Reading mode: Light Dark

is there a way to determine the date of manufacture of Panasonic cameras?

Go to last post
I checked the CAMERA INFO screen on my FZ200 and all I get is:
  • VER: 1.06:0000:0001
  • NO.: O081208240014
  • PWRCNT: 7964
  • SHTCNT: 118675
  • STBCNT: 5844
  • PSVCNT: 65
If it's in there it would have to be coded into the NO. value. Perhaps O08 is a model code and this was the 14th O08 unit produced on Aug 24, 2012? Note that the camera was purchased in November, 2012. Perhaps if others were to check their CAMERA INFO page we could come up with a pattern.

Procedures to access this information for severalsFZ models can be found here:

Panasonic FZ Shutter Counts

I do see that I average about 15 shots per power cycle!

--
Bruce
You learn something new every time you press the shutter
 
Last edited:
Nobody's willing to check their camera's CAMERA INFO page in the interest of seeing if the build date is encoded within? C'mon - it's easy! (Well, some keypresses aren't.) But it would be interesting to see what FZ1000 and FZ2X00 have to say!
 
kkardster said:
Nobody's willing to check their camera's CAMERA INFO page in the interest of seeing if the build date is encoded within? C'mon - it's easy! (Well, some keypresses aren't.) But it would be interesting to see what FZ1000 and FZ2X00 have to say!
Click to expand...
 
kkardster said:
Nobody's willing to check their camera's CAMERA INFO page in the interest of seeing if the build date is encoded within? C'mon - it's easy! (Well, some keypresses aren't.) But it would be interesting to see what FZ1000 and FZ2X00 have to say!
Click to expand...
 
IAMAI said:
kkardster said:
Nobody's willing to check their camera's CAMERA INFO page in the interest of seeing if the build date is encoded within? C'mon - it's easy! (Well, some keypresses aren't.) But it would be interesting to see what FZ1000 and FZ2X00 have to say!

--
Bruce
You learn something new every time you press the shutter
Click to expand...
Do you have the instructions?
Click to expand...
There's a link in my first response - it's the page with the shutter count [on my FZ200 anyway].

4286078713ab4b329ec7e7029a086620.jpg

Note that the first page to come up shows some error codes. One has the use the specified button combination to cycle through the pages.

--
Bruce
You learn something new every time you press the shutter
 
Last edited:
IAMAI said:
My FZ2500

3296b624345f4a2cb418cc1efe4f85fa.jpg
Click to expand...
Thanks Mark! It looks like we might be on to something here. Perhaps your FZ2500 is the 56th XIR (FZ2500) unit manufactured on March 27, 2017?!!!

--
Bruce
You learn something new every time you press the shutter
 
Thanks!

This is what I got from the FZ1000 that I received from Amazon yesterday: (the $499 Prime Day special, sold and shipped by Amazon.com, not 3rd party)

VER 2.23:0000

NO.: F681805310068

PWRCNT: 19

SHTCNT: 117

STBCNT: 11

I kind of doubt that the 180531 means May 31, 2018. The FZ1000 has been out since 2014 and Panasonic probably isn't still making it in May 2018?
 
KierstenCDG said:
Thanks!

This is what I got from the FZ1000 that I received from Amazon yesterday: (the $499 Prime Day special, sold and shipped by Amazon.com, not 3rd party)

VER 2.23:0000

NO.: F681805310068

PWRCNT: 19

SHTCNT: 117

STBCNT: 11

I kind of doubt that the 180531 means May 31, 2018. The FZ1000 has been out since 2014 and Panasonic probably isn't still making it in May 2018?
Click to expand...
It is interesting that all three from our small sample do follow a similar pattern that could make sense. And although many seem to think Panasonic has likely stopped manufacturing the FZ1000, there's been no rumour of its demise. And it's just as possible that they produce the FZ1000 in batches and may have recently batched a bunch for Amazon Prime Day.

I'd like to see a few more "NO:" values and purchase dates to see if the "dates" portion continue to make sense and whether or not the first three characters are the same for the same camera models.

I did check the FZ200 Service Manual and see that these screens are part of Service Mode, which includes access to the Error Code Display and the Operational History Display. Although the manual dedicates three pages to Service Mode, they detail the Error Code Display but not the Operational History Display where these values are found. Perhaps the Operational History Display is documented in the service manual for a different camera model.

Bruce
You learn something new every time you press the shutter
 
Last edited:
KierstenCDG said:
Thanks!

This is what I got from the FZ1000 that I received from Amazon yesterday: (the $499 Prime Day special, sold and shipped by Amazon.com, not 3rd party)

VER 2.23:0000

NO.: F681805310068

PWRCNT: 19

SHTCNT: 117

STBCNT: 11
Click to expand...
KierstenCDG said:
I kind of doubt that the 180531 means May 31, 2018. The FZ1000 has been out since 2014 and Panasonic probably isn't still making it in May 2018?
Click to expand...
Why not ? They still sell them on their website, so why wouldn't they still be making them if they still sell.
 
IAMAI said:
KierstenCDG said:
Thanks!

This is what I got from the FZ1000 that I received from Amazon yesterday: (the $499 Prime Day special, sold and shipped by Amazon.com, not 3rd party)

VER 2.23:0000

NO.: F681805310068

PWRCNT: 19

SHTCNT: 117

STBCNT: 11

I kind of doubt that the 180531 means May 31, 2018. The FZ1000 has been out since 2014 and Panasonic probably isn't still making it in May 2018?
Click to expand...
Why not ? They still sell them on their website, so why wouldn't they still be making them if they still sell.

--
-- Mark --
Click to expand...
true... but if the May 31, 2018 date is correct, that means it was produced just 46 days ago? May 31 to July 16(Amazon Prime Day, the date I ordered it) :)
 
KierstenCDG said:
IAMAI said:
KierstenCDG said:
Thanks!

This is what I got from the FZ1000 that I received from Amazon yesterday: (the $499 Prime Day special, sold and shipped by Amazon.com, not 3rd party)

VER 2.23:0000

NO.: F681805310068

PWRCNT: 19

SHTCNT: 117

STBCNT: 11

I kind of doubt that the 180531 means May 31, 2018. The FZ1000 has been out since 2014 and Panasonic probably isn't still making it in May 2018?
Click to expand...
Why not ? They still sell them on their website, so why wouldn't they still be making them if they still sell.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
kkardster said:
I'd like to see a few more "NO:" values and purchase dates to see if the "dates" portion continue to make sense and whether or not the first three characters are the same for the same camera models.

Bruce
You learn something new every time you press the shutter
Click to expand...
There are a lot of screenshots people took of their Panasonic camera info page..... so I assume it's possible to figure it somehow... seems like a project for Sherlock Holmes. :)

https://www.google.com/search?q=pan...ua_cAhVJUK0KHeXJD9kQ_AUIDCgD&biw=1280&bih=642
 
Last edited:
Here's my FZ2500. Purchased end-of-March 2017:

f8fc646a918b4d14a7f6c49180e04902.jpg

And yes, that shutter count is correct. Still working like a champ!

Steve
 
kkardster said:
I checked the CAMERA INFO screen on my FZ200 and all I get is:
  • VER: 1.06:0000:0001
  • NO.: O081208240014
  • PWRCNT: 7964
  • SHTCNT: 118675
  • STBCNT: 5844
  • PSVCNT: 65
If it's in there it would have to be coded into the NO. value. Perhaps O08 is a model code and this was the 14th O08 unit produced on Aug 24, 2012? Note that the camera was purchased in November, 2012. Perhaps if others were to check their CAMERA INFO page we could come up with a pattern.

Procedures to access this information for severalsFZ models can be found here:

Panasonic FZ Shutter Counts

I do see that I average about 15 shots per power cycle!
Click to expand...
 
KierstenCDG said:
kkardster said:
I'd like to see a few more "NO:" values and purchase dates to see if the "dates" portion continue to make sense and whether or not the first three characters are the same for the same camera models.

Bruce
You learn something new every time you press the shutter
Click to expand...
There are a lot of screenshots people took of their Panasonic camera info page..... so I assume it's possible to figure it somehow... seems like a project for Sherlock Holmes. :)

https://www.google.com/search?q=pan...ua_cAhVJUK0KHeXJD9kQ_AUIDCgD&biw=1280&bih=642
Click to expand...
Good idea. I've looked at several examples and the theorom seems to hold true. The 3-digit code seems to be the same for the same camera models (with slight variances likely due to region and/or color) and the "date" appears to jive with the model availabilty. Comparisons between models seem to fit as well - i.e. LX3 are older than LX7, FZ200 older than FZ300, etc.

More examples would be welcome here.

We'll never get enough samples, but if there were ever enough it would be interesting if we could determine whether or not any sub-par copies of models can be correlated with particular days of the week. Like they say, you don't want to buy the car that was made on Monday morning or Friday afternoon!
 
edhume said:
At your link was a further link to a LX page. There is nothing in the manual or in the Menu section of the camera. Following the multiple keypress instructions , going to the 2d page, I was able to find the info page. There does not seem to be a way to make a screenshot, but the camera number is F081208080239 on my LX7. This might mean that it was the 239th LX7 (or F08) that was made on 2012-08-08 (8/8/12). That makes sense for this camera.
Click to expand...
Thanks or your input Ed.

The Service Mode is documented in the Service Manual, so you won't find it in the manuals that come with the camera. Here's the first of three Service Mode pages from the FZ200 Service Manual where the procedure to enter Service Mode is detailed:

FZ200 Service Mode manual snippet
FZ200 Service Mode manual snippet

--
Bruce
You learn something new every time you press the shutter
 
Last edited:
Most excellent info. Now, how does one get Service manuals? I have old tech in the LX7 and LF1. Sure would be nice to have Service manuals for them.
 
edhume said:
Most excellent info. Now, how does one get Service manuals? I have old tech in the LX7 and LF1. Sure would be nice to have Service manuals for them.
Click to expand...
I got lucky long ago with a google search that found mine without having to pay for it. I've never stumbled across a public Panasonic site with service manuals and wonder if these on-line manual sites truly have the right to charge for Panasonic's copyrighted materials?!!!

Many of the adjustments require specialized equipment but with it as a reference I was able to replace my faulty control wheel and will have no qualms should I ever need to crack her open again!

FZ200: DIY Rear Wheel/Switch Fix

--

Bruce
You learn something new every time you press the shutter
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top