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Panasonic G9 vs Nikon 1 AW1 Comparison

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Panasonic G9

20 MP | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

Panasonic G9
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Nikon 1 AW1

14 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon 1 AW1
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Panasonic G9 vs Nikon 1 AW1 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing G9 and 1 AW1, two Mirrorless cameras from Panasonic and Nikon. Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 is a Advanced Mirrorless class camera and Nikon 1 AW1 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless class camera.

Panasonic G9 was introduced to the market in November 2017 and Nikon 1 AW1 was launched in September 2013. As you can see, 1 AW1 is 4 years older than G9. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Panasonic G9 and Nikon 1 AW1 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic G9 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2017-11-08
  • 20MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 200 - 25600 ( expands to 100)
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 3680k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 20.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 180fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 658g. 137 x 97 x 92 mm
  • Weather-sealed Body

Nikon 1 AW1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-09-19
  • 14MP - 1-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 160 - 6400
  • Nikon 1 Mount
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 60.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 1200fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in GPS
  • 356g. 114 x 72 x 37 mm
  • Weather-sealed Body

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Panasonic G9 and Nikon 1 AW1 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 over Nikon 1 AW1
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs Optional Better connectivity
In-built Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 14 MP 42% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 6.400 300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
225 vs 135 90 more focus points
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 921k dots 12% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
400 shots vs 220 shots 180 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Sensor Pixel Area
11.16µm2 vs 8.20µm2 36% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
Full-size HDMI Port
Yes vs No Use standard HDMI cables without adapters
Selfie & Vlogger LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
Pixel Shift High-Res Mode
Yes (80.0MP) vs No Increased resolution with pixel shift
4K Photo Mode
Yes vs No Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
6K Photo Mode
Yes vs No Extract 18MP photos from Video footage
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Focus Bracketing
Yes vs No Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Focus Stacking
Yes vs No Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
Post Focus Mode
Yes vs No Change focus point after taking a shot
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support
UHS-II vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
USB Version
USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) Faster Data transfer from the camera
Animal Eye AF Tracking
Yes vs No Easily lock and track focus on animals
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam
CHECK G9 PRICE


Reasons to choose Nikon 1 AW1 over Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Continuous Shooting
60.0fps vs 20.0fps 40 fps faster
Weight
356 g vs 658 g 302 g lighter
CHECK 1 AW1 PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 and Nikon 1 AW1
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 and Nikon 1 AW1
Panasonic G9 vs Nikon 1 AW1: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Panasonic G9 and Nikon 1 AW1 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic G9 has external dimensions of 137 x 97 x 92 mm (5.39 x 3.82 x 3.62″) and weighs 658 g (1.45 lb / 23.21 oz) (including batteries). Nikon 1 AW1 has external dimensions of 114 x 72 x 37 mm (4.47 x 2.81 x 1.46″) and weighs 356 g (0.78 lb / 12.6 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Panasonic G9 and the Nikon 1 AW1. Nikon 1 AW1 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 23mm narrower, 25mm shorter and 55mm thinner than Panasonic G9.

Panasonic G9 vs Nikon 1 AW1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Panasonic G9 and the Nikon 1 AW1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Panasonic G9 and Nikon 1 AW1.

Panasonic G9 vs Nikon 1 AW1 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Panasonic G9 and the Nikon 1 AW1 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic G9 and Nikon 1 AW1.
Panasonic G9 vs Nikon 1 AW1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Panasonic G9 and the Nikon 1 AW1 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon 1 AW1 is significantly lighter (302g ) than the Panasonic G9 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you also have to take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

G9
1 AW1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

G9
1 AW1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic G9 and Nikon 1 AW1's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.

On the other hand, Panasonic G9 sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over-the-head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. Nikon 1 AW1's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to G9.


Panasonic G9 vs Nikon 1 AW1: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic G9 has a 20.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Nikon 1 AW1 has a 14.0MP 1-inch (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features EXPEED 3A processor.

Panasonic G9's sensor provides 6MP more than Nikon 1 AW1's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Another difference between these two cameras is that Panasonic G9's sensor lacks anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moiré occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the G9 and 1 AW1 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic G9 vs Nikon 1 AW1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic G9 and Nikon 1 AW1 Cameras


As seen above, Panasonic G9 has a 1.9x Larger sensor area than Nikon 1 AW1. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Panasonic G9 vs Nikon 1 AW1 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

The number of available lenses is a big deciding factor when choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that the Panasonic G9 has an advantage over the Nikon 1 AW1. There are 123 lenses for the Panasonic G9's Micro Four Thirds mount, but on the other hand, there are only 13 lenses for the Nikon 1 AW1's Nikon 1 lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Panasonic G9 has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization (IS) which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. G9's built-in Image stabilization system is effective for compensating vibration up to 6.5-stops according to CIPA standards.
On the other hand, Nikon 1 AW1 doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 7 lenses for Nikon 1 mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Panasonic G9 Lenses # of Nikon 1 AW1 Lenses
Standard Zoom 18 4
Standard Prime 15 2
Wideangle Zoom 6 1
Wideangle Prime 32 2
Telephoto Zoom 21 2
Telephoto Prime 11 n/a
SuperZoom 8 2
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 5 n/a
Macro Prime 5 n/a
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 n/a
TOTAL 123 13

What types of Photography are Panasonic G9 and Nikon 1 AW1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic G9 and Nikon 1 AW1 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Panasonic G9 for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Nikon 1 AW1 for Portrait Photography

POOR
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Check the Best Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for Portrait Photography
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Check the Best Nikon 1 Mount Lenses for Portrait Photography

Panasonic G9 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon 1 AW1 for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Check the Best Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for Street Photography
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Check the Best Nikon 1 Mount Lenses for Street Photography

Panasonic G9 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Nikon 1 AW1 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 20.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
225 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Read the details

Check the Best Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for Sports Photography
Fast Continuous Shooting: 60.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
135 Focus Points
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Poor Battery Life: 220 shots
Read the details

Check the Best Nikon 1 Mount Lenses for Sports Photography

Panasonic G9 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Nikon 1 AW1 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
658g
Body Thickness 92mm
Read the details
Environmental Sealings
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
356g
Read the details

Panasonic G9 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon 1 AW1 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Check the Best Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for Landscape Photography
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Built-in GPS
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Read the details

Check the Best Nikon 1 Mount Lenses for Landscape Photography

Panasonic G9 vs Nikon 1 AW1: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far, but in case you wonder how we rated Panasonic G9 and Nikon 1 AW1, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Panasonic G9 and Nikon 1 AW1 scores compare:

Panasonic G9
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #58 out of 117 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #89 out of 1275 in all Cameras
Nikon 1 AW1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #74 out of 140 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #351 out of 1275 in all Cameras

Panasonic G9 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon 1 AW1 in all criteria except one: Portability. Nikon 1 AW1 is significantly smaller than Panasonic G9. If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon 1 AW1. Otherwise, Panasonic G9 is the better camera overall.

Panasonic G9
Panasonic G9
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Nikon 1 AW1
Nikon 1 AW1
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Nikon 1 AW1 vs Panasonic G9 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 Nikon 1 AW1
Brand Panasonic Nikon
Announced 2017-11-08 2013-09-19
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Four Thirds 1-inch
Dimensions 17.3 x 13 mm 13.2 x 8.8 mm
Area 224.90mm2 116.16mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 14 megapixels
Max Resolution 5184 x 3888 4608 x 3072
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 200 ISO 160 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 100 ISO -
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 225 135
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Micro Four Thirds Nikon 1
Number of Available Lenses 123 13
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic None
Viewfinder Resolution 3,680k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.83x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/4000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/32000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range no built-in flash 5.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/60s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 20.0 fps 60.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Optional
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 658g 356g
Dimensions 137 x 97 x 92mm 114 x 72 x 37mm
Battery Life 400 shots 220 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 51
DxO Color Depth not tested 20.2
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 10.9
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 428
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