I wanted to keep this camera, sensor, ibis, af, choice of lenses, reasonable price, etc, but there are too many compromises to make. Ergonomics is poor, even with several grips I tried. I can't hold this camera in my hand for longer that few minutes, sharp edges and corners go rough on the palm, even with lightest lens 14-40. Add here lack of evf and hot shoe for flash, and that's it. I realized that with all the great specs it's going to stay mostly on the shelf.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from PanasonicBy Team Panasonic - S, Team Panasonic, September 7, 2026
Hi Mark! Thank you for sharing your thoughtful feedback. We’re glad to hear you saw strong points in the sensor, image stabilization, autofocus, lens options, and overall value. At the same time, we’re sorry the ergonomics and design tradeoffs made the camera less comfortable and practical for your needs. Comments like yours are valuable because they highlight how important handling and usability are alongside specifications.
Coming from a LUMIX LX100 to a LUMIX S9 = wow! So many things familiar and yet what advancements in photo/video capabilities. I look forward to many years of enjoyment.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from PanasonicBy Team Panasonic - S, Team Panasonic, August 7, 2026
Hi! Thank you for such a thoughtful review. It’s especially rewarding to hear this from someone moving from the LX100 to the S9. Striking that balance between a familiar feel and meaningful advances in photo and video performance is something we care deeply about, so your comments are truly appreciated. We’re delighted the upgrade has made such a strong impression, and we hope it brings you years of creativity and enjoyment.
Good camera, but PLEASE make the 40mm F2 lens in titanium to match this body. And for version 2, please include a mechanical shutter and hot shoe. Thanks!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from PanasonicBy Team Panasonic - S, Team Panasonic, August 3, 2026
Hi! Thank you for the thoughtful feedback. We’re glad to hear you’re enjoying the camera overall, and we really appreciate your detailed suggestions. A matching titanium 40mm F2 lens, along with ideas like a mechanical shutter and hot shoe for a future version, are the kind of insights enthusiasts value and notice. It’s great to hear such clear input from someone who’s clearly engaged with both the design and the system.
This is a great camera but I love my Olympus camera more.
Response from PanasonicBy Team Panasonic - F, Team Panasonic, July 27, 2026
Hi there! Thank you for the 5-star review. We’re glad to hear you think this is a great camera, and we appreciate your honest comparison as well. It means a lot that you took the time to share your thoughts.
Great camera, but only if you’re OK without an EVF
on June 11, 2026
Posted by: Eric
Verified Purchase:Yes
Overall the camera is very good and the 18-40mm lens is excellent. That however assumes you are comfortable using only the screen for composition. Unfortunately I’ve not been able to adapt to that limitation, and I really miss the lack of an EVF for traditional shooting. Image quality and autofocus is excellent, and both RAW and JPEG images are beautiful. Support for manual lenses is not great — the focus peaking is OK, and zoom to focus OK, but overall its a huge gap from the support for manual lenses from Nikon (I own and use several Z bodies). Setting up details of legacy lenses is a chore, and could use some updates. I had hoped the camera with a L-M adapter would be a good platform for my M-mount lenses. It works, but it’s not a good experience. The control menus are far more complex than Canon and Nikon (not just a matter of difference), and take a while to use.
Response from PanasonicBy Team Panasonic - F, Team Panasonic, June 12, 2026
Hello there! Thank you for the thoughtful review. We’re glad you’re enjoying the image quality, autofocus, and the 18–40mm lens. We also appreciate your candid feedback on the EVF absence, manual lens support, and menu complexity, insights like yours are invaluable as we continue refining the experience.
This camera is FUN to use, the photos are beautiful straight out of camera, with and without LUTs, and of course, the video is fantastic! I love that's it's a small, elegant camera that gives me gorgeous full-frame images and rich videos. The camera is very customizable so you have plenty of options to put all the things you use most, right at your fingertips. I am primarily a photographer but dabble in video now and then, and lately I've been wanting to capture more video moments especially of family. So far this beautiful, fun camera has more than delivered what I was looking for! Super happy with this!
Response from PanasonicBy Team Panasonic - S, Team Panasonic, May 28, 2026
Hi! Thank you for the 5-star review and for sharing such thoughtful feedback. We’re thrilled to hear how much you’re enjoying the S9, from the image quality and video performance to its elegant design and customizable controls. It’s great to know the camera fits so well into both your photography and growing interest in capturing video moments, especially with family. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.
Got myself the titanium gold colorway and instantly fell in love after it arrived! I needed a camera that didn’t feel like I was working and this camera was it! Only downside was the lack of hotshoe but it’s great in lowlight and open gate is pretty cool👀
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from PanasonicBy Team Panasonic - F, Team Panasonic, May 18, 2026
Hi there! We love hearing that the titanium gold made such a strong first impression and that the camera feels inspiring rather than like work, that’s exactly what we aim for. Great to know you’re enjoying the low-light performance and open gate features as well. Thanks for the thoughtful note about the hotshoe, and for the 5 stars.
The S9 is a highly portable, full-frame camera — but don't let its compact size fool you. It is remarkably capable, with a slim profile, straightforward button controls, and simple operation. Most importantly, it takes great pictures.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from PanasonicBy Team Panasonic - S, Team Panasonic, May 11, 2026
Hi Moe! Thank you for your thoughtful review. We’re pleased to hear that the camera’s compact design, intuitive controls, and overall capability stood out, and that image quality met your expectations. It’s great to know the balance of portability and performance made a positive impression. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.