Do I really need my full-frame DSLR any more?

[eleanorbrown]

hmmm, I hope so too! eleanor

Eleanor,
I truly appreciate your response. I googled ajrichard.com and found a lot of posts questioning their "reliability". I do hope that your husband has a good experience in dealing with them.
Peter

[bluekorn]

leuallen,

Thanks for the heads up to Unique Photo. I found and purchased a body only in black. Much appreciated. And Eleanor, I checked your website. Very lovely photos. I'll enjoy purusing the whole site in time to come.

Peter

[feppe]

UI is a very personal thing. I advise try before buying and beware of absolute statements.

I agree, but I didn't give any "absolute statements" and merely urged to check out Oly offerings if Panny UI is not suitable.

[Tim Gray]

Thanks - I leave for Oslo on the 19th July - I'll post a new thread when I'm back and have a few images...  A bit strange, but psychologically I'm treating my 1ds3 as my backup

[eleanorbrown]

Thanks Peter.  BTW, I also did a google search for reviews on the ajrichard.com company and found some really bad reviews...so much so that i called the company and told them I was concerned about all the bad reviews with regards to my husband's order.  I also asked just "where they get their  new Lumix gh2's" from, when B&H, etc can't get any.  They told me they acquire from other distributors other than directly from Panasonic..whatever that means.  I let them know if anything is wrong with the order I was very well may do a blog post on my site about my experience with their company(or course that didn't phase them...). ...we'll see. Eleanor

leuallen,

 And Eleanor, I checked your website. Very lovely photos. I'll enjoy purusing the whole site in time to come.

Peter

[ErikKaffehr]

Hello Eleanor,

Fingers crossed! I thought your husband already got his GH2?

Best regards
Erik

Thanks Peter.  BTW, I also did a google search for reviews on the ajrichard.com company and found some really bad reviews...so much so that i called the company and told them I was concerned about all the bad reviews with regards to my husband's order.  I also asked just "where they get their  new Lumix gh2's" from, when B&H, etc can't get any.  They told me they acquire from other distributors other than directly from Panasonic..whatever that means.  I let them know if anything is wrong with the order I was very well may do a blog post on my site about my experience with their company(or course that didn't phase them...). ...we'll see. Eleanor

[eleanorbrown]

His gh2 arrives sometime today. Will report back on the order after it arrives. It is supposed to have a US warranty. Eleanor

Hello Eleanor,

Fingers crossed! I thought your husband already got his GH2?

Best regards
Erik

[feppe]

His gh2 arrives sometime today. Will report back on the order after it arrives. It is supposed to have a US warranty. Eleanor

Check that it has all the extras, strap, batteries, memory card, instructions, software, etc. that was promised. Many of the fly-by-night operations strip everything out of the packages and sell them as parts for higher margins.

[tomrock]

Check that it has all the extras, strap, batteries, memory card, instructions, software, etc. that was promised. Many of the fly-by-night operations strip everything out of the packages and sell them as parts for higher margins.

With a normal GH2 from Panasonic, there's only one battery and no memory card.

[feppe]

With a normal GH2 from Panasonic, there's only one battery and no memory card.

Hence "that was promised," as it's unclear whether the OP ordered a "normal" GH2.

[eleanorbrown]

OK, report back on dealings with ajrichard.com.  Lumix GH2 with 14-140 lens arrived yesterday per my husband's order.  The Camera, lens, etc...all seems to be new and everything included "in box" with US warranty.  That the good thing.  I might add the camera was slightly overpriced but not so much so that if one really needed it, the price was acceptable.  What the order team did do was suggest that "the buyer needed all this other stuff.....extra battery, SD card, camera case, set of filters and all they could do is ground ups shipping (to the tune of $60 just for ground shipping!).  All the extra stuff arrived with the shipment but was very low end (ie: the camera bag that was "supposedly" made just for this camera" was way too big and I checked cost of this bag on other sites and it was $22.00 retail).  Anyway to simplify....extra charges including the $60 for shipping came to $500 and the total bill came to about $2150.00.  In fact the extra "stuff" the sales rep said he needed were worth only a fraction of this extra $500.00 they charged him.  So yes. you can get the GH2/14-140 kit new with US warranty just don't let them tell you that you "need" all this other stuff.  That can be bought anywhere and you know what  quality you are getting  the 32 gb storage card they sent...well I'd never heard of the brand nor had I heard of the brand of the three filters....and one of the filters was some type I'd never seen!!!. Eleanor

Check that it has all the extras, strap, batteries, memory card, instructions, software, etc. that was promised. Many of the fly-by-night operations strip everything out of the packages and sell them as parts for higher margins.

[AFairley]

Frequently with these places, if you decline all the "other stuff" the camera suddenly disappears from stock. . . . 

[eleanorbrown]

I'm not surprised. eleanor

Frequently with these places, if you decline all the "other stuff" the camera suddenly disappears from stock. . . . 

[eleanorbrown]

Further update on ajrichard.com....well the "promised" US warranty turned out to be only good in Latin America.... I personally only do business with B&H primarily, but my husband wanted this camera for a trip so he needed it soon....thus the reason we looked for other places with the GH2 in stock.....as others have said..DO NOT DO BUSINESS with this company ....Eleanor

Frequently with these places, if you decline all the "other stuff" the camera suddenly disappears from stock. . . . 

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

Just for information:

One of the two companies I normally buy from here in Sweden has at least 8 samples priced 2283 USD including Swedish sales tax of 25%.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience! I hope that your husband will be satisfied with the camera!

Best regards
Erik

[feppe]

Further update on ajrichard.com....well the "promised" US warranty turned out to be only good in Latin America.... I personally only do business with B&H primarily, but my husband wanted this camera for a trip so he needed it soon....thus the reason we looked for other places with the GH2 in stock.....as others have said..DO NOT DO BUSINESS with this company ....Eleanor

If they claimed it was US warranty you are most likely eligible for full refund. If they are not compliant, call your credit card company - a charge back is a world of hurt for an outfit like that.

[degrub]

Eleanor,

i too just bought a GH2 and it had the warranty paper that indicated Latin America. i purchased from a local shop that does not deal in grey market. They confirmed it was not gray market. i made them get Panasonic on the phone.

i spoke with a Panasonic warranty person this morning, and they said that paper has caused a lot of confusion and they have gotten a lot of calls. She said, " because my GH2 was purchased in the US, it has a US warranty. Just keep the receipt. That paper was for if the camera was purchased outside of the US". Her words, not mine. i am  taking Panasonic at their word.

Frank

[feppe]

i too just bought a GH2 and it had the warranty paper that indicated Latin America. i purchased from a local shop that does not deal in grey market. They confirmed it was not gray market. i made them get Panasonic on the phone.

i spoke with a Panasonic warranty person this morning, and they said that paper has caused a lot of confusion and they have gotten a lot of calls. She said, " because my GH2 was purchased in the US, it has a US warranty. Just keep the receipt. That paper was for if the camera was purchased outside of the US". Her words, not mine. i am  taking Panasonic at their word.

A support rep can not change a company's policy. They can often make exceptions on a case-by-case basis, but since you are unlikely to get the same rep (you got her name?) when you need to claim warranty repairs you might face an uphill battle.

What I'm saying is that they can refuse to honor warranty if the agreement says the warranty is for another region - no matter what a support rep or a local sales rep said. Not saying that's going to happen or is even likely to happen, as end-user driven companies such as Panasonic are very much targeting improvements in customer satisfaction, no matter what you see written on the tabloids and the internets.

[eleanorbrown]

My husband called ajrichard.com this morning to complain about the latin am. warranty and he was given a similar answer that the support rep gave. Eleanor

A support rep can not change a company's policy. They can often make exceptions on a case-by-case basis, but since you are unlikely to get the same rep (you got her name?) when you need to claim warranty repairs you might face an uphill battle.

What I'm saying is that they can refuse to honor warranty if the agreement says the warranty is for another region - no matter what a support rep or a local sales rep said. Not saying that's going to happen or is even likely to happen, as end-user driven companies such as Panasonic are very much targeting improvements in customer satisfaction, no matter what you see written on the tabloids and the internets.

[degrub]

here is the text of my chat with Panasonic from a few minutes ago

Thank you for contacting Panasonic Live Chat. How may I assist you today?
Frank: i have just purchased and registered the DMC-Gh2HK. The paper for warranty suggests that it is only for latin america. i need to confirm that this is a USA warranty item.
Kurt S.: Where did you but the camera?
Frank: Houston Camera Exchange, Houston Tx
Frank: as a local purchase, not web
Frank: serial # WE1EA00xxxx
Kurt S.: Let me do some checks
Frank: ok
Kurt S.: Your warranty information is on page 202 of your manual
Kurt S.: Its covered in the USA
Frank: any different terms from one that is indicated as being USA warranty ?
Kurt S.: ANd it actually says for U.S.A. and Puerto Rico only. Start from page 201
Kurt S.: Are you there?
Frank: so what is the paper that is titled "Limited Worldwide warranty This warranty is valid when the product is purchased in the following countries Latin America " ?
Frank: doc # VQA0884-1M
Kurt S.: Once bought in the U.S.A. it doesn't have worldwide warranty
Kurt S.: It only covers the U.S.A.
Frank: so i ignore that VQA document and go by what is in the manual only ?
Kurt S.: Yes
Frank: ok thanks for clearibg that up
Kurt S.: You're welcome. Have a great day
Panasonic: chat Disconnected.


So check page 201.

Frank