GX9 opinions?

My preferred camera when traveling light.
Although IBIS not as good as on some bigger and heavier models.

Ditto finnan

Personally I use it as my hiking camera. If I want ultra light and small (jacket pocket) then with the invisibly small 12-32 lens and the Oly 14-150 in my other pocket

HDR bracketing covers most of my needs in difficult contrasting light. The post Focus (film) mode works a treat

I am sure if you were into street photography it would be great because it's so small noone notices it and it has the flippy back screen for unobstrusive shots...and therefore to the elephant in the room - the viewfinder. I am a multi focal spectacle wearer. Is it the best vf ever ? No. Is it good enough...yes.

It's not a good birding camera. AF is just not quick enough and the focus point seems very inaccurate and unforgiving

I am very happy with it and would probably buy again but I'd want to look at the Oly EM10, just because it would probably fit better with my OM1

Some recent pics :

010523 liverpool albert docks-1 by softmarmotte1, on Flickr

010523 Borrowdale river-1 by softmarmotte1, on Flickr

It is a nice light camera which is very portable & produces good images. It has the 20 MP sensor which gives better pics than the older 16MP version.

Probably best used with smaller lenses as large lenses can cause a balance problem. It would be better with a larger EVF & it is a good idea to try out a demo to see if it OK for you.

The evf.

Due to the high resolution (very fine detail there), bright but small (the native spec of 0.7x magnification under 16:9 might reduce to around 0.52x under 4:3 aspect ratio full resolution shooting), a formula to cause eye tired after certain period of looking at it. Plus the sequential display which if you have certain hidden issue, it might cause rainbow effect, seasick or might even trigger miragriene.

Generally for those, including myself, who are more torelance/adaptive to its evf, might find it useful, but rarely heard anyone love it. For others, might avoid it as a plaque.

So before everything you must try the evf before purchase, or buy from source having good return policy. GX9 might not be for everyone. It is very similar, if not the same, to the evf used in GX7 and GX85.

I suppose you would also aware that the IBIS alone of GX9 might be less powerful than the IBIS of Olympus. Hence, GX9 will be better pair up with DUAL IS compatible lenses for similar level of effective stabilization as IBIS of Olympus.

Other than the above, it is a very capable, remain relatively small 4K ready camera. Unlike the EM10 (equivalent class to the GX), this camera enjoy nearly every features found on it's bigger brothers G95 and G9. It does not need pro lens for certain features as well. E.g. the 4K photo modes including Pre Burst (any native lens can do 30fps), In-camera focus stacking through Post Focus etc etc.

I liked my gx85 (which I still have albeit Kolari converted to 590nm) and I like the gx9 however I did recently add an OM-1 to my body collection and I'll admit that for shooting birds I like the OM-1 a LOT more. These days the Panny 12-35 f/2.8 lives on the gx9.

I can't say that I had any issues.

Nice camera. Wish it had a selfie screen. The EVF, which is the source of complaints for many, is not something I had an issue with, though it is smaller.

I own 2 G100's. That's what I think of the GX9 :) If the GX9 had the G9 autofocus & G100, G9 or even GX8 EVF it would be a no brainer. Panasonic makes some weird spec decisions at times that's for certain.

Your best bet is probably to head into a camera store, and try them back to back. The G100 is a little bit narrower (10mm?) than the GX9, but when you actually hold and shoot them, feels significantly lighter and smaller than the GX9. There's 100gms difference in favour of the G100, but it feels more than that.
The GX9 bests it with IBIS though. I mainly use my G100 with wide to standard primes, so a non-issue for me. I've also got the 12-32 & 12-35 f2.8 mkII, which both have IS, as well as any longer zooms. If I'm going to be predominantly using longer zooms, I'll grab my G9 for that anyway. For travel/walkabout, I find the G100 brilliant.

I came from EOS M myself, the lack of small, format specific prime lenses drove me mad in the end, that to me is the real reason to jump into m4/3. Absolutely spoilt for choice. A kit consisting of the PL 9mm, PL 15mm, PL 25mm is a tiny yet extremely capable and good quality setup, that weighs very little on your small body of choice. Throw in one of the faster 42.5 or 45mm short tele primes, and there's not a lot you can't shoot, unless you're heading out to shoot wildlife or Motorsport.
If you don't feel like changing lenses, then substitute the 12-32 or 12-35 2.8 and something like the PL 9mm or Laowa 10mm f2 for wide duties, and you've got a killer little kit. I've got all the lenses I've mentioned here, plus more, so talking from experience 😜
Just my few cents.

The 12-32 is a great little lens too combined with the G100 -especially given its size, weight & cost. I kind of think of mine as disposable -I paid just under $200 Au for mine brand spanking new as it was split from a kit, and is capable of some really nice results. Incidentally, I originally thought the same of my G100 as I picked it up for $475 Au brand new delivered to my door, but liked it so much & got a bit protective of it, so bought another 😂😂
Shot these with my G9, but there's absolutely no reason you couldn't do it with the G100. I find the IQ indistinguishable between the two cameras.

As I mentioned in my reply the EVF is fine. The reports of its shitiness are greatly exaggerated. YOu would be best to try it and see. I did and immediately wondered what all the fuss was about. One issue raised in several reviews was that it was unusable with polarised sunglasses. This simply isn't true
Like most reviews of cameras, reviewers seize on things they don't like and exagerate

Have you try it in protrait orientation? No black strips?

Do you need the Live View image in evf to set exposure? Would the sunglass misled the setting?

On my non OLED evf (GX1, GX7, GX85), I faced all of the above. No big deal, I shoot as usual despite the black strips do not looking good only, and have to do setting more carefully with the margin in mind. As the last resort, adjust the lighting condition in post. Not a deal breaker.

OLED display is sunglass friendly has good reason.

Unless you've used something better, and then try to shift over.
I'm NOT saying the GX9 is a bad camera. It's just that I couldn't use one and properly enjoy it, after peering through my GX8, G9 and Canon 6D viewfinder offerings.
And I agree totally. Go try them out.

It's certainly a user thing as well; some people seem to be more bothered by field sequential EVFs.

I have other cameras with excellent EVFs. The GX9 evf is plenty usable...great no but useable

I agree with this, it is totally fine and really not much different than the evf’s of an XT-30 or M50. Those shooting in 3:2 mode will have a larger display btw, but of course a lot of m43 shooters (including myself) like the system and the 4:3 ratio as well. Still, have the ratio programmed under a function key and sometimes switch to 3:2 of even 16:9, which then is larger than some competitors who have to display black bars.

That said, i do understand that if you are used to a much larger/better EVF, the switch is difficult. Then again, the backscreen of the GX9 is excellent. Maybe not as highres as more expensive camera’s, but still better than most entry to midrange cams and bright enough in outside daylight.