Looking for advice on choosing sellers

[Kakodrilo]

Hi Everybody!

I am in the process of buying a Canon EOS 500D with EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS USM and EF-S 17-55 F2.8 IS USM lenses and I am not interested on paying full price. The reason is I am leaving Australia in few months, hence Canon's official warranty won't apply (unless I buy from Europe, where I am moving to). So Iam looking for cheap reputable places to buy.

I have found places like http://www.camerasdirect.com.au (CD) quite cheap and with positive reviews in this forum, also places like http://www.bhphotovideo.com (BHP), do you know of any other?

If I buy one month before leaving I can claim the tax back if I buy from an Australian importer (grey or official) which issues tax receip (I understand that CD does that). If I buy from BHP (cheaper even after adding shipping costs) I might buy without taxes (so it will be cheaper) but I am not sure if there is any extra charge at customs when the items enter the country.

Thank you very much in advance, any help is more than welcome,

Cheers,
Kakodrilo

[Mr Darcy]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

If you check the FAQ, and for that matter the top of EVERY page, you will note that having a meaningful location is a requirement for this forum.

One of the reasons for this is that it makes it possible to answer questions like this. Without knowing where you live (roughly!) it is impossible to answer.

[aim54x]

if you have a look for cameras direct on this forum there should be some interesting reading. As for recommendations, have a look at d-d-photographics if your considering grey. Otherwise I would be walking into my local camera house and pounding the salesperson with some smart pricing (shopbot helps...have a look at Tom Saades Camera House, Gerry Gibbs Camera House, Camera Action Camera House, Digidirect and DigitalCameraWarehouse for competitive pricing for australian stock).

[Kakodrilo]

If you check the FAQ, and for that matter the top of EVERY page, you will note that having a meaningful location is a requirement for this forum.

I hope I have already fixed this. After registering I rushed into posting.

Thank you very much for the interest shown and the advice. Under normal circustances I tend to preffer reliable shops I can go and talk and touch the merchandise (specially if I am laying a few grands), but I was shocked when I found out Canon warranty isn't global, hence paying that extra money won't do me any good when I leave Australia

I have read posts on cameras direct in the forum and I am happy with what I have read. I will check for the other sellers you have mentioned.

Once again, many thanks
Kakodrilo

[Wink]

Don't L series lenses have international warranty?

[aim54x]

Don't L series lenses have international warranty?

Lenses and accessories have an international warranty, what the OP may have been referring to is the blanket argument that (is not entrely untrue) Canon does not provide warranty for grey stock. Working in camera retail I can verify that Nikon (and most likely Canon) DO provide a warranty for grey stock on the basis that:
-the item was bought directly from an authorised reseller
-the item has a genuine warranty card
-the warranty card has been stamped by the dealer

HOWEVER, it must be kept in mind that:
-NIkon Aust (and most likely Canon) treat anything purchased off eBay as 2nd hand, EMPATHSIS on ANYTHING
-DIRECTLY means you were in the foreign country to purchase the product (ie your Nikon USA lens was bought whilst you were in the USA).

This is what I got clarified for me by Nikon Australia's National Sales Manager, but I will try to get a clarification from Canon, but I would imagine that Canon would have a very similar policy.

I do however know that grey import L lenses will not count to a CPS (Canon Pro Services) membership.

[aim54x]

I have read posts on cameras direct in the forum and I am happy with what I have read. I will check for the other sellers you have mentioned.

Cameras Direct make me think of this post here:
http://www.dslrusers.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=34395

It may have been an isolated case, but it is one that comes to mind for me.

[Kakodrilo]

Cameras Direct make me think of this post here:
http://www.dslrusers.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=34395

It may have been an isolated case, but it is one that comes to mind for me.

Yes, I read that one before posting... an interesting case no doubt, hopefully isolated.

Regarding to the Canon waranty I can only talk what happened to a professional photographer we work with every now and then: he bought a lens from Canon in the USA (not sure it was an L or not, probably it was) in an official retailer, few months later, in Australia, he had to make use of the warranty and Canon said it wasn't possible because the lens was bought in a different region. He had to pay for the service (I am not sure what was the matter but according to him it should have been accepted within the warranty).

Furthermore, I asked official retailers in Sydney (CameraHouse and Ted's Cameras) and the sellers in both places told me the same, canon warranty is limited to the region you buy it. Please correct me if I am mistaken. In this case I was asking for non L series lenses. I will try to find out more, because worldwide warranty is more important (to me) than importing just cheap.

[Kakodrilo]

If anybody has further information on L series lenses warranty, please correct me if I am wrong, but so far the general warranty from canon says

Subject to paragraph 4, this warranty is valid only for Products that are purchased new and unused in Australia or New Zealand from Canon Australia Pty Ltd, Canon New Zealand Ltd or a reseller authorised by either of those companies. The Customer must provide the original proof of purchase from one those organisations to receive any services under this warranty.

Source: http://www.canon.com.au/en-AU/Support-S ... anty-Terms

[photohiker]

Hi.

This whole warranty thing is a crooked can of worms. If you are moving to Europe, is it an option for you to buy your requirements from your intended destination, picking up the local warranty?

Michael

[Kakodrilo]

Hi.

This whole warranty thing is a crooked can of worms. If you are moving to Europe, is it an option for you to buy your requirements from your intended destination, picking up the local warranty?

Michael

Well... technically I can buy there but I need it to be sent (extra posting) to here if I want to take pictures of Australia. Chances are that I won't be coming back, at least in a long time. Other reason of buying here (just the month before leaving) was claming the taxes back at the airport's customs... but if the warranty is not going to be valid in Europe, no gain going with official dealers. It is catch 22, so now I am focusing on getting good deals. Sad, I know

[MCWB]

When I was there in 2005, photo gear was heaps more expensive in Europe than even Australian prices, let alone grey imports from HK. I would be buying here either way...

[Mr Darcy]

Many of the reputable grey sellers run their own warranty system, but that means that you need to return it to point of sale to get it fixed under warranty.

I have had good dealings with DD photgraphics, and their prices are reasonable. And I know several members have returned gear to HK for warranty repair & had it fixed & returned faster than is often the case with local (Nikon) repair. They were still well in front financially too.

Also keep in mind your chances of needing repair in the warranty period. You can just ignore any warranty & hope you don't need it, or if you do, pay for repair. We have a D70 & D200 as well as a number of lenses. Only one lens has ever needed repair.

[Kakodrilo]

Also keep in mind your chances of needing repair in the warranty period. You can just ignore any warranty & hope you don't need it, or if you do, pay for repair.

I tend to be paranoid as Murphy's Law is always there: "If something can go wrong, it will". I never intended to disregard the warranty services (official or grey importers in-house). My point was that if I bought from an official reseller in Australia, once I am away I would need to resend the machine/lens to Australia to be serviced, which is not too different to the system used by grey importers, so the peace of mind of buying from an autorised reseller is gone once I am away.

Once again, thank you very much for all the wisdom and insight you are sharing.

Cheers,
Kakodrilo

[Mr Darcy]

I tend to be paranoid as Murphy's Law is always there: "If something can go wrong, it will".

Bah Humbug.
Murphy's Law is nonsense.
I believe in the much more accurate O'Reilly's Law*












*

Murphy was an optimist

[Kakodrilo]

I tend to be paranoid as Murphy's Law is always there: "If something can go wrong, it will".

Bah Humbug.
Murphy's Law is nonsense.
I believe in the much more accurate O'Reilly's Law*

*

Murphy was an optimist