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Panasonic GH2 vs Panasonic GH3 Comparison

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Panasonic GH2

16 MP | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

Panasonic GH2
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Panasonic GH3

16 MP | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

Panasonic GH3
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Panasonic GH2 vs Panasonic GH3 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing GH2 and GH3, two Advanced Mirrorless cameras by Panasonic. Both Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 cameras have 16.0MP Four Thirds sensors. Panasonic GH2 was introduced to market in March 2011 and Panasonic GH3 was launched in September 2012. There is 18 months difference between GH2 and GH3 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger GH3, especially in sensor tech.

GH2 and GH3 are members of Panasonic's GH series of cameras. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Panasonic GH Series History
Model Release Date Sensor Max FPS Dimensions Weight
Panasonic GH5S
  
2018 10.0MP - Four Thirds 12.0 fps 139 x 98 x 87mm 660g
Panasonic GH5
  
2017 20.0MP - Four Thirds 12.0 fps 139 x 98 x 87mm 725g
Panasonic GH4
  
2014 16.0MP - Four Thirds 12.0 fps 133 x 93 x 84mm 560g
Panasonic GH3
2012 16.0MP - Four Thirds 20.0 fps 133 x 93 x 82mm 550g
Panasonic GH2
2011 16.0MP - Four Thirds 3.0 fps 124 x 90 x 76mm 442g

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic GH2 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-03-23
  • 16MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 160 - 12800
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 3" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 3 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 442g. 124 x 90 x 76 mm
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 Compare

Panasonic GH3 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-09-17
  • 16MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 3" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 1744k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 20 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 550g. 133 x 93 x 82 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 Compare

Panasonic GH3 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3
Viewfinder Magnification
0.71x vs 0.67x Larger Viewfinder
Weight
442 g vs 550 g 108 g lighter
Flash Coverage
15.6m vs 12.0m 3.6m longer range
AE Bracketing Range
±3 EV vs ±1 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen Resolution
614k dots vs 460k dots 33% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
20.0fps vs 3.0fps 17 fps faster
Battery Life
540 shots vs 330 shots 210 more frames with a single charge
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Color Depth
22.7 vs 21.2 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
12.4 vs 11.3 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
812 vs 655 better High ISO performance
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3
Adjustable LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fully Articulated Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Microphone Port
Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Selfie/Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs Yes Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3
In-body Image Stabilization
Optical vs No No Built-in stabilization
Panasonic GH2 vs Panasonic GH3: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic GH2 has external dimensions of 124 x 90 x 76 mm (4.88 x 3.54 x 2.99″) and weighs 442 g (0.97 lb / 15.59 oz) (including batteries). Panasonic GH3 has external dimensions of 133 x 93 x 82 mm (5.24 x 3.66 x 3.23″) and weighs 550 g (1.21 lb / 19.40 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3. Panasonic GH2 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 9mm narrower, 3mm shorter and 6mm thinner than Panasonic GH3.

Panasonic GH2 vs Panasonic GH3 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3.
Panasonic GH2 vs Panasonic GH3 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic GH2 is significantly lighter (108g ) than the Panasonic GH3 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 have the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount and Four Thirds sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

GH2
GH3
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

GH2
GH3
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of GH3, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to GH2.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Both cameras feature Fully Articulating screens where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. Fully articulating screens are also useful for taking Selfie shots and video.
Panasonic GH2 vs Panasonic GH3: Sensor Comparison

Both Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 have Four Thirds sized 16.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the GH2 and GH3 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic GH2 vs Panasonic GH3 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 Cameras


Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that GH3 has a better overall score of 71, 11 points higher compared to GH2's score of 60.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Panasonic GH2 60 21.2 bits 11.3 Evs 655 ISO
Panasonic GH3 71 22.7 bits 12.4 Evs 812 ISO
Panasonic GH2 vs Panasonic GH3 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 have the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount and currently there are 107 native lenses available for these cameras.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 31 lenses with Image stabilization for Micro Four Thirds mount.

Lens Type # of Panasonic GH2 Lenses # of Panasonic GH3 Lenses
Standard Zoom 15 15
Standard Prime 13 13
Wideangle Zoom 5 5
Wideangle Prime 29 29
Telephoto Zoom 18 18
Telephoto Prime 9 9
SuperZoom 8 8
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 5 5
Macro Prime 4 4
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 1
TOTAL 107 107

Here are some of the most popular Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for GH2 and GH3
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS
FourThirds 210gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH.  Power O.I.S Lens Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH. Power O.I.S
FourThirds 265gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO Lens Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO
FourThirds 382gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G 25mm F1.7 ASPH Lens Panasonic Lumix G 25mm F1.7 ASPH
FourThirds 125gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus 9mm F8 Fish-Eye Body Cap Lens Lens Olympus 9mm F8 Fish-Eye Body Cap Lens
FourThirds 30gr MF Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm F1.8 Lens Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm F1.8
FourThirds 136gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 ASPH Power OIS
FourThirds 305gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm F2.8 OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm F2.8 OIS
FourThirds 360gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Panasonic GH2 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic GH3 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Panasonic GH2 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic GH3 for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Panasonic GH2 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Panasonic GH3 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
23 Focus Points
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 20.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
23 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 540 shots
Wireless Connection
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Panasonic GH2 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic GH3 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
442g
Body Thickness 76mm
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
550g
Body Thickness 82mm
Read the details

Panasonic GH2 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic GH3 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Read the details

Panasonic GH2 vs Panasonic GH3: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Panasonic GH2 and Panasonic GH3 scores compare:

Panasonic GH2
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #76 out of 88 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #298 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Panasonic GH3
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #64 out of 88 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #138 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic GH3 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic GH2 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Panasonic GH2. Otherwise, Panasonic GH3 is the better camera overall.

Panasonic GH2
Panasonic GH2
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Panasonic GH3
Panasonic GH3
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Panasonic GH3 vs Panasonic GH2 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3
Brand Panasonic Panasonic
Announced 2011-03-23 2012-09-17
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Four Thirds Four Thirds
Dimensions 17.3 x 13 mm 17.3 x 13 mm
Area 224.90mm2 224.90mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 12,800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 160 ISO 200 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 23 23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds
Number of Available Lenses 107 107
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fully Articulated
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 460k dots 614k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution n/a 1,744k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.71x 0.67x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 15.60 m 12.00 m
Max Flash Sync 1/160s 1/160s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps 20.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats AVCHD, Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 442g 550g
Dimensions 124 x 90 x 76mm 133 x 93 x 82mm
Battery Life 330 shots 540 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 60 71
DxO Color Depth 21.2 22.7
DxO Dynamic Range 11.3 12.4
DxO Low Light ISO 655 812
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