Nikon D7100 will kill Panasonic GH3

It seems to me that you have been rather selective in your quotation of numbers.

A body only weight of 675g for the D7100 with batteries is 23% more than the 550g for the GH3 with batteries. That 23% may be 'very similar' in your vocabulary, but it is not in mine and I suspect that of many others. And then for all practical photographic purposes we need to factor in the significantly lower weight of m43 lenses compared to full frame lenses, and 'very similar' starts to look even more like an overstatement. Most of us got into m43 photography recognising that it is a compromise, but it is a compromise that we like.

I do not know how old you are but I am 65 with all my cognitive powers intact. When I was 21 I thought little about trekking round the Himalaya with a heavy film SLR slung round my neck, but now as an active man 44 years later I really appreciate that reduction in weight. Again I do not know how large or small you are, but I am 1.95m tall (6' 5") and weigh in at 105kg ( around 230lb) with very little excess around my middle. Consequently I have very large hands. Faux SLR style m43 cameras suit me admirably, and my present GH2 can live on its neckstrap around my neck all day without problem. Most of the controls are where I want them to be on the GH2 and the GH3 appears to be an advance in handling ergonomics (a topic you ignore).

When Panasonic launched the GH2 they were surprised by just how many photographers chose to use it as a video camera, so they developed the GH3 very much as a hybrid stills/video camera. Yes the Nikon D7100 may well sport improved video capability, but it is coming from a very low baseline, and still has some way to go to match the specifications of the GH3.

As a photographer who is published weekly in both the printed press and online, I find the image quality of the GH2 is more than good enough for my publishers' needs. The GH3 is a logical upgrade for me, so I find it deeply ironic that those who complain loudest about its price live in the market where it is cheapest! At a time when the UKP is worth at least 50% more than the USD it is frankly ridiculous that the US prices are numerically similar to the UK prices.

So, I agree with you that the GH3 is overpriced relative to the Nikon D7100, and would urge Panasonic to re-evaluate their approach to global pricing.

Nikon's approach to mirrorless cameras is to emphasise just their size with the Nikon 1 series. Panasonic chooses to develop on a combination of size, weight and video versatility. Neither approach is going to be a killer of the other, rather both will find their position in the market based on the needs of their photographic users.

The D7100 looks to be a very capable stills camera, and one that I could easily use for my professional and private work, but for me it is overweight and overpriced when compared to either an Olympus E-M5 or a Panasonic GH3.