Panasonic DMC-G3

Digital Photography Review have published an in-depth review of Panasonic's third-generation Micro Four Thirds offering.

Snippets from the conclusion follow:

"The G3 occupies a unique place in Panasonic's G-series lineup. With its impressive 16MP sensor and high quality built-in electronic viewfinder, this model would seem to hold appeal to DSLR owners looking for a lighter carry-everywhere camera."

"The G3 is a satisfying camera to use. Small and light enough to carry around all day, it can produce usable images even at the high end of its ISO range."

"The G3's rendering of finely detailed subjects stands up surprisingly well against entry-level DSLRs. Along with the more expensive GH2, the G3 represents a benchmark for Micro Four Thirds image quality at this point in time."

"At low ISO values, the G3's image quality compares very well with even the best APS-C based DSLRs in its price range."

"JPEG rendering still exhibits some less-than-pleasing characteristics seen in previous Panasonic models. Color rendition, particularly along the red hue can be inaccurate."

"One of our long-standing criticisms of the G-series, poor skin tone rendering, has been improved in the G3. The G3's default white balance yields more realistic flesh tones among a range of complexions."

"The G3 is a very comfortable camera to carry around on an all-day excursion and using the basic functions of the camera is intuitive."

"The G3's touchscreen interface is a joy to use and makes other manufacturers' implementations feel poorly designed by comparison."

- - - - -

Brett's 2p'orth: The DMC-G1 that I have been using for over 2 years is the best compromise between bulk and image quality that I have ever owned. If you're looking for a DSLR-type camera in the £500 price range (including lens) then my advice would be to take a look at the G3.

Me, I'll be holding off from trading in my G1 until I find out whether the rumours of a soon-to-be-launched GF PRO are correct.
------------