Where in the world am I supposed to get the 20mm 1.7?

The P20 seems to go through shortages once or twice a year it seems. A testament to its popularity as one of the best lenses on the platform, even 2+ years since launch. Whereabouts in the world are you located/shopping?

If you don't want to pay the retail premium, your only option is really used. Even still, you're probably looking at $300-350 easily. I would only part with mine if I decided to pony up to a PL25 (possible), or leave the platform entirely (unlikely). That's a fairly common sentiment around these parts at least...  

 

Adorama and BHphoto has (or had) it for about $359. They were in stock earlier this week, but it looks like it is sold out (again)

 

It's kind of crazy right now.

I bought mine in January for $340 new, and the best price I can find on Amazon now for a new one is $529.

Seems really odd, such fluctuations in such short time.

 

Supply and demand! When demand outstrips supply, prices go up. When supply outstrips demand, prices go down.

It's unlikely the manufacturing plant is set to just constantly churn out this one lens. More likely that they do lenses in batches. If that's the case, then supply will ebb and flow with production runs.

 

Since nobody wants to stock unsold inventory, multi tiered distribution chains tend to whipsaw.. the factory sees extremes of high demand and no demand.. this is a side effect of manufacturing and shipping taken months from the time they receive the "high demand" signal..

 

I got mine from eBay, just a few weeks ago, under $400- for a used one, it was pristine.

 

I got mine from ebay as well, reputable seller and it came pretty quick, it is HARD TO FIND. Good luck.

 

Yeah, try and get a good bid on Ebay. If not, I saw someone was selling a GF1 w/ panny 20mm 1.7 for around $500. You can try and negotiate for just the lens, or buy it all and sell the body. Good luck! :smile:

 

I told a friend of mine to optimize the sale of his 20mm by squeezing in the GF-1 as an oversized len's cap.

 

Here's one for $379 that is available now:
EVS Online: Panasonic Lumix 20mm f/1.7 Aspheric G- Series Lens

 

These type of posts keep making me want to sll my 20 and save up for the pl25! Aaaaaaaaah!!!

- Eliot

 

I was just on the B&H website, and right now it shows as in stock.

 

Carmen Sandiego has two of them, if you can catch her.  

 

No problems in Europe as far as I can see. There is even 50GBP cashback in UK, but this only brings the lens to the normal US price.

I don't mind replacing wide availability with cheap prices  

 

It's scarce new and everyone selling it used is doing a little price gouging. Too bad: I just sold mine on ebay for $300 in order to finance the PL25mm (which came in today!!!!). The 25 is scarce too and used prices are jacked up because of it.

Grab the one from EVS. That's where I got the 25mm, and I think they may be the only place in the country that has these things new -- and probably not for long.

 

Samys had it in stock last week for 340. you can pre order it from crutchfield for 350 and have it sent at that price rather than waiting for B&H to lower their prices.

 

hahaha lolz

 

just keep watching all the usual suspects (or sign up for email alerts) until one shows up for around USD$340-350 (maybe as low as 320!) then pounce! And fast! They tend to go back out of stock within 48hrs or so lately.
The more patient you are, the more happy you'll be when it's finally yours.
I just got mine in the UK for GBP£270 (before cashback) this week.