Nikon Z7 II vs Panasonic G85 - A Hands-On Camera Duel for Every Photographer

Choosing your next camera can quickly become daunting in a marketplace filled with enticing specs, marketing buzz, and personal preferences. Recently, I spent extensive hands-on time shooting with two popular mirrorless models at distinct tiers: the Nikon Z7 II, a pro-level full-frame powerhouse, and the Panasonic Lumix G85, a budget-friendly advanced mirrorless option. Both cameras bring solid feature sets and deliver images that will please many photographers, but - no surprise - they do so in fundamentally different ways.

In this detailed comparison, I draw on my experience testing thousands of cameras to reveal how these two mirrorless offerings perform across multiple photography disciplines, practical usability, and technical performance. My goal is to help you figure out exactly which model might suit your shooting style, workflow, and pocket best.

First Impressions: Size, Weight, and Handling

Handling and ergonomics are the unsung heroes of camera enjoyment. You can have the sharpest sensor and fastest autofocus, but if your kit feels awkward or clumsy over longer shoots, frustration creeps in.

The Nikon Z7 II carries an SLR-style mirrorless body with a robust magnesium alloy frame. It measures 134x101x70 mm and weighs about 705 grams with battery - substantial but well-balanced for proper grip and lens pairing, especially medium-to-heavy glass. The Panasonic G85 is physically smaller and lighter, at 128x89x74 mm and around 505 grams. This smaller footprint hints at its Micro Four Thirds (MFT) heritage, prioritizing portability.

Take a look below to see the side-by-side physical scale comparing these two:

The Z7 II’s grip is notably deeper and more comfortable, ideal for professionals or enthusiasts who shoot for hours. The G85, despite its smaller size, offers a surprisingly solid grip for its class, suitable for travel and street snapping. If pocketability or lightness is essential to you, the G85 has an advantage. But if you prize robust build and handling finesse, the Z7 II feels more premium.

Moreover, the Z7 II sports weather sealing, offering resistance against dust and moisture - a serious consideration if you shoot outdoors or travel frequently. The G85 also features environmental sealing, though with somewhat less robust claims. Practical experience shows both can handle light drizzle or dust, but the Nikon is better suited for harsh conditions.

Control Layout: How Do These Cameras Feel in Your Hands?

Spend a minute or two fiddling with a camera’s controls, and you’ll know whether it’s made for you. Backlit buttons, logical dials, touchscreen usability, and top-plate info displays all matter.

Here’s a view comparing each camera’s top plate:

The Nikon Z7 II impresses with a comprehensive array of ergonomically-placed buttons and dual command dials, allowing swift access to shutter speed and aperture. Beyond the rear touchscreen, it boasts a small top status LCD - great for quickly checking settings without lifting your eye to the EVF. Unfortunately, none of the buttons are illuminated, which can be tricky in low light.

The Panasonic G85 opts for simplicity, with fewer dedicated buttons but a fully articulated touchscreen that doubles as a fluid interface for exposure and focus settings. Its mode dial includes a useful “art” mode for quick creative filters. The G85’s controls feel tailored for enthusiasts or vloggers prioritizing ease over full manual depth.

If you often shoot in evolving light and fast situations, the Z7 II’s refined physical controls will give you a real workflow edge. The G85’s layout is intuitive enough for beginners and casual shooters but may feel limiting under pressure.

Sensor Specs and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

When I test cameras, image quality is king. Sensor size, resolution, processing, and noise performance all intertwine to define final image fidelity.

Here is an explicit sensor size and resolution comparison:

The Nikon Z7 II features a full-frame 35.9x23.9 mm BSI-CMOS sensor delivering a generous 46MP resolution. This is a significant leap, appealing to photographers requiring extremely detailed, high-resolution files for portrait, landscape, or commercial work.

The Panasonic G85 uses a Micro Four Thirds 17.3x13 mm sensor with 16MP resolution. While smaller, the MFT sensor ecosystem has matured tremendously, offering respectable sharpness and file quality - particularly if you shoot RAW and don’t crop aggressively.

Real-World IQ Differences

In daylight, the Z7 II’s larger sensor delivers remarkable dynamic range, especially visible in preserving highlight details and deep shadow textures. This makes it perfect for landscape or studio portraits where light nuances matter.

The G85 shines in offering clean detail without over-sharpening, suitable for web use and casual printing. Its smaller sensor leads to slightly lower dynamic range and more noise at higher ISO, though it performs very well up to ISO 3200 and remains usable beyond in good light.

For portrait photographers, the Z7 II’s higher pixel count and superior sensor size enable skin tone rendition with richer subtlety and smoother gradations. Plus, the lack of an anti-aliasing filter helps maximize detail - even in challenging lighting.

Wildlife and sports shooters benefit too from the Z7 II’s ability to recover shadows without introducing noise - a crucial advantage for high-contrast outdoor scenes.

If absolute image fidelity with room for cropping or large prints is your priority, the Nikon Z7 II sensor cannot be matched by the G85. However, the G85 offers impressive image quality for its price and sensor format.

LCD Screens and Electronic Viewfinders: Your Window to the Image

An often-underappreciated factor in camera usability is the quality and flexibility of the LCD screen and EVF.

Let’s compare their rear screens:

The Nikon Z7 II uses a vibrant, 3.2” tilting touchscreen with a sharp 2.1 million-dot resolution, allowing touch-to-focus, intuitive menus, and playback zoom. Its EVF is excellent: a 3.69 million-dot OLED with 0.8x magnification, delivering a bright, crisp preview with 100% coverage.

The Panasonic G85’s screen is a 3.0” fully articulating touchscreen with 1.04 million dots - not as high-res but offers extreme versatility for vlogging and creative angles. Its EVF delivers 2.36 million-dot resolution but with slightly less magnification (0.74x), meaning the viewfinder image is smaller and marginally less detailed.

In my hands-on tests, the Z7 II’s EVF clarity provided faster manual focusing and better tracking, especially in low light, where the G85’s EVF can feel a little grainier. The G85’s articulating screen is a treat for video creators or macro shooters who need creative vantage points.

If you value the finest preview quality and touchscreen responsiveness, the Nikon excels. For versatile screen articulation and budget-friendliness, the G85 is a winner.

Autofocus: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking Across Subjects

Autofocus technology has evolved dramatically, yet big differences remain between camera tiers. Accurate and fast AF is essential, especially for wildlife, sports, or fast-moving subjects.

The Nikon Z7 II boasts a sophisticated hybrid AF system with 493 phase-detect points covering nearly the entire frame and face/eye/animal detection. It’s notably fast and reliable even in low light down to -4 EV. This results in confident, fast lock-on tracking on birds, athletes, and children in action.

The G85 uses contrast-detect AF with 49 points and no phase-detection. It includes face/eye detection but lacks the advanced animal eye AF. While generally responsive for static subjects and casual shooting, it can struggle to maintain focus on erratic or fast subjects, resulting in some hunting in challenging scenarios.

In real-world wildlife and sports shooting sessions, the Z7 II’s autofocus gave me the confidence to track and capture fleeting moments with accuracy rarely seen at this level. The G85 is best suited for landscapes, portraits, street photography, and slower-moving subjects.

Burst Rates and Buffer Limits: Keeping Up with the Action

For those shooting sports, wildlife, or any fast action, burst speed and buffer size directly affect how many keepers you get per shot stage.

• Nikon Z7 II: 10 fps mechanical shutter continuous shooting with a large buffer supported by fast CFexpress and SD card slots
• Panasonic G85: 9 fps mechanical shutter burst, but single SD card slot and buffer can fill quickly when shooting RAW

Interestingly, the frame rates are close, but the Z7 II's superior processor and dual card slots offer sustained speed for longer bursts without slowdown.

If you plan to shoot fast-moving subjects frequently, the Nikon model's buffer and card options provide a substantial advantage.

Lenses and System Compatibility: Options for Expanding Creativity

Lens selection varies greatly between full-frame Nikon Z mount and the Micro Four Thirds Panasonic ecosystem.

• Nikon Z-mount has about 15 native autofocus lenses as of now, including high-quality primes and fast zooms. More lenses and third-party options are emerging, especially with FTZ mount adapters for F-mount DSLR glass.
• Panasonic’s Micro Four Thirds boasts a staggering 107 native lenses, including many affordable and compact primes, zooms, and specialty optics.

From my experience shooting with both, the Nikon Z system excels in premium sharpness and bokeh quality, especially with Z 50mm f/1.8 or fast primes from other brands. The wider full-frame sensor also naturally yields more subject isolation.

The G85’s MFT lenses tend to be smaller, lighter, and often more affordable, making them great for travel and casual shooting. However, the crop factor (~2.1x) means wider apertures are needed for equivalent shallow depth of field, and telephoto focal lengths become effectively doubled (which can be a benefit for wildlife telephoto reach, albeit with some image quality trade-offs).

Video Features and Performance: Pros and Hobbyists Alike

Many photographers shoot video these days, so camera video specs are crucial.

The Nikon Z7 II shoots 4K UHD up to 60p at 144Mbps, with 10-bit N-Log internal and HDR support - excellent for high-end video work. It has full-size microphone and headphone jacks, plus in-body 5-axis stabilization that benefits both stills and handheld video.

The Panasonic G85 offers 4K UHD at 30p at 100Mbps, also with in-body 5-axis stabilization, a fully articulating screen for vlogging, and microphone input but no headphone jack. It supports 4K photo modes for grabbing still frames from video.

While the Z7 II video is overall higher-spec and better suited for pros or hybrid shooters, the G85 gives great entry-level pro video features at a fraction of the price.

Battery Life and Storage Options: How Long Will Your Day Last?

The Nikon Z7 II can capture approximately 420 shots per charge using the EN-EL15c battery, with dual CFexpress and XQD/SD card slots giving flexible, fast recording. The Panasonic G85 is rated for about 330 shots per charge, accepts a single SD card, and charges via USB.

In practice, the Z7 II’s longer battery and dual card reliability make it better for long events, trips, or professional shoots. The G85’s battery life is good for casual use but may require backups on hardcore days.

Pricing and Value: A Huge Gap to Consider

Price often dictates choice more than specs:

• Nikon Z7 II lists around $3000 for body alone - a flagship-level investment.
• Panasonic G85 currently sells for roughly $900 (often less used) - an affordable advanced mirrorless pick.

The G85 punches above its weight in features for the price, but the Z7 II’s premium sensor and pro features justify the higher cost for serious photographers.

Performance Ratings and Real-World Samples: Putting It All Together

Here are performance summary scores I compiled based on lab tests, field experience, and overall capability:

And genre-specific performance to spotlight strengths in areas you care about:

Browsing a gallery of images side-by-side lets you assess sharpness, color rendition, and dynamic range nuances:

Nikon Z7 II front Nikon Z7 II screen back Panasonic G85 front

How Each Camera Excels Across Popular Photography Genres

Portrait Photography

Nikon Z7 II shines with its high-resolution sensor, superior face and animal eye autofocus, and excellent skin tone rendering. Its capability for creamy bokeh helps isolate subjects beautifully. I prefer the Z7 II if you are heavily into controlled studio or event portraiture.

Panasonic G85 works well for casual portraits where portability matters more than ultra-fine detail. It’s easy to use and can deliver pleasant results for social or family snapshots.

Landscape Photography

The Z7 II’s massive dynamic range and detail make it a go-to for challenging light scenarios and large prints. Weather sealing adds peace of mind on location. The G85 is decent for travel landscapes but limited by sensor size and resolution.

Wildlife Photography

Fast AF, eye tracking, and buffer depth on the Z7 II cater perfectly to quick wildlife shots. The G85 is constrained by slower AF and lower frame rates but benefits from the 2.1x crop factor extending telephoto reach on its native lenses.

Sports Photography

The pro-level continuous shooting and autofocus reliability of the Nikon camera give it a clear edge in sports or other fast action. The G85 can manage slow-paced sports but won’t keep up with rapid sequences.

Street Photography

The Panasonic G85’s lighter and smaller body, plus discrete shutter sound, make it more street-friendly. The articulating screen and splash sealing add creative flexibility for this genre. The Z7 II is bulkier but offers better image quality if size isn’t a huge concern.

Macro Photography

Both cameras have sensor-based 5-axis image stabilization, making handheld macro shooting achievable. The Nikon’s higher resolution sensor captures minute detail better, though the G85’s articulated screen helps with tough compositions.

Night and Astro Photography

Thanks to its lower native ISO noise and wider dynamic range, the Z7 II stands out for astrophotography and low-light work. The G85 works but expect more noise past ISO 3200.

Video Capabilities

The Nikon Z7 II targets serious videographers and hybrids with 4K 60p, professional codecs, and audio monitoring. The Panasonic G85 suits vloggers and hobbyists who want solid 4K with ease of use at a friendly price.

Travel Photography

The G85’s light weight, smaller lenses, and articulating screen excel for travel photographers who prioritize compactness and versatility. The Nikon Z7 II is better for photographers prioritizing image quality and durability over size.

Professional Workflows

The Nikon’s ability to shoot 14-bit RAW, dual card slots for instant backup, and superior durability makes it reliable for pro assignments. The G85 offers 12-bit RAW and single card storage, fine for advanced enthusiasts but less ideal for critical jobs.

Final Thoughts: Which Camera Should You Choose?

In my hands-on testing and analysis, the choice boils down primarily to your photography priorities, budget, and desired sensor size.

Choose the Nikon Z7 II if:

• You demand outstanding image quality with a full-frame 46MP sensor
• Your work involves demanding subjects - portraits, sports, wildlife, landscapes
• You want a professional-grade build with extensive controls and weather sealing
• You shoot stills and video professionally or as a serious hybrid
• You are ready to invest $3000+ for long-term performance

Choose the Panasonic G85 if:

• You want a versatile, affordable advanced mirrorless camera under $1000
• Portability and light travel weight are important
• You shoot mostly casual portraits, street, video blogging, or travel content
• You don’t require ultra-high resolution or professional AF speed
• You want a user-friendly articulated screen and excellent in-body stabilization

In Summary: An Expert’s Take on Your Next Mirrorless Camera

Both the Nikon Z7 II and Panasonic G85 exemplify the strengths of their respective classes. The former impresses with flagship-level specs and image quality that rivals high-end professional cameras. The latter packs remarkable versatility into an affordable, compact package that can serve many enthusiasts.

Where these two cameras really differ is the fundamental sensor size - meaning everything from image quality and depth of field to lens options and body size. Upgrading to full-frame like the Z7 II is a serious step up but with a corresponding price jump and weight penalty.

If you want the best and can afford it, the Nikon Z7 II deserves serious consideration. If budget and portability are your priorities, the Panasonic G85 remains a solid, proven option.

My advice: handle both if you can, envision your shooting scenarios, and allow yourself to prefer what feels right in your creative hands. Every camera is a tool - find the one that sparks your vision while matching your needs.

Thanks for reading this deep dive comparison! Feel free to reach out with questions or experiences with either camera. Happy shooting!

image credits

Photos used in this comparison are courtesy of factory specs and hands-on image galleries.