My First Day with the Panasonic Lumix G85 (G80) in 2025
Panasonic Lumix G85 (G80) - The Bargain King?
This month, I’m in Georgia, not the state… the country.
I’ve been watching Facebook Marketplace closely to evaluate the camera market here, but I hadn’t seen any really good deals come up until today. This morning, a local shop dropped their price on a used Panasonic Lumix G85 to $180 (G85 is the USA names, while G80 is the designation for other markets). The $180 price tag included the camera and an old chrome Panasonic Lumix 45-150 f/4-5.6.
The offer was too good to pass up, so I walked about a mile to the shop and spoke to the owner. His hand received $180 and my hand received a Lumix G85, charger, lens hood, Hoya filter, and the ugly 45-150. The camera is in overall good condition except for some peeling on the grip.
My Initial Thoughts on the Lumix G85/G80
This will not be a full review, but only a few initial impressions and samples from my first half-day of shooting with the Lumix G85. I will publish my full review in the upcoming weeks.
Build Quality
The build quality has impressed me. I owned the Lumix G7, but the camera always felt very light, hollow, and plastic. The G85 feels weighty, well made, and has a great feel overall.
Metal dials and knobs feel good. Buttons feel like they are made to last. I love that their is a drive mode dial and multiple custom dials.
Size
The size is really nice. Its small and usable with one hand. Ergonomics aren’t bad at all. Micro four thirds cameras hardly ever fail in the ergonomics department. The Panasonic Lumix 45-150 gives a field of view equivalent to 300mm on the long end. Having such reach in such a small package is impossible with cameras with larger sensors. See the sample photos for several images taken at 300mm equivalent field of view.
With a small pancake lens, this camera would be great for throwing in a sling bag as an every-day-carry. Its unobtrusive and you don’t have to baby it because it doesn’t cost $3,000.
Photo Quality
16 megapixels is more than enough for 90% of my photography. Photos look nice. All the images in this article are JPEGs (I forgot to switch it to RAW when I left the camera shop lol).
I’m sure a better lens will improve my results significantly (on a pixel peeping level).
Video Quality
Surprisingly good! I’ve included a few sample clips taken at 4k 30p. I was very happy with the quality, especially considering I’m using one of the cheapest lenses available. Its sharp and the colors look true to life.
Auto Focus
All the sample photos were taken using single point auto focus. Acquiring focus is fast and accurate. I’m not joking when I say it is faster than my Fujifilm X-H2. Even in low light, I’ve been very happy with my initial tests.
I haven’t had a chance to test continuous auto focus much except for a few video clips (see sample footage below). Its contrast detect auto focus, but I like what I’m seeing so far from my $180 investment.
In my full review, I’ll be testing continuous autofocus on more demanding subjects.
Image Stabilization
In the mid 2010s, Panasonic and Olympus were easily the best in the business at image stabilization. The Lumix G85 still does a great job in 2025. All the video clips above were shot handheld. I had no problem getting sharp images with a slow lens at 300mm equivalent in bad overcast lighting.
Fully-Articulating Screen is a Bonus
I don’t need an articulating screen but its awesome to have it.
No USB Charging
I was disappointed to discover that the Lumix G85 (G80) doesn’t support USB charging.
Microphone Jack
This camera does have a microphone jack, which is just one of the features that make this camera a viable option for those looking for a video camera on a budget.
Custom Buttons
Panasonic is known for making their cameras very customizable. The G85 has an abundance of customizable dials and at least 5 function buttons.
Conclusion - Would I Buy the Lumix G85 (G80) Again?
After a day of shooting, I’m really impressed with this little camera. It was a mid-range model when it was released behind the Lumix G9, but it is surprisingly good even 9 years later. I would absolutely pay $180 to buy this camera again.
This camera is a great option to consider if you need a capable hybrid camera but don’t have 4 figures to spend. They’ve risen a bit in price on the used market, but you can still get a deal if you shop around.
I’m excited to continue testing this camera. I will write up a full review soon.
