Playing with the Panasonic G9

Thanks to Panasonic Australia who arranged a Photowalk with Rob Mulally as part of Michael's Camera and Video Melbourne Photoshow, I got to play with the Panasonic G9 for a little while. I don't have the infrastructure to carry out an objective and detailed test, so just journaling some of my impressions in this article.

I am somewhat interested in an ultra-wide MFT lens - I'm quite satisfied in the images from my old Four Thirds Olympus Zuiko Digital 7-14mm but it is quite bulky and heavy, so just looking with #GAS. Of the ultra wide MFT lenses, the Leica DG Vario Elmarit 8-18mm is the most entrancing to me.

The photo below is quite interesting for me. It's the Lumix G9 with the 8-18mm.

Taken into Adobe Camera Raw October 2018 with Process Version 5. I first applied the Camera Matching Cinelike D Color Profile. This seemed to handle the deep shadows (where the people are standing) and the super bright sun further away without needing work from me.

Then I chose Auto in the ACR Exposure section of sliders which automatically removed the still deep shadows and delineated tones in their clothes.

This is a scene with very challenging dynamic range and the software / hardware combo did well.

Finally, after depositing the image in Adobe Photoshop, I invoked the DxO Filmpack 5 plugin. I have the free edition. I don't particularly like the magenta cast that sometimes plagues images coming from Panasonic cameras, and this time, chose the Kodakchrome 64 look from the Filmpack - the sky light blue and the reddish brick is what I like.

Lumix G9 + 8-18mm lens, processed ACR, DxO Filmpack

The photo below is also with the Lumix G9 with the 8-18mm.  The workflow is the same as the one above. However, before I transferred it from Adobe Camera Raw, the magenta cast was quite undesirable. Like a faux aged Agfacolor process. I manually adjusted the cyan-magenta slider in ACR and also the blue-yellow white balance slider. With the Kodakhrome 64 profile from DxO Filmpack, the result is actually quite pleasing with soft "organic" hues.

Lumix G9 + 8-18mm lens, processed ACR, DxO Filmpack

Bottom line: They're not the famous "Olympus Color" that Olympus JPEG enthusiasts like but they are quite satisfying for me. Will I be satisfied with the Panasonic colour (JPEG or raw) with less tweaking? Can't say, I would need to do more photos with the G9. (I do have the old G2 and the GF3)