Let’s start with the basics: YES, it’s still a great option for almost everything, unless you need fast autofocus (or video in motion…otherwise and/or as a videographer, you don’t).
Having said that, let’s go into the details: what you need for a good camera at the moment (in my opinion):
- 4K recording
- great lens options for all conditions
- clear HDMI output is essential for instructional videos and streaming solutions
- Noise-free microphone input with preamplifier is a big advantage
- All software options for manual session settings, or the ability to set everything manually
Key features of the Panasonic Lumix G7
- 16MP Micro 3/4 sensor – great photo and video quality
- 4K video recording and 4K photo option (great for sports events)
- Good user interface – handy reels, programmable buttons
- HIgh-res LVF and touch screen (2360K-dot OLED LVF and 3″ articulating display)
- Kit with lens also good pricing
- Easily expandable lens range
The Frame – Body
The Panasonic Lumix G7 is very compact and lightweight, which makes it very easy to use for beginners. You can take it with you when you travel, and the good thing is that you don’t need a big camera bag. If you want to shoot video, I’d recommend using a stabilizer (Gimbal) as this gives you the most stable output and there’s no in-body stabilization in this camera. As for ergonomics, this camera has a very nice, solid grip and simply feels good to hold. The buttons and menus are also very well put together in my opinion.
For photos
The 16-megapixel Live MOS sensor lets you take fantastic photos with a fairly high resolution. It’s also very easy to shoot in raw format, which gives you dynamic range when editing your photos. And because it has a micro four-thirds sensor, you have plenty of lens choices.
The Lumix G7 gets a great bokeh effect with the right lens choice and performs great in low light. Speaking of ISO range, the G7 uses a standard ISO range of 200-25600, which is very useful for low-light shooting. No need to expect miracles, but with a little editing you can get something like this:
4K photography
With the Panasonic LUMIX G7, a 4K shooting function has been introduced, allowing you to select individual frames from a series of video images shot at 30 frames per second. Great for events, sports or even street photography.
Our camera essentially takes a video and then shows it on the screen, where you can choose between frames. Although the resolution is lower, it’s still great for capturing moments that would be harder to capture with a manual technique.
In my personal experience, there have been occasions when such a feature has saved the day and great memories have been captured.
For video
The Lumix G7 can shoot 4K at 24 and 30 frames per second at 100mbps. It also shoots at 60fps in 1080p, which can be helpful if you want to capture movie-like slow-motion footage.
In 2022 / 2023 this is not a huge merit, but given its age and the quality of the video it produces, it is an excellent hobby video and streamer camera. Yes, as a streamer, youtuber camera it can be considered one of the best to date with its clean HDMI output, full manual video settings and occasionally penny-pinching lens selection. Here’s my little set-up:
Here it’s still on its former low stand behind the monitor, with a battery replacement and an Elgato 4K Camlink attached to the camera. Lens is a cheaply available 14mm Panasonic lens, I’ve also had an Olympus 17mm on it which although not cheap, the fast F value meant I could shoot in near darkness compared to the cheaper option 🙂
Flip Screen – articulating screen
The Pansonic Lumix G7 has a very nice fold-out LCD touchscreen, which is very handy when shooting. You can move the screen around to suit your needs. If you want to shoot a vlog or capture some headshots, this is the perfect feature.
Focus – Focus
In terms of focus, the Panasonic Lumix G7 uses the Contrast Autofocus System with DFD technology, which is designed to deliver the best photos and videos. It uses face/eye detection in conjunction with a 49-area focusing system, which is very useful when shooting portraits or videos. Overall, you’ll never have a problem with the G7’s AF quality and speed.
However…a known bug is that autofocus is terribly slow during 4K video. Switching to 1080p mode can speed this up dramatically, as if you were using a different camera.
I had no problem with it and that’s why I wrote the earlier ones. If you need a lightning fast product launch focus, this is unfortunately not your camera. For everything else it’s a great choice.
Battery
I’ve taken my Panasonic G7 camera on several trips and I can confidently say that you can shoot all day on one battery. This assumes that when you don’t need the camera, you turn it off and save battery time.
For me, a battery lasts me 5-700 fotos, but I always have a spare in my bag. This is highly recommended if you want to shoot video on the go.
In 1080p video quality, I’ve managed to record 2+ hours of events where only the memory card needed replacing. In 4K quality I have not tested the limits, for stream or course videos I use a fake battery that keeps it constantly powered.
Sound quality
The Lumix G7 has average sound quality, but also comes with a microphone jack. This is a very good feature, so you can plug in your microphone and get better sound for your videos. To this day, even on premium stills/cameras, this little feature is a missing one.
Its preamp is not noisy, although you won’t use it for serious projects, but it has a significantly better noise floor than more expensive machines.
Time-Lapse and Stop Motions
One of the things I really like about the Panasonic Lumix G7 is the time-lapse and stop motion features. You can set a certain number of photos and the time interval between photos. The camera will automatically set the time required to take a particular time-lapse or stop motion.
At the end of a time-lapse or stop motion, the camera automatically creates a video file, while also keeping the original photos on the SD card for later use if you wish.
Remote Control – Remote control
You can also control your camera remotely with your smartphone by downloading Panasonic’s free photo app. This feature saves you a lot of time when shooting, as you can simply leave the camera on a tripod or slider and move around as you please. Of course, the smartphone app allows you to do more and control other settings.
In addition, there is of course the possibility of a wired release. I use it when shooting video to get a momentary focus to start with.
For video at the table / My Streamer equipment
It’s important to note that this is desktop gear, so for video on the go, all you’ll need is the Panasonic G7 and your favourite lens, plus a spare battery and battery charger.
- Panasonic G7 camera
- Panasonic 14mm F2 lens
- AC coupler – a battery substitute so you don’t have to worry about being switched off
- cable remote control
- quick release plate and some kind of base/stand
- Low-cost HDMI alternative OR Elgato 4K HDMI-USB video recorder with HDMI cable adapter
It may seem like a lot, but make it permanent, it won’t be something you bomb every time!
Example video in a darker layout:
To sum up:
The Panasonic G7 2022 is also a great choice for photo/video. And as a streamer rig, it’s almost perfect based on the features above. It takes great photos as an entry-level camera and is excellent for 4K video, both in terms of knowledge, settings and lens options.
It doesn’t eat batteries after 100 shots and with the articulating touch screen display, there’s no situation where you’re not in control! It’s not a modern machine, but it has all the modern technology you could want.
💳 – Product bought with your own money
