The light wasn't wonderful yesterday, contrary to the weather forecast so I didn't get much with the Leica 14-50mm f3.5-5.6 D. I will do this better at some later date.
CONCLUSION
There will be no great surprises here as much of it has been said already. This has been less of a review than a user experience. This is not a camera I've been sent to assess and then send back, its a camera I have bought. If I don't like it, I'm stuck with it!
However there wasn't much doubt that I wouldn't like it. There were enough samples around before it even arrived on my doorstep for me to be fairly certain that it would produce excellent results. And so it has proved.
There are often questions on forums as to whether m4/3 can compete with DSLR's. After the GH2 there may be other questions posed. Such as those from DSLR owners saying "Why can't my camera do what the GH2 can?" There is such a breadth of quality features on this new Panasonic camera plus the addition of of some genuinely innovative ones that m4/3 is not struggling to catch up with the DSLR world but has overtaken much of it.
Articulated screen, HD video with full manual control, 18MP multi-aspect sensor, 1 to 1 crop video mode, touch screen control, faster AF, manual focus assistance, great ergonomics, light, small, the ability to use literally 1000's of lenses are some of the features the GH2 can offer. The old criticisms of poor high ISO performance and dynamic range have been addressed with the new sensor and the GH2 can now hold its own in those areas.
Despite Panasonics insistence on including "Intelligent Auto" and those ridiculous pictogram program modes, this isn't a point and shoot, a beginners camera or an electronic toy. This is a serious camera for serious photography and videography.
OK there may be parts of the new menu system that I don't like, but there's nothing I can't live with. Whether the body is up to extended and long term use I can't say. The two GH1's that I have bought have both stood up to whatever I've asked them to do and are still working perfectly, so it is to be hoped that the GH2 will follow suit.
I haven't mentioned the picture quality yet. However from all the previous sections you will have realised by now that I'm very impressed with it. The 16MP files have the "glossy" Panasonic look I like. The sensor does justice to all the lenses I have used on it, producing sharp, detailed images that are a pleasure to look at.
A camera I will use with pleasure and confidence.