Review: Panasonic Lumix G85 (G80) in 2025 - Absolute Value!
Panasonic Lumix G85 - Worth Buying in 2025?
If you haven’t seen my first impressions article of the Panasonic Lumix G85 (G80), you can read it here… My First Day with the Lumix G85 (G80) in 2025. This review will document my experiences with the camera after a month of use.
As I mentioned in my first article, I bought a used Panasonic Lumix G85 for $180 on Facebook Marketplace. The $180 price tag included the camera and an old chrome Panasonic Lumix 45-150 f/4-5.6.
Lets find out if the Lumix G85 is one of the best cameras you can buy between $200-300.
Disclaimer… or Lack Thereof
All of my camera review are completely independent. I buy all of my own gear and test it objectively. I do not take loaner cameras from camera manufacturers or do sponsored reviews. The 50,000 monthly readers of this website don’t want bogus “reviews”… and I respect that!
I’ve Added a Few Accessories to my Lumix G85/G80
The other day, I was able to find a BGG1 battery grip for the Lumix G85 in a local camera store. I bought it for 40 dollars. The leather on the battery grip is pealing just like on my camera, so they match lol.
The battery grip holds 1 extra battery and doubles the battery life. I’ve never had an issue with the G85’s battery life, but at $40 it was an accessory I wanted to try.
Key Specs
Sensor: 16.0 MP Micro Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm)
Lens/Mount: Micro Four Thirds mount, compatible with Olympus and Panasonic lenses (and third party lenses).
ISO Range: ISO 200-25600
Shutter Speed: 9 frames per second with the mechanical shutter, 40 frames per second with electronic shutter.
4K Burst Mode: Up to 30 frames per second
Image Stabilization: 5-axis IBIS (In Body Image Stabilization)
Autofocus System: Contrast Detection with Face Detection technology
Viewfinder: OLED with 0.74x magnification and 2.36k dots
Screen: Fully articulated touchscreen LCD, 1,000,000 dots
Video Recording: [4K] 3840x2160:4K/30p 100Mbps, 4K/25p: 100Mbps, 4K/24p 100Mbps, [Full HD] 1920x1080:FHD/60p 28Mbps, FHD/50p: 28Mbps, FHD/30p 20Mbps, FHD/25p: 20Mbps
Connectivity: Wi-Fi and App connectivity
Battery: DMW-BLC12PP, 1200mah; About 330 shots per charge (CIPA)
Weight: 505g (with battery)
RAW and JPEG: Yes
Function Buttons: 10 function buttons
Flash: Yes, built in flash
Battery Grip: DMW-BGG1
Build Quality
The G85 feels weighty, well made, and it feels very nice. I was surprised when I initially picked it up. I thought it would feel cheap and plasticky like the Lumix G7, but it doesn’t.
Dials and knobs feel good. Buttons feel like they are made to last. I love to see the presence of a drive mode dial and multiple custom dials.
I don’t love the d-pad buttons. They are shallow and hard to locate by feel.
These cameras are susceptible to grip pealing. This is true of most older cameras (Lumix, Olympus, Leica, Sony, etc). Its not a deal breaker, and you may be able to get the camera at a discount if it has this problem.
Compared to its Olympus competition, I would say the Olympus has the G85 beat in the build quality department, but not by much. This camera feels very nice!
Size
The size is really welcoming. 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, like the Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 I just bought, this camera is borderline a point-and-shoot, great as an every-day-carry. Its unobtrusive and you don’t have to baby it because it doesn’t cost $3,000. Toss it in a backpack or sling bag and carry it everywhere.
It is roughly the same size as the Olympus e-m1 mark ii but weighs about 70 grams less.
One thing to note, is that you won’t find many cameras this size with such effective IBIS systems. Most cameras this size don’t even have IBIS.
Photo Quality
For this review, my test photos were made with appropriate budget lenses. I assume those who are looking to buy this camera aren’t shooting on $1,000 glass. I used the Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 and the Panasonic 45-150mm f/4-5.6 (which is surprisingly good).
Cropped
Resolution
The G85 has a 16mp sensor, very standard for cameras of this era. You can do a lot with 16mp, including cropping. Many of the images in this review were cropped.
Admittedly, 16mp is probably as low as I want to go for a photography centered camera. I was very happy with the 16mp on my Olympus e-m10 mark ii (my review here), but I struggled with the lower resolution of my a7s (review here).
Having shot with the Olympus e-m1 mark ii for years, I can notice a difference between the 20mp Olympus and this 16mp Lumix. The difference isn’t drastic, but it’s noticeable.
I don’t consider resolution to be as big of a factor when buying Micro Four Thirds cameras as on full frames, because the compactness of the m4/3 telephoto lenses offers portable reach, which helps negate the need for heavy crops.
Cropped
Panasonic 45-150mm at 150mm, ISO 1250, f/5.6
Cropped
50% Crop, Panasonic 45-150mm at 150mm, ISO 1250, f/5.6
Dynamic Range
DXO tested the sensor on the Lumix G85 and rated it at 12.5 stops. This is competitive in the Micro Four Thirds world, even when compared to Panasonic’s most recent m4/3 cameras.
I took my G85 to the park and took some test shots. In my opinion these practical tests are much more informative than a lab test.
+1.5 stops overexposed, ISO 200
+ 3.0 stops overexposed, ISO 200
Recovered in Adobe Lightroom
Recovered in Adobe Lightroom
When it comes to pulling down highlights, the camera did well in my first test. The camera metered the scene to be +1.5 stops overexposed. The recovered RAW file preserved all the details in the foreground elements and a good portion of the sky detail. In the 2nd test shot, the foreground elements survived the +3.0 stop overexposure, but the highlights in the sky were blown out and could not be recovered.
Now, lets take a look at shadow recovery…
+2.0 stops overexposed, ISO 200
+3.0 stops overexposed, ISO 200
Recovered in Adobe Lightroom
Recovered in Adobe Lightroom
The Panasonic G85 performed well in my shadow recovery test. It had no problem salvaging an image that was -2.0 stops underexposed. Even the -3.0 image looks reasonably good after recovery, but do note the presence of color noise in the dark portions of the image.
As with most cameras, it’s wise to protect your highlights when considering your exposure. Its easier to recover dark shadows than bright highlights.
*Almost all full frame cameras will perform better in dynamic range tests. Dynamic range is one of the weak areas for Micro Four Thirds due to the limitations of the smaller sensor… That’s not my opinion, its just a fact.
High ISO Performance 1600, 3200, and 6400
Low light has never been the strength of the Micro Four Thirds system. As a full-frame owner, I can say objectively that there is a noticeable difference between a larger sensor and a m4/3 sensor in low light. Don’t believe the Micro Four Thirds evangelists who pretend there isn’t.
That said, Micro Four Thirds isn’t useless in low light, as some of the full-frame evangelists suggest. Many m4/3 cameras have great sensors, and their amazing IBIS helps keep ISO numbers down in some cases.
A person’s tolerance for image noise is a personal thing. I’m generally willing to accept a good amount of grain as long as I don’t have to heavily crop an image.
Below, you’ll see 3 comparisons using ISO 1600, 3200, and 6400. Each image is cropped to about 50%.
ISO 1600
ISO 3200
ISO 6400
As expected, the higher the ISO value, the more digital noise is introduced in the photograph.
I assumed ISO 6400 would be too noisy to be useful, but after looking at the test shots, I’d be happy to use ISO 6400 if I didn’t have to crop an image too much.
ISO 1600
Original Image
ISO 3200
ISO 3200
ISO 6400
ISO 6400
While I would strive to avoid ISO 6400 if possible, I’m relatively impressed by these low-light results. ISO 6400 is usable, ISO 3200 looks pleasant, and ISO 1600 is a practical choice in almost every circumstance.
When making a buying decision, its important to ask yourself, “How much low light shooting do I really do?” If you don’t shoot in low light much, don’t worry yourself over high ISO performance results.
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.
The video from my Sigma FP and Fujifilm X-H2 is nicer, but those cameras are 5x to 10x the price.
What about the Auto Focus?
Single-Point Auto Focus
The Panasonic Lumix G85 (G80) uses a contrast-detect autofocusing system.
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 the low light performance is surprisingly good, besting my full-frame Sony a7. Panasonic was slow to adopt phase-detect auto focus, probably because they were class leading in single point contrast-detect focus for so long.
Continuous Auto-Focus
If you’re expecting this camera to focus like a Sony a1, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. That said, I would like to refute the many “reviewers” who have called this camera’s autofocus “useless” and “garbage.”
Truth is, its somewhere in the middle. Its usable and useful in many cases, but not world class.
I’ve included a few sample videos using continuous autofocus. The first clip is a face detection test in a room with less than ideal lighting. The lens I used was the 14mm f/2.5 at its maximum aperture. The cameras autofocus speed was set to standard.
The second clip was filmed with the Panasonic 45-150 at f/4.0. Its a simple test to see if the camera can smoothly switch focus between 2 inanimate objects.
While not the fastest face detection system in the world, you’ll notice that, when it hits, its confident and sticky, but it is a bit slow to acquire focus.
I wouldn’t have a problem using this camera for talking-head YouTube videos, so long as the talent is relatively static.
The second test shows consistent and smooth transitions when adjusting focus from a foreground element to a background element.
Overall, I would deem the autofocus usable and useful, far from garbage, but not 100% reliable in every circumstance. For simple scenes without a lot of dynamic movement, I would trust it. For busy scenes, I would switch to manual focus.
Is Contrast Detect Auto Focus Good Enough for YouTube Talking Head Videos?
In the clip below, I test the contrast detect auto focus of the Panasonic Lumix G85 for the purposes of recording talking head style videos for YouTube or other platforms. This test was made with the Panasonic Lumix 14mm f/2.5.
IBIS - 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.
The clip below is a walking test using the G85 and the Lumix 14mm f/2.5. I was holding the camera in my hands, walk smoothly, but not taking any extraordinary measures to self-stabilize the footage.
This clip was taken without the battery grip attached. Attaching the battery grip may improve the stabilization by adding a bit of weight to the body.
I was very impressed with the results. The image isn’t perfectly stable, but it’s miles ahead of any result you can get from a full-frame or aps-c camera from this era.
This is very usable IBIS for real world shooting. It will save you from having to stabilize every piece of your footage in post (which I hate doing).
Considering most cameras in this price range don’t even offer IBIS, this is a huge reason to consider buying the G85… Very impressed!
Fully-Articulating Screen is a Bonus
If you want to use this camera as a hybrid camera, the articulating screen is a big plus. Its also helpful for confirming autofocus accuracy and framing.
I film a lot of pieces to camera (talking head videos) for work, and I can’t live without an articulating screen.
No USB Charging
I was disappointed to discover that the Lumix G85 (G80) doesn’t support USB charging. This makes charging a bit inconvenient. I don’t have a dual charger, so I have to charge the camera battery and the grip battery separately on a proprietary charger.
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.
The G85 does not have a headphone jack (but I never use those).
Small Gripe - The Location of the On/Off Switch
I don’t love to location of the On/Off switch. It wraps around the mode dial and is located in a spot that makes it difficult to turn on with either your thumb or index finger when trying to operate the camera with one hand.
An Abundance of 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.
Conclusions and Recommendation - Should you Buy the Lumix G85 (G80) in 2025?
If the price is right… Absolutely. If you can find this camera between $200-300 in good condition, its a solid buy. I probably wouldn’t pay more than $350, because at that point you start getting into the price range of a used Olympus e-m1 mark ii, which is arguably a better camera overall.
In the $200-300 dollar range, this camera doesn’t have a lot of competition. For the same price, one might consider the original Olympus e-m1 or the newer Olympus e-m10 mark IV.
Alternatives to the Panasonic Lumix G85:
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