Panasonic Lumix G9 II
The modern camera I used, it impressed me
I borrowed the G9 II for two weeks through Panasonic's Lumix rental program and it reset my sense of what a modern camera can do. The phase-detect autofocus got me my first bird photos, the Leica 12-60mm it came with handled low light I'd have skipped with my Canon 80D, and it fit my hand better than any body I've held. A deal on an OM-1 got my money, but the G9 II stays on my tracked list. I may switch back when prices align. Or I will just have two, competitive MFT bodies (don’t tell my wife).
Should you buy this camera?
Where it lands on my buy-it scale. Five is a coin flip; ten is a camera I'd hand to anyone.
- Phase-detect autofocus locks fast and stays locked; it got me my first keeper bird photos
- The best grip of any camera I've held, and I liked my Canon 80D's grip a lot
- Stabilization plus the Leica 12-60mm made low light doable instead of a gamble
- Fast and accurate through two weeks of heavy use; it never made me wait
- A full-size body, so the Micro Four Thirds space savings only show up in the lenses
- An obvious camera; people know you're taking photos
Where it shines
Scores reflect the reviewer's first-hand experience using this camera for each kind of shooting, 0 to 5.
Who it’s for
A photographer coming from an older DSLR or an early mirrorless body who wants to feel what a decade of autofocus and stabilization progress adds up to. The G9 II pairs phase-detect autofocus and subject detection with stabilization strong enough to hand-hold in dim rooms, and the video specs run far past what I needed. If your camera history looks like mine, mostly older, well-depreciated bodies, this one shows you what you’ve been missing.
What it’s like to shoot
I borrowed the G9 II for two weeks through the Panasonic Lumix rental program, which loans current bodies and lenses for 14 days against a refundable deposit. Mine came with the Leica 12-60mm f/2.8-4, and that pairing did almost everything.
At the time I shot a Canon 80D and had enjoyed an old, tiny Micro Four Thirds body. The G9 II was a revelation. It was the most modern, capable camera I had ever touched: fast, accurate, and stable. It got me my first bird photos, kept up in low light I’d have skipped with the 80D, and produced a batch of pictures I really liked. The 80D fits my grip smoothly and feels confident in the hand. The G9 II felt even better, and hand feel is the spec that decides whether I bring a camera at all.
Strengths
The autofocus is the story. This is Panasonic’s first G-series body with phase detection, and paired with subject detection it locked onto birds and stayed locked while I was still learning where the buttons were. Those two weeks are the reason I started birding.
The stabilization backs it up. With the 12-60mm I hand-held shots in light that would have been tripod territory on my 80D, and the keeper rate in dim rooms stayed high enough that I stopped thinking about it. The body itself is crisp and quick, and the grip is the best I’ve held.
Weaknesses and workarounds
It’s a big camera for the system. The body runs close to Panasonic’s full-frame S5 in size, so the Micro Four Thirds size advantage only shows up once you add lenses. It’s also an obvious camera. Raise it and people know you’re taking photos, which cost it points from me for street and everyday carry. A smaller prime would tame the bulk somewhat; nothing tames the presence.
How it compares
The cross-shop that mattered to me was the OM System OM-1, the other Micro Four Thirds flagship. The G9 II was my first pick for a birding body, and a used OM-1 deal I couldn’t pass up is the only reason I don’t own one. Coming from the original G9, the II adds the new sensor, phase-detect autofocus, and a body reworked along S5 lines. If you’re weighing the newer OM body, see the OM-1 Mark II comparison.
Further reading
The long-term reviews back up what two weeks showed me. This 2-year owner review on YouTube covers what holds up after buying one and living with it. Emily Lowrey at Micro Four Nerds took hers on safari and through two wedding shoots: “The Lumix G9ii is almost perfect, and certainly the best micro four thirds camera ever made.” Zakari Kha’s six-month review calls it “one of the best cameras you can get in the M43 ecosystem.” DPReview gave it a Silver Award (87%) and called it “a significant upgrade in so many ways, from sensor to subject recognition to burst speeds.”
Verdict
If you want a modern body in Micro Four Thirds, buy the G9 II. High-Res modes, FAST bursts, dual card slots. Skip it if you want a camera that disappears in a pocket or a crowd, because this one reads as serious gear. I bought an OM-1 when a deal showed up first, and I still watch the G9 II's used price on this site waiting for mine.
Anyone shopping Micro Four Thirds specifically for a small kit. The body is close to Panasonic's full-frame S5 in size, so the weight savings arrive with the lenses, not the camera.
This review captures the reviewer's experience with the Panasonic Lumix G9 II, not its current price. For today's lowest observed used price across the major used-gear sites, see the camera detail page. For how Gear Gauge collects prices and computes deal scores, see /methods.