Setting up the TZ80 (ZS60) Part 3

TZ80  This spider was about 2 meters from the camera. I was unable to get closer. But the TZ80 allows photos of small creatures to be taken from a distance using the long end of the zoom and AF Macro.

 Custom Menu

As usual with this series I will not elaborate on items which I think are self explanatory or are well described in the Owners Manual for Advanced Features.

Cust.Set Mem.     Pages 128-129 of the Operating Instructions for Advanced Features.

The TZ80 allows three groups of Custom Modes, accessible from the C position on the Mode Dial. Note the list on Page 128 of items which cannot be allocated to a Custom menu.

Custom Menus can be a handy way to group together settings for particular subject types, for instance low light/tripod, low light/hand held…etc.

You can still alter settings and use all the controls in a Custom setting but any changes made during a session will not be retained when you switch off or turn the Mode Dial to a different setting.

Silent Mode  Turns off beeps and invokes the E-Shutter. Camera operation is totally silent. Note however that if you switch off the beeps, operation with the mechanical shutter is so quiet as to be inaudible to anyone whose ear is not right next to the camera.

AF/AE Lock  and  AF AE Lock Hold        This camera does not have an AF/AE Lock button. This function can be assigned to a Function button but I don’t quite understand why you would do that as the opportunity cost is losing that button to a higher priority function.

Shutter AF  This is the normal mode of operation which the great majority of cameras use. Half press on the shutter button activates and locks focus.  Recommended.

Half Press Release  For users in a hurry. The camera focusses, estimates exposure and fires the shutter on half press of the shutter button.  Sounds like an invitation to misfocussed shots to me.

Quick AF  The camera tries to focus continuously even without pressure on the shutter button. This is one way to drain the battery quickly.

Eye Sensor AF  Yet another option for the speedy set.

AF Assist Lamp  Panasonic has one of the best low light AF systems in the business, making the AF Assist lamp redundant. Even in very low light the camera switches to low light AF mode which is slower than normal but accurate and consistent.

Direct Focus Area    This was discussed at length in Part 1 of this 3 part setting up series.

Focus/Release Priority   I always set this to FOCUS as I see no point in taking an out of focus shot.

AF + MF   The TZ80 has some features usually seen only on much higher level cameras and sometimes not on them either. So you can autofocus set then touch up focus manually simply by turning the lens ring  while the shutter button is half pressed.

MF Assist  and MF Guide  should be ON.

MF Assist Display can be picture in picture or full. I recommend PIP.

Peaking  The TZ80 even has peaking. You don’t see that on a budget compact very often.  It is an aid to finding the optimal focus point with manual focus. I recommend setting the Detect Level to High and the Display Color to the top one on the list, cyan.  The peaking display lights up maximally at the point of best focus.

Histogram  I see Histogram as a legacy feature on cameras with Zebras so I switch Histogram off.

Guide Line  I find guide lines very useful, especially for keeping the camera horizontal. I use the third option down with both lines crossing in the center of the frame. If you switch Touch Screen functions off, the lines will stay where you put them.

Highlight  This refers to the highlight ‘blinkies’ seen on playback with overexposed highlights. I still find this useful even with Zebras in play during Capture.

Zebra Pattern   This is s feature you will not find on any DSLR with eye level viewing. It is an import to still cameras from video practice which allows you to evaluate highlight exposure pre-capture and if required apply exposure compensation. If the zebras are flashing, that part of the subject will be overexposed.

If Zebras are being used to prevent highlight clipping you can set one level for RAW on Zebra 1 and a lower level for JPG on Zebra 2.

You will need to run your own experiments to see what levels suit your type of photography. However a starting point might be 105% for RAW capture and 90% for JPG.

Monochrome Live View  The monochrome effect is applied to the monitor or EVF view only. The pictures come out colored as usual.

Expo. Meter  This puts a great big Aperture/Shutter Speed equivalence display all over the screen. I don’t know why Panasonic still have it in the list. It doesn’t seem to be working on my TZ80 which is a mercy.

Dial Guide You might want to have this on while becoming familiar with the camera. Then get rid of it to reduce the visual clutter.

LVF Disp. Style/Monitor Disp. Style   Most budget compacts do not allow these adjustments. The idea is to pick a style which you like then apply it to both the monitor and EVF for a seamless segue between the two.

I use and recommend ‘Viewfinder’ style with key camera data on a black strip beneath the image preview. This makes it easy to keep a running check on Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO Sensitivity setting.

Rec Area   This sets the preview frame for stills (camera icon) or video (movie icon). Set it for stills (4:3) and it will change to video (16:9) when you press the red (video) button.

Auto Review  This is set ON by default. But if you want to make several single exposures in quick succession switch it off. There is however one reason you might want to set Auto Review to HOLD.  Panasonic cameras have an irritating behaviour. If you take a photo then press the Playback button to review the shot, the lens auto retracts after a period of time (generally 10-15 seconds) so then you have to set up the zoom and focus again for the next shot of the same subject. User forum member have been complaining about this for years but Panasonic appears to be deaf to their feedback or is unaware of it, I know not.

Anyway if you set Auto Review HOLD the dreaded lens retract does not happen and you can dismiss the review image with a half press of the shutter button.

Fn Button Set  has been discussed at length in Part 1.

Zoom Lever  You can set this to continuous or steps. Take your pick.

Zoom Resume  On/Off take your pick.

Ring/Dial Set  was discussed in Part 1.

Eye Sensor  For ease of operation set the Sensitivity to LOW  and the LVF/Monitor Switch to AUTO.

Touch Settings  were discussed in Part 1.

Menu Guide  You might want to leave this on while becoming familiar with the camera, then turn it off to declutter.

Well that’s it:  we are done with setting up the TZ80 for still photography.