Setting up the Panasonic GX8 Part 2 Custom Menu

Lambertia formosa   GX8 + 12-35mm

The GX8 Menu system  is basically the same as other recent Panasonic M43 and  high spec fixed zoom models such as the FZ1000.

I think it is high time Panasonic revised their menus to group like items together in a more coherent fashion so they are easier to find.  Panasonic menus are not as obscurantist as those of Olympus or as muddled as those of Sony but they could still do with a serious reworking. 

Hint to Panasonic: look at Canon menus, they do get some things right, or at least better than most of the others.

They also need to include a ‘My Menu’ Canon style with user nominated items.

Until then we must make do with the existing slightly ramshackle arrangements.

I refer frequently to the Operating instructions. The problem with these is that they describe in great detail the various settings you can make but not why you would.

In this post I will describe what each item allows you to do and try to offer some hints on why one option might be more useful than another. Of course this all depends on individual  preferences which are all different and all unknown to me.

So I will indicate my choices with reasons. Your priorities may be different leading to different choices.

Custom Menu

Cust. Set Mem.  The Mode Dial has three positions for Custom Modes with the possibility to allocate three Custom Mode settings to the C3 position, making a total of 5.

These are handy for quickly switching from one group of settings to another when subject requirements change, for instance when moving from landscape to sport/action.

Pages 121-122 of the Instructions have the details, including a list of items which cannot be registered with a Custom setting.  You also cannot register a set-and-see module setting with a Custom Mode. On the GX8 this includes the Focus Mode lever setting and the Exposure Compensation dial setting and the OIS lever setting if there is one on the lens.

When making a Custom Mode setting make sure you have all Menu items, Q Menu items and Fn button settings exactly where you want them before committing to the Custom Mode.  You can go back and change it any time of course but doing so can be a chore.

Silent Mode  This sets E-Shutter on and all beeps off. Operation really is silent unlike the pseudo-silent mode on some DSLRs which still have the flipping mirror. This is a good one to include with a Custom Mode for special occasions when completely silent operation is desirable.

AF/AE Lock   This controls what happens when you press the AF/AE-L button on the back of the thumb support. There are 4 options: AE Lock, AF Lock, AF+AE Lock and AF-ON.

Remember that you get AF+AE Lock with half press of the shutter button in normal operation. So the best use of the AF/AE-L button is strongly influenced by individual shooting preferences.

I set AF Lock. This allows me to lock focus on a particular part of the subject then have the camera evaluate exposure just before the shutter fires. But some people like to do this the other way around, lock exposure first then establish focus at the last moment.

AF-ON is useful for ‘back button focus’ on moving subjects with AFC set on the Focus Mode lever. 

You can follow the subject in the viewfinder with the AF-ON button held down to get follow focus rolling then press the shutter button when you want to start capture. This is also a useful option to include in a Custom Mode.

AF/AE Lock Hold  works with the AF/AE-Lock button. I set AF/AE Lock Hold ON so focus stays locked after one press of the AF/AE Lock button. A second press unlocks focus.

Shutter AF  ON is the normal shutter button operation. AF is initiated and locked by half press of the shutter button. You might set this OFF if for instance you want exclusive back button AF.

Half Press Release   I find this one a bit disconcerting. Half press on the shutter initiates AF, AE and shutter firing. Presumably for the photographer in a desperate hurry.

Quick AF  When ON this setting has the camera continuously trying to find focus. On my tests it is actually not all that quick and it eats up battery power. I leave this one OFF.

Eye Sensor AF  This is another one for the speedy set. The camera focusses as soon as you bring your eye to the EVF. I leave it OFF.

Pinpoint AF time  When Pinpoint AF is used a picture-in-picture (PIP) enlargement (or full screen if set) of the AF area pops up on the screen for a period of time determined by this setting. I use [Mid] which gives about 1 second of PIP display. I suggest using [Short] for birds as they rarely sit still for long.

Pinpoint AF Display  Select PIP or Full. Personal preference, I use PIP.

AF Assist lamp  Switch this OFF. Panasonic low light AF is so good you never need the assist lamp even in very low light levels.

Direct Focus Area  This was discussed at length in the previous post.

Focus/Release Priority  I have not actually seen much definite difference between the [Focus] and [Release] settings. However on the basis that I have no interest in out of focus shots I set [Focus].

AF+MF  When ON you can autofocus then while holding the shutter button half pressed, rotate the focus ring on the lens. This automatically switches the camera to MF allowing you to refine focus to preference.  This is a sophisticated function which automatically brings up an enlarged PIP display with peaking if set. You can change the degree of enlargement of the PIP display by rotating the rear dial while maintaining half press on the shutter button. This requires some dexterity.

MF Assist  This allows you to select the display method for MF assist. Most lenses have a focus ring so the [Lens symbol+Focus] option is the one to set (second from the top). But a few lenses lack a focus ring and require pressing whatever button has carriage of the AF Mode to bring up the MF assist display. For this case set the top or third down option. You can also set OFF but the AF + MF  feature is very useful so I recommend it be active.

DSLR users who view through the OVF have no access to this useful feature.

MF Assist Display  This refers to the two items above. I use the PIP display but you can set full frame. I think this is overchoice, one of those items Panasonic has included because they can, not necessarily because it is useful.

MF Guide  This is an analogue display which pops up in the lower part of the screen when MF is engaged. It features a mountain on the left and a flower on the right. It might provide some help to prompt the user about which way to turn the focus ring, (top to the right to focus towards the flower).

But it does not have any indication of actual distance. This is a long standing deficiency in Panasonic’s otherwise excellent focus offerings. You cannot use the guide to preset a focus distance by scale.

Peaking    Page 163 of the Instructions.     This is another useful feature which the OVF of a DSLR cannot offer. Peaking is a form of MF assist and is useful. You can set the Detect Level, (I use [High]) and Display Color (I use the top option, blue). Panasonic says that [High] gives greater accuracy. You can experiment with the colors available.

Histogram  I regard this as something of a legacy feature since Zebras became available on Panasonic cameras. You can set the Histogram On or Off and if On, move it around the screen using the touch screen. Turn the touch screen on to do this. I do not use the histogram any more as it clutters up the EVF/monitor screen view and is more difficult to interpret than the Zebras, at least for highlight clipping.

Guide line  You get three options or Off. Take your pick. I use the third option with the lines both running through the center of the frame. This is very handy for lining up verticals on buildings and similar at the center of the frame.

Center Marker  This is not really necessary and Panasonic could delete the option but since it is there I set it ON which just makes identification of the frame center a bit easier.

Highlight  This flashes ‘blinkies’ in overexposed highlights on playback. I always have it ON.

Zebra Pattern   Very Useful !!   Page 213 of the Instructions.  This feature has been available on pro video gear for some time but has also recently become a regular feature of Panasonic’s still/video cameras such as the GX8. The purpose is to indicate before making the exposure  when part of the subject will be overexposed against a pre set brightness criterion. In still photography it is most useful for warning of overexposed highlights so exposure compensation can be applied prior to capture.

You get two zebra sets, one leans to the right one to the left and each can be set to a different level. I just use one set and select a level of 105% for RAW capture and around 100% or a bit less for JPG capture. I got to these figures by trial and error. I don’t know if the numbers themselves have much meaning.

You should definitely use and experiment with the Zebras and apply negative exposure compensation when they tell you that highlights will be blown.

Monochrome Live View  This does what it says. Note that although the view in the EVF and monitor is monochrome the picture is your regular standard color version. Still it could be useful for users planning a subsequent monochrome output in an image editor.

Constant Preview   Page 101.  This only applies to Manual Exposure Mode (M on the Mode Dial). The EVF and monitor will gain up or down as aperture and shutter speed are changed to emulate the brightness of the final output. Set this ON for general photography and OFF for studio type flash work where your result will be determined by the flash.

Expo. Meter  I wish Panasonic would delete this feature which parks a huge analogue aperture/shutter speed display all over the lower part of the screen.

LVF Disp. Style/Monitor Disp. Style  Both the EVF (LVF in PanaSpeak) and Monitor can be configured in ‘Viewfinder’ style with camera data displayed on a black background beneath the preview image,  or ‘Monitor Style’ with camera data overlaid on the lower part of the preview image.  

I use and recommend the ‘Viewfinder’ style as although the preview image is slightly smaller the camera data is much easier to read in all conditions and with any subject.

Monitor Info. Disp.  If you set this ON and press the Disp button repeatedly you will come in due course to a screen with 17 data types. It somewhat resembles an Olympus Super Control Panel but with less functionality. The items are not user selectable which reduces usefulness of the feature. If you had Direct Focus Area set then you must press whichever button was assigned to Q menu to make the Monitor Info. Disp. Screen active and navigable with the Cursor Buttons. Values can be altered from this screen.

I would like to see Panasonic turn this into a fully functional control panel or delete it. Anyway you can opt not to have it.

Rec Area  This selects whether to use the still photo area or the video area.

Remaining Disp.   Can be minutes for video or shots for stills.

I don’t really understand why the above two items are not automatic, depending on the capture type selected (still/video).

Auto Review  Some users like to chimp every shot so these people will likely want Auto Review ON.  But the GX8 has a good EVF and monitor so WYS is pretty much WYG so many users find Auto Review un-necessary. You can always push the Playback button at any time.

Fn Button Set and Q Menu and Dial Set.   were covered in the previous post.

Video Button  This is one of the few buttons on this camera which I never bump accidentally so it can be left ON.

Power Zoom Lens  Page 224 of the Instructions. This is relevant only to lenses with power zoom.

Eye Sensor  There are two sub menu items, sensitivity and LVF/Monitor Switch.

Most GX8 users will, I think use the eye sensor to switch between monitor and LVF. For this I have found that a LOW sensitivity seems to work best.

If you press the LVF/Monitor Switch tab, three more options appear.

Likely [LVF/Mon Auto] will be the most popular. Look at the monitor see the monitor, look in the LVF see the LVF. Fair enough.

If you set [LVF] that is what you get. Just the LVF, no monitor for preview or review.

But if you set [MON]  things get a bit more interesting. Now the monitor will display if it is visible. 

But when you  fold the monitor in to face the camera LVF view automatically becomes active.

This is the setting which I use. I mostly use the LVF with the monitor folded in facing the camera.

But when I do swing out the monitor  it automatically becomes active.

Touch Settings  were discussed in the previous post.

Menu Guide  Newcomers to PanaWorld can likely leave this on for a while until they become familiar with things then switch it off to clean up the live view screen.

Shoot W/O Lens  You might need this ON if you mount a lens not recognised by the camera.

Next: Setup and Rec Menus