Mirrorless Camera Reviews

The Panasonic GH3 has a brand-new body based on a magnesium-alloy chassis. This Micro Four Thirds camera is bigger than its forerunner and has nearly the same dimensions as a small APS-C SLR system; in fact, it is even bigger than the Nikon D3200. The body is very robust and has numerous functional elements for comfortable handling, including up to five user-defined Fn buttons. Large mode and parameter dials allow for fast setup of all parameters such as shutter speed and aperture settings.

We all know how big a tomato is. If we see a photo of a GIANT tomato sitting all by itself, we have no idea that it’s bigger than its cousins. To convey the perception of size one must position the tomato near another object of known size—say, an egg or a walnut. Same is true about cameras.

When creating their mirrorless camera system, Panasonic wisely, I think, chose the Micro Four Thirds format rather than designing an all-new proprietary lens mount. The system includes two dozen or so Lumix lenses, including conversion lenses, along with adapters for Leica R and M mount lenses, Four Thirds digital SLRs, plus the ability to use lenses from Olympus, Sigma, and Tamron. The Micro Four Thirds system is here to stay and the Lumix DMC-G5 seems a perfect way to jump on board.

The Samsung NX20 is a mirrorless system camera with very high sensor resolution. Just like the Samsung NX200 it uses an APS-C-sized sensor and offers a resolution of 20MP. In contrast to the NX200 it uses an SLR-like body design and an electronic viewfinder with very high resolution. The EVF has 1.44 million RGB dots and offers a very brilliant and sharp image, which makes manual focusing very comfortable. In addition, the NX20 has a large AMOLED swivel screen on the back with a resolution of 614,000 RGB dots.

The Panasonic G5 is a very compact mirrorless system camera that looks like a small SLR, yet has an electronic viewfinder. The EVF has a very high resolution of 1.4 million RGB dots and shows a very crisp and clear image.

The camera is designed for use with the new X lenses made by Panasonic. These lenses have an integrated motorized zoom and servo-controlled focusing system. To accommodate use of the lenses the G5 offers a zoom switch to change focal length rather than a lens ring, just like when using a compact camera.

The Olympus OM-D is a retro-style camera that harkens back to the OM System of the 1970s and 1980s. In the current Olympus lineup, this Micro Four Thirds system camera sits somewhere between the PEN cameras and the E-System cameras. Like the PEN, it offers a very compact design and many helpful features for beginners, yet the design is oriented toward a classic SLR.