I purchased this case to lighten the weight of my camera bag and relieve my vertebrae.
I used a Nikon D7100 with mainly a 16/85, a 70-300 VR, a 70-200 VR, a 50mm f / 1.8 VR and 105 micro.
I replaced this material with a GH3, the latest 14-140 (265g only), 100-300 (520g for a 600mm equivalent), the Olympus 60mm macro (a marvel of 185g), the Olympus 45mm f / 1.8 (116g) and lately the 12-35 f / 2.8 Panasonic.
Note that I am virtually no videos, I use the GH3 for the photo ...
I find that my new goals have an optical quality as good as that of my old Nikon at equivalent focal length, except the couple 70-300VR vs Nikon Panasonic 100-300, clearly in favor of Panasonic to longer focal lengths.
To return to the case:
The grip (shape, height and depth of the handle placement of buttons and knobs) right for me on the Panasonic. The case is compact but nice. I have medium sized hands and my hands hold the handle (the little finger does not slip below): I did not need the optional grip. By cons I regret the absence of an additional LCD display.
The general impression of quality seems better on the GH3 with the D7100 (rubber handle is peeling on my copy, and my fingers came to a stop on the housing as the handle was not deep enough, nothing all this on GH3).
Buttons and dials are of good quality, touch is open and the wheels turn relatively quietly.
I read on the net of comments indicating unwanted opening of the door of the memory card problems. Nothing like my copy, and given the location and the mechanical quality of the trap, I really do not see how this problem may arise.
All important settings are accessible via a single key on the GH3 and five function keys are programmable; for my part I have assigned the following functions:
- Fn1: Switching mechanical / electronic shutter
- Fn2: Image Format
- Fn3: Metering mode
- FN4: Display of virtual horizon (electronic levels)
- FN5: Size Focus Area
Other buttons allow direct access to ISO settings, white balance or exposure compensation ...
The electronic viewfinder is great, greater than that of a small-type SLR D3300, but less enjoyable than the D7100 ...
Less pleasant, but not always so good: the EVF helps to immediately report problems overexposed or underexposed, unlike an optical viewfinder, the same goes for the white balance.
Also, it's really nice indoor and outdoor photo no gray weather ...
Well adjusted, the viewfinder is better than a good SLR APS-C, except in the sun: when the subject is in full sun and the photographer in the shade, it'll still ... that's when is oneself in the sun darkens the viewfinder ... I think the rubber surrounding the eye is not big enough ...
Overall the viewfinder is excellent for an electronic viewfinder, better than optical viewfinder reflex entry, and slightly worse than the viewfinder of a D7100 or a 60D or 70D.
It took me some time to get used to, but on reflection (so to speak), I do not regret the superb viewfinder D7100. Well, almost no ...
Autofocus:
The focus is generally faster on my new objectives: GH3 + 14-140 faster than D7100 + 16-85, etc.
With the exception of 100-300, for which the period of development seems to me comparable to that I got with the D7100 + 70-300 VR torque.
No problem Back or Front Focus and therefore no galley with microwave settings, unlike some well known reflex ... When the development is made, it is right, no to land issues.
Trigger:
Remarkable discretion on the GH3. In standard mode (mechanical shutter), it is already very quiet, no noise or vibration due to the recovery of a mirror.
By activating the electronic shutter (limited to 1 / 2000s), there, it's completely silent.
Furthermore, I feel that the lack of mirror contributes significantly to improving the sharpness of images due to the lack of a steady Shutter button.
Mounted ISO and image quality:
I go up to 1600 ISO without problems for 30x40 prints, I have not seen any deterioration compared to my old SLR.
The image quality is excellent and I use the JPEG without a second thought (as I shootais in raw before).
From this point of view, and despite its "modest" 16 megapixel, I find the GH3 almost as good as in the D7100 24MPix ... and much better than the D7100 in Crop x1.3 mode.
Depth of field:
In theory, reducing the size of the sensor does not provide a depth of field as weak as with an SLR APS-C at the same openness and the same framing (since in reality the focal length is shorter ). In practice that was not too embarrassed, and I bought a 45mm f / 1.8 for portraits, which allows me to get the same depth of field with a Nikon or Canon 50mm f / 1.8.
Moreover, the gap depth identical framing fields related to sensor size difference is not that important micro size between 4/3 and APS-C Canon: one goes from x2 at 1.6x; both say not much ...
In summary:
- Pleasant and convenient electronic viewfinder (but try the outside and the sun before taking a decision)
- High-quality images, comparable to those of a D7100
- Ergonomics at least as good
- Weight and size divided by two to four if we take into account the optical
- Increased Discretion
