Panasonic GH6 Breaks After 15 Months - Repairs Cost $1,100

[Benjobe]

I purchased my Panasonic GH6 in March 2022 and I enjoyed using it for my video production business. I thought it was a big step-up from my GH5 camera bodies which had been my workhorses for a few years. I've been invested in the GH cameras since 2012 and they have never let me down. I still use my GH4 bodies for big multi-cam performance recordings, and I still have my GH3 and GH2-hacked bodies although they don't get used much anymore. My point is that the GH camera line has been dependable for me up until now.

A few weeks ago my GH6 began giving me intermittent error messages that say "Turn camera off and then back on again". This would happen immediately after turning the power on. At first these errors would fix themselves by doing what it said to do. These errors were sporadic and I worked around them. After a week they became more routine. The error would happen every time I turned on the power. The power-cycle fix stopped working. Sometimes removing and replacing the battery would fix it. Sometimes removing and replacing my lens would fix it. However, I soon ran out of fixes and the camera would not work at all.

So I sent it to the Panasonic Service Center for repair. They say that it needs a new IMAGE SENSOR UNIT which costs $930 because the one year warranty is expired. Total repair cost will be over $1,100.


This is very disappointing to say the least. I can find a used GH6 on Ebay for a similar cost. I can buy a used GH6 from B&H for $1400. But why would I want to continue to invest something that will break after only 15 months?

Luckily my GH5 bodies still work fine, as do my GH4 bodies. I can get-by without the GH6, but it's such a bummer. I really enjoyed using it until now.

Please let me know if you have any ideas or advice. Thanks.

 

[NorBro]

Perhaps [and unfortunately] you purchased a partial lemon off the conveyor belt.

It happens...electronics aren't made perfectly, identically.

I'm sure there were hundreds of similar experiences from others with their GH1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s...and other companies.

But those pesky stock warranties should be at least 2 years. That would feel better than 1 year.

 

[Bassman2003]

Disappointing and sorry for the situation. These things are always very expensive to repair, especially the imager or a fixed lens unit. No way around it. This situation always emboldened me to stick with or raise my rates as it is a business in the end and cameras are a fixed cost.

 

[BobKo]

That is a serious bummer... sorry to hear that. I also got a GH6 in March 2022, and it has been great so far. Also, just last month (May 2023), Amazon and B&H had a special on the GH6 for $1,300 after a $400 coupon. They still have the coupon, but the price has gone way up and the camera is now $1,800. If it came to a repaired camera for $1,100 or a new camera for $1,300, I'd probably go for new.

When I bought my GH6, one of my enticements was that the warranty could be extended to 3 years if I registered the purchase. I'm trying to track down that info now to see if my memory is correct.

Edit: I signed up for the extended (3-year) warranty when I bought my GH6, through LUMIX Professional Services. There are two levels of "membership" to LUMIX Professional Services: Paid and free. The free level is called "Red," and registering my camera gave me the warranty extension. Reading the fine print, it sounds like you can register your camera anytime, as long as you bought it from a recognized vendor. Please check it out and register your camera to see if you can still get the warranty extension. Go to www.lumix-pro.us

Good luck!

 

[BobKo]

FWIW, today (July 4) Amazon has the GH6 on sale for $1,697 with a $400-off coupon that you have to check. That makes a new GH6 $1,297. Here's the link to the deal: https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-25-2MP-Mirrorless-Thirds-Unlimited/dp/B09T2RJ27P

 

[NorBro]

I don't see it, maybe was there earlier.

That's really aggressive though...and probably what they should have cost in the beginning to move more of these chips.

 

[BobKo]

I don't see it, maybe was there earlier.

Hmmm... I still see it. This is what I see when I click on the link:

 

[NorBro]

So that link actually doesn't even work for me in this forum (forum has issues with all sorts of links); I have to copy and paste it and then it redirects me and I see the camera and the price but not the $400 coupon.

 

[Peter C.]

...

Please let me know if you have any ideas or advice. Thanks.

I would sell it for parts and use the money to buy a new one with an extended warranty. With electronics you can get these type of failures.

 

[Mark Williams]

Both my GH5 and GH6 cameras came with a 3 year factory warranty. Just had to register it. I see you are in the U.S. Are you sure you don't have coverage?

 

[wjauch]

Hmmm... I still see it. This is what I see when I click on the link:

FYI I still see the $400 off. Search for GH6 on Amazon, click on the little box by the word "coupon" then click "add to cart". It looks like nothing happens, but when you get to checkout the price has indeed gone down $400

 

[NorBro]

I see the box today, crystal clear...but yesterday it was nowhere to be found where I was looking.

I took 3 different screenshots but checking back now none of them are "sold by" Amazon.com which is likely why.

Maybe the stars in the universe aligned at just the right time during my search for the algorithm to not be showing any GH6s sold from Amazon.

 

[Benjobe]

I signed up for the extended (3-year) warranty when I bought my GH6, through LUMIX Professional Services. There are two levels of "membership" to LUMIX Professional Services: Paid and free. The free level is called "Red," and registering my camera gave me the warranty extension. Reading the fine print, it sounds like you can register your camera anytime, as long as you bought it from a recognized vendor. Please check it out and register your camera to see if you can still get the warranty extension. Go to www.lumix-pro.us

Good luck!

Thank you so much for sharing that. I signed up for the free membership and registered my GH6. I notified the Panasonic Repair Service Center and asked them to adjust the cost estimate. I am waiting for their reply. I will update this thread when I have more information. Fingers crossed.

 

[Peter C.]

Thank you so much for sharing that. I signed up for the free membership and registered my GH6. I notified the Panasonic Repair Service Center and asked them to adjust the cost estimate. I am waiting for their reply. I will update this thread when I have more information. Fingers crossed.

Wow if that works