Canon EOS 550D v Panasonic Lumix GH2 test

Pansonic Lumix GH2
Body only: £820 (Guide) / £700 (Street) with 14-42mm: £920 (Guide) / £800 (Street)
Sensor: Micro Four-Thirds Live MOS (17.3x13mm)
Resolution: 16.5-megapixels (18.31 in total)
Monitor: 3in TFT LCD (460,000 dots)
Storage: SD (SDHC & SDXC)
Weight: 392g (without battery and card)
Phone: 0844 844 3852

Canon EOS 550D
Body only: £800 (Guide) / £600 (Street) with 18-55mm IS: £900 (Guide) / £620 (Street)
Sensor: APS-C CMOS (22.3x14.9mm)
Resolution: 18-megapixels
Monitor: 3in 3:2 LCD (1,040,00,000 dots)
Storage: SD (SDHC & SDXC)
Weight: 530g (without battery and card)
Phone: 08705 143723

Digial SLRs continue to be the most popular type of camera for photographers looking for better quality images and more creativity than a compact can offer, while also providing ease of use and the versatility that comes with a system of lenses, flashguns and other accessories.

But while DSLRs continue to enjoy incredible popularity, the advent of the mirrorless CSC (Compact System Camera), which are often commonly called ‘hybrids’, cannot be ignored. While sales of DSLRs continue to grow, hybrids are becoming more popular too and are offering an increasing level of competition for DSLRs (see panel for further details on hybrids).
The Lumix range from Panasonic is one of the leading CSC brands and the GH2 is its latest model. It sports an extensive range of features that compare favourably against the majority of mid-range DSLRs, as well a number of innovations that Panasonic hopes will give it the edge needed to pull advanced amateurs away from DSLR brands. The Lumix range is based around the Micro Four Thirds system, developed along with Olympus.
While we’d have liked to have tested the GH2 against Canon’s new EOS 600D, this model wasn’t yet available, but we have its closest relative, the EOS 550D instead. Rather than viewing this as a head-to-head, this is more a test of the Panasonic’s capabilities and how it compares with one of the best DSLRs in the mid-range sector.

Handling & ease of use:
Panasonic 21/25
Canon 23/25
The Canon EOS 550D is one of the neatest DSLRs but the LUMIX GH2 is notably smaller and more compact. Also impressive is the small size of the 14-140mm OIS zoom supplied with the camera, despite having an effective focal length of 28-280mm. The general design of the body is very similar to a DSLR, with a raised flash housing above the lens, a protruding handgrip on the right, the main exposure mode dial on the top plate and the LCD monitor on the rear with most controls to the right. This gives an initial impression that the Panasonic operates in much the same way as a DSLR, which while true to a point, isn’t totally correct. As we’ll soon discover, the GH2 has a fair number of operational differences too.
In terms of general handling, the Lumix fits nicely in the hand and the handgrip affords a good hold, although its relatively small size may not suit larger hands. It’s noticeably lighter but in no way is the Panasonic poorly made. That said, it feels a little plasticky considering the guide price.

The Canon is larger but in many respects this provides for a more secure grip and slightly more assured handling. It too though, has a fairly solid but plasticky feel.
The Canon EOS 550D has received many plaudits for its ease of use, with large, well-labelled and nicely positioned controls that allows novices to come to terms with the majority of functions in a very short space of time. Its high resolution 3in LCD monitor provides a sharp image and a clean menu system. Ease of use is one area that the EOS 550D has the edge over the Lumix GH2, certainly until the Lumix user has had enough time to work through the various ways of operating the camera. While the GH2 has the standard method of pressing buttons on the back to select functions, it also has a trick up its sleeve – a touchscreen LCD monitor. As well as being able to choose modes via pressing the appropriate button, it’s also possible to press the icon on the screen and quickly make changes that way too. For instance, to set exposure compensation, you can press the thumbwheel and rotate, or press the icon on the screen and make adjustments that way. The standard information screen allows instant access to over a dozen functions, such as White Balance, ISO rating, metering patterns and even allows for variables such as the aperture and shutter speed to be changed. With LiveView engaged, you have the option to select these functions again via pressing the Q Menu icon on the screen. Taking it a step further, you can adjust the focus point by pressing the screen where you want the AF to focus, reposition the histogram by sliding it in to any area of the screen and, when you’re satisfied, there’s no need to press the shutter release button as, you’ve guessed it, you can fire the shutter by pressing the shutter release icon. All the touchscreen options can be accessed via buttons, but having this choice is excellent. One final point to make about the controls is that pretty much all of the buttons are quite small, so you do need to check to ensure you’re able to operate them easily.

The Canon’s 3in LCD monitor is excellent, providing a bright, sharp display (1,040,00-dots). In this respect it’s far better than the Lumix 3in screen, which has a lower resolution (460,000-dots) and less saturated colours. However, the GH2 benefits from a swivel-mounted LCD (as found on the EOS 600D but not the EOS 550D), which is of use when shooting at awkward angles. There are no complaints in regards to the menu system, which is nicely designed and easy to navigate.
The electronic viewfinder is one that will split opinion, with traditionalists more likely to have concerns with it than those new to digital photography. On the plus side it’s large, provides 100% coverage for accurate framing, a sharp screen and lots of exposure information. Against it is the fact that it takes some time getting used to and isn’t so great when shooting in low light, with some lag, ghosting and bleaching of highlights.
Overall, the Panasonic’s smaller size and lighter weight has its own advantages and disadvantages, while in terms of ease of use, it offers more variety of options than the Canon, thanks to its touchscreen LCD, but isn’t as straightforward initially to use.

Features:
Panasonic 24/25
Canon 23/25
The Lumix GH2 is Panasonic’s flagship model and has a wealth of features to suit all levels of amateur photographer. The image resolution (16.05-megapixels) is similar to those on rival DSLRs, but it’s worth noting that it’s actually an 18-megapixel sensor designed to offer the flexibility of different aspect ratios at full resolution. The image processor is the Venus Engine FHD, developed to handle bursts of up to five frames-per-second and deliver better noise performance than previous generations, with an ISO range of 160-12,800 available. It has also been designed to shoot HD video, an area that it caters for extremely well.
The Lumix offers a sophisticated Contrast AF system based around 23-points (the EOS 550D has nine AF points). A mode dial on the left of the top-plate controls the main AF functions, allowing you to select single- or multi-point AF, as well as AF Tracking and Face Detection. Each of these modes can be set to single-shot (AFS) or continuous AF (AFC). As mentioned earlier, you can also choose a focus area simply by touching the LCD screen. You can also use this with a Touch Shutter function, where you touch the subject on the screen and the camera automatically focuses and fires the shutter.
There is no shortage of exposure modes with all the options you’d expect on a DSLR to be found on the GH2, along with a number of custom modes that allow you to set up the camera to operate using your shooting preferences. Three metering patterns are available: 39-zone, spot and centre-weighted, along with a selection of overrides including exposure compensation, auto-bracketing and AE-Lock. The Lumix also offers Intelligent D-range Control, aimed at avoiding loss of detail in highlights and shadows. In this area, the Panasonic and the Canon are quite similar in options.
 Both cameras have an integral flash with a comprehensive range of flash modes, including first- or second-curtain sync and flash exposure compensation, plus a hotshoe for mounting a dedicated flashgun. Both the Canon and Panasonic offer lenses with image stabilisation, rather than having this facility built into the camera body. The Mega OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) on the Lumix offers three modes suited for general shooting and for panning. Both cameras sport an anti-dust facility for the sensor and an extensive range of features, but the Panasonic offers slightly more innovation and a superior number of video modes and options.

Performance:
Panasonic 22/25
Canon 23/25
In general use, the Lumix GH2 is similar in many respects to shooting with a DSLR. The control layout and the choice of features on the whole will be recognised by DSLR users, so in that respect, the transition from digital SLR to hybrid should be smooth. That said, the electronic finder may be harder to accept, as while its screen icons allow for more information to be displayed, its clarity can’t match that of an optical viewfinder. The LCD monitor benefits from its swivel-mount and the touchscreen is impressive. In terms of clarity it isn’t as sharp or bright as the Canon’s, but is still very usable.
The most noticeable plus point of the GH2 is autofocus. As fast as DSLR systems are, including the Canon’s, the GH2 is noticeably quicker in virtually all shooting situations. In fact using the word ‘incredible’ to describe AF speed isn’t an overstatement. The option to use the touchscreen to choose a focusing point is a real benefit when wishing to switch the point of focus quickly and is a real selling point for the Panasonic.
The multi-zone meter is good, providing accurate exposures in most lighting conditions; landscape scenes with large expanses of sky and backlit subjects cause problems, but this is the case for literally every camera. The smaller Four Thirds sensor size means that noise in images is more prevalent than on APS-C sensors, but the GH2 handles this better than previous generations. Noise isn’t a real concern for ISO ratings up to ISO 1000, after which it becomes more noticeable. It’s much better than previous Lumix models and not far off matching many DSLRs, although the EOS 550D has the edge in this respect. Another area that has seen improvement is image quality, with sharpness again better than previous Lumix models. It doesn’t match that of the EOS 550D, but many would be hard pushed to tell the difference with small print sizes. At A4 size and above though, the difference in detail can be seen.
We do not test the video capabilities extensively, but it’s worth noting that the GH2’s movie recording is excellent, although the number of options and modes available can make it confusing for those new to video. The variety of options and the quality it delivers puts it ahead of the majority of DSLRs and used with the 14-140mm lens, makes it a highly capable video outfit.

Overall Verdict:
The arrival of CSCs pose a new challenge to DSLRs. The GH2 is without doubt the best CSC we’ve tested and offers many benefits, in particular its AF speed, smaller size, touchscreen LCD and its video function. The Canon EOS 550D has the edge in terms of ease of use, price, system back-up and image quality from its stills. If small size and a multi-media camera are the key criteria for you, you’ll may find the Lumix has its nose in front, especially as lenses are compact too. However, the Canon delivers better image quality and is easier to use. One thing to check on the GH2 is its electronic finder, as you need to be sure you can live with it if you’re to regularly use the camera. If you can, you should find the GH2 to be a very capable camera.

Canon EOS 500D
Handling & ease of use: 23/25
Features: 23/25
Performance: 23/25
Value For Money: 23/25
Overall: 92/100

Panasonic Lumix GH2
Handling & ease of use: 21/25
Features: 24/25
Performance: 22/25
Value For Money: 22/25
Overall: 89/100