Buying in the US?
Discussion
I intend to get a Canon 450D as my first digital SLR (I have a Fuji S6500 just now and would like a better camera), it fits in my hand better that the Nikkon and I don't need video.
I'm off to the States in October, obviously I'd like the camera for the holiday. Do you think it would be worth waiting to get one there. There seem to be some savings to be made in online retailers in the US but I don't know which chains have stores I could go into.
Jessops are doing it with two lenses, 18-55 and 70-300 for £545 which seems to be the best price available in the UK. I know I'd be better off getting a used camera body but I really do like new things!
I'm off to the States in October, obviously I'd like the camera for the holiday. Do you think it would be worth waiting to get one there. There seem to be some savings to be made in online retailers in the US but I don't know which chains have stores I could go into.
Jessops are doing it with two lenses, 18-55 and 70-300 for £545 which seems to be the best price available in the UK. I know I'd be better off getting a used camera body but I really do like new things!
I'm just back from there and to be honest - the exchange rate screws you up big time.
Don't forget you'll have to add state tax to any price you see there. One exception - if you order from someone like Adorama / BHPhoto and get it shipped out of state you won't pay any state tax - you will obviously pay shipping which will probably negate any savings.
Even with some of the instant rebates available at the moment in the US - it was still marginal for any savings.
Don't forget you'll have to add state tax to any price you see there. One exception - if you order from someone like Adorama / BHPhoto and get it shipped out of state you won't pay any state tax - you will obviously pay shipping which will probably negate any savings.
Even with some of the instant rebates available at the moment in the US - it was still marginal for any savings.
And then there is the duty to be paid to bring it into the UK.
One might expect to get away with that but iirc the 400D is called something else in the US so would potentially be quite obvious as a target for anyone dealing with customs matters on return. Lenses, for example, don't suffer from the same identity concerns.
In fact with the 450D being a twice replaced model now (more or less) can you still readily get the US equivalent in the US?
But the more important consideration might be that, unless you are already familiar with the camera as a user, you will end up on holiday taking the holiday snaps that you want the camera for in the first place, with no experience of how it works, what it does set ot auto everything and what it can do once you understand it. Even if the savings were huge, and the exchange rate these days removes the advantages of 3 or 4 years ago so that seems unlikely, the potential for not getting the best result you could in order to save a couple of quid seems like a poor proposition. A 450D is not exactly the most expensive system marketed in the UK and there are some good deals around - not worth the gamble IMHO.
One might expect to get away with that but iirc the 400D is called something else in the US so would potentially be quite obvious as a target for anyone dealing with customs matters on return. Lenses, for example, don't suffer from the same identity concerns.
In fact with the 450D being a twice replaced model now (more or less) can you still readily get the US equivalent in the US?
But the more important consideration might be that, unless you are already familiar with the camera as a user, you will end up on holiday taking the holiday snaps that you want the camera for in the first place, with no experience of how it works, what it does set ot auto everything and what it can do once you understand it. Even if the savings were huge, and the exchange rate these days removes the advantages of 3 or 4 years ago so that seems unlikely, the potential for not getting the best result you could in order to save a couple of quid seems like a poor proposition. A 450D is not exactly the most expensive system marketed in the UK and there are some good deals around - not worth the gamble IMHO.
I just brought a Rebel T2i at best buy which was quite a saving (cost of 2nd lens) over jessops and marginal over the cheapest UK online retailer i found. The big downside to buying in the US will be no warranty or practically useless one.
Big box retailers that sell DSLR are
BestBuy
CompUSA
Staples
Wal*Mart
Target
Sears
Costco has some good deals also but may have been on the XS(1000D)
BestBuy can give you the total price including tax if you go through some of the checkout process.
Yes you may have to budget for customs but you would have to be really unlucky to get pulled over.
As has been said though the XSi is now a discontinued model in the US and stock is dwindling, you can get stock info from most of the websites of above retailers though.
Big box retailers that sell DSLR are
BestBuy
CompUSA
Staples
Wal*Mart
Target
Sears
Costco has some good deals also but may have been on the XS(1000D)
BestBuy can give you the total price including tax if you go through some of the checkout process.
Yes you may have to budget for customs but you would have to be really unlucky to get pulled over.
As has been said though the XSi is now a discontinued model in the US and stock is dwindling, you can get stock info from most of the websites of above retailers though.
If the 450d is now discontinued is the 550d the current model? Or am i getting this completely wrong?
We're flying into LA then flying to Vegas then driving to Sanfransisco then back to LA.
I understand what you mean about getting a camera then learning to use it while cocking up all the holiday snaps, hadn't actually thought about that.
We're flying into LA then flying to Vegas then driving to Sanfransisco then back to LA.
I understand what you mean about getting a camera then learning to use it while cocking up all the holiday snaps, hadn't actually thought about that.
Edited by Speed addicted on Tuesday 13th July 13:43
Right, buying it in the US seems to be a waste of time as any savings made will be wiped out by tax on the advertised prices and having properlay bad pictures of the holiday (and having to wait for the new camera). That means I can get one sooner without worrying about it.
I'm off to have a look at the 500d to see if the newer features would be worth the extra cash for me as someone new to SLRs.
As I see it you get 15MP instead of 12MP, and HD Video. I'm not sure that these features would make me part with the extra £150 that could be put toward other things.
I'm off to have a look at the 500d to see if the newer features would be worth the extra cash for me as someone new to SLRs.
As I see it you get 15MP instead of 12MP, and HD Video. I'm not sure that these features would make me part with the extra £150 that could be put toward other things.
Speed addicted said:
Right, buying it in the US seems to be a waste of time as any savings made will be wiped out by tax on the advertised prices and having properlay bad pictures of the holiday (and having to wait for the new camera). That means I can get one sooner without worrying about it.
I'm off to have a look at the 500d to see if the newer features would be worth the extra cash for me as someone new to SLRs.
As I see it you get 15MP instead of 12MP, and HD Video. I'm not sure that these features would make me part with the extra £150 that could be put toward other things.
You also get the later and faster Digic IV internal processing, and extra stop worth of ISO with, from what I recall, improved noise reduction, and a screen with 3 times as many pixels to show you what you have been doing.I'm off to have a look at the 500d to see if the newer features would be worth the extra cash for me as someone new to SLRs.
As I see it you get 15MP instead of 12MP, and HD Video. I'm not sure that these features would make me part with the extra £150 that could be put toward other things.
eBay prices for the 500D seem to be around the £450 mark depending on what if anything is bundled.
eBay for the 450D are wandering around the £300 mark used. The 'refurbs' at the Canon Outlet site, complete with 12months Canon wty, seem to be making about £370 ish. I haven;t seen a 500D sneak through there yet - presumably still too many 450Ds to shift. And 5D MkIIs.
Speed addicted said:
We're flying into LA then flying to Vegas then driving to Sanfransisco then back to LA.
If you haven't already fixed the itinerary for your trip and you have the time. I would suggest flying into LA, get the car there and then drive to Vegas and then on to San Francisco, returning to La along the coast road. It is a beautiful triangular trip taking in Death Vally and the Monterey coast. We did it easily in two weeks staying in Vegas and San Francisco for three nights each. That was quite a few years ago in 1989.Edited by Speed addicted on Tuesday 13th July 13:43
Enjoy your trip and enjoy your camera. I have a 450D it's a brilliant camera, but does have a learning curve. I would suggest getting it here and learn how to use it before you go. You will be disappointed to go all that way only get pics that could be bettered.
Killwilly said:
Speed addicted said:
We're flying into LA then flying to Vegas then driving to Sanfransisco then back to LA.
If you haven't already fixed the itinerary for your trip and you have the time. I would suggest flying into LA, get the car there and then drive to Vegas and then on to San Francisco, returning to La along the coast road. It is a beautiful triangular trip taking in Death Vally and the Monterey coast. We did it easily in two weeks staying in Vegas and San Francisco for three nights each. That was quite a few years ago in 1989.Edited by Speed addicted on Tuesday 13th July 13:43
Enjoy your trip and enjoy your camera. I have a 450D it's a brilliant camera, but does have a learning curve. I would suggest getting it here and learn how to use it before you go. You will be disappointed to go all that way only get pics that could be bettered.
ETA: If you were to leave San Fran and head down that road, I'd recommend a lunch stop at a little restaurant called Nepenthe that I stumbled upon many years ago and always make a point of visiting when I'm back out there, it's located on the Pacific side of Highway 1 and you get to sit on the edge of the cliff overlooking the Pacific while you have your nosh which is pretty damned good too (and around this time of year the whales are migrating South along the coastline there so there's always a chance of spotting one).
Address is:-
Nepenthe Restuarant
48510 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA
(831) 667-2345
Edited by baz7175 on Wednesday 14th July 08:02
Thanks for all the advice, on the holiday front we're flying into LA and spending 3 days there then driving to Vegas for a couple of days, then driving to san Fransisco via death valley and lake Tahoe. A couple of days in the city then drive down the costal highway for three days before flying home from LA.
I need to organise a hire car while I'm offshore so it'll be a mustang or similar.
It should be a monster holiday, we're flying buisness class due to my wife commuting from Aberdeen to London for work and racking up many air miles! Roll on October.
I'll be getting the camera when I get back from the rig at the end of the month. Dixons in terminal 5 are doing the 500D with an 18-55mm for £530 so I think I'll be going for that and getting my wife to pick it up. I'd rather have the current model and used/re-cconditioned prices are not low enough for me to go there.
I need to organise a hire car while I'm offshore so it'll be a mustang or similar.
It should be a monster holiday, we're flying buisness class due to my wife commuting from Aberdeen to London for work and racking up many air miles! Roll on October.
I'll be getting the camera when I get back from the rig at the end of the month. Dixons in terminal 5 are doing the 500D with an 18-55mm for £530 so I think I'll be going for that and getting my wife to pick it up. I'd rather have the current model and used/re-cconditioned prices are not low enough for me to go there.
Well that's a lightly used 500d, with 18-55 and 75-300mm Canon lenses that will be gtting delivered the day after I get home from the rig.
£625 all in. It turns out that used is the way forward after all.
All I've got to do now is wait for nearly two weeks to play with the thing. Thanks for all the help folks.
£625 all in. It turns out that used is the way forward after all.
All I've got to do now is wait for nearly two weeks to play with the thing. Thanks for all the help folks.
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