Buy DSLR Lenses in China or US

[troysmith]

A bit off topic but... if you had a choice to buy DSLR equipment (lenses, specifically) would you get it in the US, HK, or Beijing? Thanks!

I was in Shanghai a couple of years ago and bought a supposedly new point and shoot and when I returned home with it, the number count had indicated it was already up to 3000 and the battery died within an hour. I went back and demanded a new camera, was told it wasn't available and I'd have to wait a week... So whatever, camera still worked and he gave me a new battery. But still, I'd prefer to avoid such shady dealings in the future if I can.

Edited May 22, 2009 at 03:30 PM by troysmith

[roddy]

Not off topic now I've moved it

[Shadowdh]

A few years ago I bought a Nikon D70s and its still going fantastically... best camera I have owned... I got it in the Zhongguancun area of Beijing, much cheaper than the UK...

[roddy]

Quite possible that the changes in exchange rates will have wiped out a large part of any savings - check prices at wherever you would buy in the UK, Beijing (I've used rayi.cn before, but that was some years back) and HK, and see how it works out. Watch out also for warranty issues.

[Shadowdh]

The exchange rate thing is a very very good point... When I bought my camera setup the rate was 15 yuan to £1... now its about 2/3 that...

[jcarnold]

My girlfriend recently checked the price of a new flash gun for my camera. In reputatble shop in Beijing the normal price was about 1900 Yuan, in the UK the price is about £210.

I figured the price difference was not enough to worry about paying import taxes etc and also buying uk, there is more chance of a warranty claim if there is a problem. At the time the exchange rate was about 10 Yuan to 1 GBP.

[adrianlondon]

I was looking at the Canon 30D while I was in Beijing at the end of 2006. It hit 16y to £1 at that point, but even then there were better online deals in the UK.

As it was, I got a point and shoot (Canon Powershot S80) instead. I bought the 40D at the beginning of 2008 and got a fantastic price in the UK as part of a kit, and also saved 17% by buying it at Heathrow airport. Due to the Japanese yen it's now more expensive than it was nearly 1.5 years ago, despite the 50D coming out in the meantime.

Basically, check the prices but it's my experience that Beijing won't be cheap (the body might be comparable but lenses were very expensive), I don't trust HK, and I would buy in the US (or the UK). You can check Singapore but I still think somewhere like B&H or Adorama will be cheaper.

Edited May 22, 2009 at 10:23 PM by adrianlondon
that/than typo