You nailed it. I've never had a full-frame camera so at times I think I'm missing out on something. But then when I use my G9 everything about it feels great and it's so intuitive to use, especially having come from other Panasonic cameras. Maybe the low light performance isn't ideal, but I don't really have anything to compare it to and I can pretty much get what I need out of it. Being able to carry a camera of this quality in a small bag with 3 lenses when I'm on a photoshoot is definitely worth whatever minor compromises I may be making.
I've just pulled the trigger on this camera. Videos like this reassure me about my choice given the current obsession with full frame. The specs on the G9 blow all the other cameras in my budget out of the water.
Thank you so much, my friend. This is one of the most inspiring for me to understand how the camera work in the situation that I would like to do. I just bought S5ii last month but still I need some MFT camera to replace my old G100. The new G9ii is a little bit expensive to be just my second camera so I decide to buy this old G9 instead. This video of you is very informative. Thanks again, Ian.
I too went from Pentax to Panasonic, but I was still on film. So I went from the MX to the GH1. That was way back in 2009, and I instantly loved the EVF for both low light, seeing the image as it was going to be captured, and for shooting black and white and being able to see black and white in the EVF. I have never looked back, although for pro use I actually switched to Canon DSLR, and went mirrorless for pleasure shooting, as there just wasn’t the pro lenses and ecosystem back in 2009. Now, however, I am selling up my Canon glass and moving to a mixture of Sony and Panasonic. It is interesting that the GH1 was the first hybrid camera, but by the GH5 it was less of a hybrid, and more of a video shooter. The G9 is the camera that has stepped into the hybrid role that the GH cameras started as. I like the hybrid model, and think the G9 is an incredible camera. TH-cam doesn’t give it as much love as it deserves.
I love my G9, Panasonic has improved it substantially during my time with it via robust firmware upgrades. I also have a Nikon system using a Z6 body. The Nikon gives me the low light capability, especially for starry sky shots, and better shallow depth of field options. I wish Nikon would emulate Panasonic's allowance to use touch AF point selection via the LCD with the camera at eye level. I'm not a fan of Nikon's modal need to switch between stills and video modes, and agree with your praise for the one-button video option on the G9. Panasonic's AF bracketing and focus stacking implementations are superior to Nikon's. Nikon has nothing like the 6K stills-from-video high speed mode the G9 provides. But Panasonic's Image App has some shortcomings, and my Z6 can grab location data from my phone via low power Bluetooth. I initially liked Panasonic because of its similar UX to Nikon's, but over the course of several cameras Panasonic has surpassed Nikon in operability.
I'd be happy if you could answer my question. I previously had Nikon DX dslr, moved to mft (GX80)... Now I have a bunch of goodl lenses (zooms and primes from 7.5 to 150mm). The overall funcionality and portability of mft is way better than dslr. Only I noticed dslr 24mpx images had a bit more details and dynamic range, which I expected... Only major downside of gx80 is size/shape, i have big hands, and ergonomy sucks...but the shape makes it almost pocketable. I shoot mainly family photos, street/travel, aln before had much more time for landscape (which I would like to do more again in future).... My options are - 1. keep gx80 for street/travel, and buy barely used G9 body for outdoors / kids / landscape - size of body and ergonomy are great, I get a pro spec body, keep all my lenses 2. Sell most mft gear and buy used Z5 + 24-120...a bit more expensive option, I loose 300mm eq zoom range.... Is a z5 worth it over g9 for an amateur for a bit more advanced family and landscape needs? No large prints, I did 60x40cm from D5100 (16mpx) and they are great... Thanx
I am going the same route at the moment. I've used Pentax gear since the ME Super in 1982 and my latest kit comprised 2 x K-3 IIs, a 16-85mm DC, 200mm SDM and a 55-300mm PLM lens plus a couple of Sigma lenses and flashguns. I've got 4 planned 'shoots' between mid-August and the back end of October but for those all I'll need is a K-3 II, 16-85mm Sigma 10-20mm and the Sigma EF-610 DG Super flashgun. As a result, all my other stuff has acquired me a decent account with a (fairly) local Panasonic dealer in readiness to pre-order the G9 Mk 2 later this year!
What a great review Ian! One of the best reviews I have ever seen! I just bought the G9 with the 100-400mm from Panasonic and I am totally satisfied! Again thanks a lot for this Video. Stay safe! greetings from Switzerland
Had the G9 since soon after it was released, after just 4 months of using it I sold my Canon 5DIV. I didn’t sell the Canon because it was a bad camera or because it wasn’t mirrorless, it’s a fine camera. However, you’ve nailed the reasons why I stuck with the G9, need I say more. As for the AF, for me it’s better and faster than many and not as fast as some and it continuously improving with firmware, another are where Panasonic shines, feature set improvement and bug fixes. Listen to some reviewers at your own risk, your loss. Macro is great too, I normally use flash anyway and the crop focal length is a winner on M43, often handheld on the LUMIX which means more keepers. Spot on review, enjoying your Channel the more I watch. 👏📸
I’ve had my G9 for over 3 years now and I can honestly say it is the best camera I’ve ever bought. I mostly use it with the Leica 100-400 lens and the Leica 42.5 lens (truly amazing portrait lens). Autofocus has improved leaps & bounds after firmware 2.0 the menu system and customization options on this camera are simply amazing. Not to mention that deep grip on the body … oh so comfy. My only gripe based purely on what I use it for is the battery life as I mostly do time lapse. I highly recommend this camera. It is also exceptionally well built.
A very objective and helpful review - many thanks. I've had my G9 for about four years now and would only consider changing it if Panasonic came out with an improved G9 mkll. It's a tremendous camera for the money, and the range of lightweight, high quality mft lenses now available will make me stick with my G9 for the foreseeable future.
I made the switch to M4/3 recently and listening to your video it's like listening to myself. I love the M4/3 system. I was an over a decade Canon FF user and I couldn't be happier with my choice. I switched to Olympus but recently picked up a G9. Thanks for sharing.
Great review! I have both the Pentax KP and the K1. I’m renting the G9 along with the OM-1 right now. The G9 wins for the menu system. The OM menu system is so complicated! I plan to keep the K1 for now but will probably sell the KP and lenses for one of these two m4/3 cameras. I recently bought a used GX8 that I converted to IR. I love the flip up EVF. I wish Panasonic would make a new version of that. I’d be all in! Will be following you for these great videos.
A very fair review of the very fine camera (I've had my G9 for 2 years). Prices vary in different markets, but in the UK currently, a G9 body is £799, making it astounding value for effectively an MFT pro' build & spec' camera, and a huge plus point in considering upgrading or even system change.
I bought mine used with under 1000 actuations in mint condition for £719. It’s the bargain of the decade in camera terms. I use it for general photography and then my Sigma Dp2m for the special stuff, when I’ve got time on my hands.
I've had mine for 1.5 years and absolutely love it. I still mess with customizing the menus/fn buttons... I like the custom option for the Q.Menu and disabled the slide out FN buttons on the monitor.
I've used a variety of cameras since the 60s. I used a Lumix G7 four years ago for travel. I then picked up the G9. I own half a dozen lenses, including the 100-400mm Panasonic-Leica, a few primes, and the 8-18mm Panasonic-Leica, and 12-60mm Panasonic-Leica. I just updated all of the firmware on lenses and camera body. I am still experimenting with the capabilities of the G9 with polarizing filters and ND filters. I have posted many wildbird photos on social media. Even birds-in-flight. I own Topaz Noise reduction software but never use it for posting on social media. I can carry my kit for hikes and walk-arounds. Video with sound was pretty good. To carry a bigger camera body with a larger sensor and correspondingly heavier and bigger lenses could only be justified in my case if I were a professional photographer. I would still keep the G9 in any event.
Now you got the Canon R7 coming next month. For an extra $500 you'll still get IBIS, 2 card slots, 4K60p etc...but you'll also get quite a few more megapixels on a bigger and better sensor, a much better AF system, 15 frames per second mechanical shutter/30 electronic and better colors. Easily worth the extra $500 IMO.
I have my G9 set up so that while my eye is at the view finder I need only my right hand / fingers to touch dials / buttons in making any changes. The 1st thing I did was to move the play-back to the right side fn1 button - where it should be. By setting up the Quick & Personal Menu - when pushing the main Menu button it defaults to the Personal Menu - well this design / layout is easy to navigate. Regrettably, this aspect is too often overlooked in camera reviews. I've made a short telescoping monopod that attaches to the camera, with the other end resting on my belt buckle. With both hands on the camera as well this acts like a mini tripod. I have the Leica 100-400mm lens. In addition; the Olympus 12-200 & the Oly 8-25mm f4 Pro lenses - which work well with the G9's IBS. Thanks for your review.
Hi, getting older (and more easily sore!) I started to lose the enjoyment of picture taking because of all the heavy gear etc. Earlier this year I completely switched from Pentax K1 nature and landscape kit, two Canon 7D2's and huge wildlife lenses, to totally Olympus Micro 4/3 for everything. The size and weight difference is amazing to say the least. With todays noise reduction software etc., I am really not losing any image quality, I'm actually gaining a little due to the incredible sharpness of some of these Olympus lenses. I have absolutely no regrets and love this compact Olympus system. I did keep my K1 though and strictly now use that for shooting all my old Takumar lenses only. With Olympus I can now carry a landscape kit and a wildlife long lens kit in the same bag and it doesn't even weigh half of what my older DSLR kits weighed!!!!! Hitting 60yrs old in a couple of months from now, this Olympus compact kit was a no brainer for me, wish I would of did this a few years ago!!!! Happy shooting!
Even though I'm a film maker, I get a lot out of photographers' experiences as well. My G9 is arriving soon. Thanks for sharing your experience. It solidified my choice of picking up the G9.
Since the G9 was released, firmware updates have improved the video capability to almost GH5. We've even got 10bit. The only thing I can see missing is full cinematic 4K. Of course if you're shooting video logs (vlog) for audiences on computers and fondle slabs, 4K (UHD) can be a bit of a waste of milk as the video has to be downsized on the fly, big band width and the video hangs up. Found this the hard way, "I can't view it on my phone ..." FHD
Thank you for this review. It answered the questions I have about upgrading from the G85. Specs wise... there isn't that much difference, but the pixel-shift shot you demonstrated, along with the firmware improvements since you made this video, have convinced me to go for it. I already have the lenses, and the G85 still has good value on the used market.
Great review! I've been using the G9 and the G7 before that. I love being able to use the Panasonic-Leica 100-400mm for birds and Panasonic-Leica 8-18mm for landscapes. There is still room in my camera bag for other lenses for any situation in between. It will take me some time to master all of the features. The idea of being able to toggle over to 180 fps for slow motion sequences of hummingbirds from burst-mode photographs with one button is a wonderful idea. Your spontaneous photograph out of the car window of that blue bird is an example of the benefits of the G9 and an 800mm equivalent lens. I am spending time in my backyard where I have bird feeders and a solar-powered birdbath fountain. I can capture a hummingbird catching droplets in its mouth in mid-air in burst mode or in video as I sit on a patio chair.
Hi William, thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I agree, the number of features in the G9 takes a while to work out what to use. I'm still learning :-)
Ian, something you might already be aware of - If you don't change the mode dial to "Movie" or a Custom C1-3 setting that you saved the video "record" button doesn't use custom "video" settings, it uses automatic settings determined by the camera - or at least that's what the Panasonic reps were saying in one of their videos - the PriceWow channel I believe. For video you should either switch the mode dial over to Movie or a custom c1,etc assigned to video settings you prefer to use. I'm not sure if the record button setting has changed with any of the firmware updates. Excellent video btw.
The video record button uses the settings you have on the camera at the time so it’s a ‘quick and dirty’ way to shoot video quickly. As you suggest, I do have one of the C settings preset for video for more accurate settings 👍
Hi Ian, I normally shoot with the olympus OM-D E-M1 mkII, and I used a Panasonic Leica 100mm- 400mm Len for my bird photography. Now that Olympus has bought out their 400mm Lens. I had a choice to trade the Leica lens in on a Olympus or buy the G9 to use with the Leica Lens. I bought the G9 and like you I am extremely happy with the purchase. Even though it is now a 3yr old camera, I feel even today 2021 it is a great purchase. Thanks for your video. Cheers
I love my G9. I got mine in 2018 and just last week I picked up a second body to use for a TV show (YT channel I'm co-creating). I use it for both stills and video. I also just picked up a huge speedlight (flash) from Godox (desgined to fit the Canon hot shoe) and now I'm ready to shoot weddings again (used to shoot weddings with Canon gear until I got sick of it).
Hi Terence, thanks for watching and your comments. I also have acquired another body recently (2nd hand GX8) mostly for video (it allows continuous video so I can film for more than 30 mins in one shot) but also good for backup and a second body when I don’t want to change lenses. I also just got a Godox speedlight but haven’t had much chance to use it yet. Good luck with weddings - I’ve done a couple but not my thing. Too much stress dealing with other stressed people. 😳
@@IanSmissenPhotography - I was using a good other-make flash until I got the Panasonic DMW-580L for functions. Yes it is a lot more expensive but using a fully-dedicated flash unit is so much easier. TTL-auto has it controlled by the camera, utterly simple when you don't want to be thinking about the flash settings. The GN is "beast", it can fill a moderate size hall for group shots, or scale down to close up for portraits.
Fantastic review, Thank you, Ian. I have just bought my second Panasonic G9 and Leica 100-400 for my bird photography. The first G9 I bought when it was first announced, I had for a year, then went back to the Canon 7D2, I still have that camera used with a great but heavy Canon 100-400 L ii. So I have decided to go back to the Panny, mainly for the great video and the viewfinder. After watching your review I am excited to get into all the great tributes of this camera. Excellent review, keep up your good work.
Thanks for this review. This is my second year using the G9 and I am quite pleased. Thought I'd watch a switch video and see if, maybe there were things I'm overlooking. Loved the Olympus E-M5, my first m43 and still have it, broken LCD and all. One of the finest points of m43 to me is the ability to use old/vintage manual lenses, letting me use the Zeiss from my Leica M2, Pentax and Canon lenses. Also, I am thrilled that Panasonic is still issuing firmware updates for G9 and lenses. You've covered many important in your G9 videos - awesome!
I am still experimenting on my GX85, it has only three custom modes. Each one saves everything I put into that mode. I set the C1 as silent mode, use electronic shutter, set focus point to face-detect, program shift, set ISO upper limit to 25600, touch screen is OFF. However I have to turn on WiFi manually and shoot via the phone on waist level. The only thing it won’t allow you to set in custom mode is to turn off the screen display mode, I have to cycle it with the DISP button.
Thanks Ian, as always an informative and thoughtful vlog. I've had my G9 for two years now and my only gripe is the price of Panasonic lenses; hence I'm looking forward to your future vlog. Mike in Oz
I've not had my G9 long but have been shooting with MFT for many years. Stabilisation, particularly with a long lens, enables the AF to function very quickly indeed, even when using a fast shutter for wildlife. I have a number of Chinon lenses, they're PK and adapt very well. For a loupe we do have the "SCP Point Scope" on a front button. And the AF Mode button acts as a magnifier for MF. The "Control Dial" (the ring around the Menu/Set) may be set to +/-EV which is useful in Manual mode when using AutoISO, or adjusting for backlight. The four buttons around the ring may be assigned functions such as AFnear or Highlight/Shadow (curve) The +/-EV top button also brings up the Bracket drop-down. The Metering mode (Centre, Spot, etc) may be assigned to a button, Olympus don't let you do that. I'm always swapping this about, G7, GH4, but a pain on the E-M5ii. The G9 does eat the battery faster than the GH4, which uses the same battery. I could question the WB top button which once set is rarely used, but cannot be reassigned.
Thank you for this information. It's very helpful. I'm also switching from Pentax and it look me a while to decide on which camera to go with and just like you I'm going with G9. Best regards! Happy shooting :)
14:30 i heard somewhere that the "noise" you often notice in bright sky and water where you have a single colour in the distance is due to over sharpening by Lightroom itself and not a problem of the sensor. You can mask the area and lower the sharpening ad it would disappear, with a similar image to other cameras. Other softwares, like Capture one, seems to better handle M43 images in strong dynamic range
Correct. Noise is always going to be made more obvious by sharpening. My usual workflow is to remove noise as a first step before I do any other major changes.
I had the EM5 mk3 and G9 at the same time. There was no difference in focus speed, and oddly some Olympus lenses like the 17/1.2 actually were faster on the G9. As Thom Hogan discussed on his review site, on-chip phase detect focus is often faster, but actually less accurate - it’s always just slightly off, which may not be noticeable unless pixel peeping, but it’s there.
That is a great camera! I love my Olympus gear and have been tempted many times with the Panasonic G9. While I prefer Olympus glass, Panasonic has some great lenses too. I'm considering the 35-100mm for size, weight and price over the 40-150mm but I do like the idea of a longer reach and a 1.4x teleconverter. Together it's over $600 more. I guess it will depend how good the future Olympus 100-400mm f/5-6.3 will be. Probably at least would replace my 75-300mm. If it's really good for the price, I'm likely going with the Lumix 35-100mm.
I have both, so unless you're referring to the Pro version of the 40-150mm then I find the cheaper version sharper than the 35-100! Plus price wise, NO COMPARISON :-) I have the G9 as well.
Exposure bracketing is a drop-down on the +/-EV button. No need to double-up. The default front knob setting is Silent, birds do get disturbed by the, "beep-click".
I paid US $899 (new) for mine on sale a few months ago. There is no other camera on the market that gives you as much value, features and performance for that amount.
Really good description of the pros and cons of this camera. Every camera has cons of one form or another, but as you say there are very few negatives with the G9. It won't be the ideal camera for some photographers, but for me it is phenomenal. You would be hard pushed to find another camera with such a combination of great features (ergonomics/stabilisation/size/weight/menu system/functionality/available lens selection/quality of image in most scenarios/value for money). For me the well known weaknesses/limitations of Panasonic mft cameras (performance in low light and autofocus in certain circumstances) are not too bad on this particular camera and certainly acceptable to me for my photography. I love using this camera. 🙂
ISO 6400 is useable under certain conditions/circumstances. My OMD EM10:MK II uses 6400 a lot ( Auto-iso ) whiskers and hairs on a cat have detail. Details are not smudged away. As with anything, YMMV! Great video and commentary Ian. Cheers! 👍👍😁✌🏻
Nice review Ian, I've done the same and traded in my Pentax K-1 for a G9 system. Three DG lenses (8mm to 400mm) and G9 body weigh less than the K-1 with the 150-450 lens (3kg). Its just so much more easier to carry around than the FF. I find the G9 menu system to be a bit of a chore compared to the Pentax. I think the Pentax is one of the most intuitive menu systems out there, but the G9 just has so many more features that the menu system is inevitably more complex. But as you say though the auto focus is miles apart from the Pentax, the extra customisable buttons are great, and the view finder works well, even for spectacle wearers.
Focussing today may be an issue only in video mode: for stills Panasonic is as good as Olympus if not better in continuous autofocus. (unless the lens is the issue) This by someone using both brands plus a Fuji X-100V
07:41 Nice picture. What stuck me the most was the ISO 100 setting for this shot. I was not aware of the ability to extend the ISO. After a quick search I see this is an option. I was a bit frustrated by the 200 ISO limit. I will give it a try.
Thanks! I absolutely love the compact nature of m4/3 with lenses like the 100-400 especially. Very much looking forward to your video on the lenses you use!!
My pleasure! Planning that video now so hope to have it done in the next week or so. May be two - a what's in my bag + more detailed review of lenses. Will see how I go on the first one :-) Cheers, Ian
I had the K1 when it was first released but moved on to the Nikon D850 750 and 500. Then I got into video and the weight of those large body cameras with their glass was getting too much for me, so got the Lumix GH5 and over the years I have settled on Panasonic adding a GX8 and G80 plus their FZ2000 bridge camera. I have fallen in love with M43 and I bought a G9 at the end of Feb, and then we got locked down and I have been unable to get out with it until very recently, where I have been experimenting shooting video using HLG and seeing what different LUTs offer in post.
It's a fantastic camera iv had mine for about a 1 and a half and would never get rid of her ☺ Its just a shame alot of people on TH-cam jump on the negative bandwagon about it. The new update has made it a absolute steal for the price it's going for today!
@@Statto1 Hi ya the main bonus was the extra Options with video it opened up lots of 10 bit recording which makes this camera a great hybrid cheaper option . They did improve the auto focus which is better than people slate it for. I use to do table tennis for my local club b4 covid and had no problems.. The best thing about the G9 is its ability to take great shots with out the weight. the worst is sometimes in low light you want more but with the better lens and editing well you can get around that ...
@@robinernst9003panasonic 50mm 1.4 42.5 1.2 sigma 16mm 1.4 Olympus 8mm 1.8 . If you want to shoot in low light all the time especially at night then i wouldnt recommend mft . Apsc or full frame is better. But you can still get get results if you no what your doing but its just a bit harder.
Thanks for watching. Glad you found it useful. Subsequent videos will be coming. We have just got out of 6 months of lockdown so I’ve had most of my photography on hold. Hope to do some more videos soon.
Great personal review 👍 I especially enjoy the G9s HighRes mode in combination with the Oly 8mm/f1.8 fisheye lens. De-fished in post, cropped to the desired field of view and there is still plenty of resolution left. Kinda light and fast UWA post-zoom lens with no-worries-factor built in👍
Thanks Jiffi Joff, I've had my eye on that lens for a while. Just can't (yet) justify it as I have the Panasonic 8-18 so the Oly 8 doesn't add much except the faster aperture...will have to wait for tax return ;-)
@@IanSmissenPhotography yeah, that's true, I hear ya. The PL 8-18 also is one excellent lens. Kinda our dilemma overall: choice and quality of (many) m43 lenses is just superb. I switched to m43 from Canon FF about 2 years ago and so far every single m43 lens easily outperforms its FF counterpart, and that's including L-lenses. Neither the 17-40/4.0 nor the 16-35/2.8 comes even close to the corner sharpness of the PL 8-18. Same goes with the magical Oly 40-150/2.8... way ahead of the Canon 70-200/2.8 or the mighty Sigma 120-300/2.8. Not to talk of the difference in weight and AF-speed... (single AF! There is room for improvement in AFC-mode). Can't wait to see what Panasonic will be coming up with: GH6/G10 with a 40+ MP sensor (mainly to enhance cropping room) and a solid and reliable AFC technology! As you said: there ya go tax returns (and savings 😁😅)
Yes. This video was shot on the 8-18PL on Lumix GX8 and it's amazing at 4K - I tend to compress down to HD for TH-cam but it's still great quality video - at least technically, not necessarily the 'talent' or processing ;-)
DXO PhotoLab and DXO PureRaw with Deep Prime is the best noise reduction it even restores loss color due to high ISO. I do like DXO PhotoLab better for more manual controls.
@@IanSmissenPhotography I used to use Topaz DeNoise before DXO PhotoLab. DXO PhotoLab is way better. I shoot the Olympus OMD E-M1ii at ISO 6,400 with DXO PhotoLab I push the Luminance to 50 or 55 by default its set at 40. This will remove noise for me in the bokeh parts of the image. I shoot weddings by the way. Also DXO sharpening is amazing giving a almost 3D look hard to explain, but I turn sharpening off at ISO 6,400 on my Olympus OMD E-M1ii as there a little grain even at ISO 6,400. At ISO 200 up to 3,200 100% noise free.
Thank you. This is what I wanted to hear. I bleed Pentax but want something lighter with faster autofocus. I have tried the Fujifilm X-T4 and it's just not doing it for me.
Very nice review Ian. Good to hear your personal experiences. This makes it more interesting to me than just an outline of the camera’s features. I have picked up a a couple of new ideas for my G9 (eg the 60s shutter) which is great. Enjoy your other videos too. Thanks!
Thanks for watching and your kind comments. I agree re features - that’s not a review - I can read. More interested in what people think of equipment. Cheers Ian
Ian; very well done! Having been under our self-quarantine here in New England for too long, I have been reviewing as many reviews as I can find on the Panasonic G9 and the Olympus EM1 Mark III; both terrific cameras. Your review was great and addressed many of my questions. I currently have the Olympus EM10 Mark III, a relatively small camera which has been just the right size for traveling. So I am trying to decide between the Panasonic G9 (great prices here in New England) and the EM1 Mark III (much higher price than G9). I'm curious on any comments you could share on the latest firmware 2.0 and wondered whether you found much of a difference in the AF and the CAF performance as a result of that upgrade? Looking forward to your other videos on lenses. Stay safe, thanks again.
Hi George, thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I noticed what may have been a small improvement in AF with the firmware upgrade but, to be honest I didn't do any serious testing before or after so I can't quantify any change. Re the EM1 MkIII, I looked at it but couldn't justify the price difference and the EVF is nowhere near as good as the G9. Good luck with your decision. Cheers, Ian
Nice description of the micro 4/3 system. I moved to 4/3's a few years ago and have no regrets. Use mostly Panasonic GX8 and G9 for wildlife and getting excellent results. A couple of additional small compact Panasonic 4/3 cameras and I'm good for anything.
Great video as always. I really wanna get a new camera but I’m confused should I go for lumix g9 or Sony a6400 Both are in my budget just hard to pick one over other. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks mate
Thanks for watching. I have not used the Sony so can’t compare directly but have had several students using that and similar models and they are happy with them. Work out what your top priorities are for features and functionality, lenses and accessories. I chose the G9 because it had the features I wanted but after that I tried it in store to make sure it felt good and was easy to use in the hand so try both in store. Good luck. Cheers Ian
Hi Ian. Very interesting video. I moved from Fujifilm at the beginning of this year to full frame. I’ve chopped and changed with a couple of brands this year and went for the Pentax K1. It’s an awesome machine but lately, I’ve noticed the weight I’m carrying around. Will I lose much by moving to a G9 other than weight! I have problems with my neck and shoulders so having 1.5kg of camera and lens feels a touch on the heavy side.
Hi John, You'll lose 16MP in image resolution but the G9 does have the ability to shoot 80MP files in hi-res mode on a tripod. Otherwise, almost everything else is same or better on G9.
I went from Canon 7D to G9 about 1.5 years ago...Pentax was a camera I once consider as well. The G9/100-300mmii combo for me is an awesome sports/action set up. The G9 is a hugely underrated camera. I was hoping to test it out this fall at an air show but it looks like COVID19 has squashed that this year. Great job on the video. BTW a 300mm Panasonic would be nice...not sure about the true comparability of the Olympus lenses on the G9...have heard of a too tight of a fit. Really nice to hear and watch someone who knows the camera!
The main downside I'm struggling with since I got my G9 is the both magenta and green cast the camera introduces throughout the whole frame when recovering shadows (at any ISO!!). I can't get rid of it with Lightroom or Capture One completely because those are opposite colours, so I must be very careful when shooting in low light conditions. Other than that, it's the most impressive camera at its price range.
@@IanSmissenPhotography thanks for the quick reply. It would be terrific to see a short segment on your thoughts of the G9 vs G9 mk2 at some point. Cheers!
I switched largely because of weight. after useing it for a month, I have learned that, without the battery grip, the battery life is about 2 hours. Even with the battery grip, I am buying extra batteries for a month in Budapest
That’s the main downside of mirrorless cameras. They are heavy users of battery power. Batteries will last much longer if you restrict the use of the rear LCD screen and set the auto sleep to a short period of time.
@@IanSmissenPhotography . Two possible downsides: They have way too many auto functions that can's turn off or don't even know are running It gives you a long, steep learning curve if you are moving, like me from 20 years of Caon use to a completely foreign system
I've it's little brother the GX9. I recently used it (hand held) for night time street shots. The shadows were noisy but I was able to almost remove in camera raw and photoshop I don't use Lightroom but must try it However the images were relatively sharp, which I couldn't get with a FF DSLR without a tripod. I'm tempted to move to the G9. My only hesitation is it's size for an mf3 camera?
Hi Eltin, thanks for your comments. Yes, the G9 is large. I also have a GX8 and it's tiny in comparison. I like it too but it's almost too small for my big hands and fat fingers to manage the buttons easily - more practice needed I expect ;-) Cheers, Ian
Ian, Helpful video, thanks. I'm considering buying this G9 camera. It'd be my first micro 4/3 camera. Can you share what software you use for noise reduction? Also, did you happen to get the 12-60 f2.8-4.0 lens by any chance. That strikes me as an ideal travel lens. If you have any impressions on that lens i'd welcome hearing them. Thanks much, Craig
Hi Craig, thanks for watching. I use Topaz DeNoise AI for noise reduction - my review can be found at: th-cam.com/video/XwlrpbWbU7Y/w-d-xo.html I don't have the 12-60mm lens as I wanted to get the 35-100mm so the natural choice to match it was the 12-35mm. Cheers, Ian
If you upload 1440p even if the footage isn't you force youtube to use the much better vp09 codec. This one has the av01 codec and it really butchers the quality in comparison. vp09 is much nicer especially when you show sample images to bypass youtube compression as much as possible :)
Hello sir. I am an amateur/casual photographer and I love to get my hands newer gear. I know that Panasonic recently went from m4/3 to full frame, and it does look that support for m4/3 cameras will be shut down earlier than we'd like to, so "newer" will not be anymore soon. Any ways, a few months ago I decided to try the m4/3 system, because I had read about how lightweight the cameras/lenses are. I purchased a GH85 and found it truly lightweight compared to my older DSLRs, from which I probably don't have to tell you about suffering the bulk and weight you have to carry while shooting outdoors for a long while, adn I have beenenjoying all the features in the GH85. So, I'd love it if you could advise me on whether it would be a good idea to get a G9, now that we know the move from Panasonic into full-frame, but more specially regarding the fact that I do not do much landscape/wildlife photography, but instead I like to shoot portrait (most of the time indoors) and street photography, also travel photograpy. I am very enthusiastic about all the features in the G9 and I understand that I most probably won't be using them, but I prefer to have features and not using them than needing something and not having it. Thank you very much.
Do you have the G85 or GX85? If you have the GX85 but prefer the DSLR style grip of your older DSLR style cameras, then you will love the ergonomics of the G9 especially if you have medium to large hands. Also, I would get the G9 instead of the S5.
Hi Ian, I'm wanting to upgrade my gear for making nature videos which I've been doing using various phones for 2 years. I'm looking at the Lumix G9 or Fujifilm XT 3. The G9 seems good. My only nervousness lies around panasonic colour science. I've looked at some videos made on the GH5 and they look a bit flat and washed out. I'm not a guy who wants to do any more in post than I have to. What I am after is natural colour, warmth and softness more than anything else. In your experience does the G9 offer this or would there be another choice you would recommend? Thanks David
Hi David, I am not an expert on video colour science so am reluctant to make a specific recommendation. I suggest going to a camera store with your own SD card/s and testing each camera you’re interested in side by side on the same content. Take the card home and compare on a colour calibrated monitor. Cheers Ian
My G9 i bought 3 weeks ago has a nice shutter button, feels like an Z,5,Z6II or Z7II or 5D MkIII: Panasonic worked on it an now it is not so super sensible as years ago.....
As someone who is thinking of switching to the G9 I found this review very encouraging. I'm interested mainly in bird photography and was wondering if you had any thoughts pro or con on the Lumix/Leica 100-400mm f6.3 zoom?
Hi Bruce, Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I have used the 100-400 Panasonic-Leica lens for over a year and love it. I have a couple of videos on bird photography with that lens: th-cam.com/video/Vyoq8WJo_jg/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/7RtahNUakPg/w-d-xo.html I also considered the Olympus 300mm f/4 which looks like a great lens but it's Moree than twice the price of the 100-400 and is obviously less versatile. On a Lumix camera you also lose the dual stabilisation using an Old lens.
Bruce, I agree with everything Ian says about the 100-400. I've compared it to the 100-300 and it is significantly sharper. Also, with the combined stabilization of the lens and the body, I can take sharp *hand held* photos of the moon with the lens racked out to 400 mm. The technology is amazing. I've also done some bird photography with the 100-400, and I like it for architectural detail shots. Love it.
You nailed it. I've never had a full-frame camera so at times I think I'm missing out on something. But then when I use my G9 everything about it feels great and it's so intuitive to use, especially having come from other Panasonic cameras. Maybe the low light performance isn't ideal, but I don't really have anything to compare it to and I can pretty much get what I need out of it. Being able to carry a camera of this quality in a small bag with 3 lenses when I'm on a photoshoot is definitely worth whatever minor compromises I may be making.
I've just pulled the trigger on this camera. Videos like this reassure me about my choice given the current obsession with full frame. The specs on the G9 blow all the other cameras in my budget out of the water.
One of the best reviews of any camera I have watched, thank you Ian.
I am picking up my G9 this weekend.
Great review, I just bought a G9 in December 2020, fantastic results so far.
Thanks for the video!
Hey mate, just an interesting tip - the D Vario Elmarit 14-50mm from the 43rds system with an adapter is amazing!
Thank you so much, my friend. This is one of the most inspiring for me to understand how the camera work in the situation that I would like to do. I just bought S5ii last month but still I need some MFT camera to replace my old G100. The new G9ii is a little bit expensive to be just my second camera so I decide to buy this old G9 instead. This video of you is very informative. Thanks again, Ian.
Glad it was helpful!
i also traded my pentax K30 for the Lumix Gx8, awesome camera!
I too went from Pentax to Panasonic, but I was still on film. So I went from the MX to the GH1. That was way back in 2009, and I instantly loved the EVF for both low light, seeing the image as it was going to be captured, and for shooting black and white and being able to see black and white in the EVF. I have never looked back, although for pro use I actually switched to Canon DSLR, and went mirrorless for pleasure shooting, as there just wasn’t the pro lenses and ecosystem back in 2009. Now, however, I am selling up my Canon glass and moving to a mixture of Sony and Panasonic.
It is interesting that the GH1 was the first hybrid camera, but by the GH5 it was less of a hybrid, and more of a video shooter. The G9 is the camera that has stepped into the hybrid role that the GH cameras started as. I like the hybrid model, and think the G9 is an incredible camera. TH-cam doesn’t give it as much love as it deserves.
Great job and honest opinion! Here from Brazil!
Obrigado Haroldo 🙏
I love my G9, Panasonic has improved it substantially during my time with it via robust firmware upgrades. I also have a Nikon system using a Z6 body. The Nikon gives me the low light capability, especially for starry sky shots, and better shallow depth of field options. I wish Nikon would emulate Panasonic's allowance to use touch AF point selection via the LCD with the camera at eye level. I'm not a fan of Nikon's modal need to switch between stills and video modes, and agree with your praise for the one-button video option on the G9. Panasonic's AF bracketing and focus stacking implementations are superior to Nikon's. Nikon has nothing like the 6K stills-from-video high speed mode the G9 provides. But Panasonic's Image App has some shortcomings, and my Z6 can grab location data from my phone via low power Bluetooth. I initially liked Panasonic because of its similar UX to Nikon's, but over the course of several cameras Panasonic has surpassed Nikon in operability.
I'd be happy if you could answer my question.
I previously had Nikon DX dslr, moved to mft (GX80)... Now I have a bunch of goodl lenses (zooms and primes from 7.5 to 150mm). The overall funcionality and portability of mft is way better than dslr. Only I noticed dslr 24mpx images had a bit more details and dynamic range, which I expected... Only major downside of gx80 is size/shape, i have big hands, and ergonomy sucks...but the shape makes it almost pocketable. I shoot mainly family photos, street/travel, aln before had much more time for landscape (which I would like to do more again in future)....
My options are -
1. keep gx80 for street/travel, and buy barely used G9 body for outdoors / kids / landscape - size of body and ergonomy are great, I get a pro spec body, keep all my lenses
2. Sell most mft gear and buy used Z5 + 24-120...a bit more expensive option, I loose 300mm eq zoom range....
Is a z5 worth it over g9 for an amateur for a bit more advanced family and landscape needs? No large prints, I did 60x40cm from D5100 (16mpx) and they are great...
Thanx
I am going the same route at the moment. I've used Pentax gear since the ME Super in 1982 and my latest kit comprised 2 x K-3 IIs, a 16-85mm DC, 200mm SDM and a 55-300mm PLM lens plus a couple of Sigma lenses and flashguns. I've got 4 planned 'shoots' between mid-August and the back end of October but for those all I'll need is a K-3 II, 16-85mm Sigma 10-20mm and the Sigma EF-610 DG Super flashgun. As a result, all my other stuff has acquired me a decent account with a (fairly) local Panasonic dealer in readiness to pre-order the G9 Mk 2 later this year!
it's 5 years old and still is an amazing camera.
Agree!
My Olympus EM-10 mark II arrived few days ago, good to see people have good experience with m4/3 long term!
What a great review Ian! One of the best reviews I have ever seen! I just bought the G9 with the 100-400mm from Panasonic and I am totally satisfied! Again thanks a lot for this Video. Stay safe! greetings from Switzerland
Awesome, thank you!
Had the G9 since soon after it was released, after just 4 months of using it I sold my Canon 5DIV. I didn’t sell the Canon because it was a bad camera or because it wasn’t mirrorless, it’s a fine camera. However, you’ve nailed the reasons why I stuck with the G9, need I say more. As for the AF, for me it’s better and faster than many and not as fast as some and it continuously improving with firmware, another are where Panasonic shines, feature set improvement and bug fixes. Listen to some reviewers at your own risk, your loss. Macro is great too, I normally use flash anyway and the crop focal length is a winner on M43, often handheld on the LUMIX which means more keepers. Spot on review, enjoying your Channel the more I watch. 👏📸
Can you or anyone tell me what on screen composition display options it has, for example thirds grid lines etc.
I’ve had my G9 for over 3 years now and I can honestly say it is the best camera I’ve ever bought. I mostly use it with the Leica 100-400 lens and the Leica 42.5 lens (truly amazing portrait lens). Autofocus has improved leaps & bounds after firmware 2.0 the menu system and customization options on this camera are simply amazing. Not to mention that deep grip on the body … oh so comfy. My only gripe based purely on what I use it for is the battery life as I mostly do time lapse. I highly recommend this camera. It is also exceptionally well built.
A very objective and helpful review - many thanks. I've had my G9 for about four years now and would only consider changing it if Panasonic came out with an improved G9 mkll. It's a tremendous camera for the money, and the range of lightweight, high quality mft lenses now available will make me stick with my G9 for the foreseeable future.
Great review: relaxed, clear, personalised. Thanks!
I made the switch to M4/3 recently and listening to your video it's like listening to myself. I love the M4/3 system. I was an over a decade Canon FF user and I couldn't be happier with my choice. I switched to Olympus but recently picked up a G9. Thanks for sharing.
Great review! I have both the Pentax KP and the K1. I’m renting the G9 along with the OM-1 right now. The G9 wins for the menu system. The OM menu system is so complicated! I plan to keep the K1 for now but will probably sell the KP and lenses for one of these two m4/3 cameras. I recently bought a used GX8 that I converted to IR. I love the flip up EVF. I wish Panasonic would make a new version of that. I’d be all in! Will be following you for these great videos.
A very fair review of the very fine camera (I've had my G9 for 2 years). Prices vary in different markets, but in the UK currently, a G9 body is £799, making it astounding value for effectively an MFT pro' build & spec' camera, and a huge plus point in considering upgrading or even system change.
I bought mine used with under 1000 actuations in mint condition for £719. It’s the bargain of the decade in camera terms. I use it for general photography and then my Sigma Dp2m for the special stuff, when I’ve got time on my hands.
Just bought one. Very excited!
I've had mine for 1.5 years and absolutely love it. I still mess with customizing the menus/fn buttons... I like the custom option for the Q.Menu and disabled the slide out FN buttons on the monitor.
I've used a variety of cameras since the 60s. I used a Lumix G7 four years ago for travel. I then picked up the G9. I own half a dozen lenses, including the 100-400mm Panasonic-Leica, a few primes, and the 8-18mm Panasonic-Leica, and 12-60mm Panasonic-Leica. I just updated all of the firmware on lenses and camera body.
I am still experimenting with the capabilities of the G9 with polarizing filters and ND filters. I have posted many wildbird photos on social media. Even birds-in-flight. I own Topaz Noise reduction software but never use it for posting on social media.
I can carry my kit for hikes and walk-arounds. Video with sound was pretty good.
To carry a bigger camera body with a larger sensor and correspondingly heavier and bigger lenses could only be justified in my case if I were a professional photographer. I would still keep the G9 in any event.
Had a G9 sold it. A few months later bought another. Handling is so good. Compared to my Z6II the G9 is actually sharper. Z6 CAF is better
Now you got the Canon R7 coming next month. For an extra $500 you'll still get IBIS, 2 card slots, 4K60p etc...but you'll also get quite a few more megapixels on a bigger and better sensor, a much better AF system, 15 frames per second mechanical shutter/30 electronic and better colors. Easily worth the extra $500 IMO.
@@michaelbell75 how much are you paid to put these Canon comments on every video on TH-cam?
I have my G9 set up so that while my eye is at the view finder I need only my right hand / fingers to touch dials / buttons in making any changes. The 1st thing I did was to move the play-back to the right side fn1 button - where it should be. By setting up the Quick & Personal Menu - when pushing the main Menu button it defaults to the Personal Menu - well this design / layout is easy to navigate. Regrettably, this aspect is too often overlooked in camera reviews. I've made a short telescoping monopod that attaches to the camera, with the other end resting on my belt buckle. With both hands on the camera as well this acts like a mini tripod. I have the Leica 100-400mm lens. In addition; the Olympus 12-200 & the Oly 8-25mm f4 Pro lenses - which work well with the G9's IBS. Thanks for your review.
Very good camera. Also for video with the updated firmware.
Hi, getting older (and more easily sore!) I started to lose the enjoyment of picture taking because of all the heavy gear etc. Earlier this year I completely switched from Pentax K1 nature and landscape kit, two Canon 7D2's and huge wildlife lenses, to totally Olympus Micro 4/3 for everything. The size and weight difference is amazing to say the least. With todays noise reduction software etc., I am really not losing any image quality, I'm actually gaining a little due to the incredible sharpness of some of these Olympus lenses. I have absolutely no regrets and love this compact Olympus system.
I did keep my K1 though and strictly now use that for shooting all my old Takumar lenses only.
With Olympus I can now carry a landscape kit and a wildlife long lens kit in the same bag and it doesn't even weigh half of what my older DSLR kits weighed!!!!!
Hitting 60yrs old in a couple of months from now, this Olympus compact kit was a no brainer for me, wish I would of did this a few years ago!!!!
Happy shooting!
Nice review. Currently using a GX9 but hope to get a G9 soon. Nicely the good lenses that I have will move over with me.
Wait for panasonic gh6.
Even though I'm a film maker, I get a lot out of photographers' experiences as well. My G9 is arriving soon. Thanks for sharing your experience. It solidified my choice of picking up the G9.
Since the G9 was released, firmware updates have improved the video capability to almost GH5. We've even got 10bit. The only thing I can see missing is full cinematic 4K.
Of course if you're shooting video logs (vlog) for audiences on computers and fondle slabs, 4K (UHD) can be a bit of a waste of milk as the video has to be downsized on the fly, big band width and the video hangs up. Found this the hard way, "I can't view it on my phone ..." FHD
Thank you for this review. It answered the questions I have about upgrading from the G85. Specs wise... there isn't that much difference, but the pixel-shift shot you demonstrated, along with the firmware improvements since you made this video, have convinced me to go for it. I already have the lenses, and the G85 still has good value on the used market.
Great review! I've been using the G9 and the G7 before that. I love being able to use the Panasonic-Leica 100-400mm for birds and Panasonic-Leica 8-18mm for landscapes. There is still room in my camera bag for other lenses for any situation in between. It will take me some time to master all of the features. The idea of being able to toggle over to 180 fps for slow motion sequences of hummingbirds from burst-mode photographs with one button is a wonderful idea.
Your spontaneous photograph out of the car window of that blue bird is an example of the benefits of the G9 and an 800mm equivalent lens.
I am spending time in my backyard where I have bird feeders and a solar-powered birdbath fountain. I can capture a hummingbird catching droplets in its mouth in mid-air in burst mode or in video as I sit on a patio chair.
Hi William, thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I agree, the number of features in the G9 takes a while to work out what to use. I'm still learning :-)
it is very nice to listen you talking
Excellent....you have just convinced me to get one.
Ian, something you might already be aware of - If you don't change the mode dial to "Movie" or a Custom C1-3 setting that you saved the video "record" button doesn't use custom "video" settings, it uses automatic settings determined by the camera - or at least that's what the Panasonic reps were saying in one of their videos - the PriceWow channel I believe. For video you should either switch the mode dial over to Movie or a custom c1,etc assigned to video settings you prefer to use. I'm not sure if the record button setting has changed with any of the firmware updates. Excellent video btw.
The video record button uses the settings you have on the camera at the time so it’s a ‘quick and dirty’ way to shoot video quickly. As you suggest, I do have one of the C settings preset for video for more accurate settings 👍
I use g9 whit olympus 40-150 f2.8 great combo
Hi Ian, I normally shoot with the olympus OM-D E-M1 mkII, and I used a Panasonic Leica 100mm- 400mm Len for my bird photography. Now that Olympus has bought out their 400mm Lens. I had a choice to trade the Leica lens in on a Olympus or buy the G9 to use with the Leica Lens. I bought the G9 and like you I am extremely happy with the purchase. Even though it is now a 3yr old camera, I feel even today 2021 it is a great purchase. Thanks for your video. Cheers
I love my G9. I got mine in 2018 and just last week I picked up a second body to use for a TV show (YT channel I'm co-creating). I use it for both stills and video. I also just picked up a huge speedlight (flash) from Godox (desgined to fit the Canon hot shoe) and now I'm ready to shoot weddings again (used to shoot weddings with Canon gear until I got sick of it).
Hi Terence, thanks for watching and your comments. I also have acquired another body recently (2nd hand GX8) mostly for video (it allows continuous video so I can film for more than 30 mins in one shot) but also good for backup and a second body when I don’t want to change lenses. I also just got a Godox speedlight but haven’t had much chance to use it yet. Good luck with weddings - I’ve done a couple but not my thing. Too much stress dealing with other stressed people. 😳
@@IanSmissenPhotography - I was using a good other-make flash until I got the Panasonic DMW-580L for functions. Yes it is a lot more expensive but using a fully-dedicated flash unit is so much easier. TTL-auto has it controlled by the camera, utterly simple when you don't want to be thinking about the flash settings. The GN is "beast", it can fill a moderate size hall for group shots, or scale down to close up for portraits.
Nicely done, in depth, well laid out and thanks for not yelling while narrating.
Glad you liked it!
Fantastic review, Thank you, Ian.
I have just bought my second Panasonic G9 and Leica 100-400 for my bird photography.
The first G9 I bought when it was first announced, I had for a year, then went back to the Canon 7D2, I still have that camera used with a great but heavy Canon 100-400 L ii.
So I have decided to go back to the Panny, mainly for the great video and the viewfinder.
After watching your review I am excited to get into all the great tributes of this camera.
Excellent review, keep up your good work.
Thanks for this review. This is my second year using the G9 and I am quite pleased. Thought I'd watch a switch video and see if, maybe there were things I'm overlooking. Loved the Olympus E-M5, my first m43 and still have it, broken LCD and all. One of the finest points of m43 to me is the ability to use old/vintage manual lenses, letting me use the Zeiss from my Leica M2, Pentax and Canon lenses. Also, I am thrilled that Panasonic is still issuing firmware updates for G9 and lenses. You've covered many important in your G9 videos - awesome!
I just ordered the G9 seem like a good overall pre professional camera
I am still experimenting on my GX85, it has only three custom modes. Each one saves everything I put into that mode. I set the C1 as silent mode, use electronic shutter, set focus point to face-detect, program shift, set ISO upper limit to 25600, touch screen is OFF. However I have to turn on WiFi manually and shoot via the phone on waist level. The only thing it won’t allow you to set in custom mode is to turn off the screen display mode, I have to cycle it with the DISP button.
Thanks Ian, as always an informative and thoughtful vlog. I've had my G9 for two years now and my only gripe is the price of Panasonic lenses; hence I'm looking forward to your future vlog.
Mike in Oz
Thanks Mike. I hope to get a 'what's in my bag' done soon and probably a more detailed review of the lenses after that. Cheers, Ian
Dennis Piepergerdes
Thanks so much for the report. I have a g9 also and love it.
My pleasure!
I've not had my G9 long but have been shooting with MFT for many years.
Stabilisation, particularly with a long lens, enables the AF to function very quickly indeed, even when using a fast shutter for wildlife. I have a number of Chinon lenses, they're PK and adapt very well.
For a loupe we do have the "SCP Point Scope" on a front button. And the AF Mode button acts as a magnifier for MF.
The "Control Dial" (the ring around the Menu/Set) may be set to +/-EV which is useful in Manual mode when using AutoISO, or adjusting for backlight. The four buttons around the ring may be assigned functions such as AFnear or Highlight/Shadow (curve)
The +/-EV top button also brings up the Bracket drop-down.
The Metering mode (Centre, Spot, etc) may be assigned to a button, Olympus don't let you do that. I'm always swapping this about, G7, GH4, but a pain on the E-M5ii.
The G9 does eat the battery faster than the GH4, which uses the same battery.
I could question the WB top button which once set is rarely used, but cannot be reassigned.
Thank you for this information. It's very helpful. I'm also switching from Pentax and it look me a while to decide on which camera to go with and just like you I'm going with G9. Best regards! Happy shooting :)
Excellent video. Getting my G9 tomorrow.
Great video! I love my Panasonic G9. I switched from Sony and Olympus, haven't looked back.
14:30 i heard somewhere that the "noise" you often notice in bright sky and water where you have a single colour in the distance is due to over sharpening by Lightroom itself and not a problem of the sensor.
You can mask the area and lower the sharpening ad it would disappear, with a similar image to other cameras. Other softwares, like Capture one, seems to better handle M43 images in strong dynamic range
Correct. Noise is always going to be made more obvious by sharpening. My usual workflow is to remove noise as a first step before I do any other major changes.
I had the EM5 mk3 and G9 at the same time. There was no difference in focus speed, and oddly some Olympus lenses like the 17/1.2 actually were faster on the G9.
As Thom Hogan discussed on his review site, on-chip phase detect focus is often faster, but actually less accurate - it’s always just slightly off, which may not be noticeable unless pixel peeping, but it’s there.
That is a great camera! I love my Olympus gear and have been tempted many times with the Panasonic G9. While I prefer Olympus glass, Panasonic has some great lenses too. I'm considering the 35-100mm for size, weight and price over the 40-150mm but I do like the idea of a longer reach and a 1.4x teleconverter. Together it's over $600 more. I guess it will depend how good the future Olympus 100-400mm f/5-6.3 will be. Probably at least would replace my 75-300mm. If it's really good for the price, I'm likely going with the Lumix 35-100mm.
I have both, so unless you're referring to the Pro version of the 40-150mm then I find the cheaper version sharper than the 35-100! Plus price wise, NO COMPARISON :-) I have the G9 as well.
@@MrFirstdance2000 I was referring to the pro version. I got the plastic fantastic 40-150mm kit and it is an awesome lens for the money.
Thank you, sir!!
I also use the lever at the front to toggle exposure bracketing. Great for travel and street photography.
Exposure bracketing is a drop-down on the +/-EV button. No need to double-up.
The default front knob setting is Silent, birds do get disturbed by the, "beep-click".
I paid US $899 (new) for mine on sale a few months ago. There is no other camera on the market that gives you as much value, features and performance for that amount.
Thanks Weekend Wanderer, I agree, it's great value for $$.
N. D. Panasonic is always running sales. B&H photo and Amazon have it today for $997 ($400 off). That’s still a great deal!
Really good description of the pros and cons of this camera. Every camera has cons of one form or another, but as you say there are very few negatives with the G9. It won't be the ideal camera for some photographers, but for me it is phenomenal. You would be hard pushed to find another camera with such a combination of great features (ergonomics/stabilisation/size/weight/menu system/functionality/available lens selection/quality of image in most scenarios/value for money). For me the well known weaknesses/limitations of Panasonic mft cameras (performance in low light and autofocus in certain circumstances) are not too bad on this particular camera and certainly acceptable to me for my photography. I love using this camera. 🙂
Kenny White Thanks and agreed 👏
ISO 6400 is useable under certain conditions/circumstances. My OMD EM10:MK II uses 6400 a lot ( Auto-iso ) whiskers and hairs on a cat have detail. Details are not smudged away. As with anything, YMMV! Great video and commentary Ian. Cheers! 👍👍😁✌🏻
Nice review Ian, I've done the same and traded in my Pentax K-1 for a G9 system. Three DG lenses (8mm to 400mm) and G9 body weigh less than the K-1 with the 150-450 lens (3kg). Its just so much more easier to carry around than the FF. I find the G9 menu system to be a bit of a chore compared to the Pentax. I think the Pentax is one of the most intuitive menu systems out there, but the G9 just has so many more features that the menu system is inevitably more complex. But as you say though the auto focus is miles apart from the Pentax, the extra customisable buttons are great, and the view finder works well, even for spectacle wearers.
John Green thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. Both much appreciated. Cheers.
Focussing today may be an issue only in video mode: for stills Panasonic is as good as Olympus if not better in continuous autofocus. (unless the lens is the issue)
This by someone using both brands plus a Fuji X-100V
Zumzifero Thanks. Great to get the opinion of someone who uses both 👍🙏
Great points and thank you for sharing
Ian o love your photos so much, great to hear your review, and to the guys follow this man's instagram absolutely fantastic work there!
Thanks :-)
07:41 Nice picture. What stuck me the most was the ISO 100 setting for this shot. I was not aware of the ability to extend the ISO. After a quick search I see this is an option. I was a bit frustrated by the 200 ISO limit. I will give it a try.
Thanks! I absolutely love the compact nature of m4/3 with lenses like the 100-400 especially. Very much looking forward to your video on the lenses you use!!
My pleasure! Planning that video now so hope to have it done in the next week or so. May be two - a what's in my bag + more detailed review of lenses. Will see how I go on the first one :-)
Cheers, Ian
I had the K1 when it was first released but moved on to the Nikon D850 750 and 500. Then I got into video and the weight of those large body cameras with their glass was getting too much for me, so got the Lumix GH5 and over the years I have settled on Panasonic adding a GX8 and G80 plus their FZ2000 bridge camera. I have fallen in love with M43 and I bought a G9 at the end of Feb, and then we got locked down and I have been unable to get out with it until very recently, where I have been experimenting shooting video using HLG and seeing what different LUTs offer in post.
It's a fantastic camera iv had mine for about a 1 and a half and would never get rid of her ☺ Its just a shame alot of people on TH-cam jump on the negative bandwagon about it. The new update has made it a absolute steal for the price it's going for today!
Hi Toby, can I ask what the update included and what it improved, as I’m still looking at this camera, cheers Steve
@@Statto1 Hi ya the main bonus was the extra
Options with video it opened up lots of 10 bit recording which makes this camera a great hybrid cheaper option . They did improve the auto focus which is better than people slate it for. I use to do table tennis for my local club b4 covid and had no problems.. The best thing about the G9 is its ability to take great shots with out the weight. the worst is sometimes in low light you want more but with the better lens and editing well you can get around that ...
@@tobywoolgar9517 which lens would you use on the G9 in low light conditions?
@@robinernst9003panasonic 50mm 1.4 42.5 1.2 sigma 16mm 1.4 Olympus 8mm 1.8 . If you want to shoot in low light all the time especially at night then i wouldnt recommend mft . Apsc or full frame is better. But you can still get get results if you no what your doing but its just a bit harder.
@@tobywoolgar9517 but maybe i'll choose gh5... do you have links of the lenses?
very good, neutral review! I am going to get my G9 hopefully next Black Friday... but where are your subsequent videos, which you promised?
Thanks for watching. Glad you found it useful. Subsequent videos will be coming. We have just got out of 6 months of lockdown so I’ve had most of my photography on hold. Hope to do some more videos soon.
@@IanSmissenPhotography thanks, left a sub so I will not miss it! Stay healthy! greetings from Germany, Uwe
Nice fella and a good overall review :)
Thank you kindly
Thanks I appreciate your comments and tips
Thanks David, glad you enjoyed.
Great personal review 👍 I especially enjoy the G9s HighRes mode in combination with the Oly 8mm/f1.8 fisheye lens. De-fished in post, cropped to the desired field of view and there is still plenty of resolution left. Kinda light and fast UWA post-zoom lens with no-worries-factor built in👍
Thanks Jiffi Joff, I've had my eye on that lens for a while. Just can't (yet) justify it as I have the Panasonic 8-18 so the Oly 8 doesn't add much except the faster aperture...will have to wait for tax return ;-)
@@IanSmissenPhotography yeah, that's true, I hear ya. The PL 8-18 also is one excellent lens. Kinda our dilemma overall: choice and quality of (many) m43 lenses is just superb. I switched to m43 from Canon FF about 2 years ago and so far every single m43 lens easily outperforms its FF counterpart, and that's including L-lenses. Neither the 17-40/4.0 nor the 16-35/2.8 comes even close to the corner sharpness of the PL 8-18. Same goes with the magical Oly 40-150/2.8... way ahead of the Canon 70-200/2.8 or the mighty Sigma 120-300/2.8. Not to talk of the difference in weight and AF-speed... (single AF! There is room for improvement in AFC-mode). Can't wait to see what Panasonic will be coming up with: GH6/G10 with a 40+ MP sensor (mainly to enhance cropping room) and a solid and reliable AFC technology! As you said: there ya go tax returns (and savings 😁😅)
Yes. This video was shot on the 8-18PL on Lumix GX8 and it's amazing at 4K - I tend to compress down to HD for TH-cam but it's still great quality video - at least technically, not necessarily the 'talent' or processing ;-)
Your videos are wonderful.
Thanks Michael :-)
great video, its very helpful to hear honest opinions of professional photographers...
DXO PhotoLab and DXO PureRaw with Deep Prime is the best noise reduction it even restores loss color due to high ISO. I do like DXO PhotoLab better for more manual controls.
Topaz DeNoise is also excellent
@@IanSmissenPhotography I used to use Topaz DeNoise before DXO PhotoLab. DXO PhotoLab is way better.
I shoot the Olympus OMD E-M1ii at ISO 6,400 with DXO PhotoLab I push the Luminance to 50 or 55 by default its set at 40. This will remove noise for me in the bokeh parts of the image. I shoot weddings by the way.
Also DXO sharpening is amazing giving a almost 3D look hard to explain, but I turn sharpening off at ISO 6,400 on my Olympus OMD E-M1ii as there a little grain even at ISO 6,400.
At ISO 200 up to 3,200 100% noise free.
Thank you. This is what I wanted to hear. I bleed Pentax but want something lighter with faster autofocus. I have tried the Fujifilm X-T4 and it's just not doing it for me.
Thanks for this...really useful to hear your perspective. Looks like i'm going shopping!
Very good review, straight 2 the point!
Very nice review Ian. Good to hear your personal experiences. This makes it more interesting to me than just an outline of the camera’s features. I have picked up a a couple of new ideas for my G9 (eg the 60s shutter) which is great. Enjoy your other videos too. Thanks!
Thanks for watching and your kind comments. I agree re features - that’s not a review - I can read. More interested in what people think of equipment. Cheers Ian
Ian; very well done! Having been under our self-quarantine here in New England for too long, I have been reviewing as many reviews as I can find on the Panasonic G9 and the Olympus EM1 Mark III; both terrific cameras. Your review was great and addressed many of my questions. I currently have the Olympus EM10 Mark III, a relatively small camera which has been just the right size for traveling. So I am trying to decide between the Panasonic G9 (great prices here in New England) and the EM1 Mark III (much higher price than G9).
I'm curious on any comments you could share on the latest firmware 2.0 and wondered whether you found much of a difference in the AF and the CAF performance as a result of that upgrade? Looking forward to your other videos on lenses. Stay safe, thanks again.
Hi George, thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I noticed what may have been a small improvement in AF with the firmware upgrade but, to be honest I didn't do any serious testing before or after so I can't quantify any change. Re the EM1 MkIII, I looked at it but couldn't justify the price difference and the EVF is nowhere near as good as the G9. Good luck with your decision. Cheers, Ian
Very intuitive,thanks.
Nice description of the micro 4/3 system. I moved to 4/3's a few years ago and have no regrets. Use mostly Panasonic GX8 and G9 for wildlife and getting excellent results. A couple of additional small compact Panasonic 4/3 cameras and I'm good for anything.
Thanks for watching. I have a GX8 also :-)
Great video as always.
I really wanna get a new camera but I’m confused should I go for lumix g9 or Sony a6400 Both are in my budget just hard to pick one over other. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks mate
Thanks for watching. I have not used the Sony so can’t compare directly but have had several students using that and similar models and they are happy with them. Work out what your top priorities are for features and functionality, lenses and accessories. I chose the G9 because it had the features I wanted but after that I tried it in store to make sure it felt good and was easy to use in the hand so try both in store. Good luck. Cheers Ian
Great video Ian, lots of brilliant points and insights. All the best from Western Australia! Subscribed!👍🇦🇺😎
Stephen Wratten Thanks for watching, subscribing and your kind comments. Cheers Ian
im really happy even with your speaking. eng. is not my nativ language
Hi Ian. Very interesting video. I moved from Fujifilm at the beginning of this year to full frame. I’ve chopped and changed with a couple of brands this year and went for the Pentax K1. It’s an awesome machine but lately, I’ve noticed the weight I’m carrying around. Will I lose much by moving to a G9 other than weight! I have problems with my neck and shoulders so having 1.5kg of camera and lens feels a touch on the heavy side.
Hi John, You'll lose 16MP in image resolution but the G9 does have the ability to shoot 80MP files in hi-res mode on a tripod. Otherwise, almost everything else is same or better on G9.
I went from Canon 7D to G9 about 1.5 years ago...Pentax was a camera I once consider as well. The G9/100-300mmii combo for me is an awesome sports/action set up. The G9 is a hugely underrated camera. I was hoping to test it out this fall at an air show but it looks like COVID19 has squashed that this year. Great job on the video. BTW a 300mm Panasonic would be nice...not sure about the true comparability of the Olympus lenses on the G9...have heard of a too tight of a fit. Really nice to hear and watch someone who knows the camera!
Thanks for watching. Glad you found it useful. Cheers, Ian
Enjoyed your presentation and review. Thx 👍🏼🇦🇺
Glad you enjoyed it
Weighted review, thank you!
The main downside I'm struggling with since I got my G9 is the both magenta and green cast the camera introduces throughout the whole frame when recovering shadows (at any ISO!!). I can't get rid of it with Lightroom or Capture One completely because those are opposite colours, so I must be very careful when shooting in low light conditions.
Other than that, it's the most impressive camera at its price range.
Hi Mascatabaco, I have only seen a colour shift in extreme darks on very long exposures and this is handled pretty well in LR and PS.
There is a short video on YT on this topic. It says to use ISO 100 plus Extended ISO option.
Enjoyed this video! Are you still using the G9 as your main body?
@@macmij Hi, I have upgraded to the G9 mk2
@@IanSmissenPhotography thanks for the quick reply. It would be terrific to see a short segment on your thoughts of the G9 vs G9 mk2 at some point. Cheers!
...very useful review . My next camera. I have the Lumix LX100 for street photography. Thank you very much. i would like to see pictures you made .
Thanks Ekkehard, I'll add some images taken with each lens in an upcoming video.
Nice Review...thanks very much
Thanks Ravi, glad you enjoyed.
I switched largely because of weight. after useing it for a month, I have learned that, without the battery grip, the battery life is about 2 hours. Even with the battery grip, I am buying extra batteries for a month in Budapest
That’s the main downside of mirrorless cameras. They are heavy users of battery power. Batteries will last much longer if you restrict the use of the rear LCD screen and set the auto sleep to a short period of time.
@@IanSmissenPhotography . Two possible downsides:
They have way too many auto functions that can's turn off or don't even know are running
It gives you a long, steep learning curve if you are moving, like me from 20 years of Caon use to a completely foreign system
@@susanorourke6868 yes but that would be true for any new system
I've it's little brother the GX9.
I recently used it (hand held) for night time street shots. The shadows were noisy but I was able to almost remove in camera raw and photoshop
I don't use Lightroom but must try it
However the images were relatively sharp, which I couldn't get with a FF DSLR without a tripod.
I'm tempted to move to the G9. My only hesitation is it's size for an mf3 camera?
Hi Eltin, thanks for your comments. Yes, the G9 is large. I also have a GX8 and it's tiny in comparison. I like it too but it's almost too small for my big hands and fat fingers to manage the buttons easily - more practice needed I expect ;-) Cheers, Ian
Ian,
Helpful video, thanks. I'm considering buying this G9 camera. It'd be my first micro 4/3 camera. Can you share what software you use for noise reduction? Also, did you happen to get the 12-60 f2.8-4.0 lens by any chance. That strikes me as an ideal travel lens. If you have any impressions on that lens i'd welcome hearing them. Thanks much, Craig
Hi Craig, thanks for watching. I use Topaz DeNoise AI for noise reduction - my review can be found at: th-cam.com/video/XwlrpbWbU7Y/w-d-xo.html
I don't have the 12-60mm lens as I wanted to get the 35-100mm so the natural choice to match it was the 12-35mm. Cheers, Ian
Ian, Great, thanks for the reply and the link to you video. I’ll be sure to watch it. Regards, craig
If you upload 1440p even if the footage isn't you force youtube to use the much better vp09 codec. This one has the av01 codec and it really butchers the quality in comparison. vp09 is much nicer especially when you show sample images to bypass youtube compression as much as possible :)
Thanks for the tip
Hello sir. I am an amateur/casual photographer and I love to get my hands newer gear. I know that Panasonic recently went from m4/3 to full frame, and it does look that support for m4/3 cameras will be shut down earlier than we'd like to, so "newer" will not be anymore soon. Any ways, a few months ago I decided to try the m4/3 system, because I had read about how lightweight the cameras/lenses are. I purchased a GH85 and found it truly lightweight compared to my older DSLRs, from which I probably don't have to tell you about suffering the bulk and weight you have to carry while shooting outdoors for a long while, adn I have beenenjoying all the features in the GH85. So, I'd love it if you could advise me on whether it would be a good idea to get a G9, now that we know the move from Panasonic into full-frame, but more specially regarding the fact that I do not do much landscape/wildlife photography, but instead I like to shoot portrait (most of the time indoors) and street photography, also travel photograpy. I am very enthusiastic about all the features in the G9 and I understand that I most probably won't be using them, but I prefer to have features and not using them than needing something and not having it. Thank you very much.
Do you have the G85 or GX85? If you have the GX85 but prefer the DSLR style grip of your older DSLR style cameras, then you will love the ergonomics of the G9 especially if you have medium to large hands. Also, I would get the G9 instead of the S5.
Hi Ian,
I'm wanting to upgrade my gear for making nature videos which I've been doing using various phones for 2 years. I'm looking at the Lumix G9 or Fujifilm XT 3. The G9 seems good. My only nervousness lies around panasonic colour science. I've looked at some videos made on the GH5 and they look a bit flat and washed out. I'm not a guy who wants to do any more in post than I have to. What I am after is natural colour, warmth and softness more than anything else. In your experience does the G9 offer this or would there be another choice you would recommend?
Thanks David
Hi David, I am not an expert on video colour science so am reluctant to make a specific recommendation. I suggest going to a camera store with your own SD card/s and testing each camera you’re interested in side by side on the same content. Take the card home and compare on a colour calibrated monitor. Cheers Ian
My G9 i bought 3 weeks ago has a nice shutter button, feels like an Z,5,Z6II or Z7II or 5D MkIII: Panasonic worked on it an now it is not so super sensible as years ago.....
As someone who is thinking of switching to the G9 I found this review very encouraging. I'm interested mainly in bird photography and was wondering if you had any thoughts pro or con on the Lumix/Leica 100-400mm f6.3 zoom?
Hi Bruce, Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I have used the 100-400 Panasonic-Leica lens for over a year and love it. I have a couple of videos on bird photography with that lens:
th-cam.com/video/Vyoq8WJo_jg/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/7RtahNUakPg/w-d-xo.html
I also considered the Olympus 300mm f/4 which looks like a great lens but it's Moree than twice the price of the 100-400 and is obviously less versatile. On a Lumix camera you also lose the dual stabilisation using an Old lens.
Bruce, I agree with everything Ian says about the 100-400. I've compared it to the 100-300 and it is significantly sharper. Also, with the combined stabilization of the lens and the body, I can take sharp *hand held* photos of the moon with the lens racked out to 400 mm. The technology is amazing. I've also done some bird photography with the 100-400, and I like it for architectural detail shots. Love it.
Have you got them yet Bruce? I've had mine nearly two years now (August 1st).
great camera. panasonic re the best