Upgrade Guide
Lumix G85→Lumix DC-G97
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The DC-G97 improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most G85 owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the DC-G97
-
Resolution20MP vs 16MP (+4MP)
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
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Generation8 years newer (2024 vs 2016)
Unchanged or similar
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Weather sealingNot present in new body
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 | G85 | DC-G97 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.3 | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Travel | -0.6 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -0.2 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | +1.2 | ||
| Filmmaking | +0.6 | ||
| Documentary | -0.1 | ||
| Sports & Action | -0.7 | ||
| Landscape | -0.4 | ||
| Wildlife | -0.7 | ||
| Casual | +1.6 | ||
| Food | +0.4 | ||
| Macro | -0.8 | ||
| Architecture | +0.5 | ||
| Astrophotography | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | G85 | DC-G97 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £649 | |
| Released | 2016 | 2024 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS (no low-pass filter) | 20.3MP Four Thirds CMOS | |
| Resolution | 16MP | 20MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p | Unlimited 4K/30p, V-Log L pre-installed | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, DFD technology | Contrast-detect AF with Depth-from-Defocus, face/eye detection | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 (body + lens) | 5-axis IBIS (4-stop) | |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 6fps (continuous AF) | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~330 shots (CIPA) | 300 shots (CIPA, estimated) | ↓ |
| Weight | 426g (body only) | 530g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Not weather sealed | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | EVF, 2.36M dots | |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots | Fully articulating touchscreen | |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD (UHS-II) |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See G85 and DC-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 DC-G97 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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