I watch your videos & have my G9 close at hand so that I can hit pause and try what I'm seeing / hearing. I've changed my ' play back ' to the fn1 button so that I can quickly use my right thumb to bring up my just taken shot. I've set the left side of the back wheel to access my focus modes. We have the same front button placement for the near & far bias. Putting the human / animal / bird focus features within the ' 1 - area ' mode - my most often used focus selection - was a smart addition by Panasonic. I use ' pinpoint ' focus at the zoo to help get past / beyond the animal enclosure cage wire. I've added a stick on bit of felt where my thumb rests to add comfort as well as a padded islet to the top right metal ring that my 2nd finger goes through which ads bit more support. Look forward to your next vid.
I'm retired now after having run a motorcycle repair shop, so I've approached the camera from a mechanical bias. I've had other camera brands but have found the Panasonic's to be the best sys. to work with. I'll try the ' far bias ' per your suggestion to get past foreground clutter. If it's possible I'd like to send you some images of my G9 with my different attachments. My left hand was injured at birth so I've done things to make my G9 & lens a a one handed controlled sys. - even the zoom is done right handed. Let me know. Ray
@@ImageMaven I agree, super-tele ranges can produce great soft backgrouns. But it's more your techniques/skills in coposition and knowing how to use light and distance. Also, your birding video work is amazing. Keep up the great work.
Hi Rick, Welcome to this awesome community. I get back as much info as I give, so make sure you browse the comments of the videos for more tips and info about the G9 from all the super-users who hang out here. Are you new to Lumix? What lenses did you get with it? Enjoy your camera!
@@ImageMaven I'm new to Lumix. So far I have the P/L 12-60mm, Sigma 30mm and the Sigma 56mm. Originally had a Canon 6D MkII with various "L" series lenses. Got tired of the weight! Going to be retiring in a handful of years and wanted something lightweight to carry on my adventures. Now I just need to find a backpack for my equipment, everything is geared toward DSLR's.
@@Stealthman42 Nice set of glass! I made the switch from Canon 5D Mkii FF about 8 years ago for the same reasons: size and weight (and price). Plus the video features of Lumix, at the time, as I was seriously getting into RUclips. I took my Lumix GH3 with 12-35mm on a cycling trip in France soon after my switch and everything fit nicely into my handlebar bag with room for snacks. No regrets. Hopefully you find the perfect backpack for your gear. There are so many choices. I must have 6 extra camera bags sitting around here. They are a bit like shoes. Different pair for every occasion. Enjoy your adventures!
Wow Marlene, another informative entertaining video, thanks for the firmware update info I learned and loved it. Stay well, and i look forward to seeing more videos, yea!
I’ve shot a lot of corporate and social video with the GH5 but when it came time to pick up a MFT body for personal use, I had to go with the G9. I’ve only had since December but I already love the feel in hand, the ton of customizable buttons and the mix of photo and video functionality. These recent updates continue to update the stoke! Thank for sharing the caveats about finding this new focus tool-gonna update my firmware this weekend and put it use.
Hello Eli, Yes, I'm just loving the updates. This camera keeps getting better and better. Plus I've been testing and practicing a lot the past week and I've learned better techniques as well. Nothing beats testing! Have fun.
Glad you like them! Yes, Lumix cameras have a lot of similar features so I'm glad you are getting the benefit of my tutorials too. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the tips....!!! I mainly use My G9 for kids photos and still didn't manage to costantly ( At least above 80%) shoot in focus. You described all the issues i am encoutering every time i use my Camera. I honestly could not imagine a camera system could struggle so much to acquire focus. I heard Sony instead is just a focus dream and that is why probably everyone is using it.
I've never had huge issues with my Lumix cameras focus, but you definitely need to learn it. So not quite everyone is using Sony. ;) If I get the opportunity, I'd definitely like to test one out for comparison. I just can't afford to buy a Sony system. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you can get into the focus groove with your Lumix G9.
@@ImageMaven Well let’s say like this… in a world of “ click and take gorgeous photos “ our system is not so immediate ;) but where will be the fun if not hard ;)
Thanks for the tips! I love my G9 for photography, but the AF was lacking for video. I haven't tested much video since the update, but it's a noticeable improvement already!
Totally agree, Ryan! I'm loving the updates. But I'm also paying more attention to how I'm using the focus settings and getting much better results from just practicing so much. Thanks for stopping by and have fun testing.
Very helpful video! I'm having some difficulties myself. Can't seem to track my Boston Terrier but it may be because she is mostly black. Love all your bird shots taken with your new lens. Seems like you are having a lot of fun.
Well that's a bummer, Steven. Any specific problem I can maybe help with? It should in theory find her eyes. Also have you tested the original Animal setting on the left side of the menu? What about pinpoint? Put her in the sun and maybe that will help create some texture. I'm hoping to test some small dogs soon with AFC. Just need to arrange a playdate. Anyhow, keep trying! Let me know if you get any good results. Great to hear from you and I hope you can get this working.
@@ImageMaven Since her eyes are basically black, I guess the camera gets confused. I watched a RUclips video, a few years ago, that tracked running dogs. One dog was black and the AF did not work as well for the non-black dogs. I have no idea why that is. I think just regular spot focussing would work, as I have used many times before. Look forward to your expertise on the new AF fine-tuning for the new update.
excellent pool of tips. the far / near focus did the trick for me too even before 2.4, as I was recording a human behind the gym rack uprights and few other obstacles such as cables and fitness gear. G9 would then keep jumping back and forth from the human face to the nearer objects, and make the crazy pulsing, which made me use MF only back then. with far focus (which I set exactly to the same function buttons, as I could remember upper button is NEAR and lower button is FAR from the pointing finger. it was real relief to confirm that near / far functionality works for the videos as well, not just the photos. and I've been using the 2.4 for a week now, and it never failed to focus perfectly in AFC in the videos. to me 2.4 was the best FW update to date. it literally gave me a totally new camera.
Hey Tiger. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Yes amazing how good it works, and I agree it's a stretch for me to reach those Fn4, and Fn5 buttons too. And in practice, I don't use them that much. Only in tricky situations with my 100-300mm. I'm going to fully test out the AFC for a future video. I'm going to try it with a small active dog. But I'll use some mid range focal lengths as well. Up to this point my tests have been limited to the long telephoto. Nice chatting with you! Cheers.
@@ImageMaven thank you for your prompt replies too! I use G9 with Olympus PRO lenses, even though I have all Leicas too. Olympus PRO lenses just work more reliably with AF (counter intuitive). I am waiting for G9 FirmWare to open up the access to AF adjustments, such as sensitivity, speed, which for now work very well with the photos AF. this is purely political NOT TO let us adjust these parameters. because I am a scientist cum engineer cum inventor, I go in greater depths with every subject that is of my interest. I figured that Olympus PRO lenses (because of not being native, and lacking DFD function) seem to work better on G9 AF. I came to the conclusions Olympus PRO lenses work AS IF the AF settings for video were -2 and -2 (minus 2 minus 2).. this makes the AF less panicky, yet fast enough not to keep us waiting for too long. I compared Olympus PRO lenses on G9 with the Leica on GH5 with AF -2 -2 and they behave nearly identically. if you have any influence on Panasonic, please raise your voice to make them enable AF settings for the video. this will literally make G9 the best camera in that class, and who knows even beat Sony A7C, but of course A7C is full frame, and has excellent AF, so its a really hard to compete with for anyone..
@@TigerCarpenter My influence is very limited but I'll pass your comments on at the next Lumix event here in Calgary. The Lumix rep comes here a couple times a year.
@@ImageMaven that's the most humble response from the actual influencer. Panasonic knows we all have been waiting for it. somehow they "think" we would buy GH5 on top of G9 to gain that Video AF settings menus? every little helps. thanks for passing this issue on in the future. a little blackmail maybe? hey Panasonic: IF you don;t give us AF Video settings in G9, we will ALL buy Sony A7C as we speak.
Great video, Marlene. Thanks for all your tips. Love your bird photography, just up my street. You're getting some brilliant results. I must have a go at more videoing but not really very sure of it. I suppose practice makes perfect!!
Hi Mary. Glad you like the birding photos. Let me tell you a little secret about video.... Many times I just push the red video button and things turn out great. Try it and see what happens. You won't break anything! I'll be making a tutorial soon about video settings. In the meantime you can start with this one: ruclips.net/video/91-DvWPKH8I/видео.html
@@ImageMaven Thanks so much for that advice. Yes, you're right, nothing terrible can happen!! Will check out your link and look out for your next tutorial. Thanks again for your time.
After a week of testing the autofocus with the firmware update, I can say that the focus has become much better. Both when filming and taking photos. I mainly use my Panasonic 100-400mm. due to the beeter focus, the images are also sharper. It almost seems like I had a new, better camera. Thanks for your videos - I really appreciate it. Greetings from Switzerland - Heini
Hi Heini, It feels like a better camera to me too now! Glad it works great for your 100-400mm lens too. Thank you for watching my video. (I thought I replied to you already, but sorry for the delay.)
Thanks for another great video. I especially like your tip on f4 and f5 for near/far focus. I also have the 100-300 lens, but not shooting many birds, I use it mostly for active dogs and I think this One point/animal detection will work wonders (haven’t tested it yet, but will soon).
Let me know your results on that Hester. I think that would be a great topic for a tutorial. I'll need to recruit some dogs models. The more active the better for testing. Thanks for stopping by!
@@ImageMaven Our little brave dog (wirehaireddachshund) is very active and besides running/playing he likes water so we take him on a sup or go swimming. Perfect dog model for me😁
Hi Marlene. Ive found a little focus tip when the focus system is confused and wont focus on the subject. Press fn4(scp af point scope) keep it pressed then hit the back button or half press the shutter button and the camera will snap into focus on the subject. It's a bit fiddly at first but it works
Hello from France, I really love your videos and the way you clearly explain things 👍. And at the same time you help me to improve my level of english 🙂. Could you please let me know how you would set up the G9 to be able to shoot in a museum without using a flash and of course in low lights conditions?
Hello Kerpatou! Thank you for watching. Here is a starting point for indoors without flash or tripod: Try a shutter speed of 1/60 second or so. Choose a big aperture (f/stop) from f/1.8 to f/5.6 to get lots of light. Make sure image stabilization is "on" as you are hand-holding. I would use Auto ISO but make sure not to go higher than iso 3200. You can do a custom WB, but you can also start with AWB. I use it a lot and it's pretty good. If you take a tripod, you will attract attention and tripods might not be allowed in the museum. Sometimes even big cameras are not allowed, so you might want to check. If it's a far shot (big room) you can use a wide angle, but watch for distortion around the walls and doorways if using a super wide angle. 12-20mm would probably be okay. For closer up photos of artworks and sculpture you can use a longer focal length too. I guess it would depend how busy it was. These are just starting points. You can do some tests and see how it goes when you're there.
Ooh, nice! Hopefully some things work similarly with the S5. How to you like it so far? Besides the larger sensor and file size, do you think it's worth the extra $$$, and weight for the type of photography you do?
Thanks for the very helpful tips. Is there a way to save the 1-area human/animal detect option on until I change it, even when I turn the camera off? The battery life isn't the greatest with mirrorless cameras and so I turn it off when I'm not going to be using it for 5-10 min. When I turn it back on, the focus area has gone back to 1-Area.
Silly question about the near and far focus set-up on the buttons. Do you have to hold down the button? And when you let go of the button does the focus snap back to a "neutral" position? How do you get it back into a neutral position (and know its neutral again) for focusing? And if you use the new near/far focus buttons do you still need to back button focus or is the camera already in the right focus spot? I am having nightmares already on my next product shoot having the camera be all sneaky far focus and have the wall always in focus. I was going to give this and back button a go for my birdie outing tonight.
Hi Cheryl, You only use near and far bias if you're shooting in a bunch of trees or want to shoot through a fence, or if your camera is focusing on the background when you have a foreground subject. You can manual focus too, but that takes longer. There's really no neutral. If there's no object near or far to get around or through, it's neutral. Yes, it snaps right into focus. And if you're in AFS, you will see the green squares confirming the focus area. You definitely can practice this yourself without even having to leave the house. Have fun!
Just like the last update the G9 still has that one issue I run into when it’s Christmas or I go to nighttime fairs with lots of bright blinking lights, it just gets confused on what to focus on. This is when I bring my EM5 Mark 3 which does better I’m those situations
You might want to try spot metering and auto iso for your birdies. Topaz denoise is a must have for those bird in a tree shots when your ISO is cranked up and you have to crop. Pinpoint was impossible for me for fluttery birds that move quick, a slightly larger one area does the trick or custom multi in a cross or small diamond pattern. Love your crazy bird lady adventure.
Hi Marlene, is there any way to manage AF settings during video recording? AF speed etc? And can you touch to focus whilst filming video? Thanks in advance
Do you mean AF Sensitivity? Yes, that's adjustable. Look that up in the camera manual for detailed instructions (page 91 in the PDF). And yes you can touch the LCD to change focus while filming. That's something you can play with yourself.
@@ImageMaven Thanks Marlene, I am still waiting to pick up the camera, but doing some homework in the interim, thanks for the reply. I will go and download the PDF now
Thanks for the great video! I do have a question about this though. When I use 1-Area, focus there is a menu that is used to switch between the 3 1-Area focus modes. It is labeled : Human/Animal OFF. How do you turn this on?? I touch the screen and nothing happens, however if I go the far left setting AF Mode, (which uses the 244 segment focus) I can switch it on or off. Am I missing something somewhere?? Thanks. You have great vids of the G9, been very helpful!
Hi Tele Bruce. This other video I made about the new firmware update 2.4 has more info on that new feature.... ruclips.net/video/4mNNkR8HP14/видео.html Great to hear you are finding my videos helpful! Thanks for watching. Cheers.
Thanks for this video. By the way after firmware update I do have problems with sigma 18-35 with viltrox. Sounds like the focus motor makes a over effort and sounds weird. Just to pinpoint if somebody knows something about it. Cheers!
Hello Marlene. Thank you for wonderful videos. My G9 is on 2.0. Somehow I missed the other updates. Can I still update my G9 to 2.4 without doing the previous updates.
I just found your channel and what a sweet relief from the others who insist MFT is dead! I rented a G9 two years ago but didn't like the AF but it sounds much improved now. Do you still think the G9 is a recommended buy in 2021?
Hello. I sure hope MFT isn't dead! I love the size and price of the Lumix MFT system. I think 8 years ago when I made the switch, people said dSLR was dying. And, they were right! Anyhow, YES I totally recommend the G9, especially now that it's half the price than when I got mine. Thanks for stopping by!
I did the firmware and tried the one area focus with animal and person switched on in video, but doing near on some flowers, going far to a distant house, then back to near flowers. It wouldn’t refocus on the flowers close up again and just stays out of focus until pressing the shutter button to focus. Switching to the multi point and the focus worked normally. AFC. weird. Your robins look very different to ours in the U.K.
Yes as I’ve mentioned in the video you need to actually press the shutter button or Back button focus to snap into focus. Especially as you’re going from extreme close up to far distance. P.s. I think they call these American Robins even though they live in Canada 😉
Many thanks Marlene, I’ve upgraded mine and feel there is an improvement in af speed. I’m really liking the red frame when in video mode. For general wildlife video I’m using FHD 30p, it seems ok, but I really don’t know what the benefits of 25, 30 or 60P are, I only view on my Mac, or iPad, or post to FB. Looking at your tutorial from 2 years ago I see you recommend 60P, so I’ll change my setting. Did you do a follow up vid? I’d be interested in shutter speed etc. Thanks 👍
HI Sue, I have this video from a couple years ago that might help, but I think I'm due for an updated version especially with this new firmware. Hopefully it gets you started. ruclips.net/video/91-DvWPKH8I/видео.html By the way I use the FHD 60p MP4 settings for the G9. But I'm just doing RUclips stuff. Nothing for clients. I sometimes use 4K, but it's kind of overkill for my stuff. Especially since most people watch RUclips videos on their phone now.
@@sue.Hoo123 For shutter speeds I use 1/60 to 1/250 sometimes higher if I'm shooting a lot of skateboarding, and I forget to change the settings. Your camera won't break. Do some testing and see what works for you!
@@ImageMaven when I’m shooting stills of wildlife I usually start at 1/1300 if light allows and the wildlife is moving, for vid do I need to keep the speeds right down?
Hallo madam, what will be the best focus mode for shooting lecture class. Where I will be teaching using white board and marker. Both me and white board should be focused
Thank you, as always Marlene, for looking after us 'Gee Niners'. It seems, with Panasonic introducing the red box for videoing, that they suggest we video using the LCD screen as against the viewfinder; do you agree? Also, I'd have thought that AFC would be preferable for shooting small birds; what do you think? Good to see you getting into 'wildlife' photography; so am I. Hope yet for us humans. Mike in Oz
Hey Mike, Actually that red frame does indeed show up in the viewfinder as well. I"m going to be testing more small animals in the near future and use the AFC setting. Right now though the birds I'm shooting are pretty static. And even in the video where the Savannah sparrow is blowing around on the grassy weeds, it sticks to the focus in AFS pretty darn good, I think. Really enjoying the birds and wildlife in my local area. Requires a lot of patience. So it's very meditative. Thanks for checking in with me. You're one of my original Gee Niners! Who knew this G9 run would last this long? Cheers!
I went to make some photos and the menu was acting crazy, saying something about ubs power and switching to E shutter.... i was about to throw it to the ground ( it was a rough day, and I went out to clear my mind) but I notice that the filmware was 2.2. So I didnt throw it but instead I downloaded the 2.4 version. So far Im playing with it and its fine... Have that being a problem? The menu just making choices by it self? 🙏🏼 Thank you for your time.
I'm glad you didn't throw your camera to the ground Emanuel. And actually I'm happy you wrote this because if I ever hear of this problem again, I will tell the person to update or re-install the firmware of the camera. Hope tomorrow is a better day for you. Thank you for sharing!
@@ImageMaven thank you so much... 😂 the funny thing is that I was treating her like a baby. Sometimes if I knew I was going to be taking photos on places that it might get dirty I took my G7, but now hahaha I am going to let that G9 fly.... It's On 😃🙏🏼
@@ImageMaven thanks for the reply...most of them are not very detailed and not as interactive as your gear... I am pretty sure if you start a channel for canon it will blow
I dumped all of my Canon FF gear 8 years ago, and I'm now 100% Lumix MFT, ironically because Canon couldn't auto focus video . But thanks for the vote of confidence.
Hi Ianus, I don't use either the FZ300 or the Sony cameras, so can't really comment. But you're comparing three completely different systems, so each will have their advantages. I suggest you hit up a local camera shop and talk to a professional sales rep, and maybe rent a Sony a6400 and/or Lumix G9 camera, and see which system works for you and if you're ready for this kind of upgrade. Thanks for stopping by.
Bonjour, lors de la dernière vidéo sur la mise à jour du G9, mais m'avez aimablement donné la possibilité de la voir en français, je vous en remercie. Pouvez vous aussi le faire pour cette dernière vidéo (focus tips) ? svpl j'ai aussi le 100-300 et j'apprécie votre vidéo sur cet objectif. J'ai l'objectif macro 60 mm d'olympus que je mets sur le G9, il est génial mais je n'ai trouvé aucune aide valable en français, peut-être allez vous un jour le tester !!!!!!
Je ferai les sous-titres plus tard dans la journée. Malheureusement, je n'ai pas accès à l'objectif 60 mm. Je ne teste que les choses que je possède et que j'utilise moi-même. Si vous avez cet objectif, je suis sûr que vous pouvez faire ces tests vous-même. Merci d'avoir regardé.
@@ImageMaven Bonjour Marlene, français et heureux propriétaire depuis quelques années déjà de 2 Lumix G9 ainsi que d'un Lumix GM5, j'apprécie toutes vos vidéos ! Quelle ne fut pas ma surprise de lire votre réponse ci-dessus en français ! 😃Avez-vous déjà pensé à produire vos vidéos ou à traduire le contenu de celles-ci en français ?
I have previously set near and far to the front buttons as you now suggest as available in previous update. Having pressed F4 or F5 though how do you revert to standard again? When using this feature recently after the latest update it only seemed to work with the button held pressed? Is that what you need to do to use it
Oops not the big red frame. My mistake. I must have a setting wrong for the pinpoint focus. I have tried different lenses and still no pinpoint autofocus.
@@ImageMaven Yes I have but it did not appear, I have seen it on this camera before but do not remember those settings. Thank you for your response! If I find out what I'm doing wrong I will let you know. It may be a camera problem.
Really? You're in the minority. Most people are happy that they didn't have to buy a new camera to get better results with their current one. Me included!
Dziękujemy.
Thank you so much Mariusz! Very kind of you.
Marlene you are awesome!! Your videos are always so helpful and informative. I appreciate all the great content!
Thank you so much David. I appreciate you saying this. Starts my day off with a smile.
@@ImageMaven You're welcome
I watch your videos & have my G9 close at hand so that I can hit pause and try what I'm seeing / hearing. I've changed my ' play back ' to the fn1 button so that I can quickly use my right thumb to bring up my just taken shot. I've set the left side of the back wheel to access my focus modes. We have the same front button placement for the near & far bias. Putting the human / animal / bird focus features within the ' 1 - area ' mode - my most often used focus selection - was a smart addition by Panasonic. I use ' pinpoint ' focus at the zoo to help get past / beyond the animal enclosure cage wire. I've added a stick on bit of felt where my thumb rests to add comfort as well as a padded islet to the top right metal ring that my 2nd finger goes through which ads bit more support. Look forward to your next vid.
I'm retired now after having run a motorcycle repair shop, so I've approached the camera from a mechanical bias. I've had other camera brands but have found the Panasonic's to be the best sys. to work with. I'll try the ' far bias ' per your suggestion to get past foreground clutter. If it's possible I'd like to send you some images of my G9 with my different attachments. My left hand was injured at birth so I've done things to make my G9 & lens a a one handed controlled sys. - even the zoom is done right handed. Let me know. Ray
Great tips and demonstration of the AF. Also, those backgrounds for the birds are great.
Thank you so much! Yes, this long telephoto lens has great bokeh.
@@ImageMaven I agree, super-tele ranges can produce great soft backgrouns. But it's more your techniques/skills in coposition and knowing how to use light and distance. Also, your birding video work is amazing. Keep up the great work.
Thanks!
Thank you so much Jacques!
Just found your channel, subscribed, enjoying all the info on my new G9! Thank you!
Hi Rick, Welcome to this awesome community. I get back as much info as I give, so make sure you browse the comments of the videos for more tips and info about the G9 from all the super-users who hang out here. Are you new to Lumix? What lenses did you get with it? Enjoy your camera!
@@ImageMaven I'm new to Lumix. So far I have the P/L 12-60mm, Sigma 30mm and the Sigma 56mm. Originally had a Canon 6D MkII with various "L" series lenses. Got tired of the weight! Going to be retiring in a handful of years and wanted something lightweight to carry on my adventures. Now I just need to find a backpack for my equipment, everything is geared toward DSLR's.
@@Stealthman42 Nice set of glass! I made the switch from Canon 5D Mkii FF about 8 years ago for the same reasons: size and weight (and price). Plus the video features of Lumix, at the time, as I was seriously getting into RUclips. I took my Lumix GH3 with 12-35mm on a cycling trip in France soon after my switch and everything fit nicely into my handlebar bag with room for snacks. No regrets. Hopefully you find the perfect backpack for your gear. There are so many choices. I must have 6 extra camera bags sitting around here. They are a bit like shoes. Different pair for every occasion. Enjoy your adventures!
Bedankt
Thank you so much!
Wow Marlene, another informative entertaining video, thanks for the firmware update info I learned and loved it. Stay well, and i look forward to seeing more videos, yea!
Great to hear this Neo Don. I've got a lot of newish videos use the G9 with the 100-300mm. You'll have to check them out. Mostly birding stuff. Enjoy!
Once more a perfect video, Marlene! Thanks a lot - kind regards, Rolf
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
I’ve shot a lot of corporate and social video with the GH5 but when it came time to pick up a MFT body for personal use, I had to go with the G9. I’ve only had since December but I already love the feel in hand, the ton of customizable buttons and the mix of photo and video functionality. These recent updates continue to update the stoke! Thank for sharing the caveats about finding this new focus tool-gonna update my firmware this weekend and put it use.
Hello Eli, Yes, I'm just loving the updates. This camera keeps getting better and better. Plus I've been testing and practicing a lot the past week and I've learned better techniques as well. Nothing beats testing! Have fun.
Just used it for a video for a wedding. G9 and Gh5s no hunting or focusing issues at all.
Great to hear this Alex. Cheers!
what lenses were they on?
You are the best! I have a dmc gx85 but I still learn so much from you. And I ❤️ your bird shots
Glad you like them! Yes, Lumix cameras have a lot of similar features so I'm glad you are getting the benefit of my tutorials too. Thanks for watching!
Great tip on the front function buttons. Thanks!
Yes, it's super handy! Thanks for watching!
Great video Marlene. Thank you!
You are so welcome, Jorge!
Thanks for the tips....!!! I mainly use My G9 for kids photos and still didn't manage to costantly ( At least above 80%) shoot in focus. You described all the issues i am encoutering every time i use my Camera. I honestly could not imagine a camera system could struggle so much to acquire focus. I heard Sony instead is just a focus dream and that is why probably everyone is using it.
I've never had huge issues with my Lumix cameras focus, but you definitely need to learn it. So not quite everyone is using Sony. ;) If I get the opportunity, I'd definitely like to test one out for comparison. I just can't afford to buy a Sony system. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you can get into the focus groove with your Lumix G9.
@@ImageMaven Well let’s say like this… in a world of “ click and take gorgeous photos “ our system is not so immediate ;) but where will be the fun if not hard ;)
You are right on both counts!
It’s amazing what You can do with the G9, great examples. Stay safe.
I’ve been out walking and shooting a lot with my new 100-300 lens. So relaxing. Great to hear from you, Lloyd.
@@ImageMaven . Now I can see how it works, practice makes perfect, lol. Yes I’m out too but perfect eludes me but I strive.
@Lloyd Bligh Practice makes for hard drives full of pictures. LOL. Somehow the finish line keeps moving.
@@ImageMaven . I have a comical photo of a young Song Sparrow, Is it possible to send it to you?
Thanks for the tips! I love my G9 for photography, but the AF was lacking for video. I haven't tested much video since the update, but it's a noticeable improvement already!
Totally agree, Ryan! I'm loving the updates. But I'm also paying more attention to how I'm using the focus settings and getting much better results from just practicing so much. Thanks for stopping by and have fun testing.
Very helpful video! I'm having some difficulties myself. Can't seem to track my Boston Terrier but it may be because she is mostly black. Love all your bird shots taken with your new lens. Seems like you are having a lot of fun.
Well that's a bummer, Steven. Any specific problem I can maybe help with? It should in theory find her eyes. Also have you tested the original Animal setting on the left side of the menu? What about pinpoint? Put her in the sun and maybe that will help create some texture. I'm hoping to test some small dogs soon with AFC. Just need to arrange a playdate. Anyhow, keep trying! Let me know if you get any good results. Great to hear from you and I hope you can get this working.
@@ImageMaven Since her eyes are basically black, I guess the camera gets confused. I watched a RUclips video, a few years ago, that tracked running dogs. One dog was black and the AF did not work as well for the non-black dogs. I have no idea why that is. I think just regular spot focussing would work, as I have used many times before. Look forward to your expertise on the new AF fine-tuning for the new update.
excellent pool of tips.
the far / near focus did the trick for me too even before 2.4, as I was recording a human behind the gym rack uprights and few other obstacles such as cables and fitness gear.
G9 would then keep jumping back and forth from the human face to the nearer objects, and make the crazy pulsing, which made me use MF only back then.
with far focus (which I set exactly to the same function buttons, as I could remember upper button is NEAR and lower button is FAR from the pointing finger.
it was real relief to confirm that near / far functionality works for the videos as well, not just the photos.
and I've been using the 2.4 for a week now, and it never failed to focus perfectly in AFC in the videos.
to me 2.4 was the best FW update to date. it literally gave me a totally new camera.
Hey Tiger. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Yes amazing how good it works, and I agree it's a stretch for me to reach those Fn4, and Fn5 buttons too. And in practice, I don't use them that much. Only in tricky situations with my 100-300mm. I'm going to fully test out the AFC for a future video. I'm going to try it with a small active dog. But I'll use some mid range focal lengths as well. Up to this point my tests have been limited to the long telephoto. Nice chatting with you! Cheers.
@@ImageMaven thank you for your prompt replies too!
I use G9 with Olympus PRO lenses, even though I have all Leicas too. Olympus PRO lenses just work more reliably with AF (counter intuitive).
I am waiting for G9 FirmWare to open up the access to AF adjustments, such as sensitivity, speed, which for now work very well with the photos AF. this is purely political NOT TO let us adjust these parameters.
because I am a scientist cum engineer cum inventor, I go in greater depths with every subject that is of my interest. I figured that Olympus PRO lenses (because of not being native, and lacking DFD function) seem to work better on G9 AF. I came to the conclusions Olympus PRO lenses work AS IF the AF settings for video were -2 and -2 (minus 2 minus 2).. this makes the AF less panicky, yet fast enough not to keep us waiting for too long.
I compared Olympus PRO lenses on G9 with the Leica on GH5 with AF -2 -2 and they behave nearly identically.
if you have any influence on Panasonic, please raise your voice to make them enable AF settings for the video. this will literally make G9 the best camera in that class, and who knows even beat Sony A7C, but of course A7C is full frame, and has excellent AF, so its a really hard to compete with for anyone..
@@TigerCarpenter My influence is very limited but I'll pass your comments on at the next Lumix event here in Calgary. The Lumix rep comes here a couple times a year.
@@ImageMaven that's the most humble response from the actual influencer.
Panasonic knows we all have been waiting for it. somehow they "think" we would buy GH5 on top of G9 to gain that Video AF settings menus?
every little helps. thanks for passing this issue on in the future.
a little blackmail maybe? hey Panasonic: IF you don;t give us AF Video settings in G9, we will ALL buy Sony A7C as we speak.
It just gets better, thank you.
Agreed!
Great video, Marlene. Thanks for all your tips. Love your bird photography, just up my street. You're getting some brilliant results. I must have a go at more videoing but not really very sure of it. I suppose practice makes perfect!!
Hi Mary. Glad you like the birding photos. Let me tell you a little secret about video.... Many times I just push the red video button and things turn out great. Try it and see what happens. You won't break anything! I'll be making a tutorial soon about video settings. In the meantime you can start with this one: ruclips.net/video/91-DvWPKH8I/видео.html
@@ImageMaven Thanks so much for that advice. Yes, you're right, nothing terrible can happen!! Will check out your link and look out for your next tutorial. Thanks again for your time.
After a week of testing the autofocus with the firmware update, I can say that the focus has become much better. Both when filming and taking photos. I mainly use my Panasonic 100-400mm. due to the beeter focus, the images are also sharper. It almost seems like I had a new, better camera. Thanks for your videos - I really appreciate it. Greetings from Switzerland - Heini
Hi Heini, It feels like a better camera to me too now! Glad it works great for your 100-400mm lens too. Thank you for watching my video. (I thought I replied to you already, but sorry for the delay.)
Thanks for another great video. I especially like your tip on f4 and f5 for near/far focus. I also have the 100-300 lens, but not shooting many birds, I use it mostly for active dogs and I think this One point/animal detection will work wonders (haven’t tested it yet, but will soon).
Let me know your results on that Hester. I think that would be a great topic for a tutorial. I'll need to recruit some dogs models. The more active the better for testing. Thanks for stopping by!
@@ImageMaven Our little brave dog (wirehaireddachshund) is very active and besides running/playing he likes water so we take him on a sup or go swimming. Perfect dog model for me😁
Hi Marlene. Ive found a little focus tip when the focus system is confused and wont focus on the subject. Press fn4(scp af point scope) keep it pressed then hit the back button or half press the shutter button and the camera will snap into focus on the subject. It's a bit fiddly at first but it works
Thanks for sharing this tip, Sam. I’ll try that out today!
Hello from France,
I really love your videos and the way you clearly explain things 👍. And at the same time you help me to improve my level of english 🙂. Could you please let me know how you would set up the G9 to be able to shoot in a museum without using a flash and of course in low lights conditions?
Hello Kerpatou! Thank you for watching. Here is a starting point for indoors without flash or tripod: Try a shutter speed of 1/60 second or so. Choose a big aperture (f/stop) from f/1.8 to f/5.6 to get lots of light. Make sure image stabilization is "on" as you are hand-holding. I would use Auto ISO but make sure not to go higher than iso 3200. You can do a custom WB, but you can also start with AWB. I use it a lot and it's pretty good.
If you take a tripod, you will attract attention and tripods might not be allowed in the museum. Sometimes even big cameras are not allowed, so you might want to check. If it's a far shot (big room) you can use a wide angle, but watch for distortion around the walls and doorways if using a super wide angle. 12-20mm would probably be okay. For closer up photos of artworks and sculpture you can use a longer focal length too. I guess it would depend how busy it was. These are just starting points. You can do some tests and see how it goes when you're there.
@@ImageMaven Thank you so much for your tips. Very much appreciated 1000 Merci
another good useful video👏👍, but I've now moved over to the S5 FF camera system
Ooh, nice! Hopefully some things work similarly with the S5. How to you like it so far? Besides the larger sensor and file size, do you think it's worth the extra $$$, and weight for the type of photography you do?
@@ImageMaven very similar size to GH5 , improved focusing
Thanks for the very helpful tips. Is there a way to save the 1-area human/animal detect option on until I change it, even when I turn the camera off? The battery life isn't the greatest with mirrorless cameras and so I turn it off when I'm not going to be using it for 5-10 min. When I turn it back on, the focus area has gone back to 1-Area.
Not sure what you mean Nancy. My 1-Area Human/Animal settings don't change when I turn off the camera. They are the same as I left them.
Silly question about the near and far focus set-up on the buttons. Do you have to hold down the button? And when you let go of the button does the focus snap back to a "neutral" position? How do you get it back into a neutral position (and know its neutral again) for focusing? And if you use the new near/far focus buttons do you still need to back button focus or is the camera already in the right focus spot? I am having nightmares already on my next product shoot having the camera be all sneaky far focus and have the wall always in focus. I was going to give this and back button a go for my birdie outing tonight.
Hi Cheryl, You only use near and far bias if you're shooting in a bunch of trees or want to shoot through a fence, or if your camera is focusing on the background when you have a foreground subject. You can manual focus too, but that takes longer. There's really no neutral. If there's no object near or far to get around or through, it's neutral. Yes, it snaps right into focus. And if you're in AFS, you will see the green squares confirming the focus area. You definitely can practice this yourself without even having to leave the house. Have fun!
Just like the last update the G9 still has that one issue I run into when it’s Christmas or I go to nighttime fairs with lots of bright blinking lights, it just gets confused on what to focus on. This is when I bring my EM5 Mark 3 which does better I’m those situations
I’ll watch out for that one. Thanks for sharing.
Great tips!
Glad you like them, John! Cheers.
You might want to try spot metering and auto iso for your birdies. Topaz denoise is a must have for those bird in a tree shots when your ISO is cranked up and you have to crop. Pinpoint was impossible for me for fluttery birds that move quick, a slightly larger one area does the trick or custom multi in a cross or small diamond pattern. Love your crazy bird lady adventure.
Thanks for the tips Cheryl.
Hi Marlene, is there any way to manage AF settings during video recording? AF speed etc? And can you touch to focus whilst filming video? Thanks in advance
Do you mean AF Sensitivity? Yes, that's adjustable. Look that up in the camera manual for detailed instructions (page 91 in the PDF). And yes you can touch the LCD to change focus while filming. That's something you can play with yourself.
@@ImageMaven Thanks Marlene, I am still waiting to pick up the camera, but doing some homework in the interim, thanks for the reply. I will go and download the PDF now
Ooh how exciting! Enjoy your new camera!
Thanks for the great video! I do have a question about this though. When I use 1-Area, focus there is a menu that is used to switch between the 3 1-Area focus modes. It is labeled : Human/Animal OFF. How do you turn this on?? I touch the screen and nothing happens, however if I go the far left setting AF Mode, (which uses the 244 segment focus) I can switch it on or off. Am I missing something somewhere?? Thanks. You have great vids of the G9, been very helpful!
Hi Tele Bruce. This other video I made about the new firmware update 2.4 has more info on that new feature.... ruclips.net/video/4mNNkR8HP14/видео.html Great to hear you are finding my videos helpful! Thanks for watching. Cheers.
Thanks for this video. By the way after firmware update I do have problems with sigma 18-35 with viltrox. Sounds like the focus motor makes a over effort and sounds weird. Just to pinpoint if somebody knows something about it.
Cheers!
Thanks for watching. I can't answer that question, as I don't use that gear, but hopefully someone in the community can help.
Gx9? (Did bring the large bag this weekend… lol)
Sorry Nadine. I don't have the GX9 camera. What's your question?
Hello Marlene. Thank you for wonderful videos. My G9 is on 2.0. Somehow I missed the other updates. Can I still update my G9 to 2.4 without doing the previous updates.
Hi Alexander, Yes you can! I don't even think they keep the old firmware on their website, so you don't really have a choice. Enjoy!
I just found your channel and what a sweet relief from the others who insist MFT is dead! I rented a G9 two years ago but didn't like the AF but it sounds much improved now. Do you still think the G9 is a recommended buy in 2021?
Hello. I sure hope MFT isn't dead! I love the size and price of the Lumix MFT system. I think 8 years ago when I made the switch, people said dSLR was dying. And, they were right! Anyhow, YES I totally recommend the G9, especially now that it's half the price than when I got mine. Thanks for stopping by!
I did the firmware and tried the one area focus with animal and person switched on in video, but doing near on some flowers, going far to a distant house, then back to near flowers. It wouldn’t refocus on the flowers close up again and just stays out of focus until pressing the shutter button to focus. Switching to the multi point and the focus worked normally. AFC. weird.
Your robins look very different to ours in the U.K.
Yes as I’ve mentioned in the video you need to actually press the shutter button or Back button focus to snap into focus. Especially as you’re going from extreme close up to far distance. P.s. I think they call these American Robins even though they live in Canada 😉
@@ImageMaven why is that then Marlene do you think when it’s on continuous?
Many thanks Marlene, I’ve upgraded mine and feel there is an improvement in af speed. I’m really liking the red frame when in video mode. For general wildlife video I’m using FHD 30p, it seems ok, but I really don’t know what the benefits of 25, 30 or 60P are, I only view on my Mac, or iPad, or post to FB. Looking at your tutorial from 2 years ago I see you recommend 60P, so I’ll change my setting. Did you do a follow up vid? I’d be interested in shutter speed etc. Thanks 👍
HI Sue, I have this video from a couple years ago that might help, but I think I'm due for an updated version especially with this new firmware. Hopefully it gets you started. ruclips.net/video/91-DvWPKH8I/видео.html By the way I use the FHD 60p MP4 settings for the G9. But I'm just doing RUclips stuff. Nothing for clients. I sometimes use 4K, but it's kind of overkill for my stuff. Especially since most people watch RUclips videos on their phone now.
@@ImageMaven thank you, really helpful vid, would be great if you had time to do an update with tips on shutter speeds etc 👍
@@sue.Hoo123 For shutter speeds I use 1/60 to 1/250 sometimes higher if I'm shooting a lot of skateboarding, and I forget to change the settings. Your camera won't break. Do some testing and see what works for you!
@@ImageMaven when I’m shooting stills of wildlife I usually start at 1/1300 if light allows and the wildlife is moving, for vid do I need to keep the speeds right down?
@@sue.Hoo123 In theory yes, but I often don't change it. If you set your video mode to P, or A, then you kind of forget about it.
Hallo madam, what will be the best focus mode for shooting lecture class.
Where I will be teaching using white board and marker.
Both me and white board should be focused
Will you have a camera operator? Or do it all by yourself? Will the camera move around? Or stay on a tripod?
@@ImageMaven doing it myself, no camera man. Camera is fixed in a tripod.
I will be moving while taking class.
Thank you, as always Marlene, for looking after us 'Gee Niners'. It seems, with Panasonic introducing the red box for videoing, that they suggest we video using the LCD screen as against the viewfinder; do you agree? Also, I'd have thought that AFC would be preferable for shooting small birds; what do you think? Good to see you getting into 'wildlife' photography; so am I. Hope yet for us humans.
Mike in Oz
Hey Mike, Actually that red frame does indeed show up in the viewfinder as well. I"m going to be testing more small animals in the near future and use the AFC setting. Right now though the birds I'm shooting are pretty static. And even in the video where the Savannah sparrow is blowing around on the grassy weeds, it sticks to the focus in AFS pretty darn good, I think. Really enjoying the birds and wildlife in my local area. Requires a lot of patience. So it's very meditative. Thanks for checking in with me. You're one of my original Gee Niners! Who knew this G9 run would last this long? Cheers!
And thanks so much for the coffees Mike! ☺
I went to make some photos and the menu was acting crazy, saying something about ubs power and switching to E shutter.... i was about to throw it to the ground ( it was a rough day, and I went out to clear my mind) but I notice that the filmware was 2.2. So I didnt throw it but instead I downloaded the 2.4 version. So far Im playing with it and its fine...
Have that being a problem? The menu just making choices by it self? 🙏🏼
Thank you for your time.
I'm glad you didn't throw your camera to the ground Emanuel. And actually I'm happy you wrote this because if I ever hear of this problem again, I will tell the person to update or re-install the firmware of the camera. Hope tomorrow is a better day for you. Thank you for sharing!
@@ImageMaven thank you so much... 😂 the funny thing is that I was treating her like a baby. Sometimes if I knew I was going to be taking photos on places that it might get dirty I took my G7, but now hahaha I am going to let that G9 fly.... It's On 😃🙏🏼
@@ImageMaven I took her out for some night shoots and its working perfectly 🙏🏼
@@emanuelcruz9640 Great to hear! Thanks for the follow up.
I wish you make simillar videos on canon 90d.
Sorry. I only make videos on gear that I own and use. I'm sure there are a lot of Canon tutors out there. Thank you for watching though!
@@ImageMaven thanks for the reply...most of them are not very detailed and not as interactive as your gear... I am pretty sure if you start a channel for canon it will blow
I dumped all of my Canon FF gear 8 years ago, and I'm now 100% Lumix MFT, ironically because Canon couldn't auto focus video . But thanks for the vote of confidence.
My mode dial will not turn - i have not dropped or damaged my camera in any way - what can i do to make it turn again?
I do not want to force it.
Nevermind, i hit the button in the center and didn't know it - flush makes it stuck, protruding lets it turn - yay!!
Yes it’s lockable!
Hello, I have a pana fz 300 and I play wild animals with it, but the tracking is pretty bad. Is pana g9 better or should i buy a sony a6400?
Hi Ianus, I don't use either the FZ300 or the Sony cameras, so can't really comment. But you're comparing three completely different systems, so each will have their advantages. I suggest you hit up a local camera shop and talk to a professional sales rep, and maybe rent a Sony a6400 and/or Lumix G9 camera, and see which system works for you and if you're ready for this kind of upgrade. Thanks for stopping by.
Bonjour, lors de la dernière vidéo sur la mise à jour du G9, mais m'avez aimablement donné la possibilité de la voir en français, je vous en remercie. Pouvez vous aussi le faire pour cette dernière vidéo (focus tips) ? svpl
j'ai aussi le 100-300 et j'apprécie votre vidéo sur cet objectif. J'ai l'objectif macro 60 mm d'olympus que je mets sur le G9, il est génial mais je n'ai trouvé aucune aide valable en français, peut-être allez vous un jour le tester !!!!!!
You are one very clever lady Thank you sooooo much function 4 and 5 what a no-brainer - well done - Greetings from Cape Town - so love your videos.
Je ferai les sous-titres plus tard dans la journée. Malheureusement, je n'ai pas accès à l'objectif 60 mm. Je ne teste que les choses que je possède et que j'utilise moi-même. Si vous avez cet objectif, je suis sûr que vous pouvez faire ces tests vous-même. Merci d'avoir regardé.
@@ImageMaven Bonjour Marlene, français et heureux propriétaire depuis quelques années déjà de 2 Lumix G9 ainsi que d'un Lumix GM5, j'apprécie toutes vos vidéos !
Quelle ne fut pas ma surprise de lire votre réponse ci-dessus en français ! 😃Avez-vous déjà pensé à produire vos vidéos ou à traduire le contenu de celles-ci en français ?
👍🏻👍🏻
I have previously set near and far to the front buttons as you now suggest as available in previous update. Having pressed F4 or F5 though how do you revert to standard again? When using this feature recently after the latest update it only seemed to work with the button held pressed? Is that what you need to do to use it
I don't worry about reverting. It's never been an issue. And you don't have to hold the button down. Just press it. Try it out for yourself.
2 things, my pinpoint focus is dark or unusable. I have red frame all of the time.
Oops not the big red frame. My mistake. I must have a setting wrong for the pinpoint focus. I have tried different lenses and still no pinpoint autofocus.
Are you in P, S, M, A mode? I don't think it shows up for iA Mode. Try that.
@@ImageMaven Yes I have but it did not appear, I have seen it on this camera before but do not remember those settings. Thank you for your response! If I find out what I'm doing wrong I will let you know. It may be a camera problem.
@@LonStar3000 Could be another camera settings that you're using is causing this. Happens all the time! ;)
@@LonStar3000 you must be in AFS mode. It is disabled in AFF or AFC.
I’m disappointed that Panasonic decides to upgrade firmware again instead of a new photo centric camera with phase detect and 24+ mp.
Really? You're in the minority. Most people are happy that they didn't have to buy a new camera to get better results with their current one. Me included!