Good Camera Shop In Panthip?

[Smithson]

Can anyone recommend a camera shop in Panthip? I'm looking for somewhere that will offer sound advice and after sales service.

Thanks

[FracturedRabbit]

I would suggest that there is not a camera shop anywhere that can be relied upon to give sound advice. If you ask them, they will attempt to offload you with whatever they are trying to sell, based on stock levels and profit margins; and most of the people working in local outlets know very little about what they are selling anyway Decide what you want, or at least know the pluses and minuses of your options before walking in the store. The best camera shop in Thailand from my experience is AV Camera near Saphan Taksin BTS station, the staff there are knowledgeable and helpful, but still best to have an idea of what you are after.

If your purchase breaks, then the store should return it to the manufacturer's Thai agent for repair.

[Smithson]

Thanks, I understand what you mean about advice. I already know what I am after, Saphan Thaksin is a bit out of the way.

[Curt1591]

Get advice from forums like this. We have nothing to sell.

Then, shop around for price and service.

As stated previously, most will answer any question with a cheerful "yes". Not only does it encourage sales, it's just more polite!

[Smithson]

At the moment I'm ready to buy a camera, in the near future I'll also be getting lights, mics etc. Pantip is the most convenient location.

Basically I'm looking for a place that will at least remember me as a returning customer and give me the time of day, with prices being similar to everywhere else.

[Smithson]

Basically I'm looking for a shop that will at least remember me as a returning customer, have knowledge of the products they're selling and be similarly prices to other places.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Basically I'm looking for a shop that will at least remember me as a returning customer, have knowledge of the products they're selling and be similarly prices to other places.

Keep western logic of loking after a good customer and after sales support out of it

[Smithson]

So are all the shop is Pantip equally as bad? Can anyone recommend anywhere?

[Curt1591]

Brand-wise, I have had great after sale service with Canon Thailand.

A few years back, when I took my G10 in for a firmware update, they not only updated it, but cleaned it inside and out, at no charge.

When I fell through a temple window, and did a nose dive with the same camera, the lens quit a few weeks later. I took it to the Canon Thailand MBK satellite for out-of-warranty repairs. They said it would take a week for repairs. 3 days later, I had my camera back, charged only for the new lens.

Since then, I have been told that, when one buys with a "Canon Thailand" warranty, their policy is to charge only for parts after the warranty expires.

The two biggies, Canon and Nikon, have their fans. But, from friends with Nikons, I have heard that their service stinks.

[samuijimmy]

Brand-wise, I have had great after sale service with Canon Thailand.

A few years back, when I took my G10 in for a firmware update, they not only updated it, but cleaned it inside and out, at no charge.

When I fell through a temple window, and did a nose dive with the same camera, the lens quit a few weeks later. I took it to the Canon Thailand MBK satellite for out-of-warranty repairs. They said it would take a week for repairs. 3 days later, I had my camera back, charged only for the new lens.

Since then, I have been told that, when one buys with a "Canon Thailand" warranty, their policy is to charge only for parts after the warranty expires.

The two biggies, Canon and Nikon, have their fans. But, from friends with Nikons, I have heard that their service stinks.

Yes would agree about Canon service.... My local shop on Samui, sends it up and does paper work... Never takes that long...

It's Sony service that is a nightmare, from my experience with them, even dealing with the same shop I use for Canon to do the shipping and paper work. (They sell both)

That shop I deal with is, Sirisen, for anyone living on Samui, but I believe their main shop is in Surrathannii City...

[Smithson]

Thanks for the advice, I am looking for a Canon, is there a dealer in Pantip or do I have to go to MBK? I'm on crutches, so getting around is difficult.

[phuketrichard]

First floor MBK is ur best bet, small shop, very good staff and use the equipment

Have always gotten great service for my nikons in Bangkok thru http://www.fotofile.net/index.php?lang=en

[Curt1591]

There are FotoFile branches on almost all floors for MBK.

On MBK's 5th floor, there are a bunch of Camera shops, so you can comparison shop.

If you reside in Thailand, be sure to get the Canon Thailand warranty. The grey market cameras need to be returned to the shop where purchased. This means that you either have a shop tech fiddling with it, or they are sent out. In either case, we're talking 3rd party dealings.

If buying to take back somewhere else, the grey market wouldn't be so bad. Canon warranties are country specific. Just be sure that the shop has a return for exchange policy, if it as problems within a few days. So, if wanting warranty work, after returning home, you'll have to send it off anyway. Still, I would prefer to send it to Canon Thailand, than to "We-B-Cameras".

You can also always pay Canon to fix any problems, wherever you are.

[Curt1591]

First floor MBK is ur best bet, small shop, very good staff and use the equipment

Have always gotten great service for my nikons in Bangkok thru http://www.fotofile....dex.php?lang=en

After spending close to 100,000 baht at FotoFile (Rama III "Camera and Lens"), I went in to return a defective flash cord (1,300 THB) to the MBK 3rd floor shop. They would not exchange it, even though I had it less then a week.

I haven't set foot in the place since.

[FracturedRabbit]

If a suitable mall is as accessible to you as Panthip, a branch of World Camera or Big Camera is as good as place as any to buy a camera.

[Curt1591]

So far, I have found World Camera to have the lowest pricing.

[ETatBKK]

sorry hijacking the discussion here. camera price on window tag, with or without 7% VAT ? some shops in Pantip said no VAT ( or included ), some shops say VAT on top ( when a fareng walks in ) ?

how do we know ?

[Curt1591]

sorry hijacking the discussion here. camera price on window tag, with or without 7% VAT ? some shops in Pantip said no VAT ( or included ), some shops say VAT on top ( when a fareng walks in ) ?

how do we know ?

Some will add "VAT" when you ask for the VAT paperwork. You'll have to check with individual shops.