a short GH3 low light test
GH3 test after test is being posted on many websites. Now it’s time to see a short and not scientific GH3 versus E-M5 comparison at ePhotozine (Click here). There is also a short video test too. It’s really not possible yet to say what’s the difference between the two cameras. We will have to wait for Dpreview or DxOmark to learn more about it.
54 Responses
I saw another comparison test and the E-M5 did poorly in keeping the video in focus, while the GH3 was fine.
I’m quite interested in seeing if the GH3 would work sufficiently well for the cross country meet I photographed yesterday.
Yeah, have you seen the diff in lenses? Worthless test.
@ digifan oh poor Olympus fanboy getting worried lol
Too bad the reviewer just listed the EVF specs. Still waiting for a good comparison of these 2 EVFs.
I had a look at both cameras during Photokina and have to say the VF of the GH3 is in my opinion much better than from the M5. The one from the GH3 is much more responsive and had a “cleaner” look.
If you don´t care about size/weight this is a really great camera. But the size and weight are not suitable for me.
I don’t geddit… When you have all the lenses there, how hard is it to put the same lens on both bodies and use the same iso/aperture?
That’s not ‘unscientific’, that’s just lazy…
Lame test…
The ISO1000 from the GH3 is not even in focus.
I hope that Olympus will make a pro level m43 camera. It can be Panasonic GH killer with a Sony sensor and IBIS.
if oly want enter to video photography ,don’t use fine still image sensor ,let see 5D vs GH2.
Any pro oly camera in the same price range won’t be beating anything besides itself. That is to say, if oly were to release a GH3 killer, it would have to be priced lower, or similarly, and would be competitively priced against the EM5. Panny is the only company making their own cameras defunct with better performing/lower end models; so I’ll be sticking with them.
???????
What in the world are you talking about? What nonsense. A pro model m43 Oly will have all the great features of the E-M5 plus more. Of course it will be priced higher, and justifiably so. You get what you pay for.
WHY oh WHY did they not use the same lens when comparing 2 m43 cameras??? Absurd.
Just looking at the size/weight differens between the two makes it really easy for me. I had very high hopes for the GH3 but was first disappointed when the rumoured GPS didn’t materialize. Then the size…I’m sure it’s a great camera and there are a few things I like better with the pana form and feature set but, no, it’s not for me. I just hope that the OMD line will stay small and add a GPS in the next version. It really is close to the perfect camera (for me) then.
And please make that fast, weather sealed 12-60 in native m43 that I’m dreaming of 🙂
I am calling B.S. on the low light tests. How did one guy manage to get every single new camera from every manufacturer? He doesn’t allow comments and he hasn’t really posted any other videos that would suggest why ALL of the companies gave him their cameras to compare.
Any test done on a GH3 now is with pre-release firmware, so you shouldn’t read too much into it.
not much useful test. but i expect GH3 to perform well in video, photos goes to E-M5.
I am an owner of a Panasonic G1 and what I became much to dislike is the purple/violet stain wich is apparent in the majority of the photo’s. One can also observe the same colour deviation here, on ePhotozine
The size difference is bigger than I had thought. The GH3 definitely seems to be getting into small dslr territory, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Two divergent products being compared here, each have their advantages depending on your use.
When viewing the cameras side by side, it’s hard to believe they are actually within the same system.
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-lumix-gh3-vs-olympus-om-d-e-m5-comparison-20412
Agreed, it’s pretty significant. The GH3 kind of negates the reason that I went micro 4/3rds, but I see a lot of people applauding the larger size, so more power to Panasonic if there’s a market for it.
It’s nice to have different options 🙂
I agree that GH3 size is a welcome addition for people preferring more real estate, especially those who dont like the OM-D’s modular grip/battery system.
I thought the idea behind m43 was to keep lenses and body smaller+lighter – compared to DSLR’s..
If you take a look at the GH3 measeurements:
W 132.9mm x H 93.4mm x D 82mm vs Canon 650 D
W 133.1mm x H 99.8mm x D 78.8mm
Not too much difference there…. I have no doubt that the GH3 will be a great camera – but the reason I got away from DSLR’s was the size factor…
I stick with my OM-D…
You should be comparing to 7D, not to dumbed down controls and too small grip entry level DSLR.
I agree the GH3 should be compared to more competent video DSLRs, but at the same time the m4/3 size advantage over APS-C DSLRs is gone. In fact, some of the more compact ones are actually smaller and/or lighter:
Nikon D3200 – http://camerasize.com/compare/#381,3
Canon T4i – http://camerasize.com/compare/#381,333
Sony SLT-35 – http://camerasize.com/compare/#381,120
BUT, this may not be a bad thing. There are probably plenty of people (especially serious video shooters) who will appreciate the larger size.
Horses for courses.
There exists ONE m4/3 body that is a bit bigger in size then the smallest entry-level aps-c bodies, but provides better controls, more comparable to much bigger aps-c and ‘full-frame’ cameras. There exist about a dozen or so much smaller m4/3 bodies, but the existence of ONE bigger body all of a sudden takes away the size advantage of m4/3?
I hope that is not what you are trying to suggest because it is totally ridiculous
Not to mention that you simply forget to include lenses in your comparison, and a camera body without lenses is pretty useless. Since m4/3 lenses are smaller then their aps-c ‘equivalents’, you end up with a smaller kit, or with a more extended kit in the same amount of space.
No, not suggesting that. I should have worded it differently.
The issue which can arise is what happened to Four Thirds. Even though there were plenty of compact bodies like the 400 and 600 series, and plenty of compact lenses in comparison to other systems, the rugged cameras, or the ones with better specs often where large or equally sized with APSC models (E1,E3, 520, L10) and detractors complained, “why use a camera with a smaller sensor if it’s not any smaller.” Same thing with lenses. The f2 Olympus Zooms where awesome and unique, but people always compared them in size and price to the f2.8 zooms of other systems.
So, what I’m saying is:
1) Im glad the GH3 is out and hopefully its got fantastic image quality
2) Im glad there is a choice for those who prefer larger bodies
3) Im not so glad it’s as big as it is in comparison to the smaller APSC bodies (and the GH2) and I hope people (and reviewers) don’t start complaining about how you might as well get a Rebel, etc…
@neonart
Ah yes, that makes a lot more sense.
I don’t agree however with regards to the size issue.
Yes, an E-3/5 or E-30 is bigger then other 4/3 cameras, and actually bigger then the smallest APS-C cameras, but not bigger then cameras that offer similar functionality and controls, rather the opposite, and even more so when taking lenses into account.
Sure, there are the large 35-100/2 etc, which negate part of the size advantage, but if you can ‘make do’ with the rather excellent 14-54 (mk2) and 50-200, you get a kit with capabilities that is pretty much impossible to match in size and price in any other system. The nearest equivalent would be a Canon 135 format camera with the 100-400/4, and that really is a fair bit bigger and heavier (not to mention, much more expensive, but that does also get you better performance in specific conditions).
And the same applies to the GH3. If you want to compare it to a DSLR, compare it to something that offers similar functionality and controls, and you’ll most definitely end up with something bigger then the smallest APS-C cameras. The first reason is that offering that kind of control simply requires enough space for dials and buttons. Additionally, when also targeting the ‘pro market’, there are way too many people there who insist on needing a big camera, usually with claims of their big hands, but in practice often because of the kind of response it gets them.
So, compare it to a 1D or 5D or even 7D, but not to a 600D because the later is in a totally different class with regards to controls. If you want to compare a m4/3 camera to the 600D (or D3200), look at the G5, it is in the same class with regards to price, functionality and controls.
If we follow the argument as you present it, people would not buy a 7D either, because a rebel (btw, in most of the world those cameras are just called 550D, 600D etc, and not digital rebel, it is the US market that insists on such silly names) is much smaller. There really is a bit more to this.
4/3 failed for a number of reasons, including failure to cover relevant parts of the market, and failure to exploit the advantages of the system. The biggest one however is failure to properly market the system. Just showing follow photographers the small collection of high-grade 4/3 lenses I own, and the optical quality those produce usually is an eye-opener for them, provoking statements like “I didn’t know such useful lenses existed for that system, I always thought it was merely a few kit lenses”. Olympus and Panasonic completely failed to communicate to most photographers why 4/3 might be an interesting and useful system for them.
Oh and @admin, why is this comment awaiting moderation? Its not exactly the first comment posted from this IP (I have a fixed IP, and have been posting for months and months), doesn’t contain any urls or anything. Additionally, it seems rather random, yesterday I made a bunch of comments, and one randomly got the ‘awaiting moderation’ status, the rest didn’t. It seems whatever is deciding on this is broken.
Sven, no, the idea was to make it POSSIBLE to make smaller bodies and lenses, that does not anywhere mean that ALL bodies have to be small.
Additionally, the possibility to make smaller bodies and lenses is merely one of the advantages of the mirrorless design.
Not having any larger camera body with the kind of controls and ergonomics of the GH3 makes the system less attractive, which means fewer users, making it less interesting for Sigma and the like to produce affordable m4/3 lenses. It also makes it less interesting for resellers to stock m4/3 lenses and other accessories.
So, even if you specifically went for m4/3 to get smaller cameras and lenses, you benefit from a big body camera like the GH3.
Bart,
not ALL bodies have to be small – I agree with you on that. Its always good to have choices. But like I said I have no doubt that the GH3 will be a great camera. Its just not my piece of cake….due to its size..
You are sad.
So are you
Wow, the GH3 stills shown in this comparison looks cr@p. It has a strong bluish tinge to it and has a much cooler color temperature. I hope this is only because its a pre-production sample.
After a brief look at this test, I think it is unfair :
– GH3 is photographed more near…. So it appears even bigger
– Both caperas haven’t the same lens, same uneven biais
– The GH3 picture of leave is overexposed
– The GH3 focus is on the foregroug on the picture with the sofa, so that the backgroud is blurred
Far too many biais raise suspicion…
more near? isn’t the same resolution…
the picture of the sofa ? you trying to find an excuse for explain the nasty ugly noise of the om-d ?
are u an Oly fanboy just asking, i’m really curious…
Gee, he points out how the review makes the GH3 look bigger and worse then it most likely is, and you then go call him Oly fanboy? Now that really makes sense!
Just found the GH3 background softer on the sofa pic and discovered it was simply out of focus : so a sery of facts likely unfair with Pana
It’s great to have options, but if you are going to make a camera that big, you might as well put a larger sensor in it.
If another manufacturer brings out an APS-C camera with video abilities that better the GH3 – the GH3 will suddenly loose any relevance.
Too big to be called ‘micro’ anything and without anything to compensate for the bloat.
> if you are going to make a camera that big, you might as well put a larger sensor in it.
Could you tell us how photos are taken without any lenses?
Never seen any Canikon user without at least some lens… But lots of those who brought Canikon brand recognization to get market domination hauling big bags of legacy system optics.
Anyway DSLRs offering same level of controls and ergonomics are still notably bigger.
Single minded micro everything advertising was marketing brain fart. Pentax Q is the only really “micro” sized system, with of course micro sized sensor.
They should have advertised flexibility of mirrorless to do entirely different class/type bodies inside same single system.
Olympus and Panasonic don’t have any film age legacy system to protect and can only increase their market share by offering also few bodies able to challenge DSLRs in controls and ergonomics. That doesn’t even cost much of R&D resources when most of the tech and components is shared between models.
WOW,,,My OM-D is looking bettter and better. Is that possible for a MFT camera that is almost 7-months old, (with a new firmware update). I only shoot stills, so the OM is still in the sweet spot for this photographer. I am surprised to see how much bigger the GH3 is, side-by-side. (to be fair I think the OM should have the top half of it grip on the camera for a fair comparison. My grip-top is a permanent fixture on my OM).
I was out this past weekend shooting with a buddy who has a Canon 7D. We were both using primes and he was amazed at how much faster the OM focused ( if his camera would focus at all), how I was shooting @ ISO 1600-2000 whilst he was @ 3200. Then what really floored him were the photos that I sent him!
…and one more thing…I personally don’t care any more what DXO has to say about ANYTHING. That outfit has NO CREDIBILITY any longer. If I see the letters ‘DXO’, I just skip it and head over to some insightful, balanced info from other sources. DXO just clouds my thinking with utter nonsense.
GH3 seems like a good all around DSLR-like camera, but there are few pitfalls.
It’s too big in a market obsessed with small cameras.
It’s lenses are big compared to Olympus making GH3 kit with few lenses almost twice the size and weight of similar Olympus outfit, but it doesn’t perform any better.
Hadn’t really thought about the lenses Mar, but you’re right, between the PEN’s, the IBIS allowing smaller/lighter lenses and the size difference between the flagships, Olympus is cornering the market on the “micro” part of micro 4/3rds.
For my purposes, Panasonic is kind of missing the point with this release. Maybe there’s a market for a rebel sized m4/3 camera though, what do I know? I’m sure that the GH3 is a great performer.
I use this camera professionaly, for me, the GH3 is an evolution from the GH2 in every aspect.
> It’s too big in a market obsessed with small cameras.
Says who?
Canon and Nikon are still doing well in selling their entry level DSLRs outside Asia and those aren’t any smaller than GH3 despite of lot lower level of controls, ergonomics and also having lower class construction.
Mirror or not, interchangeable lens camera can never challenge phones in ease of carrying (which is eating most of compacts) but still you keep repeating that flat Earth mantra of small everything as key to mirrorless system of the future.
If wanting to keep high sales growth mirrorless is starting to need to replace DSLRs instead of playing only role of unergonomically small pocket camera:
http://www.sansmirror.com/newsviews/did-mirrorless-miss.html
You sure are such Canon/Nikon DSLR lovers…
As an OMD owner, I hope that the image quality of the GH3 surpasses the OMD. I honestly don’t care if Olympus Panasonic or Kotex makes the camera. Improvements in IQ are a benefit to all that Use m43. Getting all fanboyish about brands that are in the same system is pointless. We have some fantastic choices is bodies & lenses we can mix and match. Lets enjoy it!
The size of the GH3 is certainly not my cup of tea, but I know there are plenty of people who need a larger body, so it’s great to have the option.
Those “tests” that ePhotozine did where they didn’t even try to match the aperture are ridiculous. They had the same lenses! How lazy was that!?
The test with the lighter posted above shows a lot of the same poor tonal gradation that the GH2 has. Its pre-production, but Panasonic beat the better DR drum when the GH3 was announced. I’ll wait for more samples, but so far the GH3 isn’t exactly pushing me into must have pre-order status. Meh…
I’d like to see comparisons with the same lenses too, but not the Panny 12-35 as the edges are heavily corrected in camera and produce less than stellar results on the EM5. Use the 25/1.4, the Oly 45/1.8 and the 75/1.8 to really judge IQ.
(Posted this in a previous 43rumors post.)
Is it just me, or most of the comments here are negative? We know all of these are bad ways to REALLY test the camera’s image performance, but come on. Give it a break. It’s Panasonic DMC-GH3 “VERSION 0.5″. I think everyone’s wasting their time pixel peeping on a pre-production model… I’m sorry.
Is this a manifestation of everyone’s anxiety on the final production model? I’m sure everyone here just sincerely cares about what their favorite brands are manufacturing for them.
I don’t know why but everyone’s so busy comparing an INCOMPLETE/UNFINISHED model of a camera to a camera of a DIFFERENT brand. I think it’s actually more LOGICAL to compare these pre-production tests of the GH3 to the GH2. Because come on guys, Olympus has its own perks and quirks, Panny has its own. Their image is different, GET OVER IT.
I’m sure once the hacks commence everybody here will suddenly hail the GH3 as a Canikon Video killer, just what happened to the GH2. Come on guys, chill. I know we’re all excited but this exaggerated murdering of a pre-production model is absurd…
You must be new to the internet 🙂
There is a group of people who for whatever reason thinks that they have to make negative comments about anything that doesn’t match their specific needs for 200%+ or is from the wrong brand. Facts don’t matter for this, relevance of the comments doesn’t matter either.
Hate spewing fanboys abound, ignore them or make fun of them 🙂
Yes Bart. Sorry for that rant. I am relatively new to the 43rumors community. 🙂 And yeah, I agree with “Hate spewing fanboys abound, ignore them or make fun of them” Hahaha!
In my opinion Panasonic and Olympus have done an admirable job so far to avoid cannibalising one another’s markets and instead expand m43 share by offering a wider range of complementary products than they would on their own.
I don’t think any of the m43 cameras currently overlap. They all have quite distinctive marketing positions.
So instead of going Pana vs Oly, we should just cheer for both companies. After all, it doesn’t matter if you burn the stern or the aft, if it’s still part of the same ship.
+1!! I totally agree.
This “test” is krap.
Obviously the Olympus camera is pretty much useless for serious video quality recordings in comparison to the Lumix DMC-GH3, so if you are planning on doing videography, you have to get the GH3, no 2 ways about it.
If you want to take photos only, probably the Oly is the better choice, if you do not mind that cupola look topside.
BTW, do people in the Great United Kingdom really pay these king’s ransom prices for Japanese cameras? OMG, just buy these things in the USA or even Canada, people, so much cheaper!
All the OMD needs is a firmware with 24p and higher bitrates… then itll be a GH3 killer with it’s IBIS! 😀
hey there and thank you for your information