GH3 outscores SLRs in Consumer Reports’ lab tests! And in Stock at Adorama and Samys.
Last week we hit hard on Panasonic because of the two small issues with the 12-35mmX long exposures steady shot problem and the unreliable Intervalometer of the GH3. But today we can reports some very good news for Panasonic and I hope this will bring them to love me back again 
The usually very sever Consumerreports website (Click here) just posted an extremely positive report about the GH3! They write: “We recently tested a number of new SLR-like (mirrorless) cameras, and we were surprised to find that one, thePanasonic Lumix DMC-GH3, scored higher than all the SLRs tested in this group.” and also “So if you’re in the market for an advanced camera, you’re not restricted to models with mirrors in them—SLRs, that is. The age of mirrorless SLR-likes appears to have arrived.”
And for US readers: Finally the GH3 is in Stock at Samys (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).
Bollox
3 months ago |Well I appreciate these guys do marketing by numbers (ie lies), but this is a stretch even for them.
Giulio Sciorio
3 months ago |Right on. It’s going to take some effort but I think people will see the light of what’s possible with the GH3. I’ll be adding some big fuel to the fire soon.
ryrteyuiu
3 months ago |Hey, I am GH3 owner myself but this type of “review” is beyond a joke they have the E-5 amongst their top cameras with a 2008 sensor seriously it is beyond silly to post any link on the net that says something good about a mFT camera quiet week admin ? lol
Uberzone
3 months ago |I remember seeing the GH2 at the top of their list a year or two ago. I never put too much stock in their recommendations. Top ten lists for the uninformed who can’t be bothered to do their own research.
Michael D&RFilms
3 months ago |Uh… I’m confused… the GH2 was at the top of their list two years ago… BECAUSE IT DESERVED TO BE!… So, now that the GH3 is also on top.. It too deserves to be. What’s the deal with the anti-GH3 posts? I bet those complaining about this article/test doesn’t even own or use a GH3.
Of course
3 months ago |It’s all OMD users/fanboys.
Rchard
3 months ago |Probably not. More likely Canikon fanboys. Even if I own several Oly cameras I am glad if Pany has sucsess wit their m 4/3 products. It is good for all m4/3 owners.
Beachrider
3 months ago |Successs? You mean failure, right? LOL
true homer
3 months ago |Uumm…panasonic outsells oly
true homer
3 months ago |And the bezels dont crack while you wait and hour for your fimware to update and then crash your camera.
Rchard
3 months ago |Yeah yeah yeah canikon piss ants an a few stupid pany fanboys.
true homer
3 months ago |Where do you fit in all of that?
Beachrider
3 months ago |That’s cause the GH3 is an overpriced POS.
Uberzone
3 months ago |For the record I own a GH2. I was speaking of Consumer Reports in general, not about any camera in particular.
Adriaantie
3 months ago |Yep and santa is for real.
GreyOwl
3 months ago |Welcome back.
Olybabies
3 months ago |Here we go with the Panasonic Hate… Brb, gotta grab some snacks. The GH3 hate should be entertaining. Haha!
Paul Alexander
3 months ago |Sadly, Consumer Reports is ill qualified to judge semi-pro or pro cameras.
It was Consumer Reports that gave the Toyota RAV-4 top marks, only to have to retract their ranking when a systemic problem was discovered with the brakes.
Have consumer reports addressed any of the serious shortcomings of the GH3? If not, then why not?
Sorry.Panasonic has not even commented on the 12-35 lens issue and we have yet to see a review from DPReviews of the GH3.
I suspect that Consumer Reports caters to the pedestrian amateur, that shan’t miss too many of the sore points anyway.
Really?
3 months ago |Please enlighten us of the “shortcomings” of the GH3.
And do you have to wait on DPR to write up about the GH3?? What, they wipe your Bum after a duce too? And you talk about Issues? How long did it take Olympus to adress the Cracked hinge on the OMD? In fact, a better question is, why does Olympus Europe address it, yet N.America wont? http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3348254#forum-post-50424785
true homer
3 months ago |The gh3 shortcomings are as follow:
Cracked bezel on ghe lcd
Panasonic will not fix crack
Firmware takes an hour to update
Firmware might crash your camera
There are no small af points
You cant assign metering to a custom button
Battery displays a wrong level after charging
Banding with the 20mm pancake
Camera under exposes
Camera will not wake from sleep mode depending on firmware.
Camera makes a constant wheezing noise because of ois
mikeronesia
3 months ago |Sounds more like a EM5 list then a GH3 list. I’m confused by your comments and don’t understand the hostility no mater the camera you speak of.
true homer
3 months ago |It cant the em5, the em5 is perfect in every way, it was perfect since launch! But panasonic? Bah, useless cameras that require many many firmwares after launch just to function properly.
Whats hostile about a list?
true homer
3 months ago |A list of actual problems no less…
fake true homer
3 months ago |Windex.
homer fake
3 months ago |More Windex
Kenny Hall
3 months ago |@true homer , Man, you are just asking for trouble, a lot of posters do not understand sarcasm and I believe that some E-M5 owners are campaigning for prison sentences for anyone who dares mention that their camera is the best ever.
The bottom line of the E-M5 is that it gave less than one stop better performance than the GH2 , and has a cool 5 axis IS system for all those static shots in low light lol , in a body that to me is about as ugly as it gets they moved on from 40 yr old camera design for the same reasons flared trousers and platform shoes faded out of existence.
Anonytrackball
3 months ago |“flared trousers and platform shoes faded out of existence.”
You. You spoilt my day.
Flash
3 months ago |Paul, they at least do not tailor their articles and reviews to their ads. Just look at ad placement in some photo mags, always coordinated with their “reviews”. Their expertise is as good as the individual who is doing the review. From the reviews I have read in the past their expertise is clearly better then some of the DXO stuff I have read.
The best way is to know what you are going to shoot then try a camera doing that. The next is to see what like minded people who shoot like yo you that you respect are using. Using web information and magazine reviews and forums is not to good, way to many fan boys.
George
3 months ago |I would like to see how they tested to prove that is the case. Or just some survey. By the way, I own GH2 and like it.
Dummy00001
3 months ago |The link is just the teaser. Rest is “subscribers only.”
Don Pope
3 months ago |Consumer Reports, as their name implies, tends to mak their camera recommendations from a consumer point of view.
They take into consideration features that appeal to the general public, not amateur or pro photographers.
Sometimes they make some rather bizarre and ridiculous recommendations.
However, in this case they are probably right. The GH3 is a kick-ass camera.
Koseng
3 months ago |Mind the wording : SLR-like. Not SLR. “Confusing Marketing” to the consumers.
ricksastro
3 months ago |Actually, I have the subscription and it does beat the SLRS as well as the mirrorless cameras for their criteria. Generally, I don’t give much credence to them, since they don’t look at the system and look at a relatively narrow and sometimes odd criteria. The GH2 was actually not rated great for video! They have the E5 as one of the top cameras, and while it’s a great camera, if you look at the entire ecosystem and future for 43 cameras, it would be difficult to recommend to me.
JimD
3 months ago |” if you look at the entire ecosystem and future for 43 cameras, it would be difficult to recommend to me.”
Why?
Comments from all quarters are very favourable. The silly bit dwellers (charts on walls brigade) have said its good and now a thumbs up from the consumer side. It has a very large array of lenses and support from several high power 3rd party manufacturers.
So why?
J White
3 months ago |Well, I don’t see support for any 3rd party manufacturers, in fact I don’t see support from the own creators of the system. As far as the consumers are concerned 4/3 is as good as dead. I think you didn’t bother to read the previous post and are confusing the E5 with the Em-5.
JimD
3 months ago |Yes. I misread 43 for m43.
Montego51
3 months ago |i’ve owned D70s, D90, GH2, and now the GH3. The GH3 is killer…great ergonomics, physical buttons, typical great and logical Panasonic menu system and tons of features. I shoot about 50/50 photo/video, and I’m finally going to sell off my Nikon gear. m4/3 owners are so lucky to have at least two manufacturers producinh bodies, and a great selection of lrnses for such a young format. I really don’t get the silly hate and obviously uninformed opinions about the GH3. If the EM5 had the video features I wanted I would have bought it, but I’m glad I waited for the GH3…they’re both great cams.
Endlos
3 months ago |Hear hear. Thank you Montego51.
JimD
3 months ago |I have the em5 but I am happy that you have found the GH3 to be what you want it to be. I am sure that it will give you much pleasure for a long time (in camera years).
jason
3 months ago |yea and go to see the dxo results for the sony 35 f2 rx1… sony will smack your ghcrap
ricksastro
3 months ago |RX1 is great is you want to shoot at 35mm for 100% of your shots…not so much if you don’t. I probably run about 5-10% at that focal length, so it’s of no use to me.
DxOMark100
3 months ago |People who make such comments can only afford $20 Hello Kitty cams.
Sunny
3 months ago |I agrre. Carl also goes by another name, Funny, and Beachrider. I’m sure by the end of this he’ll change his name as well.
true homer
3 months ago |For 3500$ (with vf). I dont care what dxo said, you have to be a new kind of moron to buy that
new kind of moron
3 months ago |HAHAHAHA!!!! Not old, but New!
Kenny Hall
3 months ago |There is no doubt that the image quality from the RX1 is excellent however the price is way over the top for a fixed lens P&S with by all accounts poor /slow AF.Obviously for some folk it hits a sweet spot but for £2500 I would want more . That kind of money bought me a D800 and the new Sigma 35mm F1.4 which is obviously not any where near as small as the RX1 easily outperforms it in every single area.
Anonymous
3 months ago |I don’t care too much for their reviews, but as someone who is invested in m43 I am happy to see good pub for the system in any form. The gh series in particular has been caught in the video niche and panny has done little marketing so this helps to get it out there.
JimD
3 months ago |Ditto. Its good gear and any positive reports are good news.
warpdrive
3 months ago |What’s wrong with you people?
This is a m43 site, and hopefully that means you want m43 cameras to succeed and improve. I like to read that m43 cameras are getting good press and attention. I have no interest in GH3 but I like the fact that Consumer Reports gave it a good mark, especially against the juggernaut Nikon and Canon. Maybe Panasonic will sell more GH3′s because of this report and that is a GOOD THING. That means Panasonic might not lose money on the camera division and continue to invest in R&D. it’s a win-win for us even if we have no intention of buying a GH3 (I own an OMD)
Ulli
3 months ago |+1 within one system lots of users are divided in 2 camps by brand, it is silly indeed.
Garypen
3 months ago |Yes it is. But, people are idiots. So, it will continue.
Spencer Salva
3 months ago |I don’t know, seems like a lot of people on this site hate Olympus AND Panasonic, and everyone else, no matter what they do. It usually takes only a few posts on any topic before the ‘discussion’ degrades into ‘everything sucks and so do you’ posts.
true homer
3 months ago |Giulio sciorio, a working m43 pro, was insulted here for saying the gh3 was a great work tool. That’s after shooting a year with the omd. Theres an olympus fanatism here that has to be seen to be believed
Abraham
3 months ago |You know, calling people fanatics is also name calling. I dont care for people who go overboard with their posts and positions, but you blaming a few “olympus fanatics” when I have noticed bad behaviour on both Panasonic users and Olympus users shows a bias in you as well.
true homer
3 months ago |Of course theres bias in my posts, towards panasonic, but I do own a omd as well, before I had ppanasonic actually. I dont think neither is significantly on front of the other. I just think its ridiculous to the extent fanatism toward olympus goes around here. Is it name calling? Sure it is, but its based on what they do. You act like a senseless fanatic and ill call you one, but insulting the guy just because he said it was a great camera? Thats wrong. And fanatic. Saying panasonic cameras are junk compared to oly? Thats wrong too, especially when evidence suggest otherwise. And its fanatic.
A "FEW" Abe...?
3 months ago |More like the Majority of this Site are rabid Olympus Fanatics… Tainted the site, Period.
Kenny Hall
3 months ago |Well I do not like to use words like rabid to describe people there certainly does seem to be more than a few Olympus biased posters with a major dislike of all things other than Olympus.I have noticed this type of activity in a couple of camera forums. All brands have their over the top fans but Olympus does seem to have more than its fair share.
Esa Tuunanen
3 months ago |Abraham, that politically correct hushing of reality and patting on the back is exactly what blew up the problem.
Just like nail sticking out from floor getting hammered back into its place also all these misbehaves were taught respect the hard way until they learned it in the past.
Worked lot better than modern can’t touch even with silk gloves hushing.
Yayapapaya
3 months ago |Its just like calling people thief when u r also a thief…
Blame Olyfanboys
3 months ago |You have to ask yourself why is there two camps, when in actuality it should be just one.
I’ll tell you why…
FANBOYS.
JimD
3 months ago |Its a bit like sibling quarrels. Fight each other but unite from outside interference. Most of the time its harmless, but sometime the neighbours think the family is strange when quarrels go over the odds.
MadManAce
3 months ago |A serious question to the non-fanboys. Is anyone aware of a comparison between the OMD E-5 and GH3’s continuous AF? I have tried everything with the OMD from uping the contrast, trying tracking, without tracking, trying it’s incredibly fast single AF, using the small box trick (clicking magnification button once) with all mention configurations. Still I percentage is far below acceptable. I want to use a mirrorless camera because taking my fullframe bodies everywhere is not practical, but having reliable continuous AF in my line of work is vital. Again, if someone has a link to a good well thought out comparison similar to what http://www.robgalbraith.com used to test, not one camera with a 12-140 kit lens and the other with a 45mm 1.8. Thanks
JimD
3 months ago |Have a look at this.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/post/50334962
This link is the middle. If you start at the beginning and follow through you may get some ideas. Look at the owl as well. Seems it works. He even talks of saleable 15 x 10 inch prints from a 50% crop of the original.
GaryG
3 months ago |My complaint about the GH3 — all that money and they don’t include a complete printed manual.
mikeronesia
3 months ago |If they did it would be small to fit in the box so I’m just as happy to print the PDF on standard size paper or use the E version.
JimD
3 months ago |Oly did the same with the em5. Bit sick really. Seems Oly and Panny guys must take their laptops with them all the time so they can check the pages they might need.
They don’t even have a downloadable form or spread sheet that you can fill in with your settings and print for when something goes wrong. Or just carry with you. The regular use items are assigned OK but the other things that are nice to use sometimes cannot be used on the fly or changed because it is impossible to remember some of them. Some settings can interfere with other settings and others need to be OFF when needed and On when not needed.
Yes a nice little downloadable form or spread sheet (comprehensive and pre filled with the standard settings) would be handy. Or even the little icons downloadable so one can make their own spread sheet that follows the same icons as the manual.
Esa Tuunanen
3 months ago |> They don’t even have a downloadable form or spread sheet that you can fill in with your settings and print for when something goes wrong.
Isn’t that why cameras have feature to save different sets of settings and then load those settings?
Just save one basic set of your preferred general shooting settings for those situations when settings got messed too much to sort them out in available time.
And other sets for situations you know to need vastly different settings.
JimD
3 months ago |Esa, How often do you change your camera settings. Not very often? or a lot. Bet there are settings on your camera that you don’t remember if you had it this way or that way. Is on, on, or is on off?
“Oh no, I changed it because of….. No it was ….” and “did I have that setting on ….. before I just changed it, or was it on…” “I know I will do a reset. But that’s different!!! Oh I forgot to save it last time I made a change I wished to keep”
I have the em5 set pretty much how I want it and don’t change it very often, and my settings set as no1. But things do get changed.
Also a nice print out form will let you record things you have tried in the comments column they don’t have, next to the listing they don’t have, as an alternative to the manual they don’t have.
ISO 1638400
3 months ago |This is trend that isn’t going to change. I think it might have Canon several years ago that started ommitting the printed manuals in its P&S models. Then others started following suit. Though Canon still do provide printed manuals for their DSLRs.
Unless you really have an undying affection for paper and ink, there is a good workaround to the “Where’s my printed manual? Oh yeah, they didn’t give me one, those incompetent beancounting imbeciles!” problem. If you have a smartphone or tablet device that can read PDF files natively, then you can load all your user manuals on it for reference anytime. If it doesn’t have a PDF reader, you can download and install one. This way, you can have your manuals available anytime anywhere as long as you have your phone/device with you. Not only your camera manuals but any other product manuals. Saves having to carry around or store a bunch of printed manuals at home. Search the manufacturer’s Support pages for the PDFs.
JimD
3 months ago |So each camera should come with a smartphone?
hsyt
3 months ago |With the hi res touch screens surely it would be possible to put the full manual on the camera then you would have it with you constantly it would add no weight and cost nothing.
ISO 1638400
3 months ago |I thought of this years ago and wondered why they didn’t do it. It seems easy enough. But they are practical limitations to most cameras that would prevent it. The primary reason is one of memory limitation. Cameras have a limited amount of builtin memory for the firmware and menu system, plus space reserved for firmware updates. To be able to load the manual in-camera, you would need an app to read it. This would require memory that is mostly already used up. The obvious question then is, “Why don’t they put more memory in? Memory is cheap!” Well, to you or I, memory has become real cheap, but to manufacturers, a dollar here and a dollar there for them adds up and increases their manufacturing costs to many extra thousands, even millions of dollars. This is why they come up with the typical excuse as to why they can’t add additional memory to cameras. “It would drive up the cost.” In which case, they pass that cost onto you and you pay for their costs in the form of a more expensive camera.
But with more Wi-Fi enabled and smartphone like cameras on the market, it is inevitable that cameras will get sufficient memory and hardware to run smartphone and tablet like interfaces and software. Sony already have PlayMemories Camera Apps for their NEX cameras, with downloadable free and paid apps. Other brands will surely follow with their own camera apps and online services.
ISO 1638400
3 months ago |The majority of people own a cellular phone. If you don’t already own one, you can get one. Stores sell them. They are not expensive. A cheap smartphone like a budget Huawei can do lots of useful things. You can get them for as low as $50. Cheaper than many an Olympus lens hood.
People like you obviously love to make work hard for yourself when technology is available to make things easier. You probably still buy lever arch files, pencils and paper. Someone has to keep at least one stationery supplier in business in every country.
JimD
3 months ago |I have a mobile phone for use if I need, I have a terabyte download on my network, I have control over what I want to do. I am not interested in any form of smartphone, irrespective of how cheap they are. I also begrudge paying a carrier thousands of $ a year so that I can get the latest updates on things I have no interest in.
They are, in many ways, like the old Fax machines, something that cost to own and run so others could send you junk mail.
I have spent a lifetime managing computer and information services, so I am actively avoiding things that do not ‘add’ to what ‘I’ want to do. I am not at the beck and call of any one who has my number.
TheEye
3 months ago |You forgot to mention that clients abuse your cellphone to announce last-second apointment cancellations for their convenience. Also, who wants to be tethered to an electronic leash all the time?
JimD
3 months ago |The phone is amazing in both its forms. In a similar vein.
If one was to burst into an office and starts talking to the person behind the desk and ignoring whoever was already talking, one would be considered extremely rude and rightly so.
Yet if one walks past the office and sees the person behind the desk is busy. But then rings them from round the corner, that seems to be acceptable.
Also people who call seem to think that one should be waiting hands over the phone just living for that one call.
As I said, I am not at the beck and call of any one who has my number.
JimD
3 months ago |Please be warned a village some where has lost its idiot. This poor lost dolt is trying to move in here, possibly because he got fed up with being called an idiot and dplt where he comes from.
He (yea maybe her) manifests under several names and holds conversations with himself under these several names. At times there may be more than one and they are interchangeable. This is a minor irritation.
However this dolt has been posting using registered names ( I know admin should sort this out) Including my own. While I may not be perfect I ‘try’ not to abuse and I don’t use bad language.
If you put your cursor over my name and it gives the 43roumors link it is from me, If it returns nothing IT IS NOT from me.
So If any one thinks I have been rude or abusive to them replying to a post just do the test. I accept responsibility for what I say but not what others say.
Esa Tuunanen
3 months ago |If you’re man come here and I’ll fix your attitude problem permanently between daily works.