New GH3 tests and reviews.
Lumix GH3 vs Canon 5D Mk2
Time for a new GH3 roundup:
Lumix GH3 and Canon 5D Mk2: ISO noise comparison via Discovermirrorless. GH3 test at Mynavi (translation here). A nice french video to test the GH3 at Vimeo. The next “home made” GH3 ISO test at Vimeo. GH3 versus top video cameras like the RED at Vimeo. PictureStyle Setting and ETC Mode Test at Vimeo. GH3 EVF and Screen at Soundimagesplus.
Check the GH3 price and in Stock status at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
Bite Me
5 months ago |So SCREW THE CONSUMERS FOR A HIGH-PRICED camera with souped up video features, while the photography specs take a back seat.
And it still can’t do in-body-image-stabilization. I guess this video camcorder wanna-be will stay on the tripod when paired with Panny’s prime lenses (w/o IBIS).
Too little too late. You missed the Holidays. You missed the boat.
ANOTHER PANASONIC FAIL.
Duarte Bruno
5 months ago |Well that’s a perspective… at least the consumers aren’t being screwed for 10.000$.
Lars Beduhn
5 months ago |Don’t like it, don’t buy it.
The camera is fine as is. With its feature-set it is just not the right camera for everyone.
Since the GH2 it was pretty obvious, however, that the GH line would focus on video features.
I’m a stills guy. And love IBIS. Bought the E-M5 and couldn’t be happier with that!
joe
5 months ago |what this guy,
he miss understood of video associate
IBIS is using for home video but GH on steady best for videocinmatoghaphy
or video prof.
Rutrem
5 months ago |..and what should be the Canons highly regarded features?!
swivel lcd? video recording monitoring over the viewfinder, sensor based stabilisation? video compresion flexiblity, lightweight lens, wifi connectivity … let us know.. so we can be excited to
Garypen
5 months ago |@Bite Me – Please stop being such a dick in every Panasonic thread. Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.
Rinaldo
5 months ago |I think GH3′s EVF lacks sharpness, it’s noisier, feels a bit smaller while you get a kinda distorted image if you don’t come very close to your eye. A real step back when compared to GH2′s one. Hard to understand this move. For example when pointing the camera to a book cover (about 4 meters far on a 25mm lens) I can read small words when magnifying the image through GH2′s EVF and with GH3 I can’t… a big disappointment
Hope, but not believe, that it can be fixed with future firmware upgrades. And Panny, where’s the focus peaking??????? A worst EVF should at least have it….!!!!
Sgoldswo
5 months ago |@Rinaldo. I’m mystified by your comment as I find the GH3 EVF the best I’ve ever used, sharp, accurate and good colours. I own (or have owned) an E-M5, G5, Nex-7, x100 and x-pro1 amongst others and I find the GH3 EVF superior to all of them.
I’m not saying this applies to you but I do suspect an organised negative publicity campaign overblowing this issue hugely.
Bob
5 months ago |Some people have issues with the EVF, most buyers don’t seem to have a problem. It’s not clear yet whether this is sample to sample variation in the camera, or whether some people are much more sensitive to perceived problems.
I would urge anyone considering a GH3 purchase to try one out first, and be sure to buy from somewhere that offers return privileges.
sgoldswo
5 months ago |Bob, I agree that everyone should buy their camera from a shop that offers returns (which is everywhere that sells new in the EU). A lot of the videos on youtube made by people who think they have defective cameras seem to show normal EVF behaviour though (e.g. blurring at the edges if its tilted etc). One poster on DPreview seems to have an obsession with posting about this issue and apparently doesn’t even own the camera anymore.
I can’t help but smell a rat – people are seeing what they expect to see (e.g. a problem) in line with scare stories on internet fora. I’ve seen one video showing what was clearly a defective VF with a halo/double image effect, but that’s all.
Rinaldo
5 months ago |Surely nothing to do with ‘organised negative publicity campaign’ in my case. A while back I had a GH1, and now the GH2, GH3 and E-M5. The Olympus is for personal use while the others are for my pro video business. I haven’t had much time to play with the GH3 yet but first impressions about the EVF are bad indeed. For my taste yes, it lacks sharpness and it’s strangely noisier than the other two. Also the eyecup is harder to look through, and feels narrower than GH2′s one. Not talking about the overlaying text which is superb, but the image itself is poorer. I look through GH2′s evf, ok. I look through EM-5′s, nice, no flaws. But then I look through GH3′s EVF and the image is softer. I can’t even make sure an object is in focus or not, and noticed myself searching back and forth trying to check it. Well, tomorrow I’ll be able to test it a bit more, hoping that it was only a bad initial impression. It’s good to hear that others have different opinion, maybe is something that I have to get used to. Still, for a camera that aims to be the best of hybrids, focus peaking is a must in these days… Missing it in the GH3 is Panasonic’s big fault. Why only Sony can do it??? :S
Sgoldswo
5 months ago |@Bite me: why do you say the photography specifications take a back seat? The GH3 is a great stills camera. The electronic shutter and better AF are incremental improvements over the E-M5 and the image quality seems sharper if anything. My experience thus far is that this is the best M43s camera currently available.
digifan
5 months ago |@Sgoldswo You mean only electronic shutter. Don’t spread misinformation that this GH3 has faster AF than E-M5 because it just isn’t true. I have both and E-M5 is as fast as GH3 and some lenses E-M5 is faster still.
It depends what lenses you primarily own, Panasonic or Olympus, some might have a slight edge on the same brand cam but most are equally fast.
Anonymous
5 months ago |Digifan: no, AF is better on the GH3. I also own both a GH3 and an E-M5. The GH3 is faster to focus (and entry level DSLR useable) in CAF and more accurate in SAF. I haven’t found any lenses where the GH3 is slower in SAF and for some it is faster. How is any of that not an improvement in AF?
Christian G
5 months ago |He’s talking about improved focus tracking over the OM-D, which has been reported by several sources. If true this is a huge development.
fan_guo_lai_xiang_xiang
5 months ago |LOL, that guy in
http://vimeo.com/56418360
waving around his frizzly hair in front of the color chart could become big on the internets.
Apart from that. the GH3 footage looks best in my book. Very natural and well-balanced.
Rolf Silber
5 months ago |Sometimes, I believe, cameras should be protected against weird testers like wild animals against poachers….
tomas
5 months ago |sometimes this forum is funny
– GH3 “haters” wants better photos ability
– OMD “haters” wants better video ability
Antoine
5 months ago |Stupid comparaison! GH3 vs 5dmIII will be interesting.
Christian G
5 months ago |Don’t agree. The Fuji X-Trans sensor has been compared to this one and had comparable results, maybe a bit better. If the Gh-3 is one stop behind that’s a terrific result IMO.. No reason to think tje GH3 will compare to latest generation FF..
Anonymous
5 months ago |Not stupid. The 5D2 is very well regarded in terms of noise. This is a useful data point, as many people are familiar with the output of the camera.
Some of the comments here are pretty stupid, however.
joe
5 months ago |@Bite ME & @Anonymous is oly fanboy ,
do not interest ,
and 5D II was knocked down by GH2 HACKED
in term of Moire/Alias,
Do you have any problem ?
joe
5 months ago |no i don’t think so
test ISO on videocinematoghraphy and still test
on different sensor
i mean maybe stupid for all(everyone)
where is moire/alias or rolling shutter test
because 5D (all) is loser
Ryan Butt
4 months ago |so, you mean 5dm2 & 60d perform better in low light high ISO than gh3 & gh2 ??
andrew
5 months ago |I just wish Panasonic did something with the GX1 + Lumix X lens issue… with the image blurriness.
Marcus Wolschon
5 months ago |So just 1 f-stop lower ISO then a much heavier full frame with a much heavier lens.
That’s impressive!
Given that I can comfortably carry a whole array of much faster lenses for my GHx at the same weight and bulk of a single 5DmkII, I choose the m4/3.
(Heck, can you even GET an f0.95 50mm or a super-sharp-while-wide-open f1.4 50mm for Canon full frame? Let alone carry it comfortably all day?)
Marcus Wolschon
5 months ago |Does anyone have a comparison of DYNAMIC RANGE of GH3 vs GH2 vs 5DmkII ?
Rinaldo
5 months ago |The End Of The World Shootout serie by Shian Storm and Collier Landry… https://vimeo.com/shian/videos
But instead of 5DmkII it is the mkIII, which is far behind the GH’s and BMCC for video. Check out the discussion on part 3.
Marcus Wolschon
5 months ago |They say that they didn’t test dynamic range yet.
It’s just subjective.
Rinaldo
5 months ago |You’re welcome!
Subjective but very conclusive…
Another one, versus mk3 again… https://vimeo.com/55060120
mike_tee_vee
5 months ago |Eager to see the measured ISO of the sensor on DxO mark.
sgoldswo
5 months ago |The ratings the sensor on DXO will need (as ever) to be taken with a pinch of salt. Results for recent M43s sensors haven’t been representative of actual performance, particularly where base ISO starts at 200 (the ratings are biased in favour of cameras with a 100 base ISO). In real world use at high ISOs the performance matches or exceeds many APS-C sensors.
Bob
5 months ago |DxO “measured” ISO is perhaps the most misunderstood piece of data in all of photography. Just above “bokeh.”
Bulletsponge
5 months ago |I am a photojournalist and have been using the GH3 alongside the 5D mark III for a few weeks. I shoot both video and still of course. The GH3 is a test case to see if I can go from 2 Mark III bodies (24-70 and 70-200) to A Mark III and a GH3. After a few weeks I can tell you this is a HUGE winning combination and this camera is a real hybrid. The still quality and video are both great. Throw in the ergonomic/feature set and it is clear Panasonic has produced a real pro camera to rival Canon and Nikon. Keep in mind I have only been using the 12-35 so I can not speak to the whole panasonic system other than most lenses are not weatherproofed which is a non-starter but looks to be changing in the 4/3 world. There are a few things they still need to get right but this camera has real promise and is 90% of the way into Canon and Nikons pant’s! I look foward to Olympus focusing less on the prosumer market (no offence to the OMD as it is a pleasent enough camera) and throwing their hat in the ring as well. Cheers.
Marcin
5 months ago |There are conflicting opinions about the LCD GH3.
Is it sharp?
Bulletsponge
5 months ago |I do not come from the M4/3 world so I cannot compare to other similar cameras. Compared to the 5DIII the back LCD on the GH3 is just as sharp and good color. As for the EVF the 5DIII is technically sharper but when it comes to focusing manually the GH3 wins hands down with the focus assist which is all that counts. The only down side is sensing action coming in from the side. This is a big deal if you do not keep both eyes open and something that Panasonic needs to address with a better eyepiece design. Not sure this answers your question but I have no real issue with the GH3 LCD or EVF. It certainly will not prevent me from going out into the field with the GH3.
Marcin
5 months ago |Big thanks for the reply.
RiMr
5 months ago |My small description a TimeLaps function on GH3 (sorry for my English
)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZdN4SDXoW4
Paul Alexander
5 months ago |I’m deaf so it would have been nice if the tester had bothered to caption the clips
Ryan Butt
4 months ago |@ PaulPaul Alexander
i’m deaf too…where are you from?