Those who know how to best control their tools always have the best outcome. Choosing how to properly expose a frame is not an easy task without help. This is where shoot assist tools come in. They tell you everything you need to know to make your shot as technically correct as possible. You just need to know what each tool does and how they work. This article will guide you through them all.
Exposure tools
Zebras
Zebras are an easy tool to read. They tell you when you get to a predetermined exposure. When set to 100%, zebras show up in all overexposed areas of your image. All LUMIX cameras have zebras built in. The threshold can be set on the high-end LUMIX line-up such as S5 and S1H.
Histogram
A histogram judges the luma in a shot. It also indicates where the shadows, mid tones and highlights of the image are distributed. The left-hand side of the histogram represents pure black, the right side represents pure white and the greyscale moves from darker to brighter as you move left to right. The height of the graph shows how much of your shot resides at particular luminance levels. LUMIX cameras have a built-in Histogram
Luminance spot meter
A luminance spot meter shows the exposure of a small area in the frame. Shown in IRE, or stops, when recording in Log, a spot meter makes getting proper exposure when shooting log gamma much easier. You can move the small area around in the frame to test the exposure of different areas so you can make the best exposure choices.
Shutter angle
Shutter Angle means you set it and forget it… even when you change frame rates. Say you are shooting at 1/120 shutter speed while shooting in 60 frames per second (fps) to slow it down for a cinematic 2.5x slow motion in 24 fps. But then you want to go back to shooting normal 24fps. You would need to figure out what the shutter speed should be at that different frame rate. But with shutter angle, if set at 180 degrees (the equivalent of 1/120th shutter speed in 60fps), then regardless of framerate, you wont need to change the shutter angle. LUMIX cameras like the S1H and S5 have the ability to use shutter speed or shuttle angle.
Framing and focus tools
Focus assist
Shooting with a limited depth of field requires a sharp eye. However, with the help of focus assist, the area that is in focus is outlined by a color of your choosing. This allows you to shoot with the confidence that what you want to be in focus is in focus. All of the LUMIXmirrorless cameras offer focus assist.
Frame guides
Frame guides are there to help a shooter’s composition. There can be many different aspect ratios, from the classic title and action safe margins to giving guides for a center cut out area for a many different applications. LUMIX cameras like the S5 have a slew of frame guide options for shooting normal 16×9 or even for vertical video with 9×16 guides.
Log and anamorphic tools
View assists LUTs
A LUT view assist will allow for previewing what a shot will look like with a lut applied. This is especially helpful when the same LUT is used for preview while shooting and then applied in post. The LUMIX S5, S1H, BGH1 and GH5 allows for LUT preview while shooting in V-Log/V-Log L.
Anamorphic function
When using anamorphic lenses, the image is squeezed and projected onto the sensor giving a wider field of view once you desqueeze the image in post. This squeeze ratio depends on the lens, 1.33x, 1.8x and 2x are the most common ratios of squeeze with 2x being the most popular.
If you use a 2x squeeze lens on a 16:9 (1.78:1) sensor, when you desqueeze the image in post you will have an excessively wide 3.56:1 image. You will need to crop much of your image to get to the final desired 2.40:1 cinemascope look.
Cameras like the GH5, S5 and S1H offer 4:3 ratio video that can give you a 2.66:1 final ratio with a 2x lens. this can be delivered as is or with a minor crop to give you the 2.40:1 “Scope” look.
Because the lens squeezes the image before it is captured, it looks very tall and skinny on your monitor or viewfinder., to preview the shot as intended it will need to be desqueezed. The GH5S and S5 will allow for preview of a squeezed image, so all portions are corrected from anamorphic shooting.
Shot perfected
Now that you have read this article, you should know all the tools that can take your next shot to the next level. Don’t struggle, make sure you use the right shot assist tools when you capture so you can shoot with confidence. Click the link to learn more about LUMIX or any of their cameras.
