By beating the current leader with by two points the GX8 is now the best ranked MFT camera sensor at DxOmark (Click here to see full review). DxO writes:
An increase in resolution to 20Mp together with 4K video capture on the Panasonic’s GX8 latest Four-Thirds chip are certainly welcome improvements for today’s competitive hybrid market. Despite the extra pixels, however, sensor scores for Panasonic’s latest Four-Thirds chip remain a little behind the APS-C hybrid competition from Sony and Samsung, and don’t offer a significant improvement over previous sensors such as that in the 16Mp GH4. With a $1198 price tag, the GX8 isn’t cheap either, but with plenty of features on offer, including the built-in EVF and flash, free-angle LCD, and Dual I.S., you get a lot of camera for your money, making it a good all-in-one solution for the hybrid enthusiast.
There is also a new GX8 review at Mirrorlessons:
In the case of the GX8, it is less the kind of camera I’d just pop into my bag or swing around my neck and much more a professional tool I’d trust for serious photography assignments. In fact, were I a working photographer with a wide array of Micro Four Thirds lenses, I could imagine having the GX8 as my main professional body and the GX7 as my back-up/travel camera.
Neocamera published the GX8 review and writes:
Image quality from the GX8 is solid, with low image-noise, good retention of details and very reliable metering. Colors, white-balance and dynamic-range are all good too, only falling slightly short of its strongest competitors. The GX8 makes it up for with its very fast and ultra-sensitive Contrast-Detect AF system which operates down to -4 EV.
GX8 store links:
Black GX8 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto and Panasonic. In Eu at Amazon DE, Amazon UK, WexUK.
Silver GX8 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto and Panasonic. In Eu at Amazon DE, Amazon UK, WexUK.
69 Responses
I’ll have the one on the right…since the IBIS is way better by a stop or two ….I can shoot at lower ISO’s in low light and get higher quality images! 🙂
That depends on what lens and what focal length tho. I believe with dual IS and at the tele end, the Panny will win that battle. That is, of course, if your willing to use a Panasonic lens.
No I have the 42.5 on the gx8 and the 75mm on the em5ii and the oly is still better, but with the dual IS it is getting pretty close. Oly still clearly wins though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRK6WfCboM8
appears to only be shake in one direction and only close up, but I can’t use 1/4 handheld on my 42.5 lens with dual turned on and get non blurry pics, while I can handhold my 75 at 1/4. My hands on experience is totally different than that video and apparently the table shaking is much more violent, as I have never seen my screen on the oly shake that much. Both are good but in my hands the oly is better.
I’m not arguing with you. Cant deny real word testing of using different 42.5mm and 75mm focal lengths, taking pics at different times, and probably different amounts of shake. Does your GX8 have the latest firmware for Dual IS for that particular lens? The video shows equal 135mm focal lengths on both cameras. Its not my video, I’m just showing you the video. There it is.
Yeah it’s an odd video (surprising to me). I would like to see the setting for both cameras. I have updated the lens and body firmware. I wonder if shooting tethered matters. I know with the oly you have to hold the shutter half way and it will kinda settle, while gx8 seems different. I wonder if the tethering isn’t activating it correctly of the em5ii. Either way they are both good and with panasonic lenses I think both are right there.
To me it looks like IBIS is disabled on the second part. As I haven’t seen ever such motion either.
And how I know this? Because I use 500mm very often and I can get 1/2-1 second exposures without problems handhold!
Thanks or havin my back!
No…it will not win the battle…it’s closer to the superior Oly IBIS…but still not there. I use the best lenses for a given focal length so I use Panny and Oly and at this point one voigtlander…so I consistently get great IBIS for ALL my lenses!
Yes it will… It will win a battle when placed on a moving table moving in one direction and a tele focal length. I’m not saying this is “real world” shooting. But in this particular battle, the Panasonic will win “that” battle. See video below.
That is only consolation to praise yourself .
The best Oly camera is beaten finally & Pana is back to business as usual .
What Bob said about Oly IBIS is actually true. Truth hurts doesn’t it?
How dependent is ibis really, If something is moving? Ibis is not a game changer. It’s a crutch. Not to mention, it’s only good on the short end. Use a zoom at the long end and ibis becomes USELESS. However, if you have a Panasonic lens with ois, you’re good.
Olympus only has a Small advantage on the short end of zooms and primes. Small, like a stop or two. And it’s M43, it’s still taking a back seat to Sony, Samsung and Fujifilm in Image Quality.
But keep up the good fight, on trying to keep Olympus and ibis relevant. Good luck with that.
I use 500mm (equivalent to 1000mm) with E-M1 and it beats any OIS that Panasonic has ever done. IBIS works flawlessly as expected!
Agreed. The stabilization difference in video is very noticeable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFZ9Wmw0sZE
I think I’d rather a DxO One, I know which One got the higher score.
Why it is tested with the EM5 II if the flagship is EM1? Don’t get the point in it?
The price point is the same US$1199.99, perhaps, rather than the more expensive E-M1 vs GH4?
EM5 II is the newer camera and is the second most advanced in the lineup for Olympus, like GX8 is for Panasonic. E-M1 and E-M5 II scores alsmost the same anyway.
C’mon
The difference is so minimal.
+100
“…with plenty of features on offer, including the built-in EVF and flash…”
GX8 doesn’t have a built in flash, yet they mention it several times in the review.
The GX8 works well with the very small Olympus FL-LM3 flash.
If you compare it with the EM1, you can see the real improvement (and it looks real) is with iso 100, where it keeps on going with better color depth, tonal range, and snr. But for the rest of the iso levels it’s about the same or worse. To me it looks like an improved sensor, and it all depends on what kind of curve you put on it. Oly (using it) might opt for even more DR again (skipping the iso 100 gains).
Pretty much reinforces what people have been saying and seeing.
Technical quality is basically the same, you just get 4 MP extra for free. Not massive progress, but certainly no bad thing…
It’s not “for free” though. The Gx8 costs nearly 3x as much as the GX7, it’s bigger and it looks hideous.
Don’t see why people depend so much on DxO scores.. I own so many different camera gear. And real life results are way more important!
I have my GX8 since the first week it was available in NL. Although not a perfect camera, I do love the results and possibilities this camera gives me.
The high iso is far more usable as these DxO numbers let you think! In real life use it is over a stop more usable as my Olympus OM-D E-M5(I) I also have. I use iso 4000 still for publishing photo’s. They are very sharp! There is some noise yes(of course), but it looks natural.
I like DxO for their software and the new camera of their own, but those scores are useless often.
I’ve been expecting +1/3 EV improvement in DR over the sensor in the GH4/E-M1, but it seems that Panasonic compares it to the undying 16MPx one in all Oly’s cams 🙂 12.6 vs 12.3.
There is very little difference in IQ between these wonderful cameras, except for the Oly’s High Resolution capture mode, which is not a factor in this comparison. Other factors probably will determine which camera is preferable. Any buyer sitting on the fence should rent one or at least check it out at a camera store.
I’m starting to mistrust DXO Mark numbers more and more every day.
For example if man compares GX8 with GH4 on their site: http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GX8-versus-Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GH4___1041_943
The GH4 is 1/3 stops better pixel per pixel and a little bit better even after normalizing the resolution.I took raw samples from IR and converted them in LR. Surprise, GX8 is a tiny bit better pixel per pixel and probably 1/3 stops better after normalizing the resolution.
In conclusion, I don’t know about GX8 DR figures yet but regarding noise it’s 1/3 stops better then what DXO says.
Only 12.6 Evs ???
Compare with it’s predecessor ( 12.2 Evs ) , how not to address this GX8 a disappointment ?
Thanks for the test , Now even convince me , no way I’m going for it !
Really… 12.6 versus 12.2, who does even care.? Such numbers shouldn’t be the reason to buy a camera or not. How a camera handles in real life and real life results should count.
I own several gear/camera’s and also now a GX8. Not much to complain so far.
Well when the camera costs nearly 3x the amount as the previous model (gx7) is bigger and uglier (it looks hideous) and offers a few small improvements, people will ask what’s the point?
Interesting that a subjective impression of the beauty of the camera could weigh so much.
Also very interesting- I assume here that that you are someone not owning it, not considering to own it and likely not having even touched it, yet you are arguing against someone who is happy with his own GX8: I could be totally wrong, maybe you are asking what’s the point after all, but you suggest to have a very clear idea why not to buy it…
As for the price, it’s always a worth versus value thing. I won’t go into a full lecture on that, but WACON-Images did say “I own several gear/camera’s” which suggests a deep enough pocket not to psychologically freeze at the price gap.
I don’t think my options are that subjective.
I own a GX7. I have played around with a GX8 and used it a few months ago, the EVF is great but that’s where my praise ends.
This camera won’t even fit into a large coat pocket – it’s that big.
The GX8 is made in China, the GX1 and GX7 were made in Japan, so Panasonic is lowering production costs for this model.
The camera is expensive compared to what is available on the market and it’s peers which can deliver similar results.
We have DXO measurements regarding IQ proving no improvement over the GX7, again this is a fact. 4 extra megapixels which are only discernible at large print sizes.
The design? Well I understand that can be more subjective but it terms of aesthetics but it’s ugly. The way the grip sticks out is really poor aesthetically. I also dislike the faux leather look, it’s tacky. Compared to the GX7 I would say the GX7 is a much nicer camera to look at.
The camera is bigger than the GX7 this is also a fact. It is as big as a Fuji XT1 and other X series cameras. We also lose the built in flash.
You can argue about my points about regarding looks but I don’t think the rest is subjective.
You graduated university with a degree in hyperbole?
The weather-sealed body matches the E-M5 MkII’s weather-sealing. 4K video is another “small” improvement. In general, the GX8 is a great second body to the GH4, something the GX7 never was. The only thing amiss is the tiny battery.
But it’s a new sensor! It must be better!
Stop doing such pointless compare , GX8 certainly beat GH4 without doubt in
Still Imaging Quality . Even my GX7 also beat the GH4 .
GH4 is only ideal for video camera , nothing more than that .
You are wrong Yung. GH4 is a very capable camera with the best DR and colors in m4/3 world (for the moment). My example is very clear and absolutely unpointless. If you carefully read and interpret the DXO Mark settings (if you know how to interpret the numbers) you will understand my point. 🙂
For that money, I’ll just go with the Sony A7 series or Nikon D610….
OMG not such a reaction again. So predictable…
Both the A7 and D610 are great gear as well. But a system is the sum of its components. And m43 does that pretty good as an entire system so far.
He phrased it poorly, but the jist of it is true: m43 cameras should not cost this much.
Instead, I’d compare to similarly specced APSC cameras and that’s where it falls apart. D5500 and A6000 are so much better deals than this otherwise fantastic M43 camera.
The GX7 was only $100 cheaper when it first went on sale, and the E-M1 was at least $200 more. The a6000 is cheap because it is ancient. You can get a GX7 cheap, too, for the same reason – it’s been eclipsed by newer models with more/better features. Also, you know perfectly well that the list price for the GX8 will not hold for long. You can already buy it from Hong Kong for $925 on eBay.
The question is why launch the cameras at such a high price? This just puts of people buying them. Panasonic made this mistake with the GX7 and still hasn’t learnt, instead they just offer 100$/£/ cashback deals in the holiday season.
Sure the GX8 will be reduced in price, but Sony will be launching an a7000 to compete which will have better IQ and improved AF and EVF. It will also be SMALLER than the GX8 and cost the same amount.
M43 really makes no sense unless you are heavily invested in the system. Panasonic/Oly seem to want to bleed their devotees dry before dropping m43 in 5 years for some kind of full frame system.
+1.
I considered GX8 for street and juranlist but with its body size even bigger than many APS-C and with high price, I have given up. GX-7 was great, Pansonic would have made better to just improve some features of GX-7 + GX8 new sensor, and improved EVF, and it would be hit. Now I look on APS-C and FF.
Sadly I have to agree.
That’s why I’m already invested into FF (A7) + many legacy lenses that can be used on any crop format.
My future plan is to use m43 for long lenses only and maybe macro stuff.
FF is not the best format but it’s closer to an ideal 1.3 crop that I’m dreaming about. Hopefully someone comes up with something close to it.
Anyway I’m still waiting for m43 ultra fast (1.0 aperture) AF normal and portrait lenses. Why ? Because I’m in love with Olympus colors.
Cheers
The whole point, or at least a couple of the whole points, of mirrorless cameras was a reduction in manufacturing costs.
First, manufacturers can do away with complex and expensive mirror and prism assemblies for viewing systems, instead substituting cheaper little tv monitors.
Then, manufacturers can do away with very costly optical lens corrections within the lenses themselves, and just sell unoptimized, flawed lenses and make the corrections in firmware.
Since the result is usually smaller cameras and lenses, further savings result from reduction in raw materials and manufacturing costs.
This was a great benefit to manufacturers. However, the manufacturers never passed on the resulting savings to consumers.
A long way of saying, indeed, m43 cameras should not cost this much.
I completely agree with this assessment. When m43 started the prices were competitive but for the past few years m43 cameras cost the same as or even more than their larger sensor cousins. There is no reason to get m43 over an a6000 now.
Another thing which has bothered me is the size issue. The cameras keep getting bigger and bigger. These cameras are no longer pocket sized; you need a camera bag to carry them in which case you might as well bring a aps-c / or small dslr.
The japanies companies wanted to gain profit so they (silly thinking) just went up with prices by $100-200 more than you would expect. This maybe works in very short term (two or three months ather release a new model) and with hi-end cams.
To some extend youre right, but dont forget smaller isnt better when we want really good ergonomics and handling.
What’s stopping you?
Enjoy that pokey AF on the Sony A7.
I have two MFT cameras and I also have a Sony A7 and I’m happy to report that the A7’s AF, just like that of my MFT cameras, is perfectly fine for most uses 😀
The only A7 you’ll get for that money is an original A7, not A7S or A7R or any of the version twos. The lenses generally cost more than MFT and are a stop slower. So you spend more on lenses, end up with a larger, heavier kit, and do no better on high-ISO noise. The one thing you get is four more megapixels, which yield a print that’s 9.5% larger in each dimension.
Hilariously ignorant comment.
http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Sony-A7-versus-Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GX8___916_1041
so you will be welcomed to the Sony Zeiss $1000 Plus lens club 🙂 You mentioned for the money – I would say that for the money one is better to stay with Canon or Nikon in DSLR as they have lots of lenses that are not $1000 Plus – and then there is Tamron and Sigma etc – M43 has many good lenses less then $1000 like the fantastic Oly 45mm F1.8 and the Panasonic 42.5 F1.8 with IS for under $500 – what is your choice for the A7 for a 90mm F1.8 or a F2.8 ? How many just Sony branded lenses are there ? The kit lens – the 28mm F2.8 for $500 and the 24-240mm for $1000 – the rest is Sony G and Zeiss – all at $1000 plus ( with maybe the 55mm as an exception )
So for the money the Sony A7 series is not the way to go in my mind – yes if you want a compact FF but have deep pockets for lenses then the A7 series is an option –
just my experience – I do have the A7
OFFICIALLY? Gosh… good to know that this is more than just another benchmark…
Yep. Buying GX8 for its better video, AF, or tiltable EVF, makes more sense to me than its IQ.
Forget scores, they’re rubbish. Look at measurements. There is no major improvement over GX7/GH4 in SNR, DR etc. So this “new” sensor is a hype. There’s no progress in IQ from the previous generation.
are not scores based on measurements ? Do you know how DXO comes up with their scores ? I would agree that there is not a significant change – there is of course higher resolution/MP so for those who need larger prints then it is a benefit in their eyes –
Yeah, but, predictiably, as the resolution was increased by 25%, the low light capability dropped compared to the relatively equivalent sensor tech in the EM5MkII (~10%).
However, at least this 20MP sensor is slightly better than the 16MP sensor in the GH4. This bodes well for low light capability in the GH5 if they resist the move up from 16MP or even drop down to 12MP.
although most ignore DXOmark scores as rubbish as can be seen by many comments in this thread – they do test certain aspects of the sensor – DXo is not posting a score on handling etc – but certain sensor aspects – I think the real world experience shows that they are very realistic in their scoring –
So although this is good info from DX0 I predict that the GX8 will be highly underestimated as did the GX7 – and in many eyes rubbish compared to any Sony or Olympus or Fuji – although I understand that Olympus uses a Panasonic sensor in the EM5 – ( might be wrong but read this somewhere ) – Reminds me how I read that the Canon G7X is rubbish compared to the Sony RX100m3 🙂 yet both use the same sensor – and the Canon lens has longer focal range of 24-100 vs 24-70 and is a bit brighter as it does not stop down as quick – yes the RX100m3 has a bit more video options and might be better in that department – but on the other hand the G7X has the longer focal range – Touch LCD – Touch Shutter etc – dedicated Exp Comp dial etc –
I have Fuji Xt1 – X100s – Oly EM1 and EM5 and Sony A6000 NEX7 and A7 in mirrorless – but I also have the GX7’s and GX8 and Gm1 and none of them are Rubbish – these all have strengths and weaknesses – Yes the A6000 has good IQ at 24MP – and I would say a bit better IQ then the GX8 – but when it comes to handling – Low Light focusing then there is a clear preference in my mind – GX8 has 4k etc – So my take on the GX8 is it is a real fun camera to use – more fun to use then the others – but yes the Xt1 has the Fuji colors and the A6000 in few circumstances does a bit better in tracking focus but other times not –
So the GX8 to me is a top notch camera – but I am convinced it will as the G7X be considered a La La camera by the Purists and Sony and Olympus and Fuji fans – which is silly – similar as how the Samsung NX1 gets treated by them –
Do you remember the settings and operation of each camera. I’d say it may be confusing sometimes 🙂 Why so many cams, anyway?
🙂 good point – and yes I sometimes have to pause for a second or two to recall – reason for so many – well it is always the search for the perfect camera 🙂 which of course does not exist – as an example I wanted to get into smaller and lighter a while back – I bought the Sony NEX5n – good sensor and IQ but horrible menu system and no Mode Dial – so I got the NEX7 shortly after when it came out – again horrible menu and the so called amazing Tri Navi – well it was terrible – buttons so soft – and No Mode dial – so I opted to try M43 – got the Olympus EM5 – well a much better in terms of menu and dials – but what still bugs me is that the Display button is so so small and so close to another button – so I got the EM1 – a very nice camera – but I had Sony E lenses and the A6000 came out with a better menu and a mode dial 🙂 so I got it – ……. later I bought a Panasonic GX1 as it was so cheap – I fell in love with the button layout and menu – so go the GX7 and just loved it –
Got the Fuji X100 due to all the hype – it was the worst focusing camera of all cameras I have ever owned – sold it and got the X100s – yes a bit better in focus – I do like the Fuji colors – so got the X20 and later the Xt1 – and yes a nice system with good lenses but a bit heavy and costly and the primes do not have IS – and no Touch LCD – Got the A7 late as I knew how limited their FE lens lineup was – but eventually got one – but have been horribly frustrated with the lack of just Sony branded lenses – it is all Zeiss for $1000 plus and not all that impressive for the money – now few Sony G branded but again well over $1000 – so why so many ? it just happened 🙂 and I hate to sell my cameras 🙂 Also a key thing is I hate changing lenses so with 6 M43 bodies I just do not have to change lenses much at all –
I do have Nikon DSLR gear as well – but I must say that my favorite to use of all my camera are the Panasonic GX7 and GX8 and I have over 20 – with a fantastic Touch LCD and so many FN buttons and C1 C2 C3 it is easy to use the Panasonic’s – do they produce the best IQ of all my cameras – no but quite close as there are many fantastic lenses in the range which really affects IQ – so it is not just the sensor
DxO is informative when we compare cams of the same system and by the same maker. DxO however claims some brands overestimate the ISO values. Now, this is not just a bit, it is quite essential as with some mFT cams it seems they are 1 stop out of whack. I.e: ISO6400 is essentially ISO3200.
This would mean that when you shppt under the exact same circumstances with the same f-stop other cams simply would use twice as fast shutterspeeds if the report the “right” ISO.
Now look at dpreview….There is no sign at all of any mFT cam underexposing 1 stop compared to other cams. This has to do with how DxO measures ISO. And it is one out of 4-5 ways.
So how real is this all? I can understand when 1/2 of a stop or so is real, We probably would barely notice it on dpreviews scenes. But 1 stop? No!
Compare RX100IV with Gx8, which apparantly is a cam with reporting virtually the right ISO to one that progressively becomes worse here…The exposures are exactly the same given the Sony uses F4 and a a stop faster shutterspeed compared to Panny with F5.6…..
Good but not a big jump over the GX7, which I’m still quite happy with (as I don’t need 20MP, a bigger body, etc.). Better to buy another lens IMHO.
2/3 stop better is way off.
Check out PhotobyRichard’s review he didn’t find this extra 2/3 stop. DXO marks results seem to agree with him and what others have found – essentially the same IQ as the GX7 but more pixels.
I don’t care, just edit raw samples from trusted review sites like Imaging Resource, DpReview or whatever and make you own comparison…the pictures never lie.