Panasonic Lumix G80 with Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f3.5-5.6 Power OIS

⬤ Expect to pay: £448-508

⬤ www.panasonic.com

At a glance

⬤ 16MP Four Thirds sensor

⬤ 9fps continuous shooting

⬤ ISO 200-25,600 (exp. 100)

⬤ 4K video

Released towards the end of 2016, the Lumix G80 was essentially Panasonic’s answer to the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II. A glance through the spec sheets reveals that in terms of photographic ability, on paper the two cameras are practically identical. But there’s a major difference for those who are also interested in video, because the G80 is capable of recording in 4K, and with very creditable quality too.

The G80 doesn’t have the same high-end video credentials as its more expensive siblings like the GH cameras, but 4K recording is available at 30fps and 100Mbps, with Cinelike colour profiles available for easier post-production, and a built-in 3.5mm stereo microphone socket. Panasonic’s 4K Photo mode also effectively allows 8MP still images to be captured at 30fps.

Low ISO image quality is very good, especially in sunlight, with attractive colours and enough detail to make a sharp A3 print. The metering tends to underexpose in dull light, but is easy to correct, and the sensor delivers decent image quality up to around ISO 6400.

The Panasonic Lumix G80 is currently £300-ish on the used market – Castle Cameras has one for £305, and MPB has a few. For your lens, the Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f3.5-5.6 Power OIS is a good all-rounder with built-in optical stabilisation to complement that of the G80 itself. It’s available at MPB and Park Cameras for between £144 and £189, making this an inexpensive way to get a capable 4K video set-up.