Panasonic G97 vs GX9

The Panasonic Lumix DC-G97 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in April 2019 and February 2018. Both the G97 and the GX9 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 20.2 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Panasonic G97		Panasonic GX9
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor		20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600		ISO 200-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2760k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1840k dots		3.0" LCD – 1240k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second		9 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
290 shots per battery charge		260 shots per battery charge
130 x 94 x 77 mm, 536 g		124 x 72 x 47 mm, 407 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DC-G97 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Panasonic G97 and the Panasonic GX9 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The GX9 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the G97 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic GX9 is notably smaller (27 percent) than the Panasonic G97. Moreover, the GX9 is markedly lighter (24 percent) than the G97. It is worth mentioning in this context that the G97 is splash and dust resistant, while the GX9 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the G97 gets 290 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 battery, while the GX9 can take 260 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLG10 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Panasonic G97	130 mm	94 mm	77 mm	536 g	290	Y	Apr 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic GX9	124 mm	72 mm	47 mm	407 g	260	n	Feb 2018	US$ 849	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-M1 III	134 mm	91 mm	69 mm	580 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-M5 III	125 mm	85 mm	50 mm	414 g	310	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-M10 IV	122 mm	84 mm	49 mm	383 g	360	n	Aug 2020	US$ 699	amazon.com
6.		Panasonic G80	128 mm	89 mm	74 mm	505 g	330	Y	Sep 2016	US$ 899	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic G90	130 mm	94 mm	77 mm	536 g	290	Y	Apr 2019	US$ 999	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic G110	116 mm	83 mm	54 mm	352 g	270	n	Jun 2020	US$ 649	amazon.com
9.		Panasonic GX7	123 mm	71 mm	55 mm	402 g	350	n	Aug 2013	US$ 999	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GX8	133 mm	78 mm	63 mm	487 g	330	Y	Jul 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GX80	122 mm	71 mm	44 mm	426 g	290	n	Apr 2016	US$ 799	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic LX100 II	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Aug 2018	US$ 999	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic TZ200	111 mm	65 mm	45 mm	340 g	370	n	Feb 2018	US$ 799	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7C	124 mm	71 mm	60 mm	509 g	740	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The G97 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 12 percent) than the GX9, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 20.2 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the G97 and the GX9 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the G97 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 1 month) than the GX9, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The Panasonic Lumix DC-G97 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Panasonic G97	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.2	13.0	1273	75
2.		Panasonic GX9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1163	74
3.		Olympus E-M1 III	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1356	76
4.		Olympus E-M5 III	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1324	76
5.		Olympus E-M10 IV	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.2	1402	76
6.		Panasonic G80	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	656	71
7.		Panasonic G90	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.2	13.0	1273	75
8.		Panasonic G110	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.2	1391	76
9.		Panasonic GX7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.6	12.2	718	70
10.		Panasonic GX8	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.5	12.6	806	75
11.		Panasonic GX80	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.9	12.6	662	71
12.		Panasonic LX100 II	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.8	12.7	979	72
13.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
14.		Panasonic TZ200	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	449	64
15.		Sony A7C	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3407	95
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the GX9 offers a higher resolution than the one in the G97 (2760k vs 2360k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Panasonic G97 and Panasonic GX9 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Panasonic G97	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Panasonic GX9	2760	n	3.0 / 1240	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Olympus E-M1 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	18.0/s	n	Y
4.		Olympus E-M5 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
5.		Olympus E-M10 IV	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	15.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Panasonic G80	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Panasonic G90	2360	n	3.0 / 1240	swivel	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Panasonic G110	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/500s	10.0/s	Y	n
9.		Panasonic GX7	2760	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Panasonic GX8	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic GX80	2765	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic LX100 II	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic TZ200	2330	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony A7C	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Panasonic G97 and the Panasonic GX9 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the G97 and the GX9 write their files to SDXC cards. The G97 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the GX9 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Panasonic Lumix DC-G97 and Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Panasonic G97	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic GX9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Olympus E-M1 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Olympus E-M5 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Olympus E-M10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Panasonic G80	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Panasonic G90	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Panasonic G110	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Panasonic GX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Panasonic GX8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Panasonic GX80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic LX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic TZ200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A7C	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the G97 has a microphone port, which is missing on the GX9. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Both the G97 and the GX9 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Panasonic. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Panasonic website.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Panasonic G97 better than the Panasonic GX9 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-G97:

• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.70x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1840k vs 1240k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (290 versus 260) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (12 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 1 month after the GX9).

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9:

• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2760k vs 2360k dots).
• More compact: Is smaller (124x72mm vs 130x94mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 129g or 24 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2018).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the G97 is the clear winner of the match-up (11 : 4 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic G97 and the Panasonic GX9 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the G97 and the GX9 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Panasonic G97	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic GX9	4/5	+	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 849	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-M1 III	5/5	..	5/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2020	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-M5 III	5/5	+	5/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-M10 IV	4.5/5	..	5/5	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2020	US$ 699	amazon.com
6.		Panasonic G80	..	+ +	..	84/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	US$ 899	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic G90	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2019	US$ 999	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic G110	4/5	..	4/5	78/100	4/5	4/5	Jun 2020	US$ 649	amazon.com
9.		Panasonic GX7	4/5	+	..	79/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 999	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic GX8	5/5	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GX80	4.5/5	+ +	..	82/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2016	US$ 799	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic LX100 II	4.5/5	+	4.2/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 999	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic TZ200	..	+ +	4.5/5	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 799	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7C	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	86/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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