Gh4 "shootout"

Willard Hill · May 2nd, 2014, 08:09 AM

In reference to the disappearing display issue--I got a GH4 yesterday and the information stays on for about ten seconds at full brightness and then it dims gradually. After about one minute it disappears completely. According to the manual one must touch the screen, or press the display button to bring it back, but lightly pressing the shutter button will bring it back also. If one is controlling the camera with a wired remote, lightly touching the button on it will bring back the display as well.

Noa Put · May 3rd, 2014, 12:52 AM

a pre-prodcution user that shot some test footage on vimeo lied to me about this display, he said it would stay on forever or maybe his model did not have this limitation? Anyways, finally some confirmation, it still is not what it should be but at least a small improvement over the gh3 as it stays on a bit longer now,

Les Wilson · May 3rd, 2014, 06:08 AM

On the GH3, I was not able to get the C1, C2, C3 on the Mode dial to save anything other than the mode. i.e. settings such as aperture, shutter etc were not saved and the camera used whatever had been used in the previous mode. Was that fixed in the GH4? Also, is there a tally light on the body for when you cannot see the EVF or flip out screen?

Willard Hill · May 3rd, 2014, 10:07 AM

There is no external tally lamp unless I am missing some setting that enables it.

I can save the mode and a specific shutter speed/f stop combination-for example C1 f8.0 @ 1/60 sec., but if while shooting I boost the f stop to f 11.0 and either go to another mode or turn the camera off and on, when I return to C1 it is f8.0 @ 1/60 and not my last used setting. I am just learning the camera and getting a feel for it so I am not sure yet what all is saved to custom settings. I currently have creative movie mood set up to shoot 4K 3840X2160 30P at 100mbs and have C1 set up with most of the same settings except that it is set for 1080P at 50mbs.

The purpose for this is to have ETC mode instantly available. In all of my reading about this camera I found no mention of ETC mode or digital zoom, but the camera does have them. As one would expect ETC mode does not work in 4K , but it does work in 1080P. As best as I can tell this feature is not assignable to a function key like on the GH3 so one has to go into the menus to enable it and access it, which is why I have saved it to C1 so it is instantly available. It is possible to have it enabled in 4K mode in the menu, but there is no change in image size. Digital zoom does work in 4K, but I have not tested it enough to see if it is a viable option. I always enjoy a new camera a bit more once one gets a good understanding of it and can concentrate on shooting video and I am now in the stage of still trying to figure it out.

Les Wilson · May 4th, 2014, 05:20 AM

What you describe is how I'd expect the Custom Settings positions to work. On my GH3, the aperture, shutter and ISO were not saved when setting those modes using the menu for that. If you change modes or power off, the camera should use only what was last saved when you return, not what was last used at that mode. Sounds like they fixed them. Good.

May 2nd, 2014, 08:09 AM	#16
Willard Hill Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 191	Re: Gh4 "shootout" In reference to the disappearing display issue--I got a GH4 yesterday and the information stays on for about ten seconds at full brightness and then it dims gradually. After about one minute it disappears completely. According to the manual one must touch the screen, or press the display button to bring it back, but lightly pressing the shutter button will bring it back also. If one is controlling the camera with a wired remote, lightly touching the button on it will bring back the display as well. __________________ Willard http://pawildlifephotographer.blogspot.com/

May 3rd, 2014, 12:52 AM	#17
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Re: Gh4 "shootout" a pre-prodcution user that shot some test footage on vimeo lied to me about this display, he said it would stay on forever or maybe his model did not have this limitation? Anyways, finally some confirmation, it still is not what it should be but at least a small improvement over the gh3 as it stays on a bit longer now,

May 3rd, 2014, 06:08 AM	#18
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	Re: Gh4 "shootout" On the GH3, I was not able to get the C1, C2, C3 on the Mode dial to save anything other than the mode. i.e. settings such as aperture, shutter etc were not saved and the camera used whatever had been used in the previous mode. Was that fixed in the GH4? Also, is there a tally light on the body for when you cannot see the EVF or flip out screen?

May 3rd, 2014, 10:07 AM	#19
Willard Hill Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 191	Re: Gh4 "shootout" There is no external tally lamp unless I am missing some setting that enables it. I can save the mode and a specific shutter speed/f stop combination-for example C1 f8.0 @ 1/60 sec., but if while shooting I boost the f stop to f 11.0 and either go to another mode or turn the camera off and on, when I return to C1 it is f8.0 @ 1/60 and not my last used setting. I am just learning the camera and getting a feel for it so I am not sure yet what all is saved to custom settings. I currently have creative movie mood set up to shoot 4K 3840X2160 30P at 100mbs and have C1 set up with most of the same settings except that it is set for 1080P at 50mbs. The purpose for this is to have ETC mode instantly available. In all of my reading about this camera I found no mention of ETC mode or digital zoom, but the camera does have them. As one would expect ETC mode does not work in 4K , but it does work in 1080P. As best as I can tell this feature is not assignable to a function key like on the GH3 so one has to go into the menus to enable it and access it, which is why I have saved it to C1 so it is instantly available. It is possible to have it enabled in 4K mode in the menu, but there is no change in image size. Digital zoom does work in 4K, but I have not tested it enough to see if it is a viable option. I always enjoy a new camera a bit more once one gets a good understanding of it and can concentrate on shooting video and I am now in the stage of still trying to figure it out. __________________ Willard http://pawildlifephotographer.blogspot.com/

May 4th, 2014, 05:20 AM	#20
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	Re: Gh4 "shootout" What you describe is how I'd expect the Custom Settings positions to work. On my GH3, the aperture, shutter and ISO were not saved when setting those modes using the menu for that. If you change modes or power off, the camera should use only what was last saved when you return, not what was last used at that mode. Sounds like they fixed them. Good.