* Fit a top
quality 62mm protect or u.v. filter to the lens. I use Hoya HD.2 protect
filters with no problems and no detectable adverse effect on image quality or
focussing. Some users disagree with this recommendation preferring to leave the
front element of the lens unprotected and clean it as required. However if we
use the camera near the sea or in dusty conditions when frequent cleaning is
necessary then we completely eliminate the risk of damaging the front element
by fitting a filter.
* Remove the string from the lens cap or leave it
unattached. The inner pinch bars on the lens cap are flat and smooth so they
give no purchase to the fingers. This is a design fault which Panasonic has
been repeating for many years. I cut two lengths each 20mm in length from flat
sided toothpicks and superglue these towards the front of the flat faces of the
pinch bars. Trimmed and painted black they look like original equipment and
provide good purchase for the fingers.
* Locate a carry bag which is large enough to hold the
camera, one or two spare batteries, microfiber cloth and lens wipe tissues. I
am currently using a LowePro Toploader Zoom 45 AW 2 but there are many suitable
bags available.
* The FZ1000.2 uses Panasonic DMW-BLC12E batteries. I get
about 1000-1200 exposures per charge depending on usage, less if much chimping
is involved. I take one spare battery on a day’s outing.
* Battery charger. There is no separate battery charger in
the box. As supplied charging is by USB only, with the battery in the camera.
This does the job and I should probably stop grumbling about it.
* Fit the hotshoe cover.
* Invest in some SDXC memory cards. The camera is compatible
with UHS-1 cards. We can easily identify these as they have only one row of
gold contacts. The faster UHS-2 cards
used in recent model cameras have two rows of contacts. I use and recommend SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB,
170MB/s cards which have never given me any problem in many years of use.
* Wrist strap. Leave the dorky neck strap in the box and fit
a cheap generic wrist strap. Carry the camera by the handle, ready for action
at a moment’s notice.
* Check that all camera functions are operating as they
should. Check the lens at wide angle, two or three intermediate focal lengths and at full zoom.
I use a test chart and several real world subjects. There is some sample
variation in the lenses.
* My tests show that we can obtain MUCH better image quality
with Raw capture and post processing than is possible with JPG capture. I use
and recommend Adobe Bridge, Camera Raw and Photoshop. For people not familiar
with image editing programmes the learning curve can be steep. However there
are hundreds of good free training videos online for Adobe products to help us
along the way.
* When we first power up the camera it will prompt us to set
the date, time and time zone.
Dial and button
functions
I try to set the camera up so operation is as efficient and
streamlined as reasonably possible while keeping the user interface as simple
as possible to reduce opportunities for confusion and mistakes. To that end I disable several of the buttons
so as to congregate adjustments to a small number of access points. This post
describes what I do. There are billions of options however and each individual
will likely evolve their own preferences as they accumulate experience with
camera operation.
Button functions
Note: I copy Fn
Button Set to My Menu so I can access it quickly when I am experimenting with
various button function settings.
We set button functions from the Custom Menu [blue wrench+c]
symbol > Operation > Fn Button Set > Setting in Rec Mode. I leave settings in Playback Mode at default.
Fn1, Off
Fn2, Off
Fn3, Off
Fn4, ISO. I like this close to the front dial for easy
access.
Fn5, Exposure compensation. In A and S Modes I use the rear
dial for direct control of exposure compensation. But in M Mode I set shutter
speed with the front dial and aperture with the rear dial. To set exposure
compensation in M Mode I press the Fn 5 button which brings up an analogue
scale on the screen. Now exposure compensation can be set by rotating either
the front or rear dial. Half press the shutter button to resume normal
operation.
Fn6, Q Menu. I use a custom Q menu. We tell the camera
whether we want the Preset Q Menu or a Custom Q Menu via Custom Menu >
Operation > Q Menu > Preset/Custom.
How to set up a
Custom Q Menu:
Press Fn6 to display the Q Menu. Bottom left on the screen we see a little
[Q+Wrench] icon. Touch this to display the adjustment start screen then touch
the screen anywhere to display the first of five screens of options. Touch and
drag items up or down to remove them from or send them to to the active icon
bar near the bottom of the screen. We can only see a maximum of 5 icons at any
time so I only allocate 5 items to the Custom Q Menu.
I put on the Custom Q Menu: Burst Rate, Stabiliser, Self
timer control, Step/smooth zoom, AF Mode (active AF area).
Note about burst rate:
We want to have AF, AE and live view on
each frame. The fastest rate which allows this is Burst M, which runs at about
6 fps.
Fn7, Off
Fn8, Macro
Fly-out onscreen virtual buttons Fn 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, all
Off.
Now we come to Dial
Settings, Custom Menu > Operation
> Dial Set.
* Assign Dial (F/SS). I assign shutter speed (SS) to the
front dial, aperture (F) to the rear dial.
* Rotation (F/SS) Leave at default
* Exposure Comp. Rear dial
* Dial Operation Switch setup. I leave this well alone.
Rec Menu [red camera icon]
* Aspect ratio, 3:2
* Picture size (greyed out if Raw set below) L20M
* Quality, Raw
* AFS/AFF, AFS
* AF Sensitivity (Photo) Applies only when using AFC, I use
+2.
* Photo Style. The preview image we see in the viewfinder or
on the screen is affected by this setting as is JPG output but not Raw output.
Note that on Panasonic cameras the preview and playback
images are rather lacking in resolution and sharpness, presumably it is a
lo-res image set that way so it loads and displays quickly. This is only
noticeable when we enlarge the preview or playback image to check for
sharpness.
I set Standard, with Contrast +/- 0, Saturation +/- 0, Noise Reduction -1,
Saturation +/- 0.
* Filter Settings OFF
* Color space sRGB
* Metering Mode Evaluative
* Highlight/Shadow leave at default, straight line.
* i.Dynamic OFF
* i.Resolution OFF
* Flash I don’t use flash because I hate the look of
pictures made with on camera flash. But if I did I would probably set Firing
Mode TTL, Flash Mode single flash icon no red-eye reduction, Flash Synchro
first curtain, Flash adjust minus 1 EV, Auto Exposure Comp Off.
* Red eye removal OFF
* ISO Auto Upper limit (photo) 6400
* Min. Shtr. Speed
Auto
* Long Shtr Noise Reduction
OFF
* Diffraction compensation
OFF
* Stabiliser: Assign this to the Custom Q Menu so it can be
switched on and off without having to delve into the main menus.
* I Zoom (N/A with Raw)
OFF
* Digital zoom (N/A with Raw) OFF
* Burst Rate M
* 4K Photo. I never use this . Please see page 118 of the
Operating Instructions for Advanced Features.
* Self timer 2 seconds.
Assign this to the Custom Q Menu so 10 sec or 10 sec x 3 pictures can be
set.
* Time lapse/Animation
See page 134 of the Instructions.
* Silent Mode OFF
* Shutter Type
MSHTR I think this is actually a
first curtain electronic shutter type although I can’t find reference to this
in the Instructions.
* Bracket Off This can be copied to My Menu if exposure or
focus bracketing is contemplated.
* HDR (N/A with
Raw) OFF
* Multi Exp This
could be copied to My Menu if we intend to experiment with the feature.
Custom Menu [blue wrench+c]
Exposure
* ISO increments 1/3 EV
* Extended ISO OFF
* Exposure Comp Reset
On The camera will automatically
re-set exposure compensation to zero when the camera is powered off.
Focus
* AF/AE Lock AF This
initiates focus with the AF/AEL button. Focus
stays locked if AF/AE Lock Hold (below) is ON
until we press the AF/AEL button again. A green dot top right on the
screen reminds us that focus is locked. This is handy for street and
documentary style photos.
* AF/AE Lock Hold
ON
* Shutter AF ON
* Half press release
OFF
* Quick AF OFF
* Eye Sensor AF OFF
* Pinpoint AF Setting
AF Time MID, AF Display PIP
* AF Assist Lamp OFF
* Direct Focus Area
ON Allows us to move AF area
position directly with the Cursor Buttons (a.k.a. cross keys). Press Disp to re-center
the AF area.
* Focus Release Priority
FOCUS for both AFS and AFC
* Focus switching for Vert/Hor ON
This allows the focus area to be in one place for landscape orientation
and a different place for portrait orientation. Useful if the subject is a
person or a bird or animal such that we want to focus on the face/head.
* Loop Movement Focus Frame
ON
* AF Area Display ON
* AF + MF OFF
* MF Assist Focus
ring on lens barrel
* MF Assist Display
PIP (picture in picture)
Operation
* Fn Button Set See
above
* ISO Displayed Setting
Front/Rear Dials (the top option)
* Exposure Comp Disp Setting Cursor Buttons OFF,
Front/Rear Dials ON (top option)
* Q Menu Custom
* Dial Set See above
* Control Ring DEFLT
* Operation Lock Setting
Cursor ON, Touch Screen ON,
Dial ON
* Video Button ON
* Video Rec Button (Remote)
ON
* Touch settings
Touch Screen ON, Touch Tab OFF.
Touch AF AF, Touch Pad AF EXACT
* Zoom lever Step or
continuous. I put this on the Custom Q Menu so I can switch from one to the
other if required.
* Zoom Compose Assist L
Monitor/Display
* Auto Review OFF
* Monochrome Live View
OFF
* Constant Preview ON
* Peaking ON, SET Detect level LOW,
Display Color Blue.
* Histogram OFF
* Guide Line Third
option down, two intersecting lines, I place them to intersect in the center of
the frame. Useful for lining up verticals on buildings.
* Center Marker ON
* Highlight ON This is the blinkies seen on Playback warning
of overexposed highlights.
* Zebra Pattern I set
Zebra 1 to 105% and ON to warn of highlight blowout before exposure.
* Expo. Meter OFF
* MF Guide ON
* LV Monitor Disp. Set
I set the LVF (EVF) with camera data below the image display and the
Monitor screen with camera data superimposed over the lower section of the
image display to gain maxim size of the monitor display.
* Monitor Info. Disp.
ON
* Rec Area Camera
Symbol
* Remaining Disp.
Camera icon
* Menu Guide ON initially then OFF when more familiar with
camera operation.
Lens/Others
* Lens position Resume
ON
* Lens Retraction OFF
* Face Recog. OFF
* Profile Setup OFF
Setup Menu [Blue
wrench]
* Online Manual Not
accessed. Download PDF from Panasonic Website.
* Cust. Set. Mem. Up
to three Custom Capture Mode settings can be set [C1, C2, C3]. This allows us to change many
settings with one action.
To make a Custom Setting set up the camera for the desired
subject , for instance landscape on tripod. In this case we set Stabiliser Off,
Aperture Priority, f8, ISO 100, Timer 2 sec, AFS, AF area single, center. Check
that the camera is doing what we want then press Cust. Set. Mem. and follow the
prompts to overwrite current camera settings (the ones on the Custom setting if
there are any) with Custom Set 1, 2 or 3. In this example also check that the
Drive Mode Dial is at Timer delay (rotate dial fully clockwise) and the AF
lever at AFS. Check again that the camera is operating as planned then go back
to normal Mode Dial settings.
I copy Cust.Set.Mem. to My Menu for quick access.
* Clock set and world time should already be set by now.
* We can read about Wi-Fi and Bluetooth setup in the
Instructions. The camera can be operated from a smrtphone.
I just leave most items in this menu at default except
* Monitor Display Speed
ECO 30 fps
* LVF Display Speed
60 fps
* Eye Sensor Sensitivity
LOW
LVF/Monitor Switch
LVF/Mon Auto.
My Menu [lilac person
icon]
On this I have Format, Cust. Set. Mem., Fn Button Set,
Bracket, PhotoStyle.
Playback Menu [green
right arrow]
I leave most things here at default.
* Rotate Disp. ON
Auto Panorama
* Set the Mode Dial to the Panorama Icon. Press the Menu/Set button. See a new Menu at
the top of the screen with a red landscape icon. My practice and recommendation
is to set the Direction to the bottom option with the arrow pointing down and
the Picture Size to Standard. To make the panorama hold the camera in portrait
orientation, handle up, then half press
and hold the shutter button with the camera pointing somewhere around the
middle of the planned panorama. This sets and holds exposure and focus. Swing
the camera across to the left of the planned panorama, fully depress and hold the shutter button down and slowly swing the
camera around towards the right. The process requires some practice and
experience to get the speed of rotation correct and to keep the camera level
from side to side during the swing. The process uses the electronic shutter and
the camera generates the panorama shot as a JPG automatically.
And that is it for this summary about setting up the
FZ1000.2 for still photos.
The camera has a vast array of functions and capabilities
which I suspect many of us will not use. But they are all described in the
Instructions in considerable detail for those of us who wish to explore
further.
Setting up is boring and at times confusing but some other
cameras are a whole lot worse.
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