I’ve been utilizing the excellent Panasonic Lumix G9 Micro-four-thirds digicam for my wildlife pictures since I reviewed it right here on the location again in 2018, not lengthy after its launch. It was… and certainly nonetheless is… a implausible digicam for wildlife. With the announcement of the Lumix G9II in late 2023, Panasonic introduced its flagship Micro 4/3 stills digicam bang updated… however how does it carry out within the discipline for wildlife pictures? Let’s discover out.
Execs: Blistering all-round efficiency with extremely quick burst taking pictures and substantial enhance in buffer dimension. A brand new phase-detect autofocus system (now with chook/animal eye-detection) detects and locks on to topics quicker and extra precisely than ever. Excellent picture high quality for a smaller sensor, with nice dynamic vary. Enhance to equal focal size with the 2x crop issue of the M4/3 sensor is a boon for wildlife. Excellent Lumix and third get together lens choice. Higher noise efficiency at larger ISOs than its predecessor. If video is your factor the G9II comes with all of the bells and whistles.
Cons: Whereas noise is dealt with higher than within the unique G9 (which wasn’t unhealthy by any means), there’s no getting round the truth that smaller sensors get noisy at larger ISO settings. The omission of the LCD high show of the G9 is disappointing, and one thing I missed greater than I anticipated to. Battery life is ok, however does appear to empty extra rapidly than on the G9 — so for all-day taking pictures you’ll need to carry a spare — and in case you plan to shoot video, carry a number of. Whereas the management dials are giant and tactile, and work effectively, they don’t lock, like on the unique G9, and I had a number of situations the place both the mode dial, the taking pictures velocity dial or each had “slipped” to a unique setting whereas carrying the digicam round. There’s a noticeable power-up lag when the digicam has entered “Deep Sleep” mode that may be irritating if you wish to get a shot rapidly.
Worth: Panasonic Lumix G9 II (Physique Solely) c. €1,899, or as a equipment with the 12-60mm Leica f2.8-4 c. €2,499.
View the Panasonic Lumix G9II on the Panasonic UK&Eire web site.
Take a look at the Panasonic Lumix G9II on Amazon.
Lumix G9II Full Overview
Rumours of the loss of life of Micro 4 Thirds as a format in 2023 had been drastically exaggerated, and had been put to mattress conclusively in late 2023 and early 2024 with the announcement of two new flagship micro-four-thirds fashions within the Panasonic Lumix G9II and the OM Techniques (previously Olympus) EM1 MkII (which I hope to be testing/reviewing right here on Eire’s Wildlife in the end).
As an avid Lumix G9 consumer, when the G9II was introduced, with the a lot requested phase-detect autofocus improve over it’s predecessor’s proprietary Depth from Defocus contrast-detect autofocus, I knew I needed to attempt it out. It’s not that specializing in the G9 was gradual. In actual fact, when it was launched it boasted the quickest digicam autofocus available on the market, however it struggled in some conditions… like in low mild, with cluttered foregrounds or backgrounds, or buying and sticking to a transferring topic. These are all conditions you encounter nearly most of the time when photographing wildlife.
Mix the revamped autofocus with the next decision, excessive dynamic vary micro-four-thirds sensor, and quicker taking pictures speeds with a considerably bigger buffer to accommodate them, and you’ve got a really compelling package deal.
First Impressions
One of many criticisms typically levelled on the Lumix G9 was that, for a small-sensor digicam, it was a reasonably chunky beast, not a lot smaller than many full-frame cameras, and bigger than a few of them. That very same criticism could possibly be levelled on the G9II as effectively, because it makes use of a just about equivalent chassis and management format to Panasonic’s flagship full-frame mirrorless providing, the Lumix S5 Mark II. Nonetheless, I discovered that criticism was largely unfounded with the G9, which was (and nonetheless is) one of the ergonomically seamless digicam our bodies I’ve ever used, and balanced completely within the hand with the longer lenses usually vital for wildlife and chook pictures.
Precisely the identical applies to the G9II. The truth that the newer physique is a precise copy of its full-frame stablemate is a plus, not a minus in my ebook, and it has a premium really feel and reassuring weight with out being heavy. You must do not forget that it’s usually not the dimensions and weight of the physique that’s the limiting issue for wildlife photographers — it’s the dimensions and weight of the required long-focal-length lenses. That’s the place micro-four-thirds actually comes into its personal: in comparison with full-frame lenses with equal attain, optically excellent lenses just like the Panasonic Leica 100-400mm f4-f6.3 are tiny, light-weight affairs that may be simply carried round all day and ship excellent outcomes hand-held.
Menus and Controls
Just like the G9, the G9II has a really intensive menu system that has choices for just about no matter you could possibly consider. The whole lot, from the management dials to the operate buttons to each little characteristic provided by this cutting-edge modern digicam physique, is configurable. The sheer extent of menu choices could be overwhelming, however Panasonic has laid every little thing out in a logical, categorised and simply navigable consumer interface that makes discovering and altering the setting you want comparatively painless. As with every new system, there’s a studying curve, however it’s actually not that steep, and when you get used to it you’ll be capable to fine-tune this digicam to function precisely the way you need it to.
After getting every little thing arrange the way in which you prefer it, chances are high that you just’ll hardly ever have to enterprise into the menu system in any respect, because the G9II has a number of logically positioned, configurable bodily controls you’ll be able to set as much as offer you fast entry to the settings and options you want with out going close to a menu.
LCD and Viewfinder
The flip out, absolutely articulated LCD display screen on the Lumix G9II seems and behaves the identical because the on the unique G9 — which is to say it does every little thing you could possibly presumably need it to do. Nonetheless, the newer mannequin sees a decision enhance to 1.84M dot over the unique 1.04M dot model on the G9. It is extremely versatile and is nice in case you’re trying to video or {photograph} your self (superb for content material creators/youtubers), for instance, or to get low-angle photographs that might in any other case be very tough to realize.
The digital viewfinder sees no such decision enhance, with the identical 3.68M dot decision as the unique G9. It really works effectively, and is completely serviceable… however is probably just a little disappointing in a up to date flagship digicam physique, and lags just a little behind the likes of the OM Techniques OM-1 Mark II’s 5.76M dot viewfinder. Whether or not or not you’d discover a distinction within the discipline is debatable, and I haven’t had an opportunity to attempt the 2 side-by-side (but) — however I definitely by no means discovered the viewfinder on the G9II wanting throughout the overview interval.
Utilizing the digicam
Ergonomics and dealing with
I discovered the truth that the G9II makes use of the identical physique, primarily, because the Lumix S5II, to be a boon. It has excellent stability, and glorious grip that sits comfortably within the hand, and marries completely with the Panasonic Leica 100-400mm and 50-200mm lenses I paired with it. Even with smaller lenses just like the Panasonic Leica 12-60mm equipment lens connected, it by no means felt overly cumbersome or cumbersome.
For wildlife, I all the time really feel having a physique that gives a little bit of counterbalance to the inevitably longer and bulkier lenses you’ll be utilizing is a profit. The actual fantastic thing about micro-four-thirds for me is within the decrease weight and bulk, to not point out the decrease price, of these high-performance lengthy lenses in comparison with their full-frame counterparts.
Once I’m out with the digicam I’m typically birding, guiding a wildlife group on one among our Uncover Wildlife Experiences, or travelling. In all of these situations, I have to maintain my pictures equipment as small and light-weight, but as versatile as attainable. Once I’m guiding I’m carrying binoculars, a recognizing scope and different paraphernalia in addition to my digicam gear; after I’m birding I would like to remain nimble and cellular, but be able to seize a document shot of something uncommon at a second’s discover; after I’m travelling, I don’t have area for lots of pictures gear, but nonetheless have to pack gear that may ship distinctive efficiency. The Lumix G9II, paired with the Lumix 100-400 (200-800mm full body equal) and 50-200 (100-400mm full body equal) delivers in all of these situations.
One factor I did miss from the unique G9 was the highest LCD panel. I’d grown used to checking it rapidly when turning the digicam on to confirm shutter velocity, aperture and different settings. With the G9II, as a substitute of simply glancing down, I now should bodily look into the viewfinder to confirm settings, or flip out the LCD again panel to verify. And checking IS necessary with the G9II, as the highest management dials don’t lock, and I had a number of conditions the place the settings had modified between photographs simply whereas carrying the digicam slung over my shoulder.
Ergonomically, I discovered the G9II to be a pleasure to make use of within the discipline… if something higher than the G9, and on the time I feel I professed that was probably the most snug digicam I’d ever used within the discipline.
Pace and Responsiveness
The G9II is scarily fast — fast at focusing, and ludicrously fast at burst taking pictures — providing a decent 10fps from the mechanical shutter, all the way in which as much as a daft 60fps with the digital shutter with steady autofocus and monitoring. There’s additionally a pre-burst taking pictures mode (a extra succesful evolution of the 6K Picture pre-burst on the unique G9) that constantly loops as much as 1.5 seconds price of buffered RAW images earlier than you press the shutter launch — excellent for capturing crucial motion like birds taking off, or leaping whales and dolphins.
Coupled with the spectacular efficiency is a a lot bigger buffer — from studying different critiques what seems to be one of many largest picture buffers at present accessible — which lets you take a powerful variety of photographs with out the digicam slowing down or lagging in any respect. Nonetheless, when/in case you do hit the buffer restrict (which is definitely achievable in case you go for the 60fps taking pictures) the digicam appears to be gradual at writing to the SD playing cards (even the very best efficiency playing cards accessible), and also you’re restricted from taking pictures whereas the buffer clears, which could be irritating.
In day-to-day taking pictures it’s by no means a problem, however ought to that that once-in-a-lifetime taking pictures alternative crop up, the very last thing you need is an incapacitated digicam because it struggles to dump a full buffer to the reminiscence card. Hopefully that is one thing Panasonic can addressed in a firmware replace.
Autofocus
The all-new phase-detect/hybrid AF system is probably the headliner of the G9II. It locks on immediately, and retains monitor of topics with spectacular tenacity, so long as you’ll be able to maintain them within the viewfinder (discovering and holding topics within the viewfinder is usually the toughest half with lengthy lenses). I discovered it excellent in conditions the place the unique G9 would have actually struggled.
It was additionally actually good at selecting out the topic by way of foreground litter and in entrance of background litter… one thing the unique G9 with its contrast-detect solely autofocus tended to wrestle with.
You will have all of the autofocus space modes you’d count on, and a few very nice topic detect AF modes, together with animal (and chook) AF that features physique and now additionally eye detection. It does a outstanding job of zeroing in on a chook or animal’s eye, and locking on to it. It’s extremely spectacular and appears to simply work.
Monitoring of topics can be a lot improved, presumably due to a mixture of higher AI smarts and the phase-detect AF areas constructed into the brand new sensor. The G9II tends to stay to the topic like glue… solely shedding it in case you lose monitor of it within the viewfinder. So long as you retain your topic in view (or inside your chosen AF space, in case you’re utilizing one of many space AF modes) the digicam will monitor it.
After all, as this can be a Lumix digicam, in case you delve within the menus and you’ve got all kinds of autofocus settings you’ll be able to tweak to change the default autofocus/monitoring behaviour so it behaves as you need it to.
Picture Stabilisation
That is one other space the place the G9II sees a bump in efficiency. The unique G9 was class-leading on this space with 6.5 stops of in physique stabilisation, however the G9II elevates this to a mind-boggling 8 stops of stabilisation. Sometimes that determine drops off as you utilize longer focal size lenses, however with the G9II and twin IS succesful Lumix lenses just like the 100-400mm and 50-200mm I used to be utilizing, you continue to get a stupendous 7.5 stops of stabilisation.
This implies which you could handhold at slower shutter speeds (so decrease ISO and fewer noise) at longer focal lengths and nonetheless get sharp photos… so long as your topic just isn’t transferring. Very helpful.
Battery Life
Battery life on the Lumix G9II is ok on the whole, though it does appear to make use of up the battery barely quicker than the G9. I by no means managed to get by way of a completely charged battery in a session throughout the revie interval, however based mostly on the battery utilization I will surely carry a spare with me if I used to be planning to shoot all day, and would probably need a few spares if I used to be planning on doing a lot video taking pictures.
One different factor to notice is that there isn’t a battery charger included within the field (though you should purchase one as an non-obligatory accent). You cost the battery in-camera through the USB C port.
Picture High quality
I’ve been very impressed with the picture high quality from the Lumix G9II. The brand new 25.2MP Stay MOS sensor with its dual-gain output delivers beautiful photos with spectacular dynamic vary, providing loads of scope for post-processing of RAW photos.
Whereas pixel peepers on the market will definitely see a distinction in picture high quality between a full body sensor and the most recent micro-four-thirds providing, in actual world conditions a picture printed or displayed digitally, you’d be hard-pressed to inform the distinction, significantly with the superior de-noise capabilities of up to date photo-editing software program.
Video
Whereas I’ve been utilizing the G9II predominantly as a stills digicam, it will be remiss to not point out its video pedigree. Billed as Panasonic’s stills flagship, it nonetheless sports activities professional-grade video options to rival the corporate’s flagship video mannequin, the Lumix GH6, together with as much as 5.8K/30p or 5.7K/60p MOV recordsdata in digicam, with 5.7K/30p ProRes accessible when recording direct to SSD.
As I haven’t actually used the video options, I received’t remark additional, however you’ll discover loads on-line in regards to the Lumix G9II’s spectacular video chops ought to they curiosity you.
Specs
You’ll discover full specs and particulars for the Lumix G9 Mk II on the Panasonic Lumix web site right here.
Conclusion
The Panasonic Lumix G9II takes all one of the best parts of Lumix’s modern full-frame cameras and packages them round a superb new micro-4/3 sensor, with nice dynamic vary, distinctive hybrid phase-detect autofocus, blistering velocity, and class-leading picture stabilisation. It’s undoubtedly probably the greatest micro-four-thirds choices available on the market right now — and probably the greatest wildlife cameras accessible… interval.
I’m an enormous fan of micro-four-thirds cameras, and the portability advantages they provide wildlife photographers preferring to journey mild, and keep cellular and nimble. I’ve been utterly pleased with the Lumix G9 for the final 6 years… however the G9II could have satisfied me it’s time for an improve.
Picture Gallery
A collection of photos taken in West Cork, Eire with the G9II over the overview interval.
Acknowledgement
I’d wish to thank the Panasonic/Lumix UK staff for sending the Lumix G9 in for overview on the Eire’s Wildlife web site.
NB. Eire’s Wildlife has no particular affiliation with any optics or gear producer for overview functions. All critiques on the location are utterly unbiased and goal and carried out in accordance with our phrases and circumstances. In the event you’re an optics or gear producer and wish to submit your product for overview on the location please drop us a line utilizing the contact kind and we will take issues from there.
