Even after using a few different, newer cameras, I still prefer the G9. I'm frankly disappointed in the R7, and my S5 is not as comfortable to hold, and its joystick is trickier to control. Long live the G9!
My G9 is the best camera I have ever owned. Price, performance, ergonomics, build quality, features - nothing comes close to the G9 when everything is considered. It is an incredible camera. I have got no intention of ever selling it. I have never used AF with video and the G9's AF for photo work is superb. Cheers James.
Happy to see you flex the G9 again. You and one other photographer is why I picked up the G9 2 years ago, and its been insanely flexible. Wildlife, street, portrait, and abstract. Mixes less with the Leica glass they got!
I just sold my G9 and got the a7RIII. I found myself running to Leica glass trying to get that low light experience or shallow depth of field. In the end of the day, I found it better to hop over to full frame and buy zoom lenses that are a constant f1.4 in the M43 world. I still have my GM1, Gx85, and infrared converted G85 with the sigma prime set. They're still good cameras but I just gravitate to my Sony.
Hi James. I’m an Allergy Specialist Nurse and help manage hayfever for many patients. Try antihistamines eg cetirizine twice a day (up to four is safe), nasal steroid spray (read instructions for correct technique), and eye drops containing sodium cromoglycate. All can be bought over the counter. Use every day starting 2-4 weeks before your symptoms usually start and continue until end of season. Don’t miss a day. Desensitisation/ immunotherapy is available but usually only offered if the above is not helpful. Unfortunately local honey does not work; the pollens in honey are not those you will be allergic to. Love your videos btw.
I finally upgraded from my G7 to the G9 just this past Christmas. Absolutely love the thing. Seeing as I’m mostly just a hobbyist, I could see this being the last camera I really need.
Rather weirdly the G7 is still on Panasonic's books. Despite its age it is still a very good camera comparable to the E-M5ii and can do a couple of tricks they forgot to but into the G9 kitchen sink such as the rather simple but effective in-camera panorama. I still have the G7, sadly they do not have much trade-in value. The G9 is a does-everything pro camera. To me the G9 seems less automated and relies more on me setting it up more for the shot, the upside there is that it is more likely to do what I want it to do.
I love your color science; every single photo just shines in the most beautiful color grading I've ever seen; and of course, your photography skills are off the chart... simply amazing. Much respect.
That is in part because Lumix have the most authentic colour reproduction. They start from a good place. The final colours are very much down to James :)
The house is called Craig y Mor built from 1911 for a few years as a Summer home for the Smellie family. Puportedly haunted, I think descendants of the family still own it. Also used as a film location. I took a photo of the bay and house in 2016 which I love. So much texture and atmosphere. Great location.
Oh James, you warmed my old G9 shooting heart with this one. I still use my g9 daily, unless I'm going stealth for street shooting and take out the gx9. It has it's well known limitations, but when I'm holding it and using it, it all feels and works so good, I can live with those. And since you are one of the photogs who helped influence the initial purchase, and like all have moved on since then, it's nice to see you have appreciation for this very fine camera once again.
Cheers James, it’s Sean in Atlanta. I shoot with a G9 and I swear by the Leica 12-60! Sharp, excellent rendering and fits the body perfectly! Great video and I am happy you didn’t sell the G9 after all! Sean
I actually liked the 20mm pancake for its sharpness. Seems he has a bad one. But since I got the Leica 12-60, I never touched the 20mm again. This Leicalens surprised me. Doesn't matter what aperture or focal length, it's always sharp as you would only expect from a fixed focal lens. Really great that one.
I recently went on holiday taking just the 12-60 and I think it really worked well - very versatile and as you say very sharp. It does look a bit big and heavy on my GX9 though, probably a much better match for the G9. I used to have the 20mm which was small and light and I thought the sharpness was fine, but it did whirr and click and take forever to focus
Your MFT content with the G9 was the reason I subscribed to your channel. I had a G70 at that time and have a G9 since half a year now. This is really a fine camera, the successor of the G9 needs to have a lot of changes to make me upgrading.
Oh yes, the G9 is one of the most pleasing cameras I've ever used. The details of the ergonomic design are outstanding. I've often worked with it alongside, or instead of, my full frame pro' kit, and no client has ever noticed the difference... The humble G9 also has a vastly better top screen display than the woefully tiny dark screen on my R5. Local honey can often be found locally...
James you're the perfect salesman even when you're not trying to be. I'm not sure how many more videos I can withstand about the G9 before I have to up and buy one for myself...
If you don’t shoot low light all the time and shadow recovery isn’t your priority but very small telephoto zoom lenses are, the G9 is a fantastic choice for how inexpensive it is. Still, I would probably chose an X-T4 over it though if you don’t care for small telephoto zooms.. but you still won’t get the wonderful ergonomics of the G9, you’d need the X-H2 for that.. but it’s much much pricier.
Honestly, don’t do it. I tried it coming from apsc and fullframe and I was very disappointed. Especially with long lenses every cloudy day or forest becomes an extrem low light grain fest. Also the price and size advantage compared to apsc is virtually non existent
@@hansn.433 I agree. I compared the G9 with a Z6, and the shadow recovery is unbelievably better on full frame. I never got to test M43 vs APSC, but I do know that cropped sensor is better. Plus, I just think APSC is perfect in its design to be a beautiful middle ground between compact and lightweight lenses of M43, with close enough to the DOF and low light performance of full frame. I feel like it’s the perfect sensor size. I love the G9’s ergos so much, and although it’s lenses are fantastically small, I’d say it’s only really worth it for telephotos and wildlife lenses. If you’re getting 24-70 equiv or anything below 100mm, APSC lenses are small enough IMO.
@@savnac Absolutley. And with my experience poor low light performance starts anywhere above iso 800. At 1600 it already looked very poor. Clearly visible difference on a 1440p screen without any further pixel peeping. And here i fear, the size advantage of the g9 lost also for tele work, like animals (bif was impossible anyways with the af), where even on a slightly overcast day with high shutter speeds i would end up with very poor images. So you are again forced to buy expansive and heavy optics with bigger apperture. It just seems, that there is a fixed amount of light necessary to get an acceptable image quality, no matter weather you get it via surfacearea (aka fullframe) or intensity (aperture). And if you are really into compactness, a real compact camera like a rv100 or so has by today stadars equal image quality. And honestly for fun of usage i would go to olympus or fuji anyday.
@@hansn.433 I agree with you. I even tried Lightroom’s new denoise and compared the full frame not deposited vs micro four thirds denoised and the new denoise does nothing for correcting color alterations due to high iso, and the detail it does recover ends up having weird AI-looking artifacts too. It helps in some situations but for most it’s just not worth it. If there was no APSC, I think micro four thirds is so much more fun to carry around and shoot for hobbyist and enthusiasts because of the size, but nowadays I think APSC cameras like Fuji’s killed M43, and man is that Sigma 18-50mm 2.8 TINY. I own it and it’s prime lens-sized. The X-S20 is a fantastic camera, just no weather sealing. I’d still go for an X-T5, and that’s what I have today.
Your bang on the money James, I too have never found a camera body which fits my hand like the G9. Moved on from Canon and Nikon Z to the G9 with Olympus lenses this year it’s a brilliant bit of kit, intuitive with the best button layout and most importantly, lightweight.
I've upgraded from the G9 I got years ago many times over now, but I still have it and I wouldn't dream of ever selling it! It's ridiculously comfortable and well thought out, and it still takes great images. It's feature packed and a stellar video workhorse if you can live without auto focus. Such a little beast, and at a steal no less! Best value camera ever perhaps? Cheers
So right. I've regretted selling mine from day one. I shoot a Sony A7RV and an OM-1 now, and while technically, they both blow the socks of the G9, I have no emotional attachment to either. They just do the job. Selling the G9 was kind of like when your wife throws away your favorite flannel shirt that you'v had for 15 yrs.
@@j16m02 Technically the OM-1 does have more bells and whistles. I have seriously considered it but have not seen anything that the G9 cannot do. One thing the OM-1 cannot match is the G9 stabilisation except with the three hideously expensive Sync-IS lenses, there the G9 can with almost the entire Lumix lens catalogue. I have always been into wildlife and that calls for extra-long lenses, the G9+PL100-400 becomes hand-held, which is insane. It's not the only way to do it but I do not have a huge budget.
I sold my G9 and GX9 about 6 months ago after switching to Sony for a couple of years and they were just gathering dust. Of course classically I’ve started to lust after M43 again since then.
Nice to see the G9 out again James. I’ve retained my Olympus EM5 mk iii to use alongside my a6500. Using vintage lenses means I get a choice of 2 effective focal lengths. Surprising just how sharp these old lenses are!
I really love this camera too! It's amazing how even in 2023 this camera is still relevant and probably one of the best ergonomics wise cameras ever made. I'm hoping the rumours about a G9 II will become a reality!
Glad you're looking back at the micro four thirds again, it's what got me on to your channel and convinced me to buy one, love it great quality and so compact, looking forward to seeing more!
The G9 is one of my favourite cameras too. I recently re-purchased it as I missed it too much! so I was glad to see this thumbnail pop up in my TH-cam feed. Don’t forget to use high res mode if you are sticking it on a tripod (apologies for mentioning the T word)
Thanks for being there and sharing James,. Your YT channel has become a part of my photo journey just recently. Love your work, approach and style. For myself photography is all about the journey. It may turn out that no one will see my photos as that is not my goal. I'm more interested in the overall process, the planning, the composition, learning, trying to reach some level of personal satisfaction. Over coming the challenges is the name of the game for me and I really enjoy your delivery and content. Thank you! Signed, one handed southpaw.
Great to see you with the G9. Hopefully we will see more of it. I was drawn into your channel as you were a LUMIX user. I love my GX9. Mft is great for me as I can’t carry heavy gear. I also love Olympus EM10 Mk 11 and EM1 Mk 11. How the camera feels to hold is most important. My little EM10 is for me my most fun camera. MPB are great to deal with both buying and selling. Thanks for the channel.
Quike tip for lifting rubber on the G9 body: First remove old adhesive with isopropyl alcohol. Dry area thouroughly. Then glue it into position with some super glue. I used the gel type on mine. Use a toothpick to distribute the glue, being very careful to keep it off of the exterior surfaces. Clean up any excess glue with soft cloth with a small amount of the alcohol. The old glue will interfere with the superglue chemistry, so make sure you have got it clean and dry first! This worked well on mine!
You're one of the reasons I ended up with Olympus, proving that it's not the gear, it's the photographer. Never been happier. The only gear I've been tempted by lately is the Pentax K3 monochrome, but...that's another story.
I've got my G9 a few months ago because I felt like upgrading from the GX80 a bit. And oh my! What a camera! It's so well made and thought through. I used to think it would have been be too big for my travel purposes but the way this camera handles makes it worth it.
Some years ago... I've decide to drop the Nikon FF system to travel lighter across the US (route66 and various)... I've bought a G9 with a couple of LEICA branded lens, and to start to understand the new camera body I've started to cehck TH-cam video with that camera... et voila, you gained a subscriber. PS: During that trip I've discovered that micro 4/3 is not my cup of te, but the G9 for ergonomics and build quality is probably one the (if not the) best camera body I've ever used (used Canon, Nikon and Sony flagship models).
You’ve still got it! I bought my G9 mainly because of you and still use it. I’m just an amateur with the cheaper lenses but with a small sharpening the photos are great, at least according to my private needs. I just love to use the camera.
Thanks for all your time and work you put into each video! Regarding Hayfever: one weapon that might be worth including in your arsenal is any medication containing Fexofenadine. It should be fairly accessible, tablets at local supermarkets etc...! Might be worth a shot if you haven't already tried it! See how you get on with it...
Thank you for this James... your G9 and MFT content is what originally drew me to your channel! So thanks again for bringing it back to the surface. I look forward to more of your content with it! Also... I thought that I'd share my musings on the vulnerable G9 and the rumors going around of a update, that I had also posted elsewhere, as it echoes some of what you have said... "After nearly 50 years in photography and using practically ever film/digital band out there, the Lumix G9 stands out as one of my favorite cameras ever. It was near perfect on release, especially the ergonomics, and only got better with the firmware updates as you state. The only changes I would like to see is the same 20MP Sony sensor that is used in the OM-1 (Stacked-BSI... no need for a MP bump given the high-res modes or upscaling software these days), the New Venus Engine processor from the GH6, the updated Phase Hybrid AF from the S5II, active cooling from the S5II, a much better dampened shutter release (the Achilles heel of the current model). Nice to have would be improved viewfinder and screen resolutions, hand-held high-resolution modes, GPS with Astrotracking, and the battery from either the GH6 or S5II. Leave the top screen/display in place (perhaps go to e-ink technologies), buttons/switchgear, general ergonomics, and colour science as they are. All this would make the camera as or more competitive than the OMDS OM-1 and could bring a lot of the faithful back to the brand. I know that I would purchase at least 2 and move exclusively to it. Cheers!". If you have any contacts at Panasonic/Lumix... make sure they hear the message that there is a fanbase out here that would love to see an updated version!
I love my G9. It manages to get me great images in some situations where my S5 and the R7 struggle a bit with auto white balance or AF. I've used several cameras from Nikon, Canon and Panasonic (and owned a GRIII for a few months). The G9 just manages to get a greater percentage of keepers, even for runway fashion in bad lighting. It is still a phenomenal camera.
I'm entertained by your enjoyment of the button placement. I have a Lumix G95 and feel the exact same way about it. The image quality is only so-so, but my goodness the design of the body is just so nice!
I'm a Nikon user and have 2 cameras, but I usually always use the D7500, it is perfectly weighted, fits my hand perfect, as I have big hands most others are too small. I also love the ease of use, with 2 dials, 2 toggle wheels and 2 menus one which is programmable as well as the buttons and selector wheels makes it a really easy to use camera. I can make all the adjustments I need without taking my eye off of the view finder, which for birds is really essential. I understand how you prefer this camera to others you have as ergonomics and functionality is as important as image quality.
Probably an unpopular opinion, but I like the look of the images from this video more than what I’ve seen of the Sony images. At least on TH-cam where the MP doesn’t come into it.
I just sold my Sony A7C before the new model comes out and the price drops. But I kept my G9. And praying for the G9mII comes with a proper autofocus / face recognition. If not, then I will have to sell a ton of M43 lenses too...🙄
Right there with you! Moved from my Z6ii to the A7iv for the lenses... BUT, I almost never shoot with my Sony for some reason... amazing customization etc. but I'm just not inspired by it. I've thought the Lumix platform always nailed the form factor. Followed you since you left FF for M43, enjoy every video. Thanks for sharing your journey James.
I started watching your channel when you shot exclusively with the G9. I love mine and for me and what I do, I see no reason for "upgrading" until it doesn't work anymore. Oh, and I too am suffering with allergies here in Poland. It's' really bad.... I only use Polish honey with my green tea and still suffer...
Great to see the G9 back in action. I highly recommend the prescription antihistamine Bilastine (Blexten in Canada, Ilaxten in the UK I believe). It works wonders!!
I've got a GX9 camera with three "Leica Panasonic" lenses 15mm, 25mm and 42.5mm, so you don't have to crop the images (too much), but the image quality is pretty incredible and the color accuracy very surprising, a bit like the Leica Q(1) I had for a while. It's true that AF is not its strong point. I also have a Sony 7R4, which is a different kind of image quality, but I find the GX9 with these Leica lenses to be very high quality (especially given the price on the second-hand market). I also hope that Panasonic will come up with something new soon, as these lenses will take on a whole new value.
I feel the same way about my X-T2. Mine was stolen a few years back and I replaced it with a X-T4 and the new Fuji 33mm 1.4. I regret it. I'm going to end up buying the X-T2 again and my favorite lens the 35mm f2. I miss it!
I put my G9 up for sale on an auction site recently. A person (clearly knowledgeable in cameras / LUMIX) responded with: “Why are you selling this camera? It is excellent and you should keep it!” They were right. So I pulled it off the site. I still have it. And now I feel guilty for thinking about selling it. To be fair, I was only seeking to sell it in anticipation of a G9 II. But that new camera will no doubt sell for about twice the price (at least initially).
I could watch you walk around and talk about the G9 for hours. I've been using mine for 4 years now and I don't think I'll ever find anything quite like it. For now, we can all keep dreaming for Panasonic to announce an updated model that uses the same body.
It's nice to see your G9 make another appearance. I feel very much the same - in terms of ergonomics it's hands down the best camera I've ever handled, and in real terms that means the photography is more enjoyable. It's a feature that's routinely ignored by the spec sheet reviewers that abound on TH-cam, but in my opinion it's at least as important as megapixel count and bit rate and EVF resolution and all the rest. Maybe not if you're a professional, but as a hobbyist surely the single most important feature is enjoyability?
Try your G9 with the Leica/Lumix 9mm f1.7. Fantastic lens. Didn’t think I’d like it as much as I do. Thought it might be too wide but somehow it’s perfect.
The good ol g9. I moved to the Panasonic s5 but the G9 is still one of my favorite cameras all time, I am just addicted to how much you can push/pull the files of the S5 to go back to the g9 but I still havent brought myself to sell it yet.
I still use my OM-D EM5MK3 (phase detect AF) with primes 17/45/75 f1.8 and zoom pro lens (12-40 f4). I just love the jpeg output + overall fun factor + size/quality compromise ratio. I always want to have camera with me, where on FF I noticed, I don't. That's why I sell it and use M43 for stills and 4K video with Iphone 13 Pro for HDR/slomo Video.
I switched to the om d s but strange I always seem to be looking for a upgrade , which I know is silly if your happy ish with the results, every decision has a trade off , Like James I find myself looking at Sony for the output . Too much choice is half the problem and marketing, and TH-cam video with different opinions lol even has the experienced person confused lol
@@lweleven3423 That’s why I always want to check myself. It’s the same on watches (my another hobby), people just copy YT or others collections instead of find what they really like. I know that I will never get Rolex, it’s overpriced and not my taste. I found the best watches in 500-3000 pounds bracket. ;)
G9 mk II is rumored to be announced soon. Most probably rather the G9 successor than a mk II. If the rumor is true, it will be the first Lumix M43 with PDAF. Lumix cameras are in general quite enjoyable to use. Fully touchable LCD screen, logical menus, logical default settings, logical button placement and even touchable buttons on the LCD screen. They have very good AF for stills thanks to assist tools that were added because of the bad AF for video :) I am craving for that G9 successor. For sure I will keep the original G9. It is such a good camera.
I find it funny what we consider old , vintage ,classic these days I hear and see it a lot on TH-cam … still a great camera as you’ve said. The theory of local honey is the bees use the ingredients of the flowers etc then you digest it, so it’s like a food vaccine. But will only help locally to where you are lol
As a G9 owner of nearly 5 years, and loving the ergonomics, buttons and top lcd….I am very excited to hear its replacement is about to be released. If it doesn’t appear by end of this year, or disappoints, (how could it with 5 years worth of tech innovations), I will sell all and get the Fuji X-H2S and 150-600, had a loan and it’s great, and has the all important top lcd. No it’s not as comfortable in the hand and the button placement and menus will take time to get used to, but its AF for moving wildlife was brilliant, far less noise at iso above 1600 and it’s evf is better than the G9, which is the first time I’ve found one that is. Come on Panasonic, release that Mkii 🤞
I exchanged my G9 for a Fuji X-T3 with the 18-135 f3.5-f5.6. Worst thing I ever did (camera wise). I miss the 12-35 and 35-100 f2.8 lenses along with the dual IS. Now I find myself wanting a longer lens and the weight is crazy compared to the Lumix offerings… I’m a silly boy!
Couldn’t connect with Fujifilm either. Thought the Fuji grass was greener, turns out they’re just not as user friendly as everybody claims. And definitely build quality wise not on par with Lumix. At least what I’ve experienced.
@@KNAPPAID sorry when I say I want a long lens I mean a 35mm equivalent of 600mm+. The M43 lenses are much smaller than the X mount lenses that are available. I’m considering the Fuji 100-400 which is 1.4kg or the 70-300 but I would need the 1.4x tc to get the reach. If I had the G9 I could have picked up the Lumix 100-300 or even the Panasonic Leica 100-400.
Great video James. I love my G9 that I bought from MPB. In fact so much so , that I bought another one from them! I probably have way too many cameras now, but the G9 is pretty special.
I like my G9. Rumor has it that the G9 will get Lumix's new Phase Detect Hybrid AF on a G9 MKii . That's what I am waiting on. Enjoyed the video as usual 👍
James if you ever need to do a rainy day video I would love to hear your thoughts on building a portfolio. I have years of photos siting around but no sense of how to start pulling them together into a cohesive body of work.
Great camera which I use professionally for portraits and products. Never had any complaints. I still use a Fuji XT 4 and a Nikon Full Frame Dslr, but in the end the G9 feels so good in my hands that it is my nr one.
I really think I need to buy myself one of these beauties! I currently own a couple of 16mp Olympus bodies, and pre-owned G9s are such good value at the moment too. Thanks for convincing me 😊
Gesundheit! It's great to hear you once again sing the praises of the G9--my go-to camera since I got it shortly after its debut. IMO, MFT represents the best combination of capability and portability in the history of photography and the G9 has the best ergonomics of any camera I've ever used (read: fun to use). The FZ1000 (a.k.a. Leica V-Lux) is great 99% of the time (and I'm about to grab that one to walk the dogs as it's easier one-handed and it's nice to have 25-400mm at your fingertip), but being able to go from 12mm (Laowa 6mm f/2) to 800mm EFL (Leica 100-400) and carry everything in a small sling bag that I can take just about anywhere--and have more creative control than I can get with a larger-sensor rig--well, what's not to love about that? The supposedly forthcoming G9 ii may well fulfill (y)our wish for a G9 with new guts, but it's already a much better camera than almost anyone needs. You said it when you mentioned that "quality improvements" in gear do not equate to quality improvements in prints (OK, if you're going from a phone to a Phase One). Also, 20MP's more than enough for large prints and sharpness (which the G9 can deliver in spades with the right glass) is far from everything (hint: don't effing zoom in--nobody other than "IQ" obsessed photographers do that and hyper detail is distracting!)...
You being an MFT user was the Reason why I subscribed to Your channel. Nice to see the G9 back again...👌
Even after using a few different, newer cameras, I still prefer the G9. I'm frankly disappointed in the R7, and my S5 is not as comfortable to hold, and its joystick is trickier to control. Long live the G9!
My G9 is the best camera I have ever owned. Price, performance, ergonomics, build quality, features - nothing comes close to the G9 when everything is considered. It is an incredible camera. I have got no intention of ever selling it. I have never used AF with video and the G9's AF for photo work is superb. Cheers James.
Yesss! Currently filming my very own feature film on a cinema rigged out G9 and it has been looking really really great!
Happy to see you flex the G9 again. You and one other photographer is why I picked up the G9 2 years ago, and its been insanely flexible. Wildlife, street, portrait, and abstract. Mixes less with the Leica glass they got!
Most underrated camera
James is also pretty much the sole reason I purchased a G9 too, and it's been the best thing I've spent money on. Superb camera
I just sold my G9 and got the a7RIII. I found myself running to Leica glass trying to get that low light experience or shallow depth of field. In the end of the day, I found it better to hop over to full frame and buy zoom lenses that are a constant f1.4 in the M43 world. I still have my GM1, Gx85, and infrared converted G85 with the sigma prime set. They're still good cameras but I just gravitate to my Sony.
You will like that A7RIII. It's when they finally got the colors right.
Focus is much better as well.
My 5 year old Canon 1dxii looks way better just saying
I miss my G9 and GH5s set up. It's so much easier to get caught up in the hype of new kit than it is to simply be happy with what you have.
Yes. I’m thousands of euros into new gear and in hindsight could’ve just as well sticked with my GX80 (…).
Hi James. I’m an Allergy Specialist Nurse and help manage hayfever for many patients. Try antihistamines eg cetirizine twice a day (up to four is safe), nasal steroid spray (read instructions for correct technique), and eye drops containing sodium cromoglycate. All can be bought over the counter. Use every day starting 2-4 weeks before your symptoms usually start and continue until end of season. Don’t miss a day. Desensitisation/ immunotherapy is available but usually only offered if the above is not helpful. Unfortunately local honey does not work; the pollens in honey are not those you will be allergic to. Love your videos btw.
I finally upgraded from my G7 to the G9 just this past Christmas. Absolutely love the thing. Seeing as I’m mostly just a hobbyist, I could see this being the last camera I really need.
Rather weirdly the G7 is still on Panasonic's books. Despite its age it is still a very good camera comparable to the E-M5ii and can do a couple of tricks they forgot to but into the G9 kitchen sink such as the rather simple but effective in-camera panorama. I still have the G7, sadly they do not have much trade-in value. The G9 is a does-everything pro camera. To me the G9 seems less automated and relies more on me setting it up more for the shot, the upside there is that it is more likely to do what I want it to do.
Legendary G7 🧡🔥💪.
I love your color science; every single photo just shines in the most beautiful color grading I've ever seen; and of course, your photography skills are off the chart... simply amazing. Much respect.
That is in part because Lumix have the most authentic colour reproduction. They start from a good place. The final colours are very much down to James :)
The house is called Craig y Mor built from 1911 for a few years as a Summer home for the Smellie family. Puportedly haunted, I think descendants of the family still own it. Also used as a film location. I took a photo of the bay and house in 2016 which I love. So much texture and atmosphere. Great location.
Proud g9 owner. Switched to the A7C, sold all mFT lenses. Sold the Sony and all lenses, bought thr G9, a GX800 and all mFT lenses back 😆😆
Could you please clarify what is the reason? Or how was your journey? :)
@@hungnq1989i personally like the colors from panasonic. Dont need to edit much
@@ghaah GX80 user here, yeah the SOOC is insanely good. it's not fuji film-like but it's good
Lumix is what made u in my eyes. It was so sad to see u go Sony. Kind of stopped watching after that. Glad to see u with ur old G9
I do miss your G9 days on this channel.
Oh James, you warmed my old G9 shooting heart with this one.
I still use my g9 daily, unless I'm going stealth for street shooting and take out the gx9.
It has it's well known limitations, but when I'm holding it and using it, it all feels and works so good, I can live with those.
And since you are one of the photogs who helped influence the initial purchase, and like all have moved on since then, it's nice to see you have appreciation for this very fine camera once again.
GX9 for the streets is awesome! I bought it when I went to Japan last christmas and it was a blast to shoot with
Cheers James, it’s Sean in Atlanta. I shoot with a G9 and I swear by the Leica 12-60! Sharp, excellent rendering and fits the body perfectly! Great video and I am happy you didn’t sell the G9 after all!
Sean
I actually liked the 20mm pancake for its sharpness. Seems he has a bad one.
But since I got the Leica 12-60, I never touched the 20mm again. This Leicalens surprised me. Doesn't matter what aperture or focal length, it's always sharp as you would only expect from a fixed focal lens. Really great that one.
I recently went on holiday taking just the 12-60 and I think it really worked well - very versatile and as you say very sharp. It does look a bit big and heavy on my GX9 though, probably a much better match for the G9. I used to have the 20mm which was small and light and I thought the sharpness was fine, but it did whirr and click and take forever to focus
@@m47d48xt My 20mm has sand in it, so it makes even more frightening noises and yes, I think that must be the slowest focussing m43 lens there is.
Ah, just like the good ol' days! I still shoot micro 4/3 (gh6 mostly now) and still love it. Great video, James!
Your MFT content with the G9 was the reason I subscribed to your channel. I had a G70 at that time and have a G9 since half a year now. This is really a fine camera, the successor of the G9 needs to have a lot of changes to make me upgrading.
Oh yes, the G9 is one of the most pleasing cameras I've ever used. The details of the ergonomic design are outstanding. I've often worked with it alongside, or instead of, my full frame pro' kit, and no client has ever noticed the difference... The humble G9 also has a vastly better top screen display than the woefully tiny dark screen on my R5. Local honey can often be found locally...
James you're the perfect salesman even when you're not trying to be.
I'm not sure how many more videos I can withstand about the G9 before I have to up and buy one for myself...
If you don’t shoot low light all the time and shadow recovery isn’t your priority but very small telephoto zoom lenses are, the G9 is a fantastic choice for how inexpensive it is. Still, I would probably chose an X-T4 over it though if you don’t care for small telephoto zooms.. but you still won’t get the wonderful ergonomics of the G9, you’d need the X-H2 for that.. but it’s much much pricier.
Honestly, don’t do it. I tried it coming from apsc and fullframe and I was very disappointed. Especially with long lenses every cloudy day or forest becomes an extrem low light grain fest. Also the price and size advantage compared to apsc is virtually non existent
@@hansn.433 I agree. I compared the G9 with a Z6, and the shadow recovery is unbelievably better on full frame. I never got to test M43 vs APSC, but I do know that cropped sensor is better. Plus, I just think APSC is perfect in its design to be a beautiful middle ground between compact and lightweight lenses of M43, with close enough to the DOF and low light performance of full frame. I feel like it’s the perfect sensor size. I love the G9’s ergos so much, and although it’s lenses are fantastically small, I’d say it’s only really worth it for telephotos and wildlife lenses. If you’re getting 24-70 equiv or anything below 100mm, APSC lenses are small enough IMO.
@@savnac Absolutley. And with my experience poor low light performance starts anywhere above iso 800. At 1600 it already looked very poor. Clearly visible difference on a 1440p screen without any further pixel peeping. And here i fear, the size advantage of the g9 lost also for tele work, like animals (bif was impossible anyways with the af), where even on a slightly overcast day with high shutter speeds i would end up with very poor images. So you are again forced to buy expansive and heavy optics with bigger apperture. It just seems, that there is a fixed amount of light necessary to get an acceptable image quality, no matter weather you get it via surfacearea (aka fullframe) or intensity (aperture). And if you are really into compactness, a real compact camera like a rv100 or so has by today stadars equal image quality. And honestly for fun of usage i would go to olympus or fuji anyday.
@@hansn.433 I agree with you. I even tried Lightroom’s new denoise and compared the full frame not deposited vs micro four thirds denoised and the new denoise does nothing for correcting color alterations due to high iso, and the detail it does recover ends up having weird AI-looking artifacts too. It helps in some situations but for most it’s just not worth it. If there was no APSC, I think micro four thirds is so much more fun to carry around and shoot for hobbyist and enthusiasts because of the size, but nowadays I think APSC cameras like Fuji’s killed M43, and man is that Sigma 18-50mm 2.8 TINY. I own it and it’s prime lens-sized. The X-S20 is a fantastic camera, just no weather sealing. I’d still go for an X-T5, and that’s what I have today.
Your bang on the money James, I too have never found a camera body which fits my hand like the G9. Moved on from Canon and Nikon Z to the G9 with Olympus lenses this year it’s a brilliant bit of kit, intuitive with the best button layout and most importantly, lightweight.
I've upgraded from the G9 I got years ago many times over now, but I still have it and I wouldn't dream of ever selling it! It's ridiculously comfortable and well thought out, and it still takes great images. It's feature packed and a stellar video workhorse if you can live without auto focus. Such a little beast, and at a steal no less! Best value camera ever perhaps? Cheers
So right. I've regretted selling mine from day one. I shoot a Sony A7RV and an OM-1 now, and while technically, they both blow the socks of the G9, I have no emotional attachment to either. They just do the job. Selling the G9 was kind of like when your wife throws away your favorite flannel shirt that you'v had for 15 yrs.
@@j16m02 Technically the OM-1 does have more bells and whistles. I have seriously considered it but have not seen anything that the G9 cannot do. One thing the OM-1 cannot match is the G9 stabilisation except with the three hideously expensive Sync-IS lenses, there the G9 can with almost the entire Lumix lens catalogue. I have always been into wildlife and that calls for extra-long lenses, the G9+PL100-400 becomes hand-held, which is insane. It's not the only way to do it but I do not have a huge budget.
I sold my G9 and GX9 about 6 months ago after switching to Sony for a couple of years and they were just gathering dust. Of course classically I’ve started to lust after M43 again since then.
Nice to see the G9 out again James. I’ve retained my Olympus EM5 mk iii to use alongside my a6500. Using vintage lenses means I get a choice of 2 effective focal lengths. Surprising just how sharp these old lenses are!
I really love this camera too! It's amazing how even in 2023 this camera is still relevant and probably one of the best ergonomics wise cameras ever made. I'm hoping the rumours about a G9 II will become a reality!
G9 is my best camera i ever owned, keep soot with it.
Great to see you using Lumix again mate 💪🏼
Glad you're looking back at the micro four thirds again, it's what got me on to your channel and convinced me to buy one, love it great quality and so compact, looking forward to seeing more!
So happy to see the G9 out and about again!
The G9 is one of my favourite cameras too. I recently re-purchased it as I missed it too much! so I was glad to see this thumbnail pop up in my TH-cam feed.
Don’t forget to use high res mode if you are sticking it on a tripod (apologies for mentioning the T word)
By all means use the G9 more and post videos on it. Still my favorite all around camera for many of the reasons you listed.
Still love my G9. I picked up a used E-M1 II from MPB US for cheaper than most lenes to do video on the go. Great combo.
Thanks for being there and sharing James,. Your YT channel has become a part of my photo journey just recently. Love your work, approach and style. For myself photography is all about the journey. It may turn out that no one will see my photos as that is not my goal. I'm more interested in the overall process, the planning, the composition, learning, trying to reach some level of personal satisfaction. Over coming the challenges is the name of the game for me and I really enjoy your delivery and content. Thank you! Signed, one handed southpaw.
Great to see you with the G9. Hopefully we will see more of it. I was drawn into your channel as you were a LUMIX user. I love my GX9. Mft is great for me as I can’t carry heavy gear. I also love Olympus EM10 Mk 11 and EM1 Mk 11. How the camera feels to hold is most important. My little EM10 is for me my most fun camera. MPB are great to deal with both buying and selling. Thanks for the channel.
Quike tip for lifting rubber on the G9 body: First remove old adhesive with isopropyl alcohol. Dry area thouroughly. Then glue it into position with some super glue. I used the gel type on mine. Use a toothpick to distribute the glue, being very careful to keep it off of the exterior surfaces. Clean up any excess glue with soft cloth with a small amount of the alcohol. The old glue will interfere with the superglue chemistry, so make sure you have got it clean and dry first! This worked well on mine!
Good tip for lifting rubber on the G9.
Just keep being you, James. Carry on. 👍🥂
You're one of the reasons I ended up with Olympus, proving that it's not the gear, it's the photographer. Never been happier. The only gear I've been tempted by lately is the Pentax K3 monochrome, but...that's another story.
I've got my G9 a few months ago because I felt like upgrading from the GX80 a bit. And oh my! What a camera! It's so well made and thought through. I used to think it would have been be too big for my travel purposes but the way this camera handles makes it worth it.
wow, these photos are amazing. they feel calm and quiet to look.
thanks for the video.
You may like the om 20 1.4 sharper than the lumix 20 and weather sealed, combo’d with the tiny sharp om 12-45. Very versatile small fun
I love my G9, great ergonomics a real pleasure to handle.
Happy to see you bring out the G9 again. Love mine!
I had a little Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ20 5.0MP. It was one of my first cameras as I built my way up, and I got really nice images from it.
Some years ago... I've decide to drop the Nikon FF system to travel lighter across the US (route66 and various)... I've bought a G9 with a couple of LEICA branded lens, and to start to understand the new camera body I've started to cehck TH-cam video with that camera... et voila, you gained a subscriber. PS: During that trip I've discovered that micro 4/3 is not my cup of te, but the G9 for ergonomics and build quality is probably one the (if not the) best camera body I've ever used (used Canon, Nikon and Sony flagship models).
You’ve still got it! I bought my G9 mainly because of you and still use it. I’m just an amateur with the cheaper lenses but with a small sharpening the photos are great, at least according to my private needs. I just love to use the camera.
Thanks for all your time and work you put into each video!
Regarding Hayfever: one weapon that might be worth including in your arsenal is any medication containing Fexofenadine. It should be fairly accessible, tablets at local supermarkets etc...! Might be worth a shot if you haven't already tried it! See how you get on with it...
Thank you for this James... your G9 and MFT content is what originally drew me to your channel! So thanks again for bringing it back to the surface. I look forward to more of your content with it!
Also... I thought that I'd share my musings on the vulnerable G9 and the rumors going around of a update, that I had also posted elsewhere, as it echoes some of what you have said... "After nearly 50 years in photography and using practically ever film/digital band out there, the Lumix G9 stands out as one of my favorite cameras ever. It was near perfect on release, especially the ergonomics, and only got better with the firmware updates as you state. The only changes I would like to see is the same 20MP Sony sensor that is used in the OM-1 (Stacked-BSI... no need for a MP bump given the high-res modes or upscaling software these days), the New Venus Engine processor from the GH6, the updated Phase Hybrid AF from the S5II, active cooling from the S5II, a much better dampened shutter release (the Achilles heel of the current model). Nice to have would be improved viewfinder and screen resolutions, hand-held high-resolution modes, GPS with Astrotracking, and the battery from either the GH6 or S5II. Leave the top screen/display in place (perhaps go to e-ink technologies), buttons/switchgear, general ergonomics, and colour science as they are. All this would make the camera as or more competitive than the OMDS OM-1 and could bring a lot of the faithful back to the brand. I know that I would purchase at least 2 and move exclusively to it. Cheers!".
If you have any contacts at Panasonic/Lumix... make sure they hear the message that there is a fanbase out here that would love to see an updated version!
Glad the G9’s back! Such a well-featured camera. Can’t think of an APSC equivalent…
I love my G9. It manages to get me great images in some situations where my S5 and the R7 struggle a bit with auto white balance or AF. I've used several cameras from Nikon, Canon and Panasonic (and owned a GRIII for a few months). The G9 just manages to get a greater percentage of keepers, even for runway fashion in bad lighting. It is still a phenomenal camera.
I'm entertained by your enjoyment of the button placement. I have a Lumix G95 and feel the exact same way about it. The image quality is only so-so, but my goodness the design of the body is just so nice!
Always lovely to watch your videos, James. 👍🦘
Oh wow. I posted on an old video about this the other week. Glad you are giving it a try!
I'm a Nikon user and have 2 cameras, but I usually always use the D7500, it is perfectly weighted, fits my hand perfect, as I have big hands most others are too small. I also love the ease of use, with 2 dials, 2 toggle wheels and 2 menus one which is programmable as well as the buttons and selector wheels makes it a really easy to use camera. I can make all the adjustments I need without taking my eye off of the view finder, which for birds is really essential. I understand how you prefer this camera to others you have as ergonomics and functionality is as important as image quality.
Probably an unpopular opinion, but I like the look of the images from this video more than what I’ve seen of the Sony images. At least on TH-cam where the MP doesn’t come into it.
Yes! Such a great camera
Like others I am very happy to see the G9 again. I picked one up and found one of your videos on how to set it up. I kept watching for the humor.
G9 supremacy! Shooting my first feature film on my G9 soon! Keep it up mate
I just sold my Sony A7C before the new model comes out and the price drops. But I kept my G9. And praying for the G9mII comes with a proper autofocus / face recognition.
If not, then I will have to sell a ton of M43 lenses too...🙄
You were the reason i decided on the g9. Glad to see you pull it out. Hopefully you'll try the g9ii
I recently got a used G80 (less than a hundred shots) and its so much fun to use not mention lighter than my 7D mark ii
I got both the G9 and G80....and I take out the G80 more often. I hope they also bring out a G80 Mark II!
Love your videos, you have such an eye for ‘simple’ composition.
Loved the pacing of this video and the chill vibes. I'm learning more towards the G9 over a Sony A6 series
Brilliant sooo glad I saw your video of my favourite Bay, love the Isle of Anglesey
Such a great camera
Thank you for revisiting the hits!
Your compositions are always so interesting...i'm wishing I can get there one day!
Good to see the G9 back! I'm taking TWO G9s to Egypt in Sept. So much camera for the price. Love the Leica lenses too.
Right there with you! Moved from my Z6ii to the A7iv for the lenses... BUT, I almost never shoot with my Sony for some reason... amazing customization etc. but I'm just not inspired by it. I've thought the Lumix platform always nailed the form factor. Followed you since you left FF for M43, enjoy every video. Thanks for sharing your journey James.
I started watching your channel when you shot exclusively with the G9. I love mine and for me and what I do, I see no reason for "upgrading" until it doesn't work anymore.
Oh, and I too am suffering with allergies here in Poland. It's' really bad.... I only use Polish honey with my green tea and still suffer...
Great to see the G9 back in action. I highly recommend the prescription antihistamine Bilastine (Blexten in Canada, Ilaxten in the UK I believe). It works wonders!!
I am hoping the surge of new G9 content on multiple TH-cam channels is a good omen for a new G9 version from Panasonic.
You loved the G9 and so did I but the OM-1 is a game changer try it.😎
I've got a GX9 camera with three "Leica Panasonic" lenses 15mm, 25mm and 42.5mm, so you don't have to crop the images (too much), but the image quality is pretty incredible and the color accuracy very surprising, a bit like the Leica Q(1) I had for a while. It's true that AF is not its strong point.
I also have a Sony 7R4, which is a different kind of image quality, but I find the GX9 with these Leica lenses to be very high quality (especially given the price on the second-hand market). I also hope that Panasonic will come up with something new soon, as these lenses will take on a whole new value.
I feel the same way about my X-T2. Mine was stolen a few years back and I replaced it with a X-T4 and the new Fuji 33mm 1.4. I regret it. I'm going to end up buying the X-T2 again and my favorite lens the 35mm f2. I miss it!
*looks longingly at the G9 *
"Shut up, James."
Please never change
I love my G9 too. I now have an S5ii for video. And my ultralight tavel cam is Limix G100. With Leica 15mm is amazing.
these looks as good, on. youtube anyways, as your other pics. Love this concept.
I put my G9 up for sale on an auction site recently. A person (clearly knowledgeable in cameras / LUMIX) responded with: “Why are you selling this camera? It is excellent and you should keep it!”
They were right. So I pulled it off the site. I still have it. And now I feel guilty for thinking about selling it.
To be fair, I was only seeking to sell it in anticipation of a G9 II. But that new camera will no doubt sell for about twice the price (at least initially).
I love my OMD EM5 OG with the 20mm pancake. LOVE IT!
Love that you've brought back out the Lumix , and snowdon honey farm and winery do local honey 🍯
I could watch you walk around and talk about the G9 for hours. I've been using mine for 4 years now and I don't think I'll ever find anything quite like it.
For now, we can all keep dreaming for Panasonic to announce an updated model that uses the same body.
I admire the way you take landscape pictures in the UK. Especially the sky: 50 shades of gray. 😇
One of my allllllltime favorite cameras. Even love that stupidly sensitive shutter.
It's nice to see your G9 make another appearance. I feel very much the same - in terms of ergonomics it's hands down the best camera I've ever handled, and in real terms that means the photography is more enjoyable. It's a feature that's routinely ignored by the spec sheet reviewers that abound on TH-cam, but in my opinion it's at least as important as megapixel count and bit rate and EVF resolution and all the rest. Maybe not if you're a professional, but as a hobbyist surely the single most important feature is enjoyability?
Try your G9 with the Leica/Lumix 9mm f1.7. Fantastic lens. Didn’t think I’d like it as much as I do. Thought it might be too wide but somehow it’s perfect.
The good ol g9. I moved to the Panasonic s5 but the G9 is still one of my favorite cameras all time, I am just addicted to how much you can push/pull the files of the S5 to go back to the g9 but I still havent brought myself to sell it yet.
I still use my OM-D EM5MK3 (phase detect AF) with primes 17/45/75 f1.8 and zoom pro lens (12-40 f4). I just love the jpeg output + overall fun factor + size/quality compromise ratio.
I always want to have camera with me, where on FF I noticed, I don't. That's why I sell it and use M43 for stills and 4K video with Iphone 13 Pro for HDR/slomo Video.
The acronym FF can now be repurposed as Fun Factor (m43) from now on!
I switched to the om d s but strange I always seem to be looking for a upgrade , which I know is silly if your happy ish with the results, every decision has a trade off , Like James I find myself looking at Sony for the output . Too much choice is half the problem and marketing, and TH-cam video with different opinions lol even has the experienced person confused lol
@@lweleven3423 That’s why I always want to check myself. It’s the same on watches (my another hobby), people just copy YT or others collections instead of find what they really like. I know that I will never get Rolex, it’s overpriced and not my taste. I found the best watches in 500-3000 pounds bracket. ;)
G9 mk II is rumored to be announced soon. Most probably rather the G9 successor than a mk II. If the rumor is true, it will be the first Lumix M43 with PDAF.
Lumix cameras are in general quite enjoyable to use. Fully touchable LCD screen, logical menus, logical default settings, logical button placement and even touchable buttons on the LCD screen. They have very good AF for stills thanks to assist tools that were added because of the bad AF for video :) I am craving for that G9 successor. For sure I will keep the original G9. It is such a good camera.
I think the G9 Mark 2 is supposed to be out in a couple of weeks.
I find it funny what we consider old , vintage ,classic these days I hear and see it a lot on TH-cam … still a great camera as you’ve said. The theory of local honey is the bees use the ingredients of the flowers etc then you digest it, so it’s like a food vaccine. But will only help locally to where you are lol
Loved the images taken there!
I watched one of your videos from 3 years ago and you were talking about the G9 and questioned if MFT would survive. Question answered in this video.
The G9 is my current workhorse, especially with the Nocticron 1.2 which is awesome, although a bit large.
That’s great to hear… I’ve had my G9 for about six months and have just picked up a Nocticron 1.2, which I hope to have by the weekend 🤞😃
@@GaryPallett Good choice!
As a G9 owner of nearly 5 years, and loving the ergonomics, buttons and top lcd….I am very excited to hear its replacement is about to be released. If it doesn’t appear by end of this year, or disappoints, (how could it with 5 years worth of tech innovations), I will sell all and get the Fuji X-H2S and 150-600, had a loan and it’s great, and has the all important top lcd. No it’s not as comfortable in the hand and the button placement and menus will take time to get used to, but its AF for moving wildlife was brilliant, far less noise at iso above 1600 and it’s evf is better than the G9, which is the first time I’ve found one that is. Come on Panasonic, release that Mkii 🤞
I exchanged my G9 for a Fuji X-T3 with the 18-135 f3.5-f5.6. Worst thing I ever did (camera wise). I miss the 12-35 and 35-100 f2.8 lenses along with the dual IS. Now I find myself wanting a longer lens and the weight is crazy compared to the Lumix offerings… I’m a silly boy!
Couldn’t connect with Fujifilm either. Thought the Fuji grass was greener, turns out they’re just not as user friendly as everybody claims. And definitely build quality wise not on par with Lumix. At least what I’ve experienced.
@@GeertKusterto be fair the G9 is a sport body
The xt3 is just an everyday camera that happens to perform pretty good
But 100mm on the g9 is 200 , equivalent to the 135 ( 202mm ? )
@@KNAPPAID sorry when I say I want a long lens I mean a 35mm equivalent of 600mm+. The M43 lenses are much smaller than the X mount lenses that are available. I’m considering the Fuji 100-400 which is 1.4kg or the 70-300 but I would need the 1.4x tc to get the reach. If I had the G9 I could have picked up the Lumix 100-300 or even the Panasonic Leica 100-400.
@@richardturner81 i see , yeah unfortunately super teles arent that easy to get affordably in larger formats
Great video James. I love my G9 that I bought from MPB. In fact so much so , that I bought another one from them! I probably have way too many cameras now, but the G9 is pretty special.
I like my G9. Rumor has it that the G9 will get Lumix's new Phase Detect Hybrid AF on a G9 MKii . That's what I am waiting on. Enjoyed the video as usual 👍
I’m still so tempted to grab a G9. Ticks every feature box I want. Panasonic knocked it out of the park with the G9.
I just did, moved from the gx9. Amazing improvement.
James if you ever need to do a rainy day video I would love to hear your thoughts on building a portfolio. I have years of photos siting around but no sense of how to start pulling them together into a cohesive body of work.
Great camera which I use professionally for portraits and products. Never had any complaints. I still use a Fuji XT 4 and a Nikon Full Frame Dslr, but in the end the G9 feels so good in my hands that it is my nr one.
I really think I need to buy myself one of these beauties! I currently own a couple of 16mp Olympus bodies, and pre-owned G9s are such good value at the moment too. Thanks for convincing me 😊
Gesundheit! It's great to hear you once again sing the praises of the G9--my go-to camera since I got it shortly after its debut. IMO, MFT represents the best combination of capability and portability in the history of photography and the G9 has the best ergonomics of any camera I've ever used (read: fun to use). The FZ1000 (a.k.a. Leica V-Lux) is great 99% of the time (and I'm about to grab that one to walk the dogs as it's easier one-handed and it's nice to have 25-400mm at your fingertip), but being able to go from 12mm (Laowa 6mm f/2) to 800mm EFL (Leica 100-400) and carry everything in a small sling bag that I can take just about anywhere--and have more creative control than I can get with a larger-sensor rig--well, what's not to love about that? The supposedly forthcoming G9 ii may well fulfill (y)our wish for a G9 with new guts, but it's already a much better camera than almost anyone needs. You said it when you mentioned that "quality improvements" in gear do not equate to quality improvements in prints (OK, if you're going from a phone to a Phase One). Also, 20MP's more than enough for large prints and sharpness (which the G9 can deliver in spades with the right glass) is far from everything (hint: don't effing zoom in--nobody other than "IQ" obsessed photographers do that and hyper detail is distracting!)...
Have you tried the Pana Leica 15mm f1.7? Super sharp and all around wonderful lens.