10 Best Panasonic Cameras for Photo and Video in 2024

By Tati Taylor 11 days ago, Cameras & Lenses

Panasonic cameras are incredibly versatile, catering to various shooting styles, conditions, and photographer levels. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro into landscape, street, or even vlogging, there's a Panasonic camera that fits your needs perfectly.

From in-body image stabilization to 4K video support, these cameras provide you with the tools to bring your creative vision to life.

Top 10 Panasonic Lumix Cameras

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lumix gh6 panasonic camera
Panasonic LUMIX GH6
Perfect hybrid camera
  • From $2,145.98

lumix s5ii panasonic camera
Panasonic LUMIX S5II
Lightweight & durable
  • $2,047.98

lumix g100 panasonic camera
Panasonic LUMIX G100
Compact & versatile
  • From $497.97

lumix gh5ii panasonic camera
Panasonic LUMIX GH5 II
Live-streaming features
  • From $788.41

lumix gx9 panasonic camera
Panasonic LUMIX GX9
For enthusiasts
  • From $859.99

lumix s5 panasonic camera
Panasonic LUMIX S5
Affordable full-frame
  • From $1,297.99

lumix s1r panasonic camera
Panasonic LUMIX S1R
High-resolution
  • From $2,499.99

lumix g95 panasonic camera
Panasonic LUMIX G95
For beginners
  • From $640.45

lumix fz1000ii panasonic camera
Panasonic LUMIX FZ1000 II
Great bridge camera
  • From $847.99

lumix lx100ii panasonic camera
Panasonic LUMIX LX100 II
Premium compact
  • From $1,348.00

1. Panasonic LUMIX GH6 – Our Choice

Perfect hybrid camera

panasonic lumix gh6 panasonic camera

Form factor: Mirrorless | Image resolution: 25 MP | Photo sensor size: Micro Four Thirds | Image stabilization: Sensor-shift, Dual | Video resolution: 4K

Pros
  • Weather-sealed
  • Lots of physical controls
  • Two card slots
  • Active cooling fan
  • Built-in flash
Cons
  • Smaller viewfinder
  • Menu may be hard to navigate

Verdict: The GH6 is a solid hybrid mirrorless camera camera with a strong focus on video capabilities. It's weather-sealed, making it durable for different shooting conditions. It also has a comfortable grip and plenty of physical controls. The viewfinder is impressive, boasting a large 3.68 million dot OLED panel with 0.76x magnification.

One standout feature of this Lumix mirrorless camera is its internal 10-bit 4:2:2 ProRes HQ recording, which produces excellent video quality. It also supports V-Log and has expanded dynamic range with Dynamic Range Boost, giving you more flexibility in your footage.

panasonic lumix gh6 panasonic camera sample

The camera's in-body image stabilization is a game-changer, allowing for up to 7.5 stops of compensation. This means you can capture steady shots even when shooting handheld. Another noteworthy addition is the articulating LCD display, which can be tilted up to 90° and rotated 180°. This is particularly useful for shooting on the go.

2. Panasonic LUMIX S5II

Lightweight and durable

panasonic lumix s5ii panasonic camera

Form factor: Full-frame mirrorless | Image resolution: 24.2 MP | Photo sensor size: 35mm | Image stabilization: Digital | Video resolution: 6K 30p

Pros
  • Waveform and vectorscope
  • Phase Hybrid Auto-Focus system
  • Wide range of focusing functions
  • High-speed mechanical shutter
  • Built-in fan
Cons
  • Subject tracking issues
  • Autofocus suffers in low light

Verdict: The S5II does offer some impressive video recording abilities. It can shoot in 6K 30p and has 4:2:0 10-bit internal recording, which gives you great flexibility in post-production. It’s one of the best Panasonic camera for video professionals as it comes with waveform and vectorscope monitoring, which help you monitor and control your footage.

This camera has a high resolution, excellent autofocus system, and a durable weatherproof body, making it a great choice for both photographers and videographers who demand top-notch quality. It's also compact and lightweight, making it easy to handle travel camera. The large LCD screen allows for clear image viewing, which is always a plus.

panasonic lumix s5ii panasonic camera sample

The S5II also excels in capturing high-resolution images. It can combine eight separate exposures into a single, detailed image using sensor-shift stabilization technology, which is particularly useful when using tripod for vlogging. Additionally, it has a high-resolution mode that's perfect for vloggers and other static subjects.

3. Panasonic LUMIX G100

Compact and versatile

panasonic lumix g100 panasonic camera

Form factor: Mirrorless | Image resolution: 20.3 MP | Photo sensor size: Micro Four Thirds | Image stabilization: Digital, 5-Axis | Video resolution: UHD 4K

Pros
  • Compact
  • UHD 4K recording mode
  • Multiple microphone system
  • Versatile photo modes
  • Social media-friendly features
Cons
  • Small sensor
  • Autofocus suffers in dim lighting
  • No built-in flash
  • Limited autofocus modes

Verdict: The G100 is specifically designed for video-centric content creation, taking on smartphones and small-sensor point-and-shoot cameras. It boasts a versatile UHD 4K recording mode and an improved multiple microphone system, which makes it one of the best mirrorless camera for video shooting.

One standout feature is its Ozo Audio, a high-performance internal microphone system developed by Nokia. With three internal microphones, it captures sound from different directions, reducing unwanted background noise and focusing on the subject's voice. This is a major selling point for vloggers who want to ditch external microphones.

panasonic lumix g100 panasonic camera sample

When it comes to photo capabilities, this Panasonic mirrorless camera offers a full suite of photo modes, including RAW image capture, in-camera retouch functions, and a range of creative filters and scene modes. Night photography enthusiasts will appreciate modes like Clear Night Sky, Warm Glowing Nightscape, and Artistic Nightscape.

4. Panasonic LUMIX GH5 II

Live-streaming features

panasonic lumix gh5ii panasonic camera

Form factor: Mirrorless | Image resolution: 20.3 MP | Photo sensor size: Micro Four Thirds | Image stabilization: Sensor-shift | Video resolution: 4K

Pros
  • New 20MP sensor
  • No optical low-pass filter
  • Wi-Fi streaming and mobile tethering
  • High-capacity battery
  • Dual UHS-II SD card slots
Cons
  • Autofocus issues in low light
  • Smaller rear screen

Verdict: The GH5 II is a fantastic hybrid camera that boasts a 20-megapixel sensor without an optical low-pass filter, resulting in stunning image quality. And let's not forget about the 5-axis image stabilization, which keeps your handheld shots smooth and steady. Moreover, it can record internally at up to 6K in 10-bit, or output it via HDMI to an external recorder at 4K 60p.

The GH5 II offers a high frame rate, low noise, and dual UHS-II slots for fast recording times. The large articulating touchscreen display makes it a breeze to compose and review your shots. Panasonic has made significant improvements to the stabilization algorithms, making handheld shooting much smoother, particularly when panning.

panasonic lumix gh5ii panasonic camera sample

The GH5 II also excels in its advanced focusing options, including face, eye, head, and even animal detection. It’s also compatible with a wide range of Lumix lenses for GH5, making it one of the best Panasonic Lumix cameras for content creators and videographers who frequently switch between shooting videos, live-streaming, and stills.

5. Panasonic LUMIX GX9

For enthusiasts

panasonic lumix gx9 panasonic camera

Form factor: Mirrorless | Image resolution: 20.3 MP | Photo sensor size: Micro Four Thirds | Image stabilization: Sensor-shift | Video resolution: 4K

Pros
  • New creative effect filters
  • 4K photo mode
  • Manual controls
  • Tilting viewfinder
  • Built-in stabilization
Cons
  • Lower resolution electronic viewfinder
  • 60fps frame rate may be insufficient

Verdict: The GX9 is one of the newest Panasonic cameras with a superb control scheme, build quality, and customization possibilities. It's perfect for discreet urban photography, as it's compact and unobtrusive to hold and use. The 20-megapixel sensor delivers great image quality and the 5-axis image stabilization system provides up to four stops of compensation.

The GX9 has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to instantly share images and remotely control the camera using your phone. The creative controls offer a range of options, including a low light/starlight mode for better visibility in dim lighting conditions and a sequence composition tool for combining multiple images.

panasonic lumix gx9 panasonic camera sample

The 4K Photo mode has been significantly improved, allowing you to extract 8-megapixel stills from video clips. You can also apply various preset image effects and filters to both stills and video.

6. Panasonic LUMIX S5

Affordable full-frame

panasonic lumix s5 panasonic camera

Form factor: Mirrorless | Image resolution: 24.2 MP | Photo sensor size: Full Frame (35mm)| Image stabilization: Sensor-shift | Video resolution: 4K

Pros
  • Excellent image stabilization
  • In-body image stabilization
  • Zebra pattern
  • Waveform and vectorscope displays
  • No overheating
Cons
  • Inferior to larger cameras
  • Unwanted artifacts higher ISO

Verdict: The S5 is a compact camera with impressive 4K recording options and dual native ISO. Its autofocus is super fast, the image stabilization is excellent, and the dynamic range is really impressive.

The S5 is easy to take anywhere and can even fit in your jacket pocket. The large LCD screen is a nice addition, and the controls are well-placed and easily accessible.

The S5 uses a 24-megapixel sensor with a new processor that's both powerful and energy-efficient. This allows for better noise control and more flexibility with lower native ISO settings. The JPEGs produced by the S5 are of excellent quality, even at higher ISO settings.

panasonic lumix s5 panasonic camera sample

The S5’s fully articulating screen makes it perfect camera for vlogging, and this Lumix mirrorless camera can track subjects using eye, face, and head detection. Another cool feature is the ability to record a short clip and choose which point in the frame you want to focus on afterwards. It's a neat trick for extracting sharp images from videos.

7. Panasonic LUMIX S1R

High-resolution camera

panasonic lumix s1r panasonic camera

Form factor: Mirrorless | Image resolution: 47.3 MP | Photo sensor size: Full Frame (35mm) | Image stabilization: Dynamic, Sensor-shift, Digital | Video resolution: 4K HDR

Pros
  • The fastest high-res camera for video
  • 4K video recording
  • Touch-sensitive controls
  • Tri-axial tilt mechanism
  • Durable and user-friendly
Cons
  • Dynamic range could be better
  • Smaller body size

Verdict: The S1R boasts a powerful 47.3-megapixel CMOS sensor and no optical low-pass filter, so you get maximum sharpness and clarity. The build quality of the S1R feels sturdy and durable. It has a lock switch on the top left to prevent accidental mode changes, and the drive mode dial on the right is customizable.

The image stabilization system supports professional XLR audio input and output via dedicated hotshoe adapters. The multi-shot high resolution mode uses sensor shift to create incredibly detailed 187MP images, surpassing even some medium format cameras in terms of pixel count. Additionally, it has the highest resolution electronic viewfinder in the world.

panasonic lumix s1r panasonic camera sample

The S1R offers a range of creative capabilities, such as an HDR mode that saves tonemapped still images with Hybrid Log Gamma. This Panasonic mirrorless camera also has a high-resolution multi-shot HDR function that combines eight consecutive exposures into a single image.

Its touch-sensitive controls allows easily navigating through the various focusing areas and selecting from 225 options, including customizable zones, tracking, and object recognition. The tilting screen on the back of the camera can be angled down to 45 degrees for easy framing in landscape orientation and tilted sideways for comfortable use in portrait or vertical formats.

8. Panasonic LUMIX G95

For beginners

panasonic lumix g95 panasonic camera

Form factor: Mirrorless | Image resolution: 20.3 MP | Photo sensor size: Full Frame (35mm) | Image stabilization: Optical | Video resolution: 4K 

Pros
  • Splash-proof and dust-resistant
  • No optical low-pass filter
  • Advanced processing engine
  • Enhanced autofocus system
  • Wide range of physical controls
Cons
  • Limited battery life
  • Burst shooting speed may be slow

Verdict: Being one of the best Panasonic Lumix cameras, the G95 can capture UHD 4K video at up to 30 frames per second, with no recording length limit. It also comes with V Log-L gamma curve and pre-installed 8-bit 4:2:2 recording for more control over footage during post-production color grading.

This cheap camera features a 20MP Micro Four Thirds sensor without an optical low-pass filter. This, combined with its 5-axis image stabilization, delivers up to five stops of correction for stills shooting. It also boasts a high dynamic range and a Tuned Three-dimensional Color Control function that analyzes the brightness, hue, and saturation of subjects.

panasonic lumix g95 panasonic camera

The G95 has an enhanced AF system with 49 focus detection areas. This makes it easier to capture great portraits with sharp, crisp focus on the subject's eye. It also has features like Face/Eye Detection AF, Pinpoint AF, and a dedicated MF Assist display for precise manual focusing.

The camera has a redesigned viewfinder with a magnification ratio of 0.74x and 100% frame coverage. The 2,360K-dot OLED display is also impressive, with a free angle, tilt, and swivel design for various viewing angles. It's touch-enabled, making menu navigation and settings control intuitive.

9. Panasonic LUMIX FZ1000 II

Great bridge camera

panasonic lumix fz1000ii panasonic camera

Form factor: Point and Shoot | Image resolution: 20.1 MP | Photo sensor size: 1-inch CMOS sensor | Image stabilization: Optical | Video resolution: 4K

Pros
  • Good auto white balance
  • Large and adjustable LCD screen
  • Bright and clear electronic viewfinder
  • Multiple programmable function keys
  • Wireless connectivity
Cons
  • Low light performance could be better
  • Lacks some advanced video features

Verdict: The FZ1000 II is a fantastic all-round camera. It comes with a large zoom Panasonic lens that covers a wide range, from 25mm wide angle to 400mm telephoto. This makes it one of the best Lumix cameras for both stills and video. The 1-inch 20mp BSI CMOS sensor also delivers excellent image quality.

It offers a wide variety of shooting modes to suit different photography styles and subjects. The automatic metering system generally does a good job with exposure, although you may need to make some manual compensation adjustments in high contrast scenes.

panasonic lumix fz1000ii panasonic camera sample

The camera's autofocus system is fast and precise, thanks to Depth from Defocus (DFD) technology. It analyzes both the subject's distance and movement characteristics to achieve accurate focus quickly. The FZ1000 II also has Light Speed AF, allowing you to shoot at 12fps with a mechanical shutter and even faster at 1/16000 sec with an electronic shutter.

10. Panasonic LUMIX LX100 II

Premium compact camera

panasonic lumix lx100ii panasonic camera

Form factor: Compact | Image resolution: 17 MP | Photo sensor size: Micro Four Thirds | Image stabilization: Optical | Video resolution: 4K

Pros
  • High level of detail
  • Large maximum aperture
  • Time-lapse sequences
  • Sturdy and solid build
  • Intuitive controls
Cons
  • Lack of weather sealing
  • Relatively high price

Verdict: The LX100 II is a small and compact camera that comes with a high-quality zoom lens for impressive images. Its image sensor delivers excellent image quality, even at high ISO values. Plus, it offers the option to record 4K videos, making it the best Panasonic camera for those who want to capture stunning footage.

The LX100 II allows you to bracket exposure or aperture, and shoot sequential images for focus stacking, which is great for more creative work. There are also special effects like Grainy Film, Art Filter, and Starry Sky, as well as the ability to record time-lapse sequences.

panasonic lumix lx100ii panasonic camera sample

The LX100 II boasts 49 focus points, which is more than enough for most shooting situations. It can even track subjects well in low-light conditions. Moreover, the 4K Photo Modes let you capture split-second action or get higher quality images than standard JPEGs.

What Is the Lumix Range?

best panasonic lumix cameras

Panasonic offers a range of mirrorless, Micro Four Thirds, compact, and bridge cameras. To explore all their camera lineups and find the best Lumix camera, follow the description below.

S: Full-frame mirrorless cameras with L-mount lenses.

G: Mid-range SLR-style mirrorless cameras, some leaning towards high-end.

GH: High-end SLR-style mirrorless cameras with advanced video functionality.

GX: A newer range of rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras, falling between entry and mid-level.

GF: Entry-level rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras with a built-in electronic viewfinder.

FZ: This line of cameras provides DSLR quality with some limitations (you cannot change the zoom lens).

LX: This series includes compact and exclusive cameras that give you full control of focus and exposure with a joystick and support RAW format.

TZ/ZS: 'Travel Zoom' compact point-and-shoot cameras.

How to Choose the Best Panasonic Camera

top 3 panasonic lumix cameras

When choosing the best Panasonic camera, consider image quality, image stabilization, zoom capabilities, continuous shooting speed, and of course, your specific shooting style and needs.

Image quality. The image quality of a Panasonic camera depends on the size of its sensor and lens compatibility. A larger sensor means better images, especially in low light conditions.

However, keep in mind that a larger sensor can make the camera bulkier and more expensive. So, it's a trade-off you need to consider based on your needs and shooting style.

Image stabilization. Panasonic cameras excel in this area, which is crucial for capturing smooth and blur-free images. Whether you're shooting handheld or recording videos, their superior image stabilization capabilities come in handy. It compensates for any hand movement, reducing the need for a tripod.

Zoom capabilities and continuous shooting speed. A Panasonic camera with a high-quality zoom lens will allow you to capture sharp and clear images of faraway subjects.

And if you're into action photography, a high-speed continuous shooting mode is a must. It ensures you don't miss a moment, even with fast-moving subjects.

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