Hi Mathieu. I installed FW 3.0 and the difference in video is tremendous. I do not have a G9, I have a GH4 (which has DFD not DFD2) and at least compared that cam it is now leaps and bounds better. Very serious improvement!

Crazy good firmware. Olympus is the best !

Thanks Richard!

With the 3.0 firmware, the E-M1 II stomps all over the G9 for autofocus now.

@@danieldougan269 and with the 2021 spring autofocus update, the G9 says: check mate, biatches

Enjoy the G9. Is a great camera.

The E-M1 did better in DR imo, especially in the highlights, just look at the window in these tests: 2:29

Yes the window shots showed the EM1.2 to be far better to me

Even though you can see more details in the highlights on the E-M1 also compare the shadows, the G9 shows much more information there. Guess the exposure was slightly brighter

Michael Castle - i thought that Oly dis a much better job overall. The G9 color is too over blown.... in highlights and shadow.

I agree. or those who care even the bokeh was creamer with the EM 1.2, I think I am going to get this camera for my landscape photography since m43 has a wide range of fast weather sealed lightweight lenses.

above iso 6400，Olympus looks like a shit😂

@@ericcoen8894 remember that was in video mode

@@boycefitzgerald again it was stated that the firmware should have fixed that and how often are people using slow motion

@@ericcoen8894 easyway correctable in camera don't be lazy

The Olympus has new firmware

There was a lot of artifacting in the first stabilization comparison in the Olympus footage. It looked like artifacts you would see when applying stabilization in post.

Well the E-M1 II does noticeably better in C-AF now that it can use phase detection in video mode. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/sMWkg9KgxNScoaM.html

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons exactly. G9 users and E-M1 II users are both reporting better autofocus performance with their latest firmwares. Being a micro four thirds user who's looking to upgrade to a pro body, it's more difficult to decide now which one to go with.

Yes, I noticed the green cast to the Olympus photos, particularly the portraits of Heather. I don't see that on my Oly, either the OM-D E-M1 or the Pen F.

New firmware on the Olympus I'm as far as high I so you can manually change the white balance

Makes 0 difference. Why do you need other opinions

It definitely has more green dominance than the G9.

Yes, olympus has a greenish cast to it, however it is very correctable in camera, as the camera let's you modify the color chanels

Now I know why I loved my E-M1 MkII when I took it on a trip to Oregon, loved the green popping in the forest photos. Now I see it may be a little over done....

It's not just the green the Olympus has better richer dynamics range

Well in the filming yes and it's actually better .in the high iso it's to Green if I could be easily fixed with fixed with Manuel color temperature

Thanks. The seal video with the original E-M1 is still one of the most impressive I made when it comes to stabilisation.

I find the EM1 crisper (check skin details) and stabilization is still the best: G9 wins hand down in any other contest.

@@Leptospirosi The E-M1 II destroys the G9 for autofocus now with the 3.0 firmware update.

It's here: mirrorlesscomparison.com/panasonic-vs-olympus/g9-vs-em1-mark-ii/

you can see the complete comparison here, including high ISO example for stills: mirrorlesscomparison.com/panasonic-vs-olympus/g9-vs-em1-mark-ii/

Nice one, thanks :-)

I'm not sure when or if I'll have the two cameras at the same time again, but I've made a video about the improvement of firmware 3.0 here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/sMWkg9KgxNScoaM.html

You can see the ISO test for still here: mirrorlesscomparison.com/panasonic-vs-olympus/g9-vs-em1-mark-ii/

They won't degrade the IBIS performance but Dual IS won't work. AF can be a little slower depending on the lens (how fast the AF motor is etc). Otherwise they can give excellent results just like on the E-M1 II. I often use Oly lenses on Panasonic bodies and I'm very happy with the images.

Thank you!

There's new firmware on the Olympus as stated you can always change your color manually

The GX85 can output 4K via HDMI with a clean image (you can turn off the Info Display) so it should work. Not sure what the quality is, probably 4:2:2 8-bit.

Thanks for the info. Looking forward to start using the gx85 for short films with seperate audio recorder.

I don't have these cameras anymore, sorry!

The article is already online: mirrorlesscomparison.com/panasonic-vs-olympus/g9-vs-em1-mark-ii/ I would say the G9 has more natural colours in that scene, however bear in mind that light was changing every 10 minutes that day (lots of wind, clouds and sun) so it's not 100% accurate.

Thank you Mathieu, I had viewed your KZfaq channel but forgot about Mirrorlessons.

These were EXACTLY my thoughts!!! haha.

No unfortunately, I didn't have the camera with me anymore when the firmware came out.

G9 does better from 1600 upwards.

Yes I would say that the warmer tones of the G9 are more faithful to the scene.

thanks for the reply and doing the test. Have you had an opportunity to try out the focus hack for video on the GH5 or G9?

No, although I must admit that I never found the AF really slow when I tested the GH5, quite the contrary actually.

Do you mean for stills? I think they can both do very well, especially if you shoot with RAW, the major difference will be in the lens you choose.

the E-M1 II if you're interested in birds in flight, otherwise it depends on the lenses. The Pro series does fine on the G9, older lenses with a slower AF motor can be more limited with Panasonic DfD system.

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons cheers! 👍

I have the same impression as well, perhaps the upcoming firmware update for the E-M1 II will enable PDAF for video.

The AF is much better with firmware 3.0

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons thank you what about some of this color cast on the skin tone I guess I'm just going to do manual balance

Hi, first of all I would like to understand better how important it is for you to have a good AF for video. You have a GH5 so you probably know how it behaves concerning autofocus, and the G9 is about the same. I don't think it is as bad as many reviewers claim it to be, but it is true that the DfD contrast detection system can be unpredictable, so if you're doing video work by yourself for example and need the camera to track your face while talking, you'll never be able to trust it 100%. My comparison video was done two years ago, and in the meantime Olympus has released an important update (firmware 3) that enables phase detection AF when recording movie clips, which makes the performance much faster and more reliable than before. I would say it is more reliable and consistent than the G9, although it is not the best in the market. The E-M1 III improves the algorithm further, notably concerning face detection, which is a bit more stable and the eye is tracked even when the face is not filling the entire frame. So overall , phase detection on the E-M1 II and E-M1 III can give you better results, whereas the G9/GH5 can get confused and focus on the background more easily. The advantage with the G9 is obviously a familiar territory when it comes to menu, settings, and the image quality is very close to the GH5, plus you have now 10-bit internal and the HLG profile too with firmware 2. It is bigger than the E-M1 II/E-M1 III, but the difference with the GH5 is less pronounced (the G9 grip is taller). I would be inclined to say: go with the G9 unless a more reliable AF is paramount.

Mathieu Gasquet thank you. With the GH5 I work in MF only. The B Camera should be a AF capable vídeo Camera alternativ. Size is also important to me when outdoor for birding. But it is true that the G9 menu, and the same battery as the GH5 are good points in favor for the G9. My goal is to have in this second Camera what I don’t have in the GH5. Concerning the EM1, the big question is if the mark iii worth the investment so high compared to mark 2. It is a brutal difference: 1799 vs 899. What I need is a better focus than the GH5 in video, portability and good performance in wildlife and birding. Do you rate the mark iii as being good enough to cost 2x more than the mark ii?

The E-M1 III will give you better AF for birds in flight, because it has the same AF system as the E-M1X, which is currently the best m4/3 camera for that specific genre. The E-M1 II improved with firmware 3 but it is not as good as the E-M1X/E-M1 III. Concerning video, I would say however that the performance is about the same when it comes to quality and settings. The mk3 model might have a bit of advantage concerning the AF (at least on paper, but I haven't tested them side by side properly). So the E-M1 III can give you better performance for birding, is smaller than the G9 and has faster AF than the GH5 for video. It does seem to tick all the boxes. Granted, the price difference is difficult to ignore. For birding, you can see my autofocus rank with all the cameras I've tested here: mirrorlesscomparison.com/best/mirrorless-cameras-for-birds-in-flight/ The E-M1X has a 74/91 score and the E-M1 III should be very close if not identical. The E-M1 II sits lower with 66/81. Considering that the sensor and the video quality is about the same, that the size is the same, you have to think if the better performance for birds is worth the price difference between the mk2 and mk3. Also considering that even just the mk2 will do much better than the GH5, or G9 (51/69). Do you plan on using the second camera with the first camera as well, like multi-cam shoot? Obviously a G9 would be much easier to match to the GH5 in terms of colours.

Mathieu Gasquet Thank you very much for the answer! Much appreciated! Yes, difficult choice. If the Mark iii cost 300 Euros less, I would have no doubts. Anyway the performance 66/81 already seems more exciting to me than 51/69 (is that already the performance with the new G9 FW?). It is a significant difference. I will use the camera of choice, when photographing birds, paired with the Leica 100-400. Do you still use this set to photograph birds (em1 ii + leica)? Or is using another set? In the case of the video, I need a second camera, but for B roll and Close-ups on products and details. When I need 2 cameras in interviews or something like this, I use the GH5 and my old and dear GH4 (already damaged and with a defective touch screen) that still works. In short, if I could I would have a camera the size of the em1, and with the news of the mark iii, but with the handling facilities, menu and battery of the G9 ... and all this with the price of the em1 ii :)) ) Thank you again! You two do a great job!

Yes the G9 had the latest firmware. If you're not in a hurry, you could wait a little. The E-M1 III might come down in price before the end of the year (maybe with some cashback or special promotions).

I think micro four thirds sensors are good enough for many applications nowadays, but a full frame/35mm sensor will give you more dynamic range and less noise at high ISOs. There is also a difference with depth of field with the same field of view and aperture, which can be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on your needs. Then you need to have a look at the entire system: the Sony A7 III is a very tempting offer today and I'm sure it will stay a best seller for a long time, but the advantage with m4/3 remains portability. Yes some cameras like the G9 are not different than a Sony full frame in terms of dimensions, but when you consider body+lens or even a whole kit in a backpack, then m4/3 definitely has an advantage there. Sony and Fuji have the best autofocus right now, the E-M1 II is good but not at the same level. The G9 DfD system excels in everything except with the most difficult subjects such as birds in flight, where phase detection remains a better choice. So I really think it comes down to specific priorities. If weight is becoming an issue, m4/3 is definitely one to consider. But it all comes down to what genres and type of lenses you want to use, because there are small primes for the A7 system that make the whole gear light and portable as well.

Thanks much for your thorough response. Much appreciated. Well, I just acquired the G9 with 12-60mm, F2.8, and have the Sony A7-III but is currently on auction closing tonight. I hope I am not making a mistake by selling. For one I am retired. I don't ever see myself making Spielberg, Lucas, Cameron style of movie productions at this point in life. And, being semi-retired, money is a consideration too. So I can not really afford 2 disparate camera systems and the lenses and all else that go along with it. Perhaps it is overkill for an individual user as myself I hear you on the DOF and bokeh (originally Japanese) concepts. For myself they are pretty much non issues. So long as I can still generate some decent bokeh, DOF with M4/3, i am happy. I know there are pixel peeper types and those that need to have perfection on every single aspect of photography, but that's not me. Most cameras nowadays are very capable so it really comes down to personal preferences which is a subjective issue for everyone, including myself. The attractive points for me thus far on M4/3 (primarily Panasonic or Olympus) are compactness, lightweight, a greater availability of lenses between Panasonic, Olympus and 3rd party vendors and the interchangeability between makers. The touch screen technology is about the best in the industry,. I like the ergonomics and controls layout for both Panasonic and Olympus, and the menu system. And, none of these issues don't even have any thing to do with the sensor size itself. Sony's menu system is horrendously complex. Panasonic has a more intuitive and simplified system and further can all be controlled by touch. Another issue for me specifically being in Japan, is that Sony's camera are only sold with Japanese menus here. I can deal with that but prefer not to. All the other makers in the Japan market will provide English at least. There are reasons for that which Sony reps locally explained to me. I think I will learn to be happy with the G9. I had GH1 and GH2 and FZ1000 once upon a time. I am happy with the controls and ergonomics, and the touch screen, still in it's infancy for Sony. Although just acquired, the G9 seems to be a very capable camera and no complaints. After all, there is no such thing as the 'perfect' camera that has every thing done right in every and all aspects. Thanks again for taking the time and effort to explain your perspective on the matter. Being still somewhat amateurish compared to the so-called 'Pros' I think I will review your mirrorlessons sight. Thanks again.

I'm not sure what the question is...? :-)

sorry. I meant have you tested the Panasonic 8-18 lens on the Panasonic G9 for still?

no but I've tested it on the GH5, it's a great lens, really sharp and well built, my favourite wide angle zoom in the micro four thirds range.

Thanks, I am considering it for traveling overseas with G9+12-35 f2.8, 42.5 f1.7 and perhaps Nikon 50mm f1.4 with metabone speedbooster that I already have!!

I'm waiting for another sample because I need to finish a few things. There's a full comparison with the E-M1 II here however: mirrorlesscomparison.com/panasonic-vs-olympus/g9-vs-em1-mark-ii/

Same settings, same lens, same light and same WB ;)

Mathieu Gasquet Uhhh, how bad for the OMD E-M1 Mark II...

I did the skin tone test twice to make sure there wasn't anything wrong with the settings.

Well, let's say I've been doing these comparisons for some time now :-)

So to focus on that important topic for many users, what do you think about the comment of The Hybrid Shooter in this also good video (in particular around 5mn) ? kzfaq.info/get/bejne/l6yJedmmmLTYgqs.html

When he talks about grading cine-like? I agree, I find it easier to grade than the Picture Mode on the Olympus, which can lead to less smooth tone transitions.

I should have been more precise : he says G9 has very good DR. You show us G9 has less DR than EM1 MK2. DXO says GH5 has slightly better DR than EM1 MK2 (they still did not publish G9 results) : www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Panasonic-Lumix-DC-GH5-versus-Olympus-OM-D-E-M1-Mark-II___1149_1136 So even if tone transitions could be less smooth on the Olympus body (from your test, I don't see any reason to grade this particular well exposed scene and both bodies produce only 8 bits video files), from your experience, what do you think about G9 (GH5) DR ? Maybe you already published a comparative test but if it's not the case, I should be very pleased to see a direct comparison also with an A7R3. Apart the Mega Pixels debate (and of course deph of field when comparing FF with MFT), I think DR is a key point nowadays. Thank you in advance for your reply. PD. this excellent footage tends to confirm your test : despite his lack of video tools, the OMD can produce very beautiful results in C4K compared to Pana. vimeo.com/211068149

I remember being quite pleased with the GH5 concerning DR when I tested it. In this comparison (G9 vs E-M1 II), the Olympus does a better job with highlights but has darker areas than the G9. If you play with the shadows/highlights setting, they are more similar but the G9 keeps a little bit more saturation and smooth tone transitions. So yes we could say that the E-M1 II does a little bit better with DR, but the G9 keeps better colours so personally I would choose the G9, also for other reasons (better ISO etc).

Ok your choice

I'm not aware of a firmware update that improves the ISO sensitivity. Are you talking about firmware 2.0 for the G9 and the addition of 10-bit recording? Either way, this video was made soon after the G9 came out, so early firmware version.

​ @Mathieu Gasquet As you said 2 years ago, last EM1 MK2 firmware offers OM-Log400 which should help having less noise at high ISO especially in the dark areas. What I am looking for on YT ;-) And that could also resolve what I could see as a problem : the green cast compared to other brands. Don't you find this disturbing? 1:12

I don't think that Log profiles help with noise necessarily, quite the contrary sometimes if the image is not bright enough (noise becomes more visible). Of course you can grade in post, which also helps correcting the green cast (although you could do this on the normal profile too). But I'm not a big fan of the OM-Log400, it doesn't give a real advantage concerning dynamic range. I prefer the normal Picture Mode (flat), you get a balanced contrast and good colours from the start (colours have improved a little bit on the E-M1 III and E-M1X).

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons what do you think of this test? kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ldyBfcqGzZytlnU.html

I must say I am very surprised to see so much more noise at high ISO between the G9 and the EM-1 6:27 Reason why I insist ;-)

budget? :)

1500-2000 usd

I think you should look at what Panasonic has to offer. Obviously the G9 is very good, the GH5 has everything you need and then some but if you're just starting, perhaps something less advanced can do just fine. For example the G85 comes at a very good price meaning you would have spare to invest in a good lens as well.

Mathieu Gasquet oke. Thx a lot bro, i will find a reference first

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons I don't know the g85 viewfinder is a deal-breaker

They made a big improvement with the E-M1X. Let's hope they can improve other cameras as well.

Уже исправили в прошивке 3.0

µshot_singer Did you calibrate the color of your viewing device you are basing this conclusion on?

the one before 2.0

Thank you for the fast response. I've seen a big improvement in autofocus with 2.0 you might want to update that part of the video.

Thanks. So is there a improvement for video as well? Because in the firmware release details they only mention stills.

Yes, I've seen a difference in C-AF and C-AF with face detect. It's a welcome change. Test it out and see what your experience is.

Ok thanks for the feedback, I'll test it as soon as I can out my hands on another copy of the E-M1 II.