Upgrade Guide
Lumix G3→Lumix G85
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The G85 improves across 4 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most G3 owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the G85
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
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Burst rate9fps vs 4fps
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Battery life~330 shots (CIPA) vs ~270 shots (CIPA)
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Generation5 years newer (2016 vs 2011)
Unchanged or similar
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ResolutionSimilar (16MP)
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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 | G85 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.2 | ||
| Street | -0.2 | ||
| Travel | +0.3 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.8 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | +0.6 | ||
| Documentary | +1.8 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.3 | ||
| Landscape | +0.8 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.2 | ||
| Casual | +0.1 | ||
| Food | +0.4 | ||
| Macro | +2.3 | ||
| Architecture | +0.1 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.4 | ||
| Filmmaking | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | G3 | G85 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £39 | £350 | |
| Released | 2011 | 2016 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS | 16MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS (no low-pass filter) | |
| Resolution | 16MP | 16MP | |
| Video | Full HD 1080/60i | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p | |
| Autofocus | 23-area contrast AF with face detection, touch AF | Contrast-detect AF, DFD technology | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 (body + lens) | |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 9fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~270 shots (CIPA) | ~330 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 388g (with battery) | 426g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | LCD EVF, 1.44M dots | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 460k dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots | |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
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Get a personalised upgrade score
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the G85 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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Camera family history