Panasonic wants its new Lumix G9 to be the GH5 for still shooters; a small, light, fast and flexible alternative to traditionally bigger cameras for outdoor and action photography.

Panasonic hopes a combination of speed, tonal tuning and body design will tempt serious photographers.

Aiming to impress stills photographers in the same way that the GH5 has wowed videographers, the new Panasonic G9 is a new flagship compact system camera aimed at enthusiast and professional users, making the bold promise to deliver "the highest picture quality in the history of Panasonic cameras".

The G9 is the best Lumix camera to date and a cracking choice for wildlife or action photography. Naturally, there’s a trade-off with that Micro Four Thirds sensor – as great as the G9’s images are, they’re not on a par with with a full-frame camera, particularly in low light situations. But the plus sides are lightning shooting speed, a much lower price tag and smaller lenses. If you’re looking for a camera for your travels, the G9 and its system of light and small lenses could be ideal. With 4K video and handy shooting modes like High Resolution also on board, it’s one of most versatile high-end mirrorless cameras you can buy right now.

Very fast frame rates; Small, light lenses; Rich, vibrant photos; Bright and clear viewfinder;

Small sensor; Relatively low pixel count; Large body for a CSC; Comparatively short battery life;

Very fast frame rates; Small, light lenses; Rich, vibrant photos; Bright and clear viewfinder;

Small sensor; Relatively low pixel count; Large body for a CSC; Comparatively short battery life;

Excellent image quality, 60fps shooting, polished handling and a wealth of advanced features add up to make the Lumix G9 a brilliant all-round mirrorless camera and Panasonic's best mirrorless camera to date.

6.5-stop image stabilization; Up to 60fps burst shooting; Large viewfinder; Great grip and handling; Dual UHS-II card slots

ISO range could be broader; Reduced screen size compared to GH5; Battery level not shown as a percentage

After the release of the Lumix GH5 in early 2017, there followed a quiet period where nobody knew which direction Panasonic might take with its Lumix G series. In early November, the silence was broken with the exciting news that the manufacturer was about to launch its most advanced stills camera,...

Superb design and handling; Excellent 4K & 6K photo modes; Well supported by Micro Four Thirds lenses; Offers high-resolution 40MP & 80MP modes

Positioning of AF toggle could be better; Lacks battery level indication as percentage; Burst shot mode descriptions aren't clear; No in-camera panoramic mode

Superb design and handling; Excellent 4K & 6K photo modes; Well supported by Micro Four Thirds lenses; Offers high-resolution 40MP & 80MP modes;

Positioning of AF toggle could be better; Lacks battery level indication as percentage; Burst shot mode descriptions aren’t clear; No in-camera panoramic mode;

The Panasonic Lumix G9 doesn't only step up what mirrorless cameras can do - surpassing even the Fujifilm X-T2 in many areas - it successfully places itself in among the DSLR elite. It's a very impressive bit of kit indeed.

Huge range of Micro Four Thirds lenses (incl; new 200mm f/2.8 Leica) ensure top image quality, Massive viewfinder and useful vari-angle LCD, 4K video and 6K stills modes, Super-fast burst modes, Accomplished continuous autofocus, Pinpoint AF mode

Viewfinder eyecup could fit tighter; Optional battery grip should offer two batteries; Smaller LCD screen than GH5; Smaller sensor than some rivals; No 'super raw' with post-focus adjustment (like Canon 5D IV

Physical standouts include a top plate LCD - a true rarity in mirrorless-land - and one of the largest electronic viewfinders on a Micro Four Thirds cameras. It has an equivalent magnification of 0.83x and an eyepoint of 21mm.