1.4 or 2 x converter for L Series

[JuStDaVe]

quoted $799 AU is there any other options ARGHH

[tim]

Yes, buy from http://www.bhphotovideo.com . I'm in New Zealand and I buy all of my lenses from there. They're reputable and reliable, but check http://resellerratings.com if you like. Oh, they're not shipping until the 1st of next month, as they're on holiday at the moment.

Otherwise ebay.com.au

[DionM]

Dave,

Check out eBay. There are a few importers from HK - should get it for about $600 landed.

[JuStDaVe]

no cc and never used ebay ... im a ebay virgin

[DionM]

Try this guy on the Gold Coast (also does delivery).

http://www.camerasdirect.com.au/

I bought my 70-200 off him.

Note - I stuffed up - eBay price would be $500.

[JuStDaVe]

holy **** just looked at b and h .. are they any good very cheap prices atm with the AU dollar any one recomend or not ?

[DionM]

Yeah I just had a look at the B H website and wow is it cheap over there ... with our current exchange rate, even factoring in postage, its well under $400AUD.

I note that the 580EX price is about the same as what I can buy off eBay. Hrm.

Tim - What postage have you used and what has worked the best for you? I see there are a few options. I may order my TC from there - was just about to buy via eBay.

[JuStDaVe]

so much goodies i want :( sucks to be me... what stuff u shoot DionM... didnt know there was locals on here

[DionM]

Dave,

I shoot anything and everything - mostly travel and the like though, but am experimenting.

There are a few Ozzies and NZers on the board.

[JuStDaVe]

sweet

www.justdavephotography.com

thats my amatuer site mostly cars

[DionM]

Nice Dave. Like a lot of your car shots.

Looks like you're based in Brissy? Lot of QLD stuff in your galleries.

My site is here: http://www.fotos-files-forums.net/gallery

But the galleries need a huge update - now I have more 'quality' photos I need to dump a lot of them in there. Especially the flower and macro stuff - I now have a proper macro. Plus its missing a few galleries from trips, and I want to put up some my better photoshopped stuff (99.99999% of the photos there are fairly unedited).

But it sort of covers my style of shots. Most there are with my Powershot G2 - some more recent ones are with my 20D.

[JuStDaVe]

yeah its like that ... i am etching for a storm with some lightning but not sure how to get ther shots with out the rain gettin near camera

should be interesting

[DionM]

I usually hide under my patio and shoot that way. Tend to get a lot of the neighbours house etc in the shot though! But I live on a hill so its not too bad. But I agree, I want to get up to Mt Coo-tha or Mt Gravatt one day and fire off a bunch of shots and see if I get any good lightning ones.

[tim]

Tim - What postage have you used and what has worked the best for you? I see there are a few options. I may order my TC from there - was just about to buy via eBay.

I use UPS, they're cheap enough and work fine. Fedex are a bit faster, but are often a lot more expensive. I haven't tried USPS (United States Postal Service) Express recently so I can't comment on it.

[IainB]

Tim is correct. BandH are excellent suppliers. I bought the 1.4 teleconverter and several lenses recently. The 1.4x was US$279.95, which converted to NZ395 in Feb. If the AUS$ is around US.76, then you could expect to pay AUS$389. Of course shipping adds a decent whack (US$45-50) so I suggest you build a nice shopping list to make it economic. I spent US$1020 on two lenses, the 1.4x, polariser, and the shipping increased from US$46 for one item, to US$57 for the lot. B/H are prompt with their deliveries too. After some negotiation with the dealer here, and Canon NZ, I managed to get the price of the 70-200 F4L down to within NZ$150 of the landed price from B/H. Only snag was it would take 4 weeks delivery. I decided that would be ok. After 4 weeks I rang to check and was told by the Canon rep "It will be at least another 4 weeks....we must wait for Australia to advise us of delivery."
"@1&#!@!" I said to myself. I immediately cancelled the order, and ordered through B/H. 6 days later I had my package of goodies...AND at a better price. I seriously don't know how Canon can survive in NZ if this situation is typical. Now off you go and flex your plastic, and as the game show says "Let's go shopping!"

[tim]

Canon NZ are a complete ripoff, i've not bought a single lens here. The good news is they will repair lenses bought in the US under warranty, which they've just done with my 50mm F1.8 *

* which is apparently working with in spec, but doesn't work well in the real world. I might have to spend MORE money on the 1.4 :(

[vkalia]

Hint for you guys wanting to get stuff shipped overseas: use USPS Priority Mail/Express Mail. It works out to be a lot cheaper than UPS/FedEx and is just as fast (plus, you get a tracking number).

For those of you in Australia, you may also want to check out HK dealers. I just bought my 1D2 from Anthony's Cameras (he has an Ebay store as well). www.accphoto.com. Tell him Vandit recommended you. Very prompt, very good prices and quick to respond to queries.

Vandit

[tim]

Hint for you guys wanting to get stuff shipped overseas: use USPS Priority Mail/Express Mail. It works out to be a lot cheaper than UPS/FedEx and is just as fast (plus, you get a tracking number).

UPS is usually about 20% cheaper than USPS to send things to New Zealand. One reason I use UPS is because their NZ agent has an office in Auckland, I can call and have them send my packages to work. B&H will only address overseas packages to the registered address of your credit card.

[vkalia]

Heh, figures that things are upside down in NZ. I get stuff shipped to me from the US all the time, and USPS is always cheaper. Maybe B&H has a good corporate deal with UPS.

[Andy_T]

Something else ... go for the 1.4 instead of the 2.0.

According to most people on the forum, the 1.4 only very moderately impacts image quality, the 2.0 does that visibly more.

Best regards,
Andy