Panasonic has made a name for itself building hybrid mirrorless cameras that are just as good for video as they are for stills – and now some of the brand’s best hybrid mirrorless cameras are at a steep discount. Case in point: The Panasonic Lumix GH5 II has dropped to under $1,000 / £1,000, a sale that cuts a third of the cost off the hybrid Micro Four Thirds camera. The more advanced Panasonic Lumix G9 II, meanwhile, is $200 off in the US, with the kit going for the same price as the camera without a lens. The Panasonic also has several lenses that are great for those cameras also discounted.
The Panasonic Lumix GH5 II is one of my favorite hybrid cameras for photographers on a budget, earning the best value title on the best hybrid camera guide – and that was before the steep $500 / £500 discount. The original GH5 launched ahead of its time as a hybrid camera that boasted just as many, if not more, video features as options for still photographs.
The second-generation GH5 II offers the same photo-video versatility. The key reasons to consider the GH5 II over other mirrorless cameras below the $1,000 / £1,000 price point is the GH5 II’s long list of video features that includes 4K 60p, V-Log, and 10-bit internal recording. The 6.5 stops of image stabilization is great for video and stills both, while photographers can find a decent 12fps to 9 fps burst mode for action as well.
Photographers in the US can find the Panasonic GH5 II at Adorama, and B&H Photo for $996 body only, the same price that the camera went for during the last Black Friday season. These two retailers also offer a "basic bundle" for the same price that adds a free SD card and camera bag, which is why I recommend buying from a photo retailer rather than Amazon. The kit with a 12-60mm f/2.8-4 lens or the kit with the 12-35mm f/2.8 optic is also discounted by $500 in the US.
The camera is also discounted in the UK, where it sits at £979 compared to the original £1,499 list price for the body only. However, the kits with lenses aren’t discounted at all, making this one of the rare instances where buying the camera and lens separately, rather than the kit, is actually more affordable. The Panasonic 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 sells for £349 by itself, or choose from the Best Micro Four Thirds lenses to find an option with more zoom or a brighter aperture.
The US-only $200 discount on the Panasonic G9 II isn’t as steep as the GH5 II, but the version with the kit lens costs the same as the body-only price, making the 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 lens essentially free. The G9 II is a far more advanced camera than the GH5 II, offering a higher resolution, more advanced autofocus system, faster performance, and better stabilization, along with extras like a live composite mode and SSD recording.
The $200 discount at B&H doesn’t sound as steep as the $500 price drop on the GH5 II, however, if you need a kit lens, the fact that the cost doesn’t change to add a lens with the G9 II means that photographers will spend only another $100 more on the more advanced camera. That makes it far more tempting to upgrade for such a minimal cost difference, at least for photographers who don’t yet own any compatible lenses and need that kit. (Sadly, the G9 II isn’t currently discounted in the UK.)
Panasonic also has a number of discounts on lenses currently, my favorite of which is the Panasonic Leica 100-400mm f/4-6.3 II for $300 off which sits on the list of best Micro Four Thirds lenses.
There are two types of creatives that I recommend cameras like the GH5 II and G9 II for. The first is hybrid and video shooters, as Panasonic’s options are jam-packed with video-centric features. The second is for sports and wildlife photographers on a budget. The Micro Four Thirds format isn’t as good in low light or at high resolution as larger full-frame sensor cameras like the Panasonic Lumix S5 II. But the smaller format also means telephoto lenses get in twice as close, making them worthwhile for any genre that needs those longer lenses.
The Panasonic GH5 II sits on the list of best hybrid cameras, and the G9 II on the list of the best mirrorless cameras. Creatives should also consider options on the best mirrorless cameras guide or the best camera for wildlife photography before deciding. But the price drops on two highly recommended cameras are excellent deals for hybrid shooters or any creative who wants more reach from their lenses.
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