Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 Review

Tiny but Mighty - This one just seems to fit!

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 with swivel LCD panel

by Wayne Rasku

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 is the very first 4/3 mirrorless SLR-type camera to be featured at Digital-Photographic-Resources. The jury has been out on whether this new technology (not so new any more) would be accepted by the photography community. But there are enough "mavericks" who are not afraid to try new ideas, and they have put four thirds cameras on the map, so to speak.

The Panasonic camera division has been on the cutting edge of photography gear for some time. In terms of user satisfaction and expert reviews, they have actually rated higher than the likes of Canon and Nikon with some of their top-notch point and shoot cameras.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 is their latest "conquest." However, this time it is in a more advanced camera - a four thirds type camera which can be compared to digital SLR cameras with respect to interchangeable lenses and sensor size and quality.

The first two cameras in the Gx line were well received, but this one is causing experts to sit up and take notice. Not only has the image quality improved, but the camera is smaller and performs as well as some much more expensive digital SLRs.

As you see in the photos of the DMC-G3, the camera looks like a glorified point and shoot in terms of size. It is smaller than any DSLR on the market. But size does not hamper the performance of this entry-level interchangeable lens camera.

There is a newly designed image sensor in this little giant. It is a 16-megapixel LiveMOS sensor that records photos of up to 4592x3448 pixels. (This is about the same size sensor as the Nikon D7000). There appears to be quite a bit of improvement in size and image quality over the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 version according to the Popular Photography Magazine review of this camera. In fact, many G3 reviewers, both in magazines and online, have stated that same opinion. There is an excellent lab test showing comparisons of the G3 against several competitors HERE at imaging-resource.com.

Panasonic G3 Specifications In A Nutshell

Sensor: 16.0MP LiveMOS sensor
Lens: 14-42mm kit lens; only Micro 4/3 lenses
Image Processor: Venus Engine FHD
Image Size: 4592x3448 pixels JPEG or RAW
ISO: Auto or Intelligent ISO or Manual - 160-6400
LCD: Fully-articulated tilt LCD screen with touch control and 460K dot resolution
Storage: SD, SDHC, SDXC storage cards
Video: Full HD up to 1920x1080 pixels at 60fps in AVCHD format or up to 1280x720 pixels at 30fps in Motion JPEG format; built-in stereo mic, but no mic input. Continuous AF with contrast detection
Continuous Shooting: 4 fps with no limit in JPEG. 4 fps up to 7 images in RAW (12 bit).
View Finder: electronic view finder with 100% view and 1.4x magnification
Shutter Speed: Max - 1/400sec, Min - 60sec
Flash: Built-in flash or Hot-shoe for external flash
Weight: 336g or 0.74lbs
Dimensions: 115 x 84 x 47mm or 4.53 x 3.31 x 1.85inches

Image Quality:

Ratings for image quality and color accuracy were in the excellent range, which is an improvement over the older G2, and ISO performance was also excellent until ISO 800 was reached. At that point the noise was much more apparent and deemed unacceptable. However, with certain software intervention, shooting in RAW and interpreting with the right editing program could correct this problem. It is the Panasonic RAW editing software that was responsible for the noise issue.

Panasonic G3 Performance

As mentioned, the G3 is smaller than any Digital SLR currently on the market. This is due to the mirrorless technology. The size makes the camera seem much like a point and shoot model. Those who are used to a more substantial camera will have to get used to the small feel of this camera. However, this may work in favor of those who, themselves, are small. Shooting for long periods of time will be less straining on the body compared to a larger unit.

The Panasonic G3 has less external menu controls than a traditional DSLR, but it is very intuitive in the way those controls are used. The menu navigation buttons are multi-taskers in that they can be customized by the user. The LCD screen also serves as a navigation system because it is a touch screen. Through the touch controls, you can change shutter speed, AF, and all the other frequently used settings. The user can also modify the quick control settings, customizing them for personal preferences.

If you are not keen on lots of settings and buttons, there is always "iA" or intelligent auto. This is totally automatic shooting, but even in iA, there are changes that can be made to such settings as ISO and aperture using the touch screen sliders.

Another feature that capitalizes on the touch screen is AF. Using the live view image on the LCD screen, the photographer can touch the area of the screen that she wants to focus on and the camera will re-focus. You can also use this touch method to zoom in on a specific subject, which can be very handy for macro shots. And focus for the G3 is very fast as the camera software uses contrast detection for focusing.

Bottom Line:

Is the newest Panasonic entry-level DSLR-type camera worthy of your attention?

Panasonic is a leader in new camera technology. This being the newest offering, many of the issues have been worked out, and the touch screen performance was deemed very good. For those who want an excellent camera with interchangeable lens capabilities and are not tied to the Canon-Nikon stables, this would be a good choice. And the price is really competitive with the least expensive of the entry-level DSLRs such as the Canon Rebel T3, the Nikon D3100, and even the Pentax K-x.