Panasonic Digital Camera Dmc Gf3 Owners Manual

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Troubleshooting
First, try out the following procedures (P191–201).
•
The battery is exhausted.•Charge the battery.•If you leave the camera on,  the battery will be exhausted.
> Turn the camera off frequently by using the [ECONOMY] Mode etc.  (P65)
•If you connect to a TV compatible with VIERA Link with a HDMI mini cable (optional) and turn 
off the power on the TV with the remote control for the TV, the power on this unit also turns off. 
> If you are not using VIERA Link, set [VIERA Link] to [OFF].  (P67)
•Is the subject focused?
> [FOCUS PRIORITY] is set to [ON] at the time of purchase, and so you cannot take pictures 
until the subject is in focus. If you want to be able to take a picture when you press the 
shutter button fully even if the subject is not focused, set [FOCUS PRIORITY] in the 
[CUSTOM] menu to [OFF].  (P139)
•Picture might look whitish when lens or image  sensor gets dirty with fingerprints or similar.
> If the lens is dirty turn the camera off and then gently wipe the lens surface with a soft dry 
cloth.
> Refer to  P183 when the image sensor gets dirty.
If the problem is not resolved,  it may be improved by selecting [RESET]  (P68) on the 
[SETUP] menu .
Battery and power source
The camera cannot be operated even when it is turned on.
The camera turns off immediately after it is turned on.
This unit is turned off automatically.
Recording
Taking pictures is not possible.
The shutter will not operate immediately when the shutter button is pressed.
The recorded picture is whitish. 
						

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>Check that the exposure is correctly compensated.  (P76)•Is the AE Lock (P98) applied incorrectly?
> Unset the settings of White Balance Bracket  (P96).
•The subject is beyond the focus range of the camera.  (P32)•There is camera shake (jitter) or the subject is moving slightly.  (P70)•Is [FOCUS PRIORITY] in the [CUSTOM] menu set to [OFF]? (P139)
In this case, the picture may not be properly focused even if [AFS] or [AFC] in [FOCUS MODE] 
is set.
•Is the AF Lock  (P98) applied incorrectly?
•The shutter speed will become slower and the Op tical Image Stabilizer function may not work 
properly when taking pictures especially in dark places. > We recommend holding the camera firmly with both hands when taking pictures.  (P30)
> We recommend using a tripod and the self-timer  (P81) when taking pictures with a slow 
shutter speed.
•Are you using a lens which supports the Stabilizer function?  (P69)
•Is there any memory remaining on the card?
•Is the ISO sensitivity high or the shutter speed slow?
([SENSITIVITY] is set to [AUTO] when the camera is shipped. Therefore, when taking pictures 
indoors etc. noise will appear.)
> Decrease the ISO sensitivity.  (P126)
> Increase the setting for [NOISE REDUCTION] in [PHOTO STYLE] or lower the setting for 
each of the items other than [NOISE REDUCTION].  (P123)
> Take pictures in bright places.
> Set the  [LONG SHTR NR]  to [ON].  (P130)
•Is the [PICTURE SIZE]  (P124)  or the [QUALITY]  (P125)  set low?•Is the [DIGITAL ZOOM] set?  (P71)
The recorded picture is too bright or dark.
Multiple pictures are taken at one time.
The subject is not focused properly.
The recorded picture is blurred.
The Optical Image Stabilizer is not effective.
Taking pictures using White Balance Bracket is not possible.
The recorded picture looks rough.
Noise appears on the picture. 
						

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•When recording under fluorescent or LED lighting fixture etc., increasing the shutter speed may 
introduce slight changes to brightness and color. These are a result of the characteristics of the 
light source and do not indicate a malfunction.
•When recording subjects in extremely bright locations or recording under fluorescent lighting, 
LED lighting fixture, mercury lamp, sodium lighting etc., the colors and screen brightness may 
change or horizontal striping may appear on the screen.
•This could be an inactive pixel. Perform [PIXEL REFRESH] (P143) in the [CUSTOM] menu.
•Set the AF area to the distinctive color of the subject if there is a part that is different from the 
surrounding color.  (P85)
Striping or flicker may appear under lighting such as fluorescent lighting and 
LED lighting fixture.
•
This is characteristic of MOS sensors which serve as the camera’s pickup 
sensors.
This is not a malfunction.
•When you see noticeable flicker or stripi ng while recording a motion picture, 
you can reduce the flicker or striping by setting up [FLICKER RED.]  (P136) 
and fixing the shutter speed. It is possible to select a shutter speed from 
[1/50], [1/60], [1/100], or [1/120].
The brightness or the hue of the recorded picture is different from the actual 
scene.
Bright spot not in subject is recorded.
Subject cannot be locked.
(AF tracking not possible) 
						

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•You may not be able to record for a short while after turning the power [ON] when using a large 
capacity card.
•Use a card with SD Speed Class with “Class 4” or higher when recording motion pictures in 
[AVCHD]. 
Also, use a card with SD Speed Class with “Class 6” or higher when recording motion pictures 
in [MOTION JPEG].
•Depending on the type of the card, recording may stop in the middle.> If motion picture recording stops during use of a card of at least “Class 4” or if you use a 
card on which recording and deleting have been repeated many times, or a card that has 
been formatted on a PC or other equipment, the data-writing speed is lower. In such cases, 
we recommend that you make a backup of the data and then format  (P68) the card in this 
unit.
•When recording a motion picture, the screen may go dark after a certain period to reduce 
battery consumption, but this will not affect the recorded motion picture.
•The screen may be blacked out momentarily, or the unit may record noise due to static 
electricity or electromagnetic waves etc. depending on the environment of the motion picture 
recording.
•Object seems to be warped slightly when the object moves across the image very fast, but this 
is because the unit is using MOS for the image sensor. This is not a malfunction.
•With recording in a quiet environment, depending on the lenses used, the sound of aperture 
and focus actions may be recorded in motion pictures. This is not a malfunction. Focus 
operation while recording motion pictures can be set to [OFF] with [CONTINUOUS AF] (P44) .
•Be careful while recording motion pictures because the sounds of the zoom operations, buttons 
and dial operation etc. may be recorded.
•While recording motion pictures, plugging the aperture of the microphone with a finger may 
reduce the level of audio recording or audio may not record at all. Also be careful because the 
operation sound of lenses can easily be recorded at this time.
Motion pictures
Recording motion pictures is not possible.
Motion picture recording stops in the middle.
When recording a motion picture, the screen may go dark.
The screen may be blacked out momentarily, or the unit may record noise.
Object seems to be warped.
In motion pictures, abnormal clicking and buzzing sounds are recorded.
The recorded sound is very quiet. 
						

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•Depending on the lens used, picture may be warped slightly or you may see colors along the 
edge depending on the zoom factor, due to the char acteristics of the lens. Also, the peripherals 
of the image might look warped because the perspective is enhanced when the wide angle is 
used. This is not a malfunction.
•The Optical Image Stabilizer function of the interchangeable lens (H-FS014042) only works 
correctly with supported cameras. > When older Panasonic digital cameras (DMC-GF1, DMC-GH1, DMC-G1) are used, 
[STABILIZER] in the [REC] Mode menu  (P69) cannot be set to [OFF]. It is recommended to 
update the firmware of the digital camera at the following website. 
http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/
> When using this lens with another make of digital cameras, the Optical Image Stabilizer 
function will not work. (As of June 2011)
For details, contact the respective company.
•Is the flash closed?
> Press the [ OPEN] button to open the flash.  (P72)
•The flash is activated 2 times. The interval between the first and second flash is longer when 
Red-Eye Reduction (P73) is set so the subject should not move until the second flash is 
activated.
Lens
Recorded image may be warped, or nonexistent color is surrounding the 
subject.
When the lens is attached to another digital camera, stabilizer function cannot be 
turned off or stabilizer function does not work.
Flash
The flash is not activated.
The flash is activated 2 times. 
						

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>Adjust the brightness of the LCD monitor to a proper level.  (P64)•Check [LCD MODE] setting. (P64)
•This occurs due to the aperture of the lens changing when the shutter button is pressed 
half-way, or when the brightness of the subject changes. This is not a malfunction.
•This may occur more often when a bright lens, such as the interchangeable lens (H-H014), is 
used for recording in brightly lit outdoor environments.
•This is not a malfunction.
These pixels do not affect the recorded pictures.
•In dark places, noise may appear to maintain the brightness of the LCD monitor.
LCD monitor
The LCD monitor is too bright or dark.
It may flicker for an instant or the brightness of the screen may change significantly 
for an instant.
Black, red, blue and green dots appear on the LCD monitor.
Noise appears on the LCD monitor. 
						

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•You can display the pictures without being rotated when [ROTATE DISP.] (P154) is set to 
[OFF].
•You can rotate pictures with the [ROTATE] function.  (P154)•You can only display the pictures rotated if you use a lens  (P12) that supports the Direction 
Detection Function  (P30) and [ROTATE DISP.] is set to [ON].
•Did you press [ (]?•Is the card inserted?•Is there a picture on the card?•Is this a folder or picture which was processed in the PC? If it is, it cannot be played back by 
this unit.
> It is recommended to use the “PHOTOfunSTUDIO” software in the CD-ROM (supplied) to 
write pictures from PC to card.
•Has [PLAYBACK MODE] been set for playback?
> Change to [NORMAL PLAY].  (P146)
•Is this a non-standard picture, a picture whic h has been edited using a PC or a picture which 
was taken by another make of digital camera?
•Did you remove the battery immediately after pict ure-taking or did you take the picture using a 
battery with a low remaining charge? > Format the data to delete the pictures mentioned above.  (P68)
(Other pictures will be deleted as well and it will not be possible to restore them. 
Therefore, check well before formatting.)
•
Is the clock in the camera set properly?  (P61)•Images edited on a PC or images recorded on other cameras might display a different date to 
the recorded date during the Calendar Playback.
Playback
The picture being played back is not rotated, or is rotated in an unexpected 
direction, when displayed.
The picture is not played back.
There are no recorded pictures.
The folder number and the file number are displayed as [—] and the screen turns 
black.
Images with different date as recorded date are played back in the Calendar 
Playback.
White round spots like soap bubbles appear on the recorded picture.
•
If you take a picture with the flash in a dark place or indoors, white round 
spots may appear on the picture caused by the flash reflecting of particles of 
dust in the air. This is not a malfunction.
A characteristic of this is that the number of round spots and their position 
differ in every picture. 
						

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•Is it a picture that has been recorded with other equipment? In such cases, these pictures may 
be displayed with a deteriorated picture quality.
•When Digital Red-Eye Correction ([], [], []) is in operation, if you take a picture 
of subject with red color surrounded by a skin tone color, that red part may be corrected to 
black by the Digital Red-Eye Correction function. > It is recommended to take pictures with the flash closed, Flash Mode set to [ ‡] or [ ‰], or 
[RED-EYE REMOVAL] set to [OFF].  (P129)
•Playback of motion pictures recorded with this unit (Motion JPEG) may not be possible with 
other companies digital cameras. Also, Panasonics digital cameras (LUMIX)¢ may also not be 
able to play them back.
¢Introduced prior to December 2008, and FS and LS series introduced in 2009.•Motion pictures recorded with [AVCHD] cannot  be played back with devices that are not 
compatible with AVCHD. Some AVCHD compatible  devices may not be able to play them 
correctly.
•Is the camera connected to the TV correctly? > Set the TV input to external input mode.
•Depending on the TV model, the pictures may be  extended horizontally or vertically or they 
may be displayed with their edges cut off.
•Are you trying to play back the motion pictures by directly inserting the card in the card slot of 
the TV? > Connect the camera to the TV with the AV  cable (supplied), or with the HDMI mini cable 
(optional), and then play back the motion pictures on the camera.  (P164)
> Check [TV ASPECT] setting.  (P66)
[THUMBNAIL IS DISPLAYED] appears on the screen.
Red part of the recorded image has changed color to black.
Motion pictures recorded with this model can not be played back on other 
equipment.
TV, PC and printer
The picture does not appear on the television.
The display areas on the TV screen and the camera’s LCD monitor are different.
The motion pictures cannot be played back on a TV.
The picture is not displayed fully on the TV. 
						

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•Is it connected properly with the HDMI mini cable (optional)?  (P164)
> Confirm that the HDMI mini cable (optional) is firmly fitted.
> Press [ (] on this unit.
•Is the [VIERA Link] on this unit set to [ON]?  (P67)
> Depending on HDMI terminal of the TV, the i nput channel may not switch automatically. In 
this case, use the remote control for the TV to switch input. (For details on how to switch 
input, please read the operating instructions for the TV.)
> Check the VIERA Link setting on the connected device.
> Turn the power to the unit off and then back on again.
> Set [VIERA Link] to [Off] on the TV and then turn it back to [On]. (Refer to the operating 
instructions of the TV for details.)
•Is the camera connected to the PC correctly?•Is the camera recognized by the PC correctly?
> Set to [PC] in [USB MODE].  (P66, 172)
> Disconnect the USB connection cable. Connect it again while the card is inserted in the 
camera.
> Check if your PC is compat ible with SDXC memory cards.
http://panasonic.net/avc/sdcard/information/SDXC.html
> A message prompting to format the card may be displayed when connecting, but do not 
format.
> If the [ACCESS] displayed on the LCD monitor does not disappear, disconnect the 
USB 
connection cable after turning off the power.
•Pictures cannot be printed using a printer which does not support PictBridge. > Set to [PictBridge(PTP)] in [USB MODE].  (P66, 174)
> When using a printer with a Cropping or borderless printing function, cancel this function 
before printing. (For details, refer to the operating instructions for the printer.)
> When you order photo studios to print pictures, ask the photo studio if the pictures can be 
printed with both ends.
VIERA Link does not work.
The picture cannot be transferred when the camera is connected to a PC.
The card is not recognized by the PC.
The card is not recognized by the PC. (SDXC memory card is used)
The picture cannot be printed when the camera is connected to a printer.
The ends of the pictures are cut at printing. 
						

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•This is the noise of the Dust Reduction Function working (P183); it is not a malfunction.
•It is a sound of lens movement or aperture operation when the power is turned [ON] or [OFF], 
and it is not a malfunction.
•You may hear a sound from the lens and image in the LCD monitor may suddenly change when 
the brightness has changed by zoom operation or moving the camera, but there is no effect on 
recording.
The sound is caused by the automatic adjustment of the aperture. This is not a malfunction.
> Press [MENU/SET], select the [SETUP] menu icon [ ] and then select the [ ~] icon to set 
the desired language.  (P68)
•This is a highlight function showing the white saturated area.  (P138)•Is the [HIGHLIGHT] set to [ON]?
•In dark places, the AF Assist Lamp (P140) lights red to make it easier to focus on a subject.
•Is [AF ASSIST LAMP] on the [CUSTOM] menu set to [ON]?  (P140)•The AF Assist Lamp does not turn on in bright places.
•The surface of the camera may become warm during use. This does not affect the performance 
or quality of the camera.
•If you do not use the camera for a long time, the clock may be reset.
> [PLEASE SET THE CLOCK] message will be displayed; please re-set the clock.  (P26)
Others
The camera makes a noise when turned [ON].
There is a sound from lens unit.
An unreadable language was selected by mistake.
Part of the picture is flashing in black and white.
A red lamp sometimes turns on when the shutter button is pressed halfway.
The AF Assist Lamp does not turn on.
The camera becomes warm.
The clock is reset.