The Panasonic Lumix GH3 is Panasonic’s flagship micro-four-thirds mirrorless camera. The GH3 is gathering a strong band of followers attracted to the compact, lightweight yet weather-protected camera that’s half the size and weight of a regular DSLR but can still shoot serious still and video images. It’s proving fit for adventurers and travel photographers for whom weight and size are at a premium, but who don’t want to compromise on quality.

Hamish Hooper, a motion and stills shooter aboard Emirates Team New Zealand, uses the GH3 in a demanding marine environment to create the daily video web uploads that keep the fans connected with what is happening within the camp.

Video

The GH3 has a newly developed 16.05 megapixel Live MOS sensor with a wide dynamic range and high sensitivity image recording to produce high-quality stills. However, the GH3 really comes into its own in terms of its video capabilities, with the ability to shoot in multiple formats at varying frame rates to meet wide-ranging requirements.

A variety of connection terminals provide for flexible shooting options, including a 3.5mm microphone jack, which allows the addition of an external microphone mounted on the hot shoe to add high quality audio (including the new Panasonic stereo shotgun microphone DMW-MS2). A headphone jack allows the user to monitor the audio as they record, a must for any imaging professional.

The screen allows for touch autofocus during video recording so that just by pointing to the subject the focus is elegantly pulled or pushed.

A time code is embedded, which makes it easier to synchronise multiple video footage or sound in post-production.

The Lumix link app for Android and iOS smartphones provides flexible shooting possibilities allowing the user to transfer images (even RAW files) to a smartphone or tablet directly, upload to the Cloud via wireless tethering and use the mobile device as a remote controller or a remote monitor.

Interchangeable Lenses

There is a full line of splash- and dust-proof interchangeable lenses for the GH3, including the Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm (35mm equivalent: 24-70mm) and the Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm (35mm equivalent: 70-200mm) which both have a maximum aperture of f/2.8 across the entire zoom range.

Durable Build

The magnesium-alloy body is weather sealed with a splash- and dust-proof construction. While it has a (compact) DSLR-type look-and-feel, the ergonomics of the camera combined with its light weight (855 grams when mounted with the 12-35mm lens) easily allow you to hold it with one hand without strain

Woody Allen famously said that 80 per cent of success is about showing up. Many photographers will recognise the times that it has just been too much effort to drag their heavy DSLR camera along with them—the Lumix GH3 offers a solution to this by reducing size and weight through its micro-four-thirds mirrorless system.

See more at: www.panasonic.co.nz