Buying camera from Hongkong

tottenham

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23 Nov 2012 - 10:31 AM

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Hi there,
I want to buy a 5D MKll.I notice quite a difference in price of the camera bought in the UK as to those bought in Hongkong.Can anyone tell me if there is a difference between these cameras and if there are any pitfalls buying from Hongkong,
Thankyou Barry

MikeRC (e2 Member)

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23 Nov 2012 - 11:26 AM

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....unless you use one stop digital...highly reccomended on EPZ..One stop guarantee to pay all UK taxes..read the T&Cs.
....doubt they give a global guarantee though.

thewilliam

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23 Nov 2012 - 12:13 PM

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If you do manage to avoid import duty and VAT when the camera is delivered, you run a risk every time you bring the camera back into the country as one friend learned.

A single sarcastic remark to a UK customs officer provoked a very thorough search. They put all the photographic equipment serial numbers into their computer to check that duty had been paid. They identified one expensive item that he'd brought back from HK several years earlier and hadn't declared. Needless to say, he was stung for duty and VAT.

Drug traders and other smugglers manage to import contraband by the ton, not to mention the odd hundred thousand illegal immigrants. The chances of getting caught can't be very high but you do run the risk each time you return to the UK.

thewilliam

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23 Nov 2012 - 12:45 PM

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I ordered a Nikon lens-cap for the princely sum of 99p, post free from Shanghai, but the rotters sent me Canon instead.

Ordering items costing hundreds or thousands is a very different matter.

parallax (e2 Member)

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23 Nov 2012 - 1:30 PM

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Simply Electronics have good prices. Also HDEW cameras where I bought my 5DII from (they offer a 3 year guarantee).

widtink

23 Nov 2012 - 4:07 PM

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I ysed value basket for my D7000 and lens and they were fine though its a grey import

LenShepherd (e2 Member)

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23 Nov 2012 - 5:36 PM

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Quote: ....unless you use one stop digital...highly reccomended on EPZ..One stop guarantee to pay all UK taxes..read the T&Cs.
....doubt they give a global guarantee though.

Yes - but if "you get away with it" by customs not opening the parcel and charging tax you are comitting a crime if you do not notify customs and Excise and pay the 20% VAT on a camera body.
You might not see the difference between this sort of crime and kicking in a camera shop window if the items you want are on display.
Around 70% of the population who do not go in for any form of tax evasion do see the difference - and are subsidizing tax avoiders.

StrayCat (e2 Member)

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23 Nov 2012 - 8:08 PM

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Buy it in the UK, pay all the taxes, and enjoy it without the worry. If you travel, you can register it with UK customs, and if it's anything like Canada's system, they give a card to show if you're questioned. I buy tons of small ticket items from HK, usually free shipping and good prices, such as batteries and memory cards. In the case of memory cards, I tell them, if it isn't an original, I will report it, and return it. Never had a problem.