Buy it in NZ or Overseas?

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JackAttackNZ

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#72342 24-Nov-2010 18:15

My father is going on a business trip overseas and is spending a few days in Singapore. I'm going to be buying a Canon EOS 500D Body sometime in the next month and he said he could try to pick it up there (like in Sim Lim) as the prices there are $200 to $300 cheaper than here (talking about brand new cameras).

Would you buy a camera in Singapore if it was going to save you $200 or $300? (Quality should be the same, just worried about claiming warranty) Or would you pay the extra to get it in NZ.

I am a university student who is pretty poor so I can't afford to buy it in NZ anyway. But what are your opinions?

EDIT: Is this the suitable forum for this?

richms

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#409122 24-Nov-2010 20:02

For a saving that small, get it local IMO.

Often things that should be in the box become not in the box unless you pay more, and there is always the possibility of being stung for GST if your bring it back in the box etc as your dad probably would do.

Richard rich.ms

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Snowflake

#409172 24-Nov-2010 21:23

check with canon NZ if you can get support/warranty for it here. if not then dont bother as its too expensive to send back to singapore for coverage...

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kyhwana2

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#409174 24-Nov-2010 21:26

Hell yes.. Just make sure your father doesn't bring the box, etc back with him. Just the camera, like it was his and he was using it. Businesses whining that "oh people are buying stuff from overseas online because our stuff is too expensive/overseas is cheaper", well they can go eff themselves.

b0untypure1

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#409356 25-Nov-2010 10:45

Regs: check with canon NZ if you can get support/warranty for it here. if not then dont bother as its too expensive to send back to singapore for coverage...

chiefie

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#409362 25-Nov-2010 10:53

Definitely check the warranty coverage. Sometimes they're cheaper because of the limited/domestic warranty agreement.

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graemeh

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#409500 25-Nov-2010 15:12

kyhwana2: Hell yes.. Just make sure your father doesn't bring the box, etc back with him. Just the camera, like it was his and he was using it. Businesses whining that "oh people are buying stuff from overseas online because our stuff is too expensive/overseas is cheaper", well they can go eff themselves.

+1

Cameras are pretty reliable. If you get an international warranty then great but I've done this before and would do it again.

The only time I've had warranty issues was on a Sony video camera bought in NZ. The issue was with the shop not wanting to send it to Sony as it was 2 weeks out of warranty when we got back to NZ and took it in. Sony didn't question it and just fixed it.

JackAttackNZ

16 posts

Geek

#409510 25-Nov-2010 15:50

Thanks for all that info, its really useful! Still tending towards getting it in SNG, as it's either get it there or don't get it at all.

Do you think it is likely that a retailer shop will have international warranty? (extra cost?)

Say if I buy the Canon camera through a normal retailer, and it breaks in the first year, I would need to claim it through the shop in Singapore compared to Canon NZ? I'm pretty inexperienced in warranty claiming haha!

If my dad checked the camera at the store that it turned on, I'm pretty sure it's very unlikely that it would fail in the first year. I would have thought it anything was going to go wrong it would be probably be battery related which is easier to replace than the camera actually breaking. I believe Canon has a good service record. Do you guys agree with that?

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Raikyn

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#409571 25-Nov-2010 18:02

All the major players are pretty good reliability wise.

I understand with canon though that canon-nz will only service bodies bought in NZ, lenses are all international warranty though.
So it is a risk, probably worth it, but still a risk all the same as if anything went wrong with the body you would probably have to send it back to Singapore.

JackAttackNZ

16 posts

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#409612 25-Nov-2010 19:51

Raikyn: All the major players are pretty good reliability wise.

I understand with canon though that canon-nz will only service bodies bought in NZ, lenses are all international warranty though.
So it is a risk, probably worth it, but still a risk all the same as if anything went wrong with the body you would probably have to send it back to Singapore.

Interesting about the lenses warranty, but I only need to buy the body as I'm inheriting lenses from my parents :D

I agree it's a risk, but in my situation I think it's worth it.

Raikyn

189 posts

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#409622 25-Nov-2010 20:29

Yeah, I'm pretty sure all lenses have an international warranty and canon-nz will service any current lens no matter what country it was bought in.

booleanvalue

27 posts

Geek

#416356 13-Dec-2010 08:08

My Canon 500D purchased in the UK stopped turning on after 11 months of very light use. I had to send it back to the UK for servicing under warranty as Canon NZ wanted $500 min to take a look at it.

Long story short it is back, repaired and now out of warranty. For the money I paid (new release at the time) I cant say I'm particularly impressed. The camera itself has been fine, and I've owned a few Canons in the past, SLRs, compact digitals etc without an issue. Hopefully the mainboard that was replaced doesnt have any issues again, - next time the whole thing goes in the bin.

JackAttackNZ

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#416680 13-Dec-2010 18:52

Well thats not what I wanted to here. I told my Dad to make a judgement over there on if it would be worth it (he's been really good at judging value), and he ended up buying it there for $750. Had it in my hands for a week now it seems perfect. Hopefully it lasts :)