Buying lens in Austrialia

[teeyt]

I was wondering is there any good camera shop in Sydney near Darling Harbour where i can purchase 4/3rd equips?

And is there any good camera shops in Sydney's airport?

Thanks!

[matman]

As an Australian living in Singapore, I would counsel you against buying your equipment in Australia. First, the retail prices are high because the rents in Sydney are astronomical. Then when you factor in the strength of the Aussie dollar against the Sing dollar, you will loose badly on the exchange rate. Any price in A$ is around 30% more when you convert to S$.

If you want to have a look around to compare prices, try Teds Camara Warehouse, which is at 317 Pitt Street. It has been around for decades. Not really near Darling Harbour though - a good 20 minute walk. The monorail should get you close.

I woulod also forget about buying at the airport. No-one buys goods duty free at airports as they are more expensive than in the retail stores. Better off getting a couple bottles of good Hunter Valley shiraz at the airprt, not photographic equipment.

I have been back to Australia many time over the last few years and I have never bought anything there. Beter value here or in HK.

[xaviertte]

being a Singaporean who has been in Sydney for 3yrs, i totally agree with matman. prices here r not favourable & if i didnt screw up my maths, it would be cheaper to take the aussie $$ & buy the same lens from US. esp now that USD is very weak & aussie $$ is doing pretty alright. still cheaper if u factor in the shipping charges.

u can check out Foto Riesel (364A Kent Street), they have a gd variety of photographic equipment, but probably not as much of 4/3rd stuff. i still havent found a shop which has loads of 4/3rd equipment (though i havent been really searching too). anyway to get to Foto Riesel from Darling Harbour, just cross the Pyrmont Bridge or walk around the harbour towards the aquarium. kent street is 2-3 streets away from the aquarium.

[lkm51]

camera equipments in exp in aussie because of GST.. not worth it at all!

[matman]

Originally Posted by lkm51 camera equipments in exp in aussie because of GST.. not worth it at all!

Australian GST is 10%, Singapore is 7%, so the price difference cannot be explained away by this tax. I believe consumers where accustomed to paying higher prices as the goods cost more to import when the Australian dollars was lower.

Now that the Australian dollar is so strong, theoretically the costs should come down. But instead retailers seem to be just extending their profit margins, rather than passing on savings to the cosnumer.

[OlyFlyer]

Originally Posted by matman I woulod also forget about buying at the airport. No-one buys goods duty free at airports as they are more expensive than in the retail stores.

I never understood how people can buy anything except booze and cigaretts at the airports. Every larger airport has at least one large electronic / camera retailer and they seem to do well. There must be a lot of people who believe as soon as you enter a Tax free area you make a bargain. So far I haven't seen any camera or electronic equipment on any airport cheaper than in a nearby city, or in the city of destination or departure airport. That goes for every airport I ever visited, and that is quite a few during my long travelling life.

[Jord84]

Paxtons Camera Video Digital

Level 5, 285 George Street

Sydney NSW 2000

Phone: +61 2 8297 7888 Fax: +61 2 8297 7899

Good place for most 4/3rds bodies and lenses. Probably this place and teds are the only places in syd to pick up an E-3 on the spot.