Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

If it makes you feel better, I ordered my GH2 black body via EPP on 1/5/2011. My bank account was showing a pending withdrawal for the past 2 days, and now today the pending withdrawal is gone. How's that for a tease.

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

Ordered mine on 15 December 2010. It arrived this week.

Trust me: it's worth the wait. (grin)

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

Whoa! THAT is an endorsement. And I agree, these cams, though maybe not everything you could want, are certainly more than you have any right to expect from that price point.

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

It would appear that Amazon is still selling them. I think they get it from Onecall. And they have the Panasonic DMW-BLB13 Battery for Panasonic G Series, but I don't remember if that is the right battery.
I think the DMW-BLC12E battery is the correct one.

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

Jim,

Yes the BLC-12 is the correct battery for them.

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

Not sure if it makes a difference with the ending letters, but I'm looking right at a Panasonic battery that I've been using with my GH2 for the past month, and it says "Model No. DMW-BLC12PP" (using this in the USA).

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

I might be mistaken, but the only ones I found on Amazon are generics. Video Direct definitely has them. I looked the other day and they were out, as was everyone else. B&H doesn't even carry the genuine batteries, yet. I've bought from Video Direct once before, seem like an OK outfit...ooops, I can't link to them, they are not a sponsor...

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

You can try Adorama. I purchased mine when the website says backordered, and I received a shipment email from them the next day. So I purchased 2 more the next day and they shipped too. I don't know if they don't update that often or they are waiting for the GH2's to come in before they announce they have them.

By the way this was about 3 weeks ago.

Steve

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

Steve, I ordered about a week ago and they did not ship mine yet, so I guess they are out.

Norm

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

Ahh! Well I knew it must of been too good to last. It was worth a shot though. Thanks for the info!

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

I've purchased two GH2's (black with kit and silver body) from Unique Photo. Never dealt with them before the first order but someone posted they had some in stock when no one else seemed to, so I took a chance. Turned out to be very nice people and I got the camera 3-4 days later (New Jersey to Phoenix). Wanted a second one and just saw they have some in stock. Ordered a silver body this time, so I can tell them apart, $735 plus shipping. Ordered right before posting this, just in case someone here types faster than I do. :-)

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

Just an update... I just finished picking myself off the floor after reading my email. It appears that B&H has shipped me 2 GH2's and I have the tracking number... I can hardly believe it. Maybe when the UPS guy shows up.

Steve

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

THX!! I just went to the B&H website - silver GH2 w/ 14-42mm lens IN STOCK! So I ordered right away with a 2-day delivery option. Then cancelled my Amazon order. Hope to have camera in hand by Thursday :)

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

Douglas, just so to make sure you know, the 14-42mm is not a great lens. It might work for you, but a friend of mine has it and he was quite disappointed with it. On a shoot I had to loan him a lens so we could get some decent footage. If you're a hobbyist or doing mostly outdoor it will get you by for sure, but if you need it for indoor shooting in marginal light, not so much.

Re: Frustrated with the wait
 

"To my surprise, I note that the basic kit lens Lumix G 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Mega O.I.S. is sharper than the very expensive Lumix G HD 14-140mm f/4-5.8 Mega O.I.S. at f/4, and even at f/3.5. "

Micro 4/3rds Photography: Comparison @ 14mm

BTW I have both the 14-42 that came with my $375 GH1 combo deal from PD and the 14-45 that is much better.

"The 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 gives decidedly mixed results in our studio tests. It's not terribly sharp at maximum aperture at any focal length, but stop down to F8 and things improve dramatically. Geometric distortion and lateral chromatic aberration are automatically corrected in software (as usual for Micro Four Thirds), giving excellent results in these areas. The wide-open softness means the 14-42mm suffers when compared to either the older Lumix G 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS or Olympus's equivalent M ZD 14-42mm F3.5-5.6, and while it's a match for either once stopped down to more commonly-used apertures, overall it's a slightly disappointing replacement for what was one of the best kit lenses on the market."
Panasonic DMC-G2 Review: 13. Kit lens test: Digital Photography Review

"The Lumix 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS does extremely well in our studio tests. Panasonic has integrated software correction of distortion and lateral chromatic aberration into the system design, and this pays off with near-perfect results for these aspects of our tests; the lens is also unusually sharp for its class. Compared to the Micro Four Thirds Olympus M. Zuiko Digital 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ED, the Panasonic does better in almost every regard; it even out-performs the best of the kit zooms for conventional DSLRs, the Olympus Zuiko Digital F3.5-5.6 ED. "
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 Review: 19. Photographic tests (Kit Lens): Digital Photography Review