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Panasonic G9

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
And another - to plant the seed of 'Should I, Shouldn't I?'

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-lumix-g9-expert-review-31614
The reviewer forgot to write where in my bank account I can find the necessary monies to buy that thing :cry:

Jokes aside; I don't need to read tests to know that this is the camera I want. If the image quality is as good as or better than that of the GH5, it must be a great camera. I have rarely seen a mirrorless camera that to such a degree looks like a tool designed by and for photographers rather than a fashion accessory.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I don't know if this one has been posted before, but the 10 minutes video on the cameralabs page gives a very useful rundown of the camera's features.

https://www.cameralabs.com/panasonic-lumix-g9-review/

The G9 seems to be one of the most complete cameras around, and for someone like me, with 8 m4/3 mount lenses, most of them Panasonic, it's really a no-brainer if I'm going to continue doing serious photography.
 
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ptomsu

Workshop Member
I don't know if this one has been posted before, but the 10 minutes video on the cameralabs page gives a very useful rundown of the camera's features.

https://www.cameralabs.com/panasonic-lumix-g9-review/

The G9 seems to be one of the most complete cameras around, and for someone like me, with 8 m4/3 mount lenses, most of the Panasonic, it's really a no-brainer if I'm going to continue doing serious photography.
Despite the fact that I don't like Gordon Laing because of his way to present, this is an impressive camera. Would I not be invested heavily in Olympus m43 I would take the G9 today instead in a heartbeat.

For you with much more alignment to Panasonic anyway this camera should be a no-brainer. And further I think you can call it a day for a long while, as you most probably will not need another camera for many years to come!

If I would be you I would buy it asap and try to get rid of most things photographic which you do not need any longer - I started doing that some time ago when I switched completely to m43 (Olympus) and I could not be much happier :clap:
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Peter

I fully understand where you are coming from. Although I do own the Olympus 7-14/2.8 I have consistently purchased Lumix lenses to go with my Panasonic cameras entirely for the sake of compatibility.

I bought the 7-14/2.8 before the 8-18 was announced but were I to make the purchase decision today I would go with the 8-18 for complete compatibility, even though I suspect that the 7-14 is a superior lens. I am even feeling some pressure to consider trading in the 7-14 against the 8-18 for the sake of compatibilty.

Now, it is a shame that within the m43rds ecosystem incompatibilities exist because really they shouldn't. The Oly 12-100 makes far more sense as a travel lens that the Leica 12-60. The 200/2.8 might be a more versatile lens than the 300/4 for some people. The Nokton, as you say, is a very special lens as is the Lumix 12/1.4. The Pro Olympus lenses are very high quality products and in some areas offer better performance than the Lumix ones. And then it is very exiciting that Simga are beginning to produce lens for m43rds (let alone the existing Voigtlander and Laowa offerings).

The bodies really should be irrelevant, except for format, ergonomics, additional software features. But the body lens interraction should be identical.

If Panasonic really do listen to their users I hope that at some point they will work with Oly (and others) to bring much more closer compatibility. I know from my own marketing experience in joint ventures that this often leads to an expansion in sales for both companies.

LouisB
I agree 100% on that greater compatibility between bodies should happen more than it does. I thought that was the point of having the 4/3 Consortium when I bought into the system originally back in 2008. I, like many of you stated, found that often lens choices are determined on which body you own which sucked in a lot of ways because there were a few Olympus lenses I wanted on my Panasonic. It seems some things have improved from where they were in the early days because I often had to check the compatibility list prior to lens purchase back then. You almost need to have a high end Olympus and Panasonic body to get the beat of both worlds.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I agree 100% on that greater compatibility between bodies should happen more than it does. I thought that was the point of having the 4/3 Consortium when I bought into the system originally back in 2008. I, like many of you stated, found that often lens choices are determined on which body you own which sucked in a lot of ways because there were a few Olympus lenses I wanted on my Panasonic. It seems some things have improved from where they were in the early days because I often had to check the compatibility list prior to lens purchase back then. You almost need to have a high end Olympus and Panasonic body to get the beat of both worlds.
I've never understood the incompatibility issues some people seem to have with the m4/3 system. Apart from lack of dual IS between the systems, which only applies to two Zuiko lenses with Panasonic bodies anyway, since only the 300mm and the very recent 12-100mm have IS, my experience is that lenses work well across the two brands. My most used lens on my many Panasonic bodies has always been the Zuiko 75mm and when I had the E-M1, the most used lens with that body was the PL 14-50mm in 4/3 mount with a Panasonic adapter. I've heard that there are som fringing issues with the Panasonic 7-14mm on Olympus bodies, but I've never seen the evidence. Panasonic's "shutter shock" fix works equally bad with some of the Panasonic lenses as with those from Olympus.

I have much more compatibility issues with Nikkor lenses on Nikon bodies, with older lenses that won't meter and/or AF on cheaper bodies, the 58mm that won't work well on my F6 and the newest E-lenses that won't stop down on any older body. Still, I don't see much reason to complain. I use what works, and with m4/3, most things work. Dual IS. No problem with that on Nikon cameras. Doesn't exist :ROTFL:
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
I've never understood the incompatibility issues some people seem to have with the m4/3 system. Apart from lack of dual IS between the systems, which only applies to two Zuiko lenses with Panasonic bodies anyway, since only the 300mm and the very recent 12-100mm have IS, my experience is that lenses work well across the two brands. My most used lens on my many Panasonic bodies has always been the Zuiko 75mm and when I had the E-M1, the most used lens with that body was the PL 14-50mm in 4/3 mount with a Panasonic adapter. I've heard that there are som fringing issues with the Panasonic 7-14mm on Olympus bodies, but I've never seen the evidence. Panasonic's "shutter shock" fix works equally bad with some of the Panasonic lenses as with those from Olympus.

I have much more compatibility issues with Nikkor lenses on Nikon bodies, with older lenses that won't meter and/or AF on cheaper bodies, the 58mm that won't work well on my F6 and the newest E-lenses that won't stop down on any older body. Still, I don't see much reason to complain. I use what works, and with m4/3, most things work. Dual IS. No problem with that on Nikon cameras. Doesn't exist :ROTFL:
Maybe it’s different now with the newer cameras but early on performance wasn’t the same speed wise using Olympus lenses on Panasonic bodies.

The early Olympus bodies were terrible (IMO) and they didn’t really get closer in performance to Panasonic levels until the EP3 (IMO). I still have my G1 but I also had a GH2 and a GF1 with some of the Panasonic Leica lenses (45 macro and 25 Summilux) and the Panasonic zooms along with the excellent 20/1.7 pancake lens. I tried quite a few Olympus lenses on my Panasonic bodies and the lenses would hunt on Panasonic bodies but would be snappy to focus on Olympus bodies by comparisons.

This is why I (and I assume some others) started ignoring the lenses from the opposite brand altogether in time when I used the system regularly. Now the G1 (and it’s not cutting edge today by any means) just sits on the shelf but I look at pics that I’ve taken with it and the kit lens today and am still happy with the output. I’m out the Micro 4/3 game now and haven’t bought a lens for it in many years but I still like what they’re doing overall and it’s the system I point most people to more often than not when they want to get into a compact interchangeable lens mirrorless system that won’t break the budget.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Maybe it’s different now with the newer cameras but early on performance wasn’t the same speed wise using Olympus lenses on Panasonic bodies.

The early Olympus bodies were terrible (IMO) and they didn’t really get closer in performance to Panasonic levels until the EP3 (IMO). I still have my G1 but I also had a GH2 and a GF1 with some of the Panasonic Leica lenses (45 macro and 25 Summilux) and the Panasonic zooms along with the excellent 20/1.7 pancake lens. I tried quite a few Olympus lenses on my Panasonic bodies and the lenses would hunt on Panasonic bodies but would be snappy to focus on Olympus bodies by comparisons.

This is why I (and I assume some others) started ignoring the lenses from the opposite brand altogether in time when I used the system regularly. Now the G1 (and it’s not cutting edge today by any means) just sits on the shelf but I look at pics that I’ve taken with it and the kit lens today and am still happy with the output. I’m out the Micro 4/3 game now and haven’t bought a lens for it in many years but I still like what they’re doing overall and it’s the system I point most people to more often than not when they want to get into a compact interchangeable lens mirrorless system that won’t break the budget.
The camera bodies are certainly much better now than they were back then, and whatever differences there were have diminished radically, with the exception of the E-M1/II that offers PD AF, making it much better suited for 4/3 lenses than the other bodies.
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
Tre, you can add Panasonic's DFD to the growing list of incompatibilities.
Also for FT lenses, depending on PDAF, OM-D E-M1 E-M1.2 are the only options.
The E-M1.2 being far superior.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Tre, you can add Panasonic's DFD to the growing list of incompatibilities.
Also for FT lenses, depending on PDAF, OM-D E-M1 E-M1.2 are the only options.
The E-M1.2 being far superior.
Yeah I thought about DFD as well after I posted but then it’s sort of beating a dead horse that manufacturers build in a little something extra to ensure best performance is with the bodies they manufacture but this makes sense for a variety of obvious reasons. It’s good on some level that multiple companies are competing internally within 4/3 Consortium and many of the differences will only matter to the more advanced user. If you’re the customer that’ll leave the camera in “auto mode” exclusively then the issues being raised likely won’t matter in reality.

In any case the G9 is looking good and the GH5 has gotten rave reviews for obvious reasons. Olympus has world class IBIS for sure as well.
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
Thanks Tre.

I remember an interview with some Olympus execs pointing out there were no technical issues with making dual image stabilization work for both Panasonic and Olympus lenses on the other maker's cameras. They also doubted that such an agreement would ever be pursued. Fair enough.

Same with DFD. Panasonic could presumably profile Olympus lenses so that those would work with DFD on Panasonic cameras, naively I think that. However, I doubt they ever will. If they did I might get such a camera to explore my Olympus MFT lenses.

PDAF seems to be supported only by OM-D E-M1 and E-M1.2 so far. So for those FT lenses one has no choice but to use a camera that supports that in order to have a beneficial experience. Indeed the E-M1.2 works great with the Olympus SHG lenses 150/2, 90-250/2.8, and 300/2.8, including EC-14 and EC-20 teleconverters.

The only PL lens that I have is the Nocticron 42.5/1.2. It's a fine lens on my OM-D cameras. Aperture has to be set in camera as the mechanical aperture ring only works on Panasonic cameras. No biggie.

So by and large I treat Panasonic and Olympus as two different systems, MFT or not doesn't seem to matter.

I hope that Olympus comes out soon with an E-M1 like camera catching up or improving on the features of the Sony A9 camera, especially the improved sensor scan time. Very interesting is also how long it will take Panasonic to produce a stills camera with their new organic sensor and global shutter technology.
 

drofnad

Member
Interesting viewpoints. I too mostly prefer Panasonic lenses on my
With regards to the Zuiko 12-100mm:
A friend of mine, who was an Olympus user for years, is now buying his second G85 with PL 12-60mm (his son stole the first one and refuses to give it back :wtf: :ROTFL: ). There are several reason for this:

- The E-M1 II is the only Olympus that offers a grip for "real hands" like the one on the G85, and the Panasonic is half the price.
- The 12-60mm is much lighter, much smaller and much cheaper than the Zuiko 12-100mm, and it's a stop faster at the short end.
Whoa!
The two Pana 12-60s might be confused here, for the faster one (2.8-4) isn't the highlighted assertion, but to quote another's post elsewhere ...
The 12-60 Leica will most likely be stellar, but at that price point, the Oly 12-100 f/4 would be a very tempting alternative.
Lighter, yes, but then less reach; smaller, not so much; nor cheaper much.
And to my awareness, it is the slower one that seems rather *kit* with the G8/G80/G85.

-d.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Whoa!
The two Pana 12-60s might be confused here, for the faster one (2.8-4) isn't the highlighted assertion, but to quote another's post elsewhere ...

Lighter, yes, but then less reach; smaller, not so much; nor cheaper much.
And to my awareness, it is the slower one that seems rather *kit* with the G8/G80/G85.

-d.
The Zuiko 12-100 is around 50% more expensive (in this country) and nearly twice as heavy as the PL 12-60. It's around three times as expensive as the cheaper Panasonic. Different lenses for different needs and economy. That's something one will find with any brand.

As for DFD, it's not an incompatibility, it's an added feature on some bodies, the same way as PD AF is on the E-M1. All Nikon, Canon or Sony cameras don't share the same AF capabilities either. It's normal for cameras to be different within one system.

When Nikon launched the D7500, it was critisised by many for not having all the features that the D7200 has. Same thing. Different camera for different photographer with different needs. I for sure would have liked the Panasonic cameras, particularly the G9, to offer PD AF to use 4/3 lenses. But they don't. Still I prefer the G9 to the E-M1 (without even having tried it!), so it's a compromise I have to make, and when it comes to that particular camera, I think it's more or less the only compromise.
 

biglouis

Well-known member
I have the G9 on order, I did also order the 200/2.8 but I have to admit I have cancelled that for the moment (I still think the Oly 300/4 would probably be the better lens).

If the G9 had arrived earlier I would not have bought the GH5 which I will now have to sell and take a 'bath' on. All aspects of the G9 are better suited for my use - which is bird photography.

I am not in a hurry to sell my GX8. For urban work I still prefer its size and compact form factor.

One thing which is irritating me a lot about the G9 reviews are the ones about its video capabilities. Get over it! It is not a video-centric camera. It is made for people like me who probably never even use video and like me actually turn-off the video button so it is not accidentally engaged. I seem to see loads of you tube reviews and tests of the video on the G9. Sheesh! Get a GH5!

OK, rant over.

LouisB

PS The only thing that would woo me away from Panasonic at present is the rumoured Nikon mirrorless. Can you imagine being able to put all that glass on a Nikon mirrorless body? Nikon must be mad to be so slow not to introduce one.
 
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Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
One thing which is irritating me a lot about the G9 reviews are the ones about its video capabilities. Get over it! It is not a video-centric camera. It is made for people like me who probably never even use video and like me actually turn-off the video button so it is not accidentally engaged. I seem to see loads of you tube reviews and tests of the video on the G9. Sheesh! Get a GH5!

OK, rant over.

LouisB
That is what happens when you become famous for something and try to do something else.

My GX8 will most probably go. The GM5 is doing very well for street and casual photography. The question for me is if the G9 will also replace the D610 that I just bought. The advantage of the Nikon is its extremely robust files that can be manipulated a lot before there's visible noise. In every other way however, I expect the G9 to be a vastly superior camera, so much so that I may end up buying two somewhere down the road.
 

biglouis

Well-known member
Jorgen

The thing which sells the G9 to me is the 20fps - as well as the better viewfinder.

I've achieved some amazing results with birds-in-flight with the GH5 and it is a fantastic camera, no doubt. But the G9 is even lighter and easier to hold. You probably find this with your motorsport work but having to hold a camera for long times to get that special moment, you need all the help you can get in the weight department. Even an extra 100g is worth it.

The only thing I did not like about the G9 was the loss of the additional function button behind the trio of button controls on the top. This has gone because of the LDC display. I'm hoping the video button can be programmed to review photographs (which again is necessary in bird photography just to see if you have got the shot and it is in focus).

With my architectural stuff, the GX8 is fine and I often do not even review the shots too much because I know I on focus when I am taking the slab side of a building.

LouisB
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
A lot of great reviews out on the G9 meanwhile

https://www.43rumors.com/new-panasonic-g9-tests/

especially this one with lots of information

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=283&v=7BflxbcTWEo

This camera and with it the whole Panasonic m43 system is becoming suddenly very attractive for me :banghead:

Actually on paper it ticks all the boxes for me :thumbs:
Thanks for posting this. That very British lady must sell a lot of cameras. I guess I just have to dig out some monies from that secret place... somewhere :grin:
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Thanks for posting this. That very British lady must sell a lot of cameras. I guess I just have to dig out some monies from that secret place... somewhere :grin:
That lady is really great and she sells with her heart :thumbs:

Need to find some money as well :D
 
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