Panasonic DMC-G5KBODY 16MP SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD - Body Only (Black)

To start with I have both the Panasonic GF5 and the G5 and I also shoot Nikon digital cameras. I've been very happy with the Panasonic G5 and M43 system. Many of the little things that bothered me with the GF5 like AF accuracy, AF hunting when recording videos, limited number of customizable function buttons, zoom lens blocking flash coverage at wide angle focal lengths, and no 1080p/60fps videos are resolved with the G5. Plus the G5 is 16MP vs the GF5 only being 12MP. The G5 also has features which my much more expensive Nikon doesn't have like an articulating touch screen and the ability to shoot 1080p/60fps videos.

What I love about the G5:

1. The G5 has a nice balance of buttons and customization which meets the needs of both novices and those wanting more control of their camera. For people purchasing a DSLR/DSLM camera for the time it probably won't feel as overwhelming as some DSLR's would. While it doesn't have the number of buttons as my Nikon DSLR with the use of the "Q Menu" I can get to more of what I want quicker than with my DSLR. The "Q Menu" allows you to create your personalized mini menu for quick access for those settings you adjust the most. In addition there are function buttons on the camera and touch screen which can be customized for the features you use all the time.

2. The articulating screen was one of the main selling points for me when purchasing the G5. The articulating screen is great when photographing with the camera above your head and near to the ground. I actually use it almost all the time when I photograph. You are steadier when you shoot with your hands and camera at your chest versus held up to your eye. If you like shooting candids or documentary of people you can get better shots if the camera is at your chest or waist level. As soon as your camera is at your eye and pointed at a person, that person starts acting different.

3. The articulating screen being a touch screen was another big selling point for me. The combination of the touch screen and pin point or single focus area creates a powerful tool for any photographer. I only shoot single focus area on my DSLR's. Unlike my Nikon DSLR which I have to hold a button down and use the pad on the back of the camera to scroll through the AF area points, with the G5 all I do is touch the area, any area except the very edge, on the screen I want the camera to focus on. Person moves from the right to the left of the frame, I touch their face, and hit the shutter button...that quick and simple. It is worth noting that the touch screen isn't as sensitive as a smart phone touch screen but it seems better than the GF5 screen.

4. I found that the GF5 when shooting in the 23 AF area where the camera selects the AF point would commonly focus on the background instead the person in the foreground who was in the center of the frame and filling up a majority of the frame. The G5 doesn't have that issue. The AF with the G5 is speedy and silent which is great for photography but a must have when shooting videos. It's focus speed is as fast as much more expensive prosumer DSLR cameras. The only issue I've run into is that when shooting sequential frames in continuous AF the AF doesn't perform as accurately as my Nikon DSLR.

5. The 1080p/60fps videos from the G5 are nothing short of beautiful. The 60fps produces very smooth looking videos. The 1080 resolution is very sharp and crisp looking, better than any other P&S, ILC, or DSLR I've had. The only other camera I have that shoots 60fps is the Sony HX20V. The G5 having a much larger sensor than the Sony HX20V produces a much shallower depth of field for beautiful videos. I actually like the depth of field with the G5 better than videos from APS-C cameras. The depth of field is shallow but a little greater than those from APS-C sensors. I find it to be a perfect blend for everyday videos. The AF while shooting videos is excellent also. Unlike my Nikon DSLR there is no focus hunting when shooting videos with the G5 and because the AF is silent I also don't hear the lens focusing. My GF5 even does some focus hunting.

6. The digital viewfinder is actually usable with the G5. There have been considerable improvements in digital viewfinder resolution, color, and contrast in the last few years. I remember playing around with one of Sony's first DSLM cameras a few years ago which had a digital viewfinder and thinking to myself there is no way I could shoot with this camera because of the digital viewfinder.

7. The G5 has an electronic shutter, E Shutter, feature to prevent shutter shock. Shutter shock occurs when the slapping of the shutter causes the sensor to vibrate when the picture is taken, some believe it can impact the OIS also, which results in a soft or slightly blurry image. It seems to primarily occur at shutter speeds of 1/60-1/250. When I heard about shutter shock and the E Shutter feature I was bit skeptical. I did a test shooting 100 frames with the E Shutter on and 100 with the E shutter off at shutter speeds of 1/60-1/320. For 50 of the frames with the E Shutter on and 50 with the E Shutter off, I used image stabilization. The other 50 for each I turned the stabilization off. People have tested the E Shutter photographing a chart while the camera was on a tripod (copy stand work), I wanted to see if there was a noticeable difference in real life photo situations. The images shot were of still life and I was hand holding the camera. When I used a telephoto focal length without stabilization I made sure my shutter speed was on the higher end of the range. The electronic shutter did give better results! I had no incidences of soft or blurry images with the E Shutter on and stabilization off. With stabilization and E Shutter on I had 2 soft or blurry images. With stabilization and E Shutter off, I had 4 soft or blurry images. The worst results came from stabilization on and E Shutter off in which I had 6 soft or blurry images. After the test I started photographing regularly with E Shutter on and have noticed more consistent, better results. Before doing the test I wasn't using E Shutter and was getting some mysteriously soft, blurry images. The downside of E Shutter is that it can't be used with the flash or ISOs greater than 1600. There can also be bending or distortion of shapes which are moving in the frame. I have witnessed the distortion once when taking a picture of someone moving in the frame while the picture was taken.

8. The compactness of the G5 is a nice selling feature. While the G5 isn't as small or pocketable like the GF5 it is significantly smaller and lighter than any Nikon DSLR I've owned. It is much easier to carry around the G5 with a couple extra lenses than my Nikon with a couple extra lenses. Some people may equate the compactness and lightness of weight as being cheap or like a toy camera but I think they are missing one of the advantages of the camera and M43 system in general.

What I don't like about the G5 kit:

1. The biggest down side of the camera outfit is the 14-42mm kit lens. The kit lens is kind of what it is, an inexpensive lens with a plastic mount, plastic body, and sticky zoom. It takes decent enough pictures but the corners and edges are pretty soft, at times even when stopped down to f/8. I do have a full review of the kit lens for anyone interested.

2. With the lowest ISO being 160 and a top shutter speed of 1/4000, on a sunny day the widest open your lens can be is f/2.8 or more commonly f/3.5. This really limits your ability to create images with a very shallow depth of field when using fast lenses.

3. If you go back and forth between the screen and viewfinder the eye sensor on the camera is nice to have. It is designed to sense when your eye goes to the viewfinder. It then turn the display off and viewfinder on therefore saving battery life. Even with the eye sensor sensitivity adjusted to low it is WAY too sensitive. If a shadow passes over the eye sensor the display turns off and viewfinder turns on. Even on a cloudy day if my hand passes over the sensor, 3" inches from the camera, the display turns off.

If you are already in the M43 system this is a great camera to add to your system or upgrade to. If you are looking at getting into a DSLR or DSLM camera system the decision to purchase this over other cameras similarly priced is a little more difficult decision to make. The G5 is a little more compact than an introductory DSLR. It is roughly a centimeter shorter in each dimension and weighs about 25% less than Nikon's D3200. The G5 has an articulating touch screen vs the D3200 which doesn't. The G5 shoots 1080p/60fps videos whereas the D3200 shoots 1080p/30fps. The G5 also costs $100 less than the D3200. The D3200 on the other hand has a larger sensor that performs better in low light. The D3200 has a better kit lens. The D3200 is 24MP vs the G5 which is 16MP. While M43 cameras have the best variety of lenses of any mirrorless system it still can't compete with the selection you have with Nikon or Canon. In the end it depends on which of those features are the most important to you as a buyer.

I have a few friends with DSLR and micro-4/3 cameras and I was told to look at micro-4/3 due to it's lower cost of entry and portability. In the short term I wanted a new camera to take on my honeymoon, but my long term goal was to improve my photography skills beyond a compact point and shoot.

After much research I decided between the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Panasonic DMC-G5KK. While I feel the Olympus is a better camera on paper, I didn't feel the cost differential was justified in my case. Micro-4/3 is still a relatively new platform, and I think the cameras will improve quite a bit in the next couple of years. Perhaps in that time I'll upgrade to a camera with a more rugged body and in body stabilization. FWIW, I purchased the DMC-G5 ($699), which included the 14-42mm zoom lens, along with the Lumix 20mm f/1.7 pancake lens ($332).

The combo is low profile and lightweight due to the pancake lens. I purchased the Crumpler "4 million dollar home" camera bag, which comfortably fits the G5, 20mm pancake, 14-42 mm kit lens, spare battery, charger, snackbar, and hand cleanser (a nice to have on vacation). I highly recommend this to anyone look at the G5 or other similarly sized micro-4/3s.

The 20mm pancake shoots amazing pictures with the G5. Landscapes and interiors look great, but portraits are amazing! I was overall quite impressed with photos I took on my vacation, the majority of which I used intelligent auto since I didn't have the time to learn about the camera. I would say I took 90% of my photos using the pancake since it was more convenient and much faster. I only used the zoom lens when I couldn't zoom with my feet.

My favorite things about the camera thus far:

1) Autofocus speed (combined w/ the 20mm)

2) Ergonomics and weight

3) HD video w/ autofocus

4) Large articulating touchscreen w/ AF tracking (touch screen and it will focus and track the subject!)

5) Depth of focus adjustment/box

6) RAW photos (works with Lightroom)

Things I dislike:

1) EVF sensor: even at the low sensitivity setting, my finger occasionally disables the LCD. I wish they put the sensor at the top of the EVF or something

2) Panasonic software: it's not well designed. You're better off buying Adobe Lightroom to handle the importing and post-processing.

Buy Panasonic DMC-G5KBODY 16MP SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD - Body Only (Black) Now

I ordered my G5 after having seen nice early reports from a few online testers. I bought it within the first few days of it's release. I had considered buying the E-M5, but I had a few reservations about the way the LCD articulated and the higher price. I have a preference for the LCD articulation mechanics used on the G5.

I was pleasantly surprised by the images I captured at a high school reunion the day I received the camera. I immediately noticed an improvement over my previous Olympus Pen models in dynamic range. The high ISO noise levels were simply impressive compared to the Pens. I learned quickly how to use the custom white balance setting and my out of camera jpeg files have consistently accurate color rendition. The images are nice and sharp and will likely print well at print sizes larger than 16"x20".

I believe this camera is an excellent option for those considering the E-M5 based not on a direct personal comparison but from what I seen published at many sites online.

I recommend the G5 highly.

Panasonic DMC-G5KBODY 16MP SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD Body Only (Black)

Dan

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I was a 35mm film Minolta owner for a long time, then Nikon (FM/FE), then more recently D50/D40/D60. I've had Panasonic FZ28/35 and found the sensor size and quality wanting. I looked at the Sony Alpha but found the a37 lacking a few things I wanted and the A57 too large/heavy. Earlier this year I had a Nikon D5100. Great camera. But I was looking for something smaller and lighter. The M 4/3 (MFT) platform is a clear winner. So much so that I no longer own the D5100. And it feels great to use the DMC-G5. I'm excited about shooting again!

Technically, the sensor on the DMC-G5 is a very strong performer. The UI gives you hints when you need them (like a flashing icon to push in and rotate the control wheel when you have overridden the standard exposure (EV) controls). The focus is among the fastest of any camera I've ever used. I really like the level indicators that appear in the viewfinder to let you know you are square to horizontal or vertical.

Overall the camera feels great in the hands and it is very light and yet not too small. So far I don't feel like there is any feature that I would use that is missing. I did sell the 14-42mm kit lens and put on an older Panasonic 14-45mm lens and the results are very solid.

The EVF is adequate. I would not use a MFT camera that did not have a viewfinder. LCDs are still hopeless in strong sunlight. I've found the EVF in this camera so good that most of the time I'm shooting with LCD folded in and turned off. It's that good. (And means I get more shots on one battery charge. And getting a second battery is recommended for this any any camera with an EVF.)

The ONLY thing that bugs me about this camera, and it's a nit, is the operation of the power switch. It's on the right of the control dial and it's the same place thus far on all the Lumix MFT. I would rather have this been a reactive switch where when you push it forward it changes the current power setting (push forward to turn on, push forward again to turn off). The absolute positioning seems strange but that's just to me. I've found myself pushing it forward when I want to turn the camera off. It's certainly not going to take away from the rest of the performance of the camera. (I think because my first digital camera as a Sony DSC-S75 who's power switch worked that way that's why I'm doing it on this camera.)

In the past a primary selling point for cameras, for those who cared about the future and building up a personal kit, was that you were buying into a system. This is still true. But now the system is more like a wider MFT 'system' which crosses manufactures and equipment both new and old. The fact that you can use Panasonic and Olympus lens AND many legacy lens with adapters is an astounding eye opener. Why not, like in the PC market, have uniform standards with many if not all interchangeable parts? Let the camera makers compete on features that are exchangeable. Thus far the other major camera makers have balked at joining the MFT party and they are missing out. Check The Online Photographer article entitled 'Micro 4/3 is the Big Kahuna' for some more perspectives. You should also be visiting 43rumors and sansmirror to be informed in MFT.

To me this is a great camera for the enthusiast who is looking for a lightweight highly versatile camera for a wide range of uses and who wants to spend less than $600-700. (DXOMark puts this camera ahead of DMC-G3 and DMC-GH2 in sensor measurements in all marks except for effective low light ISO which is strange because it's pretty good in low light.)

If I was going to buy up the chain in the MFT systems then either the OM-D E-M5 or DMC-GH3 would be the next steps up. (And keep the DMC-G5 as a second body.)

Update: 11-MAR-2013 I have found a bug that the firmware needs fixing for. I discovered yesterday that if you switch back to review mode from standard still shooting mode like P or C2, it may not always make it back into review mode. It can appear that you are still in the standard view mode (through the lens). I was pressing review like four or five times and it would not switch over. Then I realized that if after you hit review, and nothing seems to have happened, if you click the command dial to the left or right, it will actually become unstuck from the TTL view and start showing you photos you have taken, Viola, you are in review mode. If anyone else has found this please comment.

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I have not been on board with these compact system, MIL, DSLM, or whatever acronym Amazon is using to describe the mirrorless cameras these days...until now! While the concept of having small, compact, lenses has been quite appealing to me (who doesn't want a 400mm equivalent lens smaller than a coffee mug!), the cameras themselves just never felt "right" in my hands. I have above average size hands, so the Panasonic GF, Sony NEX, and Nikon 1 systems always felt like point & shoot cameras and didn't give me a well balanced feel when framing shots. The G5 has a nice grip to go along with all those great lenses! It seems Panasonic has realized there are still some of us who like to use a viewfinder because the 1.4M dot Electronic viewfinder is INCREDIBLE. And while I tend to be a bit more of a traditionalist when it comes to taking photos, the 3" articulating LCD is fun to use when I'm shooting HD video of my 2 year old daughter. I'm quite impressed with photos I'm getting out of this camera, even with the kit lens. If you have been waiting to enter the mirrorless world, wait no longer. This is a terrific all-around camera and now that I'm in the Micro 4/3 world, it's time to start saving for those lenses!! My wife will be happy that I'm not using her allotted TSA carry-on limit to pack my lenses on our next trip. I'll be able to fit a whole system of lenses in her purse next time!