Panasonic Lumix G97

The Panasonic Lumix G97 is a mirrorless camera from 2024 built on the Micro Four Thirds system, weighing 530 grams.

It suits photographers who want an everyday camera with room to grow. The mount takes any Micro Four Thirds lens, so the system expands with you, and 4K video with unlimited recording time sits alongside the stills features.

An electronic viewfinder, a flip screen and weather sealing equip the body for a range of shooting situations, and in-body stabilisation helps keep handheld stills and video steady.

Video tops out at UHD 4K, recorded at 30p or 24p. There is no crop in 4K, so your lens keeps its full field of view and wide lenses stay wide on camera.

For motion effects, the camera records 4x slow motion and 8x quick motion in Full HD. Dropping to FHD for those modes is the trade you make, since 4K is limited to its standard frame rates.

Recording time is unlimited, so an interview or an event is never cut short by a clip clock. Footage is captured in 8-bit H.264.

V-Log L is included for a flatter, more gradeable picture, though the 8-bit capture limits how far heavy grading can be pushed. An HDMI output lets you monitor on a larger screen while you film.

Stills come from a 20.3 megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor behind the matching mount. Because sensor and mount share the same standard, any Micro Four Thirds lens attaches directly, which keeps your lens options open as your kit grows over time.

In-body stabilisation counters camera shake for handheld stills and video alike. Because the correction happens inside the body, it works with every lens you attach, including lenses that carry no stabilisation of their own. It reduces camera shake rather than subject movement, so it will not freeze a moving subject.

Autofocus uses a 49-point array, and burst shooting reaches up to 9 frames per second. That burst figure is a maximum, not a promise of sustained shooting. The point count describes the focusing grid but does not by itself indicate focus speed, tracking accuracy or coverage.

The 3-inch screen both flips and accepts touch input. Flipping helps you frame from low or high angles without crouching or stretching, and touch lets you change settings and navigate menus directly on the display instead of hunting through buttons.

The body carries weather sealing, which helps when a shoot turns dusty or damp. Treat it as protection for the field rather than a waterproof rating, and keep heavy rain out of the plan.

Built-in Wi-Fi gives the camera a wireless link to other devices; the transfer and remote options available over that link depend on the equipment and software you pair with it.