Panasonic produces a range of cameras under its LUMIX brand, from point-and-shoots to mirrorless cameras. The company is known for standardizing and developing the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) camera and lens system in collaboration with Olympus. In 2018, Panasonic also entered into the L-Mount Alliance with Sigma and Leica to begin producing cameras using the latter's L-mount standard. Under this alliance, Panasonic has begun to produce full-frame cameras. However, it continues to offer many MFT, bridge, and compact cameras to suit a variety of budgets and experience levels.
We've bought and tested over 130 cameras in our lab. Below, you can find our picks for the best LUMIX cameras and see how the brand stacks up in today's camera market.
Updates
- 09/23/2026Panasonic LUMIX ZS300 reviewed
- 05/28/2025Panasonic LUMIX G97 reviewed
- 05/28/2025Panasonic LUMIX ZS99 reviewed
- 05/28/2025Panasonic LUMIX S1RII reviewed
- 04/03/2025Panasonic LUMIX S5 IIX reviewed
We've independently purchased over 125 cameras and tested them using a standardized methodology. All the results are available to help you make the right purchasing decision for your needs, with objective, data-driven reviews. We keep every product in our lab inventory to ensure we can go back, retest models, and verify that all the information we provide is still accurate.
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Best Full-Frame Panasonic Camera
Travel Photography8.0Landscape Photography8.7Sports & Wildlife Photography7.7Vlogging7.5Studio Video9.5Action Video4.7Raw Photo8.9Body Type:SLR-StyleMirrorless:YesSee all our test resultsSensor Size:Full FrameThe Panasonic LUMIX S5 II is the best Panasonic LUMIX camera we've tested with a full-frame sensor. It's a knockout hybrid camera with outstanding video specs. Features like open-gate 6k recording, vectorscope functionality, and built-in heat vents to reduce overheating make it a videography powerhouse. That's not even mentioning its excellent in-body image stabilization (IBIS) system and amazing ergonomics.
It even improves on some of the biggest photography drawbacks of its predecessor, the Panasonic LUMIX S5, with faster burst shooting and a new phase-detection autofocus system that's especially effective in video mode. However, its implementation is less impressive for photography. Additionally, L-mount lenses can be quite expensive compared to competitors' lenses. If these aren't dealbreakers, you'll find much to love about the S5 II.
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Best Micro Four Thirds Panasonic Camera
Travel Photography7.7Landscape Photography8.0Sports & Wildlife Photography7.7Vlogging7.6Studio Video9.1Action Video7.0Raw Photo7.6Body Type:SLR-StyleMirrorless:YesSee all our test resultsSensor Size:4/3 (MFT)If you've invested in the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system, the Panasonic LUMIX G9 II is the brand's flagship Four Thirds camera. It looks and feels similar to the Panasonic LUMIX S5 II, with excellent ergonomics and a sturdy, weather-sealed build. However, its smaller sensor leaves more room in the body for Panasonic to implement its most effective IBIS. You also get a wide range of compact and relatively affordable lens options within the MFT lens ecosystem.
Beyond that, the G9 II uses Panasonic's new phase-detection AF, which offers various subject detection modes and does a decent job tracking moving subjects. The camera also features very quick burst shooting and has surprisingly advanced video specs for a photography-first camera, on par in many ways with the S5 II above. All in all, this is one of the most capable Micro Four Thirds cameras on the market.
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Best Panasonic Camera For Video
Travel Photography7.6Landscape Photography8.0Sports & Wildlife Photography7.9Vlogging7.4Studio Video9.5Action Video6.6Raw Photo7.8Body Type:SLR-StyleMirrorless:YesSee all our test resultsSensor Size:4/3 (MFT)Panasonic's GH series has long been a favorite among videographers and YouTubers, and the Panasonic LUMIX GH7 is the best of the bunch so far. This is one of the best cameras at its price point for advanced video work. With a new sensor and processor, it finally brings the latest LUMIX phase-detection autofocus to the GH lineup, improving one of the biggest weak points of its predecessors. Beyond that, it has seriously impressive internal recording capabilities, with internal RAW recording, open gate 5.8k, high-quality 4k at up to 120 fps without a crop, and much more.
Its design is also ideal for videography, with a built-in fan and heat vents to prevent overheating, dual memory card slots with CFexpress card support, and a screen that both tilts and is fully articulated, making it easy to shoot at any angle. If that wasn't enough, it's also capable of recording 32-bit float audio when paired with the Panasonic XLR2 adapter, and it can be upgraded at an additional cost to support ARRI LogC3 encoding. If you want to save some money, consider stepping back to the Panasonic LUMIX GH6, though it isn't quite as powerful as the GH7 and uses an older, less effective contrast-detection autofocus system.
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Best Panasonic Vlogging Camera
Travel Photography7.0Landscape Photography7.6Sport & Wildlife Photography5.8Raw Photo Performance7.3Vlogging8.5Studio Video7.7Action Video5.2Body Type:SLR-StyleMirrorless:YesSee all our test resultsSensor Size:4/3 (MFT)If all the talk of codecs and gamma curves went over your head, but you're still interested in shooting videos or vlogs, fear not! The Panasonic LUMIX G100 is a great little vlogging camera that's more accessible to newcomers. It's much more portable and affordable than the Panasonic LUMIX GH7, which is most definitely overkill for many content creators who just need a simple setup to get started.
To that end, the G100 is very easy to use, with simple and intuitive controls. For instance, when you flip its screen around to face you, the camera automatically goes into 'Self Shot' mode, enabling face/eye detection, audio tracking, and a three-second recording start timer to make vlogging easier. The unique directional mic is better than most internal camera mics, but you also get a microphone input to attach a dedicated mic if you want better audio. Just be aware that the 2x crop factor plus an additional crop in 4k can bring the frame pretty tight on your face unless you use an extension pole. Still, this is a very solid vlogging camera if you want something lightweight and portable that won't break the bank. If you want a full-frame camera instead, you can also consider the Panasonic LUMIX S9, which delivers better image quality, especially in low light.
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Best Panasonic Bridge Camera
Travel Photography6.4Landscape Photography5.9Sport & Wildlife Photography6.8Raw Photo Performance5.2Vlogging3.6Studio Video5.8Action Video2.5Body Type:BridgeMirrorless:YesSee all our test resultsSensor Size:1/2.3-inchPanasonic's bridge camera lineup has thinned out as its higher-end models like the LUMIX FZ1000 II have been discontinued. Even so, the LUMIX FZ80 remains an excellent budget pick if you want one camera that covers nearly any focal length. Its 20-1200mm equivalent lens takes you from wide landscapes to distant sports and wildlife without swapping lenses, and its 'AF Macro' mode focuses as close as about 1 cm (0.39 inches). It's at its best outdoors in good light, though. The small 1/2.3-inch sensor has poor dynamic range, and noise becomes noticeable quickly as you raise the ISO.
Panasonic also includes plenty of helpful extras for the price. '4K PHOTO' pulls still frames from 30 fps 4k clips to freeze fast action, 'Post Focus' lets you choose your focus point after taking the shot, and 'Focus Stacking' merges several frames for a deeper focus range. The large, rubberized grip fits all hand sizes, the touchscreen gets bright enough to see in direct sunlight, and the menu system is very easy to navigate. On the downside, the plastic body feels cheap and isn't weather-sealed, the screen doesn't move, and tracking autofocus struggles to keep up with fast subjects. The original FZ80 is hard to find now, but the updated Panasonic LUMIX FZ80D uses the same sensor and performs similarly. It adds a larger, sharper viewfinder, a higher-resolution screen, and a USB-C port.
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Best Panasonic Point-And-Shoot Camera
Travel Photography7.3Landscape Photography7.0Sports & Wildlife Photography6.8Vlogging5.1Studio Video6.6Action Video3.5Raw Photo6.5Body Type:Point and ShootMirrorless:YesSee all our test resultsSensor Size:1-inchThe Panasonic LUMIX ZS300 is the best Panasonic point-and-shoot for travelers who want both long zoom reach and a large sensor in a camera that fits in a jacket pocket. Its 15x Leica-branded lens reaches a 360mm equivalent and retracts flush into the body when you power it off. Its 1-inch sensor also holds up better in dim light than smaller-sensor compacts like the Panasonic LUMIX ZS99. Autofocus is its biggest weakness. The contrast-based system loses moving subjects almost immediately, so it’s better suited to landscapes, cityscapes, and other slow-moving scenes.
Its excellent optical stabilization keeps handheld shots steady at slow shutter speeds. Battery life is also pretty good, at nearly two hours of continuous 4k recording. However, there's no viewfinder, and the fixed screen makes composing awkward at unusual angles. It also has no microphone input or headphone jack, and it adds a heavy crop in 4k. If you're willing to spend more, the Panasonic LUMIX L10, the spiritual successor to our previous pick, the Panasonic LUMIX LX100 II, should deliver better performance, though we haven't tested it yet. It pairs a much larger Micro Four Thirds sensor with a bright Leica 24-75mm-equivalent f/1.7-2.8 lens, and adds phase-detection autofocus, an OLED viewfinder, and a fully articulated screen. However, its lens offers a much narrower zoom range, and it costs nearly twice as much.
Compared To Other Brands
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Advanced video features.Panasonic has been an industry leader in bringing advanced video features to consumer cameras.
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Micro Four Thirds system.Panasonic and Olympus standardized the Micro Four Thirds system, featuring 4/3 sensors and MFT-mount lenses. MFT cameras have some advantages, like more portable camera bodies and lenses and more effective IBIS implementation.
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Excellent ergonomics.Many Panasonic cameras have outstanding ergonomics, well-laid-out controls, and fairly intuitive user interfaces.
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Autofocus lags behind some of its competitors.While Panasonic has continued to improve the autofocus performance of its cameras, it isn't quite as effective or reliable as some competitors, like Sony.
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Fewer full-frame options.Panasonic is a relative newcomer to the full-frame camera market, so the company has fewer full-frame models to choose from.
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Cameras tend to have slower burst shooting speeds.Some of Panasonic's higher-end cameras have slower continuous shooting speeds than cameras from competing brands.
Panasonic vs OM SYSTEM
Panasonic and OM SYSTEM are both leading producers of Micro Four Thirds cameras. Panasonic has a wider range of camera offerings and more video-centric options. OM SYSTEM cameras are more rugged and portable, making them great travel cameras.
Panasonic vs Sony
Sony is one of Panasonic's biggest competitors regarding video-centric cameras. Sony offers more full-frame options and generally has a leg up in autofocus performance, but, setting aside each manufacturer's higher-end cinema cameras, LUMIX cameras tend to have more features aimed at advanced videography, like built-in heat vents, open gate recording, and vectorscope monitoring.
While Panasonic has a shorter history of making cameras than some of its competitors, it's still managed to produce a variety of innovative cameras that are sometimes ahead of the curve, particularly in video specs, offering models with advanced videography features at prices that are hard to beat. Panasonic has also started introducing phase-detection autofocus systems on its cameras, but its AF system implementation generally falls a bit behind that of competitors like Sony or Canon. However, the company is a mainstay in the realm of Micro Four Thirds cameras, which are a good fit for those who want a more portable camera system.
Lineup
Panasonic offers a range of mirrorless, MFT, bridge, and compact cameras, with older models beginning with the prefix DMC and its newer line of mirrorless cameras beginning with the prefix DC. The following are some but not all of the most popular series in Panasonic's full lineup.
Full-Frame Interchangeable Lens Cameras
- S series: Full-frame mirrorless cameras with L-mount lenses. Smaller numbers (S1) indicate higher-end cameras, while larger numbers (Panasonic LUMIX S5) sit lower in the lineup. Additional letters indicate higher-end, video-oriented variants, like the Panasonic LUMIX S1H or the Panasonic LUMIX S5 IIX.
Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Cameras
- G series: Mid-range SLR-style mirrorless cameras, with some models, like the G9, falling towards high-end. Higher single-digit model numbers typically indicate higher-end cameras, while the newer triple-digit G(xxx) model is the brand's entry-level vlogging camera.
- GH series: High-end SLR-style mirrorless cameras with advanced video features. Higher model numbers indicate the latest models in the series.
- GX series: A newer lineup of rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras that sit between entry-level and mid-level. These generally have smaller bodies but offer higher-end features that you might find on G or GH series cameras.
- GF series: Entry-level rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras.
Bridge/Compact/Point-and-Shoot Cameras
- FZ series: DSLR-style bridge cameras with small sensors and fixed long-zoom lenses. Smaller model numbers, like the FZ80, are more budget-friendly, while larger model numbers, like the FZ1000 II, are higher-end models with larger 1-inch sensors.
- LX series: Premium compact cameras with manual controls. The latest triple-digit models in the series utilize Micro Four Thirds sensors but use a smaller lens opening, allowing the camera to shoot at various aspect ratios natively without reducing the field of view.
- TZ/ZS series: 'Travel Zoom' compact point-and-shoot cameras.
Recent Updates
Oct 15, 2026:
We replaced the Panasonic LUMIX FZ1000 II with the Panasonic LUMIX FZ80 as the 'Best Panasonic Bridge Camera' and the Panasonic LUMIX LX100 II with the Panasonic LUMIX ZS300 as the 'Best Panasonic Point-And-Shoot Camera,' since both previous picks have been discontinued. We also added the Panasonic LUMIX L10 as a higher-end alternative to the ZS300 and the Panasonic LUMIX S9 as a full-frame alternative to the Panasonic LUMIX G100.
Dec 02, 2024:
We replaced the Panasonic LUMIX GH6 with the Panasonic LUMIX GH7 as the 'Best Panasonic Camera For Video.'
Sep 04, 2024: We added mention of the Panasonic LUMIX GH5 II as a cheaper alternative to the Panasonic LUMIX GH6.
Jun 11, 2024: We updated the article's 'Compared To Other Brands' section, adding a direct comparison to Sony and adjusting some of the pros and cons.
Feb 14, 2024: Added the Panasonic LUMIX G9 II as the 'Best Micro Four Thirds Panasonic Camera' and renamed the Panasonic LUMIX S5 II to 'Best Full-Frame Panasonic Camera.' Replaced the Panasonic LUMIX GH5 II with the Panasonic LUMIX GH6 as the 'Best Panasonic Camera For Video.'
Conclusion
Panasonic cameras are some of the best consumer options for advanced video and filmmaking features. While the brand is relatively new to the full-frame camera market, it's already become a viable competitor to brands like Sony and Fujifilm in the mirrorless market. If you're looking to invest in the Micro Four Thirds system, Panasonic is still one of the few brands to look at. Their collaboration with Olympus in the MFT arena and their entry into the L-Mount Alliance also mean that investing in one of these systems opens up your lens options, making Panasonic a cost-effective camera brand to invest in.