Panasonic Digital Camera Dmc Gh2h Gh2k Gh2 Operating Instructions

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•Recorded data may be damaged or lost if the camera breaks down due to inappropriate 
handling. Panasonic will not be liable for any damage caused due to loss of recorded data.
•When you use a tripod, make sure the tripod is stable when this unit is attached to it.•You may not be able to remove the card or the battery when using a tripod or unipod.•Make sure that the screw on the tripod or unipod is not at an angle when attaching or detaching 
the camera. You may damage the screw on the camera if you use excessive force when 
turning it. Also, the camera body and the rating label may be damaged or scratched if the 
camera is attached too tightly to the tripod or unipod.
•When using this unit with a large-diameter lens, the lens may come into contact with the 
pedestal depending on the tripod/unipod. Tightening the screw with the lens and pedestal in 
contact with each other may damage this unit or the lens. Therefore it is recommended to 
attach the tripod adaptor (DMW-TA1; optional) before mounting on the tripod/unipod.
•Read the operating instructions for the tripod or unipod carefully.
•If you attach a heavy interchangeable lens (more than about 1 k g) to the camera body, do not 
carry the camera by the shoulder strap. Hold the camera and the lens when carrying them.
About the picture data
About tripods or unipods
About the shoulder strap
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Message Display
Confirmation messages or error messages will be displayed on the screen in some cases.
The major messages are described below as examples.
[THIS PICTURE IS PROTECTED]
>Delete the picture after canceling the protect setting. (P151)
[THIS PICTURE CANNOT BE DELETED]/[SOME PICTURES CANNOT BE DELETED]
•
This feature is can only be used with pictures that comply with the DCF standard.
> If you want to delete some pictures, format the card after saving necessary data on a PC 
etc. (P62)
[NO ADDITIONAL SELECTIONS CAN BE MADE]
•
The number of pictures, which can be set at one time when [MULTI] has been selected for 
[DELETE MULTI] (P52), [FAVORITE] (P149), [TITLE EDIT] (P143), [TEXT STAMP] (P144) or 
[RESIZE] (P146) has been exceeded.
> Reduce the number of pictures set, and then repeat the operation.
•More than 999 favorites have been set.
[CANNOT BE SET ON THIS PICTURE]
•
[TITLE EDIT], [TEXT STAMP] or [PRINT SET] cannot be set for pictures not based on the 
DCF standard.
[MEMORY CARD ERROR
FORMAT THIS CARD?]
•
It is a format that cannot be used with this unit.
> Format the card again with the camera after saving necessary data on a PC etc. (P62)
[LENS NOT FOUND, OR   SHOOT W/O LENS IS SET TO OFF.]/
[THE LENS IS NOT ATTACHED PROPERLY. DO NOT PUSH LENS RELEASE 
BUTTON WHILE LENS IS ATTACHED.]/
[PLEASE CHECK THAT THE LENS IS ATTACHED CORRECTLY]
•
Do not press the lens release button while taking pictures.•When using a Leica lens mount adaptor (DMW-MA2M or DMW-MA3R; optional), set 
[SHOOT W/O LENS] (P135) to [ON] in the custom menu.
•Detach the lens once, and then attach it again without pressing the lens release button. (P20) 
Turn on the power again, and if it is still displaying, contact the dealer.
[MEMORY CARD PARAMETER ERROR]/[THIS MEMORY CARD CANNOT BE USED]
>Use a card compatible with this unit. (P29)•SD Memory Card (8 MB to 2 GB)•SDHC Memory Card (4 GB to 32 GB)•SDXC Memory Card (48 GB, 64 GB)
[INSERT SD CARD AGAIN]/[TRY ANOTHER CARD]
•
An error has occurred accessing the card.
> Insert the card again.
> Insert a different card.
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[READ ERROR/WRITE ERROR
PLEASE CHECK THE CARD]
•
It has failed to read or write data.> Remove the card after turning the power [OFF]. Insert the card again, turn the power on, 
and try to read or write the data again.
•The card may be broken.
> Insert a different card.
[CANNOT RECORD DUE TO INCOMPATIBLE FORMAT (NTSC/PAL) DATA ON THIS 
CARD.]
>If you want to delete some pictures, format the card after saving necessary data on a PC 
etc. (P62)
> Insert a different card.
[MOTION RECORDING WAS CANCELLED DUE TO THE LIMITATION OF THE 
WRITING SPEED OF THE 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].
•In the event that it stops even after using a “Class 4” card or higher, the data writing speed has 
deteriorated so it is recommended to make a backup and then format (P62).
•Depending on the type of the card, motion picture recording may stop in the middle.
[THIS CARD IS NOT FORMATTED WITH THIS CAMERA, AND NOT SUITABLE FOR 
MOVIE RECORDING.]
•
The writing speed is lower if the card has been formatted using a PC or other equipment. As a 
consequence, motion picture recording may stop in the middle. If this happens, make a 
backup of the data and format (P62) the card in this unit.
[A FOLDER CANNOT BE CREATED]
•
A folder cannot be created because there are no remaining folder numbers that can be used. 
(P165)
> Format the card after saving necessary data on a PC etc. (P62) If you execute 
[NO.RESET] in the [SETUP] menu after formatting, the folder number is reset to 100. 
(P62)
[PICTURE IS DISPLAYED FOR 16:9 TV]/[PICTURE IS DISPLAYED FOR 4:3 TV]
•
The AV cable is connected to the camera.
> Press [MENU/SET] if you want to delete this message at once.
> Select [TV ASPECT] in the [SETUP] menu if you want to change the TV aspect. (P60)
•This message also appears when the USB connection cable is connected to the camera only.In this case, connect the other end of the USB connection cable to a PC or a printer. (P163, 166)
[THIS BATTERY CANNOT BE USED]
•
The battery cannot be recognized by the camera.
> Use a genuine Panasonic battery. If this message is displayed even when a genuine 
Panasonic battery is used, contact the dealer or your nearest Service Center.
•The battery cannot be recognized as its terminal is dirty.
> Remove any dirt etc. from the terminal.
[PLEASE MAKE SURE TO TURN ON THE POWER OF EXTERNAL MICROPHONE.]
•
When attaching the stereo microphone (DMW-MS1; optional), check the battery status and 
make sure the power is on before use. (P172)
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[EDITING OPERATION CANNOT PROCEED AS INFORMATION PROCESSING IS 
ONGOING.]
When a card with pictures deleted or file names changed using a PC or other device is 
inserted into this unit, it will automatically retrieve new information and reconstruct the 
burst groups. The currently retrieving information icon [ ] may be displayed in the 
playback screen for long period of time when  there are many image files, and deletion or 
[PLAYBACK] Mode menu cannot be used during this time.
•
If you switch the power switch to [OFF] while information is being retrieved, the pictures for 
which information was retrieved up to that  point will be saved as a burst group. When you 
switch on again, the information retrieval will restart from the same point.
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Troubleshooting
First, try out the following procedures (P185–193).
•
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. (P59)
•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]. (P61)
•Is the temperature of the battery excessively high or low? If it is, it will take longer than usual to 
charge the battery or charging may remain incomplete.
•Are the terminals of the charger or battery dirty?
> Wipe off the dirt using a dry cloth.
•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]. (P130)
•You may not be able to record for a short while after turning the power [ON] when using a large 
capacity card.
•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 P177 when the image sensor gets dirty.
If the problem is not resolved,  it may be improved by selecting [RESET] (P62) 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.
The [CHARGE] lamp flashes.
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. (P75)•Is the AE Lock (P86) applied incorrectly?
> Unset the settings of White Balance Bracket (P89).
> Set [ASPECT BRACKET] (P124) to [OFF].
•The subject is beyond the focus range of the camera. (P34)•There is camera shake (jitter) or the subject is moving slightly. (P74)•Is [FOCUS PRIORITY] in the [CUSTOM] menu set to [OFF]? (P130)In this case, the picture may not be properly focused even if [AFS] or [AFC] in Focus Mode is set.•Is [SHUTTER AF] in the [CUSTOM] menu set to [OFF]? (P131)•Is the AF Lock (P86) applied incorrectly?
•The shutter speed will become slower and the Opti cal 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. (P36)
> We recommend using a tripod and the self-timer (P80) when taking pictures with a slow 
shutter speed.
•Is there any memory remaining on the card?
•Is the ISO sensitivity high or the shutter speed slow?
(ISO sensitivity is set to [AUTO] when the camera is shipped. Therefore, when taking pictures 
indoors etc. noise will appear.)
> Decrease the ISO sensitivity. (P90)
> Increase the setting for [NOISE REDUCTION] in [FILM MODE] or lower the setting for each 
of the items other than [NOISE REDUCTION]. (P117)
> Take pictures in bright places.
> Set the [LONG SHTR NR]  to [ON].  (P123)
•Is the [PICTURE SIZE] (P119) or the [QUALITY]  (P120) set low?•Is the [DIGITAL ZOOM] set?  (P66)
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/[ASPECT BRACKET] is not 
possible.
The recorded picture looks rough.
Noise appears on the picture.
Under fluorescent lighting, flicker or horizontal bars may be seen.
•
This is characteristic of MOS sensors which serve as the camera’s pickup 
sensors.
This is not a malfunction.
•If the flicker or horizontal bars stand out, record in the Creative Motion 
Picture Mode and set the shutter speed to 1/100 in areas where the supply 
frequency is 50 Hz, or 1/60 in areas of 60 Hz.
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•If recording under fluorescent light, the brightness or the hue may change slightly when the 
shutter speed becomes fast. This occurs due to the characteristics of fluorescent light. It is not 
a malfunction.
•Color or brightness of the screen may change or horizontal streaks may appear on the screen 
when the picture is taken under extremely bright light, or under fluorescent lamps, mercury 
lamps, or sodium lamps etc.
•This is characteristic of MOS sensors which serve as the camera’s pickup sensors. It appears 
when the subject has a bright part. Some unevenness may occur in the surrounding areas, but 
this is not a malfunction.
•It is recommended that you take pictures while taking care not to expose the screen to sunlight 
or any other source of strong light.
•This could be an inactive pixel. Perform [PIXEL REFRESH] (P134) in the [CUSTOM] menu.
•Are you in Exposure Compensation operation?> Press the rear dial to switch to Exposure Compensation operation. (P75)
•Set the AF area to the distinctive color of the subject if there is a part that is different from the 
surrounding color. (P82)
•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 (P62) 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 brightness or the hue of the recorded picture is different from the actual 
scene.
Reddish horizontal streaks appear on the LCD monitor during recording.
Bright spot not in subject is recorded.
You cannot compensate the exposure.
Subject cannot be locked.
(AF tracking not possible)
Motion pictures
Motion picture recording stops in the middle.
When recording a motion picture, the screen may go dark.
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•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] (P43).
•Be careful while recording motion pictures because the sounds of the zoom operations, buttons 
and dial operation etc. may be recorded.
•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 characteristics 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 14 – 42 mm/F3.5 – 5.6 lens supplied in DMC-GH2K 
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 (P74) 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 l ens with another make of digital cameras, the Optical Image Stabilizer 
function will not work. (As of October 2010)
For details, contact the respective company.
•Is the flash closed?
> Slide the [ OPEN] lever to open the flash. (P68)
•The flash is activated 2 times. The interval between the first and second flash is longer when 
Red-eye Reduction (P69) is set so the subject should not move until the second flash is activated.
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.
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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•The LCD monitor turns off when [AUTO LCD OFF] (P59) is selected for the [ECONOMY] Mode. 
[This does not happen when using the AC adaptor (DMW-AC8PP; optional).]
•It will switch to viewfinder display if there is hand or object near the eye sensor. (P15)
> Adjust the brightness of the LCD monitor/viewfinder to a proper level. (P58)
•Check [LCD MODE] setting. (P59)
•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.
•Does the picture appear on the viewfinder?
> Press [LVF/LCD] to switch to LCD monitor display. (P15)
•Is the LCD monitor switched off?
> Switch the display by pressing [DISPLAY]. (P63)
•Is the [EXPO. SETTINGS] set to [SWITCH BY PRESSING THE LVF/LCD BUTTON]? (P132)•It is only displayed on the LCD monitor when the camera is connected to a PC or printer.
•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.
•This is a characteristic of the drive system of the viewfinder of this unit, and it is not a 
malfunction. There will be no problem with the recorded image.
LCD monitor/Viewfinder
The LCD monitor turns off although the camera is turned on.
The LCD monitor/Viewfinder is too bright or dark.
It may flicker for an instant or the brightness of the screen may change significantly 
for an instant.
The picture is not displayed on the LCD monitor.
LCD monitor and viewfinder do not switch when [LVF/LCD] is pressed.
Black, red, blue and green dots appear on the LCD monitor.
Noise appears on the LCD monitor.
You see red, green, or blue flashes when you move your eyes in the viewfinder, 
or when the camera is moved rapidly.
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•You can display the pictures without being rotated when [ROTATE DISP.] (P148) is set to [OFF].•You can rotate pictures with the [ROTATE] function. (P148)•You can only display the pictures rotated if you use a lens (P18) that supports the Direction 
Detection Function (P36) and [ROTATE DISP.] is set to [ON].
•Did you press [ (]?•Is the card inserted?•Is there a picture on the card?•Is this a picture whose file name has been changed in the PC? If it is, it cannot be played back 
by this unit.
•Has [PLAYBACK MODE] been set for playback?
> Change to [NORMAL PLAY]. (P142)
•Is this a non-standard picture, a picture which 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. (P62)
(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? (P31)•Images edited on a PC or images recorded on other cameras might display a different date to 
the recorded date during the Calendar Playback.
•Is it a picture that has been recorded with other equipment? In such cases, these pictures may 
be displayed with a deteriorated picture quality.
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.
[THUMBNAIL IS DISPLAYED] appears on the screen.
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