GH4 GH4 locking mode dial button fell off. NEED ADVICE/HELP

[laserbunny]

EDIT: PROBLEM SOLVED - (There is a ring that looks like a thin washer inside the dial. It lies almost flat with the bottom of the inside of the dial so I didn't notice it for a while. If you take some tweezers you can lift up on this ring and the dial will turn easily. I put a small piece of foam underneath the ring to hold it up and the dial remains unlocked and can turn smoothly.)

Haven't been able to find any info on this online but I'm hoping someone here might have an answer. I was filming a hike in Maui when I lost the locking mode dial button on the GH4. I have no idea how it happened, I just looked down and it was gone. The problem is that the dial is locked in Manual mode because I had just snapped a few pictures. Unfortunately most of the manual video features don't work in that mode and I can't even shoot in 4K. I have no idea how to unlock it without the button. There is a pin sticking up from the center of the button area that I thought I could just push down and unlock but I've applied a lot of force and it doesn't seem to be budging. Does anyone have any experience with this? Has anyone else lost the mode dial lock or have any idea how the locking mechanism works?

Any response or advice would be appreciated. I was actually supposed to shoot something tonight and I'm getting desperate.

 

[ProfessorU]

I think you're best off renting a new one and sending yours in for service. Although I heard somewhere that the GH4 was serviced by their consumer products people instead of broadcast/pro people, so you may have a less-fast-than-is-typical-for-Panasonic experience.

 

[laserbunny]

I finally figured out a solution earlier today. There is a ring that looks like a thin washer inside the dial. It lies almost flat with the bottom of the inside of the dial so I didn't notice it for a while. If you take some tweezers you can lift up on this ring and the dial will turn easily. I put a small piece of foam underneath the ring to hold it up and the dial remains unlocked and can turn smoothly.

 

[Bruce Foreman]

Glad you got it resolved (for now) but the camera still needs to go in for proper repair, foam under that ring is only a temporary solution. It can shift, fall out, absorb moisture, or "bite you in the shorts" at the least convenient time.

There is a lesson in this for everyone:

Backup gear!

Never go out on a project without the means to attempt to finish if your camera (or other item) quits on you in any way. Ideal in your situation would be a second GH4 but a lot of us cannot afford two of those, so a good backup choice could be a G7, or anything with a mic input (you might have to settle for 1080p but at least you could finish the job).