Buying from Hong Kong

[greasenipple]

Some relatives of my mine will be in Hong Kong soon and I was thinking bout some camera gear, can anyone point me to any sites for camera shops out there so I can check some prices , Ive looked to no avail. If not how much cheaper should I be expecting things?

[tvradict]

No nothing about cameras or prices, But a Quick Google on the Hong Kong website revealed this

www.expansys.com.hk

and google is www.google.com.hk/en

HTH

[GetCarter]

Several of us here have bought via e bay from Hong Kong and have saved a lot of money. I'm sure it'll be even cheaper once there.

[Shadytree]

GetCarter said:

Several of us here have bought via e bay from Hong Kong and have saved a lot of money. I'm sure it'll be even cheaper once there.

Quality good and warrenty ok Steve ?

[GetCarter]

Quality & speed of delivery fine. Warranty, well it's just the regular Nikon one, so one would have to go straight to them. All in all it just works out worth it if cash is an issue... but obviously not as 'safe' as buying here. I got a £900 lens for just over £600.

[Tuna]

My in-laws live out there. The price difference is almost nil these days, with most items available through the internet. When you get out there, there are apparent bargains, but most of them are last years models (or the year before that). The same goes for other goods (shoes, radio control gear, computers etc.)

You can get things a little cheaper, but you have to make sure you get a UK or European spec item (not guaranteed) with the appropriate english manuals, and a good international guarantee.

[mr noble]

I got a mate to bring me back a Nikon 70-200 f2.8 VR and it was not sharp at all.

I saved over £400 in the UK price, but it had to go straight to Nikon UK who reluctantly fixed it for me under the "worldwide" warranty that lenses have. (cameras do NOT have this btw!)

I was told by my dealer that Nikon and most likely all manufacturers have 3 tiers of quality control.

Nikon have grade a, b and c which leave their factory.

Grade A's are sent to the UK and USA.

Grade B are sent to Japan, middle east and Australasia
and, grade C's are sent to cheapo places like Hong Kong etc.


Now, there may be very little difference between these quality levels and it may be that only grade D's are sent back to be "re-tuned" but none the less there will be a difference.

Many reviews (usually about sigma lenses) state that the "abnormal/unbelievable" results in comparrison tests (i.e between a sigma 18-50 f2.8 and a nikon 17-55 f 2.8) could most likely be put down to a "better than average sample"!

I found one test where 10 examples of the same lens were tested with widely differing results! (again a sigma product)



This is why I have just bought my new Sigma 18-50 f2.8 lens from the dealer round the corner, even though my mate has just come home for Xmas. He could have saved my nearly £100, but if it was not sharp, I would have been stuffed.


As many one here say, it is fine and usually no problem to buy from HK on ebay, but its always a little bit of a gamble.

Just my 2p.

Greg

ps. I will be out soon with the 70-200 f2.8 and my new pp and sharpening tecniques to hopefully prove that Nikon UK did get the lens back to A1 operation!