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The G90 performed well
in its AFC mode when it
was made to focus on this
spaniel approaching the
camera at speed
Leica DG 50-200mm f/2.8-4 OIS,
1/1600sec at f/4, ISO 1250recording via micro HDMI
and 4:2:0 8bit output
in-camera. Switch across to Full
HD (1920x1080) recording and
there are a good number of
slow-motion settings available,
including 120fps recording at
30p. Videographers will also like
that V-Log L is pre-installed,
allowing wider dynamic range and
superior colour rendering during
post-production. In addition, a
3.5mm mic jack for high-quality
audio recording is included, as well
as a headphone socket.
The G90’s 290-shot battery life
in normal shooting mode suggests
it uses its power very quickly,
but the good news is there’s
a power-save LVF mode that
automatically puts the camera to
sleep after a set period of inactivity
detected by the eye sensor. This
can increase the battery stamina
dramatically, to 900 images per
charge. Elsewhere, the G90 can
be charged on the go via USB,
plus there’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
for quick and easy social sharing.
Build and handling
The G90 has the same footprint
as the G80 and is smaller than
the Lumix G9. It doesn’t have the
same rugged build quality as its
senior cousin, nor does it feel
as muscular, but it does feature
weather seals in its construction
to keep moisture and dust at bay.
The SLR-style design provides
a deep grip to wrap your hand
around and it’s sculpted in such a
way that it feels comfortable to
hold in one hand when your left
hand is occupied. Another benefit
of the deep grip is that it provides
a satisfying, well-balanced feel
when it’s used with long telephoto
lenses. To give the body added
strength it has a magnesium-alloy
front plate. When you tap the
top plate and some areas at the
rear though, you realise a large
proportion of the body is made
from plastic – something that
extends to many of the external
buttons and dials. The rubberised
grip that extends all the way
around the handgrip to the thumb
rest at the rear has an excellent
texture to it and provides extra
reassurance when your hands are
wet or you’re wearing gloves that
it won’t slip from your grasp.
Compare the G90’s controls
to those of the G80’s and you’ll
notice a few differences. Up on the
top plate the movie-record button
is shifted further back and now sits
closer to the mode dial, requiring a
bit more of a stretch of your index
finger to reach it. This has freed up
space for new white balance, ISO
and exposure compensation
buttons to be added directly
behind the front dial that encircles
the shutter button on a downward
slant. The new buttons are laid out
like those on the Lumix G9, but
differ in the way their height is
staggered. The white balance
button protrudes more than theISO button, and the exposure
compensation button is virtually
flush to the top plate. The idea is it
lets you distinguish which is which
by feel alone when your eye is
raised to the viewfinder.
There isn’t space for a top-plate
LCD like you get on the Lumix G9
so the mode dial and on/off switch
occupy the real estate to the right
of the EVF. The rear dial sits a
fraction higher than that on the
G80, and like the front dial can be
configured to your preference. The
Fn1 button that sits within the rear
dial is set to Dial Operation Switch
as default, which is handy if you’d
prefer to quickly change white
balance from the front dial and
ISO from the rear dial. Like the 11
function buttons across the body,
it can be customised to as many
as 66 different settings. Two of the
buttons (Fn1 and Fn3) can also be
customised to perform different
tasks in playback mode.
On the left shoulder of the top
plate you’ll find a drive-mode dial,
with direct access to 4K Photo
modes, self-timer, time-lapse
and continuous shooting modes.
Buttons at the rear are positioned
around a new wheel dial, again
similar to that you’ll find on the
Lumix G9. The Q.Menu button
has been shifted down and the
playback button is a fraction
higher than it was before. The AF/
AE lock button merges with the
focus mode lever that can be
easily flicked with your thumb;however with no joystick users are
expected to use the touchscreen
to reposition the AF point, or
turn Direct Focus Area on, which
instantly starts moving the AF
point when the directional buttons
are used. When the AF point is
active, the size can be changed to
one of eight sizes using the front
or the rear dial.Viewfinder and screen
The specification of the electronic
viewfinder hasn’t changed and it’s
the same 2.36-million-dot OLEDThe G90’s 9fps burst was used to
increase the chance of capturing
the fast-moving ball in the frame
Leica DG 50-200mm f/2.8-4 OIS,
1/640sec at f/4, ISO 100