Never Miss the Decisive Moment: The “Still Image Flagship” LUMIX G9PROII | Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation has announced the release of its mirrorless camera “LUMIX G9PROII,” scheduled for October 27, 2023. Pricing is open, with the expected retail price for the body alone around ¥230,700, and the standard zoom lens kit (with LEICA DG 12-60mm) approximately ¥303,900 (both including tax). The optional battery grip “DMW-BG1” is expected to retail for around ¥38,300 (including tax).

This model is positioned as the flagship for still photography in the Micro Four Thirds lineup. It shares the same exterior design and operability as the 35mm full-frame “LUMIX S5II.” Notably, it is the first in the LUMIX G series to feature on-sensor phase detection autofocus. While the full-frame S series is characterized by “uncompromising expressive power,” the Micro Four Thirds G series is distinguished by “speed and mobility.” The G9PROII and S5II have been developed with the same body to provide a unified operational experience when used together in the field, aiming to be ideal successors to both the G9PRO and S5.

Equipped with a new image sensor and image processing engine, the camera features a high-performance 25.21-megapixel Four Thirds sensor. This sensor delivers improved sensitivity even with small pixel sizes, as well as enhanced saturation performance and dynamic range. To further improve low-light performance, a dynamic range boost function has been added, which composites images from both shadow and highlight areas. Additionally, the camera includes a “Real-Time LUT” color expression function, allowing LUTs to be applied and recorded for both still images and video.

For video, the camera supports C4K/4K 60p/50p 4:2:2 10bit and C4K/4K 120p/100p 4:2:0 10bit, enabling high-quality video capture. It also boasts high-speed continuous shooting and features on-sensor phase detection autofocus, improving subject tracking and multi-person recognition. Furthermore, the handheld high-resolution mode allows for approximately 100MP photos, and image stabilization can be adjusted up to 8 stops. During video recording, distortion at the edges is minimized, enabling the capture of high-quality footage previously unattainable.