Upgrade Guide
Lumix G3→Lumix FZ200
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The FZ200 improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most G3 owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the FZ200
-
Burst rate12fps vs 4fps
-
Battery life~540 shots (CIPA) vs ~270 shots (CIPA)
-
Generation1 year newer (2012 vs 2011)
Unchanged or similar
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Resolution12MP (down from 16MP — optimised for low light)
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StabilisationIBIS not present in new body
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | G3 | FZ200 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.8 | ||
| Street | -1.0 | ||
| Travel | -0.5 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -0.2 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | -0.3 | ||
| Documentary | +0.3 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.9 | ||
| Landscape | -0.9 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.6 | ||
| Casual | -1.0 | ||
| Food | -1.5 | ||
| Macro | -1.8 | ||
| Architecture | -1.2 | ||
| Astrophotography | -1.7 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | G3 | FZ200 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £20 used | £169 used | |
| Released | 2011 | 2012 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS | 12.1MP 1/2.3-inch MOS | |
| Resolution | 16MP | 12MP | ↓ |
| Video | Full HD 1080/60i | Full HD 1080p/50 | |
| Autofocus | 23-area contrast AF with face detection, touch AF | Contrast AF; face detection, AF tracking | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | Optical image stabilisation (lens-based) | |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 12fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~270 shots (CIPA) | ~540 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 388g (with battery) | 537g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | LCD EVF, 1.44M dots | Electronic, 0.21", 1.31M dots | |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 460k dots | 3.0" fully articulating LCD, 460k dots | |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Fixed Leica 24x zoom lens (25-600mm equivalent, constant f/2.8) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
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See G3 and FZ200 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the FZ200 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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