I've been setting up my Varicam LT this weekend and trying to learn the menus and functions of the camera. Some of the things made me a bit confused and AFAIK they aren't answered in the manual. If you know anything about this, please help me out:
1. When I'm in the 4K mode I can choose between the AVC-Intra4K 422 or AVC-Intra4K-LT. I need to choose the latter if I want to record a higher fram rate than 30p. When choosing it the camera automatically gets into VFR (variable frame rate) mode and sound recording is disabled. In the 2K mode AVC-Intra2K 444 I can only shoot up to 30 p (just like the 4K mode) but when I change to AVC-Intra2K 422 I can choose between VFR-mode without sound, or to shut down the VFR mode and then the sound recording will work as usual. Is there something wrong with my settings or is it just not possible to record sound when using AVC-Intra4K-LT?
Personally I'd prefer it to be possible to turn VFR on and off when shooting in AVC-Intra4K-LT, since you otherwise have to reboot the camera just for the frame rate setting. I think that many might be happy with recording 4K with sound in AVC-Intra4K-LT.
2. On the left side of the camera there are a couple of user assignable buttons and also the Menu and the System/CHK buttons. When I press the System/CHK button nothing happens (no, it's not locked). Is it like that for everyone else or is it just my camera?
3. There are several user assignable buttons. I've managed to assign different functions to them all, so everything is fine there, but I'm a bit curious about two things:
a) Is there a way to get into the SIX USER BUTTON mode without assigning one of the USER 1-3 to that task? I can't figure it out.
b) When in the VIEW mode on the control panel, the six user buttons are lit up but they are disabled. Shouldn't they be active at least then? It feels odd to have six buttons on the control panel that can only be used by assigning one of the side buttons to activate them. If there's a way to do that, please let me know.
4. I've assigned one of the USER 5-10 to SMOOTH MODE but can't activate it and really don't know what it is. I just wanted to try it out, but it always says OFF.
Those were all the questions for now. Here are a couple of thoughts about the settings and user assignable buttons features:
1. When pressing the HOME button on the control panel the screen gives you fast access to FPS, LOG, SHUTTER, ISO/GAIN, RESOLUTION/CODEC and WB. I don't know about how others feel, but I think it would be much better if those were also user assignable. I would for instance want to change the LOG to direct AUDIO access. Also the AUDIO panel is a bit confusing and should be made more simple for basic settings.
2. It is possible to assign one of the USER 1-3 for DIRECT VOL CTRL, which is very good. Unfortunately the "value" for the audio is not showed on the viewfinder, you can just see the meters and hear the volume, but it would be helpful to also see the audio "value" when the DIRECT VOL CTRL is pressed down. Another good thig would be if it's possible to make the same button to be able to change the headphone volume by holding it down for let's say 2 seconds and returning from that mode by pressing the same USER button again.
3. At the moment I have USER 3 assigned to activating SIX USER BUTTONS, but I'd prefer to have another function assigned to it and be able to go into the SIX USER BUTTONS mode via the control panel or have them automatically activated when in VIEW mode on the control panel.
4. The USER TOGGLE (USER 4) is assignable for ISO/GAIN, WB or SHUTTER. Since there's only one toggle switch (although they should've had one for all three functions) they should make it possible to switch the use of the toggle switch between them by either assigning one of USER 1-3 to that, or even better if the SYSTEM/CHK button could be made user assignable. Just like the EXPAND feature it should be able to be set to go back to a "base" position (also user assignable) after a couple of seconds, or to stay in the chosen mode until the button is pressed again. Let's say that WB is the base position, by pressing once at the SYSTEM/CHK would take you to ISO/GAIN, pressing once again would take you to SHUTTER and once again you're back to WB. If that is too much to ask, at least to be able to switch between WB and ISO/GAIN would be great. In the best of worlds you should be able to change frame rate the same way. Depending on which mode you're in, the colour of each value should either change to yellow (or something else) on the view finder, or start blinking like the audio meter does when in DIRECT VOL CTRL.
5. The USER 1-3 buttons can be assigned to perform VF SDI CLEAN, which is good. I wish that function would disable everything else but the image, the S.Q. F.A. isn't disabled when pressing VF SDI CLEAN.
6. When pressing MENU on the control panel, the USER 1-4 are disabled. I understand why in some circumstances, like if one of them is assigned for SIX USER BUTTONS (but that function shouldn't really be on USER 1-3, it should be on the control panel instead), but if not I think it would be good to for instance set sound level, press focus expand or change WB at the same time as someone is trying to change something else on the control panel (if you have an AC for instance). The only time the USER 1-3 should be disabled is when locked or when in the MENU or HOME and inside ISO/GAIN, WB, AUDIO or whatever is assigned to USER 1-4.
7. Since the camera needs to be rebooted every time a codec or resolution is changed (which is a shame but not horrible) it would be good to have a regret choice. Both wheels (on the side and on the control panel) are supposed to be pressed down when choosing a setting, the problem is that the wheel can turn while pressing it down. This can make you choose things you didn't intend to, or maybe you just changed your mind. Maybe you're in the middle of a shoot and want to change to a setting which lets you shoot HFR and then something happens and you change your mind. Then it would be great just to cancel the choice instead of choosing the setting you're already in again and rebooting.
I hope this wasn't too confusing. Maybe some of these issues are solved if you have the Panasonic viewfinder (which I don't) or the handle (which I'll hopefully buy soon) but I believe that it would make the camera much more easy operated for a one man crew if my suggestions for the USER 1-4 were implemented.
1. When I'm in the 4K mode I can choose between the AVC-Intra4K 422 or AVC-Intra4K-LT. I need to choose the latter if I want to record a higher fram rate than 30p. When choosing it the camera automatically gets into VFR (variable frame rate) mode and sound recording is disabled. In the 2K mode AVC-Intra2K 444 I can only shoot up to 30 p (just like the 4K mode) but when I change to AVC-Intra2K 422 I can choose between VFR-mode without sound, or to shut down the VFR mode and then the sound recording will work as usual. Is there something wrong with my settings or is it just not possible to record sound when using AVC-Intra4K-LT?
Personally I'd prefer it to be possible to turn VFR on and off when shooting in AVC-Intra4K-LT, since you otherwise have to reboot the camera just for the frame rate setting. I think that many might be happy with recording 4K with sound in AVC-Intra4K-LT.
2. On the left side of the camera there are a couple of user assignable buttons and also the Menu and the System/CHK buttons. When I press the System/CHK button nothing happens (no, it's not locked). Is it like that for everyone else or is it just my camera?
3. There are several user assignable buttons. I've managed to assign different functions to them all, so everything is fine there, but I'm a bit curious about two things:
a) Is there a way to get into the SIX USER BUTTON mode without assigning one of the USER 1-3 to that task? I can't figure it out.
b) When in the VIEW mode on the control panel, the six user buttons are lit up but they are disabled. Shouldn't they be active at least then? It feels odd to have six buttons on the control panel that can only be used by assigning one of the side buttons to activate them. If there's a way to do that, please let me know.
4. I've assigned one of the USER 5-10 to SMOOTH MODE but can't activate it and really don't know what it is. I just wanted to try it out, but it always says OFF.
Those were all the questions for now. Here are a couple of thoughts about the settings and user assignable buttons features:
1. When pressing the HOME button on the control panel the screen gives you fast access to FPS, LOG, SHUTTER, ISO/GAIN, RESOLUTION/CODEC and WB. I don't know about how others feel, but I think it would be much better if those were also user assignable. I would for instance want to change the LOG to direct AUDIO access. Also the AUDIO panel is a bit confusing and should be made more simple for basic settings.
2. It is possible to assign one of the USER 1-3 for DIRECT VOL CTRL, which is very good. Unfortunately the "value" for the audio is not showed on the viewfinder, you can just see the meters and hear the volume, but it would be helpful to also see the audio "value" when the DIRECT VOL CTRL is pressed down. Another good thig would be if it's possible to make the same button to be able to change the headphone volume by holding it down for let's say 2 seconds and returning from that mode by pressing the same USER button again.
3. At the moment I have USER 3 assigned to activating SIX USER BUTTONS, but I'd prefer to have another function assigned to it and be able to go into the SIX USER BUTTONS mode via the control panel or have them automatically activated when in VIEW mode on the control panel.
4. The USER TOGGLE (USER 4) is assignable for ISO/GAIN, WB or SHUTTER. Since there's only one toggle switch (although they should've had one for all three functions) they should make it possible to switch the use of the toggle switch between them by either assigning one of USER 1-3 to that, or even better if the SYSTEM/CHK button could be made user assignable. Just like the EXPAND feature it should be able to be set to go back to a "base" position (also user assignable) after a couple of seconds, or to stay in the chosen mode until the button is pressed again. Let's say that WB is the base position, by pressing once at the SYSTEM/CHK would take you to ISO/GAIN, pressing once again would take you to SHUTTER and once again you're back to WB. If that is too much to ask, at least to be able to switch between WB and ISO/GAIN would be great. In the best of worlds you should be able to change frame rate the same way. Depending on which mode you're in, the colour of each value should either change to yellow (or something else) on the view finder, or start blinking like the audio meter does when in DIRECT VOL CTRL.
5. The USER 1-3 buttons can be assigned to perform VF SDI CLEAN, which is good. I wish that function would disable everything else but the image, the S.Q. F.A. isn't disabled when pressing VF SDI CLEAN.
6. When pressing MENU on the control panel, the USER 1-4 are disabled. I understand why in some circumstances, like if one of them is assigned for SIX USER BUTTONS (but that function shouldn't really be on USER 1-3, it should be on the control panel instead), but if not I think it would be good to for instance set sound level, press focus expand or change WB at the same time as someone is trying to change something else on the control panel (if you have an AC for instance). The only time the USER 1-3 should be disabled is when locked or when in the MENU or HOME and inside ISO/GAIN, WB, AUDIO or whatever is assigned to USER 1-4.
7. Since the camera needs to be rebooted every time a codec or resolution is changed (which is a shame but not horrible) it would be good to have a regret choice. Both wheels (on the side and on the control panel) are supposed to be pressed down when choosing a setting, the problem is that the wheel can turn while pressing it down. This can make you choose things you didn't intend to, or maybe you just changed your mind. Maybe you're in the middle of a shoot and want to change to a setting which lets you shoot HFR and then something happens and you change your mind. Then it would be great just to cancel the choice instead of choosing the setting you're already in again and rebooting.
I hope this wasn't too confusing. Maybe some of these issues are solved if you have the Panasonic viewfinder (which I don't) or the handle (which I'll hopefully buy soon) but I believe that it would make the camera much more easy operated for a one man crew if my suggestions for the USER 1-4 were implemented.
