PANASONIC LUMIX G9 MARK II - Low light / high ISO performance in JPEG (vs the G9) 

Thanks for your time. Appreciate the comparision. That G9 II seems to fulfill almost all the expectations I had on the G9 successor. I am sure I will have a lot of fun with it.

Thanks you for this comparison - and the time you put into this. It is very useful, and adds to the list of reasons to upgrade!

Good to see that the new sensor is performing well. I sometimes shoot around iso 12800, and thankfully software can get usable images out of my G9 at that level.

Since these are Jpegs, the real test will come when you have access to the raw files. But this is promising.

Really appreciate your review here, as I contemplate upgrading to the MARK II. The G9 continues to serve me well, but your comparison seems to show there may be a benefit to upgrading. My main area of photography is nature images, especially birds where higher iso is sometimes a necessity. I look forward to seeing your further testing on shots out in the field. Thanks again for a great review.

Just the video I was waiting for! Thanks! I just wish you had done it in 4K.

I loved my G9 now I've moved over to Sony but I really enjoyed the G9. The G9MKII looks great and now with that new AF system I think in it's price rang it's going to be very hard to beat. I think Lumix always had better colours, not forgetting that Lumix sweet......sweet IBS. I'm really thinking hard about returning to the Lumix system. Like you said ppl complain about noise in low light, I found with my old G9 the iso limit and didn't push it. If ppl want to push the ISO best they look at the full frame Lumix range. At that time they were very $$$$ and not a great AF, that's why I moved to Sony close to the same cost but better AF. Thank you Andrew as always mate great vid.

Thanks for this comparative review Andrew. Should help to quieten the anti M4/3 mob a little.

Thank you Andrew! I love your video posts. Winning 2 stops (3.200 instead of 800) are highly welcomed. But taken into account how old the G9 is and how cheap today the old one is not to bad and I'll surely keep it in my bag as second body.

Very impressive performance by the G9 Mark11. Should make a real difference in my indoor photography where I'd rather not use flash.

Thanks for this - very encouraging!! I get acceptable results on my G9 up to 6400 ISO already (subject/lighting dependant of course). I am using DXO PhotoLab Elite and PrimeXD Noise reduction - Not DXO's PureRaw. PhotoLab Elite is far more tunable regarding Noise and Lens Sharpness than PureRaw👍📷!! IMO - DXO and MFT is a winning combination and the primary reason why I switched to the Pany G9 from Nikon D850 for Scenic/Landscape. Still using the D850 for Sports/Birds - for now anyway?!

Fantastic testing. It's one of the items on my wish list that I hoped the new camera would improve on. I do lots of event photography and to keep the shutter speed above 1/60 for moving subjects, I'd have to increase ISO to 1600. Which I hate because colors on the original G9 start to have issues. Almost all my images stop at ISO 1600. But if the image at ISO 6400 looks similar to what 1600 is on the G9, that is fantastic news. That is a 2-stop performance improvement. Which is pretty darn huge. Now I could shoot at ISO 1200 at 1/250 or ISO 3200 at 1/120 with good image quality. Fantastic. And your testing isn't even with RAW files either... Fantastic and thank you!

Hi Andrew, thankyou for your honest assessment on the G9 mk II, it will definitely help me decide on my next camera which I feel will surely now be Micro 4/3 because of the weight issues I'm having with other lenses as I grow older, I just waiting on some more reviews from other users & possible firmware updates from Lumix. Thanks again.

Impressive, thanks, exactly what I was looking for. Are those images only in this videos or also on your website? Will also be interesting to see how it compares to the OM-1 in this particular field.

@1:22 your understanding is incorrect. This misconception was disproved many times and now it begins to creep in to photographers' awareness. The noise on INDIVIDUAL pixel level is higher, but this is averaged out thanks to more pixels covering the same surface. With all things being equal pixel density doesn't affect overall picture noise level. That is especially true for larger sensors (as compared to phones) where proportionally bigger proportion of pixels is occupied with the photodiode itself and not other electronics. But in terms of noise G9II not only has finer noise pattern due to smaller pixels but it has dual gain output, reducing analog noise by a huge margin from certain ISO upwards. That is HUGE technological advantage comparing to single output gain circuit.

Thank you. There is a trick with the G9 and most other MFT in that the default NR is too aggressive and can introduce artefacts - to drop the NR-1 This mainly affects sooc jpeg processing but as NR is a selective gain it will affect the raw exposure too. This can give you another stop or two on the ISO. Rule of thumb for nighttime - Small aperture, f/8-f/11 as this increases DoF and makes the image look sharper. - low ISO (200-400), long shutter on tripod. Noise always becomes apparent on uniform flat surfaces. Where there is less uniformity and more contrast the noise become less apparent; what you can get away with depends on the subject.. When going to telephone number ISO on the G9 I usually see a colour shift, the DR is reduced too. I would not normally call the result acceptable but may be useable if you must take the shot.

Thanks Andrew for the comparison, I was disappointed at first with the mark two as focus stacking and multiple exposure in camera are not included, so glad I didn’t trade in the original. I feel now with the two of them I have all bases covered esp with the improved phase detection. Appreciate all you do.

Appreciate the video. On an iPad I honestly couldn’t really note any difference between the 2, perhaps a little at much higher ISO at 12800. Obviously a pretty small screen to view on however, but represents most social media usage. I have no doubt that for large prints I would…well at least a little.

So more or less 2 stops improvement. That's an amazing improvement for a M43 25.2mpx sensor, Fantastic!

Thanks for confirming my decision to get the II, although my G9 I is still a great camera and I'll keep it (maybe convert it to full-spectrum). Low-light performance was a concern (although as you mention, some NR software is amazing and I've gotten great results with DxO DeepPRIME XD and Topaz DeNoise AI). The only reason to even consider larger-format cameras (and their ridiculously larger, heavier, more costly lenses) is for low-light situations with fast-moving subjects, but I can shoot dark concerts and wildlife just fine with the G9 I, so the II will just make situations like that even easier. As you do wildlife, it would be great if you did a comparison between the new lenses and their old counterparts. The one thing that bothers me about my Leica 100-400 is the lack of TC compatibility (for the rare occasions when even 800mm EFL isn't enough), but the Lumix G X 35-100 f/2.8 is a fantastic lens (I have the "Mk II") so I wonder if they did a Leica-branded one mainly for marketing purposes. I know there are some changes in optics but I'm wondering if it would be worth upgrading either of these.

Great review! That key zone between 800 and ~3200 is critical for event photography in lower light, where I've missed many shots - and you've really highlighted the advantages to the mkII. I'm sold!

Great comparison thank you...would have been great though to see iso 100 in the g9 ii just to see if its better than g9 at 200 ISO. Also any ability to do some indoor sports shots. I find with my canon r5 and r6 mk ii I have to be 2500-6400 ISO to have fast shutter and decent aperture...would love to see how the g9 ii does in these situations without having to buy it! ha ha

Excellent video. The really interesting comparison will be - strangely enough - with the GH6 at LOW iso's . Something weird happened with the GH6 dual gain setup, where the dynamic range was quite poor below ISO800. I'd love the 25mp detail, but only if the Gh6 issue has been fixed. After all, most of us shoot at sub ISO 800 more often than at ISO3200 and up.

Nice to see you again, can you compare it with the g9 and the g9 ii in tracking? Thanks!

Great work with the comparisons! The G9 II Is definitely a better quality image - or at least more appealing to my eye - at all ISOs. The colours are more vivid/ saturated and with higher contrast. It looks more like the GH6 and S5II. This might be at least partly attributable to a new JPEG recipe? Only an analysis of RAW images will enable a like-for-like comparison. There might be a touch more detail in the G9II on account of higher resolutioN; but it might just be because of the greater contrast and saturation. It looks like the internal denoising software is working hard in the G9II which smooths some detail. This is only visible if pixel peeping. In summary, the G9 II looks better.

Thanks for doing this. Would also love to see a similar video comparison given they are both very capable in that regard.

Thanks for this Andrew, this is really useful info. As a hobbyist (with a G9 and a GH5s) who sometimes earns a few bucks from his hobby, I haven’t pre-ordered the G9ii but I’m thinking my Birthday is in May!!!

Panasonic needs to get a BSI sensor into their next cameras (gh6ii for sure) for real improvements in low light. This g9ii is a moderately impressive improvement in low light, but not enough compared to their last-gen sensors, to me at least, especially since it’s been SIX years since the g9 release. They have managed to get increasingly fast read out speeds from their newest sensors (gh6, and supposedly the g9ii as well) even with them being nonstacked, so if they can utilize that expertise in readout speed and apply it to a BSI, they’re gonna have a truly winning MFT package. A gh6ii with a sensor like that and PDAF is really the only improvements I would want and would upgrade from the gh6 immediately on announcement. Maybe throw in a revolutionary internal ND while keeping 8 stops IBIS just for good measure 😅

Very nice comparison! It's not full frame, but it's good enough that I will stick with m43 for what I do. This may well be my next camera.

And a Topaz ad comes up at the end of your video.

I'm looking forward to receiving the G9ii and to compare it especially concerning lowlight with the S5ii which I bought recently for my company. Both are pretty similar (design, resolution) and I guess some (sensor size undogmatic) people will think of using both in the future.

Alright, this video singlehandedly made me want to buy the G9 ii - I will get it. Thanks!

Did you turn off noise reduction in both cameras? I feel that would show the difference better as to my eyes this looks like it was on with both?

You have tested the IQ using JPEG, which incorporates also improvement in the JPEG engine using noise reduction algoritm. Maybe in RAW the performance is worse or the same, but the JPEG processing improves the results.

Higher pixel density does not equate to more noise. Given the same print size, or same viewing area, the downsampling of a higher MP photo will yield better detail and finer noise. This has been proven in a video DPReview did a while back comparing 61MP vs the 12MP on Sony bodies.

At a glance, when the pictures showed side by side zoomed out, the original G9 looks about 1/3 or 1/2 stop brighter at the sky and at the surface of the water. I think the jpg processing engine in original G9 tried to brighten up that area and it can be affect the noise level in some degrees.

I really enjoy your videos and your real-world approach. Would love to see you compare the new G9II with the S5II. I have both the G9 (about 5 years), and the GX9 (about 4 years). I love both, and own several lens that work with both, so an upgrade to the G9II is very much worth considering. However, I have also been considering the S5ii (pre G9II announcement). The price of the G9II seems very high. I might have to wait a year or two to get a price that I consider fair. Plus, if Panasonic releases a GX9II, that might be the one for me. I really like how small and feature-packed my GX9 is. And, since the G9II is about the same size at the S5II, I think “why not go to full frame?” I would probably only get the 12-60 to start, keep my GX9, sell my G9 and sell some of the lens that I don’t use as much. So much to consider. Never an easy decision, especially when price enters the equation. I’m been spoiled as when I bought both the G9 and the GX9 at substantial I Heart Photography show discounts. It’s past time that I bought you some coffee, so look for that!

I'm so glad I got the FF S5iiX.. low light photography is important to me, I was at the state fair taking night photos and it looks super crisp at high ISO's.

Thank you very much and let‘s hope that LR Classic will process the G9II‘s RAWs soon, so we can check what the noise is like in the RAWs. What bugs me most about my two G9s is the color noise in areas of uniform color, such like the blue sky, even at base ISO. What bugs me about the G9II, however, are the missing top display and the position of the on/off-switch, both of which I did not like on my G81 either and were the reasons no.2 and no.3* to replace the G81 with a second G9. So the G9II will have to deliver decisively better in terms of noise at base ISO to make me bite those two bullits. * First reason was the G9‘s IBIS being decisively better than the G81‘s.

Thanks for doing this comparison. I'm not sure whether it's the RU-vid compression or my screen, but I had a hard time seeing the differences between the photos, let alone the noise. But from your observation, the G9 II seems to have 1-2 stops better NR than the G9. So does this mean this is now knocking on FF territory? (which always had a 1.5- to 2-stop noise advantage over m4/3).

Good video, thanks for this first comparison, I hope others come, having me the G9 and that I would like to buy the G9mkii. I have just one question for you: was Dynamic Range Boost activated?

Hi Andrew. Thank you :) I was wondering about improved ISO performance for the G9II. 800 ISO is my limit on my G9 and I rarely seem to be satisfied with it, except on occasion.

wow great comparison i watch in youtuve . what about comparison for both in outdoor portrait shot. we want to see the dynamic range and color rendering between the two side by side also.

For someone moving up from g85 to take my photography to the next level do you think I’d still be pleased with the g9i and put other money into lenses? I most do landscapes, some wildlife, travel, and flowers? Thx for great videos.

Any chance you could give us a dynamic range test between the two cameras? Especially in HVEC HLG? Also, do you notice any instances of streaking like on the GH6?

Thanks Andrew. I really prefer the "real life" comparison versus the studio ones. Really good review. The next question would be: how does the G9ii compare to its logical competitors which include (for me) the OM-1 and the X-H2S.

Thanks for taking the time to do a fair and thorough test. The G9II looks great in low light! If you get chance, could you compare the hires photos between the original G9 and or the GH6. The hires mode does seem to reduce noise, especially on the GH6 handheld mode. Thanks.

Hello! I would like to ask if this g9ii is good for sports photography? How fast is the AI SERVO? Is it worth replacing the Canon 7d mark ii?? Thanks for your reply!!

Would love to see some hand held and tripod hi res comparisions .

So 2 extra stops of ISO sensitivity. Adding to it the 1.5-2 stops of IBIS it has over basically any other camera (except the OM1 maybe), they're starting with a 3 stop advantage.

I suspect that the internal JPEG processor makes things worse at the highest ISO levels. I hope RAW processing in lightroom should get better results. I would like to see a test where you look at the dynamic range at the higher ISO levels, because that is also interesting. I sometimes shoot at concerts in extremely poor conditions and would like a decent ISO 12800 performance.

I have started a savings account to purchase the G9 II, but there are things I do not like about it. I love the dual mode knobs on the left side of the G9 allowing a top screen. The top screen is one of the best things about the G9, and to separate mode dials into two, one each side of the EVF just wastes space that could be used for a screen. I hate that they removed the mode dial lock. What idiot thought that was a good idea? I don't like the shape of the hand grip vs G9. There are some things I do like. I like the improvement to that shutter button. I like the strap lugs are now fixed so there is no danger of rattling noises during video capture, and I like that the front scroll wheel can now be operated from in front of the shutter, instead of behind the shutter And naturally I love removal of video time limits, 4K 120, anamorphic support, open gate, 100Mp High Res mode, and Leica Monochrome. But removal of the top screen and making it look like the S5 II really ticks me off. If I wanted an S5 lookalike I would have bought an S5. Not interested in L-mount. They lost me for any consideration of full frame Lumix by not making it compatible with G lenses. Dumb move, because if I have to invest in a second lens system then I chose Sony. At least Sony and Canon could work out how to make full frame and crop sensor lenses compatible.

great news im more interested in birds in flight as in fast moving to see how the new af locks on and keep in focus for small bursts in electronic shutter. i always found the g9 would loose focus after 2 images and lock on back ground. many thanks j

Thanks.. can you do a handheld IBIS test too.. TIA.

I’ll have to take your word that the G9ii is better, as viewing on an iPad Pro the G9 image looked better until you zoomed in, but side by side G9 definitely looked better. I am a bit perplexed as to why the two images aren’t the same size? Surely the 25 mp image has same size sensor so should have the same physical dimensions as the original G9, just that the pixel size is smaller to fit in and therefore better resolution?

Please up re-upload with 4K.

If we only can get the GH7 with an even more sophisticated sensor soon...

Luminar can open RAW from G9mk2. There is no point comparing jpegs

That was jpg engine comparison and not noise performance.

I'll be able to afford the Panasonic G9 mk II to replace my original G9 about when the Panasonic G9 mk III shows up. .....oh well.

What? Not a video? Nooooo...

When you mentioned jpegs I stopped the video. Not a good comparison in my opinion

Soit c'est un miracle de technologie, soit c'est du foutage de gueule votre test ???