Importing from the US - Canon 7D

[surenj]

I have been comtemplating getting a friend to bring a Canon 7D when he returns from the USA in a few weeks. As you will all know, the currency is very favourable.

I am unclear on the issue on warranty. I prefer to have an Australian based (not necessarily Canon based) warranty
hopefully from a 3rd party. Does anyone have any experience with this? It wouldn't be enjoyable to send your camera to the US in case of problems. (I know Mack warranty is possible but it's US based)

Phototechnical have said that they will only extend Canon Australia warranty.

I think the Australian sellers are using the high demand to drive the prices high. Besides stock is difficult to come by.

Thanks for your opinions.

[MATT]

I
Phototechnical have said that they will only extend Canon Australia warranty.

Thats odd they had no problem extending the warranty on my D200 and D300 that I got from HK.. They just stipulated that in the first 12months it would have to go back to HK first after that it was fine.!!!

Maybe a change of policy

MATT

[surenj]

Thanks Matt,

I will call them again just to make sure that the sales person wasn't making a mistake.

It would be great if the warranty can be sorted as I will need to order this soon. USA is struggling with stock as well! Canon must be releasing it slowly so that the price and hype remains high.

[gstark]

Is your friend comfy with the implications of importing an expensive camera for you? This will more than exhaust their personal duty/tax free allowances, and if the items are new, then they are likely to attract GST imposts.

Are they comfy with the process of buying in the US? They will also be likely to have to pay the local state sales tax at the point of purchase; work on a minimum of 8.25%.

[surenj]

I didn't realise about the sales tax. My plan was to order via Amazon (or other) and get it delivered to my friend's place. I didn't consider the GST implications either!!! [I will have to double check with him] If he gets done by GST, then it will probably be not worth it.

Thanks for the heads up Gary.

[ATJ]

I didn't realise about the sales tax. My plan was to order via Amazon (or other) and get it delivered to my friend's place.

If your friend is in a different state than Amazon, you may not get hit with the Sales Tax. It depends on the state they are in.

Is your friend a US citizen with a US credit card? If not, Amazon won't sell a camera to them.

[gstark]

I didn't realise about the sales tax. My plan was to order via Amazon (or other) and get it delivered to my friend's place.

If your friend is in a different state than Amazon, you may not get hit with the Sales Tax. It depends on the state they are in.

Largely true. It depends upon both states ... The law is that if Amazon have a presence in the same state as the shipping address, then local sales tax must be paid. "Presence" might mean an office, or a warehouse.

I was working under the presumption that your friend might be buying from a B&M, in which case the tax is almost inevitable. I think that Nevada is the exclusion.

While it's certainly possible to do what you're wanting to do, you need to fully understand all of the issues, and where the pitfalls might lie.

[surenj]

After a bit of thought, I have abandoned the idea.

Thanks everyone for their valuable insight.

[ozimax]

Cameras Direct have the 7D in stock as at lunch time today for $2297 PP. Pretty good price.

Ozi

[surenj]

Cameras Direct have the 7D in stock as at lunch time today for $2297 PP. Pretty good price.

Thanks Ozi. They have their own warranty (based on Mack) as well. Very tempted. I will still need to get my hands on one before I order. No luck yet.....

[ozimax]

Yep, I am tempted by the 7D. I think I will wait until a few more reviews are out though. It seems to be a winner at this stage.

Adorama has a recon (basically brand new with warranty) 1d Mkiii for $2999 USD. It also is tempting, but my guess is that if the 7D is a winner, used prices for nice condition Mkiii's will be good over the coming months.

Ozi.

[DaveB]

Adorama has a recon (basically brand new with warranty) 1d Mkiii for $2999 USD. It also is tempting, but my guess is that if the 7D is a winner, used prices for nice condition Mkiii's will be good over the coming months.

Also if the rumours of a 1DmkIV announcement on October 20 (for delivery starting in November) pan out to be true, that will presumably introduce further downwards pressure on prices of 1DmkIIIs.

[ozimax]

Food for thought indeed. Twin processors, blazing fast autofocus, it is tempting...

[surenj]

Hey Dave, did you take pictures of hornets using the 7D? What did you think of the high ISO performance?

[DaveB]

Hornets?

Last weekend I got some photos of an eagle, an owl, and some falcons on the hands of their carers, but the only flight opportunities turned out to be very short flights of a Brown Falcon. But yes the camera's still keeping me happy.

[surenj]

But yes the camera's still keeping me happy.

Thanks David,
I assume you are happy with the ISO performance and AF ? Would love to see your shots with the birds in flight.



I am not sure whether to get the 15-85 [yet to be reviewed; hopefully they have fixed the CA and especially the distortion on the 17-85]

OR

canon 10-22 + 24-105 [superb combo but I hate changing lenses all the time especially since I will be hovering around the 17-50 range]

Why couldn't they make a 15-85 f4...

[ozimax]

I have the 10-22 & 24-105 combo. The former is a superb lens, the later very good but not in the superb class. Actually, why not have a 10-200mm F2.8 IS L series lens (plus wheelbarrow to carry it all)!

The 10-22 lens is what is stopping me from going full frame at the moment. However, the 7D is tempting. I am off overseas next month, so a purchase may be on the cards, if I can offload my 40D for a reasonable amount.