Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 review

The G3 is the third generation of a camera that created a new subsection of the digital camera market. These models have large sensors and interchangeable lenses to give the image quality and flexibility of an SLR, but they omit optical viewfinders to keep their size and weight down.

The G3 is a big departure from the outgoing G2. It’s even smaller and lighter, although the zoom lens and hump for the electronic viewfinder mean that it still has SLR-like proportions. Unlike the Panasonic GF2 or its recently announced successor, the Panasonic Lumix GF3, it won’t squeeze into a pocket. We can’t say we’re impressed by the remodelled handgrip. The G2’s chunkier design felt more secure in the hand, and posed no practical problem as it was still much shorter than the kit lens. The battery is smaller, too; just 270 shots from a charge is disappointing.

We’re happy to see the same electronic viewfinder as on previous models. Its 1.4-megapixel resolution and expansive size mean it’s just as detailed as consumer SLRs’ optical viewfinders. However, there’s no longer a sensor to detect when the camera is raised to the eye, which on the G2 automatically switched between the 3in articulated LCD and the viewfinder. Having to switch manually took some getting used to, particularly when using the viewfinder to frame shots and wanting to jump quickly to the controls or touchscreen to adjust settings.

On the subject of controls, there are significantly fewer this time around. The dials and switches for selecting the drive mode, focus area and auto/manual focus have disappeared. So too have the AF/AE lock and depth-of-field preview buttons, although the Disp and Q.Menu buttons can be reassigned to these functions. After doing so, the Disp and Q.Menu buttons are still available on the touchscreen.

The remaining buttons and dials are still more numerous than on the Sony NEX-5, but for us, these changes are a step in the wrong direction. Fewer controls might make the G3 less intimidating for casual photographers but they’re also less likely to turn them into enthusiasts. We don’t buy the argument that they had to be jettisoned to keep the size down, either. It’s 9mm narrower and 35g lighter than the G2, but that makes little difference in practice.

At least picking an autofocus point remains extremely quick via the touchscreen. A new Pinpoint autofocus mode shows a digital magnification of the part of the preview image as soon as it’s touched, and the focus point can then be fine-tuned by dragging the preview image – an unorthodox approach that works well.

We used the touchscreen to pick the precise focus point in this shot

The G2 recorded 720p video with mono sound, but the G3 records at 25fps, 1080p in stereo using AVCHD compression. The G2’s microphone socket has sadly disappeared, though. The big sensor means that image noise is far less pervasive than in compact cameras’ videos, and it also delivers a film-like shallow depth of field.

Various SLRs share these traits, but their video modes are hampered by clumsy autofocus that spoils both the picture and soundtrack, short clip lengths and moiré interference (see our review of the Canon 600D for details). The G3 is different. Focus is smooth and silent, and the touchscreen spot-focus controls and automatic tracking make it easy to keep moving subjects in focus. Clips are up to 30 minutes long, and there was no moiré interference in our tests.

The articulated LCD makes a welcome return, especially when shooting video

The only disappointment is that exposure control is limited to exposure compensation. We appreciate that Panasonic wants to reserve direct control of the shutter and aperture for the more expensive GH2, but the lack of an AE lock in videos is less excusable.

Panasonic’s G-series cameras deliver genuine SLR-like performance, and the G3 is a notch up from the G2. We measured one second to switch on and shoot, and 0.6 seconds between subsequent shots. Continuous mode ran at 4fps, although it slowed to 0.5fps after 12 shots. Autofocus was seriously fast, even in low light. This is one area where Panasonic is comfortably ahead of the competition from Sony and others.

It’s not so competitive for noise levels at high ISO speeds. We’re happy to report that the G3’s noise levels are much lower than the G2’s and the GF2’s, despite the jump from 12 to 16 megapixels. The NEX-5 still has the advantage, though, producing similar results at ISO 3200 as the G3 at ISO 1600.

We spotted a few other issues with the G3’s images. One was a recurring problem we’ve seen with G-series cameras’ JPEG processing, whereby pale skin tones sometimes displayed vein-like bands of under-saturated colours. It was subtle and infrequent, but was pretty annoying when we did notice it – as below.

It may look like a vein under the skin, but its actually a problem we’ve noticed with under-saturated colours – click to enlarge

Another problem is something we haven’t seen on other G-series cameras: a slightly blocky appearance to high-contrast diagonal lines (below). Adjusting the Sharpness setting made no difference, so we’ll put it down to insufficient anti-aliasing. Again, it was only visible in a few photos, and only when scrutinised closely, but it’s a surprising mistake for Panasonic to make.

You can see the slight blockiness on the hands of the dials here – click to enlarge

Our biggest practical concern was that the Intelligent Auto mode refused to push the ISO speed beyond 800, resulting in either under-exposed shots or blur-inducing shutter speeds in low light. Switching to Program mode allowed the maximum ISO speed to be raised to up to 3200 via a menu option. We expect better from the Intelligent Auto mode, though, especially considering that Panasonic gives it such prominence with a dedicated button to activate it.

We shouldn’t just dwell on the negatives, though. In all other respects, image quality was on a par with digital SLRs – and also the Sony NEX-5 – with crisp, smooth details and colours that compact cameras simply can’t match. Focus into the corners of frames wasn’t quite as sharp as we’ve seen from other G-series lenses but it was better than from the NEX-5’s 18-55mm kit lens.

The G3 is by no means a bad camera, but not all the changes over the G2 are positive. At around £600, we’re not sure who it will appeal to. Those who want SLR-quality photos without the bulk and complexity of an SLR are better off with the GF2, or better still, the Sony NEX-5 (both models have successors on their way – we’ll be reviewing the GF3 and NEX-C3 soon). Those who appreciate the G3’s electronic viewfinder and handgrip are likely to miss those buttons and dials. As such, they might want to consider the GH2, which costs around £740 with the same 14-42mm lens, or the G2, which is still available for just £380 at www.jessops.com.

It’s worth noting that buying the G3 from participating retailers before 31 August 2011 entitles you to a five-year warranty and a free copy of Adobe Lightroom 3 – see here for more details. Never mind that Lightroom doesn’t support the G3’s raw files yet – that should be fixed soon. This software is a superb companion to any enthusiasts’ camera, and worth £200. However, the offer is also available for the G2 and GH2. £380 for a G2 and Lightroom is an absolute bargain. £630 for a G3 and Lightroom leaves us feeling less excited.