[UncleVanya]

Thanks for all the thoughts. Looks like my decision to wait was made for me...

My point-n-shoot Panasonic has a failing zoom switch (I bought it refurbished). Average repair is $182 + $7 shipping (90 warranty on zoom switch only). Or buy the same camera new for $250. Or the current model for $450. Or a Panasonic gx85 for a little more. Or, well, I better stop there or else I'll end up with a K-1 II "point-n-shoot". So I have a gx85 that'll I'll have to learn better since I never fully learned my last Panasonic (exact same interface, warts and all). Personally, the Panasonic cameras take good photos / videos but it makes my wife's Canon interface look nice (I think Pentax still has the best UI even if it changes a little between cameras). Of course my opinion could change once I learn the interface better...

WOW - I have the opposite view. I find Pentax and Panasonic to be the easiest to use. Nikon is a bit harder for me (unfamiliarity) and Canon is incomprehensible. Oly is a bit busy and confusing. Sony is really weirdly organized.

[reh321]

I think Pentax still has the best UI even if it changes a little between cameras

Usually minor changes conceptually. My Pentax K-30 and Pentax Q-7 are very close in organization.

[jspi]

WOW - I have the opposite view. I find Pentax and Panasonic to be the easiest to use. Nikon is a bit harder for me (unfamiliarity) and Canon is incomprehensible. Oly is a bit busy and confusing. Sony is really weirdly organized.

To be fair, most of my DSLR knowledge is Pentax. My wife uses Canon and likes the interface. We both have Panasonic as point-n-shoot but she's happier with the interface than I am (we're both happy with picture / video quality). I haven't used Nikon or Oly enough to have an opinion. And that's all it is, an opinion. Getting more familiar with the Panasonic interface will make me happier.

Some how last night I disabled the flash. It was up but wouldn't fire. Googled the issue and supposedly the flash fires except with certain modes / settings (none of those were enabled). Reset all settings to default and the flash works again. The fun of new toys...

[UncleVanya]

To be fair, most of my DSLR knowledge is Pentax. My wife uses Canon and likes the interface. We both have Panasonic as point-n-shoot but she's happier with the interface than I am (we're both happy with picture / video quality). I haven't used Nikon or Oly enough to have an opinion. And that's all it is, an opinion. Getting more familiar with the Panasonic interface will make me happier.

Some how last night I disabled the flash. It was up but wouldn't fire. Googled the issue and supposedly the flash fires except with certain modes / settings (none of those were enabled). Reset all settings to default and the flash works again. The fun of new toys...

That's fair. Industry reviewers view is that Oly is harder to grasp the interface than Panasonic - I find that to be true. Nikon easier than Canon - also true for me. Most Pentax users find Pentax easiest but a lot of reviews find it dated and stale. I'm not sure that innovative and confusing is better. LOL.

I'm glad you got the flash working again - things like that are frustrating.

[jspi]

I'm glad you got the flash working again - things like that are frustrating.

At lunch I went through the settings again. Make one change, test flash. Repeat. The camera has a "Silent Mode" option. I assumed that killed all sounds. A better name would be "Stealth Mode" because it also kills the AF light and flash. Or maybe "Concert Mode"? Can't gripe too much when RTM fixed the issue.

[clackers]

At lunch I went through the settings again. Make one change, test flash. Repeat. The camera has a "Silent Mode" option. I assumed that killed all sounds. A better name would be "Stealth Mode" because it also kills the AF light and flash. Or maybe "Concert Mode"? Can't gripe too much when RTM fixed the issue.

That'd be because the 'Silent Mode' would use the electronic rather than mechanical shutter. An electronic shutter is so slow reading from the top of the sensor to the bottom that only the upper part of the frame would be lit, the bottom left dark.