Panasonic Lumix S9
Announced May 22, 2024
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Good
The Panasonic Lumix S9 is a compact, full-frame camera that delivers excellent image quality and capable video features, making it a compelling everyday carry for social media creators. That said, its lack of physical controls, electronic viewfinder, and mechanical shutter may alienate photographers who require a more traditional, robust shooting experience.
Weighted from 24 reviewer scores
Pros
- High-quality image and 6K video performance
- Effective in-body image stabilization
- Real-time LUT system for creative looks
- Responsive and reliable autofocus
- Compact and lightweight full-frame design
Cons
- Minimal grip and lack of physical controls
- Absence of an electronic viewfinder
- Limited video recording time and lack of active cooling
- No mechanical shutter or hot shoe
- Missing headphone jack and limited connectivity
- Launch price $1,499 (USD)
- Sensor 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS
- Video 5.9K 29.97p 4K 59.94p
- Stabilization In-body IS, 5 stops (CIPA)
- Burst 30 fps electronic
What the Reviewers Say
All 24 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- PetaPixel 6/10
The Panasonic S9 is a fun, stylish, and capable camera that is unfortunately hampered by a lack of physical controls and a confusing feature set that will likely alienate both beginners and advanced users alike.
- DPReview 85/100
To put it bluntly, you will be disappointed if you buy this camera purely for photography [...]
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The camera is still Recommended, despite the issues raised, providing the photographer can live with the drawbacks or does not find them an issue.
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The Panasonic Lumix S9 produced still images of excellent quality during the review period.
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The Panasonic Lumix S9 is a brilliant full-frame camera designed to simplify content creation for the masses.
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The Lumix S9 has been introduced at the perfect moment to cater to the growing demand among creatives for compact cameras that don't compromise on capability – and the S9 is an impressively small camera, despite housing a large full-frame sensor.
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This incredibly capable camera ultimately has a very first generation feel about it, with quirks that need ironing out.
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It feels like they are so, so close to making this an ultimate choice for creators, but as it is, I think it's just really rather good in a sensible way.
- Pocket-lint 7/10
With its built-in LUTs, full-frame sensor, touchscreen interface, and compact size, the Panasonic S9 is the sort of camera that Instagrammers looking to step up from the smartphone's fake background blur are going to fall in love with.
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The Panasonic Lumix S9 delivers superb image quality and an innovative way to process video without the need for a computer. Sure, the layout is fiddly and, at times, infuriating, but take the time to get used to it and you'll almost certainly reap the rewards.
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The Panasonic Lumix S9 takes gorgeous photos and is a capable video camera, but the lack of viewfinder will irk street specialists.
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The Panasonic Lumix DC-S9 is a fantastic choice for photographers and videographers looking for a compact, full-frame mirrorless camera with excellent image quality and strong video capabilities.
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The closest competitor in the market to the Panasonic Lumix S9 will be Sony's ZV-E1, which is a very similar camera in a lot of ways.
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This camera is incredibly exciting for photographers, videographers, and consumers alike who are after a compact body.
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As you can probably tell, I like the Panasonic Lumix S9 a lot. It is actually a camera that I would choose for my personal use outside of this channel, and that means that I highly recommend it.
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We have a grip on it here from Small Rig which allows you to hold it a little better. But I think the genius of this camera is just that it is very small.
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If you're okay giving up a few features and physical controls, then the S9 makes for a very capable video camera.
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I think Lumix might have made my almost perfect camera. If you've been on my channel before that I've been on the hunt for a long while for the perfect everyday carry, and the Panasonic Lumix S9 ticks a heck of a lot of boxes.
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This is a very good camera for video.
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Honestly, just doing the research for this video, I don't think there's a better value mirrorless camera that you can buy right now.
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As someone who shoots both photo and video extensively, I genuinely can't think of a better everyday carry than the Lumix S9.
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So it’s hard for me to recommend the S9 if you want to use it to film weddings, or corporate or commercial videos, or even YouTube videos.
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The Lumix S9 feels like a camera that’s still figuring itself out. It wants to be a compact travel companion and a tiny video tool at the same time, and it doesn’t quite land either role perfectly.
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[T]his is an absolute dealbreaker and probably one of the reasons I'm probably going to switch.
