Forums > Kitesurfing General

Duty free camera prices vs USA?

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Created by kitebored > 9 months ago, 18 Nov 2010
kitebored
NSW, 560 posts
18 Nov 2010 7:30PM
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Heading to Hawaii soon and will be buying a camera, duty free or get one over there for the best price?

Jeff2231
NSW, 414 posts
18 Nov 2010 8:03PM
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Not sure how Hawaii goes, but it's cheaper to buy in America and shipt it over than it is to buy duty free from Australia...

kitebored
NSW, 560 posts
18 Nov 2010 8:15PM
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Cheers, yeh I was thinking the duty free discount may only be GST?

Beersy
TAS, 753 posts
18 Nov 2010 8:24PM
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Bought a camera in Hawaii when I was over there in may, as my camera broke. Wasn't anything super flash, but price was not really better than Aus.

It's more expensive to buy in Hawaii than in mainland USA, but I think they probably mark up cameras a little higher, as the is no shortage of awesome places to photograph.

My favorite of the trip. Taken on a crappy 8 megapixel, 3x zoom camera from walmart.

coupedeluxe
WA, 14 posts
19 Nov 2010 9:30AM
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I wonder how many "support your local camera shop", post's this thread will attract, from all the usual suspects that jump on when it's a kite gear thread.

And I agree that Hawaii is generally more expensive for goods than the mainland.

loco4olas
NSW, 1514 posts
19 Nov 2010 12:50PM
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Buy from amazon or b&h photo and have it shipped to an address in Hawaii before you leave so it's waiting there for you when you arrive. You'll save HEAPS over the prices here-it's a race to the bottom in the US at the moment.

whatthe
WA, 186 posts
19 Nov 2010 10:54AM
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Check out the Hong Kong-based stores on ebay. Best prices I have found anywhere.

getfunky
WA, 4485 posts
19 Nov 2010 11:10AM
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^^^ Agree.

You will save far more (generally) than you will recoup in GST.

Only gamble is on warranty returns etc you usually pay for the freight.

Jeff2231
NSW, 414 posts
19 Nov 2010 9:08PM
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Apart from the warranty when buying from those Ebay stores you can sometimes get gear that is made in taiwan or china instead of the US. Generally the US made gear is better quality (even though it's still the same item). For example Canon may have a 1.4 50mm lens selling for $150 on ebay for a product that's made in China, and the exact same 1.4 50mm lens will be sold at B&H for $200 but it's American made and will generally shoot a better quality picture.

Just something to keep an eye on when buying from OS. And another thing to think about when weighing up the options of whether it's worth the extra $$ for a bit of extra quality.

You'll find a lot of the stuff you buy from the big Aussie stores are US built.

Big eeeZeee
NSW, 1100 posts
19 Nov 2010 11:35PM
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Buy online - HEAPS CHEAPER! I'm going to buy two of these bad boys shortly

www.dwidigitalcameras.com/

flynj3
WA, 27 posts
19 Nov 2010 10:31PM
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You can buy them cheaper from sites like dwi, but they are grey inports from hong kong and do not come with an aussie warrenty, There are other sites that do come with an aussie warrenty such as ryda.com.au, you dont pay too much more. Another option with the recent release of some new DSLR's is to buy a out of season second hand camera which lots of people are selling to upgrade, some forum, even US forums are good places to find some farily unused second hand cam's. It all depends on what you are looking for though.

stabber
NSW, 1114 posts
20 Nov 2010 5:06PM
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Just do what I do... I travel alot.

Go and haggle your best price at the local electrical shop(always cheaper than Duty free stores anyhow) and then claim your 10% back at the airport.



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"Duty free camera prices vs USA?" started by kitebored