GF1 Issue: white flash on LCD monitor

Have had my GF1/20mm kit for a month and love it.

Took it on vacation and treated it like a baby. I carried it with me at all times in my travel bag inside it's own protective camera bag.

I want to love my GF1 even more but weird problem happened that freaked me out: the LCD monitor would flash completely white (whole screen) while unit was trying to focus (in iAuto setting) or even if shutter depressed halfway (in A setting). While "flashing," the lens seems to sound louder than normal. One time, the LCD monitor flashed completely white and stayed that way until I turned camera off/on.

Does not seem to have affected image capture (have yet to review all my images) but it is very disconcerting. Issue does not happen all the time.

I thought it might be the connector pins so I removed the lens and gently cleaned body connector and lens pins with dry cloth. Did this a few times and still had issue. Turned unit off and on a few times and that helped only one time.

The longer the camera is on, the greater the chance the "flashing" will occur.

Checked GF1 Troubleshooting guide and did not find problem mentioned. Tried contacting Panasonic but not able to get human.

I have not damaged it or knocked it but I don't think this is normal...

• does anyone know what the problem is and what/how to fix?
• is the lens defective or is it the body?

Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere but an initial on this search yielded no results.

BTW, it is NOT:

• the highlight function feature (it's OFF)
• built-in popup flash (I'm kidding -- I know it's not the flash)

Thanks,
teebodo

Not sure if I have a similar issue with my GH1, but occassionally the 14-140 lens will make a louder humming sound and will not focus. Only way around this is to turn off the camera and turn it back on. Not sure what is causing this.

Hi, Jim.

No -- not quite the same thing -- it's the LCD monitor. It will "flash" white across the whole screen (kind of like the way the old florescent light bulbs used to turn on in the old days). Subsequently, as the lens responds to this (or actually creates the problem -- which is what I am trying to find out) it creates much more noise in a very hectic manner.

I just can't tell if it's the lens or the sensor, and as mentioned before, I've turned OFF the highlighting feature so it's not that...
Thanks for the response, anyhow.
teebodo

Today I had exactly this problem, screen flashing white, when camera turned on. Turned camera off, removed lens, removed battery, reinstated camera and problem seems to have gone. I must have depressed the shutter whilst the problem was there because when I reviewed my shots in camera the first frame was a flashing white record, all other captures were recorded correctly on review. I had a legacy lens attached at the time the problem occured. I have used this lens and (cheap e-bay adapter) on this camera and previous GF1 ( had a short flirtation with DSLR but saw the light and returned to the m43 fold a little while ago !) and have never experienced this before. At the moment I'm assuming incorrectly attached lens or dirty contact, but just in case it reoccurs anyone any idea what has caused it ?
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Peter

Im having the same issue: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1041&message=39250223

The issue is still there after upgrading my firmware to 1.2 It usually happens when there is a sudden change in lighting, for example i move my camera under the shade, and then move to an area with bright sunlight. When i try to focus and meter, the LCD flashes. Then I will just turn-off then on the camera, and the lcd-flashing-while-focusing issue is gone. It will happen again if there is a change in ambient lighting...
is this normal for lcd screens?
Someone else having the issue and was able to resolve?

-I too have this issue I posterd a thread about it a few weeks ago and got no response?Mine dose the same I also have the latest firm ware update and I only have the one lens 20mm.Mine seems to do it when the suns behind me and i am focusing on some thing in the shade?I thought it might be the battery not being Panasonic thats the first thing the guy at the shop said to me so i lied of course.Not sure what to do about it dose this happen with other lenses I wonder???

lee

I got the original battery pack, and I'm having the issue. I wonder if it has something to do with the camera's metering or autofocus. I talked to someone with the same unit and lens, he said he doesn't experience the same issue. probably we got a bad batch.

marvzz said:

I got the original battery pack, and I'm having the issue. I wonder if it has something to do with the camera's metering or autofocus. I talked to someone with the same unit and lens, he said he doesn't experience the same issue. probably we got a bad batch.

Click to expand...

It could be my number on the bottom of the camera is FV0SC101134.I have the original battery but the spare is not but it dose it with both.

lee

Hi, I recently started having this issue with my GF1. It does not seem to interfere with the camera's ability to take pictures, but it is a bit unsettling to see the LCD flash completely white! It only seems to happen when I point the camera towards something very bright. Has anyone found an explanation or solution to this?
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yuki