Question regarding Touch AF Functions on Panasonic Cameras

[ean10775]

I had a play with the GH4, GX7 and GM1 at my local shop and am really intrigued by the Touch AF feature that allows you to use your finger to move the AF point around the screen with the camera to your eye (GM1 obviously excluded). While this worked great for AF, does anyone know if this also works for selecting an area of the composition to enlarge for manual focus assistance? I know the GH4, GX7 and G6 have focus peaking and other MF aids, but I could see this particular option being very useful for the way I shoot with manual lenses. However, having never really used a Panasonic m43 camera, I'm wasn't proficient enough with their menu systems to test this out at my local shop. Can you, for example, use the Touch AF feature to quickly select where you want to magnify in the EVF/LCD and then press a function button to magnify that point? Or does the Touch AF feature only work with AF lenses?

 

[jamesgehrt]

Good question! I'll give it a try tonight. When I have used a manual focus lens on a GX7 it only magnified in the middle. I am now curious if I touch the screen I can magnify the area for manual focus. It might be possible. hmmm...

 

[Boatman]

Yes. If you touch a spot on the screen then enlarge, it will do it at the selected point. It does not make any difference whether you use a an intelligent lens or an old prime. You can also drag the viewing point around while it is enlarged. I use this feature a lot whenever the camera (GH2) is mounted on a tripod. It makes focusing on the screen very easy and accurate.