Lumix GH3 Review Part 3, Size

LUMIX GH3 USER REVIEW PART 3,  SIZE

It's Huge, It's ENORMOUS......Really ?

Author AndrewS  April 2013

Thanks to  camerasize.com   for several images used in this article. This is a very handy site for anyone wanting to make camera body/lens size comparisons with many makes and models available for viewing.

Introduction  When the Lumix GH3 was released to market several contributors to user forums expressed surprise, disappointment, dismay even,  that it was larger than any previous M43 camera body and indeed larger than any other Mirrorless ILC to date.  It's body  is  even larger than the smallest APS-C  DSLR, the Canon EOS 100D (Rebel SL1).  One blogger deemed it "enormous, nearly the size of a (Nikon) D7000 and considerably larger than the (Olympus) OM-D".  So has the Lumix product development team lost the plot completely or are they moving forward in a way which will enhance the appeal of the M43 system to discerning buyers ? 

Lumix GH3 body with Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 lens mounted. On the left is a Lumix 7-14mm f4 lens. On the right is a Lumix 35-100mm f2.8 lens. This body and these three lenses make a compact, high performance photo kit suitable for a wide variety of uses.

The promise of Micro Four Thirds and the mirrorless ILC concept  Early marketing for the M43 system strongly emphasized the way in which removing the mirror and prism of a DSLR allowed designers to shrink the dimensions of a camera body and some lenses, especially wide angle types.

This is the kit shown above in a Lowe Pro Adventura 160 bag with lens hoods in place reversed on the two f2.8 zooms,  lens cloths, puffer, wired remote shutter release, 2 spare batteries, lots of memory cards, close up lens. Total mass, 2.33 Kg.

The cult of smallness  Manufacturers competed with each other to make the smallest interchangeable lens camera body, as if smallness was an intrinsic virtue.  But very small cameras present the user with two main problems.

The first is ergonomic. Makers can shrink the camera but not the hands which operate the device. For snapshooters this may not be much of an issue, but for the photographer who wants to take control of the photographic process, very small cameras just lack sufficient real estate to provide a decent handle and a suite of user interface modules [UIM] such as buttons, dials, levers etc with which to drive the camera.

The second is lens size, which is largely determined by sensor size. Designers can shrink camera bodies but the current state of optical technology determines lens sizes.  In consequence there are some unbalanced body/lens combinations on the market.

On the left, Lumix G5 with Lumix 14-45mm f3.5-5.6 lens. On the right, Lumix GH3 with Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 lens.

The way forward for the M43 system I believe that if M43 is to break CaNikon's hegemony over the interchangeable lens camera market they need to make and actively market some high end bodies and lenses with appeal to the expert/professional photographer. The Lumix GH2 gained traction as a motion picture camera but was less convincing as a still photo device. The Olympus EM5 is an excellent still photo camera with some user interface idiosyncrasies, but is not a top tier motion picture device. It is clear from  Lumix promotional material that the GH3 is intended to be the "do everything well" camera at the top of the M43 tree. You see the shift in emphasis here. The cameras have moved on from trying to be the smallest.  Now they aim to be the best.

Doing everything well includes image quality, performance and ergonomics. The elements of ergonomics are holding, viewing and operating in each of the four phases of camera use. These are Setup, Prepare, Capture and Review. In order to achieve excellence in each of these phases and retain the faux DSLR  shape, the GH3 has to be larger than previous M43 cams.

Photo Courtesy of camerasize.com
Here are two body/lens combinations which appear unbalanced to me. On the left is the Canon EOS M with its standard 18-55mm kit lens. Already this combination looks a bit lens heavy. Now add a popular consumer travel zoom such as the 18-200mm shown here mounted via an adapter (as Canon's promotional material invites you to do) and you can see the result.

Box Volume  The box volume of a camera or lens or camera with lens attached is the volume of the notional box which would be required to contain the piece of equipment. This has obvious relevance to the selection of camera bags which might be required to carry it.

Photo Courtesy of camerasize.com
These two camera/lens combinations are well matched for image quality and performance. On the left is the Canon EOS 100D [Rebel SL1] the world's smallest APS-C DSLR with standard  18-55 mm STM zoom. On the right is a Lumix G5 with Lumix 14-42mm standard zoom.

Box Volume, Camera Bodies  Below is a table of cameras which might be of interest to the reader considering a camera purchase in this size range. Dimensions are as measured by me where possible. Otherwise I have used the maker's stated dimensions. Note that some makers fudge their quoted dimensions, I know not why. For instance Canon USA gives the depth of the Rebel SL1 (EOS100D) as 69.4mm, but if the flash housing is included, the depth is 83mm. Likewise the Rebel T4i depth is given as 79mm but including the flash housing brings it up to 84mm. All the cameras below have a built in eye level viewfinder. 

Make/Model	Width cm	Height cm	Depth cm	Box Volume WxHxD  cc	Comment
Lumix G5	11.9	8.3	7.1	701	Built in handle, flash
Lumix GH2	12.3	9.0	7.5	830	Built in handle, flash
Lumix GH3	13.3	9.35	8.0	995	Built in handle, flash, large battery
Oly EM5 without HLD6  grip	12.2	8.9	4.3	467	Minimal handle, no built in flash
Oly EM5 with part 1 of HLD6 grip	12.2	10.0	7.3	890	No built in flash. Has unique 5 axis IBIS
EOS 100D	11.7	9.1	8.3	884	Smallest ever APS-C DSLR
EOS 650D	13.3	10.0	8.4	1117
EOS 60D	14.5	10.6	9.0	1383
Nik D7100	13.6	10.7	7.6	1106	Compact mid range DSLR
Sony NEX6	12.0	6.7	4.3	370	Eye cup and Mode Dial protrude

 As you can see, the Sony NEX6  body is easily the smallest of  this group (excluding the eyecup and Mode Dial both of which protrude a bit), which may or may not be desirable depending on your user interface priorities. As with other NEX cameras the NEX6 has both the problems which I identified earlier as arising from the cult of smallness. Regarding the ergonomics, Jeff Keller and Amadou Diallo, in the dpr.com review of the NEX6,  wrote "Despite the new mode dial, the NEX6 remains largely menu driven, and said menus can be very frustrating to navigate". The other problem is that of lenses. While the NEX bodies are remarkably small most of their E Mount lenses are about the same size as any other lenses for APS-C cameras.

Photo Courtesy of camerasize.com
These two camera/lens combinations are a reasonable match for image quality,  performance, angle of view and aperture. The Canon lens has a slightly narrower angle of view throughout its focal length range.  On the left is a Canon EOS 60D with EFS 17-55mm f2.8 lens attached. On the right is a Lumix GH3 with Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 lens attached.

Box Volume, Camera with Lens   None of these cameras performs any useful function until a lens is mounted. The total space required for a kit with one body and 2-4 lenses will depend much more on the lenses than the body. Let us review box volumes of some body-with-lens-attached combinations. This table is not intended to be comprehensive but does put numbers to some of the size comparison photos in this article.

Model+lens	Width cm	Height cm	Depth cm	Box Volume WxHxD  cc	Comments
Lumix G5 + 14-42 mk2 standard	11.9	8.3	10.4	1027	Mid range compact kit
Lumix GH3 + 12-35 f2.8	13.3	9.4	13.4	1657	Pro style kit
EOS 100D + 18-55 STM standard	11.7	9.1	14.6	1554	Smallest Canon DSLR
EOS 60D +17-55 f2.8	14.5	10.6	18.6	2859	Approximate Canon equivalent to GH3 + 12-35

 You can see that even the largest M43 camera fitted with a high grade f2.8 zoom lens has only slightly more box volume than the very smallest APS-C DSLR fitted with just the basic kit f3.5-5.6 lens.  Probably a better M43 comparison with the EOS 100D would be the G5 with it's kit lens. As you can see the G5 with lens has only 66% the volume of the 100D with lens.  A realistic comparison with the GH3 would be the EOS 60D with EFS 17-55mm f2.8 lens which has 1.72 times the volume of the GH3 with 12-35mm f2.8 lens combination.

One could go on with comparisons like this but my point is there is no free lunch in the world of camera and lens design.  For the expert/enthusiast photographer the camera body needs enough size to get ahold of and there needs to be enough real estate for control modules. Lens sizes are driven by sensor size. The more lenses in one's kit the more total kit size is determined by sensor size.

Photo Courtesy of camerasize.com
The Sony NEX  Way vs the M43 Way.
These two camera/lens combinations are a reasonable match for image quality and performance. On the left is a Sony NEX 6 with 16-50mm collapsing power zoom. On the right is a Lumix GH3 with 14-42mm collapsing power zoom. You can see that with these power zooms attached the NEX makes the more compact package.
 

The Sony NEX solution  As a student of ergonomics, I find much of interest in the Sony NEX  approach to the Mirrorless ILC.  From the ergonomic perspective I think the Sony designers got the basic camera shape and layout right. The elements of this are:

* Faux rangefinder  style with the viewfinder top left, and flat top. This allows the handle to be almost the full height of the body. This is the most efficient way to package the functional elements of the camera in the smallest possible volume.  There is no hump protruding from the top.

* Lens mount as far to the left side [as viewed by the user] of the body as possible.

* Relatively wide compared to the height. Compare this with a standard DSLR wich is relatively high compared to the width.

* Both the above features make room for a decent handle on the right side.

However I believe some of Sony's implementation decisions are problematic. 

The first is their market positioning of the NEX cams and the user group Sony is targeting. There is an interesting video about this on the Sony Australia website at  sony.com.au   Pro photographer Gary Heery presents Sony's view that the NEX series is for amateurs and snapshooters, users who prefer to set a camera to fully auto mode and leave it there. Pro's and serious photographers can step up to a DSLR.  I can see that from the maker's point of view all this appears perfectly logical. But from what I read on user forums, there appear to be plenty of photographers who want both. They want the small size of the NEX and the controllability of the DSLR and they want it all in the same product line, using the same lens mount.

The second, which follows somewhat logically from the first is that they made the NEX bodies very small. So small in fact  that there is limited space there for direct control modules. Sony's answer to this was, and mostly still is, to use menus and soft control modules. For the user who prefer direct control of camera operation this style of user interface can be frustrating.

Photo Courtesy of camerasize.com
Now let's attach some longer zoom lenses.
On the left is a NEX6 with E55-210mm zoom. In the center is a GH3 with Lumix 45-150mm zoom , providing slightly less zoom range than  the NEX lens. On the right is another GH3, this time with a Lumix 45-175mm zoom providing a smaller angle of view at the long end than either of the other lenses. You can see here the interaction between body size, sensor size and therefore lens size, with lens size becoming more important as the focal length increases. 

The third problematic decision was to use the APS-C/DX size sensor. This ensures the lenses will always be larger than those for M43 and much larger than those for the Nikon CX size sensor. I can't help thinking that for snapshooter/amateur photographers who want a camera with interchangeable lenses but are happy to leave their camera on the fully auto setting, the Nikon 1 Series with CX size sensor seems to make more sense. It certainly provides a more compact kit package and the image quality is more than enough for most family/holiday/kid's birthdays style of photos.

Photo Courtesy of camerasize.com
I included this to illustrate some design issues not often discussed. On the left is a Nikon D7100. On the right  Lumix GH3. Notice how the Lumix viewfinder eyepiece protrudes 15mm from the rear of the camera body while that of the D7100 does not protrude significantly. When using the GH3 with right eye view,  I can look almost directly straight ahead and view the world through the viewfinder or see with my left eye  past the left side of the camera.  Left eye view is not as ergonomic but even so the user's head does not have to turn as much as with the DSLR to see in the viewfinder.With DSLR's like the Nikon with non protruding eyepiece, the user has to turn the head left [for right eye use] or right[for left eye use] to get the nose out of the way, a less comfortable viewing posture with either eye.
The other design point to note is that although the GH3 is the smaller camera it provides more horizontal space for the handle which means more space for the fingers of the right hand.  It can do this because the lens mount is smaller and offset further to the left.

The M43 solution  Within one system, using one lens mount,  you can have camera/lens combinations which are very compact and might appeal to beginners, or you can move up to a slightly larger body and lens with greater image quality, features and performance, or you can step up further to high end equipment suitable for expert and professional use.

There is however one design decision made by both the Lumix and Olympus OMD teams which continues to puzzle me. They chose to use the faux DSLR shape for their cameras with built in EVF. The Lumix team did this from the very first G1 in 2008. Why ? I have no idea. Why go to all the considerable trouble and expense to develop an entirely new photographic system then make the cameras look like shrunken versions of existing DSLR's ?  To a camera buying public trained over many years by  CaNikon marketing to believe that bigger is better, then smaller must be worser, right ?? ...No ?

I live in hope that the Lumix/OMD teams will see the light and develop  M43 models based on the faux rangefinder shape but with GH3 style user interface.

Back to the GH3  And so we return by a somewhat circuitous ramble though the camera forest to my original proposition about the GH3.  Is it really huge ? Is it really enormous ?  Having used mine a great deal over the last month I have to say that of all the cameras I have used over a 60 year period the GH3  is the most comfortable to hold and the most enjoyable to operate.  For a camera using the DSLR shape, it is just about the ideal size and configuration for a user who wants to take direct control of camera operation. The GH3 is an excellent match for the 12-35mm f2.8 and 35-100mm f2.8 constant aperture, pro style zooms. Those who want a smaller package from the M43 stable have plenty of choice with many options for bodies with and without EVF  to the largest collection of lenses of any mirrorless ILC  system.

 

Lumix GH3 Review Part 2 Viewfinder Problems ?

LUMIX GH3 CAMERA USER REPORT

Part 2,  Viewfinder Problems ?

Author AndrewS  March  2013

GH3 Eyepiece with plastic/rubber eyecup removed  

GH2 Eyepiece

The ergonomics of camera use   I like to consider camera ergonomics under the general headings  Holding, Viewing and Operating. This post describes one aspect of Viewing, namely the Lumix GH3 Electronic Viewfinder.  Specifically it is a user report about my personal experience with the particular GH3 which I bought and have been using frequently for a month.

Reports of EVF problems  The GH3 has been in the market place long enough for there to be many reviews, blog commentaries and user reports available. Most of these are strongly favourable but some reviewers have expressed adverse comment about the EVF. The strange thing is that while some reviewers are strongly critical of the EVF to the point they feel the camera is unusable, the majority find no fault with it at all. So what is going on ?  Is there some kind of drastic sample variation ? Is there a batch of bad copies ? Are some user's viewing practices different from others ?  Having only one sample to test and just myself to do the testing I have no answer to these questions.  The best I can do is describe my own experience over the last month of use.

What problems have been reported ?   The most frequent  one is a visual perception usually described as "smearing" of some part of the preview image in the EVF particularly when the viewing eye is moved slightly from side to side. Other reports describe a lack of perceived sharpness compared with other EVFs in M43 and other mirrorless cameras.

Viewfinders Compared, GH3 vs GH2  The EVF in the GH2 [that in the G5 appears to be similar but has a lower resolution as specified by Panasonic] has a 4:3 aspect ratio.   The eyepiece lens is flat and angled down presumably to reduce the likelihood of reflections into the viewing eye. The rubber eyecup is fixed in place and  the eye sensor for monitor/EVF switching is on the right side of the eyepiece. The GH3  EVF is clearly different. It has a 16:9 aspect ratio, presumably to optimise motion picture viewing. The eyepiece lens has a strongly convex curvature. The plastic/rubber eyecup is removable. The eye sensor is below the eyepiece.  When set up for still photos at 4:3 aspect ratio and  the EVF [which Panasonic calls LVF, Live View Finder] is set to display camera data beneath, not overlaid on the preview image, the GH3 preview image occupies, at a guesstimate,  approximately 60% of the total EVF frame. The GH2 image preview set up the same way occupies about 80% of the total EVF frame. The GH3  EVF resolution is stated by Panasonic to be 1744000 dots equivalent, the GH2  EVF  1533600 dots equivalent and the G5  EVF 1440000 dots equivalent.   So on my rough calculations the actual 4:3 preview image will have: GH3  1046400 dots,  GH2  1226880 dots, G5  1152000 dots.  If these calculations are  approximately correct you would expect the GH2 to have the best resolution, followed by the G5 then the GH3.  In fact that is exactly what I find when looking through the viewfinders of each camera using matched lenses.

Sydney Easter Show. The GH3 can do a decent job as sport/action camera. A faster EVF refresh rate would make it even better. Usually the way to shoot horse jumps like this is to pre focus manually on the bar, but this time I used CAF which kept up with the action.

My own experience  The arrival of a new camera is always an anticipated event especially when the wait to acquire that particular model has been many months as was the case with my GH3.  I had, of course, read several negative comments on user forums about the GH3 EVF  so I was feeling a little anxious when I looked through the viwfinder for the very first time. And what did I see ?  Really bad smearing !!  One was not amused, to put it mildly. I was very agitated indeed.  I use the EVF for about 90% of my photos which meant that the whole GH3 enterprise was under threat from the start.  Anyway I calmed down after a while and adjusted the eyepiece diopter to suit my right eye. I found this more difficult than has been the case with other cameras as, for some reason, still not entirely clear to me, the optimum setting was hard to find.  Some eyepieces snap in and out of sharpness when the diopter wheel is turned so finding the best position is easy. But the GH3  EVF showed  a more gradual transition from unsharp to "best possible". It took  me several days of adjusting and re-adjusting the diopter wheel until I was confident I had gotten the optimum position. That improved the overall EVF appearance greatly and markedly reduced the smearing.

The next thing I did was to adjust the LVF Display Style and the Monitor Display Style to match. These are found in the Custom Menu, Page 5/8.  Then I adjusted the Viewfinder Display. This adjustment should logically be grouped with the LVF/Monitor Display Style, but just to keep you guessing it's down  in the Setup Menu, Page 2/6,  and to keep you guessing even  more it is labelled [Monitor Display].  When you look through the EVF the label on the field changes to [Viewfinder] and you can adjust the settings with the Control Dial.    The settings which I use are given below. It is highly likely that your personal eye/brain/visual perception physiology will prefer different settings.  Many  people differ in their  color balance perception. It took me two weeks of repeatedly making small changes to the settings in different conditions till I was satisfied I had found the best match for my right eye [the left eye has different color balance].

Brightness +1.  Brightness and Contrast interact with each other. When one is altered it will probably be necessary to change the other.

Contrast/Saturation +3.  I found colors, particularly reds, very desaturated in the mid position. Even with the +3 setting I found some inaccurate color in the reds, which tend to orange.

Green/Red [Red Tint]  Neutral.  

Yellow/Blue [Blue Tint] --3.

While this adjustment process was ongoing I was using the camera to make thousands of photos over several weeks. Somewhere along the way I realised that I no longer noticed any problem with smearing, or indeed any problem with the viewfinder at all. In other words, I adjusted to the camera and found it working well for me.

Comfort    The GH2 has a rubber eyecup which compared to that on the GH3 is larger, thicker and softer.  I find it more comfortable. The GH3 eyecup is removable. I would like to see Panasonic make a softer, more comfortable version.

Summary of EVF characteristics and differences GH3/GH2/G5

Sharpness  GH2 [best] >G5 >GH3   In use the GH3 does the job quite adequately. The EVF does not give me an  impression of unsharpness or softness such as might interfere with the process of making photos.  It is a bit disappointing however to discover that on direct comparison an older model delivers slightly better sharpness/resolution with still photography in 4:3 picture format.

Color saturation/accuracy  Overall I rate the GH3 as delivering more natural colors across the spectrum and in a variety of conditions,  than either of the other two cameras. I can adjust the GH3 until the EVF colors appear mostly natural in bright light, low light, high and low  levels of subject brightness range. That is not possible with either the GH2 or G5. 

Highlight/Shadow detail   The EVF in the GH3 reveals substantially better highlight/shadow detail than the other two cameras. This is particularly noticeable in the dark tones where the GH3 shows more gradation, color and detail.

Panning  All three EVF's manage panning well without skipping, except in very low light levels where panning becomes jerky.

Refresh rate  I am not in a position to test this scientifically and in single shot mode the GH3 EVF refreshes quickly enough that it is not an issue. However when following a moving subject in M Burst Mode and Continuous AF,  EVF refresh rate becomes very important. As it stands, M  Burst Rate with the Lumix 35-100mm f2.8 lens is 4.6 frames per second.  This is just but only just, usable. The issue is the proportion of time with live view active  versus the proportion of time with the EVF blacked out. A faster refresh rate would be very welcome and would enhance this camera's sport/action capability.

Olympus EM5  I did not have an EM5 to hand for comparison testing but in my time with the EM5 I was very pleased with it's EVF, finding no problems with it's appearance. The only things I recall not liking were  1. The tendency of the eyecup to dig into the tissues around  my eye in portrait orientation and   2. That I couldn't set up the EVF and Monitor both to DSLR style, with  camera data beneath the image preview.

Summary  Compared to previous models the Lumix GH3  EVF  has improved color accuracy, improved gradation, color and detail in the dark tones, slightly less resolution/sharpness and in my personal estimation, slightly less comfort in use.

The smearing issue which I initially encountered was eliminated by accurate diopter adjustment, display adjustment and practice using this particular piece of equipment.

 

Lumix GH3 Review Part 1 Introduction

LUMIX GH3 CAMERA USER REPORT

Part 1, Introduction and Overview

The Multimodal Hybrid

Author  AndrewS     March  2013

GH3 with Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 lens in use. The camera is comfortable to hold and responsive in use.

Brief History of Lumix G M43 Cameras   The Lumix  G1 was announced in September 2008. This was the first G Micro camera and the first ever camera built to the Micro Four Thirds standard. Since then the G camera system had evolved into four lines. The GF series without built in EVF is aimed at beginners and compact camera/smartphone upgraders. The GX1 appeals to enthusiasts who prefer a camera without EVF.  The original G with EVF series represents a compact, mirrorless alternative to the traditional DSLR.  The GH series is Panasonic's interpretation of the Hybrid Still/Motion Picture camera and sits at the top of the Lumix range. The GH3 is the latest and most comprehensively specified iteration of the GH series. It is the 13th lumix G camera model to date.

GH3 rollout has been slow. It was announced on 17 September 2012. I ordered mine in December 2012 and picked it up from Digi Direct in Sydney on 26 February 2013.  It is intermittently listed as "in stock" with some sellers but more often "out of stock" or "pre-order" whatever that means.  I note that some vendors are still listing the G3, GH2 and older GF models suggesting a past inventory buildup which has still not cleared. Perhaps Panasonic is trying to avoid a repeat of this problem with the GH3.  

Sydney Easter Show 2013 Lunchtime Scene.  Landscape and location photography requires plenty of dynamic range especially with a scene like this on a bright sunny day. You can see white roofing material in direct sun and black hair in shade. With a little help from Adobe Camera Raw the GH3 has managed to render detail in both from a single exposure.

The place of M43 in the camera world  I think it is fair to say that there has been some uncertainty about this from makers and buyers. Is  M43  a replacement for the rapidly vanishing compact camera ? Is it a "Gap Filler" between compact and DSLR ? A upgrade from a compact perhaps ? I have long believed that the destiny of the M43 system is to become the dominant interchangeable lens camera type. But early models lacked the image quality, performance and ergonomics to entice buyers away from their DSLR's.  This started to change with the Olympus EM-5 which solved the image quality problem thanks to a Sony sourced imaging sensor. Now we have the Lumix GH3 with the same image quality [and probably the same sensor] plus improved performance and ergonomics. In addition,  two new high performance constant f2.8 zoom lenses have appeared.  I think the combination of the GH3 with the extensive M43 system of lenses including high quality primes and zooms makes the best case yet for enthusiast/expert photographers to switch from their DSLRs  to M43.  

The GH3 makes a handy sport/action camera for many types of subject in reasonably bright light. Lumix 45-150mm lens.

GH3 Main Selling Proposition  Makers of cameras, cars, vacuum cleaners, ice cream and just about everything else in a competitive market place are forever seeking the elusive "Unique Selling Point" which will provide a marketing advantage. Some cameras advertise the Biggest Sensor in the Smallest Body as if such a combination of characteristics had some kind of intrinsic merit. Some advertise the greatest number of  pixels on a given size sensor. Some resort to unique but ergonomically nonsensical features such as an iFunction button on the lens.  Some have Art Filters.

The GH3 has little in the way of unique features. I think it's main selling proposition is it's combination of characteristics and capabilities which together make a camera which I call a "Multimodal Hybrid".  Panasonic uses the term "Hybrid" in reference to the GH series camera's high level of still and motion picture performance. But I think there is more to it.

User    A complete novice to photography could pick up this camera, set it to iA mode and use it as a point and shoot model.  With more experience the same user might move up to the Scene guide Mode or Creative Control Mode. The expert/professional user can ignore these beginner settings and enjoy a high level of control over all camera functions enabled by the comprehensive set of direct user interface modules. [Dials, levers and buttons]

Interface  Some cameras rely on a "soft" interface, using touch screen controls, others present a "hard" or "direct" interface with lots of modules directly operated by the fingers. Some allow you to operate the device remotely, with or without wires from a master device off camera.  The GH3 allows you to drive the camera by each of these means or all three at once should your brain be able to manage the required cognitive complexity. Any way you prefer to use a camera, the GH3 can do it.  In addition the user interface is highly Configurable.  The Main Menus, Q Menu, Custom Modes and Function Buttons are all amenable to extensive user input resulting in each user being able to set up the camera to suit personal requirements.

Operation  The GH3 can function perfectly as a contemplative capture device for landscape or architecture, requiring tripod mount,  100% view in EVF or Monitor, vibration reduction, accurate control of exposure and dynamic range. Change a few settings and it becomes a rapid shooting machine for street or photo journalism with fast,  responsive performance. Change a few more settings and the GH3 morphs into a sport/action camera with more capability than some reviewers have discovered.

Output  The most widely advertised feature of the GH series cameras is their ability to produce high quality still or motion picture output, with instant switching from one to the other. The GH3 outputs both at a high quality level. 

Documentary work in most conditions is easily handled by the GH3 with one of the wide aperture zoom or prime lenses. This photo has been reduced for the net but in the original you can read the lathe operator's name tag. Lumix 12-35mm f2.8, hand held viewing on the swung out monitor.

Environment  The GH3 can be completely at home in a studio. It can be remotely driven. The camera with it's built in flash can drive and control a full set of external flash units. [FL360L]  It can operate in near complete silence making it suitable for concerts and other places where audible operation would be unacceptable. It is weather protected as are the two constant f2.8 zoom lenses, making it suitable for location work in adverse environments. The compact kit size also enhances its suitability for  work in remote places.

System  In four years M43 has grown from nothing to the most comprehensive of all mirrorless camera systems. There is an extensive lineup of prime and zoom lenses at all levels from budget consumer to high performance professional.  There are dedicated flash units, motion picture accessories, battery grips and much more. In addition third party makers have contributed lenses, adapters and other equipment to the mix. Camera bodies now range in size from diminutive to substantial with intermediates. There is something here to suit almost everybody.  The GH3 sits at the top of the Lumix section of the M43 system at the present time.

Who's it for ?     Although it would be quite suitable for a beginner, the GH3 will I suspect, mainly appeal to the experienced/expert/professional photographer who likes to take direct, hands on control of the imaging process. The camera has some "under the hood" features which could enhance this appeal. It has a much larger battery than any other M43 camera. I recently spent a day at the Sydney Easter Show, where I made 730 exposures with a lot of image review on the monitor between bursts of activity. At the end of the day the battery indicator was reading 2/3 bars full. The imaging processor is fast, allowing many RAW shots to be taken in Burst Mode. The buffer is large. In Burst Mode M [which provides CAF, AE and Live View on each frame] with a 95MB/sec card the camera will shoot 28 RAW frames in 6 seconds [4.6 frames /sec] before the frame rate slows. The buffer then takes 7 seconds to clear. The camera will shoot higher frame rates but you lose AF and Live Preview on each frame.

The camera, made in China, by the way, showing the base with tripod socket centered on the lens axis and sufficiently well back from the front edge of the body to allow it to support a long lens. You could change a battery with most tripod heads attached. Memory card slot is in the handle, separate from the large battery.

The User Report Process   Until now, each of my camera reviews has been presented as a single publication on this blog.  That is about to change. I regard the GH3 as the most important M43 camera since the original G1.  Why ?   To explain I must digress a little. Here is another question. Why do amateur photographers buy entry level CaNikon DSLRs ?  Because CaNikon make the best entry level cameras ?  Maybe they do, maybe they don't, who knows ?  I believe the real reason is that CaNikon have established brand name recognition in the marketplace.  They have achieved this by

1. Making mostly decent cameras continuously for 60 years or thereabouts.

2. Establishing a line of pro level "hero" cameras and lenses, the performance of which establishes CaNikon's reputation.

Panasonic can't do anything about the 60 year heritage but they do need some hero cameras and lenses together with a few pro photographers visibly using and promoting them. The GH3 is the closest thing to a hero camera to come from the Lumix stable and the most likely to attract a professional user cadre for still and  motion picture use.

So it will be the subject of a rolling, multipart user review process over many weeks.  I refrained from posting anything on this blog until I had owned and used  the camera for a month and have attained a  shutter count of  5000. I have used the camera in a variety of different conditions to better understand it's capabilities.  My analysis and report will concentrate on:

Still Photo. I have no useful understanding of motion picture use. There are many blogs and websites which describe and analyse the video function of the GH3 in great detail.

Expert Use.  The GH3 is primarily a photographer's camera for the expert user so I will concentrate on that aspect of it's operation.

Direct Control  I drive the camera with the physical user interface modules.  I have used the touch screen interface and it works just fine in the technical sense. But after diligently trialling and testing over a long period, using the GH2, G5 and GH3, I find the touch screen process awkward to use when viewing with the Monitor and impossible with eye level view. So I have it permanently disabled.

Report Chapter Headings  My user reports are usually presented under the headings  Introduction and Overview, Image Quality, Performance, Ergonomics and System.  I will continue to use these headings as a guide but will devote several blog posts to specific issues within each heading.