Panasonic’s 4K Photo Mode Makes a Pitch for Portrait Shooters

Coaxing the perfect shot from a squirming subject isn’t always easy. Panasonic is hoping its new 4K Photo Mode, debuting on its LX100 at Photokina today, will help make it easier to capture the perfect frame no matter how frantic your subject.

The mode lets you isolate an 8-megapixel still image during 4K recording by hitting the function button. When set to 4K Photo Mode, the LX100 sets picture quality and brightness settings that are ideal for still images and users can choose the aspect ratio they want to record in (4:3, 3:2, 16:9 or 1:1).

These images are saved as JPEGs with complete EXIF data for each file. The new mode can be used in conjunction with a 4K loop record function that saves the last five 2-minute video clips so you can let the camera roll as you wait for the perfect photo op without devouring all your memory card space.

Panasonic is pitching the feature to portrait photographers in particular as a means of finding the perfect pose for a squirming subject, using still frames plucked from video instead of burst mode to stay on top of the action. Isolating still images from movie recordings is hardly new, but the higher resolution available in 4K makes it plausible to produce print-quality images from movie stills — something you really couldn’t do well with 2-megapixel HD stills.

We saw a video demo of the feature at a pre-Photokina briefing with Panasonic but have yet to test the 4K Photo Mode in person (stay tuned).

The new 4K Photo Mode will also be available on Panasonic’s GH4 thanks to a firmware upgrade that will roll out in October. The new firmware will also give the GH4 the ability to shoot tethered via USB and allow for more control over ISO during video recording.

Beyond the photo/video mode, the Lumix LX100 is the first point-and-shoot with a 1.33-inch Micro Four Thirds image sensor and a burst mode of 11fps. It uses the same contrast AF sensor that’s found in the GH4 which, along with the company’s Depth from Defocus technology, gives the LX100 the ability to lock AF in .14 seconds and track AF during 5fps burst shooting. Native ISO ranges from 200-25,600 and can be pushed down to 100.

The LX100 sports a bright f/1.7 lens with a focal range of 24-75mm. According to Panasonic, the lens has been so precisely engineered that they guarantee the lens elements are centered to within 3 micro-meters. There’s a 3-inch tilting LCD and a 2,764-dot live viewfinder, plus Wi-Fi and NFC for wirelessly pairing with mobile devices. Panasonic’s arsenal of creative effects can now be applied to images when shooting in A/S/M mode as well.

Look for the LX100 in November. It will set you back $899.