Tip: AF in manual focus mode - Panasonic video

Vesku wrote:

RickPick wrote:

I have been shooting Panasonic M43 cameras for several years but have only just noticed something about the AF icon that appears when in MF focus mode on the current cameras (I verified this on the GH4 and GX80).

To use "AF in MF", first set the camera in MF focus mode then, if necessary, press the Display button until you see the AF symbol near the bottom right-hand corner of the LED display. If you are hand holding the camera, you can use your right thumb to touch it.

You can also use back button focusing (AF-ON in menu) with manual focus. It is easier, just press AE-lock button.

Another tip: from the GX80 on you can enable auto-ISO in video mode. If you want, you can use shutter priority and let the camera adjust the aperture and ISO settings. Transitions, e.g. light to dark, seem quite smooth.

Auto iso exposure change is smooth but when the camera adjusts aperture the exposure changes in visible steps. Auto iso and S is handy indoors where the aperture stays fully open anyway.

That is what I do, I have mostly use manual focus on my GH4 and GH5 and just use the AE lock button to get focus quickly. I found use the AE button doesn't work well when moving from focusing on something in the background the foreground and trying to focus on the object in the foreground, especially with a busy background.

There are times when I have tried to go from focusing on a wider shot to a plant in the foreground and more often than not, it won't lock focus using the AE button with AF-ON when the wide shot was busy and the lens kept focusing on the background.

eivissa1 wrote:

I don't get your story.

If I switch to manual mode I cannot mak a video. Cause I am in photo mode.

Maybe you can explain a little bit more.

I think he means setting the focus to manual focus with a switch on the back of the camera, not changing the mode on the mode dial.