Panasonic on Wednesday announced the Lumix G9 as its newest flagship camera - sitting alongside the videography-centric Lumix GH5. The new mirrorless Lumix camera is specifically aimed at still photographers with features such as an ultra-fast, 60fps burst shot speed and an improved five-axis in-body image stabilisation. The Japanese company will start selling the new model beginning January 2018 with a body-only price tag of $1,699.
Similar to the Lumix GH5 that was launched in India back in March, the Panasonic Lumix G9 has a 20.3-megapixel Micro Four Thirds image sensor along with a Venus engine that jointly enable the iconic 60fps burst speed in AF-S mode (fixed focus). You can also switch to 20fps in continuous AF-C that uses the built-in electronic shutter to lock objects. Both the modes enables you to capture up to 50 RAW or JPEG images. This is lower than Sony's A9 or A7R III that can capture over 200 images. However, you have also been provided with an option to use the mechanical shutter and capture up to 9fps with continuous AF to take as many as 600 JPEG or 60 RAW files.
Panasonic has additionally provided a software-level tweak on the Lumix G9 through a new High Resolution mode that allows you to have 80 megapixels (equivalent) images in both JPEG and RAW formats. The camera basically combines eight images captured while shifting the sensor to give larger results than the hardware limit.
If the image sensor of the Lumix G9 isn't something that persuades you to pick it as your next travelling partner, there is the upgraded image stabilisation system that helps you receive up to 6.5 additional stops of brightness. The latest Lumix flagship also has compatibility with optical image stabilisation (OIS) lenses to reduce the impact of jerks and shakes. Further, the available anti-shake system is designed for both still images as well as video files.
The Lumix G9 has a 0.83x magnification electronics viewfinder that has a resolution of 3,680k dots. The natively designed viewfinder is touted to have "zero blackout" even for high-speed shootings. Also, there are three modes of magnification to let you capture detailed shots.
Alongside the list of upgrades for top-notch still images, the Lumix G9 is capable of recording 4K videos at a frame rate of up to 60 fps. However, support to record 10-bit video footage that was acclaimed on the Lumix GH5 is missing.
The Lumix G9 has Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth 4.2 wireless connectivity support alongside USB charging and dual SD card slots with the compatibility for UHS-II/V90 storage options. Moreover, the camera has a 3-inch touch-supported LCD monitor and a dust- and splash-resistant build.
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