Upgrade Guide
Lumix G7→Lumix G97
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the G7. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the G97
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Resolution20MP vs 16MP (+4MP)
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Generation9 years newer (2024 vs 2015)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | G7 | G97 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.5 | ||
| Street | -0.2 | ||
| Travel | -0.2 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.5 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | +1.2 | ||
| Filmmaking | +0.9 | ||
| Documentary | +0.8 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.1 | ||
| Landscape | +0.3 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.2 | ||
| Casual | +1.5 | ||
| Food | +0.9 | ||
| Macro | +1.5 | ||
| Architecture | +0.6 | ||
| Astrophotography | -0.1 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | G7 | G97 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £176 | £649 | |
| Released | 2015 | 2024 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS | 20.3MP Four Thirds CMOS | |
| Resolution | 16MP | 20MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K/30p, Full HD 1080p/60 | Unlimited 4K/30p, V-Log L pre-installed | |
| Autofocus | 49-area contrast AF with DFD, face and eye detection, touch AF | Contrast-detect AF with Depth-from-Defocus, face/eye detection | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | 5-axis IBIS (4-stop) | |
| Burst Rate | 8fps (6fps with continuous AF) | 6fps (continuous AF) | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~360 shots (CIPA) | 300 shots (CIPA, estimated) | ↓ |
| Weight | 410g (with battery) | 530g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | OLED EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.7x (35mm equiv.) | EVF, 2.36M dots | |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | Fully articulating touchscreen | |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single SD (UHS-II) |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See G7 and G97 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the G97 against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the G7
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Camera family history