The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

by Brian Matsumoto Ph. D, Carol F. Roullard
Released January 2012
Publisher(s): Rocky Nook
ISBN: 9781457117817

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2: The Unofficial Quintessential Guide provides a wealth of information and professional insights for owners of this powerful HD camera.

With its electronic viewfinder and interchangeable lenses, the GH2 is capable of not only recording professional-quality still images, but has the added ability to record HD video as well. The mirrorless design enhances the camera's versatility beyond that of most digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras. With the appropriate adapters, it can use virtually any manufacturer's manual focus, legacy lens. It is smaller than a typical DSLR in both size and weight, and retains automatic focusing while recording videos capability that is missing in many DSLR cameras.

With the GH2, Panasonic has significantly expanded the video capabilities beyond those of previous models. Among the improvements is the ability to adjust the frame rate and shutter speed when filming video, giving users greater control over the movie-making process.

In this guide, authors Brian Matsumoto and Carol F. Roullard explore and explain the features and capabilities of the GH2 camera in detail, as they cover everything from the basic features of the camera to numerous advanced photographic applications. The informative text is illustrated with example images throughout.

Readers will learn how to:

  • Control the most basic camera functions-focus and exposure
  • Navigate the camera's menu system
  • Achieve a range of artistic effects using various camera settings
  • Use the camera's automated controls, and override those controls to obtain better exposure
  • Use the GH2 in its video mode to obtain HD videos
  • Post-process images and videos on a computer
  • Expand the camera's use by mounting it on a telescope or microscope
  • And much more!

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication Page
  5. Table of Contents
  6. 1. Getting Started
    1. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2: New Features
    2. Using This Book
    3. Setting Up Your New Panasonic GH2 Camera
    4. Battery
    5. Memory Card
    6. Protecting the Lens
    7. Viewing Menu Commands
      1. Menu Commands
      2. Menu Navigation
      3. Using the Directional Arrows
      4. Using the Rear Dial
      5. Recommendation for Menu Navigation
    8. Touch Screen
      1. Other Touch Screen Operations
    9. Information and Error Messages
    10. Important RESET Command
    11. Cleaning the Sensor
    12. Setting the Clock Date and Time
    13. The Dual Viewing System of the Panasonic
      1. Diopter Adjustment Dial
    14. Recommendations
  7. 2. Basic Photographic Ideas and External Buttons
    1. Introduction
    2. File Formats
    3. Shutter-Release Button
    4. Focusing
      1. Focus Mode: Identifying the Region to Focus On
      2. 1-Area-Focusing
      3. 23-Area-Focusing
      4. AF Tracking
      5. Face Detection
      6. Recommendations for Choosing an Auto Focus Mode
      7. Focus Mode Lever: Locking or Releasing Focus
    5. Exposure (Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO)
    6. White Balance and the Appearance of Color
    7. Drive Mode Lever
      1. Single Mode
      2. Burst Mode
      3. Self-Timer Mode
      4. Auto Bracket Mode
    8. Videos
      1. How to Take Videos
      2. Transferring Videos to Your Computer
    9. Recommendations
  8. 3. Exploring the Power of Two Electronic Displays
    1. Introduction
    2. The LCD Screen
    3. The Viewfinder
    4. Framing Pictures
      1. Data Display Formats
      2. Display Style Commands
      3. Image Data Display Screen Formats
      4. Compositional Controls
      5. Determine Image Exposure
      6. Histograms
      7. Camera Exposure Control
      8. Exposure Compensation
      9. Exposure Meter
      10. Depth of Field Preview
      11. Exposure Summary
    5. Reviewing Pictures, Burst Groups, and Videos
      1. Reviewing Pictures Immediately
      2. Reviewing (Playback) Pictures, Burst Groups, and Videos Later
      3. How to Tell the Difference Between Pictures, Burst Groups, and Videos
    6. Altering the Playback Display
      1. Evaluating Playback Data Display Screen Formats Using Playback
      2. Evaluating Exposure
      3. Playing Back Videos
      4. Playing Back Burst Groups
    7. Deleting Saved Pictures, Burst Groups, and Videos
    8. Recommendations
  9. 4. Automatic Settings
    1. Introduction
    2. Face Recognition
      1. Activating Face Recognition
      2. Registering Faces
      3. Registering Faces Prior to Taking Pictures
      4. Registering Faces as You Take Pictures
      5. Keeping Face Recognition Up to Date
      6. Change Sample Images
      7. Enhancing Face Recognition Capability
    3. Mode Dial
    4. Intelligent Auto Mode
      1. Intelligent Auto Scene Detection
      2. Intelligent Auto Categories
      3. i-Portrait and i-Nighttime Portrait (Daytime and Nighttime)
      4. i-Scenery and i-Nighttime Scenery (Daytime and Nighttime)
      5. i-Macro
      6. i-Sunset
      7. i-Baby
      8. i-Low Light
      9. General (Default)
      10. Changing Intelligent Auto Settings
    5. Predefined Scene Modes
      1. Scene Mode
      2. Advanced Scene Modes
      3. Close-Up Mode
      4. Scenery Mode
      5. Portrait Mode
    6. Recommendations
  10. 5. Setting the Camera Using Shortcuts
    1. Introduction
    2. Quick Menu
      1. Quick Menu Recommendation
    3. My Menu
      1. My Menu Recommendation
    4. Setting the Function Buttons
      1. Function Button Recommendation
    5. Custom Modes
      1. Setting a Custom Mode
      2. View Saved Custom Settings
      3. Utilize Saved Custom Settings
      4. Custom Mode Recommendation
    6. Setting Color Schemes
      1. My Color Mode
      2. Film Mode
      3. My Color Mode and Film Mode Recommendation
    7. Recommendations
  11. 6. Taking Control of the Camera
    1. Introduction
    2. Three Semiautomatic Modes: Shutter-Priority AE (S), Aperture-Priority AE (A), and Program AE (P)
      1. Shutter-Priority AE (S) Mode
      2. Aperture-Priority AE (A) Mode
      3. Program AE (P) Mode
    3. ISO
      1. Letting the Camera Set the ISO
      2. Auto ISO
      3. iISO
      4. Intelligent Dynamic Range Control: Taming Extremes in Brightness
      5. Recommendations for using S, A, and P Modes and ISO
    4. White Balance
      1. Fine-Tuning WB
      2. Recommendations for WB
    5. Revisiting Aspect Ratio and Pixels
      1. Advantages of saving in JPEG
      2. Recommendations
    6. Customizing Automatic Focusing
      1. 1-Area-Focusing
      2. 23-Area-Focusing
      3. Recommendations
    7. Automatic Focusing: Speeding Up Focusing at the Expense of Battery Power
      1. Recommendations
    8. Automatic Focus in Dim Light
    9. Locking Focus with AF/AE
      1. Recommendations
    10. Manual Focus: Overriding Automatic Focusing
      1. Turning Off Automatic Focus
      2. Recommendations for Manual Focus
  12. 7. Manual Operation of the Camera
    1. Introduction
    2. Manual Exposure Mode Controls
      1. Extremely Long Exposure: B Shutter Speed
      2. Noise Reduction with Long Exposure
      3. Metering Modes
      4. Recommendations for Metering
      5. Recommendations for M Mode
    3. Manual Focusing Overriding Automatic Focusing
    4. Manual Focusing of Four Thirds Lenses
    5. Manual Focusing Any Lens
    6. Focusing Using the Touch Screen
      1. Focusing
      2. Activate Shutter
      3. Image Magnification
      4. Other Touch Screen Operations
      5. Recommendations for Focusing
    7. Fine-Tuning White Balance
    8. Intelligent Resolution
      1. Recommendations for Using Focusing, Fine Tuning White Balance, and Intelligent Resolution
    9. Getting More Magnification from the Lens
      1. Extra Tele Conversion
      2. Digital Zoom
      3. Recommendations for Increased Magnification
    10. Choosing File Formats: JPEG
    11. Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.)
    12. Auto Bracketing
      1. Executing Auto Bracketing
      2. Recommendations for Auto Bracketing
  13. 8. The System Approach to Expanding the Camera’s Utility
    1. Introduction
    2. Optical Accessories: The Micro Four Thirds Lens
    3. The Four Thirds System
      1. Focusing a Four Thirds Lens
    4. Legacy Lenses, Discontinued Lenses
      1. Adapters for the Panasonic GH2 Camera Body and Legacy Lenses
      2. Exposure with Legacy Lenses
      3. Focusing Legacy Lenses
    5. Research Microscopes
    6. Laboratory, Teaching, and Home Microscopes
    7. Cable Release
    8. Tripods
    9. Telescopes
    10. Recommendations
  14. 9. Flash Photography
    1. Introduction
    2. The Built-In Flash
      1. Forced Flash OFF
      2. Auto
      3. Forced Flash ON
    3. The Flash Icons on the Display Screen
    4. Additional Controls for Preflash and Internal Shutter
      1. Red-Eye Reduction
      2. Slow Sync.
      3. Recommendation
      4. Altering Exposure
      5. Flash and the Internal Shutter
      6. 1ST Option
      7. 2ND Option
    5. External Flash
    6. Recommendations
  15. 10. Videos
    1. Two Roads to Video
    2. Part 1: General Video Setup
      1. Starting and Stopping a Video
      2. Video File Formats
      3. Recommendation for Using Video Formats
      4. Focusing Videos
      5. Audio Setup
      6. Taking Still Pictures While Recording Video
      7. Recommendation
      8. LCD Screen versus Viewfinder
      9. Assigning Categories
      10. Exposure Compensation
      11. Remaining Recording Time
    3. Part 2: Advanced Settings: Creative Motion Picture Mode
      1. Using the GH2 as a Video-Only Camera
      2. Controlling Aperture and Shutter Speed
      3. 24P Cinema and Variable Movie Mode
      4. Playing with Time
    4. Recommendations
  16. 11. Playing Back Your Pictures and Videos
    1. Introduction
    2. Playback Terminology
    3. PLAYBACK Menu
      1. Overview
      2. SLIDE SHOW Command
      3. Determine Presentation Content
      4. CATEGORY SELECTION: Categories
      5. Presentation Style Commands
      6. EFFECT Command
      7. SETUP Command
      8. START Command
      9. SLIDE SHOW Operational Controls
      10. Recommendations
      11. PLAYBACK MODE Command
      12. Overview
      13. PLAYBACK MODE Operational Controls
      14. Recommendations
      15. Image-Processing Commands
      16. Overview
      17. Common PLAYBACK Menu Command Steps
      18. TITLE EDIT
      19. TEXT STAMP
      20. VIDEO DIVIDE
      21. RESIZE
      22. CROPPING
      23. ASPECT CONV.
      24. ROTATE
      25. ROTATE DISP.
      26. FAVORITE
      27. PRINT SET
      28. PROTECT
      29. FACE REC EDIT
    4. Working outside of the Camera
      1. Overview
      2. Downloading and Playing Pictures and Videos on Your Computer
      3. Playing Pictures and Videos on Your TV Screen
      4. Printing Your Pictures
    5. Recommendations
  17. Appendix A—Common Error Messages and Resolutions
  18. Appendix B—Intelligent Auto Mode Menu Options
  19. Acknowledgments
  20. Index
  21. Footnotes
    1. Chapter 3
    2. Chapter 8

Product information

  • Title: The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
  • Author(s): Brian Matsumoto Ph. D, Carol F. Roullard
  • Release date: January 2012
  • Publisher(s): Rocky Nook
  • ISBN: 9781457117817