DMC-GH1 | PRODUCTS | LUMIX | Digital Camera

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LUMIX Global TOP > SYSTEM CAMERAS > GH1 > Full-Time Live View / Contrast AF System

Check the Finished Image Even Before You Shoot It

Confirm the depth of field and shutter speed effects by pressing the Preview button and Display button.

Full-time Live View lets you check your image even before you shoot it. And the DMC-GH1's mirror-less construction has made it possible to add a 1,440,000-dot equivalent LVF(Live View Finder). Both the LVF and the LCD give you a live view of what you're shooting, with a 100% field of view. Plus, a wide range of settings - like Movable Guidelines, a Real-Time Histogram, and enhanced auto and manual focus (AF/MF) functions - help you to frame your shots exactly as you want them. Correction functions, including exposure compensation, white balance adjustment, and color effects like My Color Mode and Film Mode, let you adjust the image right on the LVF or LCD before you shoot. Of course, you can check the effects of the depth of field and even the shutter speed beforehand too. With its dual-display Full-time Live View function, the DMC-GH1 gives you the kind of highly accurate images you need to match your style of shooting.

The LVF has a breathtaking 1,440,000-dot equivalent resolution and 1.4x / 0.7x magnification (35mm film camera equivalent). Based on a field sequential system that uses independent RGB 3 pure color illumination to produce 180 frames per second for each of the 3 colors, the DMC-GH1's LVF gives the user a clear, natural and comfortable view when framing shots. It has the same approx. 100% field of view as the LCD for superbly accurate framing.

A built-in eye sensor automatically switches on the LVF when you look into it, then switches it off and turns on the LCD monitor when user looks away from the LVF. Since the same display style that was set for the LCD also appears on the LVF, you get a seamless live view at all times.

The DMC-GH1 has a 3.0-inch 3:2 460,000-dot Free-angle LCD that rotates 180° to the side and tilts 270° up and down, and gives you a 100% field of view. This is a highly practical feature for high-angle shots, like when you need to shoot over the heads of people at a parade, and enables accurate, dynamic framing for artistic low-angle shots, like when shooting at nearly ground level. It's extremely convenient when shooting with a tripod too.

In addition, the wide-viewing angle of the LCD on the DMC-GH1 is handy both for shooting and for viewing the results together with family and friends. Also, LUMIX's acclaimed Intelligent LCD function automatically adjusts the brightness in 11 steps according to the shooting conditions. At the highest of these 11 steps, the LCD backlight becomes approximately 1.4 times brighter than normal. This LCD provides sharp, clear images in virtually all shooting situations, ranging from nighttime to bright daylight scenes.

To gain full advantage of the Full-time Live View, the DMC-GH1 is designed both the body and GUI for easy operation. You can switch the display configuration depending on your shooting style and personal preference. It also has a Quick Menu just like the ones on LUMIX digital compact cameras. Simply click the Q.MENU button and use the front dial or the cursor to smoothly switch settings for each shot, without having to take your eyes off of your subject when using either the LCD or the LVF. This gives you easy, intuitive operation.

Quick Menu

The display style can be selected from the custom menu to match your shooting style. Then, white balance, exposure, and other frequently used functions can easily be retrieved with the Quick Menu.

LCD: Display style

LVF: Display style

Enjoy intuitive, single-handed operation. 1 Press the Quick Menu button. 2 Select the settings function with the front dial.

A carefully designed GUI ·The Quick Menu is easy to see at a glance, without covering up the image. ·The real-time histogram can be moved as desired.

GUI with Selectable Colors

The stylish GUI design of the DMC-GH1 allows you to choose a gold, pink or black settings screen.

* Only for the LCD.

Functions That Can Be
Assigned to Function Buttons

● Aspect ratio
● Quality
● Metering mode
● Intelligent Exposure
● Guide line
● Recording area
● Remaining display

You can allocate frequently used functions to the Function button. Functions that normally have to be selected from a menu or switched can be assigned to this button for faster, easier operation.

Custom mode stores up to three sets of frequently used settings in memory, for instant recall with the Mode dial.

It memorizes up to five recently used items on the menu, so you can easily retrieve items that you frequently use.

This setting lets you display the local time of your destination when traveling abroad. You simply select your travel destination, and the camera calculates the time difference from the time in the clock setting and displays the local time. You can set the time and date for 74 locations across the world.

By setting the departure day, return day and the trip's destination when setting out on a trip with your LUMIX, you can display which day of the trip each photo was taken on while viewing

The DMC-GH1 lets you confirm the depth of field and even the shutter speed effect before you shoot by pressing the Preview button and Display button.

Press and turn the front dial

You can retrieve the exposure compensation value and manually adjust it directly with the front dial. Full-time Live View shows you the brightness as you shoot.

The DMC-GH1's 2-axis adjustment feature gives you a finer white balance adjustment for Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Flash, or Halogen conditions. It can also be used when adjusting the Color Temperature Setting or White Set function.
You can adjust with a reference to the horizontal axis for amber to blue and the vertical axis for green to magenta.* You can recall the adjustment conditions quickly by pressing the WB button, so you can examine it on the high-resolution LVF or LCD using the Full-time Live View function. You can also use the white balance bracket setting, which automatically shoots 3 consecutive photos with slight changes to the white balance setting of each photo in both the vertical and horizontal axes, by simply pressing the shutter button once.

* White balance adjustment is not possible in some modes.

With the DMC-GH1, you can move the guidelines according to the subject's position. This is handy when you want to take extra care in framing, especially when using a tripod.

The histogram display makes it possible to check exposure and contrast in real-time. And Full-time Live View lets you check the setting details before you shoot, for a perfect shot every time. With the DMC-GH1, you can freely move the histogram to a position where it will not block the subject on the screen.

Select either ISO 200, 400, 800 or 1600 as the maximum ISO sensitivity. The maximum sensitivity setting is applied to the Intelligent ISO Control and ISO AUTO functions. This ensures that you'll get the level of image quality you want by letting you set your own limit for ISO sensitivity.

You can set the ISO sensitivity to Auto, Intelligent ISO, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 or 3200. When the ISO sensitivity step is set to 1/3 EV, the number of ISO sensitivity setting options increases, allowing you to make fine adjustments and achieve the level of image quality you want.

The camera automatically removes noise generated when taking photos at slow shutter speeds, such as nighttime shooting, giving you beautiful images always.

The DMC-GH1 lets you shoot in multi-aspect ratios of 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9, as well as a new 1:1 mode. The new mode gives you unique, square-shaped photos. Framing accuracy is ensured because the selected aspect ratio is reflected in both the LVF and the LCD. Being able to match the aspect ratio to your subject and shooting intent gives you even greater expression.

Muiti aspect

The DMC-GH1 provides Extra Optical zooming, which increases the optical zoom power (recording at a resolution that is less than the maximum.). For example, when shooting in S-size (3-megapixel) with a 4:3 aspect ratio, the Extra Optical Zoom function can "cut out" an image area at the Live MOS sensor's center equivalent to 3-megapixel (of the total 12.1 mega effective pixels). This increases the zoom power with minimal deterioration. The DMC-GH1 also offers 2x and 4x digital zooming.

*1 In the U.S.A. market, the Extra Optical Zoom is called the Extended Optical Zoom.
*2 As digital magnification increases, resolution significantly decreases.

The DMC-GH1 introduces a Contrast AF function that is not only accurate and easy to use, but also very fast. Users can choose from a wide range of AF modes, including multipoint AF with up to 23 focus points, 1-area AF with a selectable focus point, Face Detection, and Tracking AF. When 1-area AF is selected, the AF frame size can be changed from Spot to Extra Large in 4 steps by simply turning a dial. When the Direct 1-area AF Shift function is turned on, the Up, Down, Right and Left buttons are active, providing easy, intuitive operation.

* Lenses other than LUMIX G lenses cannot use the Tracking AF, AFc (Auto Focus Continuous) or Continuous AF functions. Also, when a lens that does not support the Contrast AF function is mounted, operation will automatically switch to manual focus.

AF Tracking* Once you focus on your subject, AF Tracking automatically tracks it until you press the shutter. When you're taking pictures of an active subject, like children or pets, this function eliminates the need to press the shutter button halfway down repeatedly to readjust the focus. AF Tracking makes sure you don't miss those once-in-a-lifetime shooting opportunities. * For photo recording only

23-area AF This mode automatically focuses on one of up to 23 focus points. It also prevents the system from making mistakes, such as focusing on the area between two subjects in a vertical composition. * The screen view is a simulated image. In the real screen, the AF frame is only displayed at the focused area.

Face Detection The Face Detection function detects faces anywhere in the frame and automatically chooses the optimal focus and exposure. You can take clear, beautiful portrait shots easily. It detects up to 15 faces in a photo, and automatically readjusts the settings if their positions change.

The DMC-GH1 can be preset to either Quick AF or Continuous AF. Quick AF starts operating as soon as the camera is pointed toward a subject, unlike the ordinary AF function, which is activated when the shutter button is pressed half-way. Continuous AF automatically and continuously focuses on your subject, providing a clear, sharp focus even for moving subjects. With the DMC-GH1, it works even when recording movies. Both AF systems make sure that spur-of-the-moment shots aren't out of focus or blurry, and minimize the time lag for shooting.

The AF/AE lock button lets you frame your shot freely while keeping the focus locked, or maintains the same exposure setting regardless of the subject color when taking multiple shots.

The Focus Mode dial lets you select either ordinary AFs, AFc to maintain a sharp focus on a moving subject, or manual focus.

The MF Assist function enlarges the image for easier manual focusing. The focusing area can be enlarged by 5x or 10x and is movable, which contributes to easy, comfortable manual focusing with the LVF or LCD. The AF+MF function lets you use the MF Assist function for manual focusing even in auto focus mode.

* Availability of models and colors may differ depending on the country.
* Check the website of the Panasonic sales company in your country or region for details on the LUMIX models, colors, and optional accessories that are available in your market.

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