I couldn't resist. The pricing on the G9 was too good. I'm sure it will be superseded next week by the G10.... Here's my story.

Of all the cameras I regret selling (and there have only been a few whose absence I really feel) the Panasonic G9 is at the top of the list. Lately, here on the blog, I've been sharing photographs and stories about jobs done back in 2018-2020 with a pair of G9s that I bought new. The cameras and also the lenses were very good but I succumbed to the lure of full frame and the G9s were shuffled off in some misguided trade deal. I figured that with the pandemic and the almost total halt to jobs in 2020-2021 that if I didn't sell the older stuff it would be rendered obsolete over time. Of course, I have been wrong many times before.

Recently I bought a GH5ii and also the newer GH6 and I've used both on two larger event projects as well as some smaller portrait sessions. Both are excellent cameras and they are well packed with features but...I made the mistake of casually handling a used G9 at the local camera store and all the nostalgia and good memories of the jobs and personal work done with that camera came flooding back to me. Why? Because the camera is shaped and designed to be just right in my hands and just right, technically, for most of my uses.

I've gone back and forth over the last two weeks, trying to decide if I really needed to re-invest in one of the new G9s the store had in inventory or if I was letting emotion cloud my fiscal judgement. But you know the story, emotion easily trumped the logical part of my brain and I let my favorite camera "consultant" at my local store know that I was seriously considering restocking the camera --- mostly for old time's sake but also because I am convinced that once they exit the market that design and configuration will disappear as well. And then I'll want one and they'll be gone.

I called earlier in the week to check on pricing. There's a general sale going on across most of the USA dealers that dropped the price from $1299 to $997. I continued to mull over the my state of need, the health of the stock market, my latest property appraisal and the price of unleaded gas. 

Yesterday my "consultant" texted me to let me know that the store was offering an additional $100 "instant rebate" off the already manufacturer rebated price. This would bring the camera price down to $897. I gave up my temporary bout of financial responsibility and sent back a text saying that I'd like to come by and grab one of the G9s while they were still in stock. I hate driving at rush hour so instead of zooming out there yesterday in the late afternoon I asked him to meet me at the store at 10 a.m. this morning and I'd get the camera from him then. 

At the risk of jinxing myself I seem to be having a really good day today. I showed up at 10 a.m. and there was a line of customers wrapped around the side of the Precision Camera building waiting to get in at the opening. Nice for Precision Camera. I got into the line and asked what the deal was. PC was holding a "Photo Expo" and giving out random coupons to the first 50 people in line. Most of the coupons were for small discounts on gear or free lens cleaners or something. But I was told that one lucky coupon out of the 50 was for $100 off anything. No strings attached.

The doors opened, the manager shuffled the coupons, greeted the customers and let each one pick their own coupon. The coupons were face down so no one knew what was on the face until after they selected it. I never win at small things so I presumed I'd get a lens blower or a $5 off coupon. I pulled a card from the stack and turned it over. I had just selected the $100 coupon. Which I could immediately apply to my G9 purchase. That brought the price down to $797 but the fun didn't stop there. 

For this "Photo Expo" there were a number of representatives from the major (and minor) camera manufacturers and accessory makers on hand to show off their lines and to answer questions. The Panasonic guy was there. I went over and after a bit of desultory back and forth I cut to the chase and asked him why "every time I buy a new Panasonic camera there is always a sale on the same product the following week or, more recently, a free battery offer attached? I always seem to miss the sales and I always missed the battery giveaway." 

The rep glanced at my boxed G9 and said, "We're out of G9 batteries. It's too bad you didn't get an S5 because we've got plenty of batteries for that camera." I smiled and said, "I do have an S5, and a GH5ii and a GH6 and I didn't get extra, free batteries for those either." The rep graciously admitted defeat and turned to my "consultant" and asked him to pull a free battery for me out of stock. And yes, the S5 batteries are backwardly compatible with the G9. 

I didn't want to push my luck any further so I took my purchase and my additional battery and headed to my car. Which I drove home very carefully just in case the universe was looking to balance out my good fortune with a bit of friction. 

The final pleasant surprise was that Panasonic had updated the firmware in all the current G9s in inventory so when I pulled it out of the wrapping the camera was already showing the latest firmware. That's a nice touch. 

Back home safely, batteries charging, camera date and time set, memory card inserted and formatted. 

Ah. What a charming camera.