The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 ($599.99 direct with 14-42mm kit lens) is the smallest camera in the Panasonic Micro Four Thirds family, taking many of its design cues from point-and-shoot models. The 12-megapixel camera doesn't do as well in low light as some other interchangeable lens cameras, like our Editors' Choice Sony Alpha NEX-C3 ($649.95, 4.5 stars), and its kit lens is a little larger than the one bundled with the Olympus PEN E-PM1 ($499.99, 4 stars). The camera is easy enough for anyone to use, but offers the image quality and manual controls to satisfy enthusiastic shutterbugs?in a very compact package.
Design and Features
Available in black, red, silver, or brown, the GF3 measures ?2.6 by 4.2 by 1.3 inches and weighs 7.9 ounces without a lens. Despite having a larger image sensor, the camera itself is only slightly larger than the 2.4-by-4.2-by-1.2 inch, 8.3-ounce Nikon J1 ($649.95, 3.5 stars). The GF3's 14-42mm (28-84mm, 35mm equivalent) is a bit larger than that of the J1, and is actually about the same size of that of the Sony NEX-C3?a camera with a much larger image sensor. Olympus also includes a 14-42mm lens with its Micro Four Thirds cameras, but that lens features a collapsing design that helps to cut down on its size. Panasonic recently unveiled its own collapsing Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ($399.95), which is available separately or bundled with the GF3 for $749.99. If zoom isn't a necessity, you can opt for the Lumix G 14mm f/2.5 ASPH lens ($399.95). The pancake prime is quite light and small, although its fixed focal length design means that it won't zoom. The GF3 is also available in a kit with that lens for $699.99.
Wrapped in a metal exterior, the camera feels quite solid in your hands. The pop-up flash, which is hidden in the top of the camera, can be revealed via a release switch. There is no hot shoe or accessory port, so you won't be able to add an external flash, electronic viewfinder, or other accessory as you could with its predecessor, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 ($699.95, ?4 stars). A 3-inch, 460k-dot, touch-screen LCD dominates the rear of the camera. The display is bright and crisp, but it doesn't tilt like the one found on the Olympus PEN E-PL3 ($649.99, 3.5 stars), so you'll have to contend with glare on very bright days. The Sony NEX-C3 also has a tilting display, but its resolution is 920k dots, twice that of the GF3. To its right are a thumb grip, four-way command dial, an image playback button, and the Q.Menu/Function button. You'll find the On/Off switch, a dedicated movie record button, the shutter release, and a button to toggle iAuto mode on the top of the camera. You can use these controls to adjust camera functions, or interact directly via its touch screen. This approach is not dissimilar to that taken by Sony with its Alpha NEX-5N ($699.95, 4.5 stars)?that camera also uses a touch interface to supplement physical controls.
The menu system has the look and feel of that of other Panasonic cameras. Numerous indicators overlay the edges of the display, without obscuring too much of the frame. The Q.Menu button brings up an overlay display that allows you to adjust some of the more common camera functions. You can customize what items are included and the order in which they appear to best suit your shooting style. The camera's full menu, which allows you to adjust every conceivable camera setting, is broken up into six sections, one of which is a virtual mode dial. You'll have to go through this interface to change from Program to Aperture Priority or another shooting mode. Changing the shooting mode can also be accomplished by tapping the indicator of the current mode on the top-left corner of the LCD. You can also tap the screen to spot focus, meter, and fire the shutter.
Performance and Conclusions
The GF3 is a rather speedy camera. It can start up and take a shot in 1.1 seconds and its shutter lag is about 0.2 second. It offers a few different continuous shooting modes, the fastest of which can capture about 22 images with 0.26 second between shots before the buffer starts to fill and the camera slow down. A medium speed burst mode allows you to shoot continuously with a 0.35-second display between shots. These numbers are almost identical to those of the Olympus E-PM1, although that camera's buffer fills after 12 shots. It does compare very favorably to the smallest interchangeable lens camera on the market, the Pentax Q ($799.95, 3 stars). That camera requires a full 3.8 seconds to start up and shoot, records a 0.4-second shutter lag, and can only buffer five shots in high-speed burst mode.
I used Imatest to test the sharpness and noise in images captured by the camera. I tested the 14-42mm lens at three focal lengths at both maximum aperture and at a more modest aperture to test its performance. At its widest focal length and aperture, 14mm f/3.5, the lens recorded 1,668 lines per picture height of sharpness. This falls short of the 1,800-line mark that denotes a sharp image, but stopping the lens down to f/5.6 increased its score to 1,885 lines. The corresponding 14-42mm lens that is included with the Olympus E-PM1 is much sharper at 14mm f/3.5?it records 2,186 lines.
At 25mm the lens sharpens up a bit, scoring 1,736 lines at f/4.6 and 1,935 lines at f/5.6. At the maximum zoom setting, 42mm, the lens softened a bit, which is typical for a zoom lens. At 42mm f/5.6 it recorded 1,685 lines, improving to 1,943 lines when stopped down to f/8. The E-PM1 lens also softened as it zoomed, dipping to 1,738 lines at 28mm and 1,508 lines at 42mm.
In terms of image noise, the camera was rather disappointing. If an image is made up of more than 1.5 percent noise it looks overly grainy. The GF3 was only able to stay under this threshold through ISO 400, just crossing it at ISO 800. This is a fine number if you are a lens with an aperture of f/2 or faster, but will make it hard to grab a crisp shot in lower light using the included kit lens. It lets in considerably less light, especially at the longer end of its zoom range. The Olympus PEN E-PM1 is clean through ISO 800, barely crossing the 1.5 percent mark at ISO 1600. Our Editors' Choice, the Sony Alpha NEX-C3, offers the best high-ISO performance in a compact camera?it keeps noise under 1.5 percent through ISO 6400.
Video is recorded in 1080i60 or 720p60 format using AVCHD compression. This requires you to connect the camera to your computer to download the footage, and convert it using the included software or software of your choice before you can share it on the web. ?Video quality is excellent?fine details are evident in the footage, and colors are very nice. The camera has a mini HDMI port so you can connect it to an HDTV to watch your footage on a large screen, and a proprietary USB port for computer interface. The memory card slot supports SD, SDHC and SDXC cards.
The Panasonic GF3 is a nice take on the Micro Four Thirds concept?a compact camera system built around a large sensor and interchangeable lenses. Its touch screen may appeal to some users, and it performs admirably in terms of speed and responsiveness. It's brought down by poor image quality in lower light and a kit lens that isn't as sharp as that of the competition. If you're willing to forgo touch input, the Olympus PEN E-PM1 has a sharper, more compact lens and better low light capability?for $100 less. You can also move up to our Editors' Choice Sony Alpha NEX-C3, a camera with a comparably sized kit lens, larger image sensor, and a higher-resolution tilting LCD for only $50 more. If your heart is set on touch, the NEX-5N gives you everything that the C3 does, but adds the touch-screen and 1080p video recording for $700. This is not to say that the GF3 is a bad camera?it is one that is quite capable, well designed, and offers a nice photographic experience?just that there are other options available that may make more sense when you weigh the cost and features.
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