Yeiks! I can't see!

C

canada John

Member
I just bought a GH4 because of its ability to use 35 mm lenses. I shoot natural history and was anxious for a camera that would allow me to use the long lenses I have. I'd looked for a purpose-built video camera first, but all had fixed lens with a maximum 600 mm (35mm equivalent) which is not enough for me. I've used Canon purpose-built video cameras in the past that could take 35 mm lenses and loved those camera.
The GH4 seemed a good part of the answer. I was particularly delighted by the "extended tele converter" function that would make these lenses even longer when used in the 1080 mode.
But alas, alas.
I went out into the bush today - a very cloudy day - to experiment, I thought, with mics and mic settings, but what did I find but a screen with such massive glare that I could barely make out what I was trying to shoot. And today as I say was very cloudy.
I can't see any way around this. I shoot on a tripod, and the way the camera sits on it makes using the eyepiece viewer impossible. I can only see using it if one was shooting hand held, and one seldom does that shooting natural history and certainly not with long lenses.
I suspect it's the infernal touch screen quality that has led to this glass-like reflective screen. (I've just compared it to a Canon I have and there is no comparison - no reflection and a clear image on the Canon, impossible glare on the GH4.)
Is there any chance I'm missing something here? Oh that Panasonic produced another screen. As it stands I don't think I'll be able to use this camera for the kind of outdoor work I do.
John
 
You can buy a Hoodman for a 4" LCD to cut the glare. Or buy a loupe. You may want to check the brightness settings of the LCD screen. Perhaps the "economy" mode is on which reduces the brightness of the screen.
 
Thanks for the reply but I think I'm screwed. I had set the brightness of the screen to maximum but it made no difference. The glare off the glass is just too much. If I was working in a studio I could see using a hood or loupe, but then in a studio I wouldn't need them would I. When I'm in the bush I'm invariable above the camera on its tripod and the screen is tilted up. So a hood, even if I could someow fit one on my 3 X 2 inch screen, would have light pouring into it. Plus the cage I purchased would only allow a hood of some kind if the screen was not tilted at all. I've just been scouring the internet looking to see if a small camera-mountable monitor exists primarily to solve this problem; that is one with a non-glare screen like on my Canon. No luck yet. But thanks again for the ideas.
 
canada John: Your solution is two fold. First, a folding seat/stool that gets you down behind the camera. Then a loupe, the following link is to the best all around solution.

http://www.photographyandcinema.com/collections/lcd-viewfinders/products/qv-1-m-lcd-view-finder

I have one of these, I have used the Hoodman Hoodloupe with Canon DSLRs in the past and find the QV-1M to be far superior and far more convenient to use. Another benefit is that the base of this one is compatible with Manfrotto 501/701 and other 501PL heads.

The diopter adjust was a bit stiff on mine but working it some loosened it up. FYI such a loupe would still be necessary outdoors even with Canon cameras. I had the 7D, T2i, T3i, and 60D and did a lot of outdoor video with them and while the LCD on them was a bit better than the GH4, trying to use the LCD outdoors in daylight without a loupe was still problematic.

You just have to find a way to get down behind the camera. The GH4 is a lot better than the GH3 even with a loupe.

One of your problems is that you are using "legacy" long lenses that likely have limited maximum apertures and will tend to be dim. Be sure you have CONSTANT PREVUE set to ON, and EXPO.METER set to ON. Then through the loupe you will be able to see some approximation of your exposure along with the exposure meter reading at the bottom of the screen.

Of course if you can get down behind the camera you can use the EVF which is a dramatic improvement over the GH3.

I hope this helps some.
 
Thanks for the thoughts. I mght have to change the way I film to use this camera, and that hood-loupe would likely be an answer. But how that would cramp my style. It would take me back to my 16 mm film days when I used an Arri S. It had one very dim eye-viewer. If I was filming at ground level I'd have to lie on my belly, chin on the ground to be able to see through it. How i have enjoyed since the mobility of standing above my camera and looking down, be it at a screen or an eye-viewer that tilted up. How I've enjoyed the speed at which I've been able to take shots and move the camera. Using the hood-loupe would also force me to jetison the cage I just bought. The support for this loupe would raise the height of the camera beyond what my new (and expensive) cage could take. Till then I'm going to see what the anti-glare film can do. just ordered some to see. (My long lenses are f2.8.)
 
Folks!

You know they make high-quality matte screen covers, right?

I have them on my iPads and a friend of mine put one on his IPS Lilliput 7-inch monitor and they are all perfect. You really don't lose any clarity at all at that awful glare is nearly gone.

Then put a hood of some type on it and it's even better.

Cheap too.
 
Thanks. I have ordered some of those anti-glare matte screen covers and am placing my hope on them. I found one bunch on Amazon then later a German brand made specifically for the GH4 on E-Bay (Dipos Eu brand)
 
canada John said:
Thanks for the thoughts. I mght have to change the way I film to use this camera, and that hood-loupe would likely be an answer. But how that would cramp my style. It would take me back to my 16 mm film days when I used an Arri S. It had one very dim eye-viewer. If I was filming at ground level I'd have to lie on my belly, chin on the ground to be able to see through it. How i have enjoyed since the mobility of standing above my camera and looking down, be it at a screen or an eye-viewer that tilted up. How I've enjoyed the speed at which I've been able to take shots and move the camera. Using the hood-loupe would also force me to jetison the cage I just bought. The support for this loupe would raise the height of the camera beyond what my new (and expensive) cage could take. Till then I'm going to see what the anti-glare film can do. just ordered some to see. (My long lenses are f2.8.)
Click to expand...

Another approach could be to use a loupe "briefly" as needed without it being attached. For instance: Camera low to the gound, LCD angled so you can get down to it but not necessarily lying with chin on ground. Loupe (Hoodman Hoodloupe with 3x eyepiece and on a neck lanyard) held gently against LCD as needed.

Matte film will not completely solve visual assessment problem, the best examples will offer protection to LCD screen surface and will alleviate SOME glare yet still allow touchscreen use. The remaining problem is still ambient light levels which will greatly impact on color and exposure judgement. A good loupe helps tremendously.

I have and use the Kamerar QV-1 M I linked to. I gave up on cages although one of mine will still allow the QV-1 base slid into a Manfrotto quick release adapter on the inside of the bottom plate. But I like to keep the GH4 compact and mobile. Much of the time I use a Hoodman loupe on a neck lanyard for when I can't get to the EVF.

But one way or another I have to SEE! And I make whatever adjustments I have to in order to allow me to SEE.

External monitor: You stand to damage the mini HDMI connection on the camera if your cage does not solidly brace and hold it in place. And external monitors will still suffer the same ambient light level problem on the screen surface. One that will likely work well (provided the cable at the camera is braced and locked) would be something like the Zacuto external EVF.

Good luck!

Oh, one other possible solution might be a Lumix GX7 body. No 4K but it does GH3 quality 1080p, takes all of the same lenses all m4/3 cameras do, and has an EVF that tilts up to 90deg vertical. I have one and enjoy the heck out of using it for both video and stills on the go.
 
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