Camera shopping

ev-disinfection · Post by **ev-disinfection** » Fri, 29 Apr 2011 1:20 pm

Bring a local with you on your next trip, or choose a model and get the local to buy it for you.

I have known CP to be more expensive.

ecureilx · Post by **ecureilx** » Fri, 29 Apr 2011 2:24 pm

ev-disinfection wrote:Bring a local with you on your next trip, or choose a model and get the local to buy it for you.

I have known CP to be more expensive.

Errr .. CP Is not expensive, and bringing a local doesn't make any difference, from my experience of having dealt with them for almost 10 years .. and almost every month there is somebody or other here to pick up stuff from CP ..

As I said, if CP price was higher, it was due to the outside price being on stock clearence sale .. not CP was jackng up the price ..

Unless I been missing something you know ..

S2GE · Post by **S2GE** » Sat, 04 Jun 2011 10:43 am

Headed out to Singapore from the states in July and the prices don't look to good over there. A canon 7D body on the above site if $2600SGD ($2110 USD) while on Amazon here its $1,553 USD.

I was thinking of buying a 5D with the standard L series lens but think I will do it before I go unless anyone has any different advice.

aster · Post by **aster** » Sat, 04 Jun 2011 11:53 am

I think you'll find the best prices in the US. I just ordered a camera from Amazon in fact, apparently it's on its way though UPS is showing its current location as Anchorage, Alaska...

The problem is that when ordering stuff from abroad to be sent to Singapore you have to make sure that the total value (incl. total shipping costs) of the package is below S$400.

Post by **nakatago** » Sat, 04 Jun 2011 5:16 pm

aster wrote:I think you'll find the best prices in the US. I just ordered a camera from Amazon in fact, apparently it's on its way though UPS is showing its current location as Anchorage, Alaska...

The problem is that when ordering stuff from abroad to be sent to Singapore you have to make sure that the total value (incl. total shipping costs) of the package is below S$400.

or Japan. YMMV.

yeah, ditto for the GST; though for some items, the local distributor puts such a high mark up that it's still less expensive to order online even with shipping and GST!

aster · Post by **aster** » Sat, 04 Jun 2011 7:34 pm

Haven't thought about Japan to be honest. Is there a good online store there that you've used in the past?

I'm just surprised how cheap my camera was on Amazon, and sold by Amazon too (not some 3rd party vendor). I believe the price in Singapore was S$599 and I was able to buy it (including courier delivery) for under 400.

Post by **nakatago** » Sat, 04 Jun 2011 7:49 pm

aster wrote:Haven't thought about Japan to be honest. Is there a good online store there that you've used in the past?

I'm just surprised how cheap my camera was on Amazon, and sold by Amazon too (not some 3rd party vendor). I believe the price in Singapore was S$599 and I was able to buy it (including courier delivery) for under 400.

Kakaku.com will point you in the right direction as it collates info from a number of sources. It's in Japanese though.

Post by **x9200** » Sat, 04 Jun 2011 8:04 pm

Uncle Google can help a bit:

http://translate.google.com/translate?j ... 2F&act=url

S2GE · Post by **S2GE** » Sun, 05 Jun 2011 10:13 am

aster wrote:I think you'll find the best prices in the US. I just ordered a camera from Amazon in fact, apparently it's on its way though UPS is showing its current location as Anchorage, Alaska...

The problem is that when ordering stuff from abroad to be sent to Singapore you have to make sure that the total value (incl. total shipping costs) of the package is below S$400.

Thanks all.

Not too sure how the importing works, but if I were to have a friend in the states order an expensive L lens (over $1,000) for me and have it shipped with no packaging or receipts, etc would they still tax it?

Post by **Strong Eagle** » Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:28 am

S2GE wrote:
aster wrote:I think you'll find the best prices in the US. I just ordered a camera from Amazon in fact, apparently it's on its way though UPS is showing its current location as Anchorage, Alaska...

The problem is that when ordering stuff from abroad to be sent to Singapore you have to make sure that the total value (incl. total shipping costs) of the package is below S$400.
Thanks all.

Not too sure how the importing works, but if I were to have a friend in the states order an expensive L lens (over $1,000) for me and have it shipped with no packaging or receipts, etc would they still tax it?

It is required to have a contents and value declaration on the package.

aster · Post by **aster** » Sun, 05 Jun 2011 2:41 pm

Any idea why the Lexar Professional SDHC card range has some strange pricing, whereby the 4GB card costs more than the 8 or even 16GB one?

Post by **nakatago** » Sun, 05 Jun 2011 3:07 pm

aster wrote:Any idea why the Lexar Professional SDHC card range has some strange pricing, whereby the 4GB card costs more than the 8 or even 16GB one?

check what class they are. higher, faster access, more expensive.

aster · Post by **aster** » Sun, 05 Jun 2011 3:57 pm

Actually same class, exact same range (Lexar Professional series)... seems strange.

aster · Post by **aster** » Tue, 07 Jun 2011 4:27 pm

Guys, I'm looking to order the "Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS" from Amazon.com at $299 and am wondering if I'll be hit with any additional charges.

What exchange rate is used for customs purposes?

And since Amazon won't ship this one directly to Singapore, I'm forced to use VPost. Looks like it'll be borderline:

Package value according to XE: S$368
Estimated shipping costs: S$44
Total: S$412

With a code I can get the shipping down to around S$37.40, but that will still keep me above the 400 mark.

Any ideas? Are there any Amazon codes to get a small discount? If GST is charged, how do I go about paying it?

Post by **nakatago** » Tue, 07 Jun 2011 4:31 pm

aster wrote:Guys, I'm looking to order the "Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS" from Amazon.com at $299 and am wondering if I'll be hit with any additional charges.

What exchange rate is used for customs purposes?

And since Amazon won't ship this one directly to Singapore, I'm forced to use VPost. Looks like it'll be borderline:

Package value according to XE: S$368
Estimated shipping costs: S$44
Total: S$412

With a code I can get the shipping down to around S$37.40, but that will still keep me above the 400 mark.

Any ideas? Are there any Amazon codes to get a small discount? If GST is charged, how do I go about paying it?

IIRC, you pay vpost; credit card online is ok.

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