Opinion on G6 vs GH3 vs GX7 IQ...

[Lettermanian]

Hello, newbie here Love the m43 format and am selling my trusty G2. I recently purchased the Oly OMD EM1 with the 12-50mm, and while I like so many of its qualities, I have to watch my budget and am going to either return it or sell it. I have young, active children and want the better video specs that Panasonic offers. Prices for the G6, GH3 and GX7 are quite good right now, and the cost difference between them and the EM1 would allow me to buy another lens. I'm aware of the major differences between them and my EM1 so I'm not looking for a complete list of all the pros and cons of each. I prefer the form factor/ergonomics of the G6/GH3 over the EM1 and the GX7, but I would like to know if I am going to see a truly significant difference in still image IQ between the Panny's (G6 vs GH3 vs GX7), and between any of those models and the EM1. I will probably get the new 14-140mm Panny, but also enjoy the wide range like the Oly 9-18 (7-14 is too expensive for me). I have the 45-200 already. I actually quite like the 12-50 with the power zoom, so I will probably keep that. Any thoughts would be appreciated

 

[ex machina]

I have a GX7 and an older GX1 and while I very much prefer shooting with the GX7, I'm reluctant to claim that there's a huge difference in actual image quality if both are on a tripod or used with stabilized lenses. I suspect you'd be happy with any of the three in contention; I will say the IBIS that the GX7 provides may be helpful for handheld shots using your unstabilized lenses.

 

[gcogger]

The EM1 is about on a par with the GX7. Both of those are maybe marginally better than the GH3. Any of the three have a small advantage in noise levels over the G6 at high ISO (about 1/2 a stop in my testing for the GH3 over the G6), and a more significant advantage in dynamic range at low ISO.

 

[Listener]

I have a G6 and my wife has one. We've taken thousands of photos and I don't think there is one where I felt let down by the image quality of the G6 sensor. We routinely use ISO 400 and 800 and if necessary ISO 1600 or even 3200. Lots of manual focus where the G6's focus peaking is very effective. Blinkies work well at detecting blown highlights. The white balance settings are very appropriate for various outdoor situations.

Our pictures at
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bill_lesley_photos/
and
http://naturelover.smugmug.com/

Older pictures are with Nikon DX bodies.

 

[Lettermanian]

Listener: very nice pics, were they jpegs out of the camera, or raw? I forgot to mention that I primarily shoot jpegs because I have very little time to do any post processing (which is also why I like the creative filters in these cameras). I know the EM1 ooc jpegs are very good, and other reviews say the Panasonic's are slightly cooler, but is this really noticeable?

 

[Listener]

OOC jpegs in 99+% of our pictures. Like you, I don't want to spend my life doing PP.

I now get jpegs and raw so that I can recover a problem image. I examine the jpegs and rarely find anything that I have to correct. Mostly, I look at the Jpeg and the corresponding raw image and think that I would not improve on the Jpeg.

I take few pictures inside and few portraits of people. My few closeups of people seem fine as OOC Jpegs.

The G6 does have some settings to control in-camera processing. You want warmer or more vivid, you can choose appropriate settings.

 

[Steven]

I didn't like the viewfinder in GH3(curved on the sides for me). I liked G6 viewfinder a lot more. This is just from store observation though.
Do you do a lot of high ISO photos? I do, and with GX1(which supposedly has slightly better high ISO than GH2 derived sensors like G6) I would try to stick to ISO 1600. With GX7 I use ISO 3200 with similar results.
I read a lot of opinions that new GX7 type sensors produce nicer JPEG colors than old sensors.
You can plug in separate sound recorder in G6 and GH3, but not GX7. Though for family videos, the on board mics are probably more than good enough.
I am puzzled you want to keep the dim 12-50 though. YOu realize you won't get stabilization on Panasonic, right?

 

[Lettermanian]

I didn't like the viewfinder in GH3(curved on the sides for me). I liked G6 viewfinder a lot more. This is just from store observation though.
Do you do a lot of high ISO photos? I do, and with GX1(which supposedly has slightly better high ISO than GH2 derived sensors like G6) I would try to stick to ISO 1600. With GX7 I use ISO 3200 with similar results.
I read a lot of opinions that new GX7 type sensors produce nicer JPEG colors than old sensors.
You can plug in separate sound recorder in G6 and GH3, but not GX7. Though for family videos, the on board mics are probably more than good enough.
I am puzzled you want to keep the dim 12-50 though. YOu realize you won't get stabilization on Panasonic, right?

Yes, I would keep it if I choose the GX7, even though the stabilization isn't as effective as Olympus'. I like the power zoom function for video, and stabilization won't be as important for family vids. The 14-140 would be the main lens, and the 12-50 would offer the wider angle until I can afford the 9-18. Or, I may sell the 12-50 and just go with the Samyang/Rokinon lenses for wider angles. I don't do a whole lot of high ISO "serious" photography-i usually resort to my iPhone for indoor snapshots

 

[Lettermanian]

Just purchased a used G6 body. We have CDN Thanksgiving this weekend so I will try it out.