Buying a camera in BKK?

[khrai]

Hi there,

I'm travelling for one year in Asia. My camera was stolen (bummer!) and I'm looking to by a new one in Hong Kong or Thailand.
After some browsing on the net I think I'm going to by the Nikon D7000 ( or the D5200; not quite sure yet...) and the Nikkor 18-200 lens.
I often travel to Thailand, so I think it would make more sense to buy the camera in BKK then in HGK (if I have a problem with the camera it will be under warranty in Thailand/Hong Kong only).
Where in BKK would you advise me to buy it? I see some big price differences on the net .

For example for the D7000 body:

• digilifethailand: 21.900 baht (= 520 euro)
• world camera: 25.900 baht (=620 euro)

Is Digilife Thailand a reputable shop? Any other good shops for buying a camera in BKK? Any good secondhand shops?

Thanks,
Walter

[Curt1591]

Go visit the second floor at Fortunetown. Many shops.

First time I have ever heard of DigilifeThailand.

[khrai]

Go visit the second floor at Fortunetown. Many shops.

First time I have ever heard of DigilifeThailand.

Hi Kurt,thanks for your answer.

Apparently Digilife has a branch at Fortunetower.

Don't know about their reliability though....

They seem to be the cheapest I've found on the net (but I have limited access here in China).

Walter

[BuddhistVirus]

Digilife Thailand is quite reputable and reliable. They have a branch at MBK too. Other cheaper stores are EC-mall and Digital2Home.

[phuketrichard]

top floor MBK

i own the Nikon 7000 an love it, also the 18-200 vr lens ( which cost the same as the camera body)

If u can afford another 15,000 baht pick up the 12-24 Tokina lens as well

HK an the us are both cheaper for cameras even thou the nikons are made in Thailand

22,000 is a great price

[fiberman]

Be careful, some of these shops are selling grey imports and you will have to rely on the shop for repairs, the manufacturer won't touch it. I would suggest you call World Camera for a price, they give a good discount for cash and you will get the full manufacturers warranty. I have just bought a Canon 70D combo from them which is advertised on their website for 41,900. The cash price that I paid was 38,700.

Edited September 29, 2013 by fiberman

[FracturedRabbit]

What fiberman said. World Camera give discounts for cash and have a number of outlets.

[MJP]

I was warned off buying here. I have listened.

DigitalRev are in Hong Kong, could try there.

Sent from my MotoA953 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Curt1591]

I've spent a couple hundred thousand on equipment, here in Bangkok. I have never had an issue. Most of my camera and lens purchases have been from World Camera, Fortunetown.

[chris2004]

Is there a particular problem with grey imports (apart from possible warranty problems). Digital2Home seem to offer very good prices with their own warranties which i assume is based on grey import cameras. The camera is the same though right?

[khrai]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Digilife, Digi2home and EC-mall seem to be the cheapest. But they don't give the Nikon Thailand Warranty.
If I'll go for a Nikon warranty i'll follow the advice on this thread and ask the "cash price" at World Camera, but they won't be able to beat the 42.900 bath (for the set with D7000 and nikon 18-200) quoted by EC-mall. Their listed price comes to 54700 bath for the set! I've send them an email asking for a "piset-price" for the set if I pay cash. I'll post the answer here.

I know now that Digi2home and EC-mall sell grey import Nikons and give only the shop warranty.
But - same question as Chris2004 - the camera is still of the same quality right?

And what is the real difference between a warranty by the shop or by Nikon. I suppose they all have an obligation to fix it or to replace for free it if the camera fails in the warranty period.

[Curt1591]

I can't speak about Nikon or in-house warranties.

As far as "same quality" goes, I doubt anyone is cloning Nikons. Many things are "made in Thailand", then sent out of the country for distribution. My guess is that they are brought in under the tariff radar, bought from a foreign distributor. The manual might give a clue as to their origin.

I wouldn't expect an email reply. Most Thai businesses are terrible at email.

I would visit Fortunetown. All the shops you show interest in, and many others, are there. You can ask all these questions and get a feel for the different businesses.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Curt1591

[fiberman]

Is there a particular problem with grey imports (apart from possible warranty problems). Digital2Home seem to offer very good prices with their own warranties which i assume is based on grey import cameras. The camera is the same though right?

The potential problem is that with Canon or Nikon you know you are going to get it fixed correctly, with the shop they might take it to a local repair shop and you end up with a bodge job. Your only out then is to go to court which from experience could take 4 or 5 years.

I seem to remember also that a few years ago Nikon announced that they would not repair cameras unless they had been purchased in Thailand with a Nikon warranty. I don't know what Canons attitude is.

I don't know about other peoples problems with World Camera but I found them extremely helpful and not at all pushy unlike some of the other camera shops that I visited. I did buy my camera in World Camera Fortune Town by the way.

Buying grey market is probably a good option if you are not planning on staying in Thailand as you will only get a Thai warranty anyway so any repairs will have to be paid for. As I said though in my earlier post the price that I paid for my Canon in World Camera was the same as the grey market option in other shops.It would be interesting to find out where the grey market cameras come from as Thailand seem to be one of the cheapest places for cameras anyway.

[sunshine51]

If in HKG before Thailand have a look at Photo-Scientific on HK Island

or David Chan's in the Miramar Hotel Arcade on Kowloon...both are

highly reputable camera shops.

Fortunetown in BKK is also good...have a look around.

[Briggsy]

Phanthip Plaza has a range of camera shops with competitive pricing.

[khrai]

I can't speak about Nikon or in-house warranties.

As far as "same quality" goes, I doubt anyone is cloning Nikons. Many things are "made in Thailand", then sent out of the country for distribution. My guess is that they are brought in under the tariff radar, bought from a foreign distributor. The manual might give a clue as to their origin.

I wouldn't expect an email reply. Most Thai businesses are terrible at email.

I would visit Fortunetown. All the shops you show interest in, and many others, are there. You can ask all these questions and get a feel for the different businesses.

Still no reaction to my emails.

Just like you said...