Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9

Compact design is more portable than SLR-styled competitors ; In-body stabilisation gives sharper results with every lens ; Quiet shutter allows discreet shooting ; Excellent Bluetooth and Wi-Fi smartphone connectivity

Default control setup is awkward for viewfinder shooting ; 16:9 viewfinder is a poor match to sensor ; Control dials are under-utilised

If you want a small camera that can shoot good-quality stills and 4K video alike, then the GX9 is well worth a look. But for stills photographers, there are other cameras at a similar price point that deserve consideration, such as the Olympus OM-D...

Compact design ; 4K video and 4K Photo modes ; Hybrid stabilization system ; Responsive touchscreen ; Built-in flash ; Fast focusing speeds in Single AF

AF selection fiddly ; Awkward rear control dial ; 16:9 aspect ratio viewfinder ; Body isn't weather-sealed

In many ways the Lumix GX9 takes two steps forward over the GX8, but one step (maybe half a step) back. While there's perhaps a little too much reliance on the touchscreen interface for some, especially when selecting your desired AF area, the GX9 is a...

Small body with tilting EVF. 20MP Micro Four Thirds sensor. In-body stabilization. Tilting touch LCD. Pop-up flash. 4K video.

No body-only purchase option. Drops GX8's vari-angle LCD.

The Panasonic Lumix GX9 is another compact Micro Four Thirds from Panasonic. The company has announced several new models over the past few months, including the GH5S and G9 at the higher end of the market.

Small, sleek styling ; Handy tilting monitor and viewfinder ; 4K video

Small sensor ; Loss of detail in low light ; Screen doesn’t face forwards

A cracking little camera for travel and street photography, as long as you don’t mostly shoot in low light

Great image quality; Good high ISO performance for its class; Improved JPEG processing; Fast autofocus; Fast ~9fps burst mode.

Smallish field-sequential EVF; Below average battery life; No mic/headphone jacks; Noticeable crop on 4K video.

The Panasonic GX9 is an interesting little camera. It's small, lightweight and does a lot of things well, including image quality, autofocus, and overall performance. But does it replace the GX8 or the GX85? Regardless of which camera it replaces, on...

Compact quality, the ability to use fancier lenses, a wealth of advanced features including focus stacking and pre-burst

Slow photo transfer speeds