Hightech

"For International Women's Day, Canon..." as I read the subject line of the email, I cringe at the possible endings to that sentence.

Not outside the realm of possibilities is something like, "Releases Commemorative Pink Camera Strap!" In 2018 I think we're better than that. Probably. I keep reading.

"...Lends Support to 'Women Photograph'" is how it ends, and I feel a real sense of relief. This was an organization I knew and had covered in the past. It aims to 'elevate the voices of female visual journalists,' offering an additional resource for editors as well as grants and workshops for female photographers. I read on.

"Canon will work with Women Photograph to aid their travel grant program which funds female and non-binary photographers to attend workshops, hostile environment trainings, festivals, and other developmental opportunities."

If you're a brand looking to grab a slice of the #MeToo pie, you could definitely do much worse than this. Case in point: McDonald's put on a master class this year in getting it wrong. The fast food giant announced that it would be turning its logo upside down to recognize International Women's Day... a "W" instead of an "M"... for women... get it? Critics spoke up quickly, pointing out that it felt like an empty gesture coming from a company that can afford to do much more.

The upside down arches were on my mind when I started reading that press release from Canon this morning, so it felt very reassuring to see the brand pledging real support behind an effort created by, and created for, women photographers. Sure, it's all marketing at the end of the day, and I truly hope Canon's support of Women Photograph doesn't begin and end with a one-time workshop. Issuing a press release is cheap. Following through, and staying committed in the long term isn't.

But if you're going to talk about supporting women

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 is a rangefinder-style Micro Four Thirds camera whose most recognizable feature is its tilting electronic viewfinder. The GX9 provides a healthy serving of new features and performance improvements over its predecessor, the GX8.

The most notable changes include the removal of the low-pass filter on the GX9's 20MP sensor, 5-axis in-body image stabilization (up from 4-axis), slightly faster burst shooting and Bluetooth connectivity. The shutter unit has also been redesigned, with Panasonic claiming a 90% reduction in 'shutter shock' compared to the GX8. There's also a built-in flash - something the GX8 lacked - as well as some tweaks to image processing.

Panasonic appears to have rearranged their lineup a bit, with the GX9 serving more as a midrange model than its predecessors, sitting alongside the DSLR-style DMC-G85. The price has come down to $999 with a kit lens, compared to $1199 for the GX8's body alone. Alongside the price drop, some features found on the GX8 are now gone, such as weather-sealing. The EVF is smaller and battery life has dropped by about 25%, as well.

The GX9's closest peers are the Fujifilm X-E3 and Sony's a6300, both of which have 24MP APS-C sensors, hybrid autofocus systems (which the GX9 lacks) and 4K video capture.

You can see that the differences between the GX9 and GX8 are a mixed bag. The GX9 loses the low-pass filter, get an extra axis (rotation) of image stabilization and adds Bluetooth and a flash. However, its viewfinder is smaller, body no longer weather-sealed and battery life has taken a turn for the worse. Speaking of viewfinders, Panasonic has gone back to a field sequential panel (a different technology than traditional LCD or OLED,) which some people may find distracting due to 'color tearing'. The LCD is now tilting versus fully articulating, which some people may find as an upgrade, and