Panasonic Digital Camera Dmc Gh4 Owners Manual

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6. Recording Suited for the Subject and Scene
When you set the shutter speed, the camera  automatically optimizes the aperture value 
for the brightness of the subject.
When you want to take a sharp picture of a fast moving subject, set with a faster shutter 
speed. When you want to create a trail effect, set to a slower shutter speed.
1Set the mode dial to  [ ].
2Set the shutter speed by rotating the rear dial 
or the front dial.
A Shutter speed
B Exposure meter
•Rotate the front/rear dial to display the Exposure Meter. Unsuitable areas of the range are 
displayed in red.
•If the exposure is not adequate, the aperture value and the shutter speed turn red and blink 
when the shutter button is pressed halfway.
•We recommend using a tripod when the shutter speed is slow.
•When the ISO sensitivity is set to [ ], it will switch to [AUTO].
Not available in these cases:
•
When the flash is activated, the fastest shutter speed that can be selected is 1/250th of a 
second.  (P184)
•The shutter speed slower than 1 second is not available when [Electronic Shutter] is set to 
[ON].
Shutter-Priority AE Mode
Shutter speed:
SlowShutter speed:
Fast
It becomes easier to 
express movement.It becomes easier to 
freeze movement.
SS SS
SS
F
250
250
250
60
5.6 4.0 2.8 250 500
1251000
AB 
						

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Determine the exposure by manually setting the aperture value and the shutter speed.
The Manual Exposure Assistance appears on the lower portion of the screen to indicate 
the exposure.
1Set the mode dial to [ ].
2Rotate the rear dial to set the shutter speed, 
and rotate the front dial to set the aperture 
value.
A Exposure meter
B Aperture value
C Shutter speed
D Manual Exposure Assistance
Optimizing the ISO sensitivity for the shutter speed and aperture value
When the ISO sensitivity is set to [AUTO] , the camera sets the ISO sensitivity 
automatically so that the exposure will be appr opriate for the shutter speed and aperture 
value.
•
Depending on recording conditions, an appropriate exposure may not be set or the ISO 
sensitivity may become higher.
Manual Exposure Mode
Aperture value
Reduces
It becomes easier to defocus the 
background. Increases
It becomes easier to maintain 
focus as far as the background.
Shutter speed
Slow
It becomes easier to express 
movement. Fast
It becomes easier to freeze 
movement.
SS SS
SS
F125
8
5.64.0
2.8 8.0 11603015
30
30
30
5.600+3
DB AC 
						

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6. Recording Suited for the Subject and Scene
Manual Exposure Assistance
•
The Manual Exposure Assistance is an approximation. We recommend checking the pictures 
on the playback screen.
∫ About [B] (Bulb)
If you set the shutter speed to [B], the shutter stays open while the shutter button is 
pressed fully (up to approximately 60 minutes).
The shutter closes if you release the shutter button.
Use this when you want to keep the shutter  open for a long time to take pictures of 
fireworks, a night scene etc.
•
If you set the shutter speed to [B], [B] is displayed on the screen.
•When you take pictures with the shutter speed set to [B], use a sufficiently charged battery. 
(P27)
•The Manual Exposure Assistance does not appear.
•When the ISO sensitivity is set to [A UTO] or [ ], it will switch to [200].•This cannot be used when [Electronic Shutter] is set to [ON].•It can only be used with Manual Exposure Mode.The exposure is adequate.
Set to faster shutter speed or larger aperture value.
Set to slower shutter speed or smaller aperture value.
•We recommend using a tripod or the shutter remote control (DMW-RSL1: optional) 
when you take pictures with the shutter speed set to [B].
Refer to 
P353 for information about the shutter remote control.
•When you take pictures with the shutter speed set to [B], noise may become visible. To 
avoid picture noise, we recommend setting [Long Shtr NR] in the [Rec] menu to [ON] 
before taking pictures.  (P146)
0 0
0
 3030
0 0
0µ3µ3 
						

							6. Recording Suited for the Subject and Scene
154
•Rotate the front/rear dial to display the Exposure Meter. Unsuitable areas of the range are 
displayed in red.
•If the exposure is not adequate, the aperture value and the shutter speed turn red and blink 
when the shutter button is pressed halfway.
•We recommend using a tripod when the shutter speed is slow.•When you use a lens with an aperture ring, the aperture ring setting takes priority.•When the ISO sensitivity is set to [ ], it will switch to [AUTO].
Not available in these cases:
•
When the flash is activated, the fastest shutter speed that can be selected is 1/250th of a 
second.  (P184)
•The shutter speed slower than 1 second is not available when [Electronic Shutter] is set to 
[ON].
Checking/not checking the effects of aperture and shutter speed on the 
recording screen
> [Custom]  > [Constant Preview]  > [ON]/[OFF]
•
Close the flash.
•It can only be used with Manual Exposure Mode.
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6. Recording Suited for the Subject and Scene
The effects of aperture and shutter speed c an be checked by using the Preview Mode.
•Confirm the effects of aperture:
You can check the depth of field (effective focus range) before taking a picture by closing the 
leaf shutter to the aperture value you set.
•Confirm the effects of shutter speed:
Movement can be confirmed by displaying the actual picture that will be taken with that shutter 
speed. When the shutter speed is set for high speed, display in the shutter speed preview will 
be displayed like a time-release film. It is used in cases such as stopping the movement of 
running water.
1Set a function button to [Preview]. (P317)
•The following step is an example in which [Preview] is assigned to [Fn4].
2Switch to confirmation screen by pressing [Fn4].
•Screen is switched every time [Fn4] is pressed.
Depth of field properties
¢ 1 Recording conditions
¢ 2 Example: When you want to take a picture with a blurred background etc.
¢ 3 Example: When you want to take a picture with everything in focus including the background 
etc.
Confirm the Effects of Aperture and Shutter Speed (Preview Mode)
Applicable modes: 
Normal recording screen Aperture effect preview 
screen
Aperture effect:  ±
Shutter speed effect: — Shutter speed effect 
preview screen
Aperture effect:  ±
Shutter speed effect:  ±
¢1
Aperture valueSmallLarge
Focus length of the lensTe l eWide
Distance to the subjectNearDistant
Depth of field (effective focus range)  Shallow (Narrow)¢ 2 Deep (Wide)¢3
6KWU6SHHG(IIHFW2QFn46KWU6SHHG(IIHFW2IIFn4 
						

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156
•It is possible to record while in Preview Mode.•Range for shutter speed effect check is 8 seconds to 1/8000th of a second.
When the exposure setting is too bright or t oo dark, you can use one push AE to achieve a 
suitable exposure setting.
•
The exposure meter is displayed, and the aperture and shutter speed are changed to give 
a suitable exposure.
•In the following cases, suitable exposure cannot be set.–When the subject is extremely dark and it is not possible to achieve adequate exposure 
by changing the aperture value or shutter speed
–When recording using the flash–In Preview Mode (P155)
–When using a lens that includes an aperture ring
•In Program AE Mode, Program Shift can be canceled by pressing the function button to which 
[One Push AE] has been set.
Easily set aperture/shutter speed for suitable exposure (One Push AE)
Applicable modes:  How to tell if the exposure is not adequate
•
If the aperture values and shutter speed blink red  A when 
the shutter button is pressed halfway.
•If the Manual Exposure Assistance is anything other than   when in Manual Exposure mode.
For more details on Manual Exposure Assistance, refer to 
P153.
1Set a function button to [One Push AE]. (P317)
•The following step is an example in which [One Push AE] is assigned to [Fn8].
2Touch [ ].
3(When exposure is not adequate)
Touch [Fn8].
00-3-32008000 8000
8000
3.5
3.5
3.598
98
r98
A
00-3-3200800080008000
3.53.53.59898r98200
SS SS
SS
F15 250
2.8 4.0 5.6 1256030
60
60
60
2.80
AEFn9
Fn10 
						

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6. Recording Suited for the Subject and Scene
Compensating the Exposure
Use this function when you cannot achieve appr opriate exposure due to the difference in 
brightness between the subject and the background.
1Press [ ].
2Rotate the rear dial or the front dial to 
compensate the exposure.
•The Exposure Compensation value can be set within a range of j 5EV to i5 EV. When 
recording motion pictures, the Exposure Compensation value can be set within a range 
of  j3 EV to i 3EV.
•When not adjusting the setting, select [ n0]
3Press [ ] to set.
•You can also press the shutter button halfway to set.
Applicable modes: 
Underexposed Properly 
exposedOverexposed
Compensate the exposure 
towards positive. Compensate the exposure
towards negative.
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•When [Auto Exposure Comp.] in [Flash] in the [Rec] menu is set to [ON], the brightness of the 
built-in flash will automatically be set to the level appropriate to the selected Exposure 
Compensation.  (P186)
•When the exposure value is out of the j 3EV to i3 EV range, the brightness of the recording 
screen will no longer change. It is recommended to record by checking the actual brightness of 
the recorded image in the Auto Review or playback screen.
•The set Exposure Compensation value is stored even if the camera is turned off. (When 
[Exposure Comp. Reset] (P67)  is set to [OFF]) 
						

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6. Recording Suited for the Subject and Scene
Fixing the Focus and the Exposure (AF/AE Lock)
This is useful when you want to take a pi cture of a subject outside the AF area or the 
contrast is too strong and you c annot achieve appropriate exposure.
1Align the screen with the subject.
2Press and hold [AF/AE LOCK] to fix the focus 
or exposure.
•If you release [AF/AE LOCK], AF/AE Lock is canceled.•Only the exposure is locked in the default setting.
3While pressing [AF/AE LOCK], move the 
camera as you compose the picture and then 
press shutter button fully.
AAE Lock indication
•When [AE LOCK] is set, after pressing the shutter button halfway to focus, press the 
shutter button fully.
•AF Lock only is effective when taking pictures in Manual Exposure Mode.
•AE Lock only is effective when taking pictures with Manual Focus.•Only the AF lock is active during motion picture  recording. Once you cancel the AF lock during 
the recording, the AF lock cannot be reactivated.
•The subject can be focused again by pressing the shutter button halfway even when AE is 
locked.
•Program Shift can be set even when AE is locked.
Applicable modes: 
AF/AELOCK
200602.8AELAELAELAEL00
A 
						

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Setting the functions of [AF/AE LOCK]
Maintaining/not maintaining the lock when [AF/AE LOCK]  is released >
[Custom]  > [AF/AE Lock]
[AE LOCK] Only the exposure is locked.•When the exposure is set, [AEL], the aperture value, and the shutter speed 
are displayed.
[AF LOCK]Only the focus is locked.•When the subject is focused, [AFL], the focus indication, the aperture value, 
and the shutter speed are displayed.
[AF/AE LOCK] Both focus and exposure are locked.•[AFL], [AEL], the focus indication, aperture value and shutter speed are 
displayed when the focus and the exposure are optimized.
[AF-ON]
Auto Focus is performed.
>[Custom]  > [AF/AE Lock Hold]  > [ON]/[OFF]
MENU
MENU