the camera's weight. I attach this to the lug on the handle side and loop the strap around my wrist when I am carrying the camera, just to ensure it won't fall to the ground if my grip is disrupted.

Lens Cap   The inner flat surfaces are smooth, providing inadequate grip for the fingers. Roughen these with  coarse sandpaper. Now the fingers can grip properly.

Now we come to camera settings 

Menu Resume  This is found on Page 3 of the Setup Menu. Set this ON so that the camera will recall the last menu item you accessed in any submenu. So in the event you do need to access a main menu item you can get there quickly without having to scroll through the entire menu. I use this frequently for the Format function which is the last item on the Setup Menu.

Direct Focus Area,  On or Off ?    Custom Menu Page 3.   This is an important decision as it affects the way the camera operates. If Direct Focus Area is ON the AF box can be moved directly by pressing any cursor key. There is no need to press another button to activate the AF box. The benefit of Direct Focus Area is fast, efficient access to changing position and size of the AF box.

 The downside is you have to locate access to ISO, WB, AF Macro and Autofocus Mode elsewhere, generally on a Fn button or in the Q Menu. This is not really a problem as there are plenty of options available.

I set Direct Focus Area ON as it streamlines camera operation in the Capture Phase.

Those users who in the past have become familiar with the "focus (with the center AF area) and recompose" style of use might find that Direct Focus Area brings new speed and efficiency to the AF process.

I allocate ISO to Fn1, AF Macro to Fn5 and WB and AF Mode to the Q Menu which I allocate to Fn2. I will discuss Fn button function allocations in another post.

Zoom to Manual (lens)  ring or (shutter button) zoom lever ?  Custom Menu Page 7. This is another important decision as your fingers need to learn where they should go in order to operate key camera functions by memory, without having to think about which fingers go where and do what. Like driving a car.

People coming from a superzoom camera might at first feel more comfortable about zooming with the lever. Those coming from an ILC will likely find their left hand wanting to turn the ring on the lens.

I set the Manual (lens) ring to stepless zoom and the Zoom lever to [+/-].  I do this because zooming via the lens ring seems more natural to me but also because this frees up the Zoom Lever around the shutter button for direct control of exposure compensation. This is very quick and convenient and I have never had the lever move unintentionally. It is stiff enough to prevent that.

 Stepped zoom also works fine.

Some reviewers have suggested that zoom works faster via the lever but I have not found this. Lens ring zoom works well if light but steady rotational torque is applied to the ring. I can zoom from widest to longest settings in about 3 seconds.  Twisting the ring with more vigour is counterproductive.

Switching from monitor to EVF view  Custom Menu page 8 > Eye Sensor.  There are several options and  possible combinations.  

I set Eye Sensor > LVF/Monitor Switch to Monitor. Now the camera works like an FZ200 for readers who are familiar with this camera.  The eye sensor has been rendered inactive.

When the monitor is turned to face out it is active. When the monitor is turned  face in, viewing goes to the EVF (LVF). This suits the way I use the camera. When I want to view via the EVF I turn the monitor in so it does not get covered in sunburn cream or makeup if a lady  is using the camera.

When I want to hold the camera close to my chest or close in at my waist with the monitor swung out to the side, viewing by looking down at the monitor, the eye sensor does not switch the monitor off.   If the eye sensor is active it will not let you hold the camera in close  but forces you to hold it away from the body which is less secure and stable.

If you want to have the monitor facing out and the ability to switch directly from monitor view to EVF view then you will have to set the >LVF/Monitor switch in the custom Menu to Auto.

AF/AE Lock button function  Custom Menu Page 1. Setting for this button will depend very much on the user's previous use and expectations. You get plenty of choice, including AE Lock, AF Lock, AF/AE Lock and AF ON.

I set AF ON which causes the button to function like the back focus button on a mid to high range DSLR.  This allows AF and AE/Capture to be separated, which can be very useful in several situations.

In particular this allows quick AF with the back button when the Focus Mode lever is set to Manual and the Focus/Zoom switch on the lens is set to Focus. So in manual focus you can quickly AF to the in focus position then fine tune with MF and peaking. This is very handy.

Scene Mode/Panorama  The only setting I find useful in the Scene Mode on the Main Mode Dial is Panorama, which this camera does very well. So I turn the Mode Dial to {Scn}, then press Menu/Set to bring up the Menu screen, navigate up to the Scn Menu > Scene Switch > Scroll to number 25, Panorama.   Now go to the Rec Menu Page 4 > Panorama Settings > Direction > Select the bottom one of the four choices available. Note the indicated arrow directions.  

Now at last after all that:  when you turn the Mode Dial to {Scn} the Panorama function will be active and the Direction setting ready to go.

The setting I have suggested allows you to hold the camera in portrait orientation and sweep the camera from left to right horizontally. This is often the best option for  panoramas as it gives more height to the final image than holding the camera in landscape orientation.

LVF Display Style and Monitor Display Style  In the Custom Menu, Page 6 you get the option to set both the monitor and LVF to "Viewfinder"  style with key camera data on a black background beneath the preview image  or "Monitor" style, with the data superimposed on the lower part of the preview image.

I strongly recommend the viewfinder style for both because:

I have found that the auto exposure algorithms used by the FZ1000 quite often lead to a shutter speed or ISO setting which differ from that which I regard as ideal. I therefore want  to constantly monitor these exposure parameters and shift Exposure Mode and/or shutter speed as desired. In order to do this the data needs to be easily visible at all times.

I make both the viewfinder and monitor the same for a seamless segue from one to the other.

Next in the FZ1000 setup series  I will cover Q Menu, Function button  allocations and Custom Modes.

Panasonic FZ1000, OIS Effectiveness

After a few thousand frames I am finding photos from the FZ1000 very agreeable in appearance with good presence on the screen or print. I do not feel I am giving up any significant picture quality to cameras with larger sensors and I have gained a great deal in size, mass, cost and portability. By the way in the 1990s I used 4x5 inch large format cameras so I am very familiar with the characteristics of the larger formats. The foreground/background relationship in this photo is worth note. The walkers in the foreground are sharply drawn by the lens with strong color and contrast. The bridge in the background retains abundant detail but is rendered more softly providing good visual separation between foreground and background while retaining informational integrity in the background.

 

In it's promotional material  for the FZ1000, Panasonic announced a 5 axis optical image stabiliser system, promising greater effectiveness than OIS systems previously seen in Panasonic cameras and lenses.

In my early  outings with the camera the OIS did indeed seem effective with a steady EVF image at E400mm focal length and plenty of nice sharp pictures.

So I ran some systematic tests  My method was to photograph a page of newsprint, standing, hand held, viewing through the EVF at a range of shutter speeds from 1/400 to 1 second, with and without OIS engaged.  I used normal type OIS.

I ran the test with the lens at the wide end, focal length E25mm, at the mid part of the range  E100mm and at the long end, E400mm.

I viewed the resulting files at 100% on screen and recorded the result as sharp, slightly soft or obviously soft.

Results:

Focal length	Slowest shutter speed giving a sharp picture		OIS advantage in EV steps
	OIS Off	OIS On
E25	1/15 sec	0.3 sec	2.3
E100	1/40sec	1/5 sec	3.0
E400	1/250sec	1/40sec	3.0

 In the past when I ran this test with Panasonic M43 zoom lenses I found about 1 stop advantage from OIS.

Clearly FZ1000 OIS is more effective than that in Panasonic M43 lenses.

Discussion: 

Safe hand held shutter speeds.   The table above might tempt you to try for some very low hand held shutter speeds. By all means give these a trial.  there are two issues to consider however:

1. OIS does nothing to minimise subject movement. If you are photographing people at 0.3 seconds they are not going to be sharp.

2. The results reported here are an accurate statement of the shutter speeds which I was able to achieve in my OIS test. However the test session was in a quiet room, with plenty of time to make each shot. I have steady hands. I was calm and was able to use optimal technique on each frame, namely doing mini meditation, controlled breathing, squeezing the shutter button smoothly at the end of an exhalation.

Out in the real world these ideal conditions will often not be available. As a result I would not expect such low shutter speeds to be routinely associated with sharp pictures.

In fact I have found it more realistic to use the following as slowest shutter speeds likely to reliably produce sharp results if the subject is reasonably still and I use  good camera technique.

Wide, E25mm, 1/25sec

Middle, E100, 1/100sec

Long, E400, 1/400sec

Many readers will immediately recognise these shutter speeds as the old inverse of focal length for 35mm cameras. I have repeatedly found that with everyday use, slower shutter speeds, for instance 1/125sec at E400mm will not reliably deliver sharp photos.

If the subject is moving I have found it necessary to at least double the (1/focal length) shutter speeds, and to go faster if there is enough light.

I have noticed on user forums a tendency for contributors to post photos with the notation "sharp, hand held at half a second" or similar, with pride and a few exclamation marks. Indeed one of my shots at E25mm and 1 second was quite decently sharp. But such wonders are flukes, not a realistic guide to user expectations.

FZ1000 Programme Auto Exposure  (P on the Mode dial. iA has a very similar, possibly the same algorithm)  On this camera the P Mode algorithms have a characteristic which I have not found in M43 cameras.  A Mode is the same with respect to shutter speed and Auto ISO. Indoors as the light level falls, the camera will allow the shutter speed to fall to a very low speed before shifting Auto ISO above 1600.

That shutter speed is

E25mm, 1/4 sec

E100mm, 1/6 sec

E400mm 1/8 sec

When using the FZ1000 indoors I find I need to be constantly aware of the shutter speed being selected by the camera in P or A Mode and  either switch to S Mode or use a bit of flash when light levels are low.

Summary  The new 5 axis FZ1000 OIS is a definite improvement over previous implementations of Panasonic OIS technology. I believe OIS is essential if a camera such as this is to be hand held at the long end of the zoom range. But it is not a panacea for poor technique and it cannot achieve the impossible.