Lumix G9vs D850
VS
Nikon
D850 (2017)
Starting from £2199 new
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
View D850
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Wildlife, Sports, Travel — Lumix G9 (2017): The G9 showed that Micro Four Thirds could compete for fast-action stills.
Landscape, Wildlife & Professional Studio Photography — D850 (2017): The finest DSLR ever made — 45MP, 9fps, and nearly 2000 shots per charge in a body that still outperforms most mirrorless cameras for battery life.
Who should buy what
Lumix G9 (2017)
- Wildlife photographers who want fast burst and long telephoto reach at lower cost
- MFT system users who prioritise stills over video
D850 (2017)
- Nikon F-mount lens owners who want the highest resolution DSLR before switching to mirrorless
- Landscape and wildlife photographers who value the optical viewfinder and outstanding battery life
- Professional photographers who need 45MP resolution without the price of a medium format system
- Photojournalists and event photographers with a large F-mount lens investment
Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the lumix g9 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Lumix G9 (2017) | D850 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £549 | £2,199 |
| Sensor | Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.3MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 4K 60fps, C4K 24fps | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 225-point contrast-detect DFD | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 6.5 stops (6.0 stops dual IS) | None (relies on VR lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 20fps mechanical, 60fps electronic | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) |
| Battery Life | 400 shots (CIPA) | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding |
| Weight | 658g (body only) | 915g body only |
| Dimensions | 136.9 × 97.3 × 91.6mm | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.83× 3.68M-dot | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M-dot | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Nikon F mount |
| Memory Cards | 2× SD UHS-II | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C, HDMI full-size | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Lumix G9 | D850 |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | — |
More comparisons with Lumix G9
Camera family history