Panasonic G85 Field Test: Impressive successor to the G7, is it your best sub-$1,000 MFT option?
posted Thursday, November 3, 2016 at 1:00 PM EDT
For Micro Four Thirds shooters, there is a wide range of body styles, performance features and price points represented by Panasonic and Olympus' lineups. The new Panasonic G85, which follows up on the very good Panasonic G7, offers an interesting mix of DSLR-style controls and mirrorless versatility. Is it one of the best cameras under $1,000? I just finished my field test, so read on to find out!
The G85 uses the same 16-megapixel MFT sensor as its predecessor but removes the optical low-pass filter, which means sharper images (with a higher risk of moiré and aliasing artifacts). The body may look similar on the outside, but inside, there are many changes. The G85 includes Dual I.S. 2, which offers up to 5 total stops of vibration reduction, and employs a new shutter mechanism. Additionally, the body now has the same level of weather-sealing as the Panasonic GH4. Still present is the excellent tilt/swivel 3-inch touchscreen display, impressive electronic viewfinder and comfortable body style.
Performance-wise, the G85 offers an additional frame per second of continuous shooting and a much larger buffer depth, particularly when shooting RAW images. 4K video and photo features are as prevalent as ever and proved to be very good during my testing. Overall, it's an impressive camera. But just how impressive is it? Read my full Panasonic G85 Field Test to learn more.
