So, if you want to get into the affordable and portable world of Micro 4/3 photography and video, but don’t really want to spring for the top-of-the-line Lumix GH5 for its unrivalled video features and/or Lumix G9 for its faster frame rate in stills and 80 megapixel high-res mode, Panasonic has got you covered with their new, and more budget oriented Lumix GX9. The new Lumix GX9 features a 20.3 megapixel 4/3-type Live MOS sensor powered by the Venus Engine and without a low-pass filter to give your images that extra sharpness.
The GX9 supports 5-axis Dual I.S. (Image Stabilizer) to eliminate blur in your photos and substantially help you get smoother footage when shooting video. Combining an O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer, 2-axis) and a B.I.S. (Body Image Stabilizer, 5-axis), the Dual I.S. compensates for a wider range of movement to enable blur-free photo/video shooting from wide to tele, even in low-light conditions.
In 4K you can shoot up to 30p, however you can forget about V-Log L or 400Mbps Intra as this is a much more budget oriented model targeting casual video users.
At just about 450 grams, the GX9 is light enough to take anywhere and in terms of size, it has shrunk compared to its GX8 predecessor. You also get a viewfinder and 4K PHOTO makes is easier to use in more creative ways with Auto Marking and Sequence Composition, two new additions to Post Focus, Focus Stacking, Light Composition and 4K Live Cropping.
Lumix GX9 Features
- 20.3 Megapixel 4/3 Live MOS Sensor
- Venus Engine Image Processor
- Micro Four Thirds mount
- 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) up to 30p
- Tilting 2.76m-Dot 0.7x EVF
- 3.0″ 1.24m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- Built-In Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi
- ISO 100-25600 and 9 fps Cont. Shooting
- 5-Axis Dual I.S.2 Image Stabilization
- 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH POWER O.I.S. Lens
The Lumix DC-GX9 will go on sale in early March at an MSRP of £699 (body only) or $998 (including the 12-60mm kit lens) in North America from authorised dealers such as B&H (pre-order via this link here).
Panasonic also announced a new, even more compact “travel-zoom” camera called Lumix DC-ZS200 or TZ200 outside of North America. Available in either retro Silver or Black, the Lumix DC-ZS200/TZ200 gets a high-performance 20 megapixel 1-inch sensor, and a fixed Leica DC Vario-Elmar 15 x Zoom Lens with a 24-360mm 35mm full-frame equivalent FOV.
The little ZS200 can record UHD up to 30p in MP4, and also record 120 fps super-slow motion in 1080p while playing it back at 30 fps, resulting in instant slow motion video.
Users can also benefit from the familiar 4K Photo Mode that uses the camera’s video capabilities to generate 8 MP pictures at 30 fps; regular burst shooting at higher resolutions can reach 10 fps in AF-S and 6 fps in AF-C, thanks to a fast depth-from-defocus (DFD) focusing system.
This little guy even supports 5-axis Hybrid O.I.S image stabilization system, except when shooting in 4K and and any frame rate above 60p, which makes it usable only in stills or 1080p. However you do get a 3-inch touchscreen for quick access to menu features and photo styles among plenty other features.
Lumix DC-ZS200/TZ200 Features
- 20.1 megapixel 1-inch CMOS Sensor
- Venus Engine Image Processor
- 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) at 24/30p
- 1080p/120 slow motion
- Fixed Leica DC Vario-Elmar 15x Zoom Lens
- 24-360mm (35mm Equivalent)
- 0.21″ 2330k-Dot Live View Finder
- 3.0″ 1240k-Dot Touchscreen LCD Monitor
- 5-Axis Hybrid O.I.S.
- 4K Photo Burst Mode at 30 fps; ISO 25600
- Price: $798 at B&H
- Available: March 23rd
The Panasonic ZS200 will be shipping starting in mid-March for about $799 in the US.
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