Panasonic Lumix G3 review
Value & Verdict
Panasonic Lumix G3 review - Value
The G3 with 14-42mm kit lens will retail for £629.99 - close to the G2's original launch price. None too shabby considering all the technology on offer, and far less than the GH2's £800 asking price (with the same 14-42mm lens). For a body only purchase, the G3 can be picked up for £549.99.
However, considering the wider Compact System Camera market and the likes of the Samsung NX11 can be picked up (if it can be found anywhere) for between £460-550, undercutting by a notable margin. There are also other more compact-style offerings including the Sony NEX-5 and Olympus E-PL2 that, although a slightly different breed without built-in viewfinders, may also hold some weight against the likes of the G2. None of these competitors can claim to be as technologically advanced or feature-packed however, so that's surely the G3's trump card.
Panasonic Lumix G3 review - Verdict
The Lumix G3 has a whole lot to like: it's small (but not too miniature), neatly designed, has superb autofocus speed, a vari-angle LCD and decent built-in electronic viewfinder.
Even image quality has been slightly improved over the Lumix G2 model despite the increase in resolution. However, image quality's not up there with the likes of the exceptional Lumix GH2 and, although the G3 has a 1080i movie mode, this too isn't as high-spec as it could be; it's more of a point-and-shoot mode. That said, the autofocus during capture eases into place, providing smooth transitions for excellent final clips.
The G3's small design will appeal to many, but this has been at the expense of some of the older G-series' external dials and switches no longer featuring on the exterior. However, the G3's biggest issue its new battery's lower power: smaller may be better sometimes, but not at the expense of longevity per charge. Also, considering we're in the age of the Smartphone and surrounded by tablet fever, the G3's touchscreen won't feel quite as responsive as what you may be used to and come to expect. But get to grips with it and there are plenty of features boosted by its inclusion.
All in all the advances in autofocus make the G3 one super-fast, sleek-looking camera. It's hard not to recommend and we can certainly see this being one more step towards Micro Four Thirds dominance.
Have your say!
Latest comments
July 14 14:46
Peter Bower
I bought a G3 body as I had the older 14-45 lens [Which this magazine gave a gold award and 93% editors choice] So on that basis with this combination, image quality for the G3 should be at least 19. Its a very good camera, but if you tweak a few settings such as noise filter and sharpening to minus, then tweak it back in post processing the level of detail becomes out standing and thats just Jpegs.There seems to be a paranoia amongst reviewers about noise. Well a little noise even at low ISO is good because it enhances image detail. Read Wrotniac.net, the best Olympus site there is. No, the G3 does not approach a DSLR for image quality, it surpasses 'some' of them. Peter
September 03 17:59
DC
"No, the G3 does not approach a DSLR for image quality, it surpasses 'some' of them." Quite so. A stunning small camera that really improves on the GF1 beats my Sony A55. At the lower price it's a bargain
November 22 20:52
Krasitsky
G3 with good lens will beat near all entry-level DSLR cameras. And it's image quality better than awarded Sony Nex-5N
May 05 09:40
Speiro
I have owned my G3 for about three months and have juat given it the full holiday test. Having switched froman excellent Canon 450d and 4 lenses the weight saving is nothing short of dramatic. I unloaded the 14-42mm kit lense from the start and bought the 14-45mm off ebay. I then added the 45-200mm to give me a 35mm equivalent range of 28-400mm. Everything fits into a tiny bag and it was weightless compared with my old kit which was burdensome after a few miles of walking. So, downsizing was the main motivation and it was worth it for me. Quality-wise, I see little real difference in the results compared with my old Canon. The ability to shoot HD movies with the push of a button proved to be a big plus and the results are amazingly good. However, if movies are your think I would recommend the PZ lenses as manualy zooming does cause some jerkiness as the zoom controls are not smooth enough to go unnoticed. The viewfinder is excellent, huge and 100% accurate. The LCD screen can be positioned at any angle and I am left wondering why there is still a market for micro-twothirds cameras without a built-in VF. The touch screen is easy to use once you get the hang of it. Downsides? Battery life is appalling and it was necessary to buy a back up battery (not the Panny brand--overpriced). I found 4 or 5 short 15 seond movie clips and 25 stills knocked the battery down one notch which means you are two-thirds used up. This was alsmost a deal-breaker for me but the camera's overall quality, huge weight saving and nice quality Panasonic lenses all at moderate cost persuaded me to buy. I would never go back to a APS SLR due to sheer bulk and although I only saw one other user with a Micro-2/3rds camera on my holiday (loads of people with entry level Canons and Nikons) I belive it is the future--especially as many people like the weight and bulk savig which is a big issue given the severe weight and space restrictions on airlines these days. Hope to see an updated kit lens with better macro and maybe a slightly better range.