£800 difference with the USA - 5D3

It's high time I booked a plane to New York, I can't wait

quickben wrote in post #14005162
Put the camera and accessories in your hand luggage, flatten the box and put it in your hold luggage. Job done.

Or just steal one. It's just as illegal, quite a bit cheaper and is less likely to result in you bending over, trousers round ankles, listening to the 'snap' of a rubber glove.

MGiddings Photography wrote in post #14005265
Daft why we are paying more. What is the price of a cheap flight to New York these days?

Around £400, at least you will get to go to another country, I think I might go for it, just have to find somewhere to live for the weekend....

Any New Yorkers out there? lol

Hell yeah, lets turn it into a big Canon 5D Mk3 purchase trip!

Hollis ther is no way I am going to be a mule and smuggle 5D Mk3s in my ass. I wouldn't even want to bring in a campact that way!

Actually it might be worth contacting Kerso about getting a price for the 5D3.

The reason why new gear costs a lot more in the UK than in the US is because we have a much higher proportion of morons than they do. Oh, and less competition between retailers.

Here in the UK there will be a lot of people who simply have to have the latest toy as soon as it comes out. And it doesn't matter how much it costs. The big retailers know this - so they milk these saps for as much dosh as possible, by charging the full manufacturer's recommended retail price. And the fools with more money than sense will pay that price.

Anybody with an IQ in triple digits will wait for three or four months. By then the price will have dropped by around 20% - making it quite similar to the US prices.

Don't believe me? Go to Camera Price Buster and check out the 'Current Lowest Price' with the 'Worst Lowest Price' -

60D £1099 vs £740
7D £1699 vs £1099
5D MkII £2300 vs £1499

Yup, UK prices have always been like this, but usually the price is actually £1=$1

Like Hollis said wait a few months and the price will drop to match the exchange rate better.

hollis_f wrote in post #14005294
Or just steal one. It's just as illegal, quite a bit cheaper and is less likely to result in you bending over, trousers round ankles, listening to the 'snap' of a rubber glove.

Done it before, will most likely do it again. How can I be classed as an "importer" if I'm not selling it on.

Personal use.

Also, I have relatives in Manhattan. What if it was a gift ?

Are you saying you'd declare it if you bought one over there and happily give somebody some of your hard earned money for no good reason ?

Same in Canada, the Cdn dollar is worth more right now than a US dollar, but we're expected to pay $300-$400 more for the 5D MkIII. Is it economics? No. One major car manufacture when asked why they charge more for a vehicle, that is made in Canada and then shipped to the US and sold for less than the retail price in Canada, stated "because Canadians will pay more". The jaw of the reporter who asked the question almost hit the ground.

quickben wrote in post #14005407
Done it before, will most likely do it again. How can I be classed as an "importer" if I'm not selling it on.

Personal use.

Also, I have relatives in Manhattan. What if it was a gift ?

Are you saying you'd declare it if you bought one over there and happily give somebody some of your hard earned money for no good reason ?

I don't understand the 'importer' comment - duty and VAT are payable whether you're keeping it for personal use or selling it on, and are payable on gifts too.

I've just worked out the conversion, and the UK price should be about £2650, not £2200 since the UK price includes VAT.

Just saw the first price from a Danish webshop: 27899 dkkr = 4972 US$

Chiefy wrote in post #14005419
Same in Canada, the Cdn dollar is worth more right now than a US dollar, but we're expected to pay $300-$400 more for the 5D MkIII. Is it economics? No. One major car manufacture when asked why they charge more for a vehicle, that is made in Canada and then shipped to the US and sold for less than the retail price in Canada, stated "because Canadians will pay more". The jaw of the reporter who asked the question almost hit the ground.

Well, unless they re-think their pricing policy and pull another figure out of thin air, I can't see them selling this camera anywhere near as succesfully as they sold it's predecessors.

They've really dropped the ball with this one, tbh. It's not exactly a huge leap forward from the mk2 and, on paper, a little behind the competition.

Let's see some real-world image examples !!!

I had this argument when the 5D2 came out and after considering all of the factors, it boils down to a case of rip-off Britain!

gcogger wrote in post #14005461
I don't understand the 'importer' comment - duty and VAT are payable whether you're keeping it for personal use or selling it on, and are payable on gifts too.

The word "importer" kind of implies that you're intending to make money by buying low somewhere else and selling high here. As in a business model. How can some bloke who, say, went over to the states and saw a camera he liked, so bought it and brought it home with him, be classed as an importer ? Is it the same for clothing ? A watch ?

I'm not asking what the rules are. I already know how much we get raped over here. I'm asking how they can justify it ? Rhetorical question, I don't really expect an answer I'd agree with.

And as for the gift thing, that is highway robbery.