HELP NEEDED - a check list of simple steps that verify Lumix GH3 and lenses are worki

[DinoVideoPhoto]

Hi to all people reading this cry for help,
I urgently need a Check-list of SIMPLE STEPS one has to do in 30 minutes or less to verify that GH3 and lenses are working properly.
Recently, I ordered Lumix GH3 with GX Vario 12-35 and 35-100, and Olympus 45/1.8 from US (I am from EUROPE). It is being shipped to a friend of mine who will bring it here. I have a couple of weeks window opened if something should go wrong with equipment to return or exchange it.
I need equipment to be checked, but my friend does not know ANYTHING about cameras. For me it is impossible to compile a comprehensive list of steps he has to perform to check it just based on the manuals I have downloaded.
I desperately need your help!!! Please, can anyone compile list of SIMPLE steps that check if camera + lenses are working properly auto-focus, camera touch screen, EVF, built in flash, card formatting picture, movie mode, stabilization, zoom, etc. It should not take more than 30 minutes for total ignorant to go through. Drawings, (such as ones copy/pasted from manuals are welcomed since we all here know picture - even drawing - is worth million words.) Specialized terminology (F-stop, EFV, etc. should be avoided or stated descriptively). A video would be AMAZING.
I believe such list may be beneficial to others who want to quickly inspect their GH3 on sight.
THANK YOU

 

[brunerww]

Dino - there is a Quick Start Guide that comes with the camera that may be helpful. If not, here is what I would do:

Basic Shutter Check:

1. Charge the battery

2. Insert the battery

3. Attach the lens and remove the lens cap

(Note: don't insert the memory card yet)

4. Switch the camera on, look for green light

5. Turn the drive mode dial on the top left of the camera all the way counterclockwise to "single" (one rectangle)

6. Turn PASM dial on top right of the camera to P, A, S and M respectively and press the shutter button in each mode. You should hear the shutter actuate once

7. Turn the drive mode dial one step clockwise to "burst" (multiple rectangles)

8. Repeat step 6, holding the shutter button down. The shutter should continue firing until release

9. Turn the camera off

Basic still photography, LCD and lens check (for simplicity, a zero skill tester should remain in auto mode - it will not be possible to check manual modes)

1. Insert the memory card

2. Turn the camera back on (always turn the camera off before inserting or removing memory card)

2. Turn PASM dial to "iA"

3. Turn the drive mode dial back to single shot

4. Turn the focus mode lever (on the back of the camera, just below the PASM dial) all the way clockwise to AFS/AFF (autofocus single)

3. Bring the camera up to your eye, choose a subject and push the shutter button. The lens should focus almost instantly and the exposure should be perfect.

4. Press the green playback button above and to the left of the LCD to view the image. Push it again to go back to normal camera operation.

4. Pull the right side of the LCD away from the camera, flip it 180 degrees, and push it back into place. The viewfinder image will appear on the LCD.

5. Hold the camera in front of you, look into the LCD, choose a subject and push the shutter button. The lens should focus almost instantly and the exposure should be perfect.

6. Repeat step 4.

7. Turn the "zoom ring" on the lens. The image on the LCD should get larger or smaller. These are different "focal lengths". Repeat steps 5 and 6 at various focal lengths.

Flash check:

1. Turn the PASM dial to "C1" (this is a factory program setting that allows the use of the flash without the necessity of digging through the menus).
2. Press the manual "flash open button" on the left side of the viewfinder and the flash should pop up.

3. Choose a subject, push the shutter button and the flash should fire, automatically giving the proper illumination.

4. Press the playback button and check the photograph.

Video check:

1. Switch the focus mode lever to "AFC" for continuous autofocus

2. Choose a subject, push the red movie button on the rear of the camera above and to the right of the LCD.

3. A red flashing dot on the screen indicates that the camera is recording. Press the button again to stop recording.

4. Press the playback button to bring the movie up on the screen. Touch the arrow in the middle of the movie freeze frame presented on the touch screen LCD to start the movie.

5. Listen for sound playback and check that the camera is able to maintain an autofocus lock.

All of this should take a new shooter about half an hour. If help is needed in identifying the buttons, try the labeled pictures on pages 11-14 of the manual

You may also be interested in picking up a copy of a $1 Panasonic GH3 Menu System Simplified on Kindle for your friend.

Good luck!

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

 

[DinoVideoPhoto]

Bill,

thank you soooo much. This is exactly what I had in mind. I appreciate your effort immensely, I see that you envisioned every step and every state of the camera. Allow me to make just a few observations:

1. I understand that in iA mode camera hunts for focus extremely fast. Almost instantly! Therefore, in my mind, autofocus is not checked since inexperienced shooter maybe just lucky and have everything in focus (say shooting semi-bright scene of a house from 100 yard distance while there is nothing in between camera and subject) with focal length of 12mm. Maybe I should tell him to put something in between subject and camera, or to shoot through the fence. From what I read in manual, maybe to set PASM dial to P and to tweak few setting in Custom menu. Maybe I am totally wrong on this one?
2. Also, it is not clear to me if camera puts green squares (focus area) around focused subject in every mode?
3. Can I tell him to use LCD touch screen to select subject or that option becomes available only after tweaking CUSTOM menu? Also, I understand that if one looks through EVF, the LCD could still be used for manual selection of the desired focus, but from manual it is not clear how (in what modes, and what would be desired CUSTOM menu except Touch Pad AF)
4. Is the eye sensor on or off by default? I understand there is always Fn5 (default) to switch between EFV and and LCD. Seams that extending LCD, flipping it and pushing it back also deactivates EFV? Could eye sensor confuse the user ... I read it does, even professionals.
5. Is flash going to pop-up by itself should user try still photography in iA mode if being indoors? Just want to give my friend heads up if he gets hit in the nose as I did first time I checked my Canon after taking it home from the store at 10 PM
6. Checking AFC in movie mode ... should I tell him to walk towards and away from subject (we who do this daily forget that new users usually sit tight wandering not to break something) in order to change focal distance. I doubt that he is going to go out and shoot running dogs - better make him run/walk. That should also verify that IS is working properly, should it?
7. Finally, how does one check one check EX ZOOM. These lenses' zooms cannot be controlled by camera, but TeleConversion should work. What is the most simple way_

Again, thank you very much. I know that it requires your time to help others and I appreciate it.

Best regards

Dino

 

[brunerww]

Glad to be helpful. Let's take these one at a time.

I understand that in iA mode camera hunts for focus extremely fast. Almost instantly! Therefore, in my mind, autofocus is not checked since inexperienced shooter maybe just lucky and have everything in focus (say shooting semi-bright scene of a house from 100 yard distance while there is nothing in between camera and subject) with focal length of 12mm. Maybe I should tell him to put something in between subject and camera, or to shoot through the fence. From what I read in manual, maybe to set PASM dial to P and to tweak few setting in Custom menu. Maybe I am totally wrong on this one?

It would be very unlikely to get a perfectly focused photograph by accident. I recommend having your friend take several photos of different subjects. That should be adequate to test the AF without fooling around with the menu or manual settings.

Also, it is not clear to me if camera puts green squares (focus area) around focused subject in every mode?

It does in iA, which is all your friend should try.

Can I tell him to use LCD touch screen to select subject or that option becomes available only after tweaking CUSTOM menu? Also, I understand that if one looks through EVF, the LCD could still be used for manual selection of the desired focus, but from manual it is not clear how (in what modes, and what would be desired CUSTOM menu except Touch Pad AF)

Touch screen will be on by default. I have it tested in a very simple way by having your friend use it to play a video. Anything else (changing focus area, actuating the shutter) may be asking for trouble.

Is the eye sensor on or off by default? I understand there is always Fn5 (default) to switch between EFV and and LCD. Seams that extending LCD, flipping it and pushing it back also deactivates EFV? Could eye sensor confuse the user ... I read it does, even professionals.

Eye sensor is on by default. In this test, the LCD is closed when your friend is using the EVF, and is open when he is using the LCD. He shouldn't run into any trouble if he sticks to the steps in the checklist.

Is flash going to pop-up by itself should user try still photography in iA mode if being indoors? Just want to give my friend heads up if he gets hit in the nose as I did first time I checked my Canon after taking it home from the store at 10 PM

Panasonic flashes have to be raised manually, even in IA mode.

Checking AFC in movie mode ... should I tell him to walk towards and away from subject (we who do this daily forget that new users usually sit tight wandering not to break something) in order to change focal distance. I doubt that he is going to go out and shoot running dogs - better make him run/walk. That should also verify that IS is working properly, should it?

Either method, moving camera or moving subject should work.

Finally, how does one check one check EX ZOOM. These lenses' zooms cannot be controlled by camera, but TeleConversion should work. What is the most simple way?

This will require a dive into the menu. He will also have to make sure the picture size is on "M" not "L", or ETC will not work. Sadly, this is too complicated for a zero skill shooter, in my view, unless he is willing to spend some time with the manual.

Cheers and again, good luck!

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

 

[DinoVideoPhoto]

Thank you Bill, thank you!!!

Some people on other forums where I posted same questions spent enormous number of words (less than you did) to express their scepticism on should the one who cannot come with this list just from reading the manual even be buying this camera. Some doubted my intentions calling me "troll", some said I am an idiot for spending this amount on something that I do not know how to check, basically scrutinizing and examining every single word from what I wrote.

I do not understand why people do that? If someone asks for help, one either helps or walks away. I live in the country (Bosnia and Herzegovina) where unfortunately we do not have stores to walk in and see product before buying it. CANON EOS 1100D is the only camera that one can buy in store here - for $750 with KIT lens without IS. I travel to European Union countries often, but they impose tax on everything not originating from EU. I made research for cameras sold in EU ... there is a "green tax" - namely "reflections of Japanese lenses are destroying ozone layer above EU, and Japanese batteries are being disposed of in EU, not Japan" ... so immediately there is 10% tax on Japanse price. On top of that, EU has VAT (Value Added Tax, which is 20-25% depending on country). When one who is not from EU travels there and pays cash (no online transactions), government of that country will return some of VAT through service called Global Blue. But, they will never return whole VAT, usually 15% if one spends more than cca. $4000. Then, this GlobalBlue takes their charges, conversion of currency, so you are left with maybe 12%.

My country's VAT is 17%, plus I would have to pay 10% import tax, so final price is not affordable at all (about 50% higher than in US, provided there is product available to buy). No one except Toshiba and LG has warranty in this country, so in any case (even if paid crazy amounts) one cannot fix broken item in here. Sending it back to EU or to US is even more expensive, because one would need to pay the customs again, not to mention ridiculous FedEx ($240 to US) . My friend is an American citizen, so when coming here, he declares camera as his (no one asks really), I have invoice on my name, so when he leaves I have camera. It is not very honest to my country's tax system, but my country hasn't been honest to me for 21 years now (this is not political forum, but I had to mention this).

The reason I wrote all of this instead simply saying "thank you" is to try to explain how important this is to me. Had I bought this camera in EU I would have to pay minimum 20% more than I did, plus I would have PAL 50fps (I need 60fps for video). That difference in price is another camera or good lens. I will not be able to use warranty in any way. Also, reason for writing this is to tell you how excellent you are for helping. I downloaded manual from Amazon as you suggested, and I think it is very helpful.

Thank you again Bill, a I sincerely wish you the best in life

Dino

 

[brunerww]

You are very welcome. I have lived in the EU and understand the challenge. Your question was a reasonable one and I am sincerely glad to have been able to help.

My one request - when someone else needs help, please pass it on

Best of luck with your new camera,

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

 

[DinoVideoPhoto]

Bill,

thank you again. Finally today, my friend had some time off. We connected over Skype - in 15 minutes everything was checked as he went through your SUPER list. Camera works as it should, even better He was so surprised by the quality of "final product" and ease of use that he is going to take it for a day picnic with his friends. He had his dog for focus test and I was surprised how effectively camera followed white Labrador through the room with white walls and furniture - almost no contrast. So cool ... and, when I was reviewing short film he did walking behind the dog with camera in one hand, i noticed how footage is not as stable as I expected, but stable enough (my friend is surgeon, I guess he has IS assembled in his hand. Only then, I noticed that you did not (we were blindly following your manual) point that IS should be on (on the lens). Also, since in the FLESH CHECK camera was left on C1, we changed it back to iA. Now, footage was perfect.

Maybe we just made another victim of digital photography. It is very interesting phenomenon how people got overwhelmed with technology today - this friend of mine (I know him for 31 years - since we were 10) was best painter both in elementary and high school. His mother is locally acclaimed painter, obviously there is artistic talent in family and one would expect that he would enjoy photography. But, he told me that he is just overwhelmed with "manuals". Too bad ... maybe my old CANON will travel back to USA with him if he falls in love with this one ...

Thank you again ... extremely useful short manual ... with your permission I plan to make 5 minutes how to video on youtube, should someone need it.

Best regards