10D purchase

[Hoof Hearted]

I have posted here a couple of times recently. I have decided to buy a Eos 10D. Because of the way things are at the moment, it would cost me less than half the UK price to buy one in the US.

I tried ordering one on-line from a company in the US yesterday, but they wouldn't accept my 'foreign' Visa card.

I am now thinking of using some of my Airmiles, and coming across the pond to collect one personally. Do any of you guys in the New York area have any advice about where would be a good place to buy one at the right price? Most on-line companies have them advertised for $1400-$1500. However, I have seen a couple of sites advertising them around the $950 mark. The current UK price is the equivalent of $2250. Unless someone here in the UK knows better!

[CyberDyneSystems]

look no further than

http://www.bhphotovideo.com

[Belmondo]

And please be wary of any person or company advertising them at unbelievably low prices such as the $950 price you mention. They are invariably disreputable, and won't be the least bit reluctant to sepaprate you from your hard-earned money.

B&H is an excellent recommendation, and a visit to their store would likely be an amazing experience for you.

Good luck,

Tom

[Scottes]

$950 US is a scam.

Best Buy had them on sale at one time for $1350. Once.

But I agree with CDS - B & H is the way to go. It's the only place I shop.

But if you're coming into New York to visit their store then bring more money. It's a big store... :)

[Hoof Hearted]

Just out of interest. Perhaps you chaps who think that $950 is a scam would care to comment on this advert for the 10D.

http://www.amphotoworld.com/product.asp?id=cneos10d

It looks genuine enough. But I suppose that looks can be deceptive

[Belmondo]

http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1988.html

This is all you really need to know.

This is an excellent website for checking these 'too good to be true' deals.

Please, please, please listen to what we're trying to tell you.

There just ain't no free lunch. Period.

[Cadwell]

I tried ordering one on-line from a company in the US yesterday, but they wouldn't accept my 'foreign' Visa card.


Yup, I too have found problems trying to get some US companies to accept international orders. They seem to do everything they can to make it difficult for you. In all fairness, some have been fine - but in my experience they have been in the minority. A shame really, because with the exchange rate the way it is at the moment, they are missing out on some valuable trade.

One thing I would say though, Hoof Hearted; make sure that whoever you intend to buy from when you visit the US actually has the 10D in stock. These things can be rarer than hen's teeth and it's a long way to go to find out that they don't have any!

[Hoof Hearted]

Well that was an eye opener. I'm suprised now that they wouldn't accept my Order!

Even at $1400 from a more reputable dealer, this is still only two-thirds of the UK price. So it's worth coming over. I might even treat myself to an 'L' lens at the same time!.

I just need to know about a few places to visit. Assuming that I do decide to make the trip, I would be flying into Newark

[GenEOS]

If your coming to the states, go to B and H.
By the looks of the place you could spend a day looking through there...

[jyrgen]

I ordered from B&H, online. No problems with my "very foreign" credit card.

[iwatkins]

One thing to note though, UK Customs will try to sting you for import duties and VAT on your return. Been there, done that.

Best bet is to go to the USA with a nicely battered looking camera bag in your luggage.

Get to NY and buy your camera/lenses/lots of goodies. Unpack all your new kit and put it in your camera bag.

Fold up all the packaging for the camera/lenses, including manuals, warranty cards, battery charger etc. Put this lot in a Jiffy bag and post to yourself back in the UK.

When you get back to UK Customs you'll have no record on you that you bought the stuff in the USA, you'll have no USA looking battery charger (with 2 pin plug) and you will have no packaging or receipts.

It is then unliekely that you will get charged import duty or VAT as it looks for all intents snd purposes that you took your camera on holiday with you.

Only risk is that you package doesn't arrive by post and then you loose your receipts/warrnty cards etc. Of course, you could send it DHL for safety, but not until the last minute before you leave the USA.

Cheers

Ian

[robertwgross]

UK Customs may be different from US Customs.

If I start my trip from the US, carrying my camera, then I start with either a receipt for its purchase here in the US, or else (if I don't have a receipt) I go register it at a US Customs office near a large airport. This basically proves that it belongs here in the US.

Then, after I have been overseas and I return to the US, if the Customs inspector tries to hassle me over the camera, I simply show him the receipt or the Customs registration, and then he has to let me go.

The biggest hassles I've ever had were with Canadian Customs and Immigration.

---Bob Gross---

[Hoof Hearted]

Well I have to say this is all usefull advice.

=-=-=-=--
jyrgen: "I ordered from B&H, online. No problems with my "very foreign" credit card."

Did you have to pay import duty and Vat?
=-==-=-=-=

iwatkins: "Best bet is to go to the USA with a nicely battered looking camera bag in your luggage. "

I could take my trusty old Eos 10 out with me and see if B&H would give me a couple of dollars for the body. Then put my scruffy EF 35-105 lens on the new 10D body. I don't believe that this lens is a current model any more.

This is all fantasy at the moment, but I have enough air miles to pay for the journey. So why not, what's the temperature like in NY at this time of the year.

[jyrgen]

Well I have to say this is all usefull advice.

=-=-=-=--
jyrgen: "I ordered from B&H, online. No problems with my "very foreign" credit card."

Did you have to pay import duty and Vat?
=-==-=-=-=


VAT yes, duty no. But that's because there are no import duties in Estonia. That is until 1st of May, when we become members of EU...

Can't complain though, total cost for 10D with transportation and VAT was still 26% less than local price.

I wish you luck with your purchase!

[karusel]

I'd have one question; if you want to buy a cam/lens in Los Angeles store (not online) where would you have to go? I have a friend flying over to LA so he'd snatch some stuff for me...

[defordphoto]

I'd have one question; if you want to buy a cam/lens in Los Angeles store (not online) where would you have to go? I have a friend flying over to LA so he'd snatch some stuff for me...

Samy's Cameras. Stores all over the LA area. See www.samys.com for locations.

[Belmondo]

I'd have one question; if you want to buy a cam/lens in Los Angeles store (not online) where would you have to go? I have a friend flying over to LA so he'd snatch some stuff for me...

Samy's Cameras. Stores all over the LA area. See www.samys.com for locations.

Also, Canoga Camera. Often better prices than Samy's, but occasionaly spotty inventory. Call first.

Thos.

[SnJPhoto]

If your going to buy it in the L.A. area, and it happens to be a holiday weekend, Samys routinely does a "no sales tax" sale. So you wouldn't even have to pay the local sales tax. Call or email them to see if they will tell you when the next one is.

Scott

[cgratti]

look no further than

http://www.bhphotovideo.com


GO WITH THE ABOVE.......

[Stever]

I live in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. I recently bought a 100 - 400L IS from B & H Photo in New York. They accepeted my foreign VISA card with only one perfectly reasonable restriction. They would only ship to the address attached to the card registration - my home - when nobody is home during the day, so I had to pick the lens up at the UPS depot. Otherwise a smoooooooth transaction that saved me hundreds of dollars.

Good luck and save your air miles.

Stever

[kafene]

I'd have one question; if you want to buy a cam/lens in Los Angeles store (not online) where would you have to go? I have a friend flying over to LA so he'd snatch some stuff for me...

Samy's Cameras. Stores all over the LA area. See www.samys.com for locations.

Also, Canoga Camera. Often better prices than Samy's, but occasionaly spotty inventory. Call first.

Thos.

Check their prices online first. If you go into the store, they'll charge you $10 over the internet price. If they don't think you know the online prices, they pull some RIDICULOUS numbers out of the air! LOL I got my L lens and they wanted $150 over what everyone (including themselves) was selling it for.

I also tried calling for the lens mount ring for my 70-200 f/4L. I called three different Samy's (they sell it online for $113). They all told me it's either special order, they don't carry it, or one guy told me they don't stock it and advised me not to even "hold my breath" :roll: . I just went to the B&H sight and ordered it in stock. Done. :lol:

Calumet? The guy I spoke to said they don't even make one for that lens! :roll:

kafene.

[karusel]

Thank you guys, I'll have my buddy hunt in canoga and samys for better prices...

What/when is a holiday weekend? Also, doesn't a foreigner get to buy without sales tax on default?

[chris.bailey]

UK customs can and do ask for proof of ownership of camera items or any other expensive goods brought back into the UK. The Onus is on you to provide the proof. I always carry copies of receipts for my camera gear and have been asked once to show it. They then gave it all a cursory look and on I went. they have the legal ability to impound stuff on the spot.

If you order stuff over the Internet then the courier who delivers it will ask for the VAT cheque before he will hand the parcel over. The hassle involved means a lot of US companies will not want to do the export paperwork.

To avoid import duties and VAT on good brought into the UK is illegal, just to make sure you know.

[Hoof Hearted]

After reading all the diverse views from people, I decided that for a quiet life I would order my 10D from a company here in the UK. I'll keep my airmiles until I actually want to go to New York.

If I had managed to sneak one through customs it would have been great. But paying import duty and vat on top of the hotel bill wouldn't have left me that much better off.

Hopefully i'll have it by this time next week. I've ordered an Epson Photo 2100 printer as well.