Who's in for a trip to the US ?

[wickidwombat]

I dont know how much international travel you guys do but you are MUCH more likely to get pulled and quizzed by customs at an airport than something coming in the mail so if you really want to reduce risk of getting pinged order it from hong kong like digital rev or one of the other good dealers.

 

[sphax]

I dont know how much international travel you guys do but you are MUCH more likely to get pulled and quizzed by customs at an airport than something coming in the mail so if you really want to reduce risk of getting pinged order it from hong kong like digital rev or one of the other good dealers.

Within the last three years I took the plane something like 25 times, including 5 times outside European Union, everytime with either 50D or 7D in the hand-luggage, and I've NEVER been asked for the bill or any kind of justification. Having inside your HAND LUGGAGE really helps I think, just behave nice at the controls it's really easy. Though I never took the box with me of course.

Hell, I just can't believe that 3499$ = 3499€ so I figured some things out :

- with today's rate, 3499$ = 2662,50€
- difference with european pricing is = 836,50€
- three days trip from Paris to NY, including flights and hotel is approximately 700€

You could just fly to Zurich (Switzerland). Its a 1h flight which will cost you around 200Euros (AirFrance or Swiss) and in Zurich you get the camera for 3399.- CHF (= 2820 Euro). You should also consider, that sales taxes are included in the swiss price, but not in the us price

That's also a great idea and as I live in Grenoble Switzerland is even really close to me ... I didn't know they had such a low-prices 5DmkIII out there ... ! I'll consider going there by car then, I've never been controlled either that way !! But I have to consider fees on my credit card also 'cos I'll be paying in CHF... Ah ! Have to figure it out !!

 

[pp77]

Hell, I just can't believe that 3499$ = 3499€ so I figured some things out :

- with today's rate, 3499$ = 2662,50€
- difference with european pricing is = 836,50€
- three days trip from Paris to NY, including flights and hotel is approximately 700€

You could just fly to Zurich (Switzerland). Its a 1h flight which will cost you around 200Euros (AirFrance or Swiss) and in Zurich you get the camera for 3399.- CHF (= 2820 Euro). You should also consider, that sales taxes are included in the swiss price, but not in the us price

Canon.ch lists the mkIII for 3998,00 CHF. Where can you get this camera for 3399,00 CHF in Zürich? It is just a 2 hours drive from where I live. It could be worth a try, nevertheless I have been check thoroughly a few times by the German customs when coming back from Switzerland.
And yes, they check the serial numbers of cameras to find out where it was bought, they like to check for new electronics especially at airports.

 

[sphax]

Hell, I just can't believe that 3499$ = 3499€ so I figured some things out :

- with today's rate, 3499$ = 2662,50€
- difference with european pricing is = 836,50€
- three days trip from Paris to NY, including flights and hotel is approximately 700€

You could just fly to Zurich (Switzerland). Its a 1h flight which will cost you around 200Euros (AirFrance or Swiss) and in Zurich you get the camera for 3399.- CHF (= 2820 Euro). You should also consider, that sales taxes are included in the swiss price, but not in the us price

Canon.ch lists the mkIII for 3998,00 CHF. Where can you get this camera for 3399,00 CHF in Zürich? It is just a 2 hours drive from where I live. It could be worth a try, nevertheless I have been check thoroughly a few times by the German customs when coming back from Switzerland.
And yes, they check the serial numbers of cameras to find out where it was bought, they like to check for new electronics especially at airports.

Yes, this is also the price I heard out there ... so i'm also interested about the 3400CHF place !!!!
And I found a really easier way than going to NY actually : as I have a relative living in Switzerland, I could send her the money, she'd buy with her Swiss credit card the 5DmkIII and offer it to me ... that way I can cross the border with a gift from my relative instead of an item bought in a foreign country ... OMG I'M SO GLAD I POSTED THAT HERE !!!!

 

[nameless]

I dont know if i am allowed to post a link, but anyway:
http://www.digitec.ch/?param=toppreise&wert=235562

There are many others, which sell it at that price, but Digitec is great, because you can pick the things up at one of their stores.
Check out: http://en.toppreise.ch/prod_268317.html

 

[sphax]

I dont know if i am allowed to post a link, but anyway:
http://www.digitec.ch/?param=toppreise&wert=235562

There are many others, which sell it at that price, but Digitec is great, because you can pick the things up at one of their stores.
Check out: http://en.toppreise.ch/prod_268317.html

OMG GREAT ! Thanks a lot !

 

[Frank209]

I dont know if i am allowed to post a link, but anyway:
http://www.digitec.ch/?param=toppreise&wert=235562

There are many others, which sell it at that price, but Digitec is great, because you can pick the things up at one of their stores.
Check out: http://en.toppreise.ch/prod_268317.html

*calling the unkle living in Lugano..*

 

[RuneL]

I've flow with a new loewpro bag full of new camera gear, lenses, 1D IV bodies, flashes no one cared, all they gave a shit about was checking for explosive residue on every part.

 

[sphax]

I've flow with a new loewpro bag full of new camera gear, lenses, 1D IV bodies, flashes no one cared, all they gave a S___ about was checking for explosive residue on every part.

Yep, exactly true. Take it in your hand luggage and all they ask is "can you please take your camera out the bag please sir ?" ... you do it, they scan it, you put it back in and here you go. Never had any control.

 

[jalbfb]

Hell, I just can't believe that 3499$ = 3499€ so I figured some things out :

- with today's rate, 3499$ = 2662,50€
- difference with european pricing is = 836,50€
- three days trip from Paris to NY, including flights and hotel is approximately 700€

You could just fly to Zurich (Switzerland). Its a 1h flight which will cost you around 200Euros (AirFrance or Swiss) and in Zurich you get the camera for 3399.- CHF (= 2820 Euro). You should also consider, that sales taxes are included in the swiss price, but not in the us price

+1 In New York, you will have city and state taxes added on. I don't live there so I am not sure what that total would be, but my guess is about 7+% (NY'ers help me out). Fortunately, the state I do live in has no state sales tax so anything I order and have shipped (I usually select free shipping) costs nothing additional. I'm sorry the price where you live is so jacked up. But I'm sure the US would love to have all of you come over and spend money here to help out our economy.

 

[tvde]

Hell, I just can't believe that 3499$ = 3499€ so I figured some things out :

- with today's rate, 3499$ = 2662,50€
- difference with european pricing is = 836,50€
- three days trip from Paris to NY, including flights and hotel is approximately 700€
- I've never been to NY before, and I could actually SAVE MONEY if I'd go visit it ... WHO'S IN ??

And, by the way, although it's (maybe, maybe not) a humorous topic, it could help me knowing some things about taxes and toll controls : is it true that if I get there, buy a camera on the first day, and then shoot 1,000 pics of NY, I'll be able to go through the frontiers with a "used" camera ??? Won't they check the date I bought it and say "you're kidding us (US^^) you bought that three days ago !!" .... Thanks for your help / experiences

You could consider to buy it @ Studio 73 in Belgium. I bought mine for €3299 (http://www.studio73.be/canon-eos-5d-mkiii-body). This way it comes with 2 years of guarantee (I guess it's only 1 year in the US). And you should indeed not forget to add sales tax to the US price if you're going to pick it up in NYC.

 

[triggermike]

A note about US state sales tax (mentioned earlier in the thread): If you buy gear in person, over-the-counter at a store, you will pay state sales tax - no exceptions. Most vary between 5% to 8% or so. The only time state sales taxes are not collected are with mailorder or internet orders sent to a different state than the one the vendor is in. Even in these cases, sales tax is sometimes collected when: (1) the vendor has some sort of registered business or subsidiary (may not be evident to you) in your state or, (2) the vendor just collects it anyway and pockets the tax for themselves.

 

[dichiaras]

I've been to the US last September (I live in Denmark): buying my first DSLR (EOS 1100D), a MacBook Air, plenty of other stuff= 3500 EUR; paying 0 EUR at the customs after throwing away all the packaging and receipts= priceless!

Notice that I had with me also a MacBook Pro, worth about 2500 EUR, which I bought in the US a couple of years earlier, again without paying customs to bring it to Denmark.

I read so many silly statements above. I lived in the US for five years, traveled back and forth 12 times, and never paid a dime to customs. Of course, again, things in your luggage have to look like personal items. If one is so naive that packs everything including shopping bags and receipts, I think one deserves to pay for it.

Btw, here in Denmark one pays 20 EUR handling fee +25% VAT on camera equipment shipped from outside the EU. I tried to make the customs believe that I had a girlfriend in Hong Kong, but they didn't believe me. 8)

 

[Frank209]

Hell, I just can't believe that 3499$ = 3499€ so I figured some things out :

- with today's rate, 3499$ = 2662,50€
- difference with european pricing is = 836,50€
- three days trip from Paris to NY, including flights and hotel is approximately 700€
- I've never been to NY before, and I could actually SAVE MONEY if I'd go visit it ... WHO'S IN ??

And, by the way, although it's (maybe, maybe not) a humorous topic, it could help me knowing some things about taxes and toll controls : is it true that if I get there, buy a camera on the first day, and then shoot 1,000 pics of NY, I'll be able to go through the frontiers with a "used" camera ??? Won't they check the date I bought it and say "you're kidding us (US^^) you bought that three days ago !!" .... Thanks for your help / experiences

You could consider to buy it @ Studio 73 in Belgium. I bought mine for €3299 (http://www.studio73.be/canon-eos-5d-mkiii-body). This way it comes with 2 years of guarantee (I guess it's only 1 year in the US). And you should indeed not forget to add sales tax to the US price if you're going to pick it up in NYC.

Why would we do that? it's stated above that in Switzerland it's 2820 euro's...

 

[DJL329]

Hell, I just can't believe that 3499$ = 3499€ so I figured some things out :

- with today's rate, 3499$ = 2662,50€
- difference with european pricing is = 836,50€
- three days trip from Paris to NY, including flights and hotel is approximately 700€

You could just fly to Zurich (Switzerland). Its a 1h flight which will cost you around 200Euros (AirFrance or Swiss) and in Zurich you get the camera for 3399.- CHF (= 2820 Euro). You should also consider, that sales taxes are included in the swiss price, but not in the us price

+1 In New York, you will have city and state taxes added on. I don't live there so I am not sure what that total would be, but my guess is about 7+% (NY'ers help me out). Fortunately, the state I do live in has no state sales tax so anything I order and have shipped (I usually select free shipping) costs nothing additional. I'm sorry the price where you live is so jacked up. But I'm sure the US would love to have all of you come over and spend money here to help out our economy.

In NYC, the total sales tax on most items, including electronics, is 8.875%. See "Items 2-8" under "Tax Rates."

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/business/business_tax_nys_sales.shtml

 

[tvde]

Hell, I just can't believe that 3499$ = 3499€ so I figured some things out :

- with today's rate, 3499$ = 2662,50€
- difference with european pricing is = 836,50€
- three days trip from Paris to NY, including flights and hotel is approximately 700€
- I've never been to NY before, and I could actually SAVE MONEY if I'd go visit it ... WHO'S IN ??

And, by the way, although it's (maybe, maybe not) a humorous topic, it could help me knowing some things about taxes and toll controls : is it true that if I get there, buy a camera on the first day, and then shoot 1,000 pics of NY, I'll be able to go through the frontiers with a "used" camera ??? Won't they check the date I bought it and say "you're kidding us (US^^) you bought that three days ago !!" .... Thanks for your help / experiences

You could consider to buy it @ Studio 73 in Belgium. I bought mine for €3299 (http://www.studio73.be/canon-eos-5d-mkiii-body). This way it comes with 2 years of guarantee (I guess it's only 1 year in the US). And you should indeed not forget to add sales tax to the US price if you're going to pick it up in NYC.

Why would we do that? it's stated above that in Switzerland it's 2820 euro's...

If you CAN indeed find it for that price in Switerzeland: go for it. But I only found the following price in Switzerland: http://www.fotopro.ch/index.cfm?name=canon-eos-5d-mark-iii&s=tmpnews&nid=349

 

[pascamel]

Hell, I just can't believe that 3499$ = 3499€ so I figured some things out :

- with today's rate, 3499$ = 2662,50€
- difference with european pricing is = 836,50€
- three days trip from Paris to NY, including flights and hotel is approximately 700€
- I've never been to NY before, and I could actually SAVE MONEY if I'd go visit it ... WHO'S IN ??

And, by the way, although it's (maybe, maybe not) a humorous topic, it could help me knowing some things about taxes and toll controls : is it true that if I get there, buy a camera on the first day, and then shoot 1,000 pics of NY, I'll be able to go through the frontiers with a "used" camera ??? Won't they check the date I bought it and say "you're kidding us (US^^) you bought that three days ago !!" .... Thanks for your help / experiences

Don't forget to add the NY state tax (approx. 8.2%) => $300 !
As far as i remember OR is the only state with 0% tax.

You can use USPS to send packages and receipt to your home
(i did when i bought stuff in NYC, i'm french too ^^)

 

[thure1982]

Is it possible to buy it taxfree in US if your exporting it privately? Then pay taxes in your own country?
That's possible in Sweden.

 

[ramon123]

I think it's worth it to fly to the US just to walk into the incredible B&H with those little robot buckets above ones head and go and play with the 5D Mark III followed by buying it and having it delivered to your collection point!

;D

 

[Jim K]

In NYC, the total sales tax on most items, including electronics, is 8.875%. See "Items 2-8" under "Tax Rates."
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/business/business_tax_nys_sales.shtml

It just keeps going up! Makes me glad we moved to Florida five years ago. ;D