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OM SYSTEM PEN vs Panasonic LUMIX G97

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

OM SYSTEMPENPanasonicLUMIX G97
Overview
ReleasedComing late October 2026 (Japan and North America)February 2025
Image and sensor
Camera typeMirrorlessMirrorless
Sensor formatFour ThirdsFour Thirds
Sensor typeLive MOSCMOS
Sensor dimensions17.4 × 13 mm–
Effective resolution20.4 MP20.3 MP
Largest image5184 × 38885184 × 3888
RAW recordingYesYes
Standard ISO range200–25600200–25600
Sensor detailApproximately 20.37 effective and 21.77 total megapixels; 17.4×13 mm in maker Japan table. Ordinary output 5184×3888; not a stacked sensorMaker specifies four-thirds CMOS, approximately 20.3 million effective and 21.8 million total pixels; native 4:3 stills 5184×3888. Sensor dimensions and BSI construction are not inferred from other Lumix bodies
Image formatsJPEG and 12-bit losslessly compressed ORF RAW; handheld composite 50 MP, tripod composite up to 80 MP RAW developed with OM Workspace, not single-shot sensor resolutionJPEG, RAW and RAW+JPEG; 4K Photo frames are separate cropped JPEG captures
ISO detailISO 200–25600 with expanded LOW approximately 64 and 100; default Auto upper limit 6400Standard stills ISO 200–25600; expanded ISO 100. Creative Video ISO 200–6400 with expanded 100, under the manual's mode restrictions
Image processorTruePic IXVenus Engine (maker announcement)
Lens and shooting
Lens mountMicro Four ThirdsMicro Four Thirds
StabilisationSensor shiftLens and sensor shift
Maximum continuous burst30 fps9 fps
AutofocusSensor phase/contrast detection with 121 cross-type phase positions; human, cat and dog recognition for stills, face/eye detection for video; Starry Sky AFContrast-detection TTL AF; AFS/AFF/AFC/MF, face/eye detection, tracking, 49-area, Custom Multi, single-area and pinpoint modes
ShutterMechanical 1/4000–60 seconds; electronic 1/32000–60 seconds; Bulb, Live Time and Live Composite modesMechanical 60–1/4000 second; electronic first curtain 60–1/2000; electronic 1–1/16000. Mechanical/first-curtain Bulb approximately 30 minutes maximum
Burst detailElectronic high approximately 30 fps with fixed focus/exposure, low approximately 8 fps with tracking; mechanical approximately 5 fps. Maker examples at electronic 30 fps give 20 RAW/20 JPEG frames, tracking 8 fps 23 RAW/48 JPEG, with specified SanDisk card and 12–40mm F2.8 PRO IIFull-resolution 9 fps AFS/MF or 6 fps AFF/AFC with mechanical, electronic first-curtain or electronic shutter; 27 or more RAW frames, 600 or more without RAW under specified Panasonic tests and media conditions. 30 fps 4K Photo is approximately 8 MP cropped output and is excluded from native-resolution burst speed
Stabilisation detailFive-axis sensor shift; CIPA 2024 up to 5.5 stops at centre and 4.5 at edges with 14–42mm F3.5–5.6 III at 42mmFive-axis sensor-shift IBIS and compatible-lens Dual I.S.2, both rated five stops under CIPA yaw/pitch conditions; IBIS tested with H-FS12060 at 60 mm, Dual I.S.2 with H-FSA14140 at 140 mm
Flash–Built-in pop-up TTL flash, GN 9 at ISO 200 or GN 6.4 at ISO 100; sync up to 1/200 second
Exposure controlsPASM, Live ND2–16, focus stacking, HDR and multiple exposure; restrictions depend on shooting mode and lens–
Video
Highest video resolution4096 × 2160 at 24 fps3840 × 2160 at 30 fps
Video detailInternal H.264 MOV C4K 4096×2160 at 24p or UHD 3840×2160 at 30/25/24p; 8-bit recording (both reviews). OM-Log400 and OM-Cinema1/2 profiles; separate FHD S&Q up to 120 fps, with crop, no sound and no continuous AF (CameraLabs)Internal MP4 H.264 3840×2160 at 30/25/24p for European DC-G97E, 100 Mbps; Full HD up to 60p. 4K narrows the angle of view and uses reduced autofocus speed. Maker states no fixed recording time limit but warns that high ambient temperature can stop recording; media/battery also limit duration. V-Log L with maker claim of 12 stops; Internal 4:2:0 8-bit capture (maker advanced manual). No external 10-bit claim adopted from the review without maker confirmation
AudioBuilt-in stereo microphones; external 3.5 mm microphone socket; 48 kHz/16-bit or 96 kHz/24-bit audioStereo audio with AAC compression; 3.5 mm stereo microphone input and headphone output
Screen and viewfinder
ViewfinderElectronicElectronic
Screen size3″3″
Screen dots1,040,0001,840,000
TouchscreenYesYes
Tilting screenYesYes
Display detailFully articulated 3-inch approximately 1.04-million-dot touchscreen; touchscreen menu operationThree-inch 3:2 capacitive touchscreen, approximately 1.84 million dots; free-angle articulation (Amateur Photographer)
Viewfinder detailOLED approximately 2.36 million dots and 100% coverage; 1.10–1.23× magnification with 50mm lens at infinity, depending on finder style0.39-inch 4:3 OLED, approximately 2.36 million dots, approximately 100% coverage; 1.48× magnification, 0.74× in 35 mm terms under maker's 50 mm/infinity/−1 dioptre/4:3 conditions
Connections and design
Wi-FiYesYes
BluetoothYesYes
Battery life (maker's claim)410 photographs300 photographs
Body weight344 g478 g
Release detailMaker announcement 9 September 2026; Japan and North America scheduled for late October 2026. UK product page has an active preorder state on 2 October; first UK sale date unconfirmedMaker German announcement confirms February 2025 availability. The UK article, dated December 2024, prints February 2024 for both new cameras; that conflicting year is not used as the release date. No precise first retail day confirmed
Recording mediaOne SD/SDHC/SDXC slot; UHS-IOne SD/SDHC/SDXC slot; UHS-I/UHS-II U3 supported under maker's format and recording restrictions
PortsUSB 2.0 Hi-Speed Type-C, micro-HDMI Type D, 3.5 mm microphone socket and hot shoe; USB-C is not a USB 3 transfer-speed claimUSB-C USB 2.0 High Speed; micro HDMI Type D, 2.5 mm remote and 3.5 mm microphone/headphone sockets
Wireless connectionsWi-Fi b/g/n and Bluetooth Low Energy 5.2; smartphone GPS tagging rather than built-in GPSWi-Fi 802.11b/g/n at 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0; North American channels 1–11 are not assumed identical in every region
Battery life detailBLS-7; approximately 410 CIPA shots using EVF or LCD; approximately 80 minutes CIPA video or 130 minutes with zoom and other operations disabledDMW-BLC12 lithium-ion, 7.2 V 1200 mAh in the North American specification. CIPA approximately 280 monitor shots or 300 viewfinder shots with H-FS12060 and Nextorage SDXC; approximately 1050 only in Panasonic's specified one-second power-save EVF test
ChargingIn-camera USB charging with camera off; no USB Power Delivery (maker Japan)USB-C in-camera charging; USB cable and AC adapter are commercially available rather than assumed supplied
DimensionsApproximately 125.8×74.5×43.3 mm excluding protrusions (maker Japan)Approximately 130.4 × 93.5 × 77.4 mm, excluding protrusions
Weight detail344 g body only or 393 g including battery and card (maker Japan); pictured kit lens excluded. CameraLabs pre-production dimensions and loaded weight differMaker 478 g body only, 530 g with battery and card; lens excluded
MaterialsDust-resistant and IPX1 splash resistance with an OM SYSTEM splashproof lens; not an immersion rating. Operating temperature 0–40°CDust/splash-resistant construction; not waterproof. Maker operating range 0–40 °C
In the box–Body, battery pack, shoulder strap, body cap, hot-shoe cover and battery-grip connector cover; kit includes its lens and lens accessories. Regional contents may vary
ColoursBlack and silver–

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