Rear of camera controls
The rear controls are similar to the L10, with a bit of the FZ series thrown in for good measure. Top left is the EVF/LCD button to toggle between framing with the viewfinder and the LCD screen. To the right of the viewfinder we have the AE/AF lock and play mode buttons, and below the thumb grip DISPLAY (for changing the amount and type of information overlaid on the live view and playback displays). Below this is the standard four-way controller. Each of the directional keys has a dedicated function in record mode, giving direct access to ISO speed, focus pattern and white balance, plus a customizable function button (Fn). Bottom right of the back is the depth-of-field preview button (which doubles up as a Delete button in playback mode).
On screen settings adjustment
Buttons such as white balance and ISO display a dedicated mini menu on the LCD monitor/EVF which allow you to see all the options available, use the command dial or arrow keys to change. Of course there are plenty of other ways to change settings using the various display options (see here for more detail).
It's worth noting that we haven't really seen Live view done 'right' before. It's either appeared a little bit bolted-on (in the case of digital SLRs) or the more integrated systems have come at the expense of traditional DSLR capabilities, such as the viewfinder. By contrast, the G1 behaves exactly like a DSLR despite being built around Live view.
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Setting AF mode example | Setting ISO example |
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Quick Menu (Q.Menu)
The G1 offers direct access to most of the most common settings using the Quick Menu (found on most modern Lumix compacts). Pressing the Q.Menu button lets you select a setting from the icons arranged around the live view screen and change it. The exact appearance of the quick menu settings depends on which display mode you are in.
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Changing image size in the three different display modes (the operation is identical in each case; it's just the display that's different). |
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Buttons / controls
Button |
Function |
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EVF/LCD | EVF/LCD toggle button |
AFS AFC MF |
Focus mode dial![]() • Auto Focus Single-shot • Auto Focus Continuous • Manual Focus |
AF/AE LOCK | Auto Focus / Auto Exposure Lock |
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Four-way controller ![]() In shooting mode the four arrow keys each have a dedicated function (listed below). The directional keys are also used to navigate menus and change settings. In playback mode the left and right keys are used to scroll through saved images. |
WB | White Balance (right arrow) ![]() • Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Shade • Halogen • Flash • Custom 1 • Custom 2 • Kelvin temp (2500 - 10000 K, 100K steps) |
ISO | ISO Sensitivity (up arrow) ![]() • Auto (not in M mode) • Intelligent ISO (not in M mode) • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600 |
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Focus Mode ![]() • 1-area (press SET to use cursor keys to set AF point) • 23 area (auto select) • Subject Tracking AF • Face Detect AF |
Fn | Fn (down arrow) |
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Play mode |
DISPLAY | Display mode In play mode cycles through the various information display modes. |
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Erase / Depth of field preview In Play mode displays a 'Yes / No' confirmation dialog to delete the current image, press the Erase button again to switch to All/Multi mode; Multi allowing you to select images on a 6 image thumbnail index, All erasing all images on the storage card (except for Protected images). |
MENU/ |
Menu / Set |
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