Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 Preview

Preview based on a pre-production DMC-GF3

Panasonic has made it pretty clear that it believes the big market opportunity for mirrorless cameras lies in attracting compact camera users who are keen to upgrade, but don't want the bulk and complexity of a DSLR. The move from the enthusiast-friendly GF1 to the simpler, more beginner-focused GF2 was something of a disappointment for those enthusiasts, but made a lot of sense in terms of broadening the appeal of the Micro Four Thirds system. And, in the light of Sony's NEX-C3, it's pretty clear Panasonic is not alone in this line of thinking.

With the GF3, Panasonic continues to court the mass market, with a camera that furthers its trend of simplification and new-user befriending. It's a gentle refresh of the GF2 but one from which even more features and controls (as well as size and weight) have been removed. It's still a 12MP camera but the addition of the latest three-core Venus Engine FHD processor gives it the impressive speed of its G3 and GH2 siblings.

Building on the simple touchscreen design of the GF2, the GF3 loses Panasonic's signature rear click-dial, instead making do with a compact camera-style dial around the four-way controller. This and the loss of both the flash hot shoe and rear accessory port underline Panasonic's determination to keep things small, simple, unthreatening and inexpensive. The stereo mics of its predecessor have also gone, further casualties of the downsizing process.

Despite being based around the same 12MP sensor as the GF2, the GF3's new processor allows it to analyze autofocus information 120 times per second, as in the most recent G-series models. This considerably improves AF speed and, in turn, makes the camera feel extremely responsive. This in itself is likely to be a revelation for many compact camera users, as the speed of focus acquisition is at least as good as most entry-level DSLRs when used with their respective kit zooms.

The faster processor also helps the continuous shooting rate edge up to 3.8 frames per second - a 20% improvement - or 2.8 frames per second while maintaining live view. Interestingly, the camera's ISO range has been restated as starting at 160, rather than 100. We have been led to believe this represents a recalibration to make the most of the sensor response, rather than a simple renaming of the existing setting.

Beyond the external changes, the GF3 gains all of the features introduced with the G3, including iA

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