Panasonic Lumix G9

Hello fellow artists.
Just wondered if anyone had any experience diving with the Panasonic Lumix G9? My main intereset is videography and I have shot preiously using the Lumix G80/85 in ambient light with some great results.
I elected to buy this, rather than its more famous GH5, and have also ordered an Ikelite Underwater housing for it.

Do you mean you previously shot video underwater in ambient?

Planning on ambient with the G9?

(I can't say anything about the camera.  Just trying to clarify what you are asking.)

PHXAZCRAIG wrote:

Do you mean you previously shot video underwater in ambient?

Planning on ambient with the G9?

(I can't say anything about the camera. Just trying to clarify what you are asking.)

Sorry, yes. I have previously shot lots of footage with the G80/85, underwater with naturallly available light.

I would expect the next in a line of Japanese cameras would be more of an iteration than a major change unless some new radical technology is introduced.   Looking at the specs here on DPReview in their little comparison chart, it looks about the same as a GH5.

In other words, is there any reason based on your experience with the G9 above water so far that would make you think it would be any different underwater from your previous camera?   I went from a D810 to a D850, and one attribute - faster autofocus - made a big difference for me.

PHXAZCRAIG wrote:

I would expect the next in a line of Japanese cameras would be more of an iteration than a major change unless some new radical technology is introduced. Looking at the specs here on DPReview in their little comparison chart, it looks about the same as a GH5.

In other words, is there any reason based on your experience with the G9 above water so far that would make you think it would be any different underwater from your previous camera? I went from a D810 to a D850, and one attribute - faster autofocus - made a big difference for me.

Well, I'm pretty sure that it will be superior to my previous camera. You are correct, it IS very similar to the GH5, especially since it has had a recent update that upgraded, significantly, the videos specs. I have only just acquired the cvamera and haven't had much opportunity to experiment with it yet. It was quite a bit cheaper than the GH5, and although Video is my predomionant intest, it is a superior stills camera.

ONE area that I loved about the GH5 is its ability for the white balance to accurately determine underwater scenes, without the need for red filters. I do not know whether the G9 has this same trait.

In fact, there are very few people seemingly using it underwater, although the updated video spec is a new feature.

That said, the G80/85 wasn't hugely popular underwater yet I thought it an amazing beast.

Here is my footage with it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk7FqO1DVmQ

I don't know much about video, but that seemed more color-accurate than anything I did with my Canon point-n-shoots, or my Sony RX100.

I don't really know how to do video with my D850.  I tried briefly a couple of times, but the autofocus wasn't up to tracking my subject.

kelpdiver wrote:

look to the backscatter review on the G9, and the other UW specialty stores. My recollection is that the G9 iterated on the strongest features of the GH5, and if I didn't have a GH4 not quite dead in the water, I'd be more likely to pick the 9.

However, you may be in the same boat where it's not a big enough upgrade to make sense. I've been going 6-7 years between generations. I'll be migrating to the R5 later this year- whenever the water opens back up to me.

Reviews on this camera are pretty thin on the ground my friend. My particular interest lies with the White Balance. I don't know about the GH4 but the GH5 supposedly has a superior white balance that precludes the need for FILTERS, ie Red Magic filters etc....on underwater diving.  I am hoping that the G9 has that facility also. I have seen some amazing footage with the GH4 by the way. If you're more stills than video oriented, I would say go for the G9.