GH3 GH3 EVF problem - GH3 owners Please Read!

R

rosebud

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I received a GH3 from Midwest Camera Exchange, serial number WE2KA001201, this past Thursday, December 20, 2012.

There may be problem with the electronic view finder in the camera I have. The resolution in the EVF is pretty poor, noticeably lower than the GH2. Letters and graphics are clear and sharp, but the live image is so low resolution that I can't trust it to focus. This effects live view and playback.

If you are a having similar or other problems with the EVF please post here, describe the problem and please list your serial number so we can try to determine if this is a problem associated with a range of serial numbers or Panasonic's idea of a usable VF. BTW, resolution is very good on the swing out panel, but no help to those who focus via the view finder.

Those that aren't having a problem and are happy with the performance of the EVF, please post your serial number so that those afflicted with a bad one can help Panasonic determine there is a problem with a particular production run.

Here are some references on the web that I could find:

https://vimeo.com/groups/gh3/forum/topic:257678

https://vimeo.com/55741316 (read on down in the comments)

A thread on a dpreview forum: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/post/50506925
 
My son and I preordered our GH3's through Amazon the first hours they were available. We received them the beginning of December. I noticed the softer EVF immediately. I compared his camera to mine and I swear his was sharper. I think he thought it was all in my head, but I swear there was a difference. His was sharper and not as blurry at the edges. I returned mine a week later and ordered another immediately. Of course now I'll be waiting for six months. I'm hoping if there is a problem then maybe the next production run will make a difference. Oh, by the way, we both have GH2's as well.
 
I have a GH3 and I do not like the EVF as well. I never had a GH2 before, but compared to the LCD screen it is not as sharp and the colors are awful. I just 'filmed' my Windows background which has a coloured ring of mainly blue, but also green and purple colors. When looking through the EVF the picture is just completely blue. No gradations whatsoever. It can be used for framing only and maybe some focus double check.

The LCD is much better, but still pretty marginal. I come from a 60D which had a beautiful sharp LCD screen. The GH3's screen is soft by comparison and has trouble with the blacks. When things get a bit dark, there is a green tinge going on in the blacks. I like the camera's output, and that's what it is about, but it is a shame that a camera costing this much is so marginal when it comes to important aspects as the LCD / EVF...

Hope to have a firmware in the near future that improves things.

To be more ontopic: I dont think it is because of a faulty unit. The blurry edges might have to do with micro adjusting, which you can do by turning the little wheel next to the EVF. It is just a el cheapo EVF and thus outputing an el cheapo image.
 
Interesting. The EVF is the thing I most wanted an improvement on on the GH lone... so this will likely seal the deal for me, and I'll stick with the GH2s a little longer for smaller cams.
 
Cosimo Bullo said:
Interesting. The EVF is the thing I most wanted an improvement on on the GH lone... so this will likely seal the deal for me, and I'll stick with the GH2s a little longer for smaller cams.
Click to expand...

Really? Of all the improvements (bitrate, build quality, low light capability, 1080/60P, wifi, better battery), the most you were concerned about was the EVF?

The Nikon/Canon DSLRs don't even have an EVF. I consider it a blessing to have one on such a capable cam. It wouldn't stop me from getting a GH3, that's for sure.
 
No, I'm not kidding. I shoot a lot and for an old hand like me, being able to focus live is critical. Cameras used to have, believe it of not, really nice viewfinders! Now the images from the chips and better selection of glass make for a much better image, but considerably worse shooting experience.

Full disclosure. We have other cameras as well, so the the need for the GH3 is possibly lower at the moment as well. I'll plan also on continuing to look at tests and see if my mind gets changed.
 
Stab said:
I have a GH3 and I do not like the EVF as well. I never had a GH2 before, but compared to the LCD screen it is not as sharp and the colors are awful. I just 'filmed' my Windows background which has a coloured ring of mainly blue, but also green and purple colors. When looking through the EVF the picture is just completely blue. No gradations whatsoever. It can be used for framing only and maybe some focus double check.

The LCD is much better, but still pretty marginal. I come from a 60D which had a beautiful sharp LCD screen. The GH3's screen is soft by comparison and has trouble with the blacks. When things get a bit dark, there is a green tinge going on in the blacks. I like the camera's output, and that's what it is about, but it is a shame that a camera costing this much is so marginal when it comes to important aspects as the LCD / EVF...

Hope to have a firmware in the near future that improves things.

To be more ontopic: I dont think it is because of a faulty unit. The blurry edges might have to do with micro adjusting, which you can do by turning the little wheel next to the EVF. It is just a el cheapo EVF and thus outputing an el cheapo image.
Click to expand...

60d Lcd is NOT better than GH3, I shot religiously on that camera since it's release. Also 60d body was like $1100 I believe compared to $1300 GH3. Not a big price difference, one thing we all can agree though is the image quality from the Panasonic GH is better.
 
This might be a really stupid question, Does the gh3 evf have the little focus slider like the gh2 did? If yes, did it help any to adjust it?

I remember adjusting it on the gh2, and wow, it made all the difference in the world.
 
Thanks for the reply Bern. I did read Wilt's mini-review this past week before I received the camera, but I'm not sure I'm seeing what he describes and apparently what you are seeing. When I go into record, the VF sharpness shifts very slightly, nearly imperceptibly. The only substantial change is a color shift toward red/magenta.

Regardless, I still can't see well enough to really focus confidently. If it isn't a faulty unit and this is the way all GH3s are, Panasonic should do something about it, whether it's peaking or changing the signal processing so people can focus the camera.

However, I would certainly say that otherwise, the camera is a definite improvement over the GH2, image and handling wise. Far, far better than the Canon 60D in almost every way.
 
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Hi,

There is also a lengthy discussion about the EVF quality of the GH3 in german cam forums (http://www.systemkamera-forum.de/mi...amera-technik/40319-lumix-gh3-sucher-evf.html).

Coming from a GH1 I find the EVF quality of the GH3 very poor. It is difficult to focus during filming.

Surprisingly, there are also a lot of users, who consider the EVF to be excellent and sharper than the GH1 or GH2 EVF - which let's you think about varying production quality. In any case. there was a comparison of a 'bad' cam and a 'good' cam - and looked at side by side - they had the same quality. So - I believe that all GH3s have the same quality EVF. It seems that it is actually not the OLED itself - but rather the covering lens - which makes the problem. Certainly, the viewing distance and angle are very important. Looking straight into the EVF and placing your eye very close to the lens seems crucial.

In any case - I think Panasonic has to deliver focus peaking with the next software update. Otherwise this issue will turn many potential buyers away.
 
Yeah I also have the same problem and posted it on personal-view
The evf is much worse than the one on my gh2. Its unusable for focusing and the colors come out pastel wish. I also bought mine from amazon.
I tried playing with the diaopter and calibrate the color with no luck.
 
May be it is just me. I don't see any problem with the EVF my GH3, compared to my Gh2, GH1 and G1. I don't think it is better but the GH3's EVF is no worse than the others. I have never had much confident to MF with such a tiny, low resolution EVF anyway. The only time I feel a bit more confident to MF is with the Voligtlander f0.95 lenses, and with my Sony monitor with peaking on.
​
 
J.F.R. said:
60d Lcd is NOT better than GH3, I shot religiously on that camera since it's release. Also 60d body was like $1100 I believe compared to $1300 GH3. Not a big price difference, one thing we all can agree though is the image quality from the Panasonic GH is better.
Click to expand...

Hmm, strange that you don't agree with me. The GH3's LCD has a resolution of about 600.000 pixels, the 60D has around 1.04 million...

But anyhow, I don't regret buying the GH3 for 1 second as the image quality is way better. The EVF has horrible limited colors though and the resolution is far too low. The LCD screen could be better as well, with in my opinion a too low resolution and showing a green tinge in the blacks. For a camera this 'expensive' and this good, it could be better to have monitoring options that complement it. My only complaint about this camera so far though.
 
I find the GH3 EVF to have less resolution compared to the GH2 EVF, but it has much better color and contrast than the GH2 does.

I never use the EVF for critical focus ( LCD display or external monitor ), so this doesn't bother me much.
 
i have to admit, the evf sucks. i've had two gh3's arrive and i had to return one because it came with a damaged sensor. but both had terrible EVFs. i'm went from an OMD EM5 EVF to the Gh3 and was couldn't believe how much wors the Gh3 looked not sure if i should return the cam or not.
 
Stab said:
Hmm, strange that you don't agree with me. The GH3's LCD has a resolution of about 600.000 pixels, the 60D has around 1.04 million...

But anyhow, I don't regret buying the GH3 for 1 second as the image quality is way better. The EVF has horrible limited colors though and the resolution is far too low. The LCD screen could be better as well, with in my opinion a too low resolution and showing a green tinge in the blacks. For a camera this 'expensive' and this good, it could be better to have monitoring options that complement it. My only complaint about this camera so far though.
Click to expand...

It's not only about pixels as the GH3 with it's OLED display is brighter and shows greater level of colors. 60d Lcd is great , so not saying one is better than the other, just that the GH3 is very nice as well.

The GH2 for comparison only had 460,000 pixels, so it's an upgrade.
 
Im not sure if my Gh3 is faulty. EVF Preview image in in low light M mode- is very noisy. it looks like on ISO 12000 or more even when actual ISO is set to 200. EVF adjusting does not help (brightens etc.) Actual recorded mov its clean. Its only in lower light conditions in good light preview looks good. Can someone confirm the same thing in EVF in low light or my unit is faulty. Tell me please as I have last day to send GH3 back and cant check it anywhere around.​
 
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