Meet the Panasonic Lumix DC-G95 (G90)
The Panasonic Lumix DC-G95 – which will be known as the G90 outside of North America – is a modest step up from the G85 that was introduced in the fall of 2016. It’s received some cosmetic updates inspired by the high-end Lumix G9, a few new video features and, of course, a higher resolution sensor.
The G95 will be available in May for $ 1199, which includes a Lumix G 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS lens.
More pixels (of course)
It shouldn’t be a huge surprise that the G95 has a higher resolutions sensor than the G85. The new 20MP LiveMOS sensor is very similar to the one found on the enthusiast-grade G9. That’s a good thing, as we found that image quality on that camera was very good, though best-in-class APS-C cameras will produce better results.
As with the G85 that came before it, the G95 has 5-axis in-body image stabilization. The camera’s Dual IS 2 feature combines in-body and lens-based stabilization (with compatible lenses) to reduce shake by up to five stops.
The G95 continues to use Panasonic’s Depth from Defocus AF system. Panasonic says that the system has been improved on the G95, without getting in to specifics.
Refined design
Panasonic tells us that some users of the G85 thought it was too small, while others thought that the G9 was too big. Enter the G95, which sits right in the middle. The G95 has a beefier grip that makes it more comfortable to hold, and the extra space allowed Panasonic to add dedicated buttons for white balance, ISO and exposure compensation. The two control dials shown above are joined by a third on the rear of the camera.
LCD
The only thing new about the G95’s LCD is the resolution, which has increased from 1.04M dots on the G85 to 1.24M dots here. As you can see, it’s a fully articulating screen, ideal for vlogging and low/high-angle shooting.
Panasonic’s touch interface remains one of the better implementations on the market. It does everything you’d expect, which includes being capable of moving the AF point when your eye is to the finder.
Electronic viewfinder
The G95’s EVF has the same specs as the one on the G85. The OLED panel has 2.36 million dots, an equivalent magnification of 0.74x and an eyepoint of 20mm. Panasonic has changed the material used to make the eyecup and tweaked the shape, as well.
Built-in flash
As with the G85, the G95 has a built-in pop-up flash. One thing has changed, though, and that’s the X-Sync speed. The top speed on the G85 was 1/160 sec, and it’s 1/200 sec here.
Ports, ports and more ports
Videophiles will be pleased to see that Panasonic added a 3.5mm headphone socket to the G95. The input for the external mic was move upward, keeping it out of the way of the rotating LCD.
We were hoping to see a USB-C socket on the G95, but alas, it’s still micro-USB. The camera can be charged over USB, including from a portable power bank. It can also be directly powered over USB, so long as you have a battery in the camera.
Over on the other side of the camera is a single SD card slot, which supports high-speed UHS-II media.
Battery and battery grip
The G95 uses the familiar DMW-BLC12 8.7Wh lithium-ion battery. Battery life is rated at a so-so 290 shots per charge (per the CIPA standard), regardless of whether you’re using the LCD or EVF. A ‘Power Save LVF’ mode increases that number to 900 images per charge.
If you need more juice, or just want a more substantial grip, you can screw the DMW-BGG1 battery grip ($ 350) to the bottom of the camera. The grip holds an additional battery (which is included) for double the battery life. The grip has two control dials, the shutter release and an AE/AF lock button.
Welcome, V-LogL
The DC-G95 is the first Panasonic camera that doesn’t say ‘GH’ on the front to have the V-LogL gamma curve built in. For those who want a flat tone curve ideal for color grading, the G95 has it, though it is only 8-bit, which limits how far you can then push it. As with the G85, the G95 captures UHD 4K video at 30p and 24p, with a bit rate of 100Mbps.
The G95 also has a new high speed video mode, which can capture Full HD footage at up to 120 fps.
While that’s nice and all, overall the G95 is a step down in terms of video compared to its predecessor. That’s because the camera isn’t using the full width of the sensor, resulting in a substantial 1.25x crop, severely limiting wide-angle videography.
In fact, the camera uses a chunk of its sensor little larger than a 1″-type chip, which is likely to make a major dent in the quality of the footage, especially when shooting Log or working in lower light.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
