GH2 "This battery cannot be used" error on brand new camera and battery

Disastronaut

Disastronaut

Member
Just got the camera today and am using stock Panasonic battery. Looked at the contacts and everything is making contact. Battery charged for two hours before light went off, I thought it normally took longer than that the first time you charge it, though. Battery is currently back on the charger to see if it just didn't get fully charged and that that - hopefully - is causing the error.

Frustrated...
 
I got one of the very first GH2s they made in the US back in December of 2010. It did the exact same thing you are describing. I thought the battery was the problem so I bought two more original Panasonic batteries. Neither of those worked so the camera was returned.

I am sorry to say that your camera is defective. I would return it immediately. It will take forever for Panasonic to repair it. I ended up buying another one a few days later for $200 over MSRP because I really needed it. It was worth the extra money not to have a broken camera.
 
The hack doesn't remove the battery check either so it won't help. If it was a GH1 the hack would resolve the issue.
 
If i pop the flash up the camera will stay on for about 30 seconds, then says "Please turn camera off and back on" then it goes to the aforementioned battery error. With the flash down it just shows the battery error.

Just my luck, defective camera.
 
In regards to defective cameras: Is it random or are there batches that are bad? I am thinking of ordering another GH2 while waiting for B&H to get back to me with my RMA info, just wondering if it's safe to order another GH2 from them or go someplace else. If they got a bad batch or something.
 
Sorry about your difficulties. I just picked up a GH2 from Adorama here in NYC last week and it seems to be fine (I noticed they're sold out though). JR Computer (also in NYC) is a reputable dealer and they appear to have the cam in stock (1199 for 14-140 kit and 899 for 14-42 with free shipping). Hope this helps.
 
It is a very isolated condition. Yours and my old one are the only two I have ever heard of that have the problem. A lot of other people got cameras from the same store and batch and none of them had the problem. Just order another one and return the defective one. I had to carry two of them on a credit card for about 1 month until the return went through.
 
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