Panasonic Lumix G97 DC-G97MK Black

A warmed-over G95 with great stabilization and a frustratingly dated autofocus system. Only worth a look if you find it for a steal and never plan on shooting anything that moves.

The Panasonic Lumix G97 is a tough camera to get excited about. It's essentially a G95 with a fresh coat of paint, and that six-year-old foundation is really starting to show its age. The one thing you need to know is this: if you already own a G95, there is absolutely no reason to buy this camera. The sensor and autofocus system are carryovers, which in 2024 feels like Panasonic is just clearing out old parts bins. For someone brand new to Micro Four Thirds, it's a capable hybrid shooter with great stabilization and a feature-packed video toolkit, but it's launching into a market where the competition has sprinted ahead.

The 5-axis IBIS is the real star here, delivering a solid 5 stops of stabilization that makes handheld video and low-light stills genuinely usable. It's one of the best features on the camera and sits in the 85th percentile, which tracks with our experience. What surprised us, and not in a good way, is how the contrast-detect autofocus struggles with anything moving faster than a leisurely walk. For a camera pitched at YouTubers and beginners, the 9fps burst speed is just okay, but the hit rate with the old DFD system makes action feel like a chore. The unlimited 4K 30p recording is a nice perk for long-form video, but the 20.3MP sensor feels dated and holds back still image detail compared to modern APS-C rivals.

Pricing is a mess, with a spread from $748 to an absurd $178,334 across vendors, so ignore the outliers and shop smart. At the $748 end, it's a decent entry point into the Micro Four Thirds system with a kit lens included. But the moment you creep closer to four figures, you're in Sony a6700 and Canon R10 territory, and those cameras wipe the floor with this one for autofocus and sensor performance. If you can snag it at the low end, it's a fair deal for a video-focused beginner. Otherwise, your money is better spent elsewhere.

The Sony Alpha a6700 is the elephant in the room. It costs more but gives you a larger APS-C sensor, vastly superior AI-powered autofocus, and better dynamic range. For a beginner, the Sony is a camera you can grow into for years. On the Micro Four Thirds side, the OM System OM-1 Mark II is in a different league entirely for stills and ruggedness, but it's also a lot pricier. The G97's only real win against these two is its unlimited 4K recording and lower entry price, but you're making a big sacrifice in autofocus reliability and sensor performance to get it.

If you're looking for reliable autofocus to track moving subjects, this isn't it. Go get a Sony a6700 or a Canon EOS R10 instead. If you're a current G95 owner hoping for a meaningful upgrade, save your cash. This is the same camera in a slightly different shell.

The Lumix G97 is a perfectly fine camera that Panasonic released about three years too late. It's a solid video tool for a complete beginner on a tight budget, especially if you find it at the lower end of its price range. But for anyone else, it's a tough sell. The dated sensor and frustrating autofocus mean you'll likely outgrow it faster than you'd like. We can only recommend it if you're dead-set on the Micro Four Thirds system and can't stretch your budget to a used GH5 or a new OM System body.