Panasonic DMC-G3 Modes and Menus

Capture Modes: When powered on, the Panasonic G3 defaults to Record mode. The Exposure Mode dial on top of the camera sets the main shooting mode, with the following options:

  •  Program AE (with Shift): This mode places the camera in control of both aperture and shutter speed, while the user has access to all other menu functions. Once the camera's exposure system has been activated by half-pressing the shutter button, the user can shift the aperture value and shutter speed by rotating the Rear dial. (The overall exposure remains the same, but you can bias the camera towards using a larger or smaller aperture with a correspondingly faster/slower shutter speed.) When shooting movies, most functions are available, but the aperture and shutter speed both remain under automatic control, unless you enable the Flicker Reduction function, in which case you can manually select from one of four shutter speeds between 1/50th and 1/120th second. If not manually specified, the movie shutter speed varies from 1/30 to 1/16,000 second.
  •  Aperture Priority: Lets the user control the aperture setting while the camera selects the best shutter speed. (The aperture range varies with the lens in use.) When shooting movies, most functions are available, but the aperture and shutter speed both remain under automatic control, subject to the flicker reduction setting.
  •  Shutter Priority: The opposite of Aperture Priority, allows the user to set the shutter speed, from 1/4,000 to 60 seconds, while the camera selects the most appropriate aperture setting. When the flash is activated, the fastest shutter speed drops to 1/160th second. When shooting movies, most functions are available, but the aperture and shutter speed both remain under automatic control, subject to the flicker reduction setting.
  •  Manual: Provides complete user control over the exposure, including both aperture and shutter speed settings. A Bulb shutter setting also becomes available in this mode, allowing variable length exposures for as long as you hold down the shutter button, to a maximum exposure time of two minutes, just half as long as was possible with the G2. When shooting movies, most functions are available, but the aperture and shutter speed both remain under automatic control, subject to the flicker reduction setting.
  • Custom 1 (C1): Provides quick access to a single preconfigured shooting mode and corresponding settings, which has been stored ahead of time through the first option in the Custom menu.
  • Custom 2 (C2): Up to three further sets of shooting modes and settings can be stored, and are accessed quickly in this mode. By entering the Custom Mode menu, you select which set you want to use (2-1 thru 2-3) on the touch-screen panel.
  • Scene Mode: Adjusts camera settings (color rendering, flash mode, etc.) to optimize for different subject types: Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Architecture, Sports, Peripheral Defocus (uses wider apertures to blur backgrounds), Flower, Food, Objects, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Illuminations, Baby 1 / Baby 2 (which keep track of birthdays for two different children, so the Panasonic software can display the child's age along with the photo), Pet, Party, and Sunset.
  • Creative Control Mode: Lets you select from one of five presets which tweak the look of images by automatically adjusting variables such as color, saturation, contrast, brightness, and tone curve. The preview image shown on the LCD or electronic viewfinder will reflect the selected preset, allowing you to judge the effect before capture. Presets include Expressive, Retro, High Key, Sepia, and High Dynamic.

 

Intelligent Auto Button: Pressing the Panasonic G3's Intelligent Auto (iA) iA button toggles between activating iAuto mode, and returning to the operating mode selected on the Mode dial. It's possible to change the behavior to switch modes only with a longer press-and-hold of the button, if preferred. The outer ring of the iA button illuminates when the G3 is in iAuto mode, at which point the option selected on the Mode dial is overridden. (The iAuto button illumination will be disabled during image exposure or movie capture, however, to prevent possible reflections in the recorded scene.) iAuto mode places the camera entirely in control of most exposure variables, and when using autofocus, requires a focus lock before the shutter can be triggered. The camera automatically detects a subset of seven common scene types (or four types when recording movies), and falls back to a standard iAuto mode if an appropriate scene type isn't detected. In all cases, iAuto mode automatically adjusts settings appropriately. Other functions that are enabled in iAuto mode include auto white balance, face detection autofocus, red-eye removal, intelligent ISO sensitivity and dynamic range controls, long-shutter noise reduction, quick AF, AF assist lamp, shading and backlight compensations, and intelligent resolution.

The user can still access the defocus control function, enable or disable auto flash, select between single / continuous autofocus or manual focus modes, enable or disable autofocus tracking, enable burst shooting or exposure bracketing, enable the two or ten-second single-shot self timers, enable or disable image stabilization (normal mode ), and enable or disable face recognition. It is also possible to switch between standard color or standard black & white photo styles, enable or disable guide lines, histogram, and information overlays on the LCD display, change the aspect ratio, and select the still image quality and dimensions. When shooting movies, you can enable or disable continuous AF during movie capture, specify the quality, dimensions and compression, and disable or set the strength of the wind cut function.

You can also switch from the standard Intelligent Auto mode to Intelligent Auto Plus mode, through the menu system. The latter mode allows adjustment of exposure compensation and white balance, but not with the same range and step size as in other operating modes. The exposure compensation adjustment operates in +/-2/3EV steps, except for the final step which is +/-1/3 EV so as not to go outside the operating range of +/-3EV. The white balance adjustment, meanwhile, provides five arbitrary steps on a red or blue scale, on either side of the value chosen by the auto white balance system. In other respects, Intelligent Auto Plus mode is identical to the standard Intelligent Auto mode.

 

Movie Record Button: Pressing this dedicated movie record button will start and stop movie recording. Movies will be recorded using whatever mode is currently selected. This button can be enabled or disabled in some modes via a Custom Settings Menu setting. Confusingly, the Intelligent Auto mode provides only limited options on the Custom Settings menu, and the Movie button will retain whatever setting it had when it was last set. So users might find themselves in iA mode unable to trigger a movie when they want to, and also unable to find the option on the Custom Settings menu that would let them do so. (In fact, the camera will tell you to check the Custom Settings menu option for the Movie Record button, if you press it and it's disabled, but in iA mode, there's no way to turn it back on again.)

 

Playback Mode: The Playback button on the rear panel accesses Playback mode, where you can review captured images. The left and right arrow keys, as well as the up and down keys, scroll through the images on the card, or you can also scroll between images by dragging your finger horizontally across the surface of the touch-screen display. By rotating the rear dial, you can enlarge captured images up to 16x, or display them in index or calendar formats for quick viewing. When the image is zoomed, you can pan the viewport with the arrow keys, or by dragging on the touch-screen. Tapping once on the screen when viewing a full image will jump to a 2x zoom, but doesn't provide any way to zoom beyond this level, or to return to an unzoomed view.

 

 

Panasonic G3 Menus

Pressing the Menu button provides access to the camera's full menu system. The following options are available in most camera modes as menu tabs down the left side of the display. (Intelligent Auto mode greatly reduces the available options, to simplify camera operation.)  

Panasonic G3 Record Menu 1:

Record Menu 1 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Third-Level
Notes
Photo Style
- Standard
- Vivid
- Natural
- Monochrome
- Scenery
- Portrait
- Custom
- Contrast
- Sharpness
- Saturation
- Noise reduction
- Custom setting
All adjustments have a +/-2 step range. When set to Monochrome, the Saturation option adds a sepia tint to photos with a negative value, and a blue tint with a positive value. Custom setting option saves the selected values as the default for any preset except Custom. This is a duplicate of the Motion Picture menu option, so if it's changed in one menu, it will also change in the other.
Aspect Ratio
- 4:3
- 3:2
- 16:9
- 1:1
Selects the aspect ratio for still image shooting.
Picture Size
- L
- M
- S

Specifies the pixel dimensions of the pictures you will take. The dimensions vary depending on the aspect ratio, as follows.

4:3:
L - 4,592 x 3,448
M - 3,232 x 2,424
S - 2,272 x 1,704

3:2:
L -4,576 x 3,056
M - 3,232 x 2,160
S - 2,272 x 1,520

16:9:
L -4,576 x 2,576
M - 3,232 x 1,824
S - 1,920 x 1,080

1:1:
L - 3,424 x 3,424
M - 2,416 x 2,416
S - 1,712 x 1,712

Quality
- Fine
- Standard
- Raw & Fine JPEG
- Raw & Std JPEG
- Raw (no JPEG)
Specifies the compression level and type of files saved for each shot. It's nice that you're not restricted to lower-quality JPEGs when shooting Raw+ JPEG. Note, though, that Raw+JPEG shots are treated as a single image in-camera -- that is, you can't delete one type to free up card space without simultaneously deleting the other.
Face Recognition
- Off
- On
- Memory
- Set
Up to 6 faces can be registered, with name, priority and age. To enhance recognition accuracy, up to 3 separate photos can be registered for a single individual's face. For example, you can shoot from slightly different angles, to improve the chances of recognition.

 

Panasonic G3 Record Menu 2:

Record Menu 2 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Focus Mode
- AFS
- AFC
- MF
Selects between single-servo or continuous-servo autofocus, or manual focus.
Quick AF
- Off
- On
Quick AF increases focus speed at the expense of battery life, by adjusting focus continually, not just when the shutter button is half-pressed.
Metering Mode
- Multiple
- Center-weighted
- Spot
Selects the metering mode.
Flash
- Auto
- Auto w/red-eye reduction
- Forced
- Forced w/red-eye reduction
- Slow Sync.
- Slow Sync. w/red-eye reduction
Selects the flash mode.
Red-Eye Removal
- Off
- On
If this option is enabled and the flash is in any of the red-eye reduction modes, the camera will examine each image after capture, and process them to remove any red-eye that it finds.

 

Panasonic G3 Record Menu 3:

Record Menu 3 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Flash Synchro
- 1st
- 2nd
Select either first or second shutter curtain sync. (Use second-curtain sync for motion trails that follow your subjects, rather than lead them, when shooting with slow shutter speeds.)
Flash Adjust
- +/-2 EV in 1/3 EV steps
Adjusts flash power higher or lower. Note that this adjustment is independent of the ambient exposure compensation, accessed via the rear dial, so you can adjust flash and ambient exposure independently.
I.Resolution
- Off
- Low
- Standard
- High
- Extended
Intelligent Resolution mode is a form of localized sharpening, which applies different levels of sharpening to outlines, texture and gradation within a single image. This menu option varies the amount of the effect applied to your photos. The Extended option reduces burst shooting speed, and is replaced by the Low option for movie recording. I.Resolution is always enabled in iA mode, and the amount is adjusted automatically.
I.Dynamic
- Off
- Low
- Standard
- High
Intelligent Dynamic-Range Control mode is a form of localized contrast adjustment. This menu option varies the amount of the effect applied to your photos. Depending on the lighting conditions, the G3 may automatically disable I.Dynamic, regardless of the chosen setting. A yellow on-screen icon indicates that the effect is active. I.Dynamic is always enabled in iA mode, and the amount is adjusted automatically.
ISO Limit Set
- Off
- 200
- 400
- 800
- 1,600
- 3,200
Sets maximum ISO sensitivity limit when using Auto or Intelligent ISO, or can be set to Off. When set to Off, both Auto ISO and Intelligent ISO are limited to 800 by default. It isn't possible to set a limit for movie recording.

 

Panasonic G3 Record Menu 4:

Record Menu 4 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
ISO Increments
- 1/3 EV
- 1 EV
Default is 1 EV steps in ISO adjustment, but 1/3 EV steps can be handy for maintaining a specific shutter/aperture speed combination.
Long Shutter NR
- On
- Off
If enabled, the camera will shoot a "dark frame" for noise subtraction on long exposures. This doubles the time for each shot for long exposures, but reduces image noise.
Shading Compensation
- Off
- On
Corrects for vignetting in the corners of images, if available with the currently-attached lens. The camera may automatically disable this function, depending on the recording conditions. When active, this may increase noise levels in the corrected areas. Not available for movie capture, still images shot during movie capture, or if the burst rate is set to SH.
Extended Tele Conversion
- On
- Off
Only available when shooting at less than maximum image size. If the lens' zoom ring is rotated beyond the point of maximum optical zoom, the G3 crops a portion from the center of the image, with the maximum Extended Tele Conversion position simply cropping the actual image dimensions from the center of the sensor data. The effect is similar to a traditional digital zoom, except that the image isn't interpolated to match the resolution of an uncropped image.
Digital Zoom
- Off
- 2X
- 4X
Adds a fixed digital magnification of 2x or 4x, by interpolating the missing data. As with all digital zooms, this will lead to softer images and can cause untoward artifacts.

 

Panasonic G3 Record Menu 5:

Record Menu 5 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Third-Level
Notes
Burst Rate
- SH
- H
- M
- L
Super High, High, Medium, or Low speed burst rate. Super High speed is manufacturer-rated at 20 frames/second, High speed at 4 frames/second, Medium speed at 3 frames/second, and Low speed at 2 frames/second. Live View is not available in Super High or High modes. It isn't possible to save raw files in Super High mode, and JPEG depth is limited to 40 frames. In other modes, burst depth is 4 to 7 frames with raw files, and limited only by available memory / battery life in JPEG mode, assuming your card is fast enough.
Auto Bracket
- Single / Burst
- Single
- Burst
The Step option lets you shoot groups of 3, 5 or 7 pictures, with user selectable EV steps of either 1/3, 2/3, or 1 EV between shots. The sequence of the bracketed shots (nominal / under / over, or under / nominal / over) can also be set by the user.
- Step
- 3, 1/3
- 3, 2/3
- 3, 1
- 5, 1/3
- 5, 2/3
- 5, 1
- 7, 1/3
- 7, 2/3
- 7, 1
- Sequence
- 0/-/+
- -/0/+
Self Timer
- 10 Seconds
- 10 Seconds/3 shots
- 2 Seconds
Configures the Self Timer mode. The 10 second/3 pic mode shoots a sequence of 3 shots after an initial 10-second delay, with a couple of seconds between shots in the sequence. (Handy for making sure nobody blinked/everyone was smiling.) The 2-second delay is handy if you're using a lightweight tripod, or want to just rest your camera on a table, convenient rock, etc. to take the shot.
Color Space
- sRGB
- Adobe RGB
Select the color space for images to be recorded in. sRGB matches the gamut of most PC displays, while Adobe RGB has a wider gamut suitable for printing.
Stabilizer
- Off
- Normal mode
- Panning mode
This menu only appears if a Panasonic image-stabilized lens is attached to the G3. Normal mode stabilizes both horizontal and vertical shake, while Panning mode stabilizes only vertical shake. Note that not all Panasonic's Micro Four Thirds lenses are stabilized. Current models lacking stabilization are the 7-14mm zoom, 8mm fisheye, 14mm prime, 20mm prime, 25mm Leica-branded prime, and 12.5mm 3D lens.

 

 

Panasonic G3 Motion Picture Menu 1:

Motion Picture Menu 1 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Third-Level
Notes
Photo Style
- Standard
- Vivid
- Natural
- Monochrome
- Scenery
- Portrait
- Custom
- Contrast
- Sharpness
- Saturation
- Noise reduction
- Custom setting
All adjustments have a +/-2 step range. When set to Monochrome, the Saturation option adds a sepia tint to photos with a negative value, and a blue tint with a positive value. Custom setting option saves the selected values as the default for any preset except Custom. This is a duplicate of the Motion Picture menu option, so if it's changed in one menu, it will also change in the other.
Record Mode
- AVCHD
- Motion JPEG
Selects the video file format, either the more space-efficient AVCHD or the more broadly compatible Motion JPEG.
Record Quality
AVCHD Mode (60i from 30 fps sensor output):
- FSH
(1,920 x 1,080, 17 Mbps)
- SH
(1,280 x 720, 17 Mbps)
Specifies the video file quality (compression level). The options available vary depending on whether AVCHD or Motion JPEG is selected for the recording mode.
Motion JPEG Mode (30 fps):
- HD
(1,280 x 720)
- VGA
(640 x 480)
- QVGA
(320 x 240)
Focus Mode
- AFS
- AFC
- MF
Selects between single-servo or continuous-servo autofocus, or manual focus.
Picture Mode
- Motion Picture priority
- Still Picture priority
In Motion Picture priority mode, still image capture doesn't interrupt movie recording, and up to 30 frames can be captured during a movie clip, but the image size / compression is fixed at 1,920 x 1,080 pixels in JPEG mode. For Still Picture priority mode, you can use any image size / compression you wish, but the movie picture and audio will be interrupted during capture, and you're limited to eight still frames per movie clip.

 

Panasonic G3 Motion Picture Menu 2:

Motion Picture Menu 2 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Continuous AF
- Off
- On
Selects whether focus should be fixed from the first frame of the movie, or continuously adjusted during movie recording, which brings the possibility of noise from the focusing system being picked up by the G3's microphone.
Metering Mode
- Multi-pattern
- Center-Weighted
- Spot
Selects the metering mode to use for movie capture.
I. Dynamic
- Off
- Low
- Standard
- High
Selects whether to use (and if so, at what strength) the Intelligent Dynamic-Range Control when recording movies. See still image equivalent in Record Menu 3 for further information.
Extended Tele Conversion
- On
- Off
Sets the amount of Extended Tele Conversion when recording movies. See still image equivalent in Record Menu 4 for further information.
Digital Zoom
- Off
- 2x
- 4x
Sets the amount of digital zoom when recording movies (w/lower image quality).

 

Panasonic G3 Motion Picture Menu 3:

Motion Picture Menu 3 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Wind Cut
- Off
- Low
- Standard
- High
Selects the microphone wind filter setting.
Mic Level Display
- Off
- On
If enabled, microphone levels are shown at all times in the bottom left corner of the screen, with a separate indication for the left and right channels. Each channel has an eight-level indication, with the last two levels indicated in red as a clipping warning.
Mic Level Adjust
- Level 1
- Level 2
- Level 3
- Level 4
Allows manual adjustment of microphone levels in four steps. A larger version of the two-channel levels display mentioned in the previous item is shown above the adjustment control.
Flicker Reduction
- Off
- 1/50
- 1/60
- 1/100
- 1/120
When enabled, fixes the shutter speed at one of four possible rates to avoid flicker. Can also be used as a manual shutter speed control, albeit one rather limited in scope and granularity.

 

Panasonic G3 Custom Menu 1:

Custom Menu 1 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Third-Level
Notes
Cust. Set Mem.
- C1
- C2-1
- C2-2
- C2-3
You can maintain up to four separate custom shooting profiles, saving most of the settings on the camera. They can then be quickly accessed via the C1 and C2 options on the mode dial. The former provides instant access to the C1 settings group, and the latter allows you to select between the remaining three settings groups.
Disp. / Fn1
- Disp.
- Fn1
 
Selects whether the Disp. / Fn1 button should serve as a Display button, or as Function button 1.
Q.Menu / Fn2
- Q. Menu
- Fn2
 
Selects whether the Q.Menu / Fn2 button should serve as a Quick Menu button, or as Function button 2.
Fn Button Set
- Fn1
- Fn2
- AF/AE lock
- Preview
- Photo style
- Focus area set
- Focus mode
- Aspect ratio
- Quality
- Metering mode
- Flash
- Flash adjust.
- ISO limit set
- Ex. tele conv.
- Burst rate
- Auto bracket
- Shutter AF
- Guide Line
- Picture / Motion Picture Record Area
Selects what the Fn1 and Fn2 buttons does. (If enabled; by defailt Fn1 button serves as the Display button, and Fn2 as the Quick Menu button.)
Histogram
- Off
- On
 
Display live histogram in Record Mode. You can position the histogram display anywhere within a horizontal band covering about 70% of the display area. (Histogram can't overlap with shooting information overlay areas at top and bottom.)

 

Panasonic G3 Custom Menu 2:

Custom Menu 2 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Guide Line
- Off
- Grid
- Grid + Star
- Positionable horiz/vertical lines
Select grid overlay pattern. The fourth option lets you position single horizontal and vertical lines anywhere in the frame you want.
Highlight
- Off
- On
If on, any blown highlight areas will blink when the image is auto-reviewed on the LCD screen or electronic viewfinder.
Expo. Meter
- Off
- On
Selects where or not the exposure meter should be shown when correcting exposure, performing program shift, or setting the aperture or shutter speed. If set on and information display is active, the meter will be shown for four seconds after each change, with areas of the range that will result in poor exposures marked in red.
AF/AE Lock
- AE
- AF
- AF/AE
Controls the AF/AE lock button's function. When pressed, lock the Auto exposure, Auto Focus or both.
AF/AE Lock Hold
- Off
- On
Normally, the AF/AE Lock button locks exposure/focus only while you're holding it down. With this option selected, pressing the AF/AE Lock button toggles the lock. (That is, once it's been pressed, the lock remains in effect until you press it again to release it.)

Panasonic G3 Custom Menu 3:

Custom Menu 3 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Direct Focus Area
- Off
- On
When enabled, lets you modify the position and size of the AF area while shooting in all except tracking AF mode. Arrow keys move the AF area around, control dial adjusts the size if applicable.
Focus Priority
- Off
- On
When enabled, the camera will only open the shutter when the subject is in focus. Does not apply to movie recording.
Shutter AF
- Off
- On
Enables or disables autofocusing when the shutter button is half-pressed.
AF Assist Lamp
- Off
- On
When enabled, AF assist light will illuminate when shooting in dim lighting.
AF + MF
- Off
- On
Allows manual focus adjustment after autofocus is done.

 

Panasonic G3 Custom Menu 4:

Custom Menu 4 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
MF Assist
- Off
- On
Enables automatic zoom of the viewfinder image whenever the manual focus ring is moved. Zoom is selectable between 4x, 5x or 10x, by rotating rear dial or pressing an on-screen icon. The 4x zoom is shown as a small window inside an overall view of the framed scene; the higher zoom levels are shown fullscreen.
MF Guide
- Off
- On
Enables an on-screen gauge showing the approximate focus position compared to the available focus range. Doesn't show an actual focus distance value.
LVF Disp. Style
- Viewfinder style
- LCD monitor style
Viewfinder style shrinks the live preview display and puts the shooting information at the bottom, LCD monitor style lets the live preview cover the full area of the screen, and overlays the shooting information over the image.
LCD Disp. Style
- Viewfinder style
- LCD monitor style
Functions identically to the previous item, but for the LCD display rather than the electronic viewfinder.
iA Button Switch
- Single Press
- Press and Hold
Determines whether the iA button will switch the camera to Intelligent Auto mode with a single press, or whether it must be held in briefly to switch mode.

 

Panasonic G3 Custom Menu 5:

Custom Menu 5 Options      
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Third-Level
Notes
Motion Picture Button
- Off
- On
Enables/disables the Motion Picture Button.
Picture / Motion Picture Record Area
- Picture
- Motion Picture
Crops the viewfinder display to either 4:3 (Picture) or 16:9 (Motion Picture) aspect ratio, apparently as a guide for images that will be displayed on different-format output devices.
Remaining Display
- Remaining Shots
- Remaining Time
Selects between displaying number of still image frames and minutes of movie recording left.
Play On LCD
- Off
- On
If enabled, automatically switches to the LCD display if using the EVF, and playback mode is initiated.
Touch Settings
- Touch Q.Menu
- Defocus Control
- Touch Shutter
- Touch Disp.
- Touch AF
- Off
- On
Enables or disables touchscreen access to the quick menu, defocus control, shutter release, display, and autofocus functions.

 

Panasonic G3 Custom Menu 6:

Custom Menu 6 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Touch Guide
- Off
- On
Determines whether the touch panel Guide Screen should be shown in playback mode.
Touch Scroll
- H (High speed)
- L (Low speed)
Selects the speed at which the G3 should scroll through pictures in playback mode, if you swipe your finger across the display and then hold it still near the edge of the screen.
Dial Guide
- Off
- On
When enabled, the camera momentarily displays an icon telling you to push the rear dial to switch between exposure settings.
Menu Resume
- Off
- On
If set on, the camera will remember the last menu screen you were using, even if the camera is turned off.
Pixel Refresh
Start Processing?
- Yes
- No
Maps-out bad sensor pixels. Panasonic recommends doing this when stuck / hot pixels are noticed, and power-cycling the camera once the function has completed.

 

Panasonic G3 Custom Menu 7:

Custom Menu 7 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Sensor Cleaning
Start Processing?
- Yes
- No
Performs dust reduction function (also done at each startup).
Shoot w/o Lens
- Off
- On
If set on, you can activate the shutter button without a lens mounted. Allows use of accessories such as lens mount adaptors which have no electrical connections (and hence can't be detected when attached to the camera).

 

 

Panasonic G3 Setup Menu 1:

Setup Menu 1 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Third-Level
Notes
Clock Set

- Date & Time
Sets camera's time, date, display sequence, and clock style (24-hour or AM/PM)
- Style

- Date format
- Time format

World Time
- Destination
- Home
- Time zone selection display
Lets you quickly switch time/date between two locations, "Home" and "Destination". If not already set, prompts you to choose your home time zone first.
Travel Date
- Travel Setup
- Off
- Set
You can set Arrival and Departure dates, as well as 30-character alphanumeric location including common punctuation marks. Travel info is added to the EXIF header of your photos.
- Location
- Off
- Set
Beep
- Beep Volume
- E-Shutter Volume
- Muted
- Low
- High
Sets the beep volume for the focus confirmation, self-timer and the alarm.
Volume
- 0 to 6
Adjusts the volume of the speakers.

 

Panasonic G3 Setup Menu 2:

Setup Menu 2 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Third-Level
Notes
Monitor / Viewfinder
- Brightness
- Contrast / Saturation
- Red Tint
- Blue Tint
Adjusts LCD when LCD in use, viewfinder when EVF is in use.
LCD Mode
- A* (Auto Power LCD)
- 1* (Mode 1)
- 2* (Mode 2)
- 3* (Mode 3)
Enables auto brightness adjustment of LCD screen in response to bright surroundings. Alternatively the "1*" option increases brightness all the time (although it will reduce power after 30 seconds of inactivity to save battery life), the "2* option uses standard brightness, and the "3*" option uses reduced brightness.
Economy
- Sleep Mode
- Off
- 1 Min
- 2 Min
- 5 Min
- 10 Min
Turns camera and/or LCD monitor off after a specified period of inactivity.
- Auto LCD Off
- Off
- 15 Sec
- 30 Sec
Auto Review
- Off
- 1 Sec
- 3 Sec
- 5 Sec
- Hold
Selects the time that an image is displayed on the LCD monitor after the picture is taken.
USB Mode
- Select on connection
- PictBridge (PTP)
- PC
Selects how the camera connects with your computer or printer. Set to always appear as a storage-class device (PC) or as a PictBridge controller, or to select each time the camera is connected.

 

Panasonic G3 Setup Menu 3:

Setup Menu 3 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Video Out
- NTSC
- PAL
Matches North American or European video output standards (this option isn't present on North American-market cameras).
TV Aspect
- 16:9
- 4:3
Matches the video output's aspect ratio to that of your TV.
HDMI Mode
- Auto
- 1080i
- 720p
- 576p / 480p
Selects the HD video output format. 576p is only available when set to PAL mode, and 480p only when set to NTSC mode for video out.
Viera Link
- Off
- On
When enabled, the G3 can be controlled by other Panasonic Viera home electronics (TVs, projectors, home theater systems) to which it is connected via its HDMI link. Not all operations are possible via remote control, and use of the camera's buttons is limited while Viera Link is active. (Some other brands of HDTV may also be able to control the camera, but control may not be as extensive as with Panasonic Viera models.)
3D Playback
- 3D
- 2D
Selects whether 3D images should be output for viewing on compatible 3D TVs, or in 2D mode.
Scene Menu
- Off
- Auto
Chooses whether or not the sub-option menu automatically appears when the camera is switched into one of its scene modes. (This option appears at the top of page 4 in markets where there's a Video Out option)

 

Panasonic G3 Setup Menu 4:

Setup Menu 4 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Calibration
To calibrate LCD touch response, touch the marked position with the stylus pen.
Allows the touch panel to be recalibrated, useful if it doesn't respond, or if the touch detection seems inaccurate.
Language

- English
- German
- French
- Spanish
- Italian
- Russian
- Chinese (Simplified)
- Chinese (Traditional)
- Polish
- Czech
- Turkish
- Dutch
- Korean
- Thai
- Portuguese
- Arabic
- Persian
- Finnish
- Danish
- Swedish
- Greek
- Japanese

Select the menu language. (Precise selection of languages may vary by market.)
Version Disp.
- Body Firmware
- Lens Firmware
Displays the version of firmware in the body and lens.
No. Reset

Reset file no. in the camera?

- Yes
- No

Resets the file numbering.
Reset
Reset Rec. Settings?
- Yes
- No

Reset Setup / Custom Parameters?
- Yes
- No
Resets most menu options back to their default settings. You have the option to reset either or both the Record settings (including face recognition) and Setup / Custom settings. (This option appears at the top of page 5 in markets where there's a Video Out option)

 

Panasonic G3 Setup Menu 5:

Setup Menu 5 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Format

Delete all data from the memory card?

- Yes
- No

Formats the memory card.

 

Panasonic G3 Playback Menu 1:

Playback Menu 1 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Slide Show
- All
- Picture Only
- Video Only
- 3D
- Category Selection
Controls the slide show. Six fade effects are available: Natural, Slow, Swing, Urban, Off, and Auto. You can specify duration, repeat, and sound. Duration control is only available when the Fade Effects are off, and ranges from 1 to 5 seconds. Category selection allows playback of images only from one specific category - Face Recognition, Portraits (including Baby), Scenery (including Sunset), Night, Sports / Party, Baby, Pet, Food, Travel Date, and Burst Shooting. Sound options are Off, Auto, Music, or Audio.
Playback Mode
- Normal Play
- Picture Play
- AVCHD Play
- Motion JPEG Play
- 3D Play
- Category Play
- Favorite Play
Selects the playback mode. Only the selected types of images/movies will be visible when playing images back. Normal play displays all image types. Category play is described in the previous menu item.
Title Edit
- Single
- Multi
- Single in Burst Group
- Multi in Burst Group
Add text comments to pictures. The text comments appear in playback mode, overlaid over the image. The text does not alter the original image, but is tagged in the EXIF header. Face recognition, Baby, Pet or Travel date info can be automatically entered - but not simultaneously in one image. Images recorded with other devices, as well as Protected, Raw, Raw+JPEG, or movie files cannot be tagged. Since burst images are automatically tagged together, the last two options allow you to tag a single or multiple frames from a burst.
Text Stamp
- Single
- Multi
- Single in Burst Group
- Multi in Burst Group
You can stamp the recording date, date+time, name, location, travel date and / or title onto photos. A new small-size image is saved with the stamped information embedded in it. Since burst images are automatically stamped together, the last two options allow you to stamp a single or multiple frames from a burst.
Video Divide
Divide this movie file?
- Yes
- No
Allows movies to be split into two separate files at a user-selected point. If you want to keep only a portion from the middle of a video, this can be achieved by splitting it twice, and then deleting the first and last portions, for example.

 

Panasonic G3 Playback Menu 2:

Playback Menu 2 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Resize
- Single
- Multi
Allows you to resize your pictures. (Only resizes down to smaller sizes.)
Cropping
- Single
- Single in Burst Group
Lets you crop pictures by zooming in until you have the framing you want, then pressing the shutter button. Raw files, and those with attached audio or text stamps cannot be trimmed, and face recognition information is lost in the trimmed image. Only provides for about a 2x zoom, regardless of image resolution, but you can zoom & trim multiple times. (No limit on number of times you can zoom and trim.) Since burst images are automatically cropped together, the last option allows you to crop a single frame from a burst.
Aspect Conv.
- Single
- Single in Burst Group
Lets you change the aspect ratio of images captured as 16:9 ratio to one of the other available ratios -- 3:2, 4:3, or 1:1. Raw files, and those with attached audio or text stamps cannot be converted, and face recognition information is lost in the converted image. Curiously, you also can't convert the aspect ratio of images initially captured at ratios other than 16:9. Since burst images are automatically converted together, the last option allows you to convert a single frame from a burst.
Rotate
- Clockwise
- Counter-clockwise
Allows you to manually rotate the selected picture.
Rotate Disp.
- On
- Off
When enabled, if a picture was shot with the camera held vertically, it will be displayed on the LCD or EVF vertically. (NOTE that the G3 always tags portrait-format files in the EXIF header, this menu option just controls how they're displayed by the camera.)

 

Panasonic G3 Playback Menu 3:

Playback Menu 3 Options
Top-Level
Selection
Second-Level
Notes
Favorite
- Single
- Multi
- Single in Burst Group
- Multi in Burst Group
In Favorite mode, you can mark images as your "Favorites", and then choose to show only those images in slide shows and/or Playback mode. The Menu / Set button marks/unmarks favorites, while the left / right arrows switch between images. Up to 999 favorite images can be selected, and curiously Raw images can't be selected as favorites. Since burst images are automatically selected together, the last two options allow you to select a single or multiple frames from a burst.
Print Set
- Single
- Multi
- Single in Burst Group
- Multi in Burst Group
Controls DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) orders. You can select which photos to print, how many, and whether a date stamp is added. Since burst images are automatically selected together, the last two options allow you to select a single or multiple frames from a burst.
Protect
- Single
- Multi
- Single in Burst Group
- Multi in Burst Group
- Cancel
Protect pictures that you do not want deleted. (Note though, that they aren't protected against memory card reformatting.) Since burst images are automatically selected together, the last two options allow you to select a single or multiple frames from a burst.
Face Rec Edit
- Replace
- Delete
All face recognition info for the selected image can be cleared, or tagged with a different individual. Images which didn't have face recognition data recorded at capture time cannot be tagged.

 

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