L Lens and a trip to NY

[martcol]

I might soon have enough money to buy my first L Lens (100-400). It looks as though I could buy in UK for about the same price as buying in America + a cheap flight and a hotdog!

Any advice? Any pitfalls? Any good retailers in NY?

Thanks

Martin

[D60DIETER]

B&H :wink: good idea; take care of the customs

Dieter

[Jesper]

I've just been in New York two weeks ago and bought the 17-40L there, at B&H (http://www.bhphoto.com). B&H is a great store - very big, they have EVERYTHING.... and good service. It's close to Penn Station, in 34rd Street - see the website for the exact address.

Avoid the small electronics and photo stores around Times Square; the salespeople are very rude, they try to rip you off and sell you all kinds of stuff you don't want.

[martcol]

Do you have any difficulties with Customs/import duty?

Martin

[Waterstar]

Do you have any difficulties with Customs/import duty?

Potentially yes, EVERY time you come through customs with the lens.

Also when you buy from store (as opposed to by mail order) in NY you pay local sales tax, approximately 8% if I recall correctly.

Have you considered buying from Spain, other threads report several other UK users buying from Fotoboom in Madrid.

I have been quoted Euro 1238 shipped to UK for 100-400 L. Which at current exchange rate is approx £836. Additionally there would be charge of £20 for bank transfer.

[D60DIETER]

Hi,

take the lens out oft box, throw the box an all packing material away. Take care of the description and the warrenty papers and use the lens during your trip!

Dieter

[DaveG]

I might soon have enough money to buy my first L Lens (100-400). It looks as though I could buy in UK for about the same price as buying in America + a cheap flight and a hotdog!

Any advice? Any pitfalls? Any good retailers in NY?

Thanks

Martin

I'd contact your customs and ask specifically about what kind of import duty that you'd pay on this lens. I know that here in Canada we are allowed some reduction in duties, after we have been out of the country for a certain time.

But don't try to smuggle it back in. What if it's seized? What if you need to send it back to the US for service? Find out how much it'll cost and make your buying decision based on it being a legal purchase.

[nucki]

Do you have any difficulties with Customs/import duty?

Martin

no! absolutelly not! nobody knows where you bought your lens! its not mentioned anywhere! and on the front element there is written "lens made in Japan" and thats written all over the world.

I asked B&H. If you buy the USA versions not the imported, you can bring your lens to your local service, waranty all over the world.

not with the imported, then you have to send it back to the dealer where you bought it!

I say, its your decision, I had no problems, not on the airports in NY not in London and not in Austria. But of course, its your risk!

I had no problems! and nobody asked me....

best regards
Peter

[caldgrp]

I'd contact your customs and ask specifically about what kind of import duty that you'd pay on this lens. I know that here in Canada we are allowed some reduction in duties, after we have been out of the country for a certain time.

But don't try to smuggle it back in. What if it's seized? What if you need to send it back to the US for service? Find out how much it'll cost and make your buying decision based on it being a legal purchase

Unduly punctilious. Go to B&H with your camera, mount the new lens, and go outside and take a nice shot of the Empire State Building. How can customs possibly distinguish the lens from the rest of your used gear?

[nucki]

I'd contact your customs and ask specifically about what kind of import duty that you'd pay on this lens. I know that here in Canada we are allowed some reduction in duties, after we have been out of the country for a certain time.

But don't try to smuggle it back in. What if it's seized? What if you need to send it back to the US for service? Find out how much it'll cost and make your buying decision based on it being a legal purchase

Unduly punctilious. Go to B&H with your camera, mount the new lens, and go outside and take a nice shot of the Empire State Building. How can customs possibly distinguish the lens from the rest of your used gear?

as I said....

[DaveG]

I'd contact your customs and ask specifically about what kind of import duty that you'd pay on this lens. I know that here in Canada we are allowed some reduction in duties, after we have been out of the country for a certain time.

But don't try to smuggle it back in. What if it's seized? What if you need to send it back to the US for service? Find out how much it'll cost and make your buying decision based on it being a legal purchase

Unduly punctilious. Go to B&H with your camera, mount the new lens, and go outside and take a nice shot of the Empire State Building. How can customs possibly distinguish the lens from the rest of your used gear?

I don't know how it works where you are, but the way it works in Canada is that Customs can ask for duty on EVERY bit of camera gear that a Canadian returns with to Canada. Even the used stuff that was purchased in Canada. It's up to YOU to prove that you either bought it in Canada or you paid duty on it.

What you do to keep this from being a problem is to bring all your stuff to a customs office before your trip and they will record the serial numbers on a card that you'll take with you abroad. When you return Canadian Customs will accept that card as proof that all the gear recorded is OK. Any new gear wouldn't be on the card and they will ask you to pay duty on it.

This isn't rocket science so I would assume that every country that charges duty has some policy that's similar to this.

[UK_Terry]

What you do to keep this from being a problem is to bring all your stuff to a customs office before your trip and they will record the serial numbers on a card that you'll take with you abroad. When you return Canadian Customs will accept that card as proof that all the gear recorded is OK. Any new gear wouldn't be on the card and they will ask you to pay duty on it.


This isn't rocket science so I would assume that every country that charges duty has some policy that's similar to this.

I don't think so, i have never been asked to go through all that, just to be able to take my camera and lens abroad.

[DaveG]

What you do to keep this from being a problem is to bring all your stuff to a customs office before your trip and they will record the serial numbers on a card that you'll take with you abroad. When you return Canadian Customs will accept that card as proof that all the gear recorded is OK. Any new gear wouldn't be on the card and they will ask you to pay duty on it.


This isn't rocket science so I would assume that every country that charges duty has some policy that's similar to this.

I don't think so, i have never been asked to go through all that, just to be able to take my camera and lens abroad.

Well good luck. And never mind paying that pesky income tax while you're at it.

[fox1]

>I might soon have enough money to buy my first L Lens (100-400). It >looks as though I could buy in UK for about the same price as buying in >America + a cheap flight and a hotdog!

And a night in a posh NY hotel! :lol:

[Jesper]

Do you have any difficulties with Customs/import duty?


I didn't, because I wasn't checked at the customs when I came back here. But yes, officially you must pay import tax and VAT. Still, with the cheap US$, it's much cheaper to buy the lens in the USA, even if you do have to pay import tax and VAT.

By the way, if you buy something from within the European Union, you don't have to pay import tax and VAT.