Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 (with

Panasonic's replacement for the Lumix DMC-G3 doesn't look like a game-changer for the series, but the G5 certainly seems to address the older model's problem areas: relatively sluggish performance and a short battery life. It incorporates the company's Light Speed autofocus system, which we've seen deliver excellent performance in models like the GX1 and the GF3, and ups the rated battery life to 320 shots. I wouldn't call the latter a big leap forward, but at least it brings the camera into parity with the other lame battery-lifers. (The battery of a $1,200 camera should really get you through at least a day of enthusiast-volume shooting.)

As you'd expect, Panasonic also revved the imaging engine, which brings with it the usual set of enhancements. These include a bump in top sensitivity to ISO 12800, thanks to improved noise-reduction algorithms; translated from marketing-speak, this means that since ISO 800 was my top recommended shooting sensitivity in the G3 it's likely going to be ISO 1600 in the G5. Better color accuracy, more special-effects filters, faster updating of the viewfinder and LCD, and improvements to its automatic operation with more guidance for newbies also benefit from the updated firmware.

Panasonic gets a grip on the G5 (pictures)

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Among the changes to the hardware are welcome usability enhancements, like a larger grip -- yay! -- a more pronounced thumb rest area and an AE/AF lock button, an eye sensor for automatically toggling between EVF and LCD viewing, an on-camera zoom lever for use with the Power Zoom (PZ) lenses, and an electronic shutter for silent operation.

Here's a partial competitive lineup for interchangeable-lens cameras with built-in electronic viewfinders:

As usual, Panasonic refuses to announce the pricing until 30 days before shipping, and the ship date also remains a secret (but will probably happen during August sometime). I'm going to assume the 14-42mm kit will cost the same as the G3, since it's replacing that model in the lineup. It's not clear what other kits will be offered, though I'd bet a 14-42mm PZ kit is on the table, as is a body-only version. Though it wasn't mentioned as a kit option during our briefing with Panasonic, the new 45-150mm f4-5.6 optically stabilized lens seems an awfully good candidate for a dual-lens kit in conjunction with the 14-42mm. The lens uses internal focus for quiet operation during video capture. Since it has a seven-bladed aperture (the minimum for decent bokeh) and lacks high-end coatings, it's quite likely to be inexpensive.

I think the camera really needs to be priced like the G3; it doesn't offer any notable advantages over any of the competing models otherwise. The V1 is the smallest camera with an EVF, the E-M5 offers a measure of weather resistance and great burst performance, the NEX-7 has a beautifully designed body and image quality I suspect the G5 can't match, and the NX20 boasts built-in Wi-Fi and potentially excellent photo quality for the money (I haven't yet tested it but it's got similar innards as the NX200). I just don't see anything about the G5 that raises it above the crowd if not price. Hopefully, that opinion will change once I've gotten a chance to test it.