So what do you think about this camera? Do you like what Panasonic has done or it's not really the GX9 you have been waiting for? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts about theis new camera. For full review and more sample photos, please check out my website: goo.gl/LCN4oh
Love that they switch it back to tilt-only LCD, fully articulated flip out screens are more for the G and GH series, keep it that way. That's probably the only good thing, the rest is not much of an upgrade
I like the camera a lot and enjoy using it: the only thing I don't understand is why I can't set the rear contro wheel for doing something when in aperture control setting: I'd like to use it for ISO control on the fly, but this controls defy the reason for adding a separate exposure comp wheel.
Hi Richard . Would recommend this camera over sony a6100? I consider using it for non proffesional landscape photography. Thanks in advance and have a lot of fun with your gears.
Your reviews are constantly getting better and better @Richard. I can concretely say you've went from virtually unknown reviewer to probably a Top 5 reviewer in the world. Well done sir.
Late to the party, but I like it, even if I felt let down when it released. Had the GX7 and GX8 before it. As of now, I still wish they would have made it weather restistant, other than that it is very nice machine, and it holds it own. Using the OEM handgrip when running larger lenses and it makes a large difference in handling. I actually prefer it over the G9 and the G90. It is, even with the handgrip, unobtrusive and carries easily.
Paul, glad to hear you loving your camera! Go shoot more and enjoy it!!
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Excellent comments! Even if it is a rather a static image, your comments are lively, witch contribute to keep viewers' focussing all the way to the end! Thanks!
Excellent review. I have both the GX85 and GX8 and I like both cameras but I do enjoy shooting with the GX85 a little more because of its size. I will buy the GX9 and probably give the GX85 to my grand daughter who is now shooting with my old GX7. I started with the GF1 and have really enjoyed shooting with the Panasonic rangefinder style cameras. My favorite lens is the PL 15mm.
Thank you! I started with a GF1 too! Technically it was quite immature camera but I do really enjoy shooting with it and it was a breakthrough back then. And yes I love the PL 15mm. Awesome lens, compact size, great build quality. Fits a camera like the GX9 perfectly. p.s. You have a lucky granddaughter
@@TheRealRichardWong I wanna film when traveling but the biggest thing is that I want good quality sharp images so I am confused what to get my budget is 650usd :)
Both would give you nice and sharp images. If you not planning to ever buy more lenses and only shoot photos, get the x100t. Otherwise I think the Panasonic is good for video and can get different lenses
I’ve been using my GX9 for about two years for Street Photography now wouldn’t swap it for anything else ….I keep it permanently bin the M Monochrome L mode …with fantastic results…especially from my LUMIX/LEICA lenses.
It’s my first Panasonic camera. I normally use Olympus and Sony. It’s a really enjoyable camera to use and I am very impressed. The only two things I would like improved are a better EVF and possibly weather sealing, though the latter would just be some icing on the cake for me.
Excellent review, articulated with knowledge and passion. Thank goodness Panasonic got rid of the daft, obtrusive and conspicuous flip out screen. I got this camera last week and it is brilliant. Thank you.
Good educational video. I just purchased a GX9 and the info you gave can helped me a lot. I'm big into travel and street photography. The only problem I have with this camera is it's not weather resistance. Pity , that in my experience is a bit of a down side .
hi Rascal, thank you! The GX9 is definitely great for travel and street. Yes i wish it is weather sealed but if it's only a few drops of rain then it should be able to handle that i think? Anyway enjoy your camera!
Richard thank you for this review. I have the GX85 and just purchased a GX9 as a 2nd body. So far I can’t see much of a difference. The GX85 has a 16mp sensor vs the 20mp GX9 sensor. I don’t crop so no image improvement. The viewfinder is adequate. Not as good as the G9. The GX9 is a smaller and lighter body so we get the GX85 EVF. When trading down is size something has got to give. The EVF is one of those things. It is of course too late but I am looking at the GX8. I wonder if I made a mistake purchasing the GX9. I’d have liked the audio jack input. Makes no sense to me why Panasonic has small bodies with good video capabilities but crippled this body without the audio jack.Shame on Panasonic. Weather sealing would have been Nick but isn’t critical. I am glad the P12-60 lens came with my GX9 body. I have the PL15mm lens and it has lived on the GX85. The PL12-60 lens may be too large and heavy for the GX9 which is why it lives on the G9. I LOVE the L monochrome D setting. Very contrasty. Crushes the blacks. I like this setting more than Fuji’s Across with red filter. The Panasonic GX9 and the PL15mm lens seems like a great street photography combination. Can’t wait to use it. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
8:52 what lens used for this photo? I always wonder how to shoot this kind of bokeh in far away style(not sure what’s the name) and people say you must use Full Frame and fast aperture lens and tele price lens
That was shot with the 42.5mm f/1.2 Nocticron. It is definitely possible to blur the background and create background separation when shooting with micro four thirds cameras, but you do need a fast aperture lens
Hi Richard. Nice overview. You're very lucky to get to play with all these new toys before they hit the shelves! Love the new l monochrome d profile and grain effects. Do you think there will be a firmware update to add these features to the G9 (which I own)? I loved this similar feature on the Pen f.
Thanks yodasafro. Honestly I have no idea if Panasonic will add those to the G9. I guess we will all have to wait and see. But the G9 is such an awesome camera regardless, I would want to get one for myself as well. Need to save up :(
@@TheRealRichardWong Oh! okay thanks for your quick answer, I follow your channel and I learn so much from your camera review videos, thank you very much Richard, and keep doing the videos
Great review! I'm relatively new to M43 cameras, and I love my GM5, mainly because it's small, it has a viewfinder, and it has a hot shoe. However, it does not have a tiltable screen or that cool B&W feature you talked about. I suspect the GX9 also has focus stacking, which I would like for macro. Anyway, it's tempting! It's just the size thing...it's still a little big! Thank you for the excellent review!
@@TheRealRichardWong It fits in a pocket, so it's very stealthy, which I love. But, the GX9 has some features I think I need (movable EVF, focus stacking, monochrome D). I like to do macro photography as well as B&W, so those features are appealing!
Thanks for the nice review. And you are completely right, I did not replace my GX7 (which I love 😉) with the GX8 because it is too big. The real advantage of m43 is the smaller size of cameras an lenses. I am planning to replace my GX7 now an it will definitely be the GX9. Would have loved to get a better viewfinder, mic input and weather sealing but I can live with these tradeoffs for a rangefinder Style camera. Really appreciate the additional grip to have a small set with my 15mm Leica (and you are right, the combo looks perfect) and have the grip for my 100-400 Leica lens. I am a big fan of the silver version but it seems that it will not be available in Germany. But in your video the black one also looks very nice. Hope it does not take to long to get my copy. Harald
Harald, yes a lot of GX7 users don't like the larger GX8 so I think you'll like the GX9. I also feel ok with most of the "missing features" but would like to have a bigger EVF. Having said that, the GX9 EVF feels slightly better than the one on GX7
Hi Richard.. How is GX9's JPEG compared to GX85? Is it noticably different between new 20mp sensor and 16mp? I have GX85 and am thinking of whether to upgrade or not.. Thank you v m..
Hi Ekasak, I can only say I was wow-ed by GX9's JPG and didn't feel the same when I was reviewing the GX85. But I have not done any side by side JPG comparison so can't really say for sure how much difference are there. GX9's 20MP does give you a bit more resolution but otherwise I feel ISO/dynamic range..etc are very similar. Panasonic would probably hate me saying this but I say if you already have a GX85, save your money and don't upgrade to GX9 unless you really want the tilt-able EVF, or the exposure compensation dial :)
Wait for my LX200 review next week.. haha okay only kidding. Do you want the ability to change lens? If not, then yeah maybe wait for the LX200. But I have no idea when it will be announced/released (or even if there will be one)
Photo By Richard ok understood 😉😉😉 I’m more of a hobbyist and I like to shoot anywhere, when I see something I just took it and shoot(this is what I always do with my phone), and I want to learn photography with it too, the “retro” manual dial on the LX100 and X100F are really interesting and you don’t have to look at the screen to change setting with the small dial on most camera
I would like to ask if you have any idea if GX85 and GX9 have the same version of Venus Engine or not?. Im camera brochure collector but cant find any confirm information on both camera brochure
wow you are fast! I think I only just published the video like 30 seconds ago LOL. No, it's back to the tilt-able screen and purely designed for street photography
Photo By Richard that’s because I just reply to a comment about the GX85 by saying if they heard of the GX9 rumor yet, then I saw the notification of the GX9 review from your channel! 😂
Puts it in perspective, meaner leaner. Might be nice, but maybe adjusting to idea of having 2 cameras to do both type photo opps well, street and sports/wildlife. Not so much pressure of one camera that does its style well. Adjusts what lenses to get too.
Yay. After the GX7 I had buyers remorse with the GX8. I hated the larger size, the articulated screen and especially the shutter shock. It put me off street photography and I basically shot studio and environmental portraits only, mainly on my GH5. When I get some cash, I'll grab the GX9. I don't see a New Zealand price or release date. Can you help out there?
Hi Simianinc, I was told the NZ retail price should be around $1400 for the body and release date is March so not that far away. Do you love street photography as well? Check out my latest video in which I did a bit of street photography using the GX9
As always I enjoyed the video... like you, I think I would have preferred the gx8 body with the sensor upgrade, more refined features and change to the rear LCD. Then it's perfect!
It looks like a very good camera for me , but i wish it was available without a lens, or with some other lens choices. With a small prime it would seem more attractive to me. Hope they decide to offer it minus the lens in the US.
People keep saying that the viewfinder is smaller than the GX8. Fine. But how is the EVF size compared to the GX7/ GX80/85? Stats on DPreview indicate it should be far bigger. GX85 is 0.7(0.35 equiv) and the GX9 is 1.39 (0.7 equiv). Can you confirm whether these stats are correct? Edit: Its looks like the stat for the GX85 is wrong. Its actually 1.39× (0.7× 35mm equiv.) On paper thats the same as the GX9 but the reality is that its 16:9 ratio so when shooting 4:3 stills it is effectively 0.57x equiv.
Yes it's same size as gx7/gx85. And yes it's 16:9 panel so you get the biggest display only when shooting in 16:9 mode. You remind me that I have actually shot some video clips about that but forgot to add it into this review :(
I think it is a very attractive little camera. If only it had a mic in!!! As far as the discussion and disappointment with regards to the GX8 is concerned - it is NOT a GX8 successor. It has nothing to do with that camera. It is the GX7 Mark III, and that is what it is officially named in Japan. On the other hand, it's Panasonic's own fault if they can't establish proper name conventions or are blatantly trying to trick people into believing that this is a GX8 successor. What happens is, they either do believe it and are disappointed by the GX9, or they don't believe it and are upset about their marketing and the pricing. I think that's why there are so many negative comments, even though it is a nice camera, like I said.
Hi Richard, I'm in two minds between g9 and gx9. I'm looking to go for a more pro level on picture quality for my travel photography. I do everything from landscape to portraits and animal shots. I'm interested in making large prints without loosing quality and would probably sacrifice the more manageable size for that. Although I do love the idea of a very handy all round camera. What would be your suggestion in this case? Cheers, Alessandra
If you don't mind the bigger size, go for the G9, it has more pro features and the better processor...etc, also much better electronic viewfinder as well and some other support like tethering which the GX9 doesn't have
after waiting a while for the gx9, I am disappointed by this upgrade, I'll keep my gx8. when comparing the gripes I had about the gx8, I can live with those in that body than upgrade to the gx9. I cant see myself engaging in a comfortable shooting experience with this body
yes I think it is good for beginner as it has good auto mode and touch screen interface. And when you advance, you can switch to manual or semi-manual mode
Photo By Richard How would you compare it to the g85? Is the megapixel difference noticeable? As a stills and video camera, which one would be a better investment. Thanks for your input :)
Thanks for the nice review. Can you do a comparison video of the GX9 VS GX85 and Leica CL? I’m currently using the cl for shooting street and very impressed, the downside of the system is the lens selection it also lacks the tilting screen of the Panasonic’s or the tiltable evf of tl2 . I’m tempted to give m43 another try( used to have the pen f with whole lot of lens, sold then all for the M240). The gx9 should be my first choice but the price of gx85 is so so low now, so my question is if the new 20mp sensor worth the cost over the 16mp one and how does it compare against the wonderful cl sensor ? Btw love your CL review, best on TH-cam imo. Thanks.
Hi there, thanks for the comments and glad you like my gx9 and CL reviews :). Re gx85 vs gx9,. Gx85 is the better buy because it's price has reduced a lot since launch while gx9 will likely remain at the launch price for quite a while. But gx9 has the tiltable evf, exposure compensation dial and new UI design, if you are jpg shooter the new jpg improvements are quite nice and better build quality and of course the 20mp sensor (which to me isn't the most attractive improvment in this list). So I think it's up to you if you want the better camera or better value for money camera
Thanks for the reply man. Still a tough decision, I’ll see whether the gx9 will be available in Hong Kong in the next week or two, if not I think I’ll pick up the gx85 and wait for a price drop for the gx9 .
Hi Richard! I enjoy your videos but I also checked your website for the review on this camera. You updated the review and said it has a better build than the gx85? What specifically is better? Thanks so much!
Great review! I think this camera might be the ONE. There can be only one. I will need to record some external audio from time to time, but the other 364 days per year this looks like it will do it all with simplicity. Like.
Yes, the main thing about this camera is simplicity. They have removed most of the features people don't need for a street camera to deliver a simple camera that the photographer can connect/bond to. If you need to shoot a lot of video, weather proof...etc, the G9 or even the G85 would be the better choice.
Well....I keep going back and forth from this to the Fuji x´t20. I relly like Fuji color and the bigger sensor, but I find the Fuji a bit ugly and this Lumix is a beauty. I find the design inspiring and I like that it is not so retro. I would have to give up the idea of having a easy mic hookup but I think it is probably more important to have a camera that I love rather than one that is just ok.
Hi Eric, definitely agree. I have bought a few cameras in the past that is technically excellent but end up not using them much at all. On the other hand, I really enjoy using some cameras even they have a lot of shortcomings. Follow your heart and enjoy photography :)
Well Richard I bought it for full price and then returned it. It felt too light in the hand to me. Perhaps a little cheap or hollow. Definitely not in the same league as my Fuji x100t. But since the new lx100mk2 came out without a tilt screen and nothing else has this feature set, I am thinking about getting one again and trying it out more calmly. There is a nice used one for sale in my neighborhood for only 615 euros! A lot less than what I paid earlier this year. I am so confused.....deep breaths....
A screen that can tilt down 180 degree is not the best design for street photography. Panasonic has lots of other cameras more suitable for selfie/vlogging.
Photo By Richard I mean it can do 90 up and 45 down too but you can lift it all the way up to 180°, 3 ways tilt LCD, so it can replace the swipe out 360° lcd
But how do you implement this kind of tilt screen that allows you to tilt up 180 degree with the EVF and current LVF, focus lever, flash button..etc still in the current place? To allow tilt up 180 degree, the top of the LCD screen has to be flush with the top of the top plate which is not possible with the current design which has EVF and other controls there.
@@TheRealRichardWong I wonder if you have a review of the GX8 I watched many of them but any of them convinced me man if do one please display your samples unedited like you always do thanks
@@TheRealRichardWong dont you think is it better to share unedited photos man my budget is for the GX85 I wonder if the photos it takes are similar to the GX9 I liked the unedited photos you displayed in this review
@@kidotatsuhiko5885 some people shoot JPGs so they like to see unedited jpg. But for raw shooters, unedited jpg means nothing to them, they are more interested to see what you can extract from the raw file (dynamic range, high iso) which is usually a lot better than camera generated JPG.
I think rubber on GX7 a bit soft, and because of this it wear out fast. I almost lost eye piece and have hole under index finger. But yes, I have camera always with me and choose it for size and capabilities, so I always can put it to pocket or on shoulder.
Great review. I'm currently using G85 but i'm not happy with jpeg color out of the camera. Just wondering if you can make a comparison video between G85 and GX9 photo styles?
nice review, thx for that but i need to say that i am totally disappointed, no weather sealing and that viewfinder downgrade, just really wonder who they listen to, yeah what a shame
Hi NETVO TV, it has a metal Body. Paint tear off? do you mean wear off? I didn't have any paint issue when reviewing the camera. But any camera's paint will wear off eventually after heavy use. no matter it's a Nikon D5, Leica M10 or Canon 1DX Mk2
It sounds like a great camera..My favorite street shooter though is m little Olympus EPM2 with the Panasonic pancake 20mm lens...It has t's limitations ..but very small and quite awesome..and I can't see replacing it..
It seems there are a lot of negative comments about this camera. I find it perfectly fine for me, thus, I bought one recently. We need to look at it purely whether it is suitable for a particular person. If it is not what you want, just move on and buy the Lumix G9 or the Olympus EM1 Mk2 or even a Sony.
I was waiting for this before I brought the G9 but I'm glad I didn't wait, I'm sticking with my GX80 as my street camera. What do you think when you compare the GX80 to the GX9?
The GX80/85 is a very nice camera, great for street/everyday use. I would probably also stick with the GX80 as well especially if I already bought a G9. But compare the GX80 to the GX9, there are a few things that makes me prefer the GX9 more. 1. Exposure compensation dial. I use it a lot and i also like that it can be used in manual mode with auto ISO on (something I complained to Panasonic when they release the GX8) 2. Tilt-able EVF. It's a shame the EVF is small but tiltable EVF is very useful and unique features for the GX flagship. 3. The dedicated focus lever switch. I can quickly switch between the focus mode without having to go into the menus. 4. The slightly bigger and better build quality. It's not obvious at first. But after I played with both side by side at Panasonic, the GX80 does feel a lot more plastic/entry level camera. 5. The new L. monochrome D mode, grain effect, very nice JPG. Ok it doesn't matter much if you are a RAW shooter. But I'm usually a RAW shooter as well and end up shooting JPG on the GX9 as I find the JPGs (both colour and b&w) look really nice straight out of camera. 6. 20MP sensor with no LPF. A bit more resolution is always nice. Having said that it's not most important thing to me so I put it quite low on the list.
Photo By Richard thanks for the info, not having the autofocus manual switch is annoying on the gx80 but now I have the 15mm Panasonic which has manual switch on the lens which is handy. The EVF size they seriously needs to upgrade as this would have pushed me more towards the GX9, one other very annoying thing which I've been tempted to make a grip for is my GX80, The tripod mount is so close to the lens is that when using older bigger lens it hits my tripod plate. Is this the case with the GX9
i can find gx7mk2 (gx85) as cheap as 400usd (lenskit) in Japan, i think thats the best cost performance (on par.with down priced lx100 around 380usd) , so adding 20mb sensor with this price didnt surprise me either, gx7mk2 is good enough. Do u know what they call gx9 in Japan? gx7mk3.. its not a true successor of gx8...
Can you tell me something about the GX9: If you lock the exposure with the AE/AL button (when it is set only to lock exposure), does the exposure stay locked if you use the touch focus? With the GX80 it doesn't and it really is annoying. Thanks!
hi Salimah, sorry I don't have the camera with me so can't test this for you. However, i just found something from the GX9 user manual, that kind of suggest there are some settings you can change (at least on the GX9 but potentially on GX80?) so it doesn't do metering when you use touch AF?. It's Page 107 in the GX9 Operation Instructions for advance features manual.
Great job Richard, very in depth. It looks like a great camera but I'm disappointed about the direction Panasonic is taking. This is basically a GX85 replacement and a higher introductory price.
It's interesting a lot of people are complaining about the GX9 isn't weatherproof which makes it not suitable for street photography? But the fact is the most popular street photography cameras are mostly not weatherproof as well. Leica Q, Leica M10, Contax T3, Fujifilm X100 series, Ricoh GR series..etc none of them are weatherproof. And yes a lot of popular m43 "street" lenses aren't weather proof as well
I understand that gx8 users are a bit frustrated. Panasonic is a little inconsistant with his camera series, but for me, also using a g9 body, this camera is an opportunity.
yes. If I'm a GX8 owner and looking for a camera to upgrade to, frankly I would be disappointed by the GX9 as Panasonic has shifted it down a bit from one of the system's flagship model to I would say mid-high model. But if you ignore GX8, GX9 is quite similar to the GX7 and that is what Panasonic has been telling us (at least to me many many times since I first pick up the camera). Personally I think the GX9 will do quite well, much better than the GX8 but let's see if I got it right or wrong this time :)
I think this is the first time I see a company releasing a product with WORST features than its predecessor ! GX8 EVF was OLED (with nice deep contrast) HUGE and amazing ! So confortable to shoot with this EVF. Now the GX9, which is supposed to replace the GX8, has a field sequential LCD EVF with color tearing effect, less magnification and actual resolution. Like, WTH Panasonic ? Also they didn't even care implementing Dual I.S.2 found in the Panasonic G8 and which delivers way better stabilization with compatible lenses. It seems like Panasonic R&D department went really cheap on this camera.
I really like the natural "Hi!" at the start of this, far better than the recent "Kia ora" ones you've been doing ;-) Also, question, how big of a sample size did you use for your IS test graphs per column? Interesting data - thanks for that :-)
Thanks for the feedback fredio54. RE the IS test.. it depends on how much time i have.. but usually it's at least 10 photos per setting ( so approx 200 total sample photos or so ) up to 20-30 photos per setting if i have enough time (so approx total 400-600 sample photos)
@@TheRealRichardWong Awesome. I figured at least 10 looking at the graph. Great data and really helps to visualise the improvements that are uncannily present and noticeable :-)
I must be in the minority, I love my GX8. This camera seems to give me no reason to upgrade. I was looking for a G9 in a rangefinder body with the flip up EVF. I wanted the better IBIS, better autofocus, and no AA. What does this give me.... mmm no AA, and took away a lot of the other features the GX8 has. On the GX8 when I want the screen just flipped up, I use the EVF, when I need the fully articulating, I have that as well. The problem with a flip up screen is what do you do when you shoot portrait orientation? The GX8 has that covered. This camera looks more like the GX85 with a better sensor. It better not sell for what the GX8 sold for or it is a real dud. No mic input, really? No weather sealing? No real IBIS improvement. Why they thought we wanted a street camera only I don’t know. If I was looking for that, I think I would go with the new Olympus Pen E-PL9.
Great review Richard, thank you -- subbed! I have rather a specific question: on my little GX800, when using my old fully manual lenses you can only use the electronic shutter, which leads to some horrible rolling-shutter effects. Have you tried the GX9 with any non-electronic fully manual lenses at all, and if so could you tell me if the mechanical shutter is enabled? Thanks!
Hi David thank you. I have not used a gx800 myself but it sounds a bit weird you can only use electronic shutter with non native lens. Is it the same if you mount a native m43 lens onto the camera? I will test it with the GX9 and let you know a bit later today (it's 3am here in NZ)
Native lenses with electronic connection are fine: I think it's just a firmware oversight / bug that mechanical shutter simply doesn't work with non-electronic lenses (I use an old adapted 1970s Zeiss quite a lot). No matter how much you fiddle with any menu settings, mechanical shutter is simply disabled, full stop. I'm just wondering if the oversight has been carried over to the GX9. Thanks in advance and get some sleep :-)
hey David, i've just tested the gx9. It can fire with the mechanical shutter when using adaptor (or no native lens attached). Now I just remember, is the GX800's mechnical shutter has a very slow maximum limit something like 1/500s? So if you are in a dark room, have a native lens attached and shoot a photo, it would be using the mechanical shutter. Then if you detach the lens (don't even need to attach your manual focus lens), and it will only fire with the electronic shutter?
Thanks so much for testing Richard! And yes you're right that the electronic shutter is only good for a limited speed range, but the GX800 simply doesn't allow use of mechanical shutter with manual / no-lens attached: you can have a normal lens on with mechanical shutter enabled, take the lens off and the option to select mechanical is greyed out in the menu. I guess it may be a deliberate artificial limitation since it's supposed to be a low-end model. Anyway, your very kind testing means I may well pull the trigger on buying a GX9. Thanks again!
Depends on what you want to do and what lens you will use with it. The gx85 body is a bit too small for big telephoto lenses. But overall, the gx85 is a better camera
Autofocus probably very similar. But it does have 20mp sensor with no AA filter and jpg straight out of camera is also nicer. Another plus is the smaller body. But if you want to shoot a lot of video g85 is better because of it's fully articulated screen and also mic input
Photo By Richard wow, thank you for the fast answer, but also G85 doesn’t have AA filter as well I think, so just 16mp vs 20mp is the big difference, I will compare further image quality online and I will decide which one to buy, thank you! Oh, and on top of these Olympus M10 Mark III is also an option, so many choices:)
Yes g85 also doesn't have AA filter. I mentioned no AA filter because some 20mp sensor does have it. I haven't use the em10.3 much so can't comment but it is definitely one camera you should check out!
Why is what you call 'a predecessor to the Lumix GX7' so interesting? Why would anybody wait for a predecessor anyway? Maybe a typo? Imo it's more a successor of the GX85, which dropped in price significantly (in Europe anyway) since the announcement of the GX9. A GX85 (GX80 in Europe) including the 14-140mm is now only about US$ 200 more than the body only half a year ago, which makes it a real bargain. So for me that was the good news and that's why I like the GX9. 😁
hi there, yes it was a typo. I have fixed it now thanks! Re price, you always pay a bit of premium when you buy latest camera/smartphone/laptop/any electronic products really. And yes quite often it's a bargain to buy the older model.
So what do you think about this camera? Do you like what Panasonic has done or it's not really the GX9 you have been waiting for? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts about theis new camera.
For full review and more sample photos, please check out my website: goo.gl/LCN4oh
Fail
Love that they switch it back to tilt-only LCD, fully articulated flip out screens are more for the G and GH series, keep it that way. That's probably the only good thing, the rest is not much of an upgrade
I have been waiting for a substantial upgrade of the GX80/85. This is not the one.
I like the camera a lot and enjoy using it: the only thing I don't understand is why I can't set the rear contro wheel for doing something when in aperture control setting: I'd like to use it for ISO control on the fly, but this controls defy the reason for adding a separate exposure comp wheel.
Hi Richard . Would recommend this camera over sony a6100? I consider using it for non proffesional landscape photography. Thanks in advance and have a lot of fun with your gears.
Your reviews are constantly getting better and better @Richard. I can concretely say you've went from virtually unknown reviewer to probably a Top 5 reviewer in the world. Well done sir.
Wow thanks for your kind comments. I think I still got a lot to learn and so many things to improve but it's good to hear some positive feedback :)
Late to the party, but I like it, even if I felt let down when it released. Had the GX7 and GX8 before it. As of now, I still wish they would have made it weather restistant, other than that it is very nice machine, and it holds it own. Using the OEM handgrip when running larger lenses and it makes a large difference in handling. I actually prefer it over the G9 and the G90. It is, even with the handgrip, unobtrusive and carries easily.
Good review. Succinct, moves right along, gives me the reviewer's opinions, and covers the important points. Good job.
Thank you Mike. Glad you like my approach to reviews :)
A spot on review in my view at least! Thank you Richard.
Thank you Andrew!
Love it.. 1 year, 22k images... Amazing for street and architecture. Nice review!
Paul, glad to hear you loving your camera! Go shoot more and enjoy it!!
Excellent comments! Even if it is a rather a static image, your comments are lively, witch contribute to keep viewers' focussing all the way to the end! Thanks!
Claude Fréchette, thank you! I will definitely try to keep improving my video :)
Bravo, excellent review. Very detailed and very well done. I enjoyed all you points and information. Good Job!
Thanks for the comment!! Glad you like the review Joel
Nice video. Totally agree about the 15mm 1.7, amazing lens.
Thank you for watching Dan!
Excellent review. I have both the GX85 and GX8 and I like both cameras but I do enjoy shooting with the GX85 a little more because of its size. I will buy the GX9 and probably give the GX85 to my grand daughter who is now shooting with my old GX7. I started with the GF1 and have really enjoyed shooting with the Panasonic rangefinder style cameras. My favorite lens is the PL 15mm.
Thank you! I started with a GF1 too! Technically it was quite immature camera but I do really enjoy shooting with it and it was a breakthrough back then. And yes I love the PL 15mm. Awesome lens, compact size, great build quality. Fits a camera like the GX9 perfectly.
p.s. You have a lucky granddaughter
Perfect for me. Full time travelling. 18,355 images taken in 8 months.. Street, Architectural, People.. Travel. Love it!
Paul you surely making good use of your camera!
Really good well balanced review. The Gx9 looks to be a winner.
Thank you Hagen! Glad to hear you find the review well balanced
Would you recommend this for street photography over Fujifilm X100T?
Autofocus is quite a bit faster than the Fuji from memory but biggest advantage is you can use different lenses. Fuji does have a better viewfinder
@@TheRealRichardWong I wanna film when traveling but the biggest thing is that I want good quality sharp images so I am confused what to get my budget is 650usd :)
Both would give you nice and sharp images. If you not planning to ever buy more lenses and only shoot photos, get the x100t. Otherwise I think the Panasonic is good for video and can get different lenses
@@TheRealRichardWong ohh I see thank you so much, Richard! I wish you an amazing day! :)
You too!!
bought a billingham digital bag to go with my 9mm and 15mm Leica lenses and its a perfect fit
Great review and photos btw!
Thank you so much Leica Dad! :)
I appreciate your detailed report and review. You did a great job. I like you comparisons to the older models. :)
Thank You
Thank you very much joel!!
Looks sweet! Got a GX80 and love the size.
Thanks for a superb review and video.
I have used my GF1 since 2009, bought a "new one" in 2018 (got two now).
Love my GX7 but will que up for the GX)
you really like the GF1! And how can you buy a new one in 2018!??? I had a GF1 before too and bought the EVF as well.
Found it on a photography site. Not a scratch with box included.
Awesome!
I’ve been using my GX9 for about two years for Street Photography now wouldn’t swap it for anything else ….I keep it permanently bin the M Monochrome L mode …with fantastic results…especially from my LUMIX/LEICA lenses.
It really is a nice easy to carry camera
Stunning camera. I own it and enjoy
Gh-3 (2012) has a similar door over the card slot.It's wonderful
magnus pym oh really. I didn't know that. Thanks for the info!!!
It’s my first Panasonic camera. I normally use Olympus and Sony. It’s a really enjoyable camera to use and I am very impressed. The only two things I would like improved are a better EVF and possibly weather sealing, though the latter would just be some icing on the cake for me.
Enjoy!!
Excellent review, articulated with knowledge and passion.
Thank goodness Panasonic got rid of the daft, obtrusive and conspicuous flip out screen. I got this camera last week and it is brilliant.
Thank you.
Hi David. Thank you for watching it and enjoy the camera!! It's really a nice photographer's camera
Good educational video. I just purchased a GX9 and the info you gave can helped me a lot. I'm big into travel and street photography. The only problem I have with this camera is it's not weather resistance. Pity , that in my experience is a bit of a down side .
hi Rascal, thank you! The GX9 is definitely great for travel and street. Yes i wish it is weather sealed but if it's only a few drops of rain then it should be able to handle that i think? Anyway enjoy your camera!
bought on recently for travel and i love it
one
Enjoy!
Richard thank you for this review.
I have the GX85 and just purchased a GX9 as a 2nd body. So far I can’t see much of a difference. The GX85 has a 16mp sensor vs the 20mp GX9 sensor. I don’t crop so no image improvement.
The viewfinder is adequate. Not as good as the G9. The GX9 is a smaller and lighter body so we get the GX85 EVF. When trading down is size something has got to give. The EVF is one of those things.
It is of course too late but I am looking at the GX8. I wonder if I made a mistake purchasing the GX9. I’d have liked the audio jack input. Makes no sense to me why Panasonic has small bodies with good video capabilities but crippled this body without the audio jack.Shame on Panasonic. Weather sealing would have been Nick but isn’t critical.
I am glad the P12-60 lens came with my GX9 body. I have the PL15mm lens and it has lived on the GX85. The PL12-60 lens may be too large and heavy for the GX9 which is why it lives on the G9. I LOVE the L monochrome D setting. Very contrasty. Crushes the blacks. I like this setting more than Fuji’s Across with red filter.
The Panasonic GX9 and the PL15mm lens seems like a great street photography combination. Can’t wait to use it.
Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
Enjoy your gx9. Agree this with the PL15 is a great combo!
Nice, I think I'll get one once it arrives.
8:52 what lens used for this photo? I always wonder how to shoot this kind of bokeh in far away style(not sure what’s the name) and people say you must use Full Frame and fast aperture lens and tele price lens
That was shot with the 42.5mm f/1.2 Nocticron. It is definitely possible to blur the background and create background separation when shooting with micro four thirds cameras, but you do need a fast aperture lens
Shame they didn't go back to the thicker and more curvy grip of the GX7. I found that much more comfortable than the thin one on the GX85/9.
Hi Richard. Nice overview. You're very lucky to get to play with all these new toys before they hit the shelves! Love the new l monochrome d profile and grain effects. Do you think there will be a firmware update to add these features to the G9 (which I own)? I loved this similar feature on the Pen f.
Thanks yodasafro. Honestly I have no idea if Panasonic will add those to the G9. I guess we will all have to wait and see. But the G9 is such an awesome camera regardless, I would want to get one for myself as well. Need to save up :(
As a GX1 and GX7 owner, This is my dream came true :)
Yes I think you should like it
Hello Richard, thanks for this useful video. I would like to know whether we can use an external mic using the USB or HDMI port?
Hi Hussein, not that I'm aware of. You might just record it seperately then sync the audio during postprocessing?
@@TheRealRichardWong Oh! okay thanks for your quick answer, I follow your channel and I learn so much from your camera review videos, thank you very much Richard, and keep doing the videos
Thank you so much :)
Great review! I'm relatively new to M43 cameras, and I love my GM5, mainly because it's small, it has a viewfinder, and it has a hot shoe. However, it does not have a tiltable screen or that cool B&W feature you talked about. I suspect the GX9 also has focus stacking, which I would like for macro. Anyway, it's tempting! It's just the size thing...it's still a little big! Thank you for the excellent review!
glad you like the review. the GM5 is a TINY camera.. i really love how small that camera is as well.
@@TheRealRichardWong It fits in a pocket, so it's very stealthy, which I love. But, the GX9 has some features I think I need (movable EVF, focus stacking, monochrome D). I like to do macro photography as well as B&W, so those features are appealing!
Thanks for the nice review. And you are completely right, I did not replace my GX7 (which I love 😉) with the GX8 because it is too big. The real advantage of m43 is the smaller size of cameras an lenses. I am planning to replace my GX7 now an it will definitely be the GX9. Would have loved to get a better viewfinder, mic input and weather sealing but I can live with these tradeoffs for a rangefinder Style camera. Really appreciate the additional grip to have a small set with my 15mm Leica (and you are right, the combo looks perfect) and have the grip for my 100-400 Leica lens. I am a big fan of the silver version but it seems that it will not be available in Germany. But in your video the black one also looks very nice.
Hope it does not take to long to get my copy.
Harald
Harald, yes a lot of GX7 users don't like the larger GX8 so I think you'll like the GX9. I also feel ok with most of the "missing features" but would like to have a bigger EVF. Having said that, the GX9 EVF feels slightly better than the one on GX7
Nice review as always! But I will keep my GX80 for now.
Thank you very much Tea Jay.
Hi Richard..
How is GX9's JPEG compared to GX85?
Is it noticably different between new 20mp sensor and 16mp?
I have GX85 and am thinking of whether to upgrade or not..
Thank you v m..
Hi Ekasak, I can only say I was wow-ed by GX9's JPG and didn't feel the same when I was reviewing the GX85. But I have not done any side by side JPG comparison so can't really say for sure how much difference are there.
GX9's 20MP does give you a bit more resolution but otherwise I feel ISO/dynamic range..etc are very similar.
Panasonic would probably hate me saying this but I say if you already have a GX85, save your money and don't upgrade to GX9 unless you really want the tilt-able EVF, or the exposure compensation dial :)
Should I wait for LX200 instead since it is more like a real photography focus camera with those manual dials
Wait for my LX200 review next week.. haha okay only kidding. Do you want the ability to change lens? If not, then yeah maybe wait for the LX200. But I have no idea when it will be announced/released (or even if there will be one)
Photo By Richard ok understood 😉😉😉
I’m more of a hobbyist and I like to shoot anywhere, when I see something I just took it and shoot(this is what I always do with my phone), and I want to learn photography with it too, the “retro” manual dial on the LX100 and X100F are really interesting and you don’t have to look at the screen to change setting with the small dial on most camera
Hi Richard - what have you used to black out the "Lumix" name - makes it look super stealth & mean love it :-))) Rich
Haha richard, it was just a black electric tape from memory.
Thanks for the review.
I would like to ask if you have any idea if GX85 and GX9 have the same version of Venus Engine or not?. Im camera brochure collector but cant find any confirm information on both camera brochure
I am not 100% sure but my guess is yes because the gx9 is not using the same processor as Gh5/g9 and using one lower
I just saw the rumor last night! I love the GX8 with the flip out screen, but looks like it’s not on the GX9 anymore.
wow you are fast! I think I only just published the video like 30 seconds ago LOL. No, it's back to the tilt-able screen and purely designed for street photography
Photo By Richard that’s because I just reply to a comment about the GX85 by saying if they heard of the GX9 rumor yet, then I saw the notification of the GX9 review from your channel! 😂
The EVF has 2.7million dots. Is it the same one used in GX85, GX7? Also does it have 30min limit for video?
Puts it in perspective, meaner leaner. Might be nice, but maybe adjusting to idea of having 2 cameras to do both type photo opps well, street and sports/wildlife. Not so much pressure of one camera that does its style well. Adjusts what lenses to get too.
What about G9 ;)
Yay. After the GX7 I had buyers remorse with the GX8. I hated the larger size, the articulated screen and especially the shutter shock. It put me off street photography and I basically shot studio and environmental portraits only, mainly on my GH5. When I get some cash, I'll grab the GX9. I don't see a New Zealand price or release date. Can you help out there?
Hi Simianinc, I was told the NZ retail price should be around $1400 for the body and release date is March so not that far away.
Do you love street photography as well? Check out my latest video in which I did a bit of street photography using the GX9
I bought this camera and love it best camera for street photography and for traveling
Can you do a XE3 vs GX9 video? which has bigger viewfinder? which shooting experiences better?
Will see if I have a chance to do that :)
As always I enjoyed the video... like you, I think I would have preferred the gx8 body with the sensor upgrade, more refined features and change to the rear LCD. Then it's perfect!
Thank you RdotJON Creations!
Thanks
thanks for watching :)
You might try the DMC EC5 eye cup. It's larger - blocks out light by covering more of ones eye.
Thanks for the suggestion Ray!!
hey man you make the best lumix reviews tell me which grip is betters between the GX7 and GX9
Thanks!! I think gx9 grip is better
It looks like a very good camera for me , but i wish it was available without a lens, or with some other lens choices. With a small prime it would seem more attractive to me. Hope they decide to offer it minus the lens in the US.
Oh yes body only would make perfect sense
People keep saying that the viewfinder is smaller than the GX8. Fine. But how is the EVF size compared to the GX7/ GX80/85? Stats on DPreview indicate it should be far bigger. GX85 is 0.7(0.35 equiv) and the GX9 is 1.39 (0.7 equiv). Can you confirm whether these stats are correct? Edit: Its looks like the stat for the GX85 is wrong. Its actually 1.39× (0.7× 35mm equiv.) On paper thats the same as the GX9 but the reality is that its 16:9 ratio so when shooting 4:3 stills it is effectively 0.57x equiv.
Yes it's same size as gx7/gx85. And yes it's 16:9 panel so you get the biggest display only when shooting in 16:9 mode. You remind me that I have actually shot some video clips about that but forgot to add it into this review :(
I think it is a very attractive little camera. If only it had a mic in!!!
As far as the discussion and disappointment with regards to the GX8 is concerned - it is NOT a GX8 successor. It has nothing to do with that camera. It is the GX7 Mark III, and that is what it is officially named in Japan.
On the other hand, it's Panasonic's own fault if they can't establish proper name conventions or are blatantly trying to trick people into believing that this is a GX8 successor.
What happens is, they either do believe it and are disappointed by the GX9, or they don't believe it and are upset about their marketing and the pricing.
I think that's why there are so many negative comments, even though it is a nice camera, like I said.
For street photography you can simply let it hang somewhere on your hip and control it from your smartphone.
Hi Fransamsterdam, thank you for all your comments and feedback!
Compare with Ricoh GR II , wich one have a faster auto focus ?
Definitely the Panasonic
Hi Richard, I'm in two minds between g9 and gx9. I'm looking to go for a more pro level on picture quality for my travel photography. I do everything from landscape to portraits and animal shots. I'm interested in making large prints without loosing quality and would probably sacrifice the more manageable size for that. Although I do love the idea of a very handy all round camera. What would be your suggestion in this case? Cheers, Alessandra
If you don't mind the bigger size, go for the G9, it has more pro features and the better processor...etc, also much better electronic viewfinder as well and some other support like tethering which the GX9 doesn't have
after waiting a while for the gx9, I am disappointed by this upgrade, I'll keep my gx8. when comparing the gripes I had about the gx8, I can live with those in that body than upgrade to the gx9. I cant see myself engaging in a comfortable shooting experience with this body
Would this be a good first camera for beginners? Is it worth it as a long term investment from a beginners standpoint? :/
yes I think it is good for beginner as it has good auto mode and touch screen interface.
And when you advance, you can switch to manual or semi-manual mode
Photo By Richard How would you compare it to the g85? Is the megapixel difference noticeable? As a stills and video camera, which one would be a better investment. Thanks for your input :)
Thanks for good review.. I will buy one..
hello! What power bank can I charge gx9? Can I use power bank output 3 A?
I believe most normal power bank would work
Thanks for the nice review. Can you do a comparison video of the GX9 VS GX85 and Leica CL? I’m currently using the cl for shooting street and very impressed, the downside of the system is the lens selection it also lacks the tilting screen of the Panasonic’s or the tiltable evf of tl2 . I’m tempted to give m43 another try( used to have the pen f with whole lot of lens, sold then all for the M240). The gx9 should be my first choice but the price of gx85 is so so low now, so my question is if the new 20mp sensor worth the cost over the 16mp one and how does it compare against the wonderful cl sensor ? Btw love your CL review, best on TH-cam imo. Thanks.
Hi there, thanks for the comments and glad you like my gx9 and CL reviews :). Re gx85 vs gx9,. Gx85 is the better buy because it's price has reduced a lot since launch while gx9 will likely remain at the launch price for quite a while. But gx9 has the tiltable evf, exposure compensation dial and new UI design, if you are jpg shooter the new jpg improvements are quite nice and better build quality and of course the 20mp sensor (which to me isn't the most attractive improvment in this list). So I think it's up to you if you want the better camera or better value for money camera
Thanks for the reply man. Still a tough decision, I’ll see whether the gx9 will be available in Hong Kong in the next week or two, if not I think I’ll pick up the gx85 and wait for a price drop for the gx9 .
The camera will be available in March so it might be available in the next week or two.
Hi Richard! I enjoy your videos but I also checked your website for the review on this camera. You updated the review and said it has a better build than the gx85? What specifically is better? Thanks so much!
Hi Kim, the slightly bigger body feel more solid and overall just feel less plasticky in comparison.
@@TheRealRichardWong alright thank you richard!
It's not a bad camera at all, but man the price range is wrong, it's just an updated gx80 not a real gx8 upgrade
yes it is. Actually, the GX80 (also GX85) japanese name is "GX7 mark II" and the GX9 is the "GX7 mark III"
To avoid the confusion, I also do not know why Panasonic decided not to use the Japanese naming system for their other markets.
Is the face detect as good as on the G9?
G9 will the latest firmware should be better
Great review! I think this camera might be the ONE. There can be only one. I will need to record some external audio from time to time, but the other 364 days per year this looks like it will do it all with simplicity. Like.
Yes, the main thing about this camera is simplicity. They have removed most of the features people don't need for a street camera to deliver a simple camera that the photographer can connect/bond to.
If you need to shoot a lot of video, weather proof...etc, the G9 or even the G85 would be the better choice.
Well....I keep going back and forth from this to the Fuji x´t20. I relly like Fuji color and the bigger sensor, but I find the Fuji a bit ugly and this Lumix is a beauty. I find the design inspiring and I like that it is not so retro. I would have to give up the idea of having a easy mic hookup but I think it is probably more important to have a camera that I love rather than one that is just ok.
Hi Eric, definitely agree. I have bought a few cameras in the past that is technically excellent but end up not using them much at all. On the other hand, I really enjoy using some cameras even they have a lot of shortcomings. Follow your heart and enjoy photography :)
Well Richard I bought it for full price and then returned it. It felt too light in the hand to me.
Perhaps a little cheap or hollow. Definitely not in the same league as my Fuji x100t. But since the new lx100mk2 came out without a tilt screen and nothing else has this feature set, I am thinking about getting one again and trying it out more calmly. There is a nice used one for sale in my neighborhood for only 615 euros! A lot less than what I paid earlier this year. I am so confused.....deep breaths....
If you find a 2nd hand one at good price, why not? You won't lose much money even if you still don't like it :)
Is it full metal build?
Since it’s tilt lcd why not make it all the way tilt 180° so you can vlog or selfie
A screen that can tilt down 180 degree is not the best design for street photography. Panasonic has lots of other cameras more suitable for selfie/vlogging.
Photo By Richard I mean it can do 90 up and 45 down too but you can lift it all the way up to 180°, 3 ways tilt LCD, so it can replace the swipe out 360° lcd
But how do you implement this kind of tilt screen that allows you to tilt up 180 degree with the EVF and current LVF, focus lever, flash button..etc still in the current place? To allow tilt up 180 degree, the top of the LCD screen has to be flush with the top of the top plate which is not possible with the current design which has EVF and other controls there.
hey man I watch your reviews like your style no edited photos is the best info you can give hey man this camera with the G 14mm lens what do you think
Hi Kido, thank you! And thank you for the suggestion. I will add that to my list and see if there is a chance
@@TheRealRichardWong I wonder if you have a review of the GX8 I watched many of them but any of them convinced me man if do one please display your samples unedited like you always do thanks
@@kidotatsuhiko5885 Sorry I haven't got one. Some of my reviews I share my edited photo and some I share unedited photos.
@@TheRealRichardWong dont you think is it better to share unedited photos man my budget is for the GX85 I wonder if the photos it takes are similar to the GX9 I liked the unedited photos you displayed in this review
@@kidotatsuhiko5885 some people shoot JPGs so they like to see unedited jpg. But for raw shooters, unedited jpg means nothing to them, they are more interested to see what you can extract from the raw file (dynamic range, high iso) which is usually a lot better than camera generated JPG.
Great review! Seems it time for upgrade my GX7, as rubber parts on it wear out to bare metal...
Thanks and wow wear out to bare metal! You really deserve an upgrade. I love well used cameras!
I think rubber on GX7 a bit soft, and because of this it wear out fast. I almost lost eye piece and have hole under index finger.
But yes, I have camera always with me and choose it for size and capabilities, so I always can put it to pocket or on shoulder.
Great review. I'm currently using G85 but i'm not happy with jpeg color out of the camera. Just wondering if you can make a comparison video between G85 and GX9 photo styles?
Hello wisarut, thank you for the suggestion, I will see if I have a chance to do that :)
Silver color?
nice review, thx for that
but i need to say that i am totally disappointed, no weather sealing and that viewfinder downgrade, just really wonder who they listen to, yeah what a shame
Is the grip as good on the GX9 in your hands as GX7 to hold?
The GX7 one is marginally deeper and better. But I would say both are quite small grip and both aren't good if you using it with a large lens
Do you know why they didn't include the G9 stabilization?
My understanding is the small body doesn't leave enough physical space to implement the dual I.S. 2 system
is the body metal or plastic? will the paint tear off?
Hi NETVO TV, it has a metal Body. Paint tear off? do you mean wear off? I didn't have any paint issue when reviewing the camera. But any camera's paint will wear off eventually after heavy use. no matter it's a Nikon D5, Leica M10 or Canon 1DX Mk2
I’ll wait for the GX10.
Even though I'm disappointed in this camera, I do appreciate your review.
Thank you Tin Jos for your support!
Am waiting for lx100 mark ii its the best i think
It sounds like a great camera..My favorite street shooter though is m little Olympus EPM2 with the Panasonic pancake 20mm lens...It has t's limitations ..but very small and quite awesome..and I can't see replacing it..
Theres no doubt about it @Richard Panasonic is back on top with attention to detail. Olympus needs to take notes. ;)
It seems there are a lot of negative comments about this camera. I find it perfectly fine for me, thus, I bought one recently. We need to look at it purely whether it is suitable for a particular person. If it is not what you want, just move on and buy the Lumix G9 or the Olympus EM1 Mk2 or even a Sony.
Back again!!! Should read "gueing up for the GX9"
I believe you live in Auckland. Looks so familiar!
Yeah I live in Auckland :)
I was waiting for this before I brought the G9 but I'm glad I didn't wait, I'm sticking with my GX80 as my street camera. What do you think when you compare the GX80 to the GX9?
The GX80/85 is a very nice camera, great for street/everyday use. I would probably also stick with the GX80 as well especially if I already bought a G9. But compare the GX80 to the GX9, there are a few things that makes me prefer the GX9 more.
1. Exposure compensation dial. I use it a lot and i also like that it can be used in manual mode with auto ISO on (something I complained to Panasonic when they release the GX8)
2. Tilt-able EVF. It's a shame the EVF is small but tiltable EVF is very useful and unique features for the GX flagship.
3. The dedicated focus lever switch. I can quickly switch between the focus mode without having to go into the menus.
4. The slightly bigger and better build quality. It's not obvious at first. But after I played with both side by side at Panasonic, the GX80 does feel a lot more plastic/entry level camera.
5. The new L. monochrome D mode, grain effect, very nice JPG. Ok it doesn't matter much if you are a RAW shooter. But I'm usually a RAW shooter as well and end up shooting JPG on the GX9 as I find the JPGs (both colour and b&w) look really nice straight out of camera.
6. 20MP sensor with no LPF. A bit more resolution is always nice. Having said that it's not most important thing to me so I put it quite low on the list.
Photo By Richard thanks for the info, not having the autofocus manual switch is annoying on the gx80 but now I have the 15mm Panasonic which has manual switch on the lens which is handy.
The EVF size they seriously needs to upgrade as this would have pushed me more towards the GX9, one other very annoying thing which I've been tempted to make a grip for is my GX80, The tripod mount is so close to the lens is that when using older bigger lens it hits my tripod plate. Is this the case with the GX9
i can find gx7mk2 (gx85) as cheap as 400usd (lenskit) in Japan, i think thats the best cost performance (on par.with down priced lx100 around 380usd) , so adding 20mb sensor with this price didnt surprise me either, gx7mk2 is good enough. Do u know what they call gx9 in Japan? gx7mk3.. its not a true successor of gx8...
Can you tell me something about the GX9: If you lock the exposure with the AE/AL button (when it is set only to lock exposure), does the exposure stay locked if you use the touch focus? With the GX80 it doesn't and it really is annoying. Thanks!
hi Salimah, sorry I don't have the camera with me so can't test this for you. However, i just found something from the GX9 user manual, that kind of suggest there are some settings you can change (at least on the GX9 but potentially on GX80?) so it doesn't do metering when you use touch AF?. It's Page 107 in the GX9 Operation Instructions for advance features manual.
Great job Richard, very in depth. It looks like a great camera but I'm disappointed about the direction Panasonic is taking. This is basically a GX85 replacement and a higher introductory price.
Gx9 or Lx100 Ii
Depends if you need interchange lens :)
6 years on, still one of the best for street. A best MFT street camera.
Thanks for this review.
I quite like the camera. Interesting pricepoint, simple but elegant design.
The camera isn't weathersealed but with the lenses i would use on this camera (p 15mm 1.7, oly 12mm 2.0) it would make no big difference.
It's interesting a lot of people are complaining about the GX9 isn't weatherproof which makes it not suitable for street photography? But the fact is the most popular street photography cameras are mostly not weatherproof as well. Leica Q, Leica M10, Contax T3, Fujifilm X100 series, Ricoh GR series..etc none of them are weatherproof. And yes a lot of popular m43 "street" lenses aren't weather proof as well
I understand that gx8 users are a bit frustrated. Panasonic is a little inconsistant with his camera series, but for me, also using a g9 body, this camera is an opportunity.
yes. If I'm a GX8 owner and looking for a camera to upgrade to, frankly I would be disappointed by the GX9 as Panasonic has shifted it down a bit from one of the system's flagship model to I would say mid-high model. But if you ignore GX8, GX9 is quite similar to the GX7 and that is what Panasonic has been telling us (at least to me many many times since I first pick up the camera). Personally I think the GX9 will do quite well, much better than the GX8 but let's see if I got it right or wrong this time :)
GX9 same color science or better than G9??
can't say for sure as I stupidly didn't do any side by side JPG test!
This is quite a nice camera but that GX80's EVF killed it for me !
oh well, i also really wish it has a bigger EVF. Would be amazing if it has the G9 EVF isn't it?
I think this is the first time I see a company releasing a product with WORST features than its predecessor ! GX8 EVF was OLED (with nice deep contrast) HUGE and amazing ! So confortable to shoot with this EVF. Now the GX9, which is supposed to replace the GX8, has a field sequential LCD EVF with color tearing effect, less magnification and actual resolution. Like, WTH Panasonic ? Also they didn't even care implementing Dual I.S.2 found in the Panasonic G8 and which delivers way better stabilization with compatible lenses. It seems like Panasonic R&D department went really cheap on this camera.
I really like the natural "Hi!" at the start of this, far better than the recent "Kia ora" ones you've been doing ;-) Also, question, how big of a sample size did you use for your IS test graphs per column? Interesting data - thanks for that :-)
Thanks for the feedback fredio54.
RE the IS test.. it depends on how much time i have.. but usually it's at least 10 photos per setting ( so approx 200 total sample photos or so ) up to 20-30 photos per setting if i have enough time (so approx total 400-600 sample photos)
@@TheRealRichardWong Awesome. I figured at least 10 looking at the graph. Great data and really helps to visualise the improvements that are uncannily present and noticeable :-)
Wish it was available with body only in USA!
Oh I am not aware it isn't. That's not good for people wanting to upgrade
I must be in the minority, I love my GX8. This camera seems to give me no reason to upgrade. I was looking for a G9 in a rangefinder body with the flip up EVF. I wanted the better IBIS, better autofocus, and no AA. What does this give me.... mmm no AA, and took away a lot of the other features the GX8 has. On the GX8 when I want the screen just flipped up, I use the EVF, when I need the fully articulating, I have that as well. The problem with a flip up screen is what do you do when you shoot portrait orientation? The GX8 has that covered. This camera looks more like the GX85 with a better sensor. It better not sell for what the GX8 sold for or it is a real dud. No mic input, really? No weather sealing? No real IBIS improvement. Why they thought we wanted a street camera only I don’t know. If I was looking for that, I think I would go with the new Olympus Pen E-PL9.
Nice video :)
Thank you!
Great review Richard, thank you -- subbed! I have rather a specific question: on my little GX800, when using my old fully manual lenses you can only use the electronic shutter, which leads to some horrible rolling-shutter effects. Have you tried the GX9 with any non-electronic fully manual lenses at all, and if so could you tell me if the mechanical shutter is enabled? Thanks!
Hi David thank you. I have not used a gx800 myself but it sounds a bit weird you can only use electronic shutter with non native lens. Is it the same if you mount a native m43 lens onto the camera? I will test it with the GX9 and let you know a bit later today (it's 3am here in NZ)
Native lenses with electronic connection are fine: I think it's just a firmware oversight / bug that mechanical shutter simply doesn't work with non-electronic lenses (I use an old adapted 1970s Zeiss quite a lot). No matter how much you fiddle with any menu settings, mechanical shutter is simply disabled, full stop. I'm just wondering if the oversight has been carried over to the GX9. Thanks in advance and get some sleep :-)
hey David, i've just tested the gx9. It can fire with the mechanical shutter when using adaptor (or no native lens attached). Now I just remember, is the GX800's mechnical shutter has a very slow maximum limit something like 1/500s? So if you are in a dark room, have a native lens attached and shoot a photo, it would be using the mechanical shutter. Then if you detach the lens (don't even need to attach your manual focus lens), and it will only fire with the electronic shutter?
Thanks so much for testing Richard! And yes you're right that the electronic shutter is only good for a limited speed range, but the GX800 simply doesn't allow use of mechanical shutter with manual / no-lens attached: you can have a normal lens on with mechanical shutter enabled, take the lens off and the option to select mechanical is greyed out in the menu. I guess it may be a deliberate artificial limitation since it's supposed to be a low-end model. Anyway, your very kind testing means I may well pull the trigger on buying a GX9. Thanks again!
Good review. I'm very satisfied with my GX8 so I can't see a reason to go to the GX9. The GX8 is a good backup for my Leica M240.
Gx85 or g7 which is best cam? plz
Depends on what you want to do and what lens you will use with it. The gx85 body is a bit too small for big telephoto lenses. But overall, the gx85 is a better camera
Gx85 best for photography?
Yes. Probably, unless you planning to use some of the biggest telephoto lenses
G85 is exactly the same price, do you think that GX9 has better video autofocus and Image Quality than G85? It’s a big dilemma for me. Thank you!
Autofocus probably very similar. But it does have 20mp sensor with no AA filter and jpg straight out of camera is also nicer. Another plus is the smaller body. But if you want to shoot a lot of video g85 is better because of it's fully articulated screen and also mic input
Photo By Richard wow, thank you for the fast answer, but also G85 doesn’t have AA filter as well I think, so just 16mp vs 20mp is the big difference, I will compare further image quality online and I will decide which one to buy, thank you! Oh, and on top of these Olympus M10 Mark III is also an option, so many choices:)
Yes g85 also doesn't have AA filter. I mentioned no AA filter because some 20mp sensor does have it. I haven't use the em10.3 much so can't comment but it is definitely one camera you should check out!
Why is what you call 'a predecessor to the Lumix GX7' so interesting? Why would anybody wait for a predecessor anyway? Maybe a typo?
Imo it's more a successor of the GX85, which dropped in price significantly (in Europe anyway) since the announcement of the GX9.
A GX85 (GX80 in Europe) including the 14-140mm is now only about US$ 200 more than the body only half a year ago, which makes it a real bargain.
So for me that was the good news and that's why I like the GX9. 😁
hi there, yes it was a typo. I have fixed it now thanks!
Re price, you always pay a bit of premium when you buy latest camera/smartphone/laptop/any electronic products really. And yes quite often it's a bargain to buy the older model.
Why even have a door on the ports when the camera has NO WEATHER SEALING?!