Is Panasonic gear's reliability and durability levels comparable to Canon/Nikon gear?

jalywol wrote:

CaMeRa QuEsT wrote:

Wow, I'm amazed by the 100% positive response you guys have given to my question! I myself have owned quite a lot of Matushita/Panasonic products over my life, all of them being at the top of their game in reliability and durability, and the name has been the top mention in these regards for consumer electronics for as long as I remember. I've only asked because Panasonic is not the top mention in photo gear, mostly because of historical and sales volumes reasons . But seeing that I've gotten a deluge of only positive experiences, I'll definitively go ahead and get me a G7, in black of course. I've got an eye at it because of its excellent SOOC video performance, something that has been very lacking in the Nikon, Canon, Fuji and Sony gear I've owned (somehow my sole Pentax camera, an MX-1 compact, which was basically a re-bodied Olympus XZ-2, had the best SOOC video IQ from all the digital cameras I've owned) and because I'm fed up with DSLR focusing issues and needless bulk.

I'm going to throw a wrench into the works for a moment, here, though.

The G7 is terrific, but what you should REALLY be looking at, for video, is the G85.

The advances between the two cameras are completely worth the price differential.

The G85 has the 5-axis IBIS, which works in video, giving you the equivalent of a built-in steadycam. It also has a better shutter mechanism, that reduces shutter shock likelihood dramatically. There are other improvements also, but if you are planning to do video work, just get the G85 and you will thank yourself down the road.

-J

UK price at the moment taking cashback into consideration is body only, G7 £379 and G80 £479.  I don't know how that compares with where you are but that is a big step up in camera for £100.