Gh4 Help Please (1 Viewer)

[Baron Birder]

I have had my GH4 AND Panasonic 100-300 for some months now and sometimes it delights me with the results and sometimes it disappoints.

I have taken on board keeping the aperture at f7.1 or higher number, used the zoom not a full restricting it to say 275mm and ensuring the shutter speed at least matches the focal length.

However when you look at these images they look very soft particularly the target i.e. the deer and the whitethroat. They are straight from the camera.

I would much appreciate comments as to whether you agree they are soft and if so why? . I am wondering whether its me or the lens?

Comments and suggestions?
Thanks
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[njlarsen]

I have the same lens that I use with a GH2. The second image of a white-throat that you uploaded seems focused behind the bird. That can happen sometimes when the surroundings of the bird are as busy as here.

My fix of this has been two-fold: 1) Always shoot in series of 2-3 images, and if the bird stays, shoot several series. 2) I have the camera set for AF+MF, so with half-press of the shutter I can just turn the focusing ring to do manual focus. If there is time, after about 3 series, I start adding that extra step. With the central area enlarged as it will be when the manual focus ring has been turned, I can do a pretty good MF. Additionally, after a MF, the AF sometimes works better, so going back and forth between the two is part of my routine.

Regarding the deer, long distance shooting involves a lot of moving air, so not as good as closer objects. Maybe the lens is not quite as good at those distances either. MF override might be worth trying also under those conditions.

Niels
(and I do see a 100-400 in my future, just a question which camera body it will be matched up to).

 

[Baron Birder]

I have the same lens that I use with a GH2. The second image of a white-throat that you uploaded seems focused behind the bird. That can happen sometimes when the surroundings of the bird are as busy as here.

My fix of this has been two-fold: 1) Always shoot in series of 2-3 images, and if the bird stays, shoot several series. 2) I have the camera set for AF+MF, so with half-press of the shutter I can just turn the focusing ring to do manual focus. If there is time, after about 3 series, I start adding that extra step. With the central area enlarged as it will be when the manual focus ring has been turned, I can do a pretty good MF. Additionally, after a MF, the AF sometimes works better, so going back and forth between the two is part of my routine.

Regarding the deer, long distance shooting involves a lot of moving air, so not as good as closer objects. Maybe the lens is not quite as good at those distances either. MF override might be worth trying also under those conditions.

Niels
(and I do see a 100-400 in my future, just a question which camera body it will be matched up to).

I hadn't heard of AF+MF until now. I have found it under custom settings and set it on. I have the camera on AFS/AFF and half depressed the shutter; the auto focus locked on I then tried moving the manual focus ring but nothing happened. I must have missed something so could you expand on that for me?
Thanks
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[njlarsen]

I had to look up what AFF is because it seems to have been added since my model. I would suspect that AFF+MF might not work while AFS+MF should.

Another thing that I do not know if it makes a difference: I usually have the camera set for single AF point and set at the smallest size available. I do not know if differences in setting here could make a difference.

Niels

 

[Baron Birder]

Tried AFS still no joy

 

[nikonmike]

Not had any experience with m4/3 still in the DSLR camp but changing soon,every thing Niels said is good advice,i dont see a lot wrong with your gear or technique,your subjects are small in the frame so problems will show themselves that wouldn't on closer shots,would have loved to have a full file of the dear to play with as from what you posted it looks very close to right.
How are your results with closer subjects.

 

[Baron Birder]

Niels - Tried again this morning and have got the AF+M working now thanks. Will experiment with that.

I too usually shoot in series and often also use the auto bracketing as well but that didn't seem to help this time.

Here is a close shot taken this morning as requested

Anyone else think the images are soft or not? Or perhaps my expectations, partly based on what I used to get with my FZ200, are too high?

Cheers
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[njlarsen]

Do you use out of camera jpgs or raw images? your FZ200 might have been set to a higher sharpening value as default. In post processing you could possibly need to add a little more.

On the other hand, with the caveat that we are looking at a reduced size image, the cutoffs at the top of the calendar looks sharp to me.

Niels

 

[njlarsen]

My photos are here: http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/7427

the last many pages with the GH2 and 100-300. I think you will see that further objects are less good than close ones. Some of these images is the best frame of many shots. I shoot raw and post process using ACDSee pro (or recently, ACDSee ultimate).

you should be able to get equally good results.

One question: you mentioned the "shutter at least 1/focal length". You really do not want to be below 1/250 with your camera, because there is a problem with shutter shock around 1/80 - 1/200. I routinely use 1/400. I am less worried with high iso, I feel I can control that at post processing.

Niels

 

[Baron Birder]

My photos are here: http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/7427

the last many pages with the GH2 and 100-300. I think you will see that further objects are less good than close ones. Some of these images is the best frame of many shots. I shoot raw and post process using ACDSee pro (or recently, ACDSee ultimate).

you should be able to get equally good results.

One question: you mentioned the "shutter at least 1/focal length". You really do not want to be below 1/250 with your camera, because there is a problem with shutter shock around 1/80 - 1/200. I routinely use 1/400. I am less worried with high iso, I feel I can control that at post processing.

Niels

I shoot raw plus jpeg and use Photoshop Elements 14 to process them. I tend to use the Electric shutter to avoid the shutter shock. In terms of noise reduction with high iso I use Topaz.
I was happy with the Calendar shot as it looks in focus to me.
I am going to try out taking some shots with the auto focus and then the manual with peaking to see how they compare. I wear varifocal glasses so that might prove a challenge.
BB
BB

 

[njlarsen]

I wear varifocal glasses so that might prove a challenge.

I do too. I think generally, it took me a while to get comfortable with the switch over to MF (I do not have peaking on the GH2). The problem was always keeping the bird in the view when the automatic enlargement kicked in. Trying on a flower at 5-10 meters distance might be a good exercise.

Niels

 

[Baron Birder]

I do too. I think generally, it took me a while to get comfortable with the switch over to MF (I do not have peaking on the GH2). The problem was always keeping the bird in the view when the automatic enlargement kicked in. Trying on a flower at 5-10 meters distance might be a good exercise.

Niels

Thanks Will do :t:
BB