Lumix G9ii vs OM System OM1ii
I’ve been lucky enough to go on a fantastic photography trip with the two current micro four thirds flagship cameras: the Lumix G9ii and the OM System OM1ii.
I’ve had the G9ii since before its launch (I made the official Lumix tutorial videos for it! So cool!) and I’ve been a big fan of the OM1 line of cameras for a long while now too. OM System reached out to me and loaned me the OM1ii for this trip to the Faroe Islands. I love both brands, and have worked with both brands quite a bit.
So, basically, here is my as-agnostic-as-I-can-be comparison and buying guide for your reading pleasure. Both cameras have pros and cons. So let’s get stuck in!
p.s. there’s also a video version of this comparison if you prefer on YouTube here.
Prices
As of the release of this article, the OM1ii is a good chunk of change more expensive than the G9ii, which makes sense given it’s the newer camera. I think the pricing is an important factor for this comparison. Check out the latest prices on Amazon here for some context before we continue (opens in new window) OM1ii, G9ii
Physical comparisons between G9ii and OM1ii
The Lumix G9ii is slightly bigger, but not by all that much. Honestly, I often pick the wrong camera up out of my bag because they’re so similar! They both have quite similar ergonomics and physical features. They both have:-
flippy screen
weather sealing
bright and wonderful EVF
dual SD slots
For my hands (which are on the smaller side) I personally prefer the grip and feel of the OM1ii. It’s very comfortable to hold, and very well balanced. I also really love the indented front dial too — the dials on the G9ii are notoriously easy to accidentally knock I’ve found.
However, in terms of logical buttons, the Lumix is a very well thought out camera. I love that the burst modes are instantly accessible with a dial on the left. It’s a small difference, but the drive mode button on the OM1ii still takes you to a menu, so you’ve a click and menu choice before you’re ready to pew pew pew. With the G9ii you can switch between your favourite modes with speed and ease.
A lot of this stuff might sound nitpicky? But, honestly, they’re both so good, it will often come down to the small things when choosing between these cameras!
Some of my favourite photos taken with the Lumix G9ii
Photo quality and sensor features (outside of the burst modes)
The burst modes will have a section all on their own, so for now let’s explore the general image quality and sensor differences between the G9ii and the OM1ii.
Lumix G9ii sensor
The Lumix G9ii has a new 25mp sensor, with a feature called Dynamic Range Boost. This feature takes data at different gain levels and makes the cleanest image possible from that information. This all happens automatically too, so you don’t need to think about it too much.
There are a few modes this feature doesn’t work in. Those are:-
at shutter speeds under 1/15th of a second
The high frame rate burst modes
Generally speaking, this new feature gives you wonderful images that are a delight to edit. Absolutely full of information and “push and pull”.
But do you know what else Dynamic Range Boost gives you? Absolutely whopping HUGE raw files. Around 40mb in fact. This isn’t really a problem under normal shooting conditions, but it can bog down the burst modes, which I’ll get into later.
Lumix G9ii - 16 bit raw files?
Lumix play all this very close to their chest. They’re not exactly forthcoming with information around this feature. Honestly I wish they would? I mean, it’s something to shout about, not shroud in mystery! But from what I can gather, the raw files in the Lumix G9ii are 16 bit.
Now, before you stop reading and immediately buy a G9ii, the forum-dwelling camera nerds (my heroes!) have deduced that this is simply a container to house the extra data from Dynamic Range Boost, as opposed to true 16 bit raw files. But… I’m always happy to be proven wrong with these things.
If Lumix ever actually tells anyone what’s going on with these files, please do let me know!
But for now, my understanding is that these huge raw files from the g9ii, despite being 40mb and technically 16 bit, don’t give you night-and-day better results when compared to more standard raw files from micro four thirds sensors. Though in my experience, the g9ii shoots very cleanly at higher iso ranges, and editing the files is a joy. I’ve shot many great photos in low light for example and the extra megapixels are definitely a bonus.
The Lumix G9ii sensor is NOT stacked, unfortunately, but again my heroes in the forums have deduced that it’s about as fast as a non-stacked sensor can be. This helps to keep rolling shutter to a minimum in the high frame rate burst modes.
I have experienced VERY minor rolling shutter with the Lumix G9ii, where it is absolutely non-existent on the OM1ii.
There are some pixel-peeping examples in my video version of this article, which you can find here.
Some of my fave OM1ii photos
OM System OM1ii sensor
So what about the OM System OM1ii sensor? Well, it’s the same sensor as the original OM1, so a little bit “older” comparatively. It’s a 20mp, back side illuminated, stacked sensor. The camera prioritises small, easy to process raw files. The OM1ii raw files are HALF the size of the G9ii files at 19mb! So that’s always going to be a bonus for your burst modes, as well as keeping things light on your editing system.
The stacked nature of the sensor means there is just about zero rolling shutter, and your burst modes write super-duper fast.
In my experience I’ve found that low light performance is slightly worse on the OM1ii vs the G9ii, and you will see a little bit more grain in your images at lower ISOs comparatively. That being said, it is a slight difference that you really have to pixel-peep for, and with modern noise reduction (even the new Ai noise reduction in Lightroom) you can clean things up in no time at all.
So, to wrap up this little segment… Both cameras seem to be prioritising different things. The Lumix G9ii is prioritising colour and dynamic range information for the best possible picture quality, at the expense of having blummin’ massive files. And the OM1ii is prioritising a quick, slick, pew pew pew performance to keep you shooting for longer.
As I said at the start? Pros and cons!
G9ii image examples
Computational Features
Both the Lumix G9ii and OM System OM1ii have Live Composite mode, which is my favourite! So I am glad to see that on both cameras. However, pretty much everything else computational-wise is on the OM System side alone.
The OM1ii has:-
Live ND
Live GND
Starry AF
Focus stacking to a jpeg*
*both cameras offer focus stacking, but only the OM1ii will bounce it all down to a JPEG for you. And this is only available on selected lenses too. Just to make things more confusing.
Stabilisation
The two brands do things very differently. Though I’ll say right up front both brands are some of the very best when it comes to stabilisation.
The Lumix Way: you have in-camera stabilisation (IBIS) and the vast majority of all stock and tele lenses have lens stabilisation too. When you pair the two together (WITH THESE POWERS COMBINED!) you get Dual Stabilisation.
Lumix also have the best in the industry electronic stabilisation too. With E Stabilisation on, you can literally just walk with your camera and it looks like it’s on a gimbal. Epic stuff.
Where the two diverge is lens options for stabilisation. Lumix offers lens stabilisation across almost all stock and tele lenses, regardless of price point, and regardless of focal length.
OM System, however, reserves this feature for its expensive Pro super zoom lenses. While OM System's stabilisation is excellent on its own, the additional stops from lenses are only accessible for specific genres, like wildlife or sports photography. Lumix, on the other hand, makes this feature accessible to everyone, no matter the budget or type of photography.
Lumix G9ii vs OM1ii Burst Modes
More pros and cons inbound!
The OM1ii shoots 50 frames per second with certain Pro lenses and 25 frames per second with all others. The G9ii offers 60 frames per second regardless of the lens, plus a 20 frames per second option to conserve memory card space. So on paper, the G9ii is far better, and less restricting. But in practice, 20-25 frames per second are usually sufficient for most situations.
The OM1ii now boasts a 200-frame buffer, up from 92 in the original OM1, matching the G9ii's 200-frame buffer. So you’d think they’d be the same, right? Heck no! Their approach to burst modes differs significantly. The G9ii maintains a consistent frame rate until it hits the buffer, and only then stops to write to the SD card. This can lead to delays, especially if you shoot a few burst modes in a row (and especially with those 40mb RAW files!).
In contrast, the OM1ii starts writing immediately, even as you're shooting. The camera also slows down the frame rate gradually as you approach the buffer, allowing for continuous shooting. This method ensures you're never left waiting, as the buffer clears on the go. Those smaller RAW file sizes also help the OM1ii maintain a pretty much inexhaustible burst mode, making it far superior for that style of shooting in the real world.
That’s not to say the the G9ii is pants by the way! It’s also fantastic, and I’ve got many great bird photography shots with the burst modes so far.
I just think if you’re shooting unpredictable things over and over, like birds, the OM1ii will keep going and going and going. But then the G9ii has the benefit of very predictable consistent burst modes, so that’s ideal for an action that happens once that you have to capture, like these fire shots below.
Both good. Just work in different ways.
Both cameras offer pre-burst modes too, by the way, so they’re quite level in that area.
Some more bangers from the Lumix G9ii
Video Capabilities
Let's talk about video. I'll keep this one brief because it's blatantly obvious which camera is better: the Lumix G9ii. If you're a true hybrid shooter, like myself, and you love photos as much as video, the G9ii is the more obvious choice if you only own one camera.
It offers open gate recording, 4K 120p slow motion, and other video-centric features that Lumix cameras are known for. The video capabilities of the G9ii are massively above and beyond the OM system cameras, and that's fine because OM system aren’t really aiming to grab that crowd.
That being said, there’s more than enough in the OM1ii to get by with. I've shot some talking head videos with the OM1 cameras, and they have my two non-negotiables: 4K 24p for talking head stuff, and 4K 60p for some slow motion. I wish there was more here, to be honest. It seems like there should be, given the price of the camera.
The OM1ii's video features are a bit basic but they get the job done, and the footage looks pleasing.
So, if you're primarily focused on photography and just want the occasional video clip, the OM1ii is great. But if you value professional video features alongside your photography, the G9ii is the better option.
OM1ii bangers.
OM1ii vs G9ii Autofocus and Performance
I took both the original OM1 and the G9ii to Kenya last year, shooting for 10-hour days over two weeks. I found on that trip that the G9ii was more reliable with subject detection compared to the original OM1. Sometimes, turning off tracking on the OM1 made it better, which seemed counterintuitive. The G9ii definitely had the edge then.
Now, with the OM1ii being the newer camera again, it has bridged that gap spectacularly. The bird AI on the OM1ii is nothing short of a revelation, with very few missed shots out of a burst mode of 80.
Both cameras are fantastic, and must be towards the very top-end of all cameras available. For mammals, people, cars, etc. they seem very evenly matched. For birds in particular, however, in my experience, I think the OM1ii does have the edge.
G9ii vs OM1ii final thoughts
If you're 100% into wildlife, bird, and sports photography, get the OM1ii. Its burst modes, magic never-ending buffer, and updated subject detection are perfectly tailored for these use-cases. If you're a hybrid shooter who values both photography and video, the G9ii is the better choice. It's also cheaper and offers a plethora of video options not available in OM system cameras.
For content creators, the G9ii is ideal. It has features like open gate for social media, better video stabilisation, and superior colour grading capabilities. However, if you're a photo-centric shooter who occasionally dabbles in video, the OM1ii is perfectly capable too.
Both cameras are top-tier micro four thirds models, and you can't go wrong with either. If you have specific photography needs, one might edge out the other. But remember, these cameras are extensions of our creativity, at the end of the day. Sometimes the best camera on paper might not gel with you in practice. Try to get your hands on both if possible to see which one feels right for you.
In conclusion, whether you choose the Lumix G9ii or the OM System OM1ii, you'll be getting a fantastic camera. It's all about what suits your needs best.
There are some pixel-peeping and more examples in my video review here.
Check out these brilliant cameras on Amazon here! OM1ii, G9ii
Maybe give MPB a look if you want to buy Used: MPB UK, MPB US, MPB EU
And, finally, if you like the photo examples in this blog then check out my photo presets here!