Aussies be patient if buying new

I bought a brand new 70-200 2.8 IS about 2 weeks ago from Cameras Direct. Since then it has dropped in price by almost $100!!! Just my damn luck but now since our $ is close to 90c US I will be watching closely the price of the new shipment of 50Ds that come in.

Just curious but what does the exchange rate between Aussie and US currency have to do with Japanese-made and -exported goods?

I always buy things import. Australian prices are ridiculously high.

$4000 for 5D2 body? Meh. I got it for $3200 import & no duties.

And with the currency rate of AU$1 to US$1 is only 0.86, why the heck do I have to pay AU$110 for regular Modern Warfare 2 while in US it only cost $60?

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #8782566
Just curious but what does the exchange rate between Aussie and US currency have to do with Japanese-made and -exported goods?

That seems like a very long answer...

virsago_mk2 wrote in post #8782586
I always buy things import. Australian prices are ridiculously high.

$4000 for 5D2 body? Meh. I got it for $3200 import & no duties.

And with the currency rate of AU$1 to US$1 is only 0.86, why the heck do I have to pay AU$110 for regular Modern Warfare 2 while in US it only cost $60?

Because the US buys 4 times as many probably.

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #8782566
Just curious but what does the exchange rate between Aussie and US currency have to do with Japanese-made and -exported goods?

Not sure, maybe it's really to do with the Aussie $ and Japanese Yen but since our $ has risen the next two shipments of lens dropped, first by $20 from when I bought it and when I looked today I had dropped another $60 or so.

virsago_mk2 wrote in post #8782586
I always buy things import. Australian prices are ridiculously high.

$4000 for 5D2 body? Meh. I got it for $3200 import & no duties.

And with the currency rate of AU$1 to US$1 is only 0.86, why the heck do I have to pay AU$110 for regular Modern Warfare 2 while in US it only cost $60?

well please share, do tell how. I was under the impression anything over $1000 attracts duty. If I can get it cheaper I will gladly!
Hey, maybe even you paid too much. I dont think I'd want to buy on ebay though. I am just a bit too wary.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au …8cd3&_trksid=p3​286.c0.m14

Whippeticious wrote in post #8782619
well please share, do tell how. I was under the impression anything over $1000 attracts duty. If I can get it cheaper I will gladly!

They label the shipment as gift or less than $1k.

Translation: if the shipment is lost, it's not covered. No insurance either.

However, you can get gst refunded through TRS.

1234sakura wrote in post #8782657
They label the shipment as gift or less than $1k.

Translation: if the shipment is lost, it's not covered. No insurance either.

However, you can get gst refunded through TRS.

too risky for me thanks

Or just buy of someone who has already imported it such as discount digital photographics. They are fantastic.

Whippeticious wrote in post #8782619
well please share, do tell how. I was under the impression anything over $1000 attracts duty. If I can get it cheaper I will gladly!

Hey, maybe even you paid too much. I dont think I'd want to buy on ebay though. I am just a bit too wary.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au …8cd3&_trksid=p3​286.c0.m14

1234sakura wrote in post #8782657
They label the shipment as gift or less than $1k.

Well there you go. That's what DigitalRev did to my 5D2. Marked as gift & no Import Duties for me.

Even if the custom caught it & urge me to pay the duties, DigitalRev claimed they'll refund the paid duties. I'm not sure about that but that's what I heard.

And that eBay link, it's a BIDDING list though not Buy It Now. With bidding it could go easily more than $3300 when it ends.

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #8782566
Just curious but what does the exchange rate between Aussie and US currency have to do with Japanese-made and -exported goods?

Most of the greys buy from the US.

I've bought a number of lens from the US including my 70-200 2.8L IS.
Even having it go through customs and paying the 10% GST and handling/insurance costs (full description and cost i.e. no GIFT label), it is still WAY cheaper than buying it locally (great now with AUD = 0.90USD, maybe time for another buy....)

Surly Canon Australia (CA) and Canon USA (CUSA) pay about the same for their products from Canon HQ and shipping costs to Australia would be about the same, if not a little less than shipping to USA.
I think that massive price difference between the two countries is that CUSA make profits by moving a large volume of products while CA make their profit by higher margins as they don't sell near the amount CUSA, hence the much higher prices here.

Just my 2c worth...

grey's are fine as long as you are willing to accept the fact that Canon Australia will not warrant any faults with the item. They may fix them at normal rates but just as likely they'll want nothing to do with the item.

It's a risk you take. Personally I'll get an Australian imported item (if buying new) but I'm not going to denigrate anyone for saving themselves some money on their purchase because statistically you're not all that likely to have a problem within the warranty period.

I think there are different shades of grey when it comes to imports. I remember reading somewhere that Canon Aus will honour warranty on lenses bought anywhere in the world but not cameras.