Buying camera equipment in Japan

[Accelebrate]

I'm off to Japan next week, there's a couple of lenses which I've been thinking about purchasing for a while. Both of them unsurprisingly originate from Japan. Would I be right in thinking that the price in a Japanese high street would be favourable compared to UK internet prices? Any 'chain' stores worth making a beeline for?

[GetCarter]

Remember you are supposed to pay duty - unless bought in the duty free!

[GlenMH]

Do Dixons duty free at Heathrow do it?

I have just compared prices for a Nikon D90 and the 18-105mm Zoom. Amazon Japan are 50 quid cheaper than Argos. Dixons Duty Free are about 30 quid cheaper than that.

Do not assume that because the lenses are Japanese that they will be cheaper here! TVs for example are about double the price of the same model in the UK! The strong Yen (it is Y150/GBP this week) has made life a good bit more expensive over here!!

As for chains: BIC Camera in the centre of Tokyo is very good. Yodabashi at Akihabara is paradise of electronics kit...

Drop me a PM if you need any further help - I live in the middle of Tokyo

Glen

[VxDuncan]

I bought a camera from one of the BIC stores in yokohama years ago. Good fun! Make sure you know exactly what you want before going in. It was crazy crowded with hundreds of middle aged men shopping and cute young girls in company dress helping people, but the bad thing was the jingle. Every couple of minutes the jingle. You need to be able to get in and out with your purchase in under 5 repeats of the jingle, otherwise you'll end up ripping the speakers off the wall.

Have fun!

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

I've found, as above, that most camera kit is actually more expensive in Japan than online here or in duty free.

[Pvapour]

weird http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

maybe i'll bump into you bartering in the shops

Edited by Pvapour on Friday 10th July 18:02

[Accelebrate]

Thanks for the input everyone, interesting stuff! I suspect the best bet would be to make a note of the UK prices and then see how I get on once in Japan. If nothing else it sounds like taking on a BIC camera shop could be an unusual experience!

GlenMH said:

Do Dixons duty free at Heathrow do it?

Drop me a PM if you need any further help - I live in the middle of Tokyo

Flying from Birmingham I'm afraid, I seem to remember the Dixons being quite weedy, I'll have a look though. I've also got some time in Dubai on the way over so that's another consideration. Thanks for the offer of further help, I may be touch if I end up confused!

Pvapour said:

weird http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

maybe i'll bump into you bartering in the shops

Spooky!