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PANASONIC LUMIX GX85 Body 4K Mirrorless Camera, 16 Megapixles, 3 Inch Tilting Touch LCD, DMC-GX85KBODY (USA BLACK)
Brand | Panasonic |
Model Name | Panasonic Lumix GX85 |
Photo Sensor Size | Micro Four Thirds |
Image Stabilization | 5-Axis, Hybrid |
Min Shutter Speed | 1/60 s seconds |
Form Factor | Mirrorless |
Effective Still Resolution | 16 |
Special Feature | Image Stabilization |
Optical Zoom | 0.01 x |
Color | Black |
About this item
- New 5-axis in-body sensor stabilizer works with LUMIX 2-axis optically stabilized lenses in video and still capture modes using class-leading Dual Image Stabilization.
- Eliminates the need for low-pass sensor filters while boosting fine detail resolving power by nearly 10% over existing 16-Megapixel MFT sensors.
- Shoot lighter and faster with the modern hybrid photography performance of a Mirrorless camera and nearly half the bulk of most DSLRs.
- Thumbwheel controls, integrated viewfinder and touch control enabled tilting LCD maximize control of the photographic experience.
- Capture spontaneous moments with 4K imaging performance in both 4K video and exclusive 4K PHOTO and Post Focus.
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This Item PANASONIC LUMIX GX85 Body 4K Mirrorless Camera, 16 Megapixles, 3 Inch Tilting Touch LCD, DMC-GX85KBODY (USA BLACK) | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
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Price | — | $697.99$697.99 | $1,798.00$1,798.00 | -16% $498.99$498.99 New Price: $599.95 | $799.00$799.00 | -34% $597.99$597.99 List: $899.99 |
Delivery | — | — | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | — | Get it Mar 29 - Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Picture quality | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
Image stabilization | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.6 |
Auto focus | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.6 | — | 3.9 |
Battery life | 3.8 | — | 4.7 | — | 4.0 | 4.0 |
Quality of material | 4.6 | — | — | — | 4.0 | 4.4 |
Sold By | — | Amazon.com | Focus Camera LLC | Web Offers | 42nd Street Photo | PROCAM |
display type | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD | Articulating Touchscreen OLED | LCD |
display size | 3 inches | 3 inches | 3 inches | 3 inches | 3 inches | 3 inches |
lens type | Zoom | Wide Angle | Zoom | — | Interchangeable | Fisheye |
zoom type | — | Optical Zoom | optical | — | Optical Zoom | Optical |
shooting modes | Shutter Priority | Manual, Shutter Priority, Sports | AUTO (iAuto), Programmed AE (P), Aperture priority (A), Shutter-speed priority (S), Manual (M), Movie modes | — | Bulb Mode,Aperture Priority, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority | Expressive & Retro & Old Days & High Key & Low Key & Sepia & Monochrome & Dynamic Monochrome & Rough Monochrome & Silky Monochrome & Impressive Art & High Dynamic & Cross Process & Toy Effect & Toy Pop & Bleach Bypass & Miniature Effect & Soft Focus & Fantasy & Star Filter & One Point Color & Sunshine |
connectivity tech | NFC, HDMI, USB | HDMI, USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | NFC, HDMI | USB | HDMI, NTSC | USB, HDMI |
Videos
Videos for this product
5:53
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Unboxing The Panasonic LUMIX GX85 Digital Camera
Nerd News Social
Videos for this product
1:45
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DPReview First Look: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85
DPReview
Videos for this product
0:37
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TWO YEARS LATER HONEST REVIEW - Lumix Camera
Joel Byars
Videos for this product
2:22
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Best First Camera? Panasonic Lumix
Daniele Silingardi
What's in the box
From the manufacturer
Big photos just got Easy.
New, surprisingly compact LUMIX GX85 puts the power to take stunning, professional photos in the palm of your hands.
Photo Credit (all): Joseph Linaschke
Panasonic Image App
Instantly share your print-ready photos, even control the camera remotely via your smartphone.
- Remote Shooting
- Instant Sharing
- Social Media Connection
Never miss THAT moment again.
with exclusive 4K Photo technology
The magic begins with newly stabilized, ultra fast 3-frames-per-second 4K video. Then, select and edit frames in-camera so you can take, create and share the perfect shot, instantly.
- POST FOCUS: Focal point selection
- 4K LIVE CROPPING: Pan or zoom to crop
- LIGHT COMPOSITION: Exposure correction
5-Axis Dual Image Stabilization
2 axis in-lens, 3 axis in-body, magnetically coupled. 100% active in 4K video recording.
Eye Viewfinder
Electronic eye viewfinder for bright shooting environments.
Touch Enabled Tilting Display
Touch control LCD tilts 80° up and 45° down.
Surprisingly Compact
GX85 is roughly half the bulk of a DSLR.
Intuitive Design
Familiar DSLR-like controls with an ergonomic grip. Front/rear thumbwheel dials control the main aperture and shutter speed settings while easily switching to handle temporary WB and ISO adjustments.
EVF
Tilt Display
Compact
Controls
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High Speed Auto-FocusingPanasonic's Depth-From-Defocus (DFD) Auto Focus (AF) technology instantly calculates subject distance, then drives the focus mechanism with one quick, continuous movement for faster AF speeds. |
Venus Engine + Live MOS SensorCombining the 16MP Digital Live MOS Sensor and Venus Engine renders clear images with minimum noise, even in low-light situations. Shoot true-to-life images with excellent resolution, high contrast and impressive color. |
RAW File ProcessingRAW-format images can easily be developed in-camera with adjustments including color space, exposure, white balance, contrast, highlight and shadow, saturation, noise reduction, sharpness, intelligent resolution + more. |
27+ Lens Options27 (and counting) lens options, including prestigious Leica lenses, for a vast array of shooting situations. The Macro-Four Thirds system continues to set the standard for size, weight and overall image quality. |
Looking for specific info?
Product information
Auto Focus Technology | Contrast Detection |
---|---|
Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
Display Resolution Maximum | 1040 |
Photo Sensor Size | Micro Four Thirds |
Photo Sensor Technology | CMOS |
Effective Still Resolution | 16 |
White balance settings | Auto |
JPEG quality level | Basic, Fine, Normal |
Image Stabilization | 5-Axis, Hybrid |
Video Capture Format | 4k |
Video Capture Resolution | 4K UHD 2160p |
Batteries Required? | Yes |
---|---|
Number of Batteries | Lithium Metal batteries required. (included) |
Are Batteries Included | Yes |
Rechargeable Battery Included | No |
Battery Cell Composition | Lithium Ion |
Battery Weight | 1 Grams |
Target Gender | Unisex |
Audio Input | Microphone |
Connectivity Technology | USB, HDMI, NFC |
Wireless Communication Technology | BuiltIn; 802.11b/g/n with NFC |
Flash Memory Type | SDXC |
Memory Slots Available | 1 |
Special Feature | Image Stabilization |
Skill Level | Amateur |
Form Factor | Mirrorless |
Photo Sensor Technology | CMOS |
Lens Type | Zoom |
---|---|
Optical Zoom | 0.01 x |
Digital Zoom | 0.01 |
Compatible Mountings | Micro Four Thirds |
Focus Type | Auto Focus |
Expanded ISO Minimum | 50 |
---|---|
Min Shutter Speed | 1/60 s seconds |
Shooting Modes | Shutter Priority |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic |
---|---|
Screen Size | 3 Inches |
Display Type | LCD |
Display Fixture Type | tilting |
Model Name | Panasonic Lumix GX85 |
---|---|
Brand | Panasonic |
Model Number | DMC-GX85KBODY |
Customer Reviews |
4.6 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #518,000 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #1,504 in Mirrorless Cameras |
ASIN | B01G9EYN26 |
Color | Black |
Included Components | Battery Pack, USB Connection Cable, Shoulder Strap, Body Cap, camera, Hot Shoe Cover, AC Adaptor |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 1.73 x 4.8 x 2.78 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 0.94 Pounds |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Product guides and documents
Product Description
For today's interchangeable lens camera enthusiasts - or anyone looking for a lighter, newer more intelligent alternative to bulky DSLRs - Panasonic LUMIX Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds system cameras deliver impressive, no-compromise performance. Nearly half the size of most DSLRs, the DMC-GX85 delivers impressive large sensor performance in the most compact camera system ever designed by Panasonic LUMIX. Thanks to the elimination of the low pass filter, its fine detail resolving power is boosted nearly 10% over previous 16-Megapixel sensors. Image stabilization is top of its class with the complementary LUMIX 2-axis lens O.I.S. and a new 5-axis in-body I.S., available in either photo or video recording modes. Camera purists will enjoy the familiar quick-access thumbwheel controls and integrated 2764k-dot eye-level electronic viewfinder, plus a tilting LCD display for greater flexibility in difficult shooting angles. Modern enthusiasts will love the Wi-Fi mobile control and next-generation flexibility that 4K Video, 4K PHOTO and 4K Post Focus modes bring to the creative experience.
Read about our customers' top-rated cameras and lenses on our review pages: Compact System Cameras, Lenses
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the quality, image quality, and value of the digital camera. For example, they mention it's a very capable camera, takes amazing pictures and videos for the price, and is a wonderful mirrorless for the value. They're also happy with the frustrating, and weight. That said, opinions are mixed on ease of use, and autofocus.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the quality of the camera. They say it's a very capable camera with amazing autofocus and high-quality optical zoom lenses. They also mention that the level of performance and image quality it delivers has exceeded their expectations.
"...It’s just the right size and is so enjoyable to use that I actually do take it with me when I can...." Read more
"...It’s also built well for a kit lens so the overall vibe of this combo still feels like a premium product...." Read more
"...It was loads of fun and really glad I picked it up.(updated - shutter issue)..." Read more
"...It's a camera that combines usability, stylish looks, superb stills performance, and 4K prowess. And it even comes with a pretty good kit zoom lens...." Read more
Customers like the image quality of the camera. They mention that the picture quality is amazing, the 4K videos, and post focus are nice unique adds. The construction is solid, the screen is crisp, and functionality is all there. The image stabilization is excellent, and even shaky hands can reliably get shots at 1/8. The 4K capability provides stunningly sharp and detailed footage, capturing every nuance of the scene. The camera does a great job at taking long exposure photos as well as catching action. Overall, customers are happy with the image performance and recommend it to others.
"...The image stabilization is excellent and even my shaky hands can reliably get shots at 1/8 of a second and with a bit more effort in steadying myself..." Read more
"...this was the i5 surface pro. the camera itself does an excellent job of playing 4k directly to a 1080p TV but that means you'll need to keep your..." Read more
"...It's a camera that combines usability, stylish looks, superb stills performance, and 4K prowess. And it even comes with a pretty good kit zoom lens...." Read more
"...The 4K capability provides stunningly sharp and detailed footage, capturing every nuance of my surroundings...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the value of the camera. They mention that it is a wonderful mirrorless for the price, takes amazing pictures and videos, and is perfect for travel. The camera has impressive performance for the value, and it is well worth the time spent learning.
"...This has been an excellent upgrade from my smartphone camera that carries over the intuitiveness of smartphone camera apps and combines that with..." Read more
"...And it even comes with a pretty good kit zoom lens. It is excellent bang for the buck.As an aside, I feel bad for GX8 buyers...." Read more
"...A great value for the money." Read more
"...PROS: Comes with a 2-lens kit at an affordable price; has more features than any competitor at that price; well-constructed and solid housing; many..." Read more
Customers like the size of the camera. They say it's pretty compact, and light enough to be a travel camera. Customers also appreciate the portability and ease of use. They mention that the video is buttery smooth and quite impressive for such a small, budget camera.
"...This review is tailored towards the consumer who wants a small, compact and capable mirrorless camera that they could take everywhere with them...." Read more
"...The compact and lightweight design makes it easy to carry around, ensuring I never miss a moment...." Read more
"...SIZE/ERGONOMICS: AWESOME! I love the small size. It's about the same size as my Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera...." Read more
"...It may be the perfect compromise between quality and size. I highly recommend it." Read more
Customers like the digital camera for its amazing features, and almost endless array of features. They say it has a nice balance of features for travel, and comes with creative features not on other cameras. Customers also mention that the camera has plenty of capability to hold your hand or flexibility to set you free, and takes very clear photos.
"...It charges through micro USB which is extremely handy, though it cannot charge the battery while the camera is powered on nor can it be powered by..." Read more
"...The camera is very responsive, and has a nice set of options for editing raw files in-camera if you are traveling...." Read more
"...There is plenty of capability to hold your hand or flexibility to set you free creatively...." Read more
"...High level of sophistication, almost endless array of features...." Read more
Customers like the weight of the digital camera. Some say it's great for light traveling, easy to carry around, and has a hefty, reassuring weight. The camera and included lenses are lightweight, making it easy to take high-quality pictures.
"...The build quality of this all-plastic camera is excellent and it has a hefty, reassuring weight...." Read more
"...Lightweight / Can be carried in many places without being obtrusive. It's not tiny but small enough to fit in a jacket pocket...." Read more
"...The build quality is first rate. I know I said earlier it was a tad bit too heavy and while I stick with that statement, it really does feel good in..." Read more
"...The compact and lightweight design makes it easy to carry around, ensuring I never miss a moment...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the ease of use of the camera. Some mention that it takes great photos and is very easy to use, while others say that the button is tiny, stiff, and difficult to use. They also say that it's difficult to remember all these interfaces and that the interface is cluttered.
"...The size of the camera and layout of the controls means it’s easy for me to access all the controls...." Read more
"...it has a great touchscreen interface - you can take pictures by simply tapping the location on the screen - much like our smartphones...." Read more
"...up to my eye to compose a shot through the EVF, the touch focus point is so sensitive that it moves around like crazy...." Read more
"...Handles really well, menus are kind of obtuse, but easy enough to work thru. I have had this for 18 months, no problems...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the autofocus of the camera. Some mention that it's insanely good, quick, and outstanding. However, others say that it can be a bit too slow and an issue at times.
"...While I love the option to quickly change my focal points with a touch of the screen, I find that when I put the camera up to my eye to compose a..." Read more
"...That's Panasonic's strength... Though it lacks in terms of higher bit rate that you can find on GH4 or GH3...." Read more
"...It focuses on photos perfect. It focuses in video amazingly too...as long as the subject isn't moving. Who are you?..." Read more
"...It seems like the display on the Panasonic lags when making large camera movements and the camera is doing more exposure / scene correction...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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The first thing I really liked was the size of the camera. I have rather small hands for a male and the size of the camera is just right for me, being just large enough to have a solid grip on the camera while being small enough to carry around easily. The size of the camera and layout of the controls means it’s easy for me to access all the controls.
What impressed me after just a few days of use is the interface and menu system of the camera. I’m already very used to touchscreen camera controls from using smartphones and Panasonic did a really good job with the interface on the touchscreen display. It can be as simple or as busy as you wish it to be and works intuitively. I use the touchscreen display as my primary viewfinder, just like on a smartphone, and I simply find myself really enjoying using it.
As for image quality, I currently have a iPhone 7 Plus and the GX85 is leagues better, at least in RAW. The iPhone is a great snapshot camera to always have with you but trying to use it more “seriously” (if vacation photos count as serious) leads to disappointment. The GX85 can take photos with far superior detail and vastly superior dynamic range compared to the iPhone. That means being able to capture things a bit more like you see them and having more headroom to play around with in your photos in applications like Adobe Lightroom. I’ve been very happy with the photos I’ve been able to get from this camera.
I tend to mostly capture photos of still scenes and the focusing system in AF-S mode works very well for that. I have attempted a few times to get shots of birds using AF-C mode and have actually gotten a few good shots despite my inexperience with this (or any) camera’s focusing system. The mechanical shutter has a surprisingly soft sound, being loud enough to where you can be sure the shutter really did fire but not so loud, or sharp, that it gets annoying. The image stabilization is excellent and even my shaky hands can reliably get shots at 1/8 of a second and with a bit more effort in steadying myself, 1/4 of a second.
Battery life is pretty good on this camera and I can generally get a few hundred shots from it before needing to charge it. It charges through micro USB which is extremely handy, though it cannot charge the battery while the camera is powered on nor can it be powered by micro USB alone. Still, being able to use a portable battery pack to recharge camera is very useful. The included lense is very compact and has good image quality which helps make this a good travel camera. The build quality of this all-plastic camera is excellent and it has a hefty, reassuring weight.
The JPEG engine on it is good enough but doesn’t quite match up to smartphones like the iPhone 7 Plus. The biggest issue is that it has a tendency to randomly pepper solid-yellow surfaces with noticeable green dots, a rather bizarre effect. Again, it’s not a bad JPEG engine and most people will be quite happy JPEGs straight out of the camera, but I’ve been spoiled by how well smartphones with their extra processing power can do and I also intended to use RAW and process them in Lightroom later anyway.
There are some other downsides I’ve noticed. The electronic viewfinder is not very great to me, with it being rather blurry in parts no matter how I adjust the diopter, the image being a little small, and the field sequential image simply being a little unpleasant to look at. I should emphasize that this is quite personal and you may be absolutely fine with it, and also that I almost never use the viewfinder anyway so having it at all is more of a bonus feature to me. The included lense has a rather limited zoom range of 12-32mm and there is noticable barrel distortion at the widest end (12mm) that disappears at 14mm. The relatively narrow maximum aperture of the lense means low-light image quality may not be as dramatic of an upgrade from a recent high-end smartphone as might be hoped. The smartphone app’s location tracking is unreliable and I’d recommend using something like the GPS Tracks app (on iOS) to log your location and then use Lightroom to add the locations to your photos later.
I’m not much on taking video and I can’t comment much on that part of the GX85.
There’s really lots more I can say about this camera but this review is probably too long already. This has been an excellent upgrade from my smartphone camera that carries over the intuitiveness of smartphone camera apps and combines that with something with far better image quality and control. It’s just the right size and is so enjoyable to use that I actually do take it with me when I can. Simply put, I’m very glad I got the Panasonic LUMIX GX85 and enthusiastically recommend it.
- Someone who understands the importance of some really good food pics
- Likes adventure and looking back at it through pics and videos
- Explores around town and takes photos along the way
- Has cute pets and likes cute pet pics
- Has an eye for design and wants photos of cool spaces
- Wants to travel light but not miss a photo moment
Basically this is a review for the photographer/social media influencer/enthusiast who believes the best camera is the one they have on them.
Just a couple housekeeping notes:
* Before I continue, I have to put out a disclaimer and say that I was chosen as part of Panasonic and Lumix USA’s campaign (#PanasonicAdvocate) to test this camera out and share my experiences with an unbiased and honest review. And that is exactly what I’m going to do as these opinions are my own and I have literally been using this camera almost every day for over a month.
** All images posted to this review are taken with the kit lens.
I started out my mirrorless journey with the Panasonic GF1. It was a pioneer amongst the mirrorless cameras and to this day remains one of my favorite cameras to have used. Since then, I’ve owned mirrorless cameras from Olympus, Fujifilm and now Sony so it’s kind of cool how this all came full circle when Panasonic approached me with the gx85.
DISLIKES
Let’s get the things I dislike out of the way because they’re not a deal breaker for me, they’re simply just things I think can be improved upon. While I appreciate and have grown to love the tilt screen, I wish this camera flipped all the way up for selfies and group shots. Selfies aside, when I’m traveling, this is super useful trying for getting quick self-portraits.
This is also my first touch screen for a camera. While I love the option to quickly change my focal points with a touch of the screen, I find that when I put the camera up to my eye to compose a shot through the EVF, the touch focus point is so sensitive that it moves around like crazy.
The camera is also a bit heavy for it’s size. I read that people complained that it’s predecessor seemed dinky in the hands and while they improved that with the gx85 feeling robust, in my opinion, it’s a touch too heavy for such a compact m43 camera.
On that same note, because the added weight is attributed to making the camera feel more robust, they really should have made this weather proof. It would cancel out any negative feelings one has towards this camera being slightly heavy for a small compact.
High ISO = mehhh photo quality. There’s not much to this point other then when you have a small sensor and you’re pushing it’s ISO, images tend to smudge up, noise builds and the clarity becomes lost. It’s not horrible by any means and they’ve come such a long way since the first m43 cameras, but larger sensor cameras will always have the edge when it comes to high ISO.
LIKES
It’s so cute/cool. Yea I said it. Whatever lol. I’m big on how cameras look these days. I think the aesthetic of ones tools are a direct representation of ones style. For me, I love when cameras can embody a retro rangefinder look while still infusing some modern design elements without looking like the two are fighting against each other. When I think of retro and modern design friction, I think of some of the Olympus bodies. When I think of the perfect blend of retro and modern, I think of the Leica Q.
The buttons and dials are all fantastic. So much so I rarely use any of the touch screen buttons to navigate around for settings and the camera interface and menus.
The build quality is first rate. I know I said earlier it was a tad bit too heavy and while I stick with that statement, it really does feel good in the hands regardless.
Start up time is instant. Something Sony really needs to take note on.
I love the kit lens. It’s so small but provides a good range and the quality is really good for what it is. It’s also built well for a kit lens so the overall vibe of this combo still feels like a premium product.
The image stabilization on this thing is BANANAS. My Sony A7RII also has 5-axis image stabilization, but the gx85 also takes advantage of lens I.S. created a Dual I.S. system. Video clips feel like they’re taken with a gimbal (super amateur clips btw).
I’ll never buy a camera without Wi-Fi. Many times, I like to post photos instantly, especially when I’m traveling. The Wi-Fi on the gx85 works great with the app and transfers images relatively fast. I’ve yet to loose connection while transferring photos.
And like many current mirrorless cameras, the autofocus is lightning fast.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS
Just like with every other mirrorless camera out there, there are still some short comings. Most of which I didn’t feel the need to mention because we’ve heard it time and time before. The most notable for me being battery life. It makes sense though when you have a small battery trying to give life to an almost all electronic device (LCD, EVF, shutter, etc.).
With those little gripes aside, I still do believe mirrorless is the future and this camera is just part of that journey.
The Panasonic gx85 is a great, be-with-you-at-all-times camera. As you can see by the photos I’ve posted, that’s exactly what happened. The gx85 was with me at all times. It came with me to dinner, it came exploring in my Jeep and it came with me to hang out with some friends.
Will I be using it for paid work? No, but that’s because I have my Sony line of cameras to do that for me. Is it capable for paid work? Absolutely! Just ask any of the social influencers making a killing per post with an iPhone.
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2016
- Someone who understands the importance of some really good food pics
- Likes adventure and looking back at it through pics and videos
- Explores around town and takes photos along the way
- Has cute pets and likes cute pet pics
- Has an eye for design and wants photos of cool spaces
- Wants to travel light but not miss a photo moment
Basically this is a review for the photographer/social media influencer/enthusiast who believes the best camera is the one they have on them.
Just a couple housekeeping notes:
* Before I continue, I have to put out a disclaimer and say that I was chosen as part of Panasonic and Lumix USA’s campaign (#PanasonicAdvocate) to test this camera out and share my experiences with an unbiased and honest review. And that is exactly what I’m going to do as these opinions are my own and I have literally been using this camera almost every day for over a month.
** All images posted to this review are taken with the kit lens.
I started out my mirrorless journey with the Panasonic GF1. It was a pioneer amongst the mirrorless cameras and to this day remains one of my favorite cameras to have used. Since then, I’ve owned mirrorless cameras from Olympus, Fujifilm and now Sony so it’s kind of cool how this all came full circle when Panasonic approached me with the gx85.
DISLIKES
Let’s get the things I dislike out of the way because they’re not a deal breaker for me, they’re simply just things I think can be improved upon. While I appreciate and have grown to love the tilt screen, I wish this camera flipped all the way up for selfies and group shots. Selfies aside, when I’m traveling, this is super useful trying for getting quick self-portraits.
This is also my first touch screen for a camera. While I love the option to quickly change my focal points with a touch of the screen, I find that when I put the camera up to my eye to compose a shot through the EVF, the touch focus point is so sensitive that it moves around like crazy.
The camera is also a bit heavy for it’s size. I read that people complained that it’s predecessor seemed dinky in the hands and while they improved that with the gx85 feeling robust, in my opinion, it’s a touch too heavy for such a compact m43 camera.
On that same note, because the added weight is attributed to making the camera feel more robust, they really should have made this weather proof. It would cancel out any negative feelings one has towards this camera being slightly heavy for a small compact.
High ISO = mehhh photo quality. There’s not much to this point other then when you have a small sensor and you’re pushing it’s ISO, images tend to smudge up, noise builds and the clarity becomes lost. It’s not horrible by any means and they’ve come such a long way since the first m43 cameras, but larger sensor cameras will always have the edge when it comes to high ISO.
LIKES
It’s so cute/cool. Yea I said it. Whatever lol. I’m big on how cameras look these days. I think the aesthetic of ones tools are a direct representation of ones style. For me, I love when cameras can embody a retro rangefinder look while still infusing some modern design elements without looking like the two are fighting against each other. When I think of retro and modern design friction, I think of some of the Olympus bodies. When I think of the perfect blend of retro and modern, I think of the Leica Q.
The buttons and dials are all fantastic. So much so I rarely use any of the touch screen buttons to navigate around for settings and the camera interface and menus.
The build quality is first rate. I know I said earlier it was a tad bit too heavy and while I stick with that statement, it really does feel good in the hands regardless.
Start up time is instant. Something Sony really needs to take note on.
I love the kit lens. It’s so small but provides a good range and the quality is really good for what it is. It’s also built well for a kit lens so the overall vibe of this combo still feels like a premium product.
The image stabilization on this thing is BANANAS. My Sony A7RII also has 5-axis image stabilization, but the gx85 also takes advantage of lens I.S. created a Dual I.S. system. Video clips feel like they’re taken with a gimbal (super amateur clips btw).
I’ll never buy a camera without Wi-Fi. Many times, I like to post photos instantly, especially when I’m traveling. The Wi-Fi on the gx85 works great with the app and transfers images relatively fast. I’ve yet to loose connection while transferring photos.
And like many current mirrorless cameras, the autofocus is lightning fast.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS
Just like with every other mirrorless camera out there, there are still some short comings. Most of which I didn’t feel the need to mention because we’ve heard it time and time before. The most notable for me being battery life. It makes sense though when you have a small battery trying to give life to an almost all electronic device (LCD, EVF, shutter, etc.).
With those little gripes aside, I still do believe mirrorless is the future and this camera is just part of that journey.
The Panasonic gx85 is a great, be-with-you-at-all-times camera. As you can see by the photos I’ve posted, that’s exactly what happened. The gx85 was with me at all times. It came with me to dinner, it came exploring in my Jeep and it came with me to hang out with some friends.
Will I be using it for paid work? No, but that’s because I have my Sony line of cameras to do that for me. Is it capable for paid work? Absolutely! Just ask any of the social influencers making a killing per post with an iPhone.
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Why I chose the GX85:
- The two high quality and widely praised kit lenses that are sharp, stabilized, support Dual-IS and focus quickly.
- Access to cheap Micro Four Thirds lenses. I recently purchased the cheapest MFT prime lens with a wide aperture, the Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f1.7 ASPH and it's phenomenal for the price ($199!!!). Autofocus is swift and images are crisp.
- The IBIS (in-body image stabilization) and Dual-IS (IBIS + lens stabilization) with stabilized Panasonic Lumix lenses.
- The electromagnetic shutter mechanism that prevents shutter shock and no AA filter on the sensor.
- The viewfinder is useful outdoors when the brightness of the sun dims the visibility of the LCD screen.
- Unlimited recording times and no overheating.
- Unrestricted touchscreen and intuitive user interface. (The touch capability of the Sony a6k cameras that have touchscreens [a5100, a6500, a6100, a6400 and a6600] is limited only to touch focusing and zooming in on pictures in playback mode.)
Things to consider:
- Buy this camera bundle when it's on SALE, where it's discounted down to around $860 and happens frequently.
- The 12-32mm kit lens has to be rotated and extended by its zoom ring for it to start working, which means it can't be used in its flat position at the base focal length (12mm). And it also does not have a manual focus ring.
- Keep in mind that this camera bundle does not include a body cap for the camera sensor or a rear lens cap for the 12-32mm lens, so be sure to buy those. I bought the JJC 2 pack Micro Four Thirds body and rear lens caps here on Amazon for $12.
- The camera bundle only comes with a USB wall charger with a micro-USB cable for charging the battery inside the camera through its USB port while it's off. In order to not wear out the USB port on the camera, I would suggest buying an external battery charger for the camera's DMW-BLG10 battery such as the OEM Panasonic DE-A99 charger from eBay or a 3rd party charger that fits the DMW-BLG10 battery.
- Buy an extra battery or few so you can swap them out. I personally bought an extra OEM Panasonic Lumix DMW-BLG10 battery here on Amazon that is often on discount for $59 compared to other retailers that sell it for $79. I chose to buy the OEM battery instead of cheap 3rd party batteries that are more likely to lose their charge quickly, suddenly die, swell and won't accurately display their charge status bars when using the camera.
- The viewfinder uses a field-sequential display which can produce RGB (red-green-blue) color tearing effects if you are sensitive to it. I notice it slightly when I move my eye around the display image in the viewfinder, especially when I use the main menu in the viewfinder, but it doesn't bother me personally.
- It's worth mentioning that this camera does not use PDAF (Phase Detect Autofocus) on its sensor, but uses CDAF (Contrast Detect Autofocus) and Panasonic's own DFD (Depth from Defocus - works only with Panasonic Lumix lenses that support DFD), both of which are not as good as Sony's PDAF and Canon's Dual Pixel PDAF. PDAF is useful for tracking and keeping focus on moving subjects, particularly when shooting a video.
Personal dislikes:
There isn't anything I dislike about the camera, but I do wish the GX85 had the tilting viewfinder that the GX7, GX8 and GX9 were equipped with.
If you’re looking for something for photography, even consider a 5D Mark II used with a decent lens. You will yield way better results and with a full frame camera. Sony also offers less expensive options, with a used A7ii not being far ahead on pricing, it seems like a no brained to me.
Reviewed in Canada on September 21, 2017
If you’re looking for something for photography, even consider a 5D Mark II used with a decent lens. You will yield way better results and with a full frame camera. Sony also offers less expensive options, with a used A7ii not being far ahead on pricing, it seems like a no brained to me.