Panasonic will release G9 system camera in January 2018 for 1699 euros

By admin On Nov 8, 2017

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Panasonic has presented the G9 system camera. The camera is for sale from January 2018 for a suggested retail price of 1699 euros. The G9 photographs at twenty frames per second while retaining the autofocus. Panasonic has also announced a new 200mm f/2.8 Leica lens.

Like the other cameras from Panasonic with interchangeable lenses, the G9 is a mirrorless system camera with a microfour-thirds sensor. The chip has a resolution of 20.3 megapixels. The device especially excels in speed; it is possible to shoot via the electronic shutter at 20fps in raw format while retaining autofocus. If the autofocus is locked to one point, even 60fps would be achievable, also in full resolution and in RAW. The buffer can handle up to fifty raw images. The electronic shutter goes to 1/32,000s and the mechanical shutter to 1/8,000s. According to Panasonic, the autofocus needs 0.04 seconds.

According to Panasonic, the G9 builds on the GH5 system camera, the current flagship, which especially excels in the video area. Just like the GH5, the G9 has a movie function with a maximum resolution of 4096×2160 pixels at a frame rate of 60 fps and a bit rate of 150 Mbit/s. There is also an option for slow motion; in 4k resolution the speed goes up to 60fps and in full hd up to 180fps. The full width of the sensor is used for all film resolutions. Compared to the GH5, the G9 lacks a number of video options, such as the ability to record 10bit video.

The G9 has a special eighty-megapixel mode, where a photo is taken in this high resolution. This is done by merging eight photos taken in succession, in which the sensor is always slightly shifted. This is to some extent similar to the pixel shift option that certain cameras from Pentax and Olympus have. The G9 has a sensor that is stabilized over five axes, which should give a gain of 6.5 stops. The system camera has a metal housing that is sealed against dust and moisture, and must be able to withstand freezing cold.

The electronic viewfinder has relatively good specifications: a magnification of 0.83x, a resolution of 3.68 million pixels and a refresh rate of 120Hz. The image is displayed on an OLED screen. A joystick is available for, among other things, choosing an autofocus point. Furthermore, a fully foldable and rotatable 3 “touch screen is present, and the camera has room for two SD cards. The G9 also has a screen on top, on which, among other things, the set values for the photos and videos are visible.

In addition to the G9, Panasonic has also presented a new lens. The 200mm f/2.8 lens features image stabilization and has a Leica design. The lens system consists of fifteen elements in thirteen groups, including two ued lenses. The lens weighs 1245 grams, accepts 77mm filters and is sealed against dust and moisture, as well as withstanding freezing temperatures. Together with the lens, Panasonic provides a 1.4x teleconverter, so that the effective focal length is 280 mm, which is equivalent to 560 mm on a full-frame camera. This package costs together 2999 euros and is available from January 2018.

The camera will cost 1699 euros as a body; including the 12-60mm 2.8-4.0 lens from Leica, the price is 2299 euros. With this pricing, Panasonic will want to compete with the comparable OM-D E-M1 Mark II from Olympus, among other things. This system camera also has a microfour-thirds mount, a resolution of 20.4 megapixels and a comparable shooting speed of eighteen or sixty fps, but lacks the G9’s ability to record videos in 4k resolution at sixty frames per second. The OM-D E-M1 Mark II currently costs 1999 euros as a body.