Will major retailers in Japan get stock of new model earlier than those in US?

[vowing_dad]

Will major retailers in Japan get stock of new model earlier than those in US?

I will be going back and forth between Tokyo, LA, and Hong Kong in the next few months.  And I am wondering if I will be able to see new Canon products (e.g. 1D X) in Tokyo or LA first.  Any experience?

[ronderick]

Well, I'd probably say you have more chances of seeing the new products on the shelf in Asia (Japan or Hong Kong) than the States. I remember I was in Tokyo on the release day of 7D, and they already had a dedicated space displaying the new toy at the local Bic Camera.

[cfargo]

Would it be worth having no USA warranty?

[squarebox]

Not sure if it is a factor, but camera gear is more expensive in Japan than the U.S.  I buy all my stuff in the U.S. and have it shipped over for that reason. 

[jai5w4]

+1.  It's a BIG difference, surprisingly.  I thought for sure it'd be cheaper in Japan, but instead I order through B&H and wait the 7-10 days after I try out gear in the stores here first.

Not sure if it is a factor, but camera gear is more expensive in Japan than the U.S.  I buy all my stuff in the U.S. and have it shipped over for that reason.

[stu_cj]

When the 40d came out I bought mine in Tokyo around 4 weeks before it was available at Amazon UK. At the time I saved around £200 too on the UK price.
However, since then the price of the yen has increased dramatically against the £ and the $ (the Pound is worth around half of Yen level of 5 years back)
so yes, it's quite possible that you may see new things in Akihabara a few weeks earlier but bargains are extremely doubtful.  In fact a freind of mine from Japan comes to the UK now to make purchases.

[Mt Spokane Photography]

They often appear in Hong kong one or two days earlier.  Canon is said to place a embargo on sales before the official sales date, but I usually see images from a excited new owner a couple of days to a week before Adorama has them.

[willrobb]

Maybe get it quicker in Japan, but most likey cheaper in the US. Two-Three months after release the new prices in MAP camera in Shinjuku or Fujiyacamera in Nakano will be pretty low, WAY lower than BIC or Yodobashi, even when the points are taken into account.

Prices in the US do generally seem cheaper though....

[ronderick]

Ah... seeing the product on display is one thing, but finding the "cheaper" deal is a different story.

I don't know about Japan, but in Taiwan there's a pretty significant difference between gray products and those with Canon TW warranty. Usually the gray product is cheaper (though that depends - especially with the yen hikes), but there's the same problem of having to mail the lens back to the country of origin for fixes.

But then, I've seen Hong Kong lenses and US lenses in the gray market, so if someone from those countries get it here and bring it home, it MIGHT be a better deal... *shrug*. That's the question of possibility.

[willrobb]

Oh yeah, we like the "cheaper" deal action.

I'm not actually sure if there is a "gray" market in Japan like there is in Hong Kong. Well, for electronics there isn't an open gray market, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was one but it's just hidden pretty well.

As an aside, I know there has been a lot of "fake" whisky coming into Japan recently, some high end bars are buying it cheap, charging a fortune and when a discerning customer points out that what they ordered isn't what they got, they get thrown out of the bar 

[squarebox]

Well canon japan will service grey market lens... just have to pay for it.

I only mention this cause some people had mentioned not being able to get a grey market lens fixed in a coutnry different from its origin