Panning with micro 4/3

[goinggreynow]

Morning all. Long time Canon user - my goto kit for motorsport is an 80d with a 70-300L mounted. Have been using the L for several years on different Canon bodies and concentrate mainly on panning shots.
Have recently acquired a Panasonic G80 and would like to give it a go the next time I am at Silverstone. Even though I have read numerous posts (multiple forums) about the differences/difficulities in panning EVF v OVF, I'm wondering if any fellow TP members can offer any first hand experience of what I'm up against and any tips for making the EVF work - particulary when slow panning. I guess my main concern is EVF "black out" and how to continue tracking the cars moving across my field of view.
I did read one suggestion about filming in 4k and then "lifting" still frames from the footage, but that really isn't what I want to do. Also, i often shoot 1/30 and slower which isn't going to play nicely with video "shutter speeds".
Many thanks.

 

[Nawty]

@damianmkv is probably best placed to answer this (albeit from an Olympus not Panasonic viewpoint).

 

[damianmkv]

The EVF black out is definitely an issue as you can lose sight of the cars, i've set mine to the quickest refresh rate possible which helped a little but its still there. I generally don't have many issues, its more focus lock for me with low contrast shots than blackouts that cause a problem. Also, with me i shoot handheld so 1/30s will be an issue - i think 1/50 and quicker is my limit.

My technique hasn't changed since i shot Nikon - i pre-focus and pick my moment. Yes, its a different experience but not as bad as the internet will have you believe

I think @srhmoto is a Panny user and gets great results so may be more assistance ?

 

[srhmoto]

I shoot in exactly the same way as @damianmkv describes above for motorsport - I pre-focus and pick my moment. I do use the focus peaking function though to see when my subject has entered the plane of focus in the EVF, particularly useful for 3/4 or head on shots. I have to say that I've never found the Panasonic EVFs a problem in terms of motorsport use. As I've said, I very, very rarely use AF-C and either take single shots or use a medium burst setting. All these help to minimize viewfinder blackout. Here's a couple of examples taken below 1/15s

Flat Out by Simon Harrison, on Flickr

Jack Frost Stages Rally by Simon Harrison, on Flickr

And a less extreme shutter speed

2016 Battle of Britain Meeting by Simon Harrison, on Flickr

I wouldn't use the 4K photo feature for a slow shutter speed pan. Even if you could sort the shutter speed out, I think you'd get rolling shutter effects. I'd also make sure you invest in some good screw on ND filters. I would strongly advise stopping any m4/3 lens down beyond f8 to f11 if you can at all avoid it. They fall off a cliff with respect to diffraction if you stop down much lower than this.

I use a GX8, but I can't imagine your G80 would require handling in a different way.

Cheers,

Simon.

 

[ukaskew]

Single shot, single shot, single shot! I've always preached this over shot-gunning (even with a DSLR), you learn so much more and it really smooths the pan out, crucial if you're shooting at silly shutter speeds. As per above I've also found AF-S better than AF-C.

I used M4/3 gear back before it was particularly good for these sorts of things and I found it to be perfectly fine. Even when shooting with a DSLR I don't think I ever actively track with my eye through the viewfinder once I've picked the car up as such (I appreciate that sounds odd), more so just a natural 'swing' based on the speed of the car based on many years of practice.

Not shot-gunning and picking your moments also means you can adapt to difficult situations quite easily, as the approach still works. This was 6 years ago with the Panasonic G3...

Silverstone Britcar 24hr 2011 by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

Presumably newer M4/3 models are at least as good as previous gen Fuji's in this respect (I suspect better, the previous Fuji's are fairly laggy), and with those I'm pretty much finding no difference vs a decent DSLR...

1/10th...

One Tenth by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

1/60th in challenging conditions...

Silverstone 24hr by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

 

[The Image Team]

I've just switched to XT-2s so have been getting to grips with EVF blackout too.

I've found that the best thing to do is go for rapid fire. I understand what @ukaskew is saying about picking your moment but I don't have the luxury of not getting the shot, I have to get one in focus!

I'll give it a short 4-6 shot burst and as the EVF quickly displays between the shots I can just check that I am keeping on track with the car as I pan. I tend to find that shots 3 and 6-7-8 of an 8 shot burst are in focus so I pick the best of them.

I've only shot motorsport with the Fuji once, and that was the loaner that I borrowed to test drive before ordering but this photo, taken using that method at 1/60 was shot in the first 40 minutes of having the camera in my hands. The real struggle I had was slowing myself down, I was used to doing the panning with a 1d and heavy L glass, the fuji is a feather compared to Canon.

HARD Running by Nicholas Smith, on Flickr

 

[goinggreynow]

Many thanks for all replies. Very much appreciated. The comments re pre-focusing are very relevant to me as I will be using an adapted 70-210 Minolta MD lens & shooting full manual.

I shoot in exactly the same way as @damianmkv describes above for motorsport - I pre-focus and pick my moment. I do use the focus peaking function though to see when my subject has entered the plane of focus in the EVF, particularly useful for 3/4 or head on shots. I have to say that I've never found the Panasonic EVFs a problem in terms of motorsport use. As I've said, I very, very rarely use AF-C and either take single shots or use a medium burst setting. All these help to minimize viewfinder blackout. Here's a couple of examples taken below 1/15s

I wouldn't use the 4K photo feature for a slow shutter speed pan. Even if you could sort the shutter speed out, I think you'd get rolling shutter effects. I'd also make sure you invest in some good screw on ND filters. I would strongly advise stopping any m4/3 lens down beyond f8 to f11 if you can at all avoid it. They fall off a cliff with respect to diffraction if you stop down much lower than this.

I use a GX8, but I can't imagine your G80 would require handling in a different way.

Cheers,

Simon.

Thanks for this and also the advice re ND filters. For several years now, I've been using a 3 stop ND on my 70-300L but given the slow shutter speeds, this still leaves me normally around F8-11 and sometimes a fraction higher. Although I hadn't really planned to use 4K video or 4k photo, you've reminded me that these use electronic shutter which I know isn't ideal.

Single shot, single shot, single shot! I've always preached this over shot-gunning (even with a DSLR), you learn so much more and it really smooths the pan out, crucial if you're shooting at silly shutter speeds. As per above I've also found AF-S better than AF-C.

I used M4/3 gear back before it was particularly good for these sorts of things and I found it to be perfectly fine. Even when shooting with a DSLR I don't think I ever actively track with my eye through the viewfinder once I've picked the car up as such (I appreciate that sounds odd), more so just a natural 'swing' based on the speed of the car based on many years of practice.

Not shot-gunning and picking your moments also means you can adapt to difficult situations quite easily, as the approach still works. This was 6 years ago with the Panasonic G3...

I'm really interested to read what you say about single shot v shot-gunning. I can't remember the last time I did this - preferring the "security" (or is it?) of taking a burst of shots in the hope that at least a couple are useable. Next time at Silverstone, i will try the single shot approach which will also have the added benefit that i probably won't have to wade through 2500-3000 of photos when I get home.

I've just switched to XT-2s so have been getting to grips with EVF blackout too.

I've found that the best thing to do is go for rapid fire. I understand what @ukaskew is saying about picking your moment but I don't have the luxury of not getting the shot, I have to get one in focus!

I'll give it a short 4-6 shot burst and as the EVF quickly displays between the shots I can just check that I am keeping on track with the car as I pan. I tend to find that shots 3 and 6-7-8 of an 8 shot burst are in focus so I pick the best of them.

I've only shot motorsport with the Fuji once, and that was the loaner that I borrowed to test drive before ordering but this photo, taken using that method at 1/60 was shot in the first 40 minutes of having the camera in my hands. The real struggle I had was slowing myself down, I was used to doing the panning with a 1d and heavy L glass, the fuji is a feather compared to Canon.

i think I might initially struggle with the weight difference as well. Although my 80D & 70-300L is nowhere near the weight of your kit, my G80 and zoom will be significantly lighter.