Panasonic LUMIX DMC GH3 Review | 108 Data compared

The DPReview analysis identifies the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 as a versatile hybrid, praised for its robust, weather-sealed magnesium alloy body, excellent 1080/60p video quality with high 72Mbps bitrates, and fast autofocus. Key advantages include extensive physical controls, an upgraded OLED viewfinder, and superior ergonomics for both video and still shooters. Conversely, the review notes limitations regarding the Micro Four Thirds sensor's high-ISO performance, which suffers from heavy noise reduction in JPEGs and fine banding in RAW files. Further drawbacks include a move away from the multi-aspect sensor design of its predecessor, resulting in cropped image formats, and slightly muted color rendering.

The Panasonic Lumix GH3 is lauded for its robust weather-sealed construction, excellent 16MP image quality with improved high ISO noise performance, and professional-grade video capabilities. It features fast autofocus, a 3-inch articulating OLED screen, and built-in Wi-Fi, making it a capable hybrid tool. However, the review notes the continuous shooting speed is slightly slower than some competitors, and its premium construction results in a higher price point. Ultimately, the camera earns a 4.5/5 rating, highlighting its value for serious users.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 Review Summary The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 is a 16-megapixel Micro 4:3 hybrid camera designed like a small SLR, weighing 544g with its default 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens. Achieving an overall DxO Mark sensor score of 71, it stands as a strong performer and marks a massive upgrade over its predecessor, the disappointing GH2, which scored a 60. The camera offers serious enthusiasts high-utility features including excellent 22.7-bit colour depth, a best-in-class 12.4 EV dynamic range, 1080p full HD video capture, burst shooting up to 20 frames per second, and a fully articulated touch-sensitive monitor with touch autofocus capabilities. Despite its high performance, the GH3's primary disadvantage is its steep price point, making it one of the most expensive 4:3 hybrid cameras on the market. It faces stiff, lower-priced competition from multiple directions: the Sony NEX-6 features a larger APS-C sensor that beats the GH3 across all sensor metrics, the Pentax K-01 and K-5 IIs deliver significantly higher sensor scores for less money, and the Olympus PEN E-PM2 matches its performance at nearly half the price. Additionally, the...

The Panasonic Lumix GH3 is evaluated as a highly capable, feature-rich hybrid camera that significantly advances video capabilities for indie filmmakers, though it exhibits specific ergonomic quirks and performance limits. It is highly praised for its enhanced image quality over its predecessor, delivering cleaner shadows, less macro-blocking, and an improved dynamic range of 1–2 additional stops. Key technical highlights include support for 1080/60p slow-motion video, robust high-bitrate codecs (50Mbit IPB and 72mbit ALL-I), an uncompressed clean 1080p HDMI output, and exceptional battery life. Furthermore, its weather-sealed chassis maintains a fully articulated OLED screen, making it a highly adaptable all-rounder compatible with an extensive selection of Micro Four Thirds glass. Despite these clear strengths, the review notes several practical disadvantages and missing features. A major frustration is the lack of manual focus peaking or any focus assist functionality while the camera is actively rolling. Ergonomically, the camera suffers from poorly placed physical controls; the rear grip obstructs the main control dial, the headphone jack physically blocks the articulation of the flip screen, and the Display button is too easily pressed by...

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 is a rugged, mirrorless interchangeable lens camera featuring a dustproof and splashproof magnesium alloy body and a 16.05-megapixel Live MOS sensor. It caters heavily to both advanced videographers and hybrid shooters by offering seamless autofocus tracking during Full HD recording, uncompressed audio options, dual 3.5mm microphone and headphone terminals, and SMPTE-compliant time code embedding. Performance highlights include clean image quality up to ISO 3200, a continuous burst speed of up to 6 frames per second at full resolution, a useful dual-axis level gauge, and an articulating 180-degree lateral rotating touch LCD screen. The camera's primary strengths (pros) lie in its excellent colour reproduction, top-tier sharpness, built-in flash with a 12-metre guide number, and compatibility with a vast range of Micro Four Thirds lenses, including Leica optics. However, it does suffer from notable drawbacks (cons); the otherwise excellent OLED rear LCD screen struggles under bright sunlight, and noticeable image noise and colour shifting occur when pushing the sensitivity to the extended ISO 25600 setting. Additionally, the sheer layout of its controls creates a functional paradox, as the...

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 is a high-end, 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds camera praised by PCMag as a top-tier video tool with a robust, weather-sealed SLR-like design. Key advantages include swift autofocus, a 6.2 fps burst rate, built-in Wi-Fi, and a crisp, vari-angle OLED display, making it excellent for professional video production. However, the camera faces competition with a high $1,299.99 body-only price point, and it struggles with image detail at high ISO levels compared to rivals. Additionally, the electronic viewfinder suffers from lag in low-light conditions, preventing it from securing an Editors' Choice award, according to the PCMag review.

Panasonic GH3 Review Summary The Panasonic GH3 is a robust digital single-lens mirrorless (DSLM) camera designed like a traditional SLR to appeal to professional photographers and videographers. It provides excellent overall image quality, featuring natural color reproduction and a highly impressive dynamic range at its lowest ISO settings (125 ISO) that matches or even exceeds some full-frame cameras. Built with an aluminum body that is sealed against dust and splash water, it offers professional-grade durability alongside highly functional, large physical buttons and dual control wheels for fluid manual adjustments. Additionally, it upgrades significantly over its predecessor by adding a larger, brighter OLED electronic viewfinder and rear screen, built-in Wi-Fi functionality, and an entirely silent electronic shutter. However, the camera does present a few notable drawbacks depending on the shooting conditions. Its contrast-detection autofocus system, while exceptionally fast for static subjects and video, is less accurate and poorly suited for fast action or sports tracking compared to the phase-detection AF found in traditional DSLRs. While the OLED viewfinder is generally excellent, it displays minor sharpness falloff at the edges depending on...

The Panasonic Lumix GH3 review details Mark and Cathy Pemberton's experience testing this mirrorless camera during a 12-day safari in South Africa. A major pro highlighted is its compact Micro Four Thirds design, weighing just 40.5 oz with a 100-300mm lens—a quarter of the weight of their previous Nikon DSLR setup—making it easy to handhold for hours in vehicles where tripods are not an option. Additional pros include its bright, highly detailed Electronic Viewfinder (EVF), fast and accurate contrast-detection autofocus, stunning video quality, and five customizable modes to quickly restore programmed settings. It also delivers impressive low-light performance, producing bright and sharp images up to ISO 1600, and highly acceptable photos even at ISO 3200 and 6400 with minor Lightroom noise adjustment. However, the reviewers note significant cons, most notably its performance during rapid action photography. In burst mode (3–6 fps), the EVF image completely blocks out while transferring data to the buffer, making it nearly impossible to track moving subjects like wildlife or sports. The physical layout also suffers from ergonomics issues, as the reviewers frequently bumped buttons and...

However, the camera has notable cons, such as its bulkier, heavier body that is much larger than typical compact system options. For stills shooters, the native 4:3 image gets cropped at other aspect ratios, losing field of view, and the 16:9 electronic viewfinder creates thick black bars on the sides during photo composition. Continuous autofocus (C-AF) relies purely on contrast-detection and is visibly inferior to its hybrid AF competitors, hunting or making audible lens buzzing during video. Additionally, continuous shooting performance peaked around 4.4fps in testing, failing to meet the advertised 6fps claim. Finally, the camera lacks in-body stabilization, and the Wi-Fi implementation is slow and clunky for file transfers, requiring frustrating key re-entries and struggling with poor signal reception.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 is a professional-grade Micro Four Thirds camera that features a weather-sealed magnesium alloy body, excellent ergonomics, and built-in Wi-Fi functionality. It stands out with spectacular autofocus speeds, a fully articulated 3-inch touchscreen, and an electronic viewfinder that overlays helpful shooting details. While its photo quality shows huge leaps with low noise levels up to ISO 3200 and highly accurate colours, its smaller sensor cannot quite match the low-light performance of full-frame rivals. Additionally, continuous shooting speeds slow down heavily during high-ISO JPEG or RAW shooting, and the rear control wheel is slightly awkward to rotate. The camera truly shines in its video capabilities, offering sharp 1080p footage at multiple frame rates up to 50fps without the compression errors seen on other cameras. Top video pros include smooth aperture adjustments via the touchscreen, dedicated 3.5mm microphone and headphone jacks, live audio metering, and crisp details even in dark shadows. However, the video mode does have a few cons, such as massive file sizes, a lack of focus peaking for manual focus help, and the omission of a...

The Amateur Photographer review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 highlights the camera as a robust, flagship mirrorless model offering superior ergonomics, a substantial handgrip, and excellent handling, alongside comprehensive 1080p video capabilities up to 72Mbps. Key strengths include extensive connectivity, such as dedicated microphone, headphone, and HDMI ports, which enhance its appeal for videographers. However, the review notes constraints, including a 29-minute, 59-second, per-clip recording limit, and a larger body size that approaches that of traditional entry-level DSLRs. While the camera compromises on the compact nature of the Micro Four Thirds system, the reviewer notes that the benefits of the platform are still preserved through the compact lenses. Amateur Photographer

Panasonic GH3 Field Review Summary Despite these stellar attributes, the review points out several notable limitations and drawbacks, primarily stemming from its early pre-production firmware. A major flaw identified is that the camera transmits flashing highlight warnings through the HDMI output, meaning they are permanently recorded on external backup devices unless the warnings are turned completely off. The camera is also not a "world camera," meaning Panasonic has restricted regional frame rates based on market control or local EU tax rules, forcing users into strict PAL or NTSC versions. Additionally, shooting in high-quality Intra mode demands substantial storage space, exhausting roughly 525 megabytes per minute and requiring expensive high-speed cards. Finally, the author notes minor annoyances, such as the lack of direct shutter angle settings and the unnecessary inclusion of amateur, consumer-focused creative filter modes on an otherwise strictly professional tool.

The Photo Review assessment highlights the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 as a rugged, weather-sealed, and feature-rich flagship that bridges high-end stills and professional video with an improved 16.05-megapixel sensor and better dynamic range. Notable pros include a deeper grip, dual OLED screens, impressive 6 fps burst speed, robust Wi-Fi, and top-tier video performance. Conversely, the review notes cons including the camera's increased size, which compromises Micro Four Thirds compactness, and a redesigned control layout with a recessed, soft scroll wheel that hinders tactile adjustments. Additionally, the high-contrast edge enhancement can sometimes produce visible sharpening artifacts, despite delivering excellent, color-accurate images.

Despite these formidable strengths, the review notes that the camera is quite pricey ($1,299.99 direct, body only) and fails to stand out as the best all-around mirrorless camera in its category. Key disadvantages include its tendency to lag behind the competition at high ISO levels, as well as an EVF that becomes noticeably choppy in low-light environments. PCMag also notes that the camera completely lacks a focus peaking feature—a surprising omission given its video-first pedigree—and utilizes a clunky, multi-step web interface via the Lumix Club to manage social media credentials. Ultimately, while the competing Olympus OM-D E-M1 is recognized as a faster and more rugged option with built-in image stabilization for general photographers, the Lumix GH3 remains a premier choice if video production is your absolute priority.