With all the talk about the upcoming Panasonic GH5s, I’ve seen little attention given to the new Panasonic LUMIX G9. This camera looks to bridge the gap between the current G85 and GH5 cameras, and addresses some of the downfalls of other cameras. To begin with, the camera records 4K video at 60fps and 1080p up to 180fps – similar to the GH5. Where it lacks is in the color depth; the G9 isn’t capable of internal 4:2:2 10bit recording like the GH5, only 4:2:0 8-bit, so keep that in mind if you intend to color grade footage.
Though the camera is intended to improve Panasonic’s position in the stills photography market, there are some nice video features that are a step in the right direction. The new G9 has 6 stop image stabilization compared to 5 stop on the GH5 and G85, allowing for improved stabilization of handheld footage. Panasonic has also improved the autofocus, with 0.04 seconds for single point autofocus, faster than both the GH5 and G85, and allowing them to compete with Sony cameras. This camera also has better autofocus tracking features, as well as focus peaking for those that prefer manual focus.
Another great feature is the dual SD card slots. On many professional cameras, you’ll find dual SD card slots that can allow for in-camera backups. Even with high end SD cards, the simple truth is that they do fail, and having dual slots can prevent disaster when the footage is important.
Compared to the GH5, there are still some problems with video for this camera. The camera is limited to 10 minutes at 4k 60, or 30 minutes at lower frame rates, but it is capable of clean output to an external recorder for 8-bit 4:2:2 footage. Like other Panasonic cameras, there’s a built-in microphone jack to improve audio recording, and it also features power over USB for prolonged use.