GH4 [TUTORIAL] How to have more ISO Increment control

gh4_storyteller

Active member
I didn't figure this out until a few days ago, so I thought I would share with those that don't know.

Out of the box, the GH4 adjusts ISO in 1 EV Increments; meaning it doubles each time you increase the ISO. (200 to 400 to 800 etc.) Here's how you can get more increments:

1. You cannot do this in Manual Movie mode, you must switch to Manual PHOTO mode in order to adjust this setting.
2. Go into the Menu/Settings and enter the 'Rec' camera settings menu. (It's the little stills camera icon above the Motion Picture icon.)
3. Go to page 5 and adjust ISO increments from 1 EV to 1/3 EV.
4. Now you can go back into Manual Movie mode.

You're welcome! :)
 
I don't know if this info from Vincent Laforet applies to the GH4 like it does with the Canon MK III but it's interesting. Maybe someone for tech savvy knows.

"While shooting you will want to shoot at multiples of ISO 160 (only available if Highlight Tone Priority is disabled) or the closest available number (as 1250 is not a multiple of 160, but the closest there is to 1280). I recommend this is because the 5D mk II uses digital noise to step between ISO’s. Technically, the camera is native on the ISO’s that are multiples of 100. For the ISO’s in-between, the camera digitally pushes or pulls one of these native ISO’s. For instance, ISO 125 is really ISO 100 with a digital exposure push, and ISO 160 is really ISO 200 with a digital exposure pull. As a result, 160 and its multiples look the "cleanest" because its really a native ISO rating with the exposure pulled down, which hides more of the digital noise."
 
I don't know if this info from Vincent Laforet applies to the GH4 like it does with the Canon MK III but it's interesting. Maybe someone for tech savvy knows.

"While shooting you will want to shoot at multiples of ISO 160 (only available if Highlight Tone Priority is disabled) or the closest available number (as 1250 is not a multiple of 160, but the closest there is to 1280). I recommend this is because the 5D mk II uses digital noise to step between ISO’s. Technically, the camera is native on the ISO’s that are multiples of 100. For the ISO’s in-between, the camera digitally pushes or pulls one of these native ISO’s. For instance, ISO 125 is really ISO 100 with a digital exposure push, and ISO 160 is really ISO 200 with a digital exposure pull. As a result, 160 and its multiples look the "cleanest" because its really a native ISO rating with the exposure pulled down, which hides more of the digital noise."

This is true on some cinema cameras, however native ISO doesn't apply to the GH4. Gain is not only applied to the image after it has left the sensor, but also to the sensor voltage itself. So it's a matter of always shooting at as low of an ISO as possible.
 
This does not include iso100-iso160 for video which would be most helpful when using long shutter speeds in a sunny day. Noise is also quite a problem with GH4 so it would be nice to have iso100 and less noise.

Panasonic: FW request for iso100 for video. And please a decent stabilization for POWER OIS lenses via FW update. I dont like when friends are starting to ask if I have a Parkinsons decease with my camera.
 
Its just an observation, but I tend to find that sticking to 200, 400, 800, 1600 is less noisy than 'in between' ISOs. I could be wrong, but its something I've noticed.
 
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