Review on Panasonic Lumix GH3

[jessedpeters]

I have a friend who is interested in buying a Lumix GH3. Wondering if anyone has one or has used one before? Is it better for snapshots? Or HD video? Basically I'm inquiring of a basic overview of this camera! Any experience based opinions would be appreciated!

 

[markot]

Here are a few reviews:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIJTfu9Kpqk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KnFlRfhw8s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTKZghcHXXw

 

[bif]

I have a friend who is interested in buying a Lumix GH3. Wondering if anyone has one or has used one before? Is it better for snapshots? Or HD video? Basically I'm inquiring of a basic overview of this camera! Any experience based opinions would be appreciated!

I had 2 of them, sold one to help finance a GH4 so I still have one left.

Actually it's very good for both stills and until the GH4 with 4K video, it was probably the best overall choice for HD video in the DSLR form factor category. For the GH3 Panasonic did listen to both serious consumers and pros who all wanted a better stills camera in addition to some very specific video capabilities.

In the stills arena, they improved color quality quite a bit over the GH2. For video a selection of higher bitrates made a big difference. But one potentially "weak" point would be the EVF. For folks used to a really good EVF or those most tuned into the optical prism finders of the higher end Canons and Nikons the critical viewing "channel" of the GH3 EVF could be a problem. One has to get the eye properly aligned or there can be some distortion and percieved blurring around the edges. This can be more problematic for eyeglass wearers (as I was before cataract surgery) but I "adapted" and have little problem seeing thru the EVF.

One very good workaround is to program the AF/AE button for AF LOCK, Focus mode for SAF with MF + ASSIST. One press of that AF/AE button did one single AF operation, locked the focus at that point and switched over to MF. Turning the focus ring caused the magnified assist to kick in allowing me to nail focus. Until a second press on that AF/AE button was done you could use the focus ring to refocus as often as needed but that second press cleared it back to default half press of the shutter button for AF. Best of both AF and MF with one button.

EVF on the GH4 is significantly improved.

 

[jessedpeters]

I had 2 of them, sold one to help finance a GH4 so I still have one left.

Actually it's very good for both stills and until the GH4 with 4K video, it was probably the best overall choice for HD video in the DSLR form factor category. For the GH3 Panasonic did listen to both serious consumers and pros who all wanted a better stills camera in addition to some very specific video capabilities.

In the stills arena, they improved color quality quite a bit over the GH2. For video a selection of higher bitrates made a big difference. But one potentially "weak" point would be the EVF. For folks used to a really good EVF or those most tuned into the optical prism finders of the higher end Canons and Nikons the critical viewing "channel" of the GH3 EVF could be a problem. One has to get the eye properly aligned or there can be some distortion and percieved blurring around the edges. This can be more problematic for eyeglass wearers (as I was before cataract surgery) but I "adapted" and have little problem seeing thru the EVF.

One very good workaround is to program the AF/AE button for AF LOCK, Focus mode for SAF with MF + ASSIST. One press of that AF/AE button did one single AF operation, locked the focus at that point and switched over to MF. Turning the focus ring caused the magnified assist to kick in allowing me to nail focus. Until a second press on that AF/AE button was done you could use the focus ring to refocus as often as needed but that second press cleared it back to default half press of the shutter button for AF. Best of both AF and MF with one button.

EVF on the GH4 is significantly improved.

Thanks! So when it comes to video quality, a GH3, a Canon 50D, or a Nikon D5200?

 

[bif]

Thanks! So when it comes to video quality, a GH3, a Canon 50D, or a Nikon D5200?

I would go for the GH3. The Canon 50D does not do video as far as I know unless you mean the 5D MkII or MkIII and I still think the GH3 with its 50Mbps bitrate will deliver better video. I don't know much about the Nikon D5200 except that until recent models you could not change aperture (in Manual mode) without exiting Live View.

With the Canon's and the Panasonic Lumix GH series you can set aperture, shutter, and ISO independent of each other in Manual video mode. This is important if you want full control over exposure. Here's how I do it:

I set shutter to 1/60th (I'm in NTSC "territory" and this sync's shutter speed with power line 60Hz freq to prevent flicker and banding if artificial lighting is in the scene. In PAL regions this would best be 1/50th), ISO to where I think I want to try it, and aperture for depth of field effect wanted. I may "tune" exposure with ISO adjustment or I may use ND filtration to get the aperture more where I want it (Outdoors in bright daylight/sunlight you don't want to be stuck with smallest apertures on the lens, diffraction effect can cause loss of contrast and sharpness).

The cameras I've used always had a meter readout at the bottom of the screen, a histogram if wanted (it's not an exposure meter but can help if you know how to interpret the display), and the GH3 has an EVF which helps you to prevue actual exposure effect. The LCDs on the back of the various cameras are of extremely limited value in trying to visually judge exposure unless a "loupe" is used on the back of the camera.

Of the three cameras you listed, the GH3 is the far better film making tool hands down. I've worked with the Canon 7D, T2i, T3i, and 60D; all got me good results but when I switched to Panasonic GH2s, then GH3s, and now the GH4 being able to see more what the video was going to look like in the viewfinder is something I appreciate!

Hope this info helps