What’s Changed? The Panasonic G9 II includes several noteworthy updates to its predecessor. It borrows its body design from the S5 II, albeit with a Micro 4/3 mount and minus the fan vents, meaning that it offers expanded on-board controls. There’s also an improved subject-recognition autofocus system, an updated in-body image-stabilization system, and a host of upgraded video capabilities.

25.2MP Live MOS Sensor and Updated Processing Engine. The G9 II’s 25.2MP Live MOS Micro 4/3 sensor works in tandem with an updated processing engine, which was developed in partnership with Leica, to enable burst shooting at up to 14 fps with the mechanical shutter and up to 75 fps with the electronic shutter. You also get great low-light performance, a 100-25,600 photo ISO range that’s expandable to 50-25,600, a 100-12,800 video ISO range that’s expandable to 50-12,800, and enhanced color reproduction and suppressed noise levels throughout the camera’s sensitivity range. A pre-burst shooting feature lets you capture frames from up to 1.5 seconds before you press the shutter release, and a handheld high-res mode combines multiple exposures into a single 100MP RAW or JPEG file.

Pro-Grade Video Features. The Lumix G9 II offers full-frame, open-gate 5.8K 30p video capture with 4:2:0 10-bit color for up to half an hour, unlimited video capture in DCI and UHD 4K60p 4:2:2 10-bit mode, C4K/4K 120p video capture with 4:2:0 10-bit color, and Full HD 120p capture for high-res slow-motion video. It features clean HDMI output to an external recorder, a built-in stereo mic for quick audio capture, and 3.5mm mic and headphone jacks for advanced audio recording and monitoring needs. Please note that you’ll need an SD memory card that’s UHS-I Class 3 or faster or 4K capture. An AWB Lock mode automatically locks in white balance for maximum efficiency in indoor shooting situations with variable light sources, or in situations that would typically need you to manually adjust white-balance settings based on color temperature.

Post-Production Optimization. The G9 II comes with V-Log pre-installed. This gamma lets you capture a flat, neutral gamma curve and an equivalent 13+ stops of dynamic range, giving you precise control for color grading in post and seamless editing with VariCam footage. Dual Native ISO uses two dedicated circuits per pixel to keep noise low and sensitivity high, facilitating shooting in a wide range of lighting conditions. This camera supports recording and playback using an external SSD via USB, and it can record ProRes 422 HQ and 4:2:2 10-bit ALL-Intra directly to an SSD. A Frame-Marker function makes it easy to convert anamorphic video to vertical orientation for social media.

Phase Hybrid Autofocus System. The G9 II is the first Lumix G-series camera to incorporate an on-sensor Phase Hybrid autofocus system, which uses 779 phase-detection points to facilitate fast and highly accurate performance, even in backlit or low-light shooting situations. Multiple subject-based tracking modes help to ensure maximum accuracy. Human mode tracks humans by detecting and prioritizing eyes, then faces, then heads, and then bodies; Animal mode is designed to track a range of animals from common household pets to birds, all with eye detection; Face/Eye detection only focuses on eyes and faces in the frame; and there are discrete modes for tracking cars and motorcycles, making this a superlative camera for motorsports photography.

Five-Axis Image Stabilization with Dual I.S. 2. The G9 II’s image-stabilization system uses five-axis sensor-shift stabilization to compensate for roughly eight stops of camera shake, giving your hand-held shots utmost sharpness. This camera includes the Dual I.S. system, which works with compatible Lumix lenses that have O.I.S. to compensate for an even greater range of movement types than the standard I.S. system. An Active I.S. system improves stabilization when you’re shooting video while you walk, and Boost I.S. technology helps keep your compositions stable when you’re shooting video from a fixed perspective.

OLED EVF and Rear Touchscreen LCD. The high-resolution 3.68m-dot OLED EVF gives you a clear 0.8x magnification and a smooth 60 fps or 120 fps changeable refresh rate. You can use the 1.84m-dot 3.0-inch rear touchscreen LCD for menu navigation and image composition, review, and playback. The LCD’s free-tilting design lets you work from low and high angles, even when you’re shooting in vertical orientation.

Other Notable Features. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity provide wireless control and viewing options via the free Lumix Sync App for Android and iOS. This camera has two UHS-II compatible SDHC/XC (remember, UHS-I Class 3 or faster for 4K video), and the rechargeable DMW-BLK22 battery is rated for approximately 370 shots per charge when using the rear monitor or the EVF. A USB Type-C port makes for easy file transfer and fast in-body battery charging, a 2.5mm port supports the optional Panasonic DMW-RS2 Remote Shutter, and an eight-direction joystick makes for quick menu navigation. The magnesium-alloy body is dust- and splash-resistant, allowing you to keep shooting even in arduous conditions.