New Matte Black 14-140 Availability

brosenz wrote:

Just to clarify my question, today in Black Color there are 3 options:

#1: Lumix G Vario 14-140mm f/4.0-5.8 MEGA O.I.S. (H-VS014140)

#2: Lumix G Vario 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 POWER O.I.S. (H-FS14140K)

#3: Lumix G Vario 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 POWER O.I.S. (H-FS14140AK)

I am asking for #3 the latest version, it's the same as #2 but with a Matte Black finish. #2 is the glossy black finish. #1 is the original version that is almost double the weight of the other 2 and it has grey color finish.

I'd an old thread about it after tested it in Panny's showroom with GX8.

From the long discussion with showroom staffs, I understood that the matt version, a kit of GX8, should be same (in content) as the older 2 colors of the M2 version.

At that discussion, showroom staffs (unlike in other countries, there is only one sole authorized dealer in my city and it maintains a few showrooms for all of panny's products) guessed that the matt finish is to distinguish the kit version (cheaper) than a normal retail version avoid buyers to pay more for a de-kit lens which is not welcome by Panny. (P.S. its also a kit of G7.)

In my city, the listed price of GX8 body is US$1,332, with kit lens 14-140 M2 (Matt) is US$1,832 ==> 14-140M2 (matt) is merely US$500. The retail version of 14-140M2 is US$704, theoretically a de-kit 14-140 M2 (matt) would mean a savings of US$204 (30% discount).

However, a week later after learnt that B&H (IIRC?) listed the matt version together with other 2 clolor versions of M2 (but likely US$200+ more), I just thought my local Panny office might give me bad information and so withdrew my previous thread... (BTW, it is not officially sold stand alone in my city yet).

That is the information I got. If you like the finish, or could get it cheaper than a retail version, it could be a good deal. Otherwise, as the latest fw update for 14-140 M2 had been released making it DFD compatible to GX8 (suspected only difference between the matt version and its siblings), all 3 are basically the same lens.