Is the Lumix G9 a great Micro 4/3 value? I think so. 

Hello I decided to follow you. I am 74 years old and love this camera that I own for its ergonomics and image quality. I have had many years experience like you and was pleased to find an older photographer with plenty of experience. I have some Panasonic pro lenses to go with it as well. A great commentary on this camera and you describe well why I like this camera and lenses so well.

I’ve seen this camera for $500 too. Unbelievable. The G9 was marketed as the Panasonic flagship photography camera. Being a Panasonic there are a lot of video features. The depth from defocus (DFD) is very good for photography. The camera locks onto the subject quickly and accurately. DFD isn’t so sticky for video. The focus sometimes looses lock and then drifts. The IBIS feels like it is more than five stops of stabilization . II easily can hand hold and capture an image at 1/2”. Add an OIS lens and you get dual stabilization for about seven stops. This is unbelievable. The lens choice is quite large. Panasonic and Zuiko lens are interchangeable but only the camera’s brand lens has full functionality. There are also third party lenses worth looking at. Two lenses in particular are worth note. The 12-35 & 35-50 f2.8 lenses are all you really need. Small. Lightweight. Sharp. Fast. Reasonable price. Yes the Panasonic-Leica 12-60 is a very good lens. It starts out fast at f2.8 but quickly stops down to f4. I love the Panasonic primes. The Panasonic-Leica lives on my GX9 for street photography. The Panasonic G9 is a true bargain for photography and/or videography. It is inexpensive and a powerful tool. The choice of glass is very good. The DFD is more than adequate for everyday use. A minor negative for some is that the body is somewhat large for a M43 body. This doesn’t translate to a heavy body. I purchased this body new when first released and have used it a lot. I wish I could have purchased the body at current prices. I love this body and wholeheartedly recommend it for any video or photography user. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)

Thanks! Most of my gear is MFT but I don't have any G series cameras - yet.

I started digital photography 16 years ago with a Pentax K100D super and many other Pentax models over the years I have added Panasonic,Olympus, Fujifilm, Nikon and one Sony A7 ii, i have a Panasonic S5, S5 MKII, G9 and G95. The G9 is a well made camera and the lens selection for the 4/3 cameras is amazing and the lens are very compact, the Panasonic 9mm f1.7 is such a small lens for a fast aperture lens. I also have the Olympus OMD Em1 MKII AND MKIII along with the EM5 MKIII. The 12-40 f2.8 Olympus lens is a great all around lens and my next favorite lens is the 40-150 F2.8, i also have many different Panasonic and Olympus zoom and prime lenses that I use as my travel camera setup.

To make it clear with the focus issues on that camera, and Panasonic cameras in general prior to the G9 II: this is only related to video mode. There is no focus problem in photography mode. On the contrary the G9 has some unique focus assist tools that makes it very fast to acquire on a subject. It is called FarShift and NearShift focus. With the shutter half pressed you engage NearShift focus and the camera will focus on the nearest object in the focus area. You have to set a dedicated button for this but the G9 has lots of buttons and even digital ones. As for digital buttons the LCD screen is full touch and the menu is comprehensive. Panasonic cameras are easy and enjoyable to operate.

Really appreciate you taking the time to put this together and share. So many great insights!

It is hard to find a G9 user that doesn't love it. Great camera. Ergonomically perfect. I bought mine as a Pro kit, with the 12-35mm f2.8, and was able to do a deal on the 35-100/2.8. Best deal I ever made. Brilliant camera. I never have any real focus problems. As with any camera, you work with its limitations, and get the most from the camera.

Thank you for the feedback and recommendations, much appreciated!

I am thinking about getting one purely for the weather sealing. I have two M4/3 bodies, but they don't have this feature and there have been two times where I was out and it began raining, so I had to quickly hide my camera under my coat, it was ok. But, that got me thinking that it would be nice to have a body where I wouldn't have to stress so much about the weather suddenly shifting. I had considered a G80/85, but for the same price can get a used G9. I can't justify a G9ii at 2000€!!!

It may sound a bit silly, but I use the G9 with my 50mm Summilux-M that’s normally on my M11. The M is my main camera for personal work, but it has its limitations, so I took a G9 that was still lying around in our studio together with the gorgeous Leica 12-60 and I can use it for videos and whenever I need a more flexible platform than the full manual M. With the adapted 50 Summilux (100mm equiv.) I also have an awesome portrait setup. It’s a $4500 lens on a $500 camera and yet it feels totally perfect. The G9 is still amazing…

I use back button ato focus that solves the shutter sensitivity and I prefer to use back button autofocus anyway.

Hi JB, thank you for the information, really interesting perspective and appreciate you taking the time. What are your thoughts on the G9, G95, or EOS R50? I saw your prior videos and it sounds like the R50 is also an excellent camera. Seems like it’s possible to get the G95 and R50 for around 700 new with their kit lenses so price is pretty similar - I’m looking to buy a separate camera for basic travel and family photography (so I can put my phone away and avoid the distractions and battery drain associated with using that as my main camera) and it feels like there’s too many good choices so I’m struggling with comparing them. Appreciate your videos, thanks again.

I enjoy your passion for panasonic....I will agree with you that they are top notch video cameras but the autofocus issues and the crop factor just drove me back to canon

Enjoying your recent micro four thirds content. Thanks for the info on the G9, interesting camera. Would you still recommend the G9 to a hobbyist over one of the more mid-range bodies like the G95? This would be mainly for photography and not video. What would be your recommendation for the most best around most versatile micro four thirds lens?

I really appreciate this video, I am thinking of buying an old G9 and the PanaLeica 12-60. I had a question about the high res capture. I've heard that the IBIS does not work with this mode and I was wondering if the OIS in the lens would help with stability when using that mode. Not sure if you have any insight but I'd appreciate your input. Thanks

Renewed is Amazon's version of refurbished, more or less.

Have you tried the Olympus Em1 Mark ii? Debating between picking up the E9 or the Mark ii.

Yep, I got the body and 12-60 f2.8 for $689

I just got an open box with 12-60 on Amazon for under $600

Can i please make you a logo!