Panasonic GF1 vs Sony HX9V: A Hands-On, No-Nonsense Camera Face-Off

When it comes to choosing the right camera, the array of options can be dizzying, especially when comparing two seemingly different beasts like Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-GF1 and Sony’s Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V. Both are dated by today’s standards - one born in 2009, the other in 2011 - but they still offer valuable lessons in design, technology, and photographic philosophy.

Having physically handled countless cameras over my 15+ years in the field, I’m here to break down what these two shooters bring to the table in a straightforward, experience-driven way. We’ll unpack specs, real-world performance, and usability, peppered with anecdotes and practical tips, to help you decide which - if either - deserves a place in your gear bag.

Let’s dive in.

What’s the Big Picture? Understanding These Two Cameras in Context

Right off the bat, you may notice these cameras aren’t exactly “apples to apples.” Panasonic’s GF1 is a rangefinder-style mirrorless camera with a Micro Four Thirds sensor, released at a time when the mirrorless revolution was just gathering steam. The Sony HX9V, on the other hand, is a compact superzoom point-and-shoot with a small 1/2.3" sensor, targeting casual photographers craving versatility.

In essence:

• GF1: Entry-level mirrorless designed for enthusiasts wanting interchangeable lenses, decent image quality, and manual controls.
• HX9V: All-in-one compact with a long zoom range (24-384mm equivalent), making it a versatile travel buddy but with compromises on sensor size and image quality.

Understanding this fundamental difference guides the rest of our comparison - if you favor image control and quality, the GF1 shines; seeking zoom firepower and easy portability? HX9V is tempting.

First Impressions: Size, Handling, and Ergonomics

Size and comfort are often overlooked but are key to loving your camera. I always start my hands-on reviews by physically hefting and firing off shots to see what feels natural and what’s a stretch.

The Panasonic GF1 is noticeably bulkier and heavier (385g vs 245g) but still small enough to slip into a jacket pocket. Its rangefinder design offers a clean, purposeful grip, and the dedicated dials for shutter speed and exposure add an immediate tactile charm for manual exposure buffs like me. Its 119x71x36mm body feels sturdy and well-built despite lacking weather sealing, holding promise for everyday shooting without being flimsy.

On the flip side, the Sony HX9V is ultra-compact - more ‘camera in your coat pocket without being obtrusive’. It’s more of a grab-and-go than a sit-and-shoot device. Controls are fewer and somewhat simplified - no dedicated exposure dials here - but operational buttons are intuitive. For casual street photography or travel, you might just forget it’s even there until you need to zoom way in.

Top-Down: Control Layout and Button Design

Here’s where ergonomics starts to peek through the interface.

Panasonic GF1’s top plate reveals its enthusiast DNA - dedicated exposure compensation dial, shutter speed dial, and a hotshoe for external flash. This layout is impactful if you like to change settings on the fly without diving deep into menus.

The HX9V, true to its compact lineage, smoothes away such dials for a minimalist top view with a zoom rocker and shutter release. Its hotshoe absence means you’re limited to its built-in flash, which doesn’t always cut it in dimmer scenarios. For me, this limits creative flexibility but makes sense considering its target audience.

Sensor and Image Quality - The Heart of Photography

If there’s a holy grail in camera comparisons, it’s the sensor. Size, resolution, and technology combine to dictate image quality, dynamic range, and low-light ability.

• GF1 Sensor: Four Thirds CMOS sensor measuring 17.3x13mm with 12MP resolution.
• HX9V Sensor: Sony’s 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS sensor measuring 6.17x4.55mm with 16MP resolution.

Although the Sony boasts more megapixels, the physical sensor size difference is massive. The GF1’s sensor area is roughly eight times larger than the HX9V’s - this translates to bigger pixels, better light gathering, improved dynamic range, and superior high ISO performance. It’s a classic example of pixel count not telling the whole story.

In real-world shooting, the GF1’s sensor yields richer color depth (DxO Mark color depth score of 21.2 bits), a wider dynamic range (~10.3 EV), and better low-light usability up to about ISO 1600 without dreadful noise. The HX9V struggles beyond ISO 400, found in typical small sensor compacts, revealing visible noise and less tonal gradation.

Practically, this means:

• Portraits and Landscapes (more on these below) benefit from the GF1’s superior sensor - you’ll get smoother skin tones, more recoverable shadow detail, and crisp, noise-free images.
• The HX9V scores for casual snapshots or bright daylight scenarios but falters when detail and tonality matter.

Live View, LCD and Handling the Interface

Both cameras depend heavily on their rear LCDs, but the quality and responsiveness differ significantly. LCDs are the photographer’s eye when absence of a viewfinder becomes glaring.

The Sony HX9V’s “XtraFine” 3-inch screen with 921k dots and TruBlack tech is impressively sharp and contrasty, lending to pleasant framing and reviewing images - even in moderate sunlight. Its vibrant colors make the shooting experience enjoyable, sometimes almost distracting from the smaller sensor limitations.

The Panasonic GF1’s 3-inch 460k-dot TFT LCD has a wider viewing angle but lower resolution and brightness. After using modern cameras, this might feel dated but for its era, the screen is sufficiently accurate in showing exposure and color preview. Sadly, neither has touchscreen capability - a feature we take for granted now but missing here.

Autofocus and Speed in Action

Autofocus (AF) performance is arguably one of the most important factors affecting your satisfaction, particularly if you shoot moving subjects.

• GF1 AF System: 23 contrast-detection AF points with face detection, continuous AF available.
• HX9V AF System: 9 contrast-detection points, no face or animal detection, single AF only.

Here, the GF1, despite its age, shows its strength as an enthusiast mirrorless. Contrast-detection autofocus is relatively fast and reliable, especially in good light, and continuous AF tracking can keep up decently with moderate subject motion. Face detection improves portrait framing accuracy.

The HX9V’s autofocus is slower and more prone to hunting in low light or tricky conditions. No continuous AF means you’re relying on single-shot focus lock, limiting its effectiveness for moving subjects like kids or pets. However, its zoom lens’s built-in optical stabilization compensates for camera shake but can’t help in AF speed.

Burst Shooting and Shutter Specs: Action Photography?

If sports, wildlife, or any event means capturing split-seconds, frame rate and shutter speed matter.

• The GF1 provides a 3 FPS continuous shooting speed, with a shutter speed range from 1/60 to 1/4000 sec.
• The HX9V ups the ante to 10 FPS burst but max shutter speed is limited to 1/1600 sec.

For quick action, the Sony holds a slight chronological advantage with higher FPS, making it attractive if you prioritize capturing sequences. But the GF1’s higher shutter ceiling allows finer control to freeze motion in brighter settings, a boon outdoors.

Both cameras lack high-end pro-level burst buffers (buffer depths are modest), so extended action sequences aren’t their strong suit. Still, for casual sports, the HX9V’s faster FPS paired with its zoom lens can pull off some decent results, while the GF1 favors deliberate framing and precise timing.

Portrait Photography: Bokeh, Skin Tones, and Eye Detection

Portraiture is often the acid test for image quality, color rendition, and AF.

The Panasonic GF1, paired with quality Micro Four Thirds prime lenses, produces creamy bokeh thanks to its bigger sensor and fast lenses. This is a game-changer for isolating subjects from cluttered backgrounds. Its color rendition faithfully captures natural skin tones, thanks also to the Venus Engine HD processor that preserves tonal subtleties well.

In contrast, the HX9V’s small sensor and slower, zoom-based lens struggle to blur backgrounds artistically, leading to flatter portraits with more depth of field. Skin tones can appear a bit more digital and less forgiving in mixed lighting.

Also worth noting is the GF1’s basic face detection AF which helps nail critical focus on eyes, something absent in the HX9V.

Landscape Imagery: Resolution, Dynamic Range, and Weather Sealing

For landscapes, dynamic range and lens sharpness are king.

The GF1’s Four Thirds sensor provides superior dynamic range - important for capturing scenes with bright skies and dim foregrounds. Its interchangeable lens ecosystem (107 lenses!) means you can choose ultra-sharp primes or ultra-wide zooms tailored to landscape use.

Weather sealing is unfortunately absent in both, so be cautious with outdoor exposure.

The HX9V has a respectable 16MP sensor but dynamic range is constrained. Its built-in wide-angle 24mm equivalent lens provides decent framing options but optical quality can’t match interchangeable primes.

Wildlife and Sports: Telephoto Power and Tracking

If you’re after wildlife or sports photography, the HX9V’s built-in zoom lens covering 24-384mm equivalent is immediately attractive for reach - no need to swap lenses or carry heavy telephotos.

The GF1 lacks a lens included in the package here, so telephoto performance depends on whatever glass you invest in. Lightweight 45-150mm zoom lenses exist, but the overall package becomes bulkier and pricier.

In terms of autofocus tracking for wildlife or sports, neither camera is fast enough for professional fast-motion action, but the GF1’s continuous autofocus helps more than the HX9V’s single-shot system.

Street and Travel Photography: Discreteness Meets Versatility

Here is where each camera really flexes its personality.

• GF1: Larger, more complex, but still discreet enough to shoot candidly. The ability to mount prime lenses helps achieve low-light, shallow depth of field looks coveted in street portraiture.

• HX9V: Smaller, lighter, and quicker to bring up and shoot - ideal for travel snapshots and street scenes where portability matters above all.

Panasonic GF1 front Panasonic GF1 screen back Sony HX9V front Sony HX9V screen back

From firsthand experience, carrying the HX9V feels less intrusive; in crowded scenarios, the GF1’s size might draw a curious glance (not necessarily unwelcome if you want to engage with subjects). Battery life favors the GF1 at ~380 shots per charge, while Sony’s spec is undocumented but generally shorter due to compact size.

Macro and Close-Up: Focusing Ability and Stabilization

Neither the GF1 nor the HX9V is a dedicated macro machine, but each offers modest close-focus capability.

The HX9V’s optical image stabilization compensates for shake - a boon when shooting macro handheld. The GF1’s lack of in-body stabilization means you’ll want stabilized lenses or a tripod to nail sharp macro shots.

Night and Astrophotography: High ISO and Exposure Control

Low-light and night scenes test ISO performance and exposure flexibility.

The GF1, with its larger sensor, manages higher native ISOs (~3200 max) with usable noise levels up to ISO 1600 - helpful for night street scenes or starry skies. It also offers manual exposure, shutter, and aperture control, empowering long exposures necessary for astrophotography.

The HX9V’s smaller sensor struggles with noise above ISO 400 and lacks advanced exposure modes like shutter priority or aperture priority, limiting its night photography potential.

Video Capabilities: Specs and Practical Use

Video features can sway purchase decisions these days, and here’s how they stack:

• GF1: HD video capped at 1280x720 (30 fps), AVCHD Lite format, no external mic input.
• HX9V: Full HD 1920x1080 at 60fps, MPEG-4 and AVCHD formats, also no mic input.

Surprisingly, Sony’s compact offers smoother full HD video at a higher frame rate with better codec options, making it a more competent casual camcorder. The GF1’s video is more of a side feature.

Neither sports advanced video stabilization or audio connectivity, so serious videographers may wish to look elsewhere.

Build Quality, Weather Resistance and Durability

Neither camera is ruggedized. No weather sealing, no dust- or shock-proof claims. Both would falter if you push them into harsh outdoor conditions regularly.

However, the GF1’s metal body and more substantial heft inspire confidence in durability, while the HX9V’s lightweight plastic feels less robust but adequate for typical travel and street use.

Battery Life and Storage

The GF1’s battery life (~380 shots per charge) beats most compacts of its era. It uses a rechargeable proprietary lithium-ion battery, while the HX9V uses Sony's NP-BG1 battery with generally less stamina (around 250-300 shots typical in tests).

Both cameras rely on single SD (GF1: SD/SDHC/MMC; HX9V: SD/SDHC/SDXC + Memory Stick compatibility) card slots. No dual card redundancy.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

The HX9V edges ahead here with built-in GPS for geotagging and Eye-Fi wireless card support, useful for travelers wanting to track and share photos quickly.

The GF1 offers no wireless or Bluetooth features, just basic USB 2.0 and HDMI output. Not unexpected for a 2009 model.

Value For Money and Who Should Buy Which?

In my view:

• The GF1 is a great choice if you value image quality, manual controls, and are happy to invest in lenses over time. Portrait, landscape, and creative photography benefit immensely from its sensor and lens system. It’s less suited for casual shooting or long zoom needs but offers a rewarding experience for enthusiasts.

• The HX9V, meanwhile, excels as an all-in-one compact for travel and casual use, especially if you rely on the convenience of a long zoom and want seamless video at full HD. Its sensor and controls limit professional aspirations but it’s a solid daily companion.

Final Word: The Right Tool for Your Visual Storytelling

Selecting between the Panasonic GF1 and Sony HX9V boils down to priorities.

Want better image quality, manual control, and flexibility at the cost of size and zoom range? Choose the Panasonic GF1. It’s a gem from the early mirrorless wave with solid raw file support and a vast lens ecosystem that still serves well today.

If you crave compactness, extensive zoom, HD video, and travel-friendly features - without fuss - then Sony’s HX9V remains a formidable compact.

You won’t find these cameras competing head-to-head on most fields; instead, they represent two decades-old philosophies that still ring true: bigger sensor + interchangeable lenses = quality; long zoom + portability = convenience.

Would I recommend either brand new today? With modern mirrorless and compacts boasting 4K video, advanced autofocus, touchscreen, and wireless features, these two show their age - but if you find a bargain secondhand and understand their quirks, they remain capable storytellers in skilled hands.

Summary Table for Quick Reference

Thanks for reading! I hope this detailed breakdown helps you navigate the decision with clarity. Got a favorite from your own experience? Drop your thoughts - I love hearing how real photographers wield classic gear!