Panasonic G9 vs Panasonic G85 / G80 - How much better is the G9? 

*A little clarification about the "incremental upgrade" statement: I didn't mean that as a way of saying that the difference between G9 and G85 is small. The overall difference is very significant, but it is caused more by fixing issues of the G85 and further improving in areas where G85 was already very good, rather than by bringing new "revolutionary" futures.* Some of the accessories that I have used to shoot this video, will do review of those soon: Carbon Fiber Tripod:bit.ly/2Dk5pv3 Slider: bit.ly/weiheslider Ball head with Arca Swiss plate: bit.ly/2F3rVc7 ND Filters - bit.ly/2n0eCBd 323 Quick Release Plate: bit.ly/2qy2FHB LED light Panel: bit.ly/2DD3GDX

Great video! I agree that the G9 is an incremental upgrade but some of the increments are huge.

I have the G85, it's been good to me ;) I'd like to upgrade one day, but the footage looks amazing for what I do. It would probably take a full frame camera to get me to upgrade.

your videos are always the best, straight to the point, well done, thank you!!

Excellent job on reviewing both cameras. Thanks.

You are always detailed that's commendable. We are inquisitive for price quoting for the new material in almost all the videos you make. Thanks for your efforts all the same.

Thank you for such pleasant and competent review. I’ve owned and sold the G80. I mostly shoot travel and street and the quality of the jpeg output was not up to competitors standard. I just purchased a gx9 which I use with 12-60 PanaLeica, Oly 9-18 and 45mm and PanaLeica 15mm. I’m happy with it. The output is better. Many thanks and I wish you a great day

definitely the best channel for comparison,solid review,good job

Great comparison! Well-shot, nice light. What a beautiful table and chair set!

Thanks for the awesome comparison! This totally helps my decision-making 😃

Thank you very much for the comparison. Appreciate it a lot

Great breakdown man!

I bought the G9 based on your recommendation. The video was very helpful in making a decision between the two models. What lens would you recommend? The camera will be primarily used for video by my daughter who is hoping to get into film school next year and doesn’t have a huge budget. If a lower cost lens means upgrading in a few years, I may be convinced to contribute to the purchase. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated

Thanks for the great informative video. I had a DMC G7 and although it was slow on auto focus it was a great camera. At least for me. I lost it in paradise fire and looking to replace it after 3 years. I would think it would be a step up. Your video convinced me the G85 is the camera for me

Great video... I'm ordering my G9 today!

fantastic comparison- would love to see a more thorough test video of the g9 autofocus in video, especially vlogging with the shallowest depth of field- thank you

Top notch, as always. Thank you.

Great review as always.

Excellent video. It definitely has taken the edge off me wanting to run out and buy a G9, which looks like an amazing camera, but for my uses the G85 is 95% for about half the money. Thanks again.

Great comparison 😉 I was thinking of upgrading to the G9 next year so it was useful to see a side by side. Impressive to see the size difference... Like a full frame vs an Apsc camera... 😅

nicely done. i appreciate your effort and the sharing. thank you. my question: the g9 video is 8bit. is it also 8bit to an external recorder? thumbs up.

Hi, great video ! Would you consider upgrading from a GH4 with mainly photography in mind ? Thx.

Nice comparison, thanks for the good job ! Keep on :)

One thing I like about the G85 is that it has the "Scene" mode great for taking quick shots to get effects that I do not know how to replicate without that mode mode, like hand held night shot, panorana, star burst lights etc. I can understand not keeping it on the dial but they could have left it as a menu option. Considering I think this will sell more to enthusiasts than pro's I would like to see this mode added in if possible, plus the menu description bar at he top of the screen for the menu items.

If you ever get your hand on a Metabones i would love to see all kinds of comparison from you. Like low light, crop, DOF, Sharpness..etc mainly with the sigma lenses.

great reviews - thanks

The G85 can use the shutter button to start recording a movie, as long as you are in a movie mode. You can also half press the shutter to focus.

Thanks, a good comparision.

Hi, great video! What do you mean "+100 shadow recovery"? I mean, is there a setting for it in the camera or you did it in post process in lightroom or whatever..?

Great review, thank you.

Thanks for the video! Do you find the G9 noticably heavier in hand than G85?

Super test, dakujem ti pekne :)

Great job, thanks a lot! 👌

Hey mate, great video! quick question though, would you say the weather sealing on the g80 is as good as on de g9? if not would you still trust it and shoot in rain and snow?

are you going to make any sort of updated versions of these videos? i was expecting to see something about the most recent updates that unlocked 10bit ect...

Excellent review

I have G85, like it for few reason love 100-300 ii on camera. I use my XT2 for high resolution, no IBIS but use tripod for high level shoots

A big drawback is how big the g9 is. Even the g85 is a tad big, but is the smallest option in the lineup with mic in and ibis. The g95 is just a disappointment really. If they could bring the g85 closer to g7 in weight and size but make it considerably more modern that would be terrific

Thanks excellent though comparison.

Very good review. What is the city that we see in the video?

Segundo jajaja Buena comparación, yo uso la G85 y de momento estoy muy agusto con ella sobre todo en vídeo.

thanks alot for this video dude. Was waiting for your opinion already :) My main point is the image quality in stills. And as there is not a really big difference I will stick with my G85 for the next time. Just love that it is much smaller. The controls are perfect for me (I have pretty small hands) and the video features doesn't matter so much as the features from G85 are enough for me at this point. So I guess I have the money left to spend on a great new lens :) thanks again man. Always appreciate your point of view.

Maybe a G9 Vs Sony A6500? I am looking for a hybrid camera with slow video option + good photo capabilities and I had narrow it to these two. I like the G9 as reminds me of DSLRs that I used to own (love the top LCD) and I love the Sony for the size. It all comes to the final size also since I consider G9+12-35mm lens Vs A6500+16-35mm.

Nice video! May I ask what sd card do you use to shoot 4K 60p?

With the firmware update, It's hard for me not to upgrade to the g9 at some point soon!

Thanks tou so much for this video, I have been watching all your micro 4/3rd content and even tho you switched to sony,, can you remember if the g9 had auto iso in video manual mode?

id love to see a g9 vs gh5

the sales people were very misleading out the micro usb charging... but I've bought one now and it's still a great cam bar the battery life

Hi Shooter. Nice review. Can you maybe say how to use unlimited video recording with the G85? Ik would like to continually shoot video without pressing the recording button every 30 minutes...

Another excellent review. I love my G85 and it is more than enough for my needs.

The shots u use for hdr. Are they alle made from a tripod?. I own a g85, nut Cant get that crisp pictures. I only tried bracket from shots out of the hand. Like your video's. Ciao

My G85 seems to only do autofocus while recording. I use an atomos external HDMI recorder, so my G85 does not work for that. Does the G9 do autofocus while not recording so that we can record on external HDMI recorder ?

Now it’s very clear with new update coming....

Truly appreciate your review. What lens do you recommend for a beginner? I will be conducting a lot of interviews both in studio and outside studio. Do you recommend the G9 to start with over the G85. I will pay the extra if you give it the thumbs up. Thanks again.

great video. how do you feel now that the g9 has had a big price reduction. the g9 in the uk is now about 300 euros less than the gh5. why do you think that is?

I read the 41 mp mode delivers the best photos

Would you recommend getting the battery grip with the G9? I have very large hands and I find that my G7 feels tiny and difficult to get a proper grip on it. I was going to upgrade to the G85 because it has an optional battery grip. But, I held off because the upgrade from the G7 to the G85 wasn't significant enough for me to jump on it. The G9 seems quite a bit beefier than the G7 and G85 and it could finally be a perfect fit for my hands without a battery grip. It seems like the size and weight is a happy medium between a full frame DLSR and mirrorless.

I got a G80 with kit lens 12-60 for 599€ in Black Friday. How about this one? 😁 I was going to spend 1700€ in a GH5 but couldn’t resist such a bargain. I will still get a GH5 to step up my professional needs.

I have been using G85 for sometime. I enjoy your reviews. I have the 8-18mm; 35-100mm and 100-300mm. I want to upgrade from my G85. I am deciding between G9 and A7III. In Canada the G9 is selling for EUR 932 and Sony A7III for EUR 1732. I am getting tempted by the low light capability of A7III but I usually take more landscape pictures.. Subscribed

Hello, I have tested the lumix g9 10-bit 100mbps mov file vs 8-bit 28mbps mp4 file and bring both to colorgrading. I can see that the files are identical. There is no difference in term of highlight restoration, adding saturation, pushing colors etc etc. i was using the natural color profile with contrast on -2. How is het possible that both are identical the same. Have you tested this and what are your thoughts? thanks

its huge upgrade, i had g7 for long time and once i moved to g9 it was crazy

Thanks!

Thank you for the best review of the 2 cameras I have seen on YT but a question: Do you have any sense on whether the G95 provides a similar incremental upgrade over the G85? Recently i bought a G95 despite the several hundred dollar increase over G85 because I plan to keep the camera a long time & wanted current technology.

Great video. Subbed. Do you think the G85 could match the auto focus of G9 with a firmware update?

Brilliant video review! Thank you! The G9 is a big stretch for me. I do have a G7 and FZ300, but do a lot of still photo shooting.

Well done!

An under appreciated aspect of the g85 is its size. I haven’t had a chance to hold a G9 but I hope it’s not like the GH5 which feels like a brick to me.

How would you quantify the AF performance in video of the G9 after the 2.0 firmware update vs the AF of the G85 ? how about the G9 vs the a7iii? Can you do autoiso in video for the G9 just like in the GH5? Being able to use a fixed ND+autoiso vs variable ND and less hunting in videos are the two things I'm looking for in an upgrade. It's now the end of 2019, i.e. almost 2 years since the G9 went on sale. Is it a bad time to upgrade now? The body is going for USD1000 and USD1600 with the leica 12-60. Is that a good price for a two year old camera with these specs?

Fantastic comparison. I want to buy a camera or camcorder to shooting downtowns in USA/Canada. I need a very good/professional equipment since it make part of my business. Basically I need good night vision, good stabilization, good battery life and good in fast motion recording. What option do you recommend A6500 or G85? Thanks.

Hi. Thank you for useful information. I think noise level on G85 is too high. I checked a lot of pictures on flickr and discovered that even at ISO 200 many pictures have a noticeable noise in darker (and often even in bright) areas. Not sure why it happens, but it is visible and I definitely don't like it. May be it's related to small sensor size, but I noticed that Olympus cameras with the same sensor size handle noise much better.

Hello, did the G9 produce also this anoying sound from the stabilisation like the G85. Its like a humming when i pull the trigger and focus. I have switched form the G70 to the G85 and it bothers me a lot

Well done comparison. I'm an enthusiast photographer & use the Fz2500 bridge camera - which , because of it's versatility as an all in one supper zoom, I highly enjoy. I'm lately thinking about the M - 4/3 sensor for its better image qualities. ( The Fz 2500 sensor is one in. ) There is a feature that is in the 2500 - & in the G95 - that I like. It's in the Scene Mode & is called ' Hand Held Night Shot '. It combines 5 exposures using a higher ISO & shutter speed which results in a very sharp image. I'm pretty sure the G9 doesn't have this feature. The other set up that I have on my Fz2500, that I'd like to also have on a new camera is; on top - next to my shutter - is a function button which I've changed to be my focus button. I find this location for the focus to be ergonomically better than using the ' Back Button ' to focus. Can one of the to 3 top buttons on the G95 be reassigned to another purpose - like for focusing ? I've enjoyed your balanced & detailed videos. Thanks

I’m not worried about video, coming from a Nikon D300 and 300 F4 I am struggling with the option of G80/85 vs G9. I shoot family, motorsport (touring car and motogp) and macro. G80 will be around 1/3 price of the G9. Is the G9 worth the extra. I had a G7 and there was a lot I liked. I did miss the top screen although not sure that’s worth the extra £1000

Bratislava! :)

Most people have multiple cameras. I don't expect the G85 to be a low light beast. Images look tact sharp in sunlight or as the sun begins to go down.

If I record externally, what is the cheapest Panasonic that will give me 10 bit video?

Strangely I'd like the cameras video improvements than the photos improvements :)

Good comparison. If money was no issue, I would probably get The G9 (The G9 is about $500 more at this time). However, even though the G9 is better overall than the G85, it is also bulkier than the G85. I like the smaller size of the G85, especially as a travel camera.

It's a little later now from the time you posted this video and my question is : would you today upgrade from G80 to A) straight to G9 B) G90 for its small size and weight similar to G80? I'm mainly into still photography, video only as hobby - family trips and holidays, no pro shooting but I shoot in 4k. I have hard time deciding between the two, G90 I'm mainly considering for the size, which although isn't my number one priority, does matter. Thank you. And hello from fellow Slovak photo enthusiast 👋

This makes me feel soooo much better about getting the G9 over the G85 and especially after firmware 2.0, thank you man, love your videos

Hi i heard from a Panasonic rep that video iso is much worse on g9 vs g85. Would you agree with this? For photo he said its better but for some reason he thinks they have done something so its only usable upto 800 iso and video engine it better on g85. What's your thoughts? Thanks for your time.

in terms of ibis which is better ?

I am a beginner and will shoot RU-vid content almost FHD that’s why i am thinking to get M50 . Can you advise if 85g ,6100 or x-t200 will be a better choice? Your advise ist highly appreciated

Great video! I'll probably go for the G85 as a b-cam because it has unlimited recording. If only the G9 had unlimited recording I would gladly put the money down for a 10 bit 4k60 camera, but sadly it's not

Can you use the same lenses on either camera?

I tried it in store but had major focus issues under led lighting. It was struggling to focus big time. Tried other cameras with no problems. Strange thing was i tried it in another part of the store were there was tube lights and it was fine. Im waiting for a response from panasonic. Will decide between Panasonic g9 and olympus om-d e-m5 mark ii once someone gets back to me from panasonic. Cant take the risk in weddings if led lighting effects it.

We love our g85 except for 1 thing. When shooting a video we will hit the record button, the camera will beeped, so you think you are recording. Nope the camera has false beeps. It has cost us many videos. Does the g90 do this as well? Is it just us?

For handling wise, the G85 like the G7 is a bit small in my hands. The GH5 and G9 are so much a better fit. Also with larger lens I will like the GH5 and the G9 better for me that is. Of course your mileage will vary. I think the G85 and G7 are superb cameras. Just be smart about your light and focus, I mostly manual focus any way so breathing in the background of focus was not a big deal. I am also considering full frame too, but the Sony just does not have the great Panasonic interface or body ergonomics. It is like all the great stuff had no body to go into and Sony had to do something. The GH5 and G9 and G7 and G85 welcome the creator to indulge in the project, not necessarily so much on the fiddly bits of the camera. I love this allot. Canon would be next than Nikon, but Panasonic makes number one the experience. Something Sony still misses on. The Sony A7 mk3 to me is my true wish camera, but I find myself touching the screen, nothing happens, also it will not fully articulate. Panasonic and Canon own this. I love the Dual Pixel AF. But where is the 4K UHD? Panasonic and Sony are the heavies here. I want my video to be great, but I want to get the right camera for my mission.

One the changes that I don't like about the cameras that Panasonic has introduced since the G85 is the change in the front control dial. On the G85, the ring around the shutter button is a perfect position for the front control dial and it takes up no space. On the G85, the on/off lever also takes up no room and the camera can still be used one handed very easily. These changes may seem trivial, but for me are major, especially since the reason for changing is the inclusion of an LCD screen that was added for why?? Just to copy Canon and Nikon I guess, it is not really needed with the excellent viewfinders and rear screens that constantly display much more information. NONE of the reviewers on the Internet really dive into the details of usability, control, and control objects and positions. Every time a new camera comes out, the manufacturers change something, a button, placement, type of rotating dial, something. Why? You would think by now that this form factor (DSLR-like) would have been perfected by now. The real reason for the changes is some perceived marketing advantage, that just doesn't exist except in the minds of the manufacturer's marketing staffs in my opinions.

Hello! I currently have a new G85, what do you mean about the 5 1/2 stops on it's IBIS? Does it affect my shutter speed on how low I get? Thank you.

Why did you choose the G9 over ther GH5?

For outdoor action sports like mountain biking/cycling, is the G9 significantly better in terms of AFC and tracking than the G85?

2:23 it's a headphone jack?

how well does the G9 handle moire? The G85 was absolutely horrible. We are tempted to move back over from Olympus with this one but are concerned about the moire after we had a horrible "incident" with the G85

Just to correct something you said at 8:05-that you cannot press the shutter button to start video recording on the G80/85. That is not true, you can-I do it all the time on mine, and on the older G6 that I had you could do it too.

good

I ended up pulling the trigger on olympus om-d e-m1 mark ii. I found focus was more accurate. G9 is very fast but not as accurate. I wouldn't say major difference with the 2 but i prefer the focus on olympus. For pure photography i feel olympus still has the edge. If you need photo and video then g9. I must say Panasonic are getting there. Giving olympus a good run for the money

Hello. I have A question to you. I want switch from canon 1000d to m4/3 . I thinking about panasonic gx80 (g80) or olympus om de m10 m3. Do you know which is better to photography and video? I would like take a camera and go to the montain/forest. now i think a panasonic gx9 too but in this price i buy olympus with two lens 14-42 and 40-150. Thank you for your help.

Do you think its worth the price difference

Hi, if use traditional four third lens(with adapter), such as 14-54 II, can g85 perform tap to focus while in video recording,thanks.