In my last blog post I talked about how you can use One Push AE combined with manual mode to quickly set the ideal exposure when taking pictures. However, there many other useful functions that your Lumix Camera may have.
I have set out my most used functions below.
- One Push AE
- Focus lock combined with AFC
- One push Spot metering
- Drive Mode – Low
One push AE
I have already covered this in my last blog post which you can read here.
When in manual mode, and going into changing light conditions or when first turning on your camera, framing your subject and using one push AE, will quickly provide you with a suitable combination of aperture and shutter speed that you can then adjust to suit your shooting needs.
This is quicker then having to dial in both aperture and shutter speed when you lighting may have changed by two or three stops.
Focus lock
Many photographers use back focus when shooting pics. I have tried this and it works for me. If you need to shoot quickly though, and are not used to back button focusing, you may miss some shots and end up with blurred images. My preferred way of shooting is to set the AF-AE Lock button to focus lock mode and combine this with the focus mode set to continuous focus.
This way, I can quickly frame and shoot moving subjects using the shutter button and continuous auto focus. And when I want to lock focus for portraits, stills, landscapes etc… I simply frame my subject and press the focus lock button.
If your camera has a touch screen, you may be able to set and lock the focus point on your chosen subject too.
One Push Spot Metering
I tend to leave my camera in evaluative or matrix metering, but in difficult lighting situations I may turn to spot-metering.
I have assigned a function button to this, and when needed, I can quickly switch to one shot spot metering. I can combine one shot spot metering with one push AE to quickly set a suitable exposure in manual mode and then tweak my aperture or shutter speed as necessary to get the optimum exposure for my shot.
Drive Mode
My Lumix GX8 has 4 drive modes, for every day shooting I leave it on low. Which means that, If I want to quickly grab a second shot without taking my finger of the shutter button I can. This way I don’t over shoot and have to many frames, which I might do, f I was using faster drive modes.
These are my main use of function buttons. What are your customisations?
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