Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH3 Pro Reviews

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 is an excellent camera for video enthusiasts, but it's not the best all-around Micro Four Thirds camera that we've tested.

Overall, we found shooting both still images and video with the Panasonic GH3 to be a wholly rewarding experience. It's fun, fast and feature packed. For videographers looking for a pro-level camera that can capture fantastic HD footage at a third of the price of similarly-featured models, the GH3 is a no-brainer choice. For savvy amateur shutterbugs, it's an excellent all-around shooter that will allow you to explore new ground and greatly expand your skills. Of course, the Panasonic GH3 is a Dave's Pick. It's simply one of the best mirrorless cameras we've reviewed -- and not just this year.

The GH3 is an important camera for Panasonic - it's one that needs to retrench the company's position in the market for filmmakers on a budget or for whom size is a concern at a time where the big DSLR makers are starting to take video seriously. It's also a camera that needs to act as a flagship for the company's Micro Four Thirds offerings - lending extra credibility to the rest of a lineup that risk being eclipsed by the work of Olympus and its other mirrorless rivals. By foregoing the GH2's size advantage, Panasonic has pitched the GH3 against some seriously capable cameras - not least the D7100. And, while the improved ergonomics and added external controls make the GH3 a more pleasant camera to use than its predecessor, when considered from a stills photography perspective, it doesn't stand out against that competition. And, of course, it also has to stand up to its Micro Four Thirds peers, such as the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and it simply doesn't have the JPEGs or outright charisma to do that, either. Which isn't to say it's a bad stills camera - it's actually rather good - but there are some excellent stills shooters around for the money. However, the GH3 isn't simply a stills camera and, if you have any interest in shooting video at all, its quality and feature set help it stand apart from the competition.

The Panasonic Lumix GH3 is a worthy succesor to the GH2. The redesigned sensor and updated processor provide a raft of enhancements to its video capabilies which will delight existing GH series owners, some of whom have been relying on firmware hacks to provide the high bit rates and extended encoding options now available. These improvements will unquestionably cement the GH3's position as the darling of the professional video community. But though some view it as such, the GH3 is more than just a highly capable movie camera. It handles beautifully, focuses very quickly and accurately, is tough and weatherproof and produces still images of a very high quality that can be fairly painlessly uploaded wirelessly to a wide range of destinations. While many manufacturers are still looking to miniaturise their compact system camera offerings, with the GH3 Panasonic appears to be pursuing a different goal which is to produce a mirrorless camera every bit as functional, capable and robust as a professional DSLR. The Lumix GH3 is evidence that they are succeeding and is more than deserving of Cameralabs Highly Recommended award. Micro Four Thirds goes from strength to strength.

Overall the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 is a fantastic camera in its own right, transcending the boundaries of mirrorless, DSLR, Micro Four Thirds, stills and video. The compelling mix of outstanding image quality, ease-of-use, intuitive design and a rich feature-set makes it very easy for us to highly recommend the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 - only that eye-watering price prevents us from awarding it our highest Essential rating...

Highly accomplished for photos and in a league of its own for video

Operationally, the GH3 has come on a long way from the GH2. With a larger handgrip, improved arrangement of buttons, bigger battery and superb touch screen we don't have any regrets in saying the GH3 is one of the most intuitive CSCs we've used. The camera is well supported by a fine selection of lenses and there's no less than seventeen Panasonic G-series lenses to expand the system from wide-angle 7mm lenses right through to 300mm telephoto zooms. With Wi-Fi now built in to the camera it's also possible to skip out the step of uploading your images to your computer before attaching them to an email or posting to social media channels. What's more, the idea of being able to see exactly what the screen displays on your phone or tablet is fantastic and this could really catch on with wildlife photographers who like to work as discreetly and as quietly as possible. The GH3 challenges DSLRs at a similar price point in the way it handles and operates, but what about image quality? In isolation the detail that's resolved by the 16MP sensor is very respectable indeed and it's not until you compare the results side-by-side with a camera that uses an APS-C sized sensor that you realise there's fractionally less detail in the GH3's files at 100%. The highest sensitivity setting we'd be confident of shooting at is ISO 3200 and ISO 6400 at a push with some noise reduction applied.

Feature-packed, the Panasonic Lumix GH3 is up there with the best Micro Four Thirds cameras, but it sure is a pricey purchase. It's even more cash than the Olympus OM-D, but in a more bloated and less "edgily" styled body. Will it woo in the crowds already attached to DSLR brands? It's not necessarily a hard sell on paper, as there are features by the bucket load. But with hardened fans of the best known DSLR brands, the GH3 does feel a little adverse to what we think of a compact system cameras as being. Continuous autofocus isn't going to better a similar-price DSLR either, but otherwise it's a full experience that holds its own and there are plenty of lenses to choose from too. Image quality is also improved compared to its predecessor and really isn't that far off what an APS-C sensor DSLR can produce. However, the real winning point is what the camera can pull off in its video capture mode - there's no other stills camera that can compete to the GH3's level in this area, though high-end professionals may prefer a larger-sensor DSLR for heightened depth of field control.

The Panasonic Lumix GH3 with a rugged weather sealed body and Digital SLR styling and controls, is one of the most advanced Micro Four Thirds cameras available, and has an extensive range of useful photographic and video upgrades in comparison to previous Panasonic cameras. In fact, it's one of the most advanced Full HD video recording cameras available at the moment. Image quality is very good with better noise performance than any other Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras, with detail visible in photos taken at ISO settings as high as ISO6400. Focus speed, shutter response and shot to shot times are all excellent, and the camera shoots at 6fps in continuous shooting mode, although it's a shame it's not as quick as the OM-D E-M5 and Sony NEX-7.