Hi guys,

I'd like to share here, in a separate-dedicated post (I have a serious reason for this), my very bitter experience with Panasonic & my GH5:

I have been a faithful Panasonic user since the GH2 camera (we, most of us here had one, especially after @driftwood's hack) and also have had since, at least the following Panasonic camera-models: GH3, GH4, now the (defected in my case) GH5, but also the G7, G80, GM1 and just a week ago I received my GX80. I have also owned most of the Panasonic-Lumix lenses.

I placed my pre-order for the GH5 on 19/01/2017 via CVP.com (UK dealer) and although the final receipt of purchase was made by the CVP company on the 24/03/2017, when I applied for the 5 year-warranty Panasonic offered to clients that pre-ordered the GH5, in the warranty confirmation I received from Panasonic-UK, my warranty counting from the pre-order’s date & not from the date that the final receipt was made, so actually Panasonic-UK short changed (stole) the customer over 2 MONTHS on the warranty period.

I've never contacted Panasonic for this last matter, but the warranty should/has to start from final receipt of goods...

Now: The camera I received was defective, having the following problem described below -as in my note to Panasonic-FR service centre where

I sent the camera for repair, on the 09/05/2017:

“Very often, when I switch-on the camera, both the EFV and the monitor are going completely black. The camera does takes pics/videos while all is black (but I’m not able to see what I shoot, through the EVF or/and the monitor). I have to switch-Off the camera and then ON again, in order for the camera to start working properly… And when I do so, the camera needs at least 3-4 seconds to get Switched-Off, which means that if on a job (wedding or other) I need immediate response from the camera, I simply don’t get it. Same applies after "Sleep-Mode": I press the Shutter-Button in order to “wake-up” the camera so to shoot something important that may happening in-front-of me, but everything is completely black, so I’m losing those important moments I wished to shot… Both the above cases are happening 1 out of 3-4 times I try to work with the camera, so you may not be able to notice this immediately, but after some tries. I’ve tried to correct this by using the “Reset” in camera’s settings, I was also hoping that this may be fixed by the latest firmware, but nothing… As you understand, this way the camera is completely useless, especially for serious use."

I contacted CVP, the guys there told me to send the camera to them, but as I Live in France, I said "let me contact Panasonic-FR too before I'll ship to you".

When I first contacted -on the 09/05/2017- Panasonic-FR, I explained them in every detail the issue that the camera has and made them clear that the product was purchased from a UK store. As of course it is covered also by the European warranty, they told me that I had to send it to their service centre, named "Nikken Tecno France" which I did. I immediately contacted this last company/service-centre and the same day (09/05/2017) the camera was shipped to them.

They received it on the 12/05/2017.

I got the camera back from "Nikken Tecno France" on the 26/05/2017, & after they had changed (as they describe it in their invoice) the "Printed Circuit Board", but, with great surprise, I discovered that the camera not only had the same exact issue as before, but it was also scratched on the outer body (a tiny scratch up and right, close to the shutter button), and also their "repair" had affected the performance of the camera, more specifically the ISO performance, like for example shooting in any "Picture-Profile" at ISO-3200 was like shooting the same camera before with ISO-25800... Full of ugly noise... Even my GH4 at ISO-3200 was way cleaner at this same ISO.

Here to mention that I sent to "Nikken Tecno France" a camera with V-LOG installed (an extra purchase, cost of €106), but I received a camera without V-LOG, so new contact with Panasonic-France (only for the V-LOG as the old key-code can't be installed twice), the same day I received it from the "repair" (26/05/2017, I keep all emails) before discovering the new problems the camera had after I received it back. 3 weeks since that the V-LOG key-code asked and I've never received anything back from them... But even if they'll do send me one is now useless, you'll see below why.

Back to the main issues: I contacted "Nikken Tecno France", they said to send it back, so to pay again from my own pocket the new postage expenses, I refused that they will touch my camera again, then I called back Panasonic-FR, I explained them all the above issues (including that the camera received scratched from their repair service) and the person on the phone from Panasonic-FR clients service, after she spoke with a manager while I was waiting on my phone-call, she told me that they were going to contact CVP, in order to arrange a camera replacement with a brand new one. This, on the 31/05/2017...

I contacted CVP this same day to inform them about the situation and what Panasonic-FR told me, and they advised me (so to shorten the

time as they -wisely- said) to send my camera and everything I received with my purchase, back to them. And so I did.

The camera left my hands on the 31/05/2017 and received by "CVP Pro-Repairs team" department the 06/06/2017 (and it's been there since)...

As I had no news from Panasonic's side after they told me for a replacement on the 31/05/2017, I contacted again the French department and spoke once again with them (07/06/2017), and they told me (for first time!!) that Panasonic-UK is the only responsible for my case... I reminded to them our last conversation from the 31/05/2017 when they told that the camera will be replaced, & they said “give us some time to speak with manager” and after some minutes I received an email:

“We kindly ask you to contact the UK team that is able to guide you in finding the authorized service centre for your GH5 product” (!!!) ...

So, "from Annas to Kaiafas", like I'm Panasonic's tennis-ball...

This same day, immediately, I called Panasonic-UK for first time and spoke with someone named John. I was calling from France to UK, so extra money spent on phone calls... I had to start from the very beginning, explaining everything in every little detail and at the end, John told me that for this "just recently released brand new product", ONLY Panasonic-UK and its special-dedicated service-centre was the one and only that the camera had to be sent from the very beginning and that Panasonic-FR did a huge mistake not to ask me from the very beginning to contact the UK department and only... He concluded his speech that now Panasonic-FR had to give me the solution to their mistake...

Back again to Panasonic-FR (all this, the Wednesday 07/06/2017), new call to them, new apologies from their side, new discussions between personnel & manager, so she finally said "Please give us 2-3 days, maybe Friday you'll have my news"...

Until today, 14/06/2017, 36 days after I first sent my GH5 for repair & I still don't have my camera in my hands. 36 full days, without a product which costs: €2000 + €106 the V-LOG + €50 for 2 shipments + many phone calls cost + time lost (which means non-working time = losing income)...

Yesterday I called once again both Panasonic-FR & Panasonic-UK, they both saying "your case is under review"... They also both mentioned that CVP is responsible that I don't have a replacement in my hands sent by them for the period my own camera is at them... New "tennis game" here again...

In less than 2 weeks from today, I fly to Greece where I'll stay 5 weeks & have to use my camera & no-one has ANY IDEA when a solution will be given... If not a camera will be shipped to me within a week from now, I'm just f@cked up... & I'll be able again to receive a camera (if they'll have decide till then) after the 3 of August, which means I'll be for over 3 months without my tool that I have fully paid to them...

Any help-suggestion will be much appreciated. A letter sent to all of them (Pana UK & FR + to CVP) yesterday & I really don't know what else to do. To make a video & publish it online & then share it to any forum related to Pana? Talk with a lawyer? I don't really know...

@Vitaliy_Kiselev? or even Nick @driftwood that you're a Pana boy now, any help?

Thanks everyone for your time.