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Notes / cameraspanasoniclumix-gf1firmwarehack

Panasonic Lumix GF1 (Japan model) — enable English menus with PTool

· updated · by shaun

A Japan-market Lumix GF1 can be given all interface languages by patching the official firmware with PTool. The steps that matter are the version increment of 10 and naming the file with a higher version.

Tested onPanasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 (Japan); firmware GF1__122.bin; PTool 3.x (Windows)

Symptoms #

Japan-market GF1 bodies only offer Japanese menus. Earlier attempts to flash a PTool-patched firmware failed: the camera did not accept the update.

Cause #

The patched file must look like a newer firmware. With the default version increment the camera refused it. The clue came from JMF on personal-view.com.

Fix #

  1. Download PTool (originally http://www.gh1-hack.info/ptool3d.zip; the site is gone, look for a mirror), unzip and run it.
  2. Load Firmware: load the official GF1 firmware from Panasonic's site (here GF1__122.bin).
  3. Apply the patch: Patches for end users → Interface → All interface languages.
  4. Tick version increment, prevent version compare and new body.
  5. Set the increment to 10, not 1.
  6. Save Firmware with the same name pattern but a higher version, here GF1__123.bin.
  7. Copy it to the root of an SD card formatted in the camera. Make sure it is the only firmware file on the card.
  8. Fully charge the battery. Camera off, insert card, camera on, press the green Playback button.
  9. Choose Yes on the Version Up screen and press OK.

Afterwards the language menu lists English (and the other languages).

Flashing modified firmware can brick a camera. Do it at your own risk.