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Panasonic G9 vs Sigma SD1 Merrill Comparison

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Panasonic G9

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

Panasonic G9
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Sigma SD1 Merrill

15 MP | APS-C (24 x 16 mm) CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor

Sigma SD1 Merrill
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Panasonic G9 vs Sigma SD1 Merrill 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 Sigma SD1 Merrill, which was introduced in April 2012 is a Advanced DSLR camera with a 15.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, SD1 Merrill is 5 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 Sigma SD1 Merrill 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

Sigma SD1 Merrill Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-04-10
  • 15MP - APS-C CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sigma SA Bayonet Mount
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 790g. 146 x 113 x 80 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Sigma SD1 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic G9 and Sigma SD1 Merrill 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 Sigma SD1 Merrill
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None 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 0.64x Larger Viewfinder
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 15 MP 33% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 6.400 300% higher Max ISO
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 460k dots 126% higher resolution screen
Viewfinder Coverage
100% vs 96% More accurate viewfinder
Weight
658 g vs 790 g 132 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
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
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 Sigma SD1 Merrill over Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Sensor Pixel Area
25.00µm2 vs 11.16µm2 124% larger pixel area
CHECK SD1 Merrill PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 and Sigma SD1 Merrill
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
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 and Sigma SD1 Merrill
Built-in Flash
No vs No Require external flash
New4
Panasonic G9 vs Sigma SD1 Merrill: 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 Sigma SD1 Merrill 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). Sigma SD1 Merrill has external dimensions of 146 x 113 x 80 mm (5.75 x 4.45 x 3.15″) and weighs 790 g (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic G9 and Sigma SD1 Merrill. Panasonic G9 is 9mm narrower and 16mm shorter than Sigma SD1 Merrill but it is also 12mm thicker.

Panasonic G9 vs Sigma SD1 Merrill Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic G9 and Sigma SD1 Merrill Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic G9 and Sigma SD1 Merrill.

Panasonic G9 vs Sigma SD1 Merrill Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic G9 and Sigma SD1 Merrill Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic G9 and Sigma SD1 Merrill.
Panasonic G9 vs Sigma SD1 Merrill Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic G9 and Sigma SD1 Merrill Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic G9 is significantly lighter (132g ) than the Sigma SD1 Merrill 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 have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Sigma SD1 Merrill has an APS-C sized 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 Sigma SD1 Merrill lenses.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

G9
SD1 Merrill
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

G9
SD1 Merrill
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both G9 and SD1 Merrill have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic G9 and Sigma SD1 Merrill's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

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. Sigma SD1 Merrill's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to G9.
Panasonic G9 vs Sigma SD1 Merrill: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic G9 has a 20.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Sigma SD1 Merrill has a 15.0MP APS-C (24 x 16 mm ) sized CMOS (Foveon X3) sensor and features Dual True II processor.

Panasonic G9's sensor provides 5MP more than Sigma SD1 Merrill'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 moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the G9 and SD1 Merrill sensor size comparison.

Panasonic G9 vs Sigma SD1 Merrill Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic G9 and Sigma SD1 Merrill Cameras


As seen above, Sigma SD1 Merrill has a 1.7x 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 Sigma SD1 Merrill 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 Panasonic G9 has an advantage over Sigma SD1 Merrill. There are 119 lenses for Panasonic G9's Micro Four Thirds mount, on the other hand there are only 77 lenses for Sigma SD1 Merrill's Sigma SA Bayonet 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, Sigma SD1 Merrill doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 29 lenses for Sigma SA Bayonet mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Panasonic G9 Lenses # of Sigma SD1 Merrill Lenses
Standard Zoom 17 9
Standard Prime 15 5
Wideangle Zoom 6 8
Wideangle Prime 32 8
Telephoto Zoom 19 19
Telephoto Prime 11 8
SuperZoom 8 9
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 5 4
Macro Prime 4 7
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 n/a
TOTAL 119 77

What types of Photography are Panasonic G9 and Sigma SD1 Merrill Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic G9 and Sigma SD1 Merrill 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

Sigma SD1 Merrill for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
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 APS-C (24 x 16 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 15.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Panasonic G9 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sigma SD1 Merrill 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
Large APS-C (24 x 16 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Panasonic G9 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sigma SD1 Merrill 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
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
No Image Stabilization
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/s
Focus Points
Read the details

Panasonic G9 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sigma SD1 Merrill for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
658g
Body Thickness 92mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (24 x 16 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
790g
Body Thickness 80mm
Read the details

Panasonic G9 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sigma SD1 Merrill 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
Large APS-C (24 x 16 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Average Resolution Sensor: 15.0MP
No Live-view
Read the details

Panasonic G9 vs Sigma SD1 Merrill: 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 Sigma SD1 Merrill, 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 Sigma SD1 Merrill 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
Sigma SD1 Merrill
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #82 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #732 out of 1244 in all Cameras

Panasonic G9 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sigma SD1 Merrill in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Panasonic G9
Panasonic G9
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Sigma SD1 Merrill
Sigma SD1 Merrill
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Sigma SD1 Merrill vs Panasonic G9 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 Sigma SD1 Merrill
Brand Panasonic Sigma
Announced 2017-11-08 2012-04-10
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS (Foveon X3)
Size Four Thirds APS-C
Dimensions 17.3 x 13 mm 24 x 16 mm
Area 224.90mm2 384.00mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 15 megapixels
Max Resolution 5184 x 3888 4800 x 3200
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 200 ISO 100 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 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Micro Four Thirds Sigma SA Bayonet
Number of Available Lenses 119 77
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution 3,680k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 96%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.83x 0.64x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s n/a
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 s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 20.0 fps n/a
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 None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 658g 790g
Dimensions 137 x 97 x 92mm 146 x 113 x 80mm
Battery Life 400 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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