I currently use an original E-M5 with the kit lens and a fast standard prime. Not exactly glamorous, or high end. Yet for travel or street photography, brilliant - everything I need, and it's not so expensive I'd be scared to use it. Once I get the sense my gear is holding me back I will think of an upgrade, but I am having good adventures with the kit I have.
Agreed Brian. I was quite impressed with the G9 II and considering making a pre-order. Then I sat down and thought about it. I don’t use video at all, so all the video features are wasted on me. The improved focus would be nice, but I haven’t really struggled with my G9 or GX9 (and I don’t do a lot of sports or BIF). The bump in resolution is neither here nor there for my photography. The main feature I was interested in was the Leica monochrome and once I see enough examples I figure I should be able to do a reasonable facsimile in post. So, would paying three times the current cost of a G9 be worth it … no. I’ll wait to see how the camera shakes out after a few firmware updates and by then the price should be down or a few will have hit the used market.
One thing I find when you have a camera capable of good video is that you actually test it out, just for fun. Then you find yourself using it more often. It may not become a major use for you, but it's nice that it's there. That's how I feel with the OM-1. Its video capabilities are more than enough for my needs. I do 99% photography still, so it's just a nice addition. Though my G9 could do 4K back in 2016, so it's hardly a huge difference. I suppose I just wanted to see what 4K 60 was like. It's not revolutionary, but it's nice to have. The other features though, like live ND and starry sky AF are really useful. I didn't think I'd find myself using them, but I have. I don't even take out my ND filter anymore. I thought I'd be using the 50fps mode for animals, but I really haven't. I even tend to stick with S-AF and do fairly well keeping the focus point on the animal. It's just more dependable, even with subject tracking. So I guess some of the nifty new features aren't as necessary as I thought. The sensor is quite good though, superior to the previous perhaps, and certainly better than the 16MP in my G7. 20MP does seem like enough for what I need so far. I've cropped animal shots and printed them at 8" x 11" without any issues. I'm not sure they'd hold up larger, but that's debatable. I do like the look of the Leica monochrome, but I think there's a similar mode in the OM-1 that is barely different. I just don't tend to use these photo modes often. I stick to natural or vivid, customized with white balance to my taste, as I find the OM-1 is a bit cool otherwise when compared to the G7. I do still have the Panasonic, and had it for 6 years before buying another camera. I hope I'll get the same use out of this one. Perhaps OM Systems will give us a real firmware update to compete with the G9 ii. 25MP might be tempting, but that's really the only spec on the new model that I find appealing. It seems a very good resolution to allow for a bit more cropping, all be it probably dependent on the ability of your lenses to resolve that many pixels so tightly packed. M43 hasn't needed that level of resolving power in the past, so I have a feeling many lenses won't be up for the task. I mean, a 20MP M43 sensor has the same pixel density of an 80MP Full Frame. So just how much tighter can you make these tolerances? It comes down to physics. I'm actual curious to see more photo samples from the G9 ii showing how well it works with different lenses. I might be entirely wrong. I'm not an engineer. Just look what they do with cellphone cameras, and those hardly have good optics, comparatively. I realize I've written a book. Thanks for reading, if you've made it this far. Just my stream of consciousness.
@@jonathanscherer8567 I really don't use video at all. I don't even know if the video works on most of the cameras I own. My videos amount to fewer than 20, taken either with a Canon P&S I owned years ago or my original E-M5. Likewise tracking modes are wasted on me. I use single point AF all the time. Ditto with burst speeds ... I'm a single-shot person. I get the feeling I'm not the target audience for most of the new features in cameras. But I do appreciate a good jpeg engine that allows a lot of control in-camera.
After 5 years i just ordered my g9…yep ive waited that long my gx7 still kicks a$$. Im excited to get the g9, bought it at an amazing price in the used market with just 700 clicks for 660$. Ill get the new g9ii when g9iii comes out.
I sold my Sony system last week (a7 IV, Tamron 28-75/2.8 G2, 70-180/2.8 G1/150-500/ Sony 28/2 and 85/1.8) because 1) I slipped on a walk and pulled my shoulder out when the weight of the camera and wildlife lens pulled my arm so hard even though it's "only" 2.6 Kgs, but since I got the Sony system I stopped hiking for more then a year, to heavy. 2) I love wildlife photography and I am hoping to be a pet portrait photographer soon and I NEED fast AF with Tracking and high burst speed (10 FPS is not enough to catch the right moment, it's 50/50 chance and I know because I have tried for over a year with my dog. I didn't trust Olympus or Panasonic to make a reliable enough animal (or pet) tracking. 3) I LOVE macro photography but Sony has killed it for me because it has HUGE problems with dust and I can't shot anything smaller then f 8 and when I did try at 1:1 and 2:1 macro I got so much dust I spent 15 minutes for each image to clean them, and Sony will not backgrade their cameras with features like Focus Bracketing and I'm not buying a Sony a7R V just for that ... and I would have to by a Sony a9 for faster burst ... I rather change brands and get one camera that can do all of it, that is smaller and lighter (system overall, not just camera). I'm thorned between OM-1 and G9 II because I love the OM-1 for nature and wildlife but I love G9 II because it has the Panasonic S5 II body so I can pair it with a S5 II (at a later date) to get the FF DoF for portraits which I madly love (from the likes of 35mm 1.8 and 85mm 1.8 or 200mm 2.8) and still be cheaper then the a9 and a7R combined.
It's amazing when a product is upgraded the older model just stops working and placed in the bin. The need to have the latest and greatest, instead of just having fun. I upgraded to the EM1X not long ago, bought it second hand at 1/3 of the new price, I could not be happier with it, and the learning curve with extra features is amazing. Coming from EM5 m2 the menu is very similar with the same layout. However up grading lenses and having extra money to get out and about to me is way more important than having the latest and greatest sitting on a shelf collecting dust. Brian thank you for a great topic to think about.
@@velvetvideo I have no comment on the Lumix s5iix as I have never used one and as far as video I only take stills with the occasional time lapse. For me the EM1X is great to use with 100-400, 90 macro and the 12-100 Olympus lenses. It is defiantly heaver than the EM52 but balances out better.
After several years away I came back to your channel to watch this, Brian. Much to a very nice surprise: you "matured" (not that you had been that young before...) to a vlogger with an unexpectedly smooth appearance and relevant content. Most of the gripes I had when watching you before a couple of years are gone now. Your every sentence is nicely balanced and spontaneously brought out. Congratulations! It is a testimony to the fact that we can develop and progress in our age too, when most of us (peers...) actually retire and give up. Thanks to your creator's level achieved now you can bring about the wise words that most of other gear freaks loose out of their sight. Sometimes I think that most of people don't actually use their gear to film or photograph at all, or (like me) fall hopelessly behind anything serviceable when compared to the technical merits and potential of the gear they possess.
I agree with you Brian. I might buy one of the flagship brands of the M43, but the technology advances so quickly that it’s not possible to buy the newest one for me. You can find technologies that are dated that sill work.🎉
I bought an OM-1 simply because I felt I'm not using my 40-150/2.8 to its full potential on my E-M10iiis. Turned out I was right, and do not regret the upgrade one bit :)
Thanks. Interesting perspective. I enjoyed your argument and the wisdom it contains. Chasing after new things constantly can be highly distracting from what truly matters: creating nice photos and videos. I do wonder, though, if at this point you shouldn't make a distinction between photos and videos. Regarding photos, even with older micro four-thirds (m43) cameras, you can capture beautiful images, depending on your own skill level and creativity. Could it not be said that for many photography applications, cameras from various brands have been nearly perfect for years? Technical improvements are, in a sense, marginal and relative unless you have very specific needs. However, this is not the case for video. Significant improvements are still possible there. For instance, having reliable autofocus and handheld, vibration-free camera movements that approach the stability of a gimbal (the ideal being to work completely without a tripod or gimbal) are crucial. I've only managed to achieve the latter with the GH6 and the OM1 (I switched back from Sony full-frame to m43). And even compared to those, there are still room for improvements and desirability. The G9mk2 takes a significant step forward in both of these aspects, which makes it very interesting, even if you're not a professional videographer.
I got that insight at 39 (now) when shooting Nikon Z mainly for work and decided to buy a used Em5ii and 2 olympus tiny primes (12 and 45mm). I had an epiphany. Simple taking (amazing) pictures, with no unnecessary 2000 fps or crazy video specs. All tiny, well built. I can’t wait to grab it and going out.
I have numerous cameras and each is it's own animal, but I have to say my Olympus 5 ii with the grip and a small lens is the most fun and I can control the focus spot with the roll of either control wheel. I wish it was a little better in low light though.
I’m with you on this. It’s easy to get caught up in the latest and greatest. This goes way beyond photography as well. It is awesome to see the system progressing and moving forward. Many of us already have great cameras that will last many years. My goal is usually to get the best camera for the price. The G9 II will take a while to get to that point.
I'm sooo happy Panasonic left out the top LCD screen and the front switch button in their new G9mark2, so my old G9mark1 feels suddenly even more exciting than ever before! 🎉 Thanks so much for this very wise video!
I know EXACTLY where you are coming from with the "more than good enough" camera. I did 35mm film photography in the 80's and 90's before quitting all together. In May of 2022 I started looking at cameras and settled on a bridge camera that met all of my needs. It was a Panasonic FZ300. I played around with it for a week and wasn't happy with my results. Turns out the camera is just fine, my poor results were ALL operator error on a very complex camera that I should have taken more time to learn. But, I was so pleased with the fit and finish and menu systems that I did more research and found the Micro 4/3 system would do everything I needed to do (after I took the time to learn how to use it!) My first MFT camera was a G95 with the kit lens that I purchased new for $697. A wonderful, small, capable, weatherproof camera that makes fantastic images. As I researched MFT cameras more and more, I developed a serious case of GAS and bought a GH6 a couple of months down the road. I spent over $2000 on that camera at the time and it is my LEAST used camera. I still had GAS after that and picked up some used camera bodies (GX8, GF6, and GF7) and a couple of new ones (GX85 and GX9). My focus has been primarily stills, so I invested in a G9 with the 12-60 Leica. That camera reminds me the most of my film days. Of all the cameras I own, the G9, G95, GX9, and GF7 are my most used. I will take a different camera (or two) depending on the situation. I picked the used cameras up fairly cheaply, so I don't regret those. I do regret getting the GX85 and GH6, though. I should have saved the money I spent on the GX85 and used that for the GX9 in the first place. The cost of the GH6 would have paid for the 12-35 and 35-100 f2.8 lenses. I honestly could have stayed with the G95 for quite a while and invested all of the other money into the best lenses MFT has to offer. The G95 was more than "good enough" to go out and ENJOY photography again.
I often go through my old photos and videos and what stands out most often is not the technical brilliance but the scene and emotion captured. Yet, the video upgrades and autofocus (for video) are enough for me to give the G9 II a try.
Great job explaining your viewpoint and feelings about the G9 MkII (and other recent) release. Yep -- some great advancements and features, no question. But that's not the same as 'I MUST HAVE IT' -- 😁 You touched upon many of the things to consider -- does my current equipment actually do most everything that I need? Can I *afford* buying this new camera (right now)? Can I be patient and wait to see how things shake out -- updates, fixes, possible issues -- and maybe get one down the road (and it might be less expensive then also)? I have a Lumix G85 and -- yikes -- about a dozen MFT lenses (Lumix, 3rd-party -- and one Lumic-Leica) and adapters enough to use much of my vintage glass. I get great photos. I get great short videos -- they all satisfy my needs -- for the most part (do get frustrated with the AF in video a bit!). Would the G9 MkII address most of the few issues that I have -- *SURE* -- do I have the money just lying around to buy one -- *NO* -- so it's great to see both Panasonic and OM-Systems still producing and innovating, and yeah, this past week I watched a dozen or more UA-cam videos about the G9 MkII and my pulse was a bit faster than normal. But that's still not the same as 'I need to get one right now' -- I'm sure that the new Panasonic equipment will sell well, Panasonic will stay in business, and maybe in a year, I might upgrade to the G9 MkII.... Cheers! Enjoy your tea!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yes, don’t rush out and buy a new model of anything. Better wait for maturity of firmware and, hopefully, a more affordable price. The G9II, I hope, will put downward pressure on the OM1. I don’t need either but desire both: G9II for its extra cropping room, compared to G9; the OM1 for its better CAF, compared to EM1.3.
I am getting the G9II, because I will go on a bald eagle workshop in Canada in June and taking slow motion videos of birds in flight on the OM1 are often just not in focus. that is, because the ON one does not have auto focus during slow motion. The G9II has. And I am sure from the tests, that the G9II will do much better in that and other regards.
My newest body is a G95. My oldest body is a like new silver EPL3 . I also have EM10, EM-5 and EM1, all second generation and the latter two in first gen models. My oldest Panasonic is a GH2. They all work fine but I still tend to grab my old EM-5 with a long lens for nature walks or the EPL3 for family photos. People worry too much about gear instead of simply taking more pictures with what you have. The main reason I have too many cameras is my weakness for bargains. I just turned 67 which accounts for my liking for smaller and lighter kits. I always enjoy your dose of common sense.
what i like about newly launched camera is, the older camera will get reduced price so i can finally afford it and it will still take awesome image like you said
That the problem Felix , to get a bit of cash to start my savings for the G9II , I need to sell my G9, but the value of my G9 will have dropped, so it’s probably not worth selling and I might as well keep it as a back up for when I get my new body ( when , who knows ) So meanwhile , I will still have my G9 to take photos whilst I save up for the G9II ( then the 109-400 upgraded lens will be in the same situation , the price will drop when lots of them hit the second hand market )
Totally agree Brian. I will be sticking with my G9 for a while yet. If I spend any money on gear in the near future it will be on a lens, not an upgraded camera.
the best camera for those who know their needs. Ill buy TWO ASAP. one for my every day usage and one for my proud collection! Lumix user since 2009. Never looked back!
Like many, I have been looking forward to this new version of the G9. It has all the features I could possibly need. the trouble is I have the G9 and GX9 already and they have all the features I use now when taking photos. If I am honest a newer version of the GX9 would be more welcome and if it happens then I would consider that over updating my G9. Like many, I too will wait and continue to use the kit I have at the moment. One point I would make is that I got into M43 because of the size of the lenses creating an overall smaller and lighter setup especially when it comes to telephoto and super telephoto reach. If my G9 breaks or otherwise becomes defective then it is good to know there is a camera I can replace it with. Based on my ownership experience of the G9. The G9 mk2 seems well worth considering if you can afford, want, and/or need it.
I’ve just gone through a similar conundrum. My six year old Canon 6 ink printer seems to have packed up. I’ve tried everything suggested on the internet and taken the print head out to clean and reinstalled it all until 2am this morning. I need this mostly for my business but also for the occasional photo. No point repairing this printer professionally so I had to choose a new one. I really really fancied an Epson 8550 A3 eco tank model but I worked out how often I would print at A3 size. I have probably not ever printed more than 100 A4 over the last ten years, which would mean a £1.50 cost for each A3 plus the considerable amount of ink per print. So I decided this morning to buy direct an Epson A4 8500 eco tank open-box at nearly £200 saving. It should do me well and the ink is around a twentieth of the cost per picture compared to genuine Canon cartridges I currently use. I had no intension of buying anything at this time yesterday and have ended up spending quite a lot but will save a considerable amount on ink over the next four, hopefully up to eight years. I can always send pictures away electronically to get A3 size prints. Never have yet though.
Totally agree! Today the cameras are over-featured! Who will need to shoot 75fps? While it is called a photo-centric camera, G9II, the new features are mostly related to video! Why? On the contrary, there are some very basic features related to photos that have not been improved for decades, for an example, still 12-bit raw! Why not offer 14-bit or 16-bit raw files so that it can compete with FF in DR and noise control? By AI or advanced computational photo technologies, it should be able to provide a better DR raw files for photographers!
I bought an E-M1 Mk2 with a 12-40 f/2.8 brand new on clearance in November 2021 at a price of less than half of what it was when first released. When it wears out the replacement will be another m43 pro level camera on clearance a few generations newer than the em1 mk 2 but a few generations older than the latest m43 camera available.
Great analogy with hi-fi. My dad was an audiophile (since before stereo existed) and he had some amazing high-end gear. He even did things like using different stylus cantilevers for different music (e.g., a beryllium one for string-centric works and and a ruby one for brass). That said, when auditioning new equipment, his standard was how faithfully the system reproduced the music--not how "impressive" the system sounded. He bought such gear because he loved music, but felt that if you're listening to the how good the system is and not to the music itself, you've missed the point. Same thing with cameras--as you say, you can get just as good an image most of the time with a decidedly non-flagship camera (I've gotten some great images from my Lumix FZ1000 while walking the dogs), but my G9 certainly gives me a better shot at getting a usable image in challenging conditions. If that matters and it's not a financial stretch to go for higher-end gear, then why not? I'd still like to see some production G9 II reviews (as well as the new lenses, as I have both of the "until recently current" iterations of those) before buying.
The G9II is definitely a flagship camera. For anyone who feels that they've run into a barrier with the G9, the G9II may be a great next step. Especially for those doing highly demanding photography (yes, video, too, but I'll stick to photography). For me, it's more about the balance between size, weight and capability. I'd really like a GX-9II with weather sealing and an updated and weather sealed 20mm lens. If I was looking for a new flagship camera, the G9II would be a good choice. Already several hundreds of $ cheaper than the OM-1.
Hi from Oz, I agree with your thoughts but I'm very close to getting rid of all my canon stuff to go micro 4/3 because of the weight & size factors. I'm now in my mid 70's & really don't need all the "bells & whistles" but if I'm making the change & they're available, then why not?. As you say, with all the firmware updates I feel that all the new/latest cameras are still a work in progress. Love what you do, keep them coming mate 👍
I totally agree. I shoot in 3 formats. As I don’t give a hoot about video or action photography, my cameras are purposefully a couple to a few generations back….. Fujifilm X-E2, X-T1, X-T20 for APS-C, Olympus E-P3 for micro 4/3, and Sony A7II for full frame. $350-$500 each in very low shutter mint condition. All together my bodies cost about the same price as 1 newfangled top line Fujifilm! & for what? Nothing that would matter much with me. Bonus is the fact that I prefer the older Fuji sensors ta boot! Forget the hype & buy the type 👌
Glad to see Lumix investing in M4/3. It means a lot. Like you I won’t be buying them. For my photography I don’t need it. Older camera’s will cover more than I need already. Nobody that has seen my pics ever asked what camera I used.
You hit it right on the nail, Guv’na! 👍 Most of us who dont do technically-challenging types of professional photography for commercial purposes, actually do not need to buy newer camera bodies. Each camera body is a compromise and issue, cleverly crafted by the mftr to let you “have some” and “lose some”. The camera cannot compose for me nor see for me. It is dead..until the shutter is pressed. Each camera is a stupid device, which requires the user to spend lots of time setting up very detailed instructions so that the device knows how to behave. Look at the extensive menus, and its obvious how stupid it is. You even have to tell it to focus on the left eye or right eye. Conversely, look at the old school cameras used by those who’re admired, glamorised and iconized by Westerners. Those mostly used only manual focus fixed focal length cameras with very basic controls. Today in 2023, mftrs still cannot perfect the AF system, and continue letting the cheaper cameras suffer with substandard AF….while being cringingly over-priced (eg: Ricoh GR3). While searching for my first camera, many enthusiasts blindly asked me to buy the technically exciting Sony A6500 loaded with mostly features that I dont need. I ended up buying 2 cameras. And one of them surprised me the most. At a reasonable price, it had: 1. Weather sealed body 2. Dual card slots 3. IBIS!😂😂 4. Fantastic EVF with 3.68m dots, 120Hz refresh rate. Looks great. 5. Excellent ergonomics that are still praised today by Nichols of Petapixels. 6. Excellently compact lenses. 7. Solidly built. Lumix G9. Superb value for money… then and now. My other camera is a Fujifilm XE4.
BRILLIANT video! I'm a great fan of M43, but I've recently 'jumped ship' back to a small Canon, because of its continuous dual pixel AF capabilities. I have a two year old grandson, and my EM1 couldn't keep up with the speed he moves around. With the Canon, I can whack it on CAF, hold the button down, and every frame is pin sharp. Yes I'd love a G9mk2, and may well buy one when there's an affordable secondhand market. However, my Canon is actually a lot smaller than the G9mk2, which is a major consideration to a man in his seventies! 😁
(Hot humid Latin America) I had two EM5-II die of the same problem: the battery compartment would ultimately fail and no longer provide any juice to the camera. On my EM-1 II the battery compartment lock first broke into halve, then broke off and then I lost entire lock and later the battery compartment door. I treat all my cameras very well. When OM-1 came out I was super hyped. I wanted a replacement for the EM 1 II. I went with the EM-1X instead. It"s a tank and it will survive any climate. It looks too me the OM-1 uses a lot of parts also included in EM series. And above that, I just wasn"t willing to spend so much money.
Well said. Great camera, the G9 and probably also the G9ii. I have the G9, but still use my GX8 more. It's indeed the photographer that makes the photo, the camera is only the tool to do so. And I've read the Hybrid Phase Detect Autofocus is only active when making video, and not for making photos when using single AF. I still have to research if this is the case.
I generally agree, I will probably wait until I can get the g9ii with a lens included. The autofocus improvement is too big, I do bird in flight with the g9 but it does miss a lot of shots unless it’s on manual. However there are cases in which the g9 is better, I think the loss of the 4k photo modes is a bit sad, though arguably one can still do some of that by just recording video, but the 4k video stack for macro was neat. As for the state of things, I think panasonic understands m43 place in the lineup, they don’t really make long lenses for their full frame because they offer other products on that format, I think they will keep most wildlife and hybrid oriented features in micro four thirds.
I share your sentiments. I am still using the GX8, EM1 MK2, and EM5 MK3, but on my recent holiday, the Olympus Tough TG-6 with its 12megapixels was the only one I've taken with me. I shall still have photographs to enter into my local camera club's Projected Digital Image competitions where the image dimensions allowed are 1,600x1,200 pixels maximum or less than 2 megapixels. The fact camera club's haven't bothered to go up to 4k or 8mp yet must show that competition photography is more about subject and story than the latest marketing hyped features. Here's hoping that when I get home to review the pictures of Bats in flight that I took around sunrise, they come out well enough to justify the many mosquito bites I endured to take them. The mosquitos were swarming me, and the Bats followed them in.
Fully agree.For i have the Oly omd em1mk2 and em5mk3 and at my age thats where i wil stop and look at others while enjoying my image taking Both cameras still have relatively low shutter counts.
I was so excited to preorder the LUMIX G9 II, but I had to take a step back, and realize I was just as excited over the Sony A6700, and so many other new cameras. I love photography so much, but lusting after new cameras is diminishing the joy of taking pictures.
Fully agree Brian. I was out today with the EM5 mk iii & the Lumix 12-60 lens. That’s all I needed, especially for posting on social media! The OM5 sounds interesting, but only really for the built in ND filter which I very rarely use anyway.
I was talking with the staff at Wilkinson Cameras in Carlisle today about the OM5 and my lack lustre response to it last year on its release. It is a superb camera with some really great features in addition to the ND filter. And it’s equally as good value as the EM5 mk3 as it’s all of that camera and more but is it a value upgrade from that camera? Probably not.
Thought provoking video. One minute I will be looking at cameras such as the Nikon F4, next minute the latest Canon R - do we really need the latest tech? Probably not.
Agree with your comments Brian. I am also not one to pay top price for any brand new release. As you know I have recently bought a mint second hand OM1 with spare battery for less than £1500, big saving on the new price. It has greatly improved my 'keeper' rate for wildlife shots. Currently in Greece with my EM5iii and 12-200 and TG4 which covers all my needs for travel photography.
im just looking into this form of photography , i love the dslr but , you nailed it saying it all gets too big , to carry i basically do bird, bit of landscape but love macro
You are right that photography is first of all what we put in the frame and our personal observation.Yet the camera is the tool thar helps you to transform your vision into a picture.After watching several videos on the new mark2 I am sure that it will help me to have better and more pleasing results compared with my current G9.100 mega hand held and phase detect outofocus ,just two examples for the needed chage.Leica monochrome..fantastic.. That's why I will buy the new version.I think that if you are a serious amature or a pro, you will have no hesitation..as I don't..😊
Could not have worded it better, I have the G9, first mirrorless camera I bought coming from the FZ series and spending years learning all about photography with them, still learning and getting better. All the skills i learnt on the old cameras was well worth it. My photography knowledge transferring it in use to the G9 was very useful but it was that and not the camera that enabled me to put theory into practice. I am a firm micro four thirds die hard now, after three years. Yes I would love to have a day with the g9 mk2 however at the moment i would rather spend that amount of money on another lens or spend it going to different locations i.e. Iceland with my trusted G9 and bring back some photographic memories rather than buy the latest camera and look at my old g9 back in its box.
I'm curious about what experienced photographers would recommend to people who want to get into it to buy. I've had a GH5 and want to get into photography more. My thoughts are split in: 1) get the newest and shiniest and learn to use it from there, and perhaps some of the new gimmicks will help, 2) get something like the original G9 or even something like a G100 or Gx85 thinking those may be better cameras to 'learn' from. IDK, but curious of thoughts.
My personal thoughts are to buy a good used mid/high range camera such as the EM5 mk3, an EM1 mk2 or 3 or a used G9. They’ll have features way beyond most people’s abilities and will stay ‘current’ for years yet not break the bank. Alternately if you want a more compact camera I would say a GX9 used. I even saw a fantastic used Olympus EM10 mk4 in my local camera shop today (Wilkinson’s in Carlisle) for a very reasonable price and with a 6 month warranty too. Pair any of them with a good standard range zoom lens and you’ll be set for many years and they will give you all the experience you’ll ever need. I’d avoid the G100. I love mine but the ones mentioned are far better cameras overall. I bought mine for specific reasons.
@@ThatMicro43GuyThank you for the time and excellent response. I've been watching the G9 used and even new market - new doesn't seem so far from used prices online at the moment, BH even has a free battery grip promotion, and the 3 year warranty extension I think is still good - and have been leaning that way. I very much appreciate your take.... Cheers!
I too agree with you and I suppose the counter argument is you're not paying for what the camera does you are paying for what it can do if needed. Me I still hanker over the fully manual controlled camera but with the most fantastic autofocusing system.
Agree with your points. For me, a hybrid camera is essential. The G9 Mk 1 is a great photo camera and an OM1 or G9 Mk 2 would not significantly improve my photo experience as I have figured out how to work around any shortcomings with the camera I have (e.g. for BIF or birds in branches). However for video, good PDAF is needed for my use cases and thus the reason I bought an EM5 iii about 3 years ago. Instead of a G9 Mk2, what I really want to see is a low megapixel video oriented camera like a GH5s with PDAF and no need to go beyond 60fps to keep size, heat and cost in check.
I just use manual focus shooting video (most of the time). From what I've seen the G9 has fantastic auto-focus, it can pulse a tiny bit in the background, but it actually finds and holds focus as good, or better than a number of Phase-detect cameras that came out at the same time. I have an XT4 and it's no better than the G9 for auto-focus in video.
Thanks for the reasonable viewpoint! The new camera models that have come out the last few years, at least for us enthusiasts, have been disappointing. As you said, no real improvement over what came out quite a while ago. It seems that real innovation has ended for cameras but I do hope they keep producing shiny new things that people buy, but I won't. I believe most of it is for very specialized and limited use cases as you mentioned. Other than weather sealing, pretty much all the top end gear is there to help professionals feel more professional as an ego thing and they could do the same work with an eight year old $1200 camera and a client wouldn't know.
the desire for a G9 II might be just one more missed focus video away but that will be months away at least due to budgeting purposes, but I still love and use my GF3 which with the 14 or 20mm pancake has produced some of my favourites ever photos even when I've also been packing the GX9 or G9
I totally agree with you Brian. I would love the new G9 mk2 but..... There is nothing wrong with my G9 mk1, it does everything I want it to do and I would be gaining very little advantage in buying the MK2. I'm a sucker for new tech but photography has taught me the tech is only a small part of the story. I will no doubt get the MK2 at some point but probably used and when my MK1 has given up the ghost.
I'm doing my part..on the used camera market. I'e bought LOTS of MFT bodies and lenses over the last 6 months. I enable all of you to run off and buy the latest thing. I'll pay for your well cared for gear that was HOT 2-8 years ago.
Thanks for this thoughtful video, Brian. I agree, do I really need a new camera when my OM1 mk iii is not even a year old? I’m stopping with that. It does everything I want, and is light to carry. I now have all the lenses I need, some I don‘t use, and always seem to fall back on my 12-200mm Oly lens, because of the range, even though I have Prime, Pro and larger tele‘s. I‘m still wondering why I bought the 100-400mm, I‘ve used it rarely - a great lens, but a bit too heavy for little old me. Weight is now the biggest issue for me, and that‘s the first thing I look at.
I am using the G9, and you are right. I will wait for the second Innovation step and than for a lower price...but...I am already 64... 😢 but whatever...
The G9 mk2 is everything I wanted when I bought the GH5 when it first came out. Initially there was a lot of excitement on youtube with glowing reviews. I had a G7 I was moving up from and decided to spend the extra $ and upgrade. Unfortunately when I got it I realized the autofocus didn't really improve. I would still have problems and then every firmware release was a new hope that they corrected it. Basically felt like a let down. When the Canon R7 came out I decided to try it. Amazing compared to my GH5. I have had so much fun with it and bird photography. So much that I decided to try a R6 mk2 and experiment with the difference between sensors. Here is where the real show stopper comes in. The R6 mk2 at 24 megapixel always leaves me wanting compared to the R7 32 megapixel. With that in mind I have a tough time buying a 25 or lower megapixel camera at this point. Even though I do have plenty of m43 lenses which makes it tempting. At this point I'll save that $ for the R5 mk2 next year.
From Spain.Gracias por tu sinceridad.Yo también tengo una edad parecida a la tuya. Y tienes toda la razón.Un cordial saludo.Perdona no se escribir ni hablar el inglés.
I’m new to micro four thirds having spent most of my time with Canon since first film cameras back in the 70’s. I did have a small but expensive dip into Samsung with the NX1 that I still have and it does take fantastic images, I would say probably better than my newer Canon full frames. I changed to micro four thirds because of the extortionate cost of full frame Canon lenses when compared to micro four thirds.
Welcome to the format. I changed from Canon pro level lenses and cameras and really have not regretted it at all, maybe only missed FF a couple of times and they were small issues.
Loved your video mate... and crikey do you remind me of my mate - the way you look, your mannerisms, the way you speak, and your interests in Sound and camera gear.... but anyway, to my response. The G9 was an incredible camera and such incredible value. I researched for ages, on all the cameras that could be great Hybrids. I nearly pulled the trigger on a G85 (Which you can still buy new in NZ), I decided the G95 was in a no-man's land (Too expensive and not a good upgrade from the G85) and I landed on 2 possibilities - The G9, or the Fuji XT4. My preference was the XT4 (By a tiny margin) but it was more expensive. In the end, I found a used XT4, for less than a new G9 and pounced on that instead of the G9 (But I often still feel the desire for a G9). However, I have NO interest in the G9ii. Why? Well, it just isn't good value. I feel it has only tiny benefits over the G9 (which would do everything I need) and in NZ, the original G9 is almost 1/3rd the cost of the new G9ii. For the cost of the G9ii (In NZ), I could buy a new high-spec full-frame camera. If I considered the second-hand market, there would be endless full-frame options. I feel, to be worth buying, the G9ii, needed to be considerably cheaper than a full-frame camera (and probably only slightly dearer than the original G9) and smaller and lighter than the original G9. A micro 4/3rds camera, that is the same size, weight, and price of a fullframe camera, makes no sense (to me anyway). If I decided to buy a micro 4/3rds camera tomorrow, it would still be the original G9. Cheers Mate Sorry for the long message. BEST REGARDS Campbell from NZ :)
I shoot mostly wildlife, and even I don't plan to upgrade my G9 any time soon. Maybe in a few years, when there are some good used copies, I'll pick up the mk II.
i bought a GX8 four years ago ....i would never sell it...I did buy the GH6 a year ago too i will never sell it too and this was when the s5II was out.
You make a lot of sense. I'm not a pro but have seen a huge increase in keeper rate using an R7 with 100-400 on birds in flight. I've also QUICKLY learned that I do not like culling so many images shot at 15fps.🤣 If the G9 II was available I might have gone with it but really wanted something from Olympus that had a few more pixels (24 is plenty), proven tracking and was not a double decker camera (em1x). I had an absolute blast with an EM 10 IIIs on everything but birds. Their computational stuff was a treat to use when I wanted to change things up. Still waiting to see what they do or prices to fall. I do plan on going back to OM systems.
Thanks Brian, I appreciate your views. I would never say “No thanks” to a G9ii as a gift, but I am not buying one today. I am too invested on Olympus glass. I currently use an OM-5 and I will upgrade to the OM-5ii, whenever that is released. Why will I upgrade? Because I have an upgrade path… I have grandchildren. I currently use a Lumix G85 in my work. When the OM-5ii is released, I will use my original OM-5 as my work camera and I will give my G85 to my grandson.
I've been using the G9 for several years. The last firmware update was amazing for video. And while the new G9II is amazingly spec'ed, I'll wait until the G9 stops working or the price drops a lot. One thing that I will miss on the G9II is the switch in the front of the camera to shoot in silent mode. A flip of a switch. Great for shooting moments when you don't want to draw attention to yourself. And yes, the Leica monochrome looks amazing right out of the camera.
@@ThatMicro43Guy yes it is, but it takes a function away. The switch is handy and right on the front of the camera. After years of using it, maybe this old dog can learn a new trick.
I did pre-order the GM9-ii, but everyone’s situation and needs are different. It is good to show restraint from rushing to acquire the latest technology. In my case, I plan to make poster size prints of my best photos and could use some sensor shifting high resolution tech, especially if the stabilization makes that possible handheld.
That’s great. I’m not against buying brand new tech but, like you did, I need to justify the expense against the benefits. Let me know how you get on with it because I think it’s going to be fantastic for what you need.
Totally agree. They have not made any incredible jumps in image quality or dynamic range in any brand camera in the last 10 years. Minor improvements yes, but nothing that says WOW. have to have that to improve my photos in adverse conditions regarding dynamic range and noise. Everyone loves the joy of a new camera, but at the end of the day how good are you as a photographer?
Funny you should post this video, over the weekend a friend asked me if I’d seen the G9ii and how on paper it’s far superior to the OM1. It was a simple double barrel answer, Let’s see what Olympus comes back with and I’m intrigued to see what issues it has like the OM1. And realistically why would you want a M43 in a full frame body. At the moment the trend seams to be people wanting weddings shot on film and no amount of PS or LR can give that effect. Nearest results I’ve had are shooting with my Canon 5D mk1. But people will happily pay £3k+for a wedding shot on medium format film. I earn more now shooting a wedding than I used to 30 years ago. Who needs modern tech??
The new cameras don't make the older ones instantly obsolete. I normally wait a year or two before buying the new ones because (1) it takes time to save up to buy one, and (2) the prices fall over time, and I have no desire to pay the premium price. Meanwhile, my original G9 remains a fabulous camera that will stiull be a great camera for years to come, and I will continue to use it even after I get the G9 II.
Many valid points made. I use my smartphone for most ordinary photos. My real camera is for one main purpose. I do shoot birds in flight and I do it almost every day. So I had an easy choice there. Coming from a different world - not MFT. To each his own. I have always felt that if a system can help you take amazing images in year X, surely it is capable of making great images in year Y. That said. When I do buy, I go one of two ways. For lenses etc, I usually go used. I find, despite what they say about lenses keeping their value, you can buy high end used lenses at a significant saving. I recently got an EF 100-400 L 5.6 ii with a 1.4x iii TC for under USD 900. Why would you not take that? But for camera bodies, I go new unless it is a real bargain. And if I go new, I take the latest. But I dont buy every year just because. I agree, I also wont buy in the first six months - until the hype dies down. Usually then you get a bit of a discount. My previous workhorse was a 1D iii which I bought used at a third of its new price when only 3 months old - it is great that there are "professional" photographers out there who are real idiots.. And I now went for the R7 new. It kicks ass. And I still have the 1D as a backup.
I had a 1Diii and a 1Dsiii both built like tanks and one of mine had over 1/2 million shots on the same shutter, amazing cameras. “But you can’t take good photos on a 10Mp sensor” I can hear people cry “that’s not professional”. I bet you got some amazing shots out of yours You seem very wise to me in your approach to your gear
Panasonic have an odd pricing strategy. They generally discount new camera models as soon as initial orders are satisfied. For example, the S5 was launched in September 2020 priced body only at £1799/with kit 20-60mm £1999. In January 2021 just four months later I bought a new S5 with 20-60 for about £1350. The G9 cost £1499/1699 with lens in 2017, and could be purchased for £999, was often on promotion at £899 and occasionally at £799. It remains to be seen if Lumix follow this trend with the G9II.
I stopped at the GX7 - so for me it is very tempting indeed. If I had waited a little and bought the GX8 back then, not so much. One weak point of the Panasonics is the on-off switch that can get stuck. And my GX7 has a poorly constructed viewfinder. I have had to glue back the first glass into the adjustable diopter. So I assume a pro model will have better build quality. Though it probably won't improve my photography skills. But it may give me more keepers due to the improved AI and AF.
Totally with you fella. For me it’s always a case of ability and knowledge V technology. Will that camera make a better image for me? Nope! Decision made. Said it before though, hopefully tons of ppl will rush out and get one.
I'm currently more than happy with my G9 and GX8 and I thoroughly enjoy my photography hobby. The bottom line is how good a photographer am I, regardless of kit? Am I still learning? Is my photography improving? I'm sure I'll learn a little more using the G9 Mk II, but will the creativity be better, will the composition be better? Purchasing better lenses has certainly helped image quality, but what about the quality of the actual image...? Like you Brian, I'll wait and see, but I do hope, for the sake of the future of MFT and Panasonic, that the new camera sells well.
Absolutely, I agree. I’m going to do a ‘state of the nation’ video on m43 soon and one of my points is that although I’m a great advocate of buying used equipment there still needs to be a lot of people who are willing to invest in the latest and greatest. When I was younger it was only the pros who relied on their gear for their income who bought new (apart from a few wealthy people) they would sell them off after a year or two and us mere mortals would buy a well used bargain. Now it seems that even the happy holiday snapper is pushed into buying the best and newest all because of marketing and hype. I’m sure most camera shops would love to sell a new GX9 or a EM10/4 to a couple of customers rather than a single OM1 to one customer. Each new entry level camera probably has the same profit margin percentage but the new photographers will probably buy lots of additions such as straps, spare batteries, memory cards, cleaning kits etc which usually have a better margin plus there’s an upgrade path in a year or two time to buy the pros OM1 when (s)he trades it in
You talk a lot of sense Brian!. I use a G80 12-60 and a 100-300mk2 great camera,the camera i had before it was a Lumix FZ330 and was happy with that in good light! 25-600mm 2.8 constant aperture,i look back at my images and think what a great camera that still is, no need to swap lenses a great walk about camera. I also love my HiFi!!
This is great , as I was annoyed that I just could not afford to upgrade my G9 Leica 100-400 combo , now I can pretend to myself that I’m also holding out until everything ( including the price ) settles down )
I haven't played through my G9 yet. There are features in the G9 II which I think are great, but if they make 1 of 1000 images really noticably better than the G9, it's a bad return on investment. And yes, to talk about the ROI in a hobby is almost ridiculous, but at some point new cameras and lenses will only bring you further so far. I'd rather invest my money in skill improvement. Will I buy a new G-Series camera? Most likely. Will it be the G9 II? Maybe not, because the G9 III might then already be there. And maybe even with a top display. A new GX could be more attractive as an EDC - that would really fill a gap.
It's normal to wait, when a new thing/ camera is out. Wait,...and the firmware is a little bit better, the price is lower. I don't need to earn money with photography, and my g9 & gh6...are today... too good for me. Maybe later, with a shot of MUST HAVE, I would buy a g9ii. Greetings from Germany !
HI. I have been following you for many years and I really appreciate your videos. What you said in this video, however, I don't agree with because you made a reasoning that is fine on any new camera that comes out, on any camera that will be released and that have already been released. What are you talking about with the G9ii if you're fine with the features of a first series Olympus EM1? If everyone thought like you then the manufacturing companies could even close down. Let's all go and buy cameras from 10 years ago, they work anyway, they take beautiful photos, they have great features: beautiful photos are also taken with the old Nikon D1x, Canon 1D from over 10 years ago.
If you don’t shoot wildlife, there is no need to get the latest and greatest but if you do, it is a night and day difference to get the best autofocus and fps cameras and you will get much more useable shots and more to choose from.
I,m debating whether to get the gx8 or the gx9 but i prefer a solid camera like my gx1 so I am leaning more towards the gx8 which i fancied in the first place
I currently use an original E-M5 with the kit lens and a fast standard prime. Not exactly glamorous, or high end. Yet for travel or street photography, brilliant - everything I need, and it's not so expensive I'd be scared to use it. Once I get the sense my gear is holding me back I will think of an upgrade, but I am having good adventures with the kit I have.
Well-said! Thank you for keeping my mind in-check and avoid GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)
Agreed Brian. I was quite impressed with the G9 II and considering making a pre-order. Then I sat down and thought about it. I don’t use video at all, so all the video features are wasted on me. The improved focus would be nice, but I haven’t really struggled with my G9 or GX9 (and I don’t do a lot of sports or BIF). The bump in resolution is neither here nor there for my photography. The main feature I was interested in was the Leica monochrome and once I see enough examples I figure I should be able to do a reasonable facsimile in post. So, would paying three times the current cost of a G9 be worth it … no. I’ll wait to see how the camera shakes out after a few firmware updates and by then the price should be down or a few will have hit the used market.
One thing I find when you have a camera capable of good video is that you actually test it out, just for fun. Then you find yourself using it more often. It may not become a major use for you, but it's nice that it's there. That's how I feel with the OM-1. Its video capabilities are more than enough for my needs. I do 99% photography still, so it's just a nice addition. Though my G9 could do 4K back in 2016, so it's hardly a huge difference. I suppose I just wanted to see what 4K 60 was like. It's not revolutionary, but it's nice to have. The other features though, like live ND and starry sky AF are really useful. I didn't think I'd find myself using them, but I have. I don't even take out my ND filter anymore. I thought I'd be using the 50fps mode for animals, but I really haven't. I even tend to stick with S-AF and do fairly well keeping the focus point on the animal. It's just more dependable, even with subject tracking. So I guess some of the nifty new features aren't as necessary as I thought. The sensor is quite good though, superior to the previous perhaps, and certainly better than the 16MP in my G7. 20MP does seem like enough for what I need so far. I've cropped animal shots and printed them at 8" x 11" without any issues. I'm not sure they'd hold up larger, but that's debatable. I do like the look of the Leica monochrome, but I think there's a similar mode in the OM-1 that is barely different. I just don't tend to use these photo modes often. I stick to natural or vivid, customized with white balance to my taste, as I find the OM-1 is a bit cool otherwise when compared to the G7. I do still have the Panasonic, and had it for 6 years before buying another camera. I hope I'll get the same use out of this one. Perhaps OM Systems will give us a real firmware update to compete with the G9 ii. 25MP might be tempting, but that's really the only spec on the new model that I find appealing. It seems a very good resolution to allow for a bit more cropping, all be it probably dependent on the ability of your lenses to resolve that many pixels so tightly packed. M43 hasn't needed that level of resolving power in the past, so I have a feeling many lenses won't be up for the task. I mean, a 20MP M43 sensor has the same pixel density of an 80MP Full Frame. So just how much tighter can you make these tolerances? It comes down to physics. I'm actual curious to see more photo samples from the G9 ii showing how well it works with different lenses. I might be entirely wrong. I'm not an engineer. Just look what they do with cellphone cameras, and those hardly have good optics, comparatively. I realize I've written a book. Thanks for reading, if you've made it this far. Just my stream of consciousness.
@@jonathanscherer8567 I really don't use video at all. I don't even know if the video works on most of the cameras I own. My videos amount to fewer than 20, taken either with a Canon P&S I owned years ago or my original E-M5. Likewise tracking modes are wasted on me. I use single point AF all the time. Ditto with burst speeds ... I'm a single-shot person. I get the feeling I'm not the target audience for most of the new features in cameras. But I do appreciate a good jpeg engine that allows a lot of control in-camera.
Brilliant video. You're a great encouragement.
After 5 years i just ordered my g9…yep ive waited that long my gx7 still kicks a$$. Im excited to get the g9, bought it at an amazing price in the used market with just 700 clicks for 660$. Ill get the new g9ii when g9iii comes out.
I sold my Sony system last week (a7 IV, Tamron 28-75/2.8 G2, 70-180/2.8 G1/150-500/ Sony 28/2 and 85/1.8) because 1) I slipped on a walk and pulled my shoulder out when the weight of the camera and wildlife lens pulled my arm so hard even though it's "only" 2.6 Kgs, but since I got the Sony system I stopped hiking for more then a year, to heavy. 2) I love wildlife photography and I am hoping to be a pet portrait photographer soon and I NEED fast AF with Tracking and high burst speed (10 FPS is not enough to catch the right moment, it's 50/50 chance and I know because I have tried for over a year with my dog. I didn't trust Olympus or Panasonic to make a reliable enough animal (or pet) tracking. 3) I LOVE macro photography but Sony has killed it for me because it has HUGE problems with dust and I can't shot anything smaller then f 8 and when I did try at 1:1 and 2:1 macro I got so much dust I spent 15 minutes for each image to clean them, and Sony will not backgrade their cameras with features like Focus Bracketing and I'm not buying a Sony a7R V just for that ... and I would have to by a Sony a9 for faster burst ... I rather change brands and get one camera that can do all of it, that is smaller and lighter (system overall, not just camera). I'm thorned between OM-1 and G9 II because I love the OM-1 for nature and wildlife but I love G9 II because it has the Panasonic S5 II body so I can pair it with a S5 II (at a later date) to get the FF DoF for portraits which I madly love (from the likes of 35mm 1.8 and 85mm 1.8 or 200mm 2.8) and still be cheaper then the a9 and a7R combined.
Me too. I'm sticking with my "old" gear for now. Panasonic GM1, G9, GX8, GX7. Thanks. toronto canada
It's amazing when a product is upgraded the older model just stops working and placed in the bin. The need to have the latest and greatest, instead of just having fun. I upgraded to the EM1X not long ago, bought it second hand at 1/3 of the new price, I could not be happier with it, and the learning curve with extra features is amazing. Coming from EM5 m2 the menu is very similar with the same layout. However up grading lenses and having extra money to get out and about to me is way more important than having the latest and greatest sitting on a shelf collecting dust.
Brian thank you for a great topic to think about.
how would that compare to the lumix s5iix. How is Video? Does the weight bother you?
@@velvetvideo I have no comment on the Lumix s5iix as I have never used one and as far as video I only take stills with the occasional time lapse. For me the EM1X is great to use with 100-400, 90 macro and the 12-100 Olympus lenses. It is defiantly heaver than the EM52 but balances out better.
After several years away I came back to your channel to watch this, Brian. Much to a very nice surprise: you "matured" (not that you had been that young before...) to a vlogger with an unexpectedly smooth appearance and relevant content. Most of the gripes I had when watching you before a couple of years are gone now. Your every sentence is nicely balanced and spontaneously brought out. Congratulations! It is a testimony to the fact that we can develop and progress in our age too, when most of us (peers...) actually retire and give up. Thanks to your creator's level achieved now you can bring about the wise words that most of other gear freaks loose out of their sight. Sometimes I think that most of people don't actually use their gear to film or photograph at all, or (like me) fall hopelessly behind anything serviceable when compared to the technical merits and potential of the gear they possess.
I agree with you Brian. I might buy one of the flagship brands of the M43, but the technology advances so quickly that it’s not possible to buy the newest one for me. You can find technologies that are dated that sill work.🎉
I bought an OM-1 simply because I felt I'm not using my 40-150/2.8 to its full potential on my E-M10iiis. Turned out I was right, and do not regret the upgrade one bit :)
Thanks. Interesting perspective. I enjoyed your argument and the wisdom it contains. Chasing after new things constantly can be highly distracting from what truly matters: creating nice photos and videos. I do wonder, though, if at this point you shouldn't make a distinction between photos and videos. Regarding photos, even with older micro four-thirds (m43) cameras, you can capture beautiful images, depending on your own skill level and creativity. Could it not be said that for many photography applications, cameras from various brands have been nearly perfect for years? Technical improvements are, in a sense, marginal and relative unless you have very specific needs. However, this is not the case for video. Significant improvements are still possible there. For instance, having reliable autofocus and handheld, vibration-free camera movements that approach the stability of a gimbal (the ideal being to work completely without a tripod or gimbal) are crucial. I've only managed to achieve the latter with the GH6 and the OM1 (I switched back from Sony full-frame to m43). And even compared to those, there are still room for improvements and desirability. The G9mk2 takes a significant step forward in both of these aspects, which makes it very interesting, even if you're not a professional videographer.
About to start…but I note you are using the G100 and I bet it looks good! You don’t need the best and latest for UA-cam!
I got that insight at 39 (now) when shooting Nikon Z mainly for work and decided to buy a used Em5ii and 2 olympus tiny primes (12 and 45mm). I had an epiphany. Simple taking (amazing) pictures, with no unnecessary 2000 fps or crazy video specs. All tiny, well built. I can’t wait to grab it and going out.
I have numerous cameras and each is it's own animal, but I have to say my Olympus 5 ii with the grip and a small lens is the most fun and I can control the focus spot with the roll of either control wheel. I wish it was a little better in low light though.
I’m with you on this. It’s easy to get caught up in the latest and greatest. This goes way beyond photography as well.
It is awesome to see the system progressing and moving forward. Many of us already have great cameras that will last many years. My goal is usually to get the best camera for the price. The G9 II will take a while to get to that point.
I'm sooo happy Panasonic left out the top LCD screen and the front switch button in their new G9mark2, so my old G9mark1 feels suddenly even more exciting than ever before! 🎉 Thanks so much for this very wise video!
Now that’s an interesting take on the change no one else has picked up on. Great way to look at it
I know EXACTLY where you are coming from with the "more than good enough" camera. I did 35mm film photography in the 80's and 90's before quitting all together. In May of 2022 I started looking at cameras and settled on a bridge camera that met all of my needs. It was a Panasonic FZ300. I played around with it for a week and wasn't happy with my results. Turns out the camera is just fine, my poor results were ALL operator error on a very complex camera that I should have taken more time to learn. But, I was so pleased with the fit and finish and menu systems that I did more research and found the Micro 4/3 system would do everything I needed to do (after I took the time to learn how to use it!) My first MFT camera was a G95 with the kit lens that I purchased new for $697. A wonderful, small, capable, weatherproof camera that makes fantastic images. As I researched MFT cameras more and more, I developed a serious case of GAS and bought a GH6 a couple of months down the road. I spent over $2000 on that camera at the time and it is my LEAST used camera. I still had GAS after that and picked up some used camera bodies (GX8, GF6, and GF7) and a couple of new ones (GX85 and GX9). My focus has been primarily stills, so I invested in a G9 with the 12-60 Leica. That camera reminds me the most of my film days. Of all the cameras I own, the G9, G95, GX9, and GF7 are my most used. I will take a different camera (or two) depending on the situation. I picked the used cameras up fairly cheaply, so I don't regret those. I do regret getting the GX85 and GH6, though. I should have saved the money I spent on the GX85 and used that for the GX9 in the first place. The cost of the GH6 would have paid for the 12-35 and 35-100 f2.8 lenses. I honestly could have stayed with the G95 for quite a while and invested all of the other money into the best lenses MFT has to offer. The G95 was more than "good enough" to go out and ENJOY photography again.
Thanks for sharing that.
I often go through my old photos and videos and what stands out most often is not the technical brilliance but the scene and emotion captured. Yet, the video upgrades and autofocus (for video) are enough for me to give the G9 II a try.
Totally concur with your feelings on the G9II! I'm holding as well! My G9 still makes me happy enough!
Great job explaining your viewpoint and feelings about the G9 MkII (and other recent) release. Yep -- some great advancements and features, no question. But that's not the same as 'I MUST HAVE IT' -- 😁 You touched upon many of the things to consider -- does my current equipment actually do most everything that I need? Can I *afford* buying this new camera (right now)? Can I be patient and wait to see how things shake out -- updates, fixes, possible issues -- and maybe get one down the road (and it might be less expensive then also)? I have a Lumix G85 and -- yikes -- about a dozen MFT lenses (Lumix, 3rd-party -- and one Lumic-Leica) and adapters enough to use much of my vintage glass. I get great photos. I get great short videos -- they all satisfy my needs -- for the most part (do get frustrated with the AF in video a bit!). Would the G9 MkII address most of the few issues that I have -- *SURE* -- do I have the money just lying around to buy one -- *NO* -- so it's great to see both Panasonic and OM-Systems still producing and innovating, and yeah, this past week I watched a dozen or more UA-cam videos about the G9 MkII and my pulse was a bit faster than normal. But that's still not the same as 'I need to get one right now' -- I'm sure that the new Panasonic equipment will sell well, Panasonic will stay in business, and maybe in a year, I might upgrade to the G9 MkII.... Cheers! Enjoy your tea!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yes, don’t rush out and buy a new model of anything. Better wait for maturity of firmware and, hopefully, a more affordable price. The G9II, I hope, will put downward pressure on the OM1. I don’t need either but desire both: G9II for its extra cropping room, compared to G9; the OM1 for its better CAF, compared to EM1.3.
I am getting the G9II, because I will go on a bald eagle workshop in Canada in June and taking slow motion videos of birds in flight on the OM1 are often just not in focus. that is, because the ON one does not have auto focus during slow motion.
The G9II has.
And I am sure from the tests, that the G9II will do much better in that and other regards.
My newest body is a G95. My oldest body is a like new silver EPL3 . I also have EM10, EM-5 and EM1, all second generation and the latter two in first gen models. My oldest Panasonic is a GH2. They all work fine but I still tend to grab my old EM-5 with a long lens for nature walks or the EPL3 for family photos. People worry too much about gear instead of simply taking more pictures with what you have. The main reason I have too many cameras is my weakness for bargains. I just turned 67 which accounts for my liking for smaller and lighter kits. I always enjoy your dose of common sense.
I’ll never buy another camera again. I go back to the videos from the cameras I own and rebuy them again in my mind. Works every time.
Once again, Brian, you've hit the nail on the head. It's taken me many, too many, years to reach the same conclusion.
what i like about newly launched camera is, the older camera will get reduced price so i can finally afford it and it will still take awesome image like you said
That the problem Felix , to get a bit of cash to start my savings for the G9II , I need to sell my G9, but the value of my G9 will have dropped, so it’s probably not worth selling and I might as well keep it as a back up for when I get my new body ( when , who knows )
So meanwhile , I will still have my G9 to take photos whilst I save up for the G9II ( then the 109-400 upgraded lens will be in the same situation , the price will drop when lots of them hit the second hand market )
Excellent video. I totally agree I use the EM 1 II & it is still more camera than I need.
Totally agree Brian. I will be sticking with my G9 for a while yet. If I spend any money on gear in the near future it will be on a lens, not an upgraded camera.
Totally agree with you Brian, I believe it’s not wot you use but how you use it,keep up the great work👍
the best camera for those who know their needs. Ill buy TWO ASAP. one for my every day usage and one for my proud collection! Lumix user since 2009. Never looked back!
Like many, I have been looking forward to this new version of the G9. It has all the features I could possibly need. the trouble is I have the G9 and GX9 already and they have all the features I use now when taking photos. If I am honest a newer version of the GX9 would be more welcome and if it happens then I would consider that over updating my G9. Like many, I too will wait and continue to use the kit I have at the moment. One point I would make is that I got into M43 because of the size of the lenses creating an overall smaller and lighter setup especially when it comes to telephoto and super telephoto reach. If my G9 breaks or otherwise becomes defective then it is good to know there is a camera I can replace it with. Based on my ownership experience of the G9. The G9 mk2 seems well worth considering if you can afford, want, and/or need it.
I’ve just gone through a similar conundrum. My six year old Canon 6 ink printer seems to have packed up. I’ve tried everything suggested on the internet and taken the print head out to clean and reinstalled it all until 2am this morning. I need this mostly for my business but also for the occasional photo. No point repairing this printer professionally so I had to choose a new one. I really really fancied an Epson 8550 A3 eco tank model but I worked out how often I would print at A3 size. I have probably not ever printed more than 100 A4 over the last ten years, which would mean a £1.50 cost for each A3 plus the considerable amount of ink per print. So I decided this morning to buy direct an Epson A4 8500 eco tank open-box at nearly £200 saving. It should do me well and the ink is around a twentieth of the cost per picture compared to genuine Canon cartridges I currently use. I had no intension of buying anything at this time yesterday and have ended up spending quite a lot but will save a considerable amount on ink over the next four, hopefully up to eight years. I can always send pictures away electronically to get A3 size prints. Never have yet though.
Totally agree! Today the cameras are over-featured! Who will need to shoot 75fps? While it is called a photo-centric camera, G9II, the new features are mostly related to video! Why?
On the contrary, there are some very basic features related to photos that have not been improved for decades, for an example, still 12-bit raw! Why not offer 14-bit or 16-bit raw files so that it can compete with FF in DR and noise control? By AI or advanced computational photo technologies, it should be able to provide a better DR raw files for photographers!
I bought an E-M1 Mk2 with a 12-40 f/2.8 brand new on clearance in November 2021 at a price of less than half of what it was when first released. When it wears out the replacement will be another m43 pro level camera on clearance a few generations newer than the em1 mk 2 but a few generations older than the latest m43 camera available.
Great analogy with hi-fi. My dad was an audiophile (since before stereo existed) and he had some amazing high-end gear. He even did things like using different stylus cantilevers for different music (e.g., a beryllium one for string-centric works and and a ruby one for brass). That said, when auditioning new equipment, his standard was how faithfully the system reproduced the music--not how "impressive" the system sounded. He bought such gear because he loved music, but felt that if you're listening to the how good the system is and not to the music itself, you've missed the point. Same thing with cameras--as you say, you can get just as good an image most of the time with a decidedly non-flagship camera (I've gotten some great images from my Lumix FZ1000 while walking the dogs), but my G9 certainly gives me a better shot at getting a usable image in challenging conditions. If that matters and it's not a financial stretch to go for higher-end gear, then why not? I'd still like to see some production G9 II reviews (as well as the new lenses, as I have both of the "until recently current" iterations of those) before buying.
The G9II is definitely a flagship camera. For anyone who feels that they've run into a barrier with the G9, the G9II may be a great next step. Especially for those doing highly demanding photography (yes, video, too, but I'll stick to photography). For me, it's more about the balance between size, weight and capability. I'd really like a GX-9II with weather sealing and an updated and weather sealed 20mm lens. If I was looking for a new flagship camera, the G9II would be a good choice. Already several hundreds of $ cheaper than the OM-1.
Hi from Oz, I agree with your thoughts but I'm very close to getting rid of all my canon stuff to go micro 4/3 because of the weight & size factors. I'm now in my mid 70's & really don't need all the "bells & whistles" but if I'm making the change & they're available, then why not?.
As you say, with all the firmware updates I feel that all the new/latest cameras are still a work in progress.
Love what you do, keep them coming mate 👍
I totally agree. I shoot in 3 formats. As I don’t give a hoot about video or action photography, my cameras are purposefully a couple to a few generations back….. Fujifilm X-E2, X-T1, X-T20 for APS-C, Olympus E-P3 for micro 4/3, and Sony A7II for full frame. $350-$500 each in very low shutter mint condition. All together my bodies cost about the same price as 1 newfangled top line Fujifilm! & for what? Nothing that would matter much with me. Bonus is the fact that I prefer the older Fuji sensors ta boot! Forget the hype & buy the type 👌
Glad to see Lumix investing in M4/3. It means a lot. Like you I won’t be buying them. For my photography I don’t need it. Older camera’s will cover more than I need already. Nobody that has seen my pics ever asked what camera I used.
You hit it right on the nail, Guv’na! 👍
Most of us who dont do technically-challenging types of professional photography for commercial purposes, actually do not need to buy newer camera bodies.
Each camera body is a compromise and issue, cleverly crafted by the mftr to let you “have some” and “lose some”. The camera cannot compose for me nor see for me.
It is dead..until the shutter is pressed.
Each camera is a stupid device, which requires the user to spend lots of time setting up very detailed instructions so that the device knows how to behave. Look at the extensive menus, and its obvious how stupid it is. You even have to tell it to focus on the left eye or right eye.
Conversely, look at the old school cameras used by those who’re admired, glamorised and iconized by Westerners. Those mostly used only manual focus fixed focal length cameras with very basic controls.
Today in 2023, mftrs still cannot perfect the AF system, and continue letting the cheaper cameras suffer with substandard AF….while being cringingly over-priced (eg: Ricoh GR3).
While searching for my first camera, many enthusiasts blindly asked me to buy the technically exciting Sony A6500 loaded with mostly features that I dont need.
I ended up buying 2 cameras.
And one of them surprised me the most. At a reasonable price, it had:
1. Weather sealed body
2. Dual card slots
3. IBIS!😂😂
4. Fantastic EVF with 3.68m dots, 120Hz refresh rate. Looks great.
5. Excellent ergonomics that are still praised today by Nichols of Petapixels.
6. Excellently compact lenses.
7. Solidly built.
Lumix G9.
Superb value for money… then and now.
My other camera is a Fujifilm XE4.
BRILLIANT video! I'm a great fan of M43, but I've recently 'jumped ship' back to a small Canon, because of its continuous dual pixel AF capabilities. I have a two year old grandson, and my EM1 couldn't keep up with the speed he moves around. With the Canon, I can whack it on CAF, hold the button down, and every frame is pin sharp. Yes I'd love a G9mk2, and may well buy one when there's an affordable secondhand market. However, my Canon is actually a lot smaller than the G9mk2, which is a major consideration to a man in his seventies! 😁
(Hot humid Latin America) I had two EM5-II die of the same problem: the battery compartment would ultimately fail and no longer provide any juice to the camera. On my EM-1 II the battery compartment lock first broke into halve, then broke off and then I lost entire lock and later the battery compartment door. I treat all my cameras very well. When OM-1 came out I was super hyped. I wanted a replacement for the EM 1 II. I went with the EM-1X instead. It"s a tank and it will survive any climate. It looks too me the OM-1 uses a lot of parts also included in EM series. And above that, I just wasn"t willing to spend so much money.
Excellent! Could not agree more!
I'm getting one immediately.. after they show up on the used market
Well said. Great camera, the G9 and probably also the G9ii. I have the G9, but still use my GX8 more. It's indeed the photographer that makes the photo, the camera is only the tool to do so.
And I've read the Hybrid Phase Detect Autofocus is only active when making video, and not for making photos when using single AF. I still have to research if this is the case.
I must admit my GX8 gets considerably more use than my G9
I generally agree, I will probably wait until I can get the g9ii with a lens included. The autofocus improvement is too big, I do bird in flight with the g9 but it does miss a lot of shots unless it’s on manual. However there are cases in which the g9 is better, I think the loss of the 4k photo modes is a bit sad, though arguably one can still do some of that by just recording video, but the 4k video stack for macro was neat. As for the state of things, I think panasonic understands m43 place in the lineup, they don’t really make long lenses for their full frame because they offer other products on that format, I think they will keep most wildlife and hybrid oriented features in micro four thirds.
I share your sentiments. I am still using the GX8, EM1 MK2, and EM5 MK3, but on my recent holiday, the Olympus Tough TG-6 with its 12megapixels was the only one I've taken with me.
I shall still have photographs to enter into my local camera club's Projected Digital Image competitions where the image dimensions allowed are 1,600x1,200 pixels maximum or less than 2 megapixels.
The fact camera club's haven't bothered to go up to 4k or 8mp yet must show that competition photography is more about subject and story than the latest marketing hyped features.
Here's hoping that when I get home to review the pictures of Bats in flight that I took around sunrise, they come out well enough to justify the many mosquito bites I endured to take them. The mosquitos were swarming me, and the Bats followed them in.
Fully agree.For i have the Oly omd em1mk2 and em5mk3 and at my age thats where i wil stop and look at others while enjoying my image taking Both cameras still have relatively low shutter counts.
I was so excited to preorder the LUMIX G9 II, but I had to take a step back, and realize I was just as excited over the Sony A6700, and so many other new cameras. I love photography so much, but lusting after new cameras is diminishing the joy of taking pictures.
Fully agree Brian. I was out today with the EM5 mk iii & the Lumix 12-60 lens. That’s all I needed, especially for posting on social media! The OM5 sounds interesting, but only really for the built in ND filter which I very rarely use anyway.
I was talking with the staff at Wilkinson Cameras in Carlisle today about the OM5 and my lack lustre response to it last year on its release. It is a superb camera with some really great features in addition to the ND filter. And it’s equally as good value as the EM5 mk3 as it’s all of that camera and more but is it a value upgrade from that camera? Probably not.
Thought provoking video. One minute I will be looking at cameras such as the Nikon F4, next minute the latest Canon R - do we really need the latest tech? Probably not.
Agree with your comments Brian. I am also not one to pay top price for any brand new release. As you know I have recently bought a mint second hand OM1 with spare battery for less than £1500, big saving on the new price. It has greatly improved my 'keeper' rate for wildlife shots.
Currently in Greece with my EM5iii and 12-200 and TG4 which covers all my needs for travel photography.
im just looking into this form of photography , i love the dslr but , you nailed it saying it all gets too big , to carry i basically do bird, bit of landscape but love macro
You are right that photography is first of all what we put in the frame and our personal observation.Yet the camera is the tool thar helps you to transform your vision into a picture.After watching several videos on the new mark2 I am sure that it will help me to have better and more pleasing results compared with my current G9.100 mega hand held and phase detect outofocus ,just two examples for the needed chage.Leica monochrome..fantastic..
That's why I will buy the new version.I think that if you are a serious amature or a pro, you will have no hesitation..as I don't..😊
Could not have worded it better, I have the G9, first mirrorless camera I bought coming from the FZ series and spending years learning all about photography with them, still learning and getting better. All the skills i learnt on the old cameras was well worth it. My photography knowledge transferring it in use to the G9 was very useful but it was that and not the camera that enabled me to put theory into practice.
I am a firm micro four thirds die hard now, after three years. Yes I would love to have a day with the g9 mk2 however at the moment i would rather spend that amount of money on another lens or spend it going to different locations i.e. Iceland with my trusted G9 and bring back some photographic memories rather than buy the latest camera and look at my old g9 back in its box.
I'm curious about what experienced photographers would recommend to people who want to get into it to buy. I've had a GH5 and want to get into photography more. My thoughts are split in: 1) get the newest and shiniest and learn to use it from there, and perhaps some of the new gimmicks will help, 2) get something like the original G9 or even something like a G100 or Gx85 thinking those may be better cameras to 'learn' from. IDK, but curious of thoughts.
My personal thoughts are to buy a good used mid/high range camera such as the EM5 mk3, an EM1 mk2 or 3 or a used G9. They’ll have features way beyond most people’s abilities and will stay ‘current’ for years yet not break the bank. Alternately if you want a more compact camera I would say a GX9 used. I even saw a fantastic used Olympus EM10 mk4 in my local camera shop today (Wilkinson’s in Carlisle) for a very reasonable price and with a 6 month warranty too. Pair any of them with a good standard range zoom lens and you’ll be set for many years and they will give you all the experience you’ll ever need.
I’d avoid the G100. I love mine but the ones mentioned are far better cameras overall. I bought mine for specific reasons.
@@ThatMicro43GuyThank you for the time and excellent response. I've been watching the G9 used and even new market - new doesn't seem so far from used prices online at the moment, BH even has a free battery grip promotion, and the 3 year warranty extension I think is still good - and have been leaning that way. I very much appreciate your take.... Cheers!
I too agree with you and I suppose the counter argument is you're not paying for what the camera does you are paying for what it can do if needed. Me I still hanker over the fully manual controlled camera but with the most fantastic autofocusing system.
Agree with your points. For me, a hybrid camera is essential. The G9 Mk 1 is a great photo camera and an OM1 or G9 Mk 2 would not significantly improve my photo experience as I have figured out how to work around any shortcomings with the camera I have (e.g. for BIF or birds in branches). However for video, good PDAF is needed for my use cases and thus the reason I bought an EM5 iii about 3 years ago. Instead of a G9 Mk2, what I really want to see is a low megapixel video oriented camera like a GH5s with PDAF and no need to go beyond 60fps to keep size, heat and cost in check.
I just use manual focus shooting video (most of the time). From what I've seen the G9 has fantastic auto-focus, it can pulse a tiny bit in the background, but it actually finds and holds focus as good, or better than a number of Phase-detect cameras that came out at the same time. I have an XT4 and it's no better than the G9 for auto-focus in video.
Still love my EM1 Mkii and the 12-40 pro.
Thanks for the reasonable viewpoint! The new camera models that have come out the last few years, at least for us enthusiasts, have been disappointing. As you said, no real improvement over what came out quite a while ago. It seems that real innovation has ended for cameras but I do hope they keep producing shiny new things that people buy, but I won't. I believe most of it is for very specialized and limited use cases as you mentioned. Other than weather sealing, pretty much all the top end gear is there to help professionals feel more professional as an ego thing and they could do the same work with an eight year old $1200 camera and a client wouldn't know.
the desire for a G9 II might be just one more missed focus video away but that will be months away at least due to budgeting purposes, but I still love and use my GF3 which with the 14 or 20mm pancake has produced some of my favourites ever photos even when I've also been packing the GX9 or G9
I totally agree with you Brian. I would love the new G9 mk2 but..... There is nothing wrong with my G9 mk1, it does everything I want it to do and I would be gaining very little advantage in buying the MK2. I'm a sucker for new tech but photography has taught me the tech is only a small part of the story. I will no doubt get the MK2 at some point but probably used and when my MK1 has given up the ghost.
I'm doing my part..on the used camera market.
I'e bought LOTS of MFT bodies and lenses over the last 6 months. I enable all of you to run off and buy the latest thing. I'll pay for your well cared for gear that was HOT 2-8 years ago.
Me too! I have a G9 & GH5s, both being very good for me. I would like to have better auto focus for video but I do not need it.
Thanks for this thoughtful video, Brian. I agree, do I really need a new camera when my OM1 mk iii is not even a year old? I’m stopping with that. It does everything I want, and is light to carry. I now have all the lenses I need, some I don‘t use, and always seem to fall back on my 12-200mm Oly lens, because of the range, even though I have Prime, Pro and larger tele‘s. I‘m still wondering why I bought the 100-400mm, I‘ve used it rarely - a great lens, but a bit too heavy for little old me. Weight is now the biggest issue for me, and that‘s the first thing I look at.
I am using the G9, and you are right. I will wait for the second Innovation step and than for a lower price...but...I am already 64... 😢 but whatever...
The G9 mk2 is everything I wanted when I bought the GH5 when it first came out. Initially there was a lot of excitement on youtube with glowing reviews. I had a G7 I was moving up from and decided to spend the extra $ and upgrade. Unfortunately when I got it I realized the autofocus didn't really improve. I would still have problems and then every firmware release was a new hope that they corrected it. Basically felt like a let down. When the Canon R7 came out I decided to try it. Amazing compared to my GH5. I have had so much fun with it and bird photography. So much that I decided to try a R6 mk2 and experiment with the difference between sensors. Here is where the real show stopper comes in. The R6 mk2 at 24 megapixel always leaves me wanting compared to the R7 32 megapixel. With that in mind I have a tough time buying a 25 or lower megapixel camera at this point. Even though I do have plenty of m43 lenses which makes it tempting. At this point I'll save that $ for the R5 mk2 next year.
From Spain.Gracias por tu sinceridad.Yo también tengo una edad parecida a la tuya.
Y tienes toda la razón.Un cordial saludo.Perdona no se escribir ni hablar el inglés.
I’m new to micro four thirds having spent most of my time with Canon since first film cameras back in the 70’s. I did have a small but expensive dip into Samsung with the NX1 that I still have and it does take fantastic images, I would say probably better than my newer Canon full frames. I changed to micro four thirds because of the extortionate cost of full frame Canon lenses when compared to micro four thirds.
Welcome to the format. I changed from Canon pro level lenses and cameras and really have not regretted it at all, maybe only missed FF a couple of times and they were small issues.
Loved your video mate... and crikey do you remind me of my mate - the way you look, your mannerisms, the way you speak, and your interests in Sound and camera gear.... but anyway, to my response.
The G9 was an incredible camera and such incredible value. I researched for ages, on all the cameras that could be great Hybrids. I nearly pulled the trigger on a G85 (Which you can still buy new in NZ), I decided the G95 was in a no-man's land (Too expensive and not a good upgrade from the G85) and I landed on 2 possibilities - The G9, or the Fuji XT4. My preference was the XT4 (By a tiny margin) but it was more expensive. In the end, I found a used XT4, for less than a new G9 and pounced on that instead of the G9 (But I often still feel the desire for a G9).
However, I have NO interest in the G9ii. Why? Well, it just isn't good value. I feel it has only tiny benefits over the G9 (which would do everything I need) and in NZ, the original G9 is almost 1/3rd the cost of the new G9ii. For the cost of the G9ii (In NZ), I could buy a new high-spec full-frame camera. If I considered the second-hand market, there would be endless full-frame options.
I feel, to be worth buying, the G9ii, needed to be considerably cheaper than a full-frame camera (and probably only slightly dearer than the original G9) and smaller and lighter than the original G9.
A micro 4/3rds camera, that is the same size, weight, and price of a fullframe camera, makes no sense (to me anyway).
If I decided to buy a micro 4/3rds camera tomorrow, it would still be the original G9.
Cheers Mate
Sorry for the long message.
BEST REGARDS
Campbell from NZ :)
Thanks Brian! You saved me a lot of money 😊
Got one on order. Moved from Canon R6 Mkii etc because gear was getting too heavy for me!
I shoot mostly wildlife, and even I don't plan to upgrade my G9 any time soon. Maybe in a few years, when there are some good used copies, I'll pick up the mk II.
i bought a GX8 four years ago ....i would never sell it...I did buy the GH6 a year ago too i will never sell it too and this was when the s5II was out.
You make a lot of sense. I'm not a pro but have seen a huge increase in keeper rate using an R7 with 100-400 on birds in flight. I've also QUICKLY learned that I do not like culling so many images shot at 15fps.🤣
If the G9 II was available I might have gone with it but really wanted something from Olympus that had a few more pixels (24 is plenty), proven tracking and was not a double decker camera (em1x). I had an absolute blast with an EM 10 IIIs on everything but birds. Their computational stuff was a treat to use when I wanted to change things up. Still waiting to see what they do or prices to fall. I do plan on going back to OM systems.
Thanks Brian, I appreciate your views. I would never say “No thanks” to a G9ii as a gift, but I am not buying one today. I am too invested on Olympus glass. I currently use an OM-5 and I will upgrade to the OM-5ii, whenever that is released. Why will I upgrade? Because I have an upgrade path… I have grandchildren. I currently use a Lumix G85 in my work. When the OM-5ii is released, I will use my original OM-5 as my work camera and I will give my G85 to my grandson.
Today i use ; 2 x Olympus EM 1 ( mark 1 ) , EM 5 ( mark 2 ), EM 10 ( mark 2 ) , EP 5. I love the 16 MP sensor. No camara update for me in 2023.
Cool video . Keep up the great work
I've been using the G9 for several years. The last firmware update was amazing for video. And while the new G9II is amazingly spec'ed, I'll wait until the G9 stops working or the price drops a lot.
One thing that I will miss on the G9II is the switch in the front of the camera to shoot in silent mode. A flip of a switch. Great for shooting moments when you don't want to draw attention to yourself.
And yes, the Leica monochrome looks amazing right out of the camera.
That’s easy to assign the silent mode to any of the function buttons
@@ThatMicro43Guy yes it is, but it takes a function away. The switch is handy and right on the front of the camera. After years of using it, maybe this old dog can learn a new trick.
I love home audio, too!
I did pre-order the GM9-ii, but everyone’s situation and needs are different. It is good to show restraint from rushing to acquire the latest technology. In my case, I plan to make poster size prints of my best photos and could use some sensor shifting high resolution tech, especially if the stabilization makes that possible handheld.
That’s great. I’m not against buying brand new tech but, like you did, I need to justify the expense against the benefits. Let me know how you get on with it because I think it’s going to be fantastic for what you need.
Totally agree. They have not made any incredible jumps in image quality or dynamic range in any brand camera in the last 10 years. Minor improvements yes, but nothing that says WOW. have to have that to improve my photos in adverse conditions regarding dynamic range and noise. Everyone loves the joy of a new camera, but at the end of the day how good are you as a photographer?
Funny you should post this video, over the weekend a friend asked me if I’d seen the G9ii and how on paper it’s far superior to the OM1. It was a simple double barrel answer, Let’s see what Olympus comes back with and I’m intrigued to see what issues it has like the OM1. And realistically why would you want a M43 in a full frame body. At the moment the trend seams to be people wanting weddings shot on film and no amount of PS or LR can give that effect. Nearest results I’ve had are shooting with my Canon 5D mk1. But people will happily pay £3k+for a wedding shot on medium format film. I earn more now shooting a wedding than I used to 30 years ago. Who needs modern tech??
The new cameras don't make the older ones instantly obsolete. I normally wait a year or two before buying the new ones because (1) it takes time to save up to buy one, and (2) the prices fall over time, and I have no desire to pay the premium price. Meanwhile, my original G9 remains a fabulous camera that will stiull be a great camera for years to come, and I will continue to use it even after I get the G9 II.
Its a good point manufacturers push these items but i always buy used to be honest and my OMD EM1 MK3 is a brilliant camera for all i need
Many valid points made. I use my smartphone for most ordinary photos. My real camera is for one main purpose. I do shoot birds in flight and I do it almost every day. So I had an easy choice there. Coming from a different world - not MFT. To each his own. I have always felt that if a system can help you take amazing images in year X, surely it is capable of making great images in year Y. That said. When I do buy, I go one of two ways. For lenses etc, I usually go used. I find, despite what they say about lenses keeping their value, you can buy high end used lenses at a significant saving. I recently got an EF 100-400 L 5.6 ii with a 1.4x iii TC for under USD 900. Why would you not take that? But for camera bodies, I go new unless it is a real bargain. And if I go new, I take the latest. But I dont buy every year just because. I agree, I also wont buy in the first six months - until the hype dies down. Usually then you get a bit of a discount. My previous workhorse was a 1D iii which I bought used at a third of its new price when only 3 months old - it is great that there are "professional" photographers out there who are real idiots.. And I now went for the R7 new. It kicks ass. And I still have the 1D as a backup.
I had a 1Diii and a 1Dsiii both built like tanks and one of mine had over 1/2 million shots on the same shutter, amazing cameras. “But you can’t take good photos on a 10Mp sensor” I can hear people cry “that’s not professional”. I bet you got some amazing shots out of yours
You seem very wise to me in your approach to your gear
Panasonic have an odd pricing strategy. They generally discount new camera models as soon as initial orders are satisfied. For example, the S5 was launched in September 2020 priced body only at £1799/with kit 20-60mm £1999. In January 2021 just four months later I bought a new S5 with 20-60 for about £1350. The G9 cost £1499/1699 with lens in 2017, and could be purchased for £999, was often on promotion at £899 and occasionally at £799. It remains to be seen if Lumix follow this trend with the G9II.
I stopped at the GX7 - so for me it is very tempting indeed.
If I had waited a little and bought the GX8 back then, not so much.
One weak point of the Panasonics is the on-off switch that can get stuck.
And my GX7 has a poorly constructed viewfinder. I have had to glue
back the first glass into the adjustable diopter.
So I assume a pro model will have better build quality.
Though it probably won't improve my photography skills.
But it may give me more keepers due to the improved AI and AF.
Totally with you fella. For me it’s always a case of ability and knowledge V technology. Will that camera make a better image for me? Nope! Decision made.
Said it before though, hopefully tons of ppl will rush out and get one.
Another excellent insightful video. Thank you again.
My pleasure!
He is the only guy who talks sense.
Thank you, totally humbled.
I'm currently more than happy with my G9 and GX8 and I thoroughly enjoy my photography hobby. The bottom line is how good a photographer am I, regardless of kit? Am I still learning? Is my photography improving? I'm sure I'll learn a little more using the G9 Mk II, but will the creativity be better, will the composition be better? Purchasing better lenses has certainly helped image quality, but what about the quality of the actual image...? Like you Brian, I'll wait and see, but I do hope, for the sake of the future of MFT and Panasonic, that the new camera sells well.
Absolutely, I agree. I’m going to do a ‘state of the nation’ video on m43 soon and one of my points is that although I’m a great advocate of buying used equipment there still needs to be a lot of people who are willing to invest in the latest and greatest.
When I was younger it was only the pros who relied on their gear for their income who bought new (apart from a few wealthy people) they would sell them off after a year or two and us mere mortals would buy a well used bargain. Now it seems that even the happy holiday snapper is pushed into buying the best and newest all because of marketing and hype.
I’m sure most camera shops would love to sell a new GX9 or a EM10/4 to a couple of customers rather than a single OM1 to one customer. Each new entry level camera probably has the same profit margin percentage but the new photographers will probably buy lots of additions such as straps, spare batteries, memory cards, cleaning kits etc which usually have a better margin plus there’s an upgrade path in a year or two time to buy the pros OM1 when (s)he trades it in
You talk a lot of sense Brian!. I use a G80 12-60 and a 100-300mk2 great camera,the camera i had before it was a Lumix FZ330 and was happy with that in good light! 25-600mm 2.8 constant aperture,i look back at my images and think what a great camera that still is, no need to swap lenses a great walk about camera. I also love my HiFi!!
This is great , as I was annoyed that I just could not afford to upgrade my G9 Leica 100-400 combo , now I can pretend to myself that I’m also holding out until everything ( including the price ) settles down )
I haven't played through my G9 yet. There are features in the G9 II which I think are great, but if they make 1 of 1000 images really noticably better than the G9, it's a bad return on investment. And yes, to talk about the ROI in a hobby is almost ridiculous, but at some point new cameras and lenses will only bring you further so far. I'd rather invest my money in skill improvement.
Will I buy a new G-Series camera? Most likely. Will it be the G9 II? Maybe not, because the G9 III might then already be there. And maybe even with a top display.
A new GX could be more attractive as an EDC - that would really fill a gap.
It's normal to wait, when a new thing/ camera is out. Wait,...and the firmware is a little bit better, the price is lower. I don't need to earn money with photography, and my g9 & gh6...are today... too good for me. Maybe later, with a shot of MUST HAVE, I would buy a g9ii. Greetings from Germany !
HI. I have been following you for many years and I really appreciate your videos. What you said in this video, however, I don't agree with because you made a reasoning that is fine on any new camera that comes out, on any camera that will be released and that have already been released. What are you talking about with the G9ii if you're fine with the features of a first series Olympus EM1? If everyone thought like you then the manufacturing companies could even close down. Let's all go and buy cameras from 10 years ago, they work anyway, they take beautiful photos, they have great features: beautiful photos are also taken with the old Nikon D1x, Canon 1D from over 10 years ago.
If you don’t shoot wildlife, there is no need to get the latest and greatest but if you do, it is a night and day difference to get the best autofocus and fps cameras and you will get much more useable shots and more to choose from.
I,m debating whether to get the gx8 or the gx9 but i prefer a solid camera like my gx1 so I am leaning more towards the gx8 which i fancied in the first place
It is noticeably larger than the GX9 but I find it to be just right for me with the GX9 a little too compact
My travel camera is the GM1. I wish Panasonic would bring back the GM1/5 line of cameras. Probably can’t compete with the iPhone.