Canon T3i vs Panasonic GH4

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Canon T3i vs Panasonic GH4

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APS-C 332.3mm²
18.0 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Canon T3i Review.
See real-world photos taken with the T3i.

4/3 224.9mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Panasonic GH4 Review.
How does it shoot? Panasonic GH4 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the GH4.
Compare Panasonic GH4 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Panasonic GH4 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon T4i
Compare T3i vs T4i

Succeeded by the Panasonic GH5
Compare GH4 vs GH5

Compare CANON T4I vs PANASONIC GH5

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Differences

Canon T3i advantages over Panasonic GH4

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.

Panasonic GH4 advantages over Canon T3i

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Shoot 4K video
4K (DCI) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Fast startup
~0.80 vs 1.5 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
GH4 test data on DxO Mark T3i test data on DxO Mark

12.8 vs 11.5 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

530 vs 440 shots
Capture more photos
Less shutter lag
0.19 vs 0.28 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More viewfinder magnification
0.67x vs 0.53x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
12.8 fps vs 3.6 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 9 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
11.8 fps vs 3.6 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
21 vs 5 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
25600 vs 12800 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Tilt-swivel screen
Both provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Neither provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility

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Review Excerpt

Excellent image quality; Good grip; Full HD video recording; Swiveling LCD; Very fast autofocus; HDMI output.
Slow frame rate for sports shooting; Tendency to overexpose in bright sunlight; Live View AF is slow; No microfocus adjustment.
Read our Canon T3i Full Review

Excellent still image quality for its class; Fantastic, highly-detailed video quality; Superior video recording chops with 4K video (both Cinema 4K and Ultra HD); Responsive all-around performer with great AF performance and burst shooting; Rolling shutter is minimal with 60p and 30p video; Splash- and dust-proof magnesium alloy body; Built-in Wi-Fi with NFC.
High ISO performance not as good as some APS-C models (IQ drops quickly past ISO 3200); Overall still image quality not significantly better than the GH3; Sluggish buffer clearing with RAW files; Rolling shutter noticeable on 4K video; Not as compact as most mirrorless cameras.
Read our Panasonic GH4 Review

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D7000

Canon T3i

Nikon D7000

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Fast startup

Compare Canon T3i vs Nikon D7000

Panasonic GH4

Nikon D7000

$998
4/3

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic GH4 vs Nikon D7000

Compared to Pentax K-5

Canon T3i

Pentax K-5

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$800
APS-C

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon T3i vs Pentax K-5

Panasonic GH4

Pentax K-5

$998
4/3

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$800
APS-C

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Panasonic GH4 vs Pentax K-5

Compared to Canon T4i

Canon T3i

Canon T4i

$549
APS-C

$579
APS-C

Touchscreen
Fast startup

Compare Canon T3i vs Canon T4i

Panasonic GH4

Canon T4i

$998
4/3

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

$579
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Panasonic GH4 vs Canon T4i

Compared to Panasonic GH3

Canon T3i

Panasonic GH3

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$798
4/3

Touchscreen
Fast startup

Compare Canon T3i vs Panasonic GH3

Panasonic GH4

Panasonic GH3

$998
4/3

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

$798
4/3

Compare Panasonic GH4 vs Panasonic GH3

Compared to Olympus E-M1

Canon T3i

Olympus E-M1

$549
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$1099
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon T3i vs Olympus E-M1

Panasonic GH4

Olympus E-M1

$998
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

$1099
4/3

In-Camera Image Stabilization
On-sensor phase detect

Compare Panasonic GH4 vs Olympus E-M1

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