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Panasonic G9 vs Nikon Df 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 Df

16 MP | Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon Df
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Panasonic G9 vs Nikon Df Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Panasonic G9, which was introduced in November 2017 is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 20.0MP Four Thirds sensor whereas Nikon Df, which was introduced in December 2013 is a Advanced DSLR camera with a 16.0MP Full frame sensor. As you can see, Df is 4 years older than G9. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious alternatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic G9 and Nikon Df 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
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 658g. 137 x 97 x 92 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Nikon Df Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-12-20
  • 16MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12800 ( expands to 50 - 204800)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.20" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 6.0fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 760g. 144 x 110 x 67 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic G9 and Nikon Df compares 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 Df
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
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder Magnif.
0.83x vs 0.7x Larger Viewfinder
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 16 MP 25% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 12.800 100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
225 vs 39 186 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
Continuous Shooting
20.0fps vs 6.0fps 14 fps faster
Weight
658 g vs 760 g 102 g lighter
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
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs None Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
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
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam
CHECK G9 PRICE


Reasons to choose Nikon Df over Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
LCD Screen Size
3.2" vs 3" 0.2 inches larger display
Battery Life
1400 shots vs 400 shots 1000 more frames with a single charge
Sensor Pixel Area
53.24µm2 vs 11.16µm2 377% larger pixel area
CHECK Df PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 and Nikon Df
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Size
3.20" vs 3.20" Large display
Continuous Shooting
20.0fps vs 6.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Top LCD Display
Yes vs Yes Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs Yes Connect off-camera flash
Dual-axis Electronic Level
Yes vs Yes Level the camera easily in two axis
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 and Nikon Df
Built-in Flash
No vs No Require external flash
Panasonic G9 vs Nikon Df: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Panasonic G9 and Nikon Df 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 Df has external dimensions of 144 x 110 x 67 mm (5.67 x 4.33 x 2.64″) and weighs 760 g (1.68 lb / 26.81 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic G9 and Nikon Df. Panasonic G9 is 7mm narrower and 13mm shorter than Nikon Df but it is also 25mm thicker.

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

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

Panasonic G9 vs Nikon Df Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic G9 and Nikon Df Size and Weight - Back View

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

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic G9 is 102g lighter than the Nikon Df but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Nikon Df has a Full frame sensor and Panasonic G9 has a smaller Four Thirds sensor, Panasonic G9's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Nikon Df lenses.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

G9
Df
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

G9
Df
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both G9 and Df have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon Df's 3.20" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic G9's 3" screen.

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. On the other hand, Nikon Df has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to G9.
Panasonic G9 vs Nikon Df: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic G9 has a 20.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Nikon Df has a 16.0MP Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 3 processor.

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 moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the G9 and Df sensor size comparison.

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


As seen above, Nikon Df has a 3.8x Larger sensor area than Panasonic G9. 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 Df Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Nikon Df has an advantage over Panasonic G9 There are 316 lenses for Nikon Df's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 119 lenses for Panasonic G9's Micro Four Thirds 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 to compensate vibration up to 6.5-stops according to CIPA standards.
On the other hand, Nikon Df doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 107 lenses for Nikon F mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Panasonic G9 Lenses # of Nikon Df Lenses
Standard Zoom 17 33 (17 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 15 22 (19 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 6 33 (17 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 32 50 (48 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 19 54 (44 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 11 46 (45 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 8 30 (6 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 5 8 (3 Full Frame)
Macro Prime 4 26 (23 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime n/a 11 (11 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 1 (0 Full Frame)
TOTAL 119 316 (233 Full Frame)


Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Panasonic G9 and Nikon Df to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Panasonic 12-35mm F2.8 OIS Lens Panasonic 12-35mm F2.8 OIS
24 - 70mm 305gr 963gr 74mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 24-70mm F2.8E ED VR Lens Nikon 24-70mm F2.8E ED VR
24 - 70mm 1070gr 1830gr 155mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Panasonic X 35-100mm F2.8 II Power OIS Lens Panasonic X 35-100mm F2.8 II Power OIS
70 - 200mm 357gr 1015gr 100mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR Lens Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR
70 - 200mm 1430gr 2190gr 203mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Panasonic 25mm F1.4 II ASPH Lens Panasonic 25mm F1.4 II ASPH
50mm 205gr 863gr 55mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 50mm f1.4G Lens Nikon 50mm f1.4G
50mm 290gr 1050gr 54mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Lens Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH
16 - 36mm 315gr 973gr 88mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 17-35mm f2.8D ED-IF Lens Nikon 17-35mm f2.8D ED-IF
17 - 35mm 745gr 1505gr 106mm Amazon B&H Photo
24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS
24 - 120mm 320gr 978gr 86mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR Lens Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR
24 - 120mm 710gr 1470gr 104mm Amazon B&H Photo
Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 Lens Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3
200 - 800mm 985gr 1643gr 172mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C Lens Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C
150 - 600mm 1930gr 2690gr 290mm Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Panasonic G9 and Nikon Df Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic G9 and Nikon Df 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 Df for Portrait Photography

GOOD
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
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Panasonic G9 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon Df for Street Photography

GOOD
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
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Panasonic G9 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Nikon Df for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
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
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
9 Cross Type Focus sensors
39 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1400 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Panasonic G9 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Nikon Df 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
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
760g
Body Thickness 67mm
Read the details

Panasonic G9 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon Df for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Read the details

Panasonic G9 vs Nikon Df: 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 Df, 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 Df scores compare:

Panasonic G9
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #50 out of 102 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #70 out of 1244 in all Cameras
Nikon Df
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #47 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #253 out of 1244 in all Cameras

Panasonic G9 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon Df. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that G9 trails behind the Df: Imaging.
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Nikon Df. If not, we recommend the Panasonic G9.

Panasonic G9
Panasonic G9
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Nikon Df
Nikon Df
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Nikon Df vs Panasonic G9 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 Nikon Df
Brand Panasonic Nikon
Announced 2017-11-08 2013-12-20
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Four Thirds Full frame
Dimensions 17.3 x 13 mm 36 x 23.9 mm
Area 224.90mm2 860.40mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 5184 x 3888 4928 x 3280
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 204800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 200 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 100 ISO 50 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 39
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Micro Four Thirds Nikon F
Number of Available Lenses 119 316
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.20"
Resolution 1,040k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution 3,680k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.83x 0.7x
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
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 20.0 fps 6.0 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 None
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264 n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Optional
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 658g 760g
Dimensions 137 x 97 x 92mm 144 x 110 x 67mm
Battery Life 400 shots 1400 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 89
DxO Color Depth not tested 24.6
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 13.1
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 3279
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