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Panasonic GF3

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 front
 
Portability
90
Imaging
48
Features
48
Overall
48

Panasonic GF3 overview

Panasonic GF3 is Panasonic's Entry-Level Mirrorless digital camera first introduced on August of 2011. It features a 12 MegaPixel, CMOS Four Thirds size sensor with a peak resolution of 4000 x 3000.

Panasonic released this model to upgrade the previous Panasonic GF2 (Read Full Comparison) and subsequently launched the more recent Panasonic GF5 (Read Full Comparison) to upgrade this camera.

The GF3 places at #101 out of 117 in Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras and all around #466 out of 1465 for cameras in our collection. You can look at our Smart camera filter to see camera rankings based on your custom requirements.

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Below is a diagram of various criteria used in the scoring system.

Panasonic GF3 history

The Panasonic GF3 comes with a history of related cameras. Listed below, you can view all previous and more recent models alongside main features.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Panasonic-Lumix-DC-G100 front thumbnailPanasonic G100
GF3 vs G100
20MPFour Thirds10.0 fps2020
Panasonic-Lumix-DC-GX9 front thumbnailPanasonic GX9
GF3 vs GX9
20MPFour Thirds9.0 fps2018
Apple patent reveals improved iPhone camera durability
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GX850 front thumbnailPanasonic GX850
GF3 vs GX850
16MPFour Thirds10.0 fps2017
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GX85 front thumbnailPanasonic GX85
GF3 vs GX85
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2016
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GF8 front thumbnailPanasonic GF8
GF3 vs GF8
16MPFour Thirds5.8 fps2016
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GX8 front thumbnailPanasonic GX8
GF3 vs GX8
20MPFour Thirds12.0 fps2015
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Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GF7 front thumbnailPanasonic GF7
GF3 vs GF7
16MPFour Thirds5.8 fps2015
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GM5 front thumbnailPanasonic GM5
GF3 vs GM5
16MPFour Thirds5.8 fps2014
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GM1 front thumbnailPanasonic GM1
GF3 vs GM1
16MPFour Thirds5.0 fps2013
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GX7 front thumbnailPanasonic GX7
GF3 vs GX7
16MPFour Thirds5.0 fps2013
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-G6 front thumbnailPanasonic G6
GF3 vs G6
16MPFour Thirds7.0 fps2013
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Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GF6 front thumbnailPanasonic GF6
GF3 vs GF6
16MPFour Thirds4.0 fps2013
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-G5 front thumbnailPanasonic G5
GF3 vs G5
16MPFour Thirds6.0 fps2012
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GF5 front thumbnailPanasonic GF5
GF3 vs GF5
12MPFour Thirds4.0 fps2012
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GX1 front thumbnailPanasonic GX1
GF3 vs GX1
16MPFour Thirds4.0 fps2012
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GF3 front thumbnailPanasonic GF312MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2011
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-G3 front thumbnailPanasonic G3
GF3 vs G3
16MPFour Thirds4.0 fps2011
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GF2 front thumbnailPanasonic GF2
GF3 vs GF2
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2011
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-G10 front thumbnailPanasonic G10
GF3 vs G10
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2010
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Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-G2 front thumbnailPanasonic G2
GF3 vs G2
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2010
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GF1 front thumbnailPanasonic GF1
GF3 vs GF1
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2009
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-G1 front thumbnailPanasonic G1
GF3 vs G1
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2009

Panasonic GF3 Pros and Cons

Here is a checklist of advantages and drawbacks of the Panasonic GF3 based on criterias that are normally seen as crucial in a digital camera.

built-in flash
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
comes with face detection autofocus
comes with HDMI support
comes with tracking autofocus
exports RAW formats
features touch to focus
focusing manually
has touchscreen
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
screen size is good (3")
video res high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
continuous shooting slow (3.0 frames/s)
doesn't feature selfie friendly screen
fixed screen
has no phase detect autofocus
lack of external microphone jack
lack of headphone jack
lack of image stabilization
lack of Timelapse mode
low megapixels (12MP)
low resolution screen (460 thousand dot)
no external flash support
terrible battery power (300 CIPA)
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Panasonic GF3 Sensor specs

The Panasonic GF3 is powered by the Venus Engine FHD processor. The size of the sensor on the Panasonic GF3 is 17.3mm x 13mm (Four Thirds). The 225 mm² sensor has the ability to resolve 4000 x 3000 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9.

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The CMOS sensor boasts 12MP and includes a standard ISO range of 160 to 6400. RAW photos are supported so you have more room to maneuver in post.

The picture below illustrates the GF3's sensor size in comparison to other popular sizes. The GF3 sensor comes with a crop factor of 2.1 and is showcased in green.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 sensor size Ulanzi's Tripod Ensures Ultra Smooth Filming

To get a sense of various aspect ratios, you should refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Panasonic GF3 dimensions

Panasonic GF3 weighs 0.58 lbs (264 grams / 9.31 ounces) and the overall size of the camera is 108mm x 67mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.3"). The weight of general Entry-Level Mirrorless camera is 329 grams and the Panasonic GF3 is lighter than various competitors.

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Below is a visual of the Panasonic GF3 beside a soda to help you have a feel for its size.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 dimensions scale

The top view directly below will illustrate the button arrangement on the GF3.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 topview buttons dials

Panasonic GF3 Lens details

The GF3 uses the Micro Four Thirds mount and has 162 lenses that are available. Here is a small number of the lenses we have in our database that will work with the GF3.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Olympus-Zuiko-Digital-17.5-45mm-f3.5-5.6 lensOlympus Zuiko Digital 17.5-45mm f3.5-5.618-45mmf/3.5-5.6 210g
Voigtlander-Nokton-25mm-F0.95-Type-II-Micro-Four-Thirds lensVoigtlander Nokton 25mm F0.95 Type II25mmf/0.95 435g
Leica struggles with L-Mount camera sales, tougher than Q or M
Olympus-Zuiko-Digital-25mm-f2.8-Pancake lensOlympus Zuiko Digital 25mm f2.8 Pancake25mmf/2.8 95g
Panasonic-Lumix-G-X-Vario-PZ-14-42mm-F3.5-5.6-ASPH-OIS lensPanasonic Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS14-42mmf/3.5-5.6 95g
Olympus-Zuiko-Digital-ED-18-180mm-f3.5-6.3 lensOlympus Zuiko Digital ED 18-180mm f3.5-6.318-180mmf/3.5-6.3 435g
Panasonic-Leica-D-Vario-Elmarit-14-50mm-F2.8-3.5-ASPH-Mega-OIS lensPanasonic Leica D Vario-Elmarit 14-50mm F2.8-3.5 ASPH Mega OIS14-50mmf/2.8-3.5 490g
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Panasonic-Leica-D-Summilux-Asph-25mm-F1.4 lensPanasonic Leica D Summilux Asph 25mm F1.425mmf/1.4 510g
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Panasonic GF3 Connectivity

The GF3 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that include NFC and Bluetooth connectivity can easily be used wirelessly by smartphones. You are able to transfer images and usually change settings without connecting directly with the camera.

Many apps also provide a Liveview and press the shutter if you aren't close to the camera. If the camera boasts a HDMI out, it could be attached to an external display. A good number of cameras will allow you to charge the battery using the USB port.

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Panasonic GF3 Video details

The highest video resolution on the Panasonic GF3 is 1920 x 1080 and it can save in AVCHD and Motion JPEG file format. 1080p resolution can provide a good balance between video quality versus file size but FULL HD will not give you much room to downsample. The body doesn't include a mic and headphone socket so you have got zero control over your sound. It is probably best to buy an alternative camera should you require decent sound in your videos.

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Panasonic GF3 Weather Sealing

There is no weather proofing for the Panasonic GF3 so you have to be cautious in rainy and dusty situations.

Panasonic GF3 Screen and Viewfinder

The Panasonic GF3 features a 3 inch fixed screen with a resolution of 460 thousand dots.

Additionally the screen is touch friendly so you can easily change focus point as well as change settings by using your fingers.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 screen and viewfinder Europe Approves Revolutionary AI Legislation

The View Finder details regarding Panasonic GF3 are the following:

  • ViewFinder None

In those bright outdoor situations that make the camera screens washed out and difficult to view, viewfinders can be rather helpful.

Panasonic GF3 Shutter details

Panasonic GF3 continuous shooting speed is 3.0 frames/s. The highest shutter speed is 1/4000 seconds.

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Panasonic GF3 Flash and Hot shoe details

Panasonic GF3 boasts just built-in flash without external flash ability. The maximum flash sync speed is 1/160 seconds.

Panasonic GF3 Autofocusing details

Panasonic GF3 boasts only Contrast Based Auto Focus and doesn't have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot snappier & precise than Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera features Face detection which makes it handy for portrait photography.

The AF system features 23 focus points to select from. Panasonic GF3 has touch to focus. You can easily use your fingers to change where you focus. It also features Tracking Auto Focus for moving things. Panasonic GF3 features manual focusing in case it is needed during low light occasions or you require more exact control on focusing.

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Panasonic GF3 Battery life

The battery power for the Panasonic GF3 is designed to last for 300 photos according to the CIPA standards making it lower than its rivals. The typical Entry-Level Mirrorless camera battery life is 343. Fujifilm X-S20 offers the highest (750) battery life within this class of cameras.

Listed below is a collection of Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras with the highest battery life:

Panasonic GF3 for various kinds of photography

The following illustration indicates a analysis of the Panasonic GF3 for various kinds of photography. To see more, visit the specific paragraph below.

Portrait photography with Panasonic GF3

The Panasonic GF3 has a points tally of 55 which is decent, meaning that it is fairly adequate to use for portrait images. Photographing portrait images favors heavily to sensor specs, support for RAW files in addition to the option to work with external flash.

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focusing manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
provides face detection autofocus
exports RAW formats
external flash not possible
low MP (12MP)

Panasonic GF3 as a Street photography camera

Getting a above average score of 70, the Panasonic GF3 is a very decent choice to use in street photography. A decent street photography camera provides a perfect balance of image quality and portability.

Leica struggles with L-Mount camera sales, tougher than Q or M
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
boasts touch focus
no moving screen
lack of image stabilization

Sports photography with Panasonic GF3

A low sports photography score of 38 indicates the Panasonic GF3 is not really very good for photographing sports. A camera must have fantastic focusing plus fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

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sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
supports tracking autofocus
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames/s)
does not have image stabilization
megapixel count low (12MP)
terrible battery life (300 shots)
lack of phase detect autofocus

Travel photography with Panasonic GF3

Weight is very crucial in picking a travel camera. In general, the Panasonic GF3 gets a modest 58 for a travel camera which makes it somewhat adequate to buy for your trips.

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includes touch to focus
flash built-in
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
low battery pack (300 CIPA)
low resolution (12MP)
does not posses selfie friendly display

Panasonic GF3 Landscape photography information

If you find yourself planning to purchase a digital camera for landscape photographs, the most vital factor will no doubt be image quality. The Panasonic GF3 with it's moderate grade of 55 as a landscape camera is fairly adequate compared to it's competition.

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has manual focus
swap lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen is a decent size (3 inches)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
does not have image stabilization
low MP (12 megapixels)
not so great battery power (300 per charge)
no Timelapse function

Panasonic GF3 Vlogging features

A camera for vlogging preferably should come with a moving display screen, mic port and ideally image stabilization. Taking all things into account, the Panasonic GF3 is not really very good as a vlog camera as it comes to a low rating of 32.

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has touchscreen
features face detect focus
great video quality (1920 x 1080 pixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
lack of image stabilization
lack of microphone jack

Panasonic GF3 Alternatives

If you are searching for replacements to the GF3, here is a collection of the highest placed cameras that fall under the category of Entry-Level Mirrorless.

The graph followed below offers you an overview of the GF3 vs it's highest scored rivals mentioned earlier.

Here are a handful of other cameras you may look at as alternatives. To check out a detailed comparison, just click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Make
Panasonic
Model type
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3
Type
Entry-Level Mirrorless
Announced
2011-08-11
Body design
Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Chip
Venus Engine FHD
Sensor size
Four Thirds
Sensor measurements
17.3 x 13mm
Sensor surface area
224.9mm²
Sensor resolution
12MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution
4000 x 3000
RAW format
Highest native ISO
6400
Lowest native ISO
160
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points
23
Lens
Lens mount type
Micro Four Thirds
Amount of lenses
107
Focal length multiplier
2.1
Screen
Screen type
Fixed Type
Screen sizing
3"
Screen resolution
460 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Screen tech
TFT Color LCD with wide-viewing angle
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
50
DXO Color Depth rating
20.6
DXO Dynamic range rating
10.1
DXO Low light rating
459
Features
Lowest shutter speed
60 secs
Highest shutter speed
1/4000 secs
Continuous shooting speed
3.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance
6.30 m
Flash options
Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Highest flash sync
1/160 secs
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1280 x 720p (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution
1920x1080
Video file format
AVCHD, Motion JPEG
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
264 gr (0.58 pounds)
Dimensions
108 x 67 x 32mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.3")
Other
Battery life
300 photos
Battery format
Battery Pack
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10 sec (3 images))
Time lapse recording
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots
Single
Launch cost
$360