Panasonic Lumix G97 two-minute evaluate
The Panasonic Lumix G97 is successfully an up to date refresh of the 2019 Lumix G95/90, with a higher-resolution rear display, the video recording restrict eliminated, and a brand new USB-C port for charging and energy. Granted, that doesn’t sound like a lot of an replace – however if you use the G97 you understand simply how responsive, well-made and highly effective this digital camera nonetheless is, even by todays’ requirements.
It does have a 20MP Micro 4 Thirds sensor, which is half the scale of the sensors in its APS-C rivals, which additionally provide extra decision at 24-26MP+. This has some impact on the last word picture high quality, however maybe not as a lot as you would possibly count on, for the reason that G97’s sensor has no anti-aliasing filter with a view to maximize high quality element; and whereas there’s extra digital noise at larger sensitivities, it’s a must to push the ISO fairly a great distance earlier than it exhibits (and APS-C cameras additionally produce noise, after all).
After which there’s Panasonic’s considerably controversial DFD distinction AF – the G97 doesn’t make use of Panasonic’s newest hybrid section/distinction tech. Is it an issue? Not in stills images, the place the AF is extraordinarily quick and responsive. You would possibly discover the distinction in video, although, the place many customers report the AF searching or ‘pulsing’ because it retains re-checking even stationary objects. It should depend upon what you movie, and the way.
Let’s have a look at what this digital camera delivers elsewhere. You get an especially efficient in-body picture stabilization system (the smaller sensor helps right here), a good-quality EVF the place most rivals at this worth don’t have one in any respect, a 1.84m-dot vari-angle touchscreen, a twin-dial management system (three dials, for those who rely the one on the again) and, for those who go for 12-60mm lens bundle, among the finest equipment lenses on the market, each for zoom vary and for real-world picture high quality. Actually, that is an enthusiast-level digital camera at a beginner-level worth.
Panasonic Lumix G97: Launch date and worth
- $850 / £799 with Lumix G 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6
- £699 physique solely (UK)
- £899 with Lumix G 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 II (UK)
At launch, the Lumix G97 is being provided solely as a bundle with the Lumix G 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 equipment lens within the US, however within the UK you should purchase it body-only or with the Lumix G 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 10x zoom. They’re all nice offers, however the 12-60mm bundle seems to be the perfect for brand new customers.
It’s value mentioning that this can be a 24-120mm equal 5x zoom that goes properly past the vary of most equipment zooms, and it’s additionally quite good.
At these costs, the Lumix G97 is simply in regards to the most cost-effective new mirrorless digital camera available on the market, matched carefully on worth by the OM System OM-D E-M10 Mark IV. The Canon EOS R100 is cheaper nonetheless, however doesn’t have IBIS, has weak 4K video options, and doesn’t include a lens to rival the Panasonic’s glorious equipment lens.
Panasonic Lumix G97: Specs
| Sensor | MFT, 20.3MP |
| ISO vary | ISO 200-25,600 (exp. 100-25,600) |
| Autofocus | 49-area DFD |
| Stabilization | 5-axis, 5-stop IBIS + Twin I.S. 2 |
| Video | 4K 30p / FHD 60p |
| Cont. capturing | 9fps (6fps with stay view and AF) |
| Viewfinder | 2.36m-dot OLED EVF |
| LCD | 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen 1.84m-dots |
| Storage | 1x SD UHS II appropriate |
| Battery | Li-ion, 280 photographs |
| Weight | 530g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 130.4 x 93.5 x 77.4mm |
Panasonic Lumix G97: Design and dealing with
- DSLR-style design with twin management dials
- 1.84m-dot vari-angle touchscreen
- 5-axis 5-stop IBIS
The Lumix G97 seems to be and handles like a small DSLR. It might sound unnecessarily giant for a digital camera with a Micro 4 Thirds sensor, however the reality is that there’s a restrict as to how small you can also make a digital camera that also suits a human hand correctly – particularly one which takes interchangeable lenses.
The place you do see a bonus from the smaller sensor is within the smaller and lighter lenses this method makes use of. The 12-60mm (24-120mm equal) equipment lens is a good instance – it provides a 5x zoom vary in a lens that’s little bigger or heavier than a 3x equipment zoom on a larger-format digital camera.
There’s a decent-sized grip on the appropriate facet of the physique that gives a safe maintain, leaving your different hand free to function the lens or the flip-out touchscreen. Should you favor to make use of the EVF, that is vibrant and clear, and has an eye fixed sensor to change from the LCD to the viewfinder mechanically.
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The primary mode dial is clearly labelled and has a agency, constructive motion. There are two management dials on the highest, one across the shutter launch and the opposite on the rear, proper the place your thumb lies. These do various things in numerous modes; in Guide mode, for instance, the entrance dial adjusts the lens aperture and the rear dial modifications the shutter velocity. These dials are agency, constructive and completely weighted. In between them is a outstanding crimson Document button for video.
Around the again there’s a helpful three-position focus mode lever with an AF-L/AE-L button within the heart and a four-way controller with a rotary dial across the outdoors – although this doesn’t have the identical really feel because the management dials on the highest.
General, this feels an especially well-made digital camera for the cash, with all of the controls proper the place you want them – there are buttons for white stability, ISO and EV compensation on the highest, and a Q.MENU button on the again to carry up an on-screen show with extra digital camera settings.
A spotlight-point joystick would have been good to make setting the main focus level simpler, however you solely get these on extra superior semi-pro cameras, so you may’t actually complain – and you may all the time use the touchscreen to set the AF level.
- Design and dealing with rating 4/5
Panasonic Lumix G97: Efficiency
- Glorious definition and distinction from 20MP sensor and nice equipment lens
- Very quick AF for single-shot stills images
- Steady AF much less good, and infrequently some ‘pulsing’ with video
The Lumix G97 delivers first-rate element rendition. The shortage of a low-pass filter and a equipment lens that delivers super-sharp element proper throughout its focal vary makes for a mix that loads of APS-C cameras can’t match. Larger ISOs do present noise faster, it’s true, however not by a lot. Moreover, at the moment’s AI noise-reduction instruments could make an ISO 6,400 picture look virtually like ISO 200.
The G97’s video seems to be good too, although with solely 8-bit inner seize there’s a restrict to how far you may push issues if you wish to grade your footage closely later. It does include Panasonic’s V-Log profile, a paid add-on for a lot of Lumix fashions, however this actually wants better-quality 10-bit 4:2:2 seize to work on, and you may solely get that with the G97 by way of an exterior recorder. It’s high quality for primary use and for those who’re simply beginning out vlogging, however it’s not a critical filmmaking instrument.
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The autofocus is a combined bag. For stills images, it’s extraordinarily quick and responsive. In burst mode, it’s rather less constructive, although provided that the G97 can solely handle 6fps with steady autofocus, it’s not likely supposed to be an motion specialist.
The AF usually does a very good job for video, refocusing easily as your topic distance modifications otherwise you reframe the shot. Its attribute ‘pulsing’ impact is usually exhausting to see, however for those who’re filming a static topic and background it may be fairly annoying. One answer is to change to single-shot AF and easily faucet the rear display whereas filming to refocus – fastidiously!
The IBIS is superb. It’s solely rated at 5 stops, however that is truly a constant and achievable determine, not like the larger numbers usually quoted for larger-sensor cameras – which are sometimes absolute best-case figures you may not often method.
Ought to I purchase the Panasonic Lumix G97?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
How I examined the Panasonic Lumix G97
- I spent two weeks photographing and filming quite a lot of topics
- I examined the 5x zoom equipment lens throughout its vary of focal lengths
- I checked if the 5-stop IBIS lived as much as its claims
- I examined autofocus efficiency for stills and video AF/monitoring
- I assessed the picture element and high quality towards APS-C rivals
I examined the Lumix G97 and its 12-60mm equipment lens on many alternative topics together with outside nonetheless photos, motion sequences (with a really excited canine), close-ups and indoor photographs, and in quite a lot of lighting circumstances.
Panasonic’s DFD autofocus has not all the time had the perfect repute, so I notably needed to search out out if and when it struggled, and what to search for.
I additionally needed to verify the definition of Panasonic’s 20MP MFT sensor, which has no low-pass filter, to see the way it stacked up towards larger-sensor APS-C rivals. The 12-60mm equipment lens is especially fascinating as a result of it provides a 5x zoom vary in comparison with the 3x zoom of most equipment lenses, and I did need to see how the picture high quality diversified throughout the zoom vary, and whether or not it declined in any respect at longer focal-length settings.
Lastly, the IBIS system within the G97 is barely rated at 5 stops of compensation, so I needed to search out out simply how achievable that was in real-world capturing.