Panasonic G9II Review for Wildlife Photography
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 มิ.ย. 2024
- The G9II contains some HUGE upgrades for Panasonic in the wildlife photography realm including 60fps RAW pre-burst and their new hybrid AF animal eye detection autofocus. In this video, I'm talking about the G9II, what I like about it... and what I'm not a huge fan of.
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Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
0:39 - Image Stabilization
2:05 - Video Specs
2:32 - Video Overheating
3:08 - RAW 60FPS AF-C Pre-Burst
4:17 - RAW Photo Buffer
4:32 - Build Quality/Ergonomics
5:34 - Autofocus
8:34 - Low Light Capabilities/Dynamic Range Boost
10:16 - High Res Handheld
10:31 - Who Is This Camera For?
#wildlifephotography #birdphotography #panasonicg9ii
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I've been watching TH-cam video's on photography and filming for many years, most of the renown established authors and teams, and this now is the first channel I have subscribed to. Due to the noble speaking manner of the creator. It's the first time I've heard the phrase "I'll be honored" in a very very long time...
Another merit of your content is your clear, concise to-the-point style, yet flowing smoothly and lively with enough illustrative examples from the real world. Keep up your good work, Jeremy!
Thank you so much! Those words are very encouraging to me and thank you for sharing them! I’m honored to have you subscribed to the channel 🙌🏻
Try DxO Pure RAW 3 denoising. I was blown away! If youhave enough computational power it basically renders lowlight shadows nois a thing of a past.
When G9 ii was announced, i know which youtuber im heading to for wildlife review 😎
regarding the noisy high ISO, i wonder how the quality will turn out if i use topaz denoise ai
😎
Topaz AI definitely helps but still doesn't eliminate it enough in my opinion when you get up towards that 6400 and above like I was talking about. But this is when it's blown up to a 27 inch monitor for viewing, so as always, it depends on your typical viewing size.
I use DXO and find that very good.
Although I never go above 6400.
There is a compromise but great reach with a lighter lens is why I like M43.
I was going for a full frame nikon set up but in the end I decided I wouldn't go out as often or be able to walk as far carrying it.
If I just went to certain locations like a bird sanctuary near a car park then full frame would have been worth the investment.
Superb review! I covers all the points I need covered. As an amateur bird photographer, the primary need is to take identifiable bird photos in a variety of conditions. Taking bird photos of warblers in trees and shrubs can be very challenging, and the new autofocus should be a change.
Glad you found it valuable! :)
Excellent review covering all the key points succinctly and frankly. Well done!
Glad it was helpful! 🙌🏻
Will sit and wait for g9iii
It's been really great watching your channel evolve over the last 2 years mate. It's so awesome to see a young rookie follow their dream, gets me so hyped!
I'm also really glad to see you incorporate eye AF in your toolkit now that even Panasonic has gotten it down. Let's also appreciate how game changing this is for them, this is such great news for all of us to finally have a new competitor in the market in that regard. Its such an amazing time to be a wildlife photographer these days!
I know you started on full time MF (which obviously is a million times harder, props to your dedication to the craft), and you seemed a bit reticent at first (to me) on adopting auto eye AF. So it's great to see you adapt to the new technology. Auto eye AF in my opinion still needs time to learn the ins/outs/quirks of every camera to hone it down to a method that can be reliably used, its definitely not just AF-on and let the camera do it all for you.
Ngl, I'm someone who just kinda sucked at wildlife until auto animal eye detect came in the picture and can't live without it now 😅 I just did it for fun, but bird eye AF (on R7) has propelled my photography to levels I never thought were possible for me.
So, for a while, although I've definitely always enjoyed all your knowledge/experience/expertise on wildlife photography (you definitely know your birds in and out and it has *always* showed), some your gear reviews and shooting tips/tricks that were relying heavily on your workflow which was so different than mine, just sometimes felt like they weren't really that useful/relatable for me.
This is 100% not a critic btw, it's really just my own preference and bias as yes I am super biased there lol.
Although, recently you've motivated me to use MF more and more using your tips and I'm starting to get the hang of it and incorporating it, so thanks for that!
Anyway, this was a fantastic review. I don't have anything to say about the vid itself, I think you nailed it in every way. I just wanted to take the time and say, you have what it takes to make a living out of this (not sure if you do atm), and I'm rooting for you 100%. Good luck on your journey!
Edit: actually I do have a point to add! I've been using pre-burst on my R7 a lot, and honestly it's been overall more frustration than success, although the very few keepers I've gotten with are pretty awesome and would've been super hard to get the old fashioned way.
The biggest downsides with preburst on the R7 are:
1- Rolling shutter, by a mile. It's literally like, 90% of the situations where preburst would be useful, are specifically situations where the sensor can't handle the action. By now I have a whole folder of just completely ruined and warped shots taken using preburst lol.
2- Buffer. First, it only goes 0.5 secs behind which usually is enough, but the fact that you need to wait for the buffer fully to clear before taking another shot is really what stops me from using it all the time (if not for that I probably would despite all the other downfalls of it). The trick is to only briefly press the shutter to only grab that last 0.5s, but even then, it is a bit of a "you only get one shot" type of thing. If you snap a burst and the bird does something else while buffer is clearing, you're out of luck.
3- On the R7, it is impossible to switch to it in one click, I think the minimum is 5 clicks and you have to go to a menu (custom button to the menu, then activating it, then half press shutter to go back to shooting).
For example, if a bird is on a perch, usually I'll go for a still first, get SS as low as I can at 30fps to nail at least one. Then, if I wanna switch to preburst to grab the takeoff, by those 5 clicks AND bumping up SS, often the bird can be gone by then.
4- It might just be my eyes deceiving me due to the other frustrations, but I swear it decreases image quality and dynamic range even when you do nail the shot. I believe reading about how it is only 10 bit in preburst, whereas it's 12 bit in electronic and 14 bit in mechanical. In general/other situations I can tell the difference between 10 and 12bit, but not 12 and 14bit, so maybe that explains some of it. It kinda looks more like a frame from a video than a picture taken, if that makes sense. The only keepers I've gotten with it were basically in perfect light, whereas I can get action sometimes in medium light using non pre-burst.
5- I think preburst mode in the very broad sense demands nearly perfect tracking, which it obviously never is. The R7 has great AF especially for acquisition, but it does have "stickiness" issues if you leave tracking on for more than 4-5 seconds. In regular conditions, you often need to "reset" the tracking every few seconds by depressing and pressing again to keep the subject on track. Who knows, maybe preburst would be more useful if you're a pro in MF like you and just use that instead?
6- Almost forgot but this seriously a big big issue, you can only open the bursts taken with preburst in-camera or using Canon's proprietary computer software, which is absolutely horrible to use and adds an extra step to the workflow.
Worst of all by far, there is no way to just "unwind/extract" all the bursts at once in bulk and then sort them out as you would, you have to individually select every burst individually and make a few clicks to extract all the pics. If you have like 100 bursts, this is soooo long to do one by one, and then you STILL have to comb through for keepers like you would normally. In practice this means I usually do the combing in the field, which requires extracting each raw file individually by a few clicks. But if the action is happening non-stop and I don't have time to do it immediately after every burst, I know I'll be in for a world of pain on the computer later.
With all that said, honestly preburst on the R7 can really be qualified as an afterthought, that can be brilliant in very very niche scenarios, but is a major PITA to use.
I'd be curious to see more how the whole thing works on the G9ii and if they at least fixed some of the points I mentioned here. Honestly could be fun as its own video! Now that I think about it, I think you do have a vid using it on your other body, don't you? Was that pic of the Vermillion flycatcher taken using preburst? I know you had a remote+tripod and the whole ordeal was fun to watch.
Anyway, sorry for the wall of text, just wanted to say how much I appreciate your channel and your unique/creative/original approach to the hobby you bring sometimes. Cheers!
Haha thanks for your awesome comment! Firstly, thank you for being an encouragement to me in talking about how you've seen me grow and get better over time, that's a big goal for me! :) I really appreciate getting what I can tell is thoughtful feedback from people like you that encourages me I'm on the right track in the content I provide as it's easy to get overwhelmed by the negative comments out there haha. And I am glad my MF content has inspired you to get a little better at it over time. Even though I am using AF more and more like you said, I'm still shooting MF half the time or more so I'm far from being over that skill.
And thanks for sharing your experience with the R7! I've been aware of there rolling shutter problems since it came out and am aware of how bad that can be. The G9II is pretty decent in this regard, still not near the level of the A1 or Z9 for example, but good enough in most scenarios that don't require panning movement, and when you're panning it then comes down to the speed at which you are.
In regards to those pre-burst functions on the R7, that sounds horrible to have to deal with haha. Those restrictions I can definitely see being a problem in regards to the buffer you were talking about and more so I would also find that required processing for those pre-burst shots wildly annoying. On the G9II, as you've seen the buffer is much better. Still can't keep up forever but it can get at least 200 shots in at full speed FPS, the slower you go on your FPS, the more buffer you get. In regards to the post-processing each photo is saved as it's own RAW or JPG shot that you can individually pick out the same as any other photo... so no annoyances there.
Hope that helps you understand it a bit! I'll definitely consider making a little behind-the-scenes video on the pre-burst function as that's a good idea if I can get around to it in time. Again, thanks for your encouragement and it's very appreciated :)
I felt inspired this morning for some reason and just had to pour my heart out for some reason lol. You're just super great at what you do man, period, and you seem like the nicest person ever. Ngl yeah the hate you get sometimes really gets to me and I wanted to set the record straight and tell you to keep your head up. You're invaluable to our (all things considered) very small online community and yeah, whole thing just sucks. But I sincerely just hope you're doing good and will continue to do good, ignore the haters as best you can and inspire the ones like you and me that have nothing but deep love for the hobby. Keep it up!
Great to hear it's easier to use! I just know you're the kind of guy who will find the perfect way to utilize it with that X species on that Y exact situation in mind and it's so cool to follow your thought process behind all that, just like in the flycatcher vid! I always have major respect for your grind and dedication in the field and it gets me so hyped to go out and do the same. Cheers ❤
Thank you! It seriously means a lot to me and I’m glad you acted on it 😂 I am trying to spread a positive vibe into this community always and that’s my number one goal with what I do, even beyond the art. It’s unfortunate some people don’t see life that way. I hope you’re able to stay encouraged with your photography and life as well and thanks for making a difference in my day! 🙌🏻
Best review of this camera from an actual wildlife creator. Well done!
Thank you! Honored :)
Excellent review Jeremy, very much appreciate the fact that you gave both the good and some of the challenges one needs to take into consideration when purchasing this camera. I owned the G9, along with the trifecta of lenses, including the 100-400. I loved the system, the camera setup, everything you described...but, I too experienced challenges in getting pics at low light. I decided to trade it in for Sony A7 series equipment. Thank you again for your honest and direct review!
Your welcome! Glad it was valuable. My goal is always to provide a direct and honest review 🙌🏻
Great video Jeremy
Thank you!
One thing about the pre-burst function of the G9 ii is that it doesn't work with dual gain for improving dynamic range. It also is supposed to work with any lens. I think, however, the reason behind OM Systems limiting which lenses work with the OM-1's pro-capture mode is due to the variability of lenses. Many will not be able to keep up with the necessary focus speed, stop down speed, etc. It's probably true that they could've had it work with more lenses, but they chose to limit it to be sure. I think 25fps is the fastest you can capture without the pro lenses in their list. That's not terrible, but it is only half the 50ps with C-AF advertised. While Panasonic does not limit the lenses their feature will work with, I'm left to wonder if this will cause a lot of frustration for users when their lenses can't keep up. For instance, I have the 12-40mm f/2.8 pro II and 40-150 f/2.8 pro. These both work with pro-capture and are very fast to focus. I've tried the 100-400mm, a non-pro lens, and it is like a brontosaurus trying to race a cheetah (the pro lenses). You could not rely on it to focus quickly enough to keep up with 50fps. That's anecdotal though. I'd really like for OM Systems to broaden the range of lenses they allow us to try this feature with. It really should be up to the owners. So I suppose that's a pro for Panasonic. The cheaper price point due to not using a stacked sensor is also a positive. But how does the slower readout speed, especially with more data needing to be read (25MP), when using those fast capture modes? I am left wishing the OM-1 had as big a buffer for its pro-capture modes. I'm guessing it came out a good deal before the G9 ii, so that tech wasn't as readily available, or cost effective. Flash memory isn't that expensive though. Perhaps it's a mix of that and the processing speed? I'm just musing as I listen to the video now. I'd love to try this new model from Panasonic. I used their cameras for years, owning the G7 before upgrading to the OM-1. Panasonic is why I got into M43. Yet, I'm not sure I could justify buying this now. The loss on the Olympus would be too much. Then, the improvement in IQ might not be sufficient. I'm left weighing the pros and cons. Not to mention the Sync-IS of the Oly lenses with the OM-1 being pretty amazing. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work on a Panasonic body.
Full disclosure, I work for Panasonic LUMIX. The statement that DR Boost doesn't work with Pre-Burst is not true. DR Boost works in all frame rates (including burst rates and pre burst) at frame rates up to 60fps. In photography, the only burst rate that would deactivate DR Boost is 75fps but this is also limited to AF-S autofocus. As for the lens speed keeping up with the burst rate, this is 1 area that Panasonic sticking with DFD for so long may pay off dividends, since all LUMIX M43 lenses need to be able to adjust their focus elements 240 times per second to match the sampling rate of the DFD system, all but the 20mm lenses should be able to keep up. In addition, LUMIX adds no limit for other brands of autofocus M43 lenses, as to their speed, I have no idea if they can keep up but we do allow them to try.
@@PANAFRAZER I appreciate your reply. I was going by what I'd seen or heard in reviews. I can't remember the exact one where this information was given about the DR Boost. It's good to know this isn't a limitation. I also wondered about the lenses with DFD. It might prove an advantage? I do wish OM has more lenses that could keep up as well. I'm hopeful M43 developers continue to push the envelope. It's good to have options after so many years without much new coming out, as far as cameras focused on photography. I'll continue to watch as things develop. Thanks again for the response.
@@jonathanscherer8567 I am almost certain you heard this in Richard Wongs excellent review of the G9II. It was the only error in the piece.
As for Olympus lens limitations, I cannot speak to any that prevent us from making them work with he G9II. We may rent a few of them in the USA to test and see if there are issues.
@@PANAFRAZER I am curious why dual IS doesn't work with OM lenses, as well as the other way around. I realize a company wants customers to use their lenses with their cameras, but it should be possible to negotiate the dual IS or sync IS function mixing and matching lenses and bodies. Since Panasonic and OM Systems are the only real companies creating products in this format, it would be nice if they'd work a little nicer together. It's about good will. Everyone who likes M43 is kind of like a small club. We know they're good. Also, I'd love to see Panasonic add more computational features to the G9 ii. In-camera focus stacking, ND options, and something to help with astrophotography would be very nice to have. Oh, and my most missed feature in any modern camera, the panorama mode. I used that so often in my G7. I realize it's in-camera and results in a jpeg only, but it was so nice for easy sharing. It could also save raws for the series of photos for you in case you want to process them afterward and manually stitch them together. Since you work for Panasonic, I thought I'd mention these things. My family used Panasonic for years, and I really do like the cameras. So I hope for the best for the future. I still have my G7. It's my backup.
@@PANAFRAZER I hadn't heard back but wanted to add I'd really love to see Panasonic add some astrophotography features. Star focus, star tracking, night-mode EVF compensation, things like that. It really helps when you're out in the cold on the top of a mountain trying to capture photos of the night sky. Thanks for your continued communication. I think it's great that Panasonic is engaging with the public in this way. It makes us feel like we're heard.
This provided enough info to make a decision. Well done.
Glad it was helpful!
Wow. Amazing review! I am so tempted, as I'm just getting interested in wildlife/bird photography. My priorities are good autofocus and an overall lightweight setup, so this may be a perfect solution for me. Especially since shots in low-light will probably not be a concern for me, and this is fairly budget friendly (since I'm not a professional, and this would be just a hobby). Thanks
It sounds like this indeed is a perfect fit for you! Autofocus and weight is pretty close to as ideal as you can get with this camera, and if the biggest drawback of low light isn't a concern for you it's pretty hard to beat it at the budget range :)
Great review, well done. Very interested in this camera as a replacement for an E-M5iii.
Thank you! 🙌🏻
I wonder if they will S5ii detection modes as well...
So well done! Nice overview! No perfect camera, but this ticks lots of boxes as you noted. First comment I had seen about overheating, albeit as you noted only at highest uses and 10-20 minutes largely fine for most applications.
Thank you! Just try to bring the most transparent perspective I can 🙌🏻 and I agree, unless you’re deep in long video recordings that should never be a problem
Arguably not an issue at all for wildlife (unless high outside temperatures literally inhibit it to shoot at all, that can happen with R5 for example, you can't even start recording at all if you left it in the sun sometimes) but very important to mention if you shoot anything else.
Hi Jeremy, thanks for the video and review from a wildlife perspective. I currently have a om1 but use the beautifully sharp panasonic leica 200mm f2.8 lens and the pl 100-400mm original as my main wildlife lenses. As such I'm giving serious consideration to trading the om1 for a g9ii as I also find the om1 to "jump" about with the af rather than lock on... Would you say the high iso noise is about the same? Thanks again 😊
That's awesome! Yes I would agree with a switch over if you can manage the budget. In regards to high ISO noise, I'd say this camera is just ever so slightly better than the OM1, but hardly at all and I didn't do an official side-by-side test to prove that (I have just used both).
Hi 👋 love your videos! I’m looking at lumix cameras for the great video image stabilization, I’m not a professional, just a hobbyist, I’m looking at the G9 , but now that the G9II is out , would you say that is worth getting the G9II over the G9 for photography ? Thanks for your help 🙏
I would definitely encourage the G9II over the G9! It's a very noticeable difference in a lot of ways and performs at a noticeably higher level especially for wildlife, portrait, and action. Landscape and urban you might not notice as much of a difference.
Great video! You had a point with the lenses. Did you use an olympus lens on the g9 ii? I wonder how good the image stabilisation would be
I did not get the chance to use them cross-brand unfortuantely. But the G9II body alone does have up to 8 stops of IBIS which is the maximum OM Systems can achieve on any lens+body combo. So even without lens compatibility the G9II holds up to it.
@@JeremyNeipp Thanks a lot! I am so looking forward to the G9 ii
I'd love this camera but it's a bit rich for me.
If this was two years ago and I didn't have a G9 I might have gone for it.
It seems amazing for bird photography but I do ok with what I've got atm.
Maybe when used ones start to appear.
How does it functioned with the "old" Leica 100-400 mm
So many new cameras out and I'm over here still trying to save for a modern lens. 😂 Sounds like a very capable camera but I still find myself leaning towards the OM system. I currently have the EM-1 Mark II and aside from bird eye tracking, I feel it holds up well against newer modern camera's. Though I'm sure one day I'll bite and purchase something newer.
Thanks for this amazing review! Im getting into bird and wildlife photography and can't decide between the S5ii with the Sigma 150-600 and the G9ii with the new 100-400 and maybe the 200f2.8 for bad light situations. The size and weight of the mft setup is a huge advantage and I feel like id use the camera more if it is more compact. On the other hand I want my pictures to look good no matter what... For the oft cameras there are plenty of great lenses (Oly 300f4, PL 200f2.8 and so on), but for the L-mount you basically only have the Sigma which definitely is a good sense, but also not a top of the line...
Glad it was helpful! You evaluated it pretty spot on... hard decision!
I own both the Sigma 150-600 lens, contemporary version, not sport, and also the Panasonic 100-400.
I’ve personally found that the Panasonic gives me sharper images.
Cheers!
Oh wow! Thank you so much! Really appreciate it :)
This review seemed very fair and what I expected. Basically the camera excells at everything but low light photography. The tradeoff is you can get unexpected handheld shots without a tripod, that would be nearly impossible with the weight and limited stabilization of full frame cameras and lenses.
I think the good news is noise reduction programs get better all the time, where you won't have to sacrifice nearly as much detail as in the past.
Pretty good general summary! And yea that is the positive, with time, I’m sure someday the low light won’t be an issue on MFT, but that day has yet to come
Interesting camera. Looks like a great mid range option.
100%!
Great Review!! Been Shooting with a G9 for Landscape and Scenic - keeping my D850 for Birds and Sports. Will be buying the G9II this Month. If it all works out - selling my D850!!
Thank you! Hope that works out for you! I'd expect the G9II to be the solution you're looking for to sell your D850 :)
so how was the G9II ? Since D850 was expectional camera.
A nice review of both pros and cons. Thanks.
I appreciate the reduced size, faster read out speeds, and better reach of the MFT format. But given the low light limitations, I'm also interested in knowing how MFT compares to APSC sensors, like the Canon R7, which share many of the advantages of a smaller sensor. Though clearly there's only so much ground that can be covered in one video :), opinions from any users who shoot with both would be helpful. Thanks.
Glad you found it valuable! I agree, I'd love to see a side-by-side comparison of something like the R7 vs. the G9II in regards to noise control.
@@JeremyNeipp Agreed: It would be nice to formally compare noise, dynamic range, image quality, ergonomics, etc, since APSC is the "natural" competition to MFT. I have a Canon R7, which I use with the RF100-500 for birds/wildlife. I upgraded for the animal eye tracking and IBIS, and I've no regrets, even if it "only" offers 15 fps mechanical, 30 fps electronic :)
@@wellingtoncrescent2480 Don't worry 100 - 500l is superior and many pros use it. everyone who is boasting about MFT or OM1 is either hobbiest or someone who don't want show their photos. Since it's literally impossible to find razor sharp images of om1 on the internet.
Someone probably already mentioned this, but per-burst/pro-capture has existed since the G9 and E-M1 mk ii about 5 years ago(at least, there may have been other cameras before that), however they had more limitations than the new implementations.
Sounds like an excellent camera to pair with the OM 150-400/4.5 Pro... (I currently use an Oly EM1 Mk III)
Great video. My em1-3 is getting nervous watching this..
Lol, if I had one it would be too!
I'm very happy with my S5iiX... their are times when im indoors with light and it still struggles with the lens kit, luckily the S5iiX still looks very clean with higher ISO. So, with that said if the G9ii is any worse than that in low light situations im not interested, FF for me.
At last. Have looked at the s5ii but doesn’t have a long lens. Thanks
Sigma 150-600? But it’s huge and heavy
The Sigma 60-600 or 150-600 DGDN version is compatible with the S5II, but this combo does do better in its image stabilization communication ☺️
Comparing to OM1 staked sensor, whats readout speed of this g9ii? Nice review...
It's slower obviously, but somewhere around 10-12 ms on this G9II
@@JeremyNeipp Ty for info. No rolling shutter on stills 60fps afc then?
Hi Jeremy, just been testing the G9II and I’m disappointed. I wanted this camera for slow motion birds in flight videos however bird detect AF struggles with stationary birds in 4K 60p and is non existent in 120p. Whilst recording, a yellow bird detect box appears but the bird is slightly out of focus. By half pressing the shutter while still recording the box turns green and the bird becomes sharp but tracking is then lost. Releasing the half pressed shutter and the bird goes soft again.
I owned many of the GH series and know my way around the camera but could not find a way to improve performance to the level of useable. Any thoughts would be welcome. Many thanks.
Sorry to hear that! I’m assuming you’ve already tried switching to AF-C correct? If not, that would be the obvious fix for when they are in motion. When standing still, I honestly would rather rely on AF-S if I know they will be sitting still for a second as you avoid any risk of jumping focus. Secondly, it’s a little hidden in the menu but you have to make sure to switch the AF subject detect mode to “Bird Eye” specific as it starts out as “Animal” as default. Lastly, I’d try adjusting the AF sensitivity in the menu and see if you can find the sweet spot for yourself. I hope any of that helps!
Yep, thanks. I tried all that. The only thing that was effective is the “hold on” adjustment which worked well. Unfortunately overall its a disappointment.
Oh… what’s the chance of that new animal AF coming to the S5II in a future firmware upgrade?
Not sure! But with Panasonic's good track record of firmware updates, I wouldn't be surprised at all if we get it in the coming months :)
I also do hope Panasonic will add in a firmware update the same perfect animal autofocus with animal eye detection on the S5II. I would be disappointed if not.
@@ced86210I hope. Otherwise they would be like Sony...
As I've just pre-ordered - few other questions. Is the viewfinder truly blackout free at 60fps and how long does it take for the buffer to clear 200 raw files on a v90 card. Is there stabilization and continuous autofocus in 4K 120p? Many, many thanks.
Yes, blackout free in 20fps, 60fps and 75fps. It takes close to a mintute to clear a completely full buffer. Yes, stabilization is available on all modes and in 4k120p you get AFC, but lose subject detection, so you'll have to use one area or zone AF
I’ve been testing the G9II specifically for birds in flight slow motion video.
-4K 60p places a yellow tracking box around the bird if it is fairly evident in the frame. Eye detect appears only when the bird is almost filling the frame. Whilst recording, the bird is not kept in focus. Half pressing the shutter while recording makes the focus box turn green and makes the subject sharp- however this locks the focus like S-AF and the green box won’t track the bird. Releasing a half pressed shutter causes a yellow box to find the subject again but it’s mostly never sharp. I used the Olympus M. Zuiko 40-150mm lens.
IBIS works very well on this lens but not with my 300mm f4 and 150-400mm f4.5
- Viewfinder is ok but not for critical focus like the OM1.
- Bird detect AF does an incredible job of finding and locking onto birds in bushes, however these are not my “money” shots and the same problems with yellow and green box persists.
- Battery life was a lot worse than the OM1.
I tried the OM1 with C-AF +tracking with bird detect on ducks in a pond. It outperformed the G9II shooting the same thing! I was hoping the G9II would at least be able to follow a bird in flight but it struggles with a duck on a pond.
This is a shame because I really wanted this camera for slomo 60p at least.
I’ll return it as it also has a faulty function button. Disappointed. @@Wildridefilms
Will the stabilizers of the Olympus 300 mm f4 or 10-400 mm lenses work?
Unfortunately no, that's the biggest downside of using Panasonic and Olympus combined gear. Most other functions should be relatively similar.
Hey Jeremy, what about G9II vs Sony A6700 ? Seems like a decent comparison right ? What are your thoughts from a wildlife/landscape/nature photography/videography perspective ?
I haven't gotten to use the A6700 personally so take my words with a grain of salt, but on paper, the G9II seems to win in everyway with the obvious exception that it's an MFT sensor vs. APS-C. G9II has better burst rates, buffer, it has pre-burst, it's high res mode is great handheld for landscape, etc. The biggest downside I'd see to the G9II compared to the Sony is the low light capabilities which I'm pretty sure will be better on the A6700.
Thanks for your review. The problem with words on paper I’ve found in my experience usually don’t pan out in real life usage. For me as an A9 user looking at an OM1 for lighter system. Is the G9ii as good as A9/OM1 or better than either for birds and particularly birds in flight. The problem I have with a lot of reviewers especially with the G9ii is they say that it’s an amazing photo centric camera and then immediately start talking about what an amazing video camera it is and the photography part seems to get played down or all the photos taken could have just as easily been taken with a mobile as most of them are static subjects (wildlife) I need a real world test of birds in flight how good it the CAF can it truly track birds of all sizes and remain sticky with the CAF or does it loose focus easily and hunt focus. Also does it suffer from viewfinder blackout?
I have used both the OM1 and the G9II now and I would say the G9II is better than the OM1 with bird autofocusing. I haven't tested the A9 myself so I can't speak to that camera from experience. The OM1's biggest downside is that it wasn't sticky in my review of it which I talked about there regardless of how I adjusted my sensitivity settings. The G9II isn't perfect, but it's definitely more sticky than the OM1. For this review, I focused on the photo features as you could tell, so I hope it was more what you were looking for. As mentioned in this review, one of the only weaknesses in this camera as opposed to the OM1 is that it does have viewfinder blackout where the OM1 doesn't.
Consider how much you photograph in low light, where on the planet you photograph, if you want to bring a tripod, if you need the video capabilities and how far you walk on your adventures in the wilderness and nature!! Those are the questions to ask Yourself! M43 looks to me like the best option for 99% of the casual wildlife photographers, and a good option for many professional photographers in many situations!
@@JeremyNeipp thanks for the update, ah, viewfinder blackout, that's a shame the A9 doesn't suffer from viewfinder blackout. I really wanted either the OM1 or G9ii to be the ones I would replace my A9 with. But, you mention G9ii sticker than OM1 but, G9ii has blackout. Guess I'll have to wait and see if OM being out something that rivals the G9ii without blackout.
The g92 will NOT overheat in 4k60 and 10 to 20 minutes until you get in problems in got climate is more than most people will ever need. Who films 4k120 for over 20 minutes?
We're told by marketing it's a photo-centric camera. In reality it probably out performs the GH6 and appears to be a much better video camera than the OM1 especially for wildlife.
The live LUT feature sounds futuristic. Next will be Topaz like denoising in camera.
Haha yea it’s a really solid video camera for MFT. Except for recording limits, it does outdo the GH6 like you said in many ways and it definitely blows away the OM-1
I wonder, do you miss the top lcd screen on the G9ii?
Personally I really don’t. Although it’s cool, in reality I barely used it
What wireless mic are you using?
Link is near the bottom of my description! But it’s this mic below
amzn.to/3PKGRT2
How fast this camera overheats in open gate 5.8K 30p? It is obvious that it willl in 4K120p or 5.7K 60p. But if it overheats in 30p even charged from mains it would be a bummer.
I didn't test it personally, but I did hear from other TH-camrs that in open gate 5.8k 30p it went up to an hour and a half at room temperature. I'm sure at higher temps you'll get less results, but at room temp that's pretty solid.
@@JeremyNeipp Yeah but that was at 70F/21C. Ideally I would like it to be tested in 80F / 26,7C or at least 75F / 24C. That is top temperature expected in concert hall/church in my climate as I want it to double as my A cam in concert/lectures recording (my other main usecase)
This pretty much addresses all the issues I have with the G9, however I paid £599 for the G9 about 5 years ago which was a bargain. I will likely have to do the same again
It really is a massive upgrade from the original G9 🙌🏻 even its biggest weakness of low light in the G9II is probably twice as capable as the original G9
@JeremyNeipp Oh wow I was figuring it would be negligible due to the extra megapixels
@@JoeMaranophotographythat is a widely popular myth
Nice man! Can I ask you a question? I write u a comment a couple days ago: “Hi Jeremy, I would REALLY love to see the next live where you show all of the submissions but I will not be present on September 23rd. If I have questions about I can I improve my pics, how can I ask you about these questions? Thank! 😊” and u answered: “Send me an contact off my website with your name and I can look you up and give you some feedback! 🙌🏻”. The only problem is that how can I contact you? I mean where can I leave my name and where will you answer me? Anyways thanks for all the good and helpful videos you record! 😁
On my website there is a contact form you can fill out in the top menus! So just head over to my website linked in my channel bio and you'll see it :)
@@JeremyNeippthanks! Just wrote you the message! Hope to read your answer soon 😃
FYI pre-burst isn't new. The 5 year old G9 has it too and I use it regularly (there are two modes with preburst in the G9, one records raw and the other uses 18Mpxl video recording).
You’re correct it does, but this pre-burst is massively updated and the first time they’ve done it since that old G9, even in my talks with Panasonic in person they referred to it as “Their New Pre-Burst Feature”
My recollection is the Panasonic marketing didn't emphasize the feature when the G9 came out (unlike Olympus' which not only highlighted it, but gave it a name with "pro" in it). I'm glad they are emphasizing it this time around. But from the descriptions I've seen it seems the same as the G9's (half-press shutter to record; full press to save the burst) with deeper buffers and the ability to set the preburst length (useful since the buffer is so deep now it seems you'd get many 100s of photos too easily). Which is good --- the G9's preburst works well. Though when waiting many minutes for a big bird to take off I have thought that a way to lock the half-shutter press wouldn't be bad.
@@NicDade A big difference is simply the amount of shots and how far back the pre-burst goes between the two. The original G9 only recorded 0.4 seconds of pre-burst prior to clicking the shutter and then only a 50 frames in total. As opposed to this G9II that can record up to 1.5 seconds of pre-burst and can theoretically record an unlimited amount as you continue to hold the shutter button until the buffer runs out. Depending on your burst rate, this shutter can last anywhere from 200 shots to much much more. So with the original G9's pre-burst you had to be really on top of it in clicking the shutter as soon as the subject moved, where as now you can be a lot more relaxed on it. Also, AF-C only worked up to 20 fps vs. the 60 fps on the G9II.
Perhaps the focus struggles in low-light because of the lens (F/6.3).
A f/4.0 lens should perform better.
ISO-6400 should be just fine with a proper raw editor (pure raw, DXO LAB). On OM-1 even ISO-12800 looks fine if I clean it with the proper tool.
This lens is as good as it gets for communicating with the body for good autofocus, having a lower f stop will simply allow me to get slightly dark (2/3rds in your example), before the same problems come.
And personally, I still can’t stand the noise on the OM1 when denoised at 12800 ISO, I know this is personal taste on how much noise is too much, but it’s still too gross for me
@@JeremyNeipp Have you tried the Panasonic 200mm? That's my dark forest lens and it's super fast at f/2.8.
Lightrooms ai denoising is great. It makes noise a problem of the past and it looks great
Lightroom AI denoising is definitely worse compared to Topaz or DXO. And even those two still can do some bad banding once you get to higher noise values and they all also tend to slightly soften details
@@JeremyNeipp i dont know but the Lightroom results look great to me, i dont need anything else
Still waiting for s1r ii
🙌🏻
Is it better then the g9 at tracking?
Much much better. In my opinion, that original G9 was very bad for animal autofocus
@@JeremyNeipp But can the g9 can still track birds?
I find mps are a marketing push to sell the latest and greatest in 95% of cases, I use a Canon T3 and T7 the T3 is 18mp and the T7 is 24mp and there arwe times my T3 a 13 year old camera mind you performs better then my T7 using the same lens in lower light situations.
Jeremy, you did a great review of this new camera.....it would be a great camera for $900.00US with a kit lens included. I think it priced itself away from lot of people. For the price i can get an awesome Sony or Canon body.
Thank you! Glad it helped. Yea the downside of it is the MFT sensor, however, many of the features I did find beat out same priced Canon or Sony by quite a bit.
Probably gives the om1 a run for its money too, and I'd argue the Panasonic system is more interesting overall to own if you do other stuff. Olympus always felt to me pretty niche overall and seemed a bit risky to invest in considering their recent acquisition, brand's future uncertainty and all that. Plus it's probably even more expensive all things considered.
This is honestly the first MFT I feel I can wholeheartedly recommend to almost anyone for birding. But, if you truly value that lightweight. THAT'S the biggest selling factor for mft as it always was. Maybe Jeremy should have hammered it down even more but that's just a given when you look at that thing in his hands, it's sooooo tiny!!
And it also has some fancy bells and whistles that distinguish it from other cameras in that price range, like that god tier IBIS, the video features, etc.
Even bird AF has to be mentioned here since it's anything but a given. Nikon has nothing with great bird AF in that price range so is automatically dismissed imo (happy to be proven wrong but I'm basing myself on what I've read, anything below z8 has subpar bird AF.
Sony's a6700 is a bit barebones for wildlife, only really other option in that price range is a used a9 but it's only 25mp FF, you'd need to use their 200-600 to match that reach (with or without TC), and that's when that form factor becomes interesting for the G9ii again.
Canon's R7 would be an interesting comparison, but now we need to talk about lenses. Unless you spend 4k on the RF100-500, the closest match is either the rf100-400 or sigma 150-600C, both of which have their downfalls compared to Panasonic's 100-400, either less reach and f8, or AF pulsing, pick your poison... That's where I'm at right now as an R7 shooter with those two lenses. Love my gear but it's not perfect. Also, again as much as I love my R7, seems like the G9ii's AF actually managed to beat it from what I'm hearing.
So yeah, imo there is more than enough place on the market for this combo and it's amazing to see a new true, fully matured system (now that they nailed AF) enter the wildlife space.
In fact I think the only cameras on the market in that price range that have bird eye AF are the R50 or R10, I hope I don't need to explain how this g9ii is so much superior overall.
The problem with AF eye detect is it usually matters which eye you want in focus and while this AF mode will nail the animals eye, it may well be the eye sitting in the shadows. Now you are fighting your AF and missed the shot. 😭
AF is never perfect you're correct! But at least with birds you almost never see both eyes at once so I don't find it to be a problem there. Also, the G9II combines phase-detect with DFD, and DFD really doesn't focus on objects in the shadows as well so I would argue the G9II naturally avoids exactly what you mentioned usually.
Agreed, it's pretty rare to see both eyes at once, and when it does, usually it means both eyes are parallel to you so on the same focal plane anyway.
I've had the issue you described for cats and dogs up close where focal plane is razor thin, but never with birds honestly as you're usually far away enough, and there's usually a beak in the way, most bird's eyes are on the side.
The one scenario where I could maybe see it happen is for birds of prey headshots taken from upclose (usually at a refuge)? Since their eyes are in the front. But, on Canon at least you can even select which eye to grab using D pad.
And I've shot in that exact scenario I've just described, and it never even crossed my mind that this was an issue, because it wasn't really, all my keepers were great and I never felt like it was grabbing the "wrong" eye (on R7).
Maybe ducks from super upclose? Parrots? When did that happen to you? Was it on birds?
Talking of megapixels, I feel that my G80 took better images than my G9,
For the image stabilisation to be the best you have ever seen and "tripod like" your samples are not showing that in any way or form.
Not sure if you’ve used image stabilization on a 800mm focal length before but I guarantee you that’s the best you can get out of a body alone with no electronic compensation
@@JeremyNeipp Well there lies the rub, the competition doesn't rely on the in body stabilisation and thus will get much better results overall. Poor system design decisions lead to poor performance.
@@karlgunterwunsch1950 what are you talking about? I don’t think you understand how it works haha
@@karlgunterwunsch1950The lens has OIS too man, that wasn't the point. I've never tried Panasonic but I know for a fact their IBIS has been pretty much class leading for a while from what I've read. It makes sense that the IBIS+OIS coordination from this combo delivers amazing stab, I trust Jeremy's word on that.
I don't watch much of the camera conspiracy channel on YT, but the guy did use the GH6 for wildlife video for a while (if you're curious), and he also said the stab' was the best he ever used.
Apparently Nikon's OIS+IBIS on telephoto has been amazing lately too.
Anyway, great to see a body from Panasonic that can combine that and great bird AF.
Jeremy's footage indeed seemed super stable to me, not sure what you're using handheld that beats that at 800mm equivalent but I'd like to hear it...
@@JeremyNeipp Well, the video snippets you posted were pretty much not anywhere close to "tripod like", they were wobbly and lacked any resemblence of what can be seen from cameras such as the Canon and Nikon recent offerings.
Sir,Please gift me a second camera.I live in Bangladesh.please sir🙏🥺My dream is to do wildlife photography but I don't have a camera and can't afford to buy one..🙁🙁Please gift me a camera,in my home in Bangladesh😔🙏🙏