Is it worth buying from the States ...?
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20-10-2007, 12:26 PM
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| Member | Is it worth buying from the States ...?
Hello photography board  I decided about a week ago that I want to get into photography ... I've always been interested deep down but have never really had the £££ or time/effort to be able to commit ... until now! A colleague has lots of pictures up on the walls of her office, so I mentioned to her that I was looking for a camera and had been doing a fair bit of reading online as to entry level dSLR's ... she has very kindly said ... she'll be heading stateside mid November so if I wanted to, I could get stuff shipped to her mom [how very American  ] and she'd bring it back in her case ... to potentially save me a packet ...I had been looking at the 350d / Rebel XT ... and from a few reviews ... when the pictures taken with it compared to a 400d / Rebel XTi are side by side ... they aren't all that dissimilar ... and (at least to my eyes) not dissimilar enough to warrant spending the extra for it ... http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Canon400D/page4.shtml ... for example If I were to get the 350d ... from a bit of surfing ... I've found the camera plus kit lens in "chrome" from Adorama ... plus shipping and tax ... comes to $515.69 ... so c.£250-£260 when you take any currency fluctuation between now and then into account Or ... from $546.57 ... for camera + kit lens in black ... with a 1gb memory card thrown in ... from Newegg.com ... so c.£265-£275 I've not put masses of effort looking into UK prices ... because I had up to now assumed it would be cheaper in the US ... but the cheapest 350d with lens I've seen is around £350 ... making the US cameras both bargainous ... I'd probably plump for the black one rather than a silver one for the sake of an extra tenner ... the memory card thrown in is just a bonus as I'd buy a decent 2gb card and just keep the 1gb one as a spare ... Now ... my problem is ... there are a few things being posted on HUKD and here ... that the 400d is on amazon/other places ... with a cashback ... which makes the camera around the £350 mark too ... With regard to warranty, I realise a US camera would come with a US warranty ... but if my colleague is letting me use her mom's place as a post office and is willing to smuggle through customs  ... I'm sure she wouldn't mind sending the camera off to Canon USA as broken with her as the owner ... should anything go wrong ...Though ... the 400d from Amazon ... would come with a UK warranty ... and I wouldn't have to bother anyone to sort out any problems ... My main question is ... potential warranty issues aside ... do you think it's worth getting the 350d from the US ... to save the best part of £100 ... when reviews say there isn't a huge difference between the 350d and the 400d (at least - the one's that I've read ... though please feel free to point me in the direction of others) ... My second related question is ... does the 350d have reliability issues ... so much so that it is an uneccessary risk ... I've not found anything to say that they do have issues ... but I've not really been looking for them ... Finally ... is the general Canon warranty 12 months or longer ...? If it's a lot longer - chances are me and colleague won't work together so I can't rely on her to get it fixed should anything go wrong in say 3 years if it is a super long warranty ... I hope this all makes sense and I've not bored everyone to death with my musings ... Looking forward to some help/answers as I'm itching to get started ... nothing spurs me on quite like a bargain! Advice greatly appreciated MrC |
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20-10-2007, 12:40 PM
| #2 |
| Ex Member  | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? Last edited by Pirate!!; 20-10-2007 at 1:50 PM. |
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| Thanks from: | MrChris (20-10-2007) |
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20-10-2007, 12:42 PM
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| Conspicuous Member  | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? |
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| Thanks from: | MrChris (20-10-2007) |
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20-10-2007, 12:57 PM
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| Moderator | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? Quote:
)I found the 400Ds 10Mp images in good light are the same or more detailed .. but not by much However i think that the 350D ( despite paper specs to the contrary) feels as fast if not more so than the 400D in use and its images in lower light ( higher ISO) have less noise In late 2007 I guess my instinct would be to go for a 400D.. Unless there is a very significant cost advantage | |
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| Thanks from: | MrChris (20-10-2007) |
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20-10-2007, 1:11 PM
| #5 | ||
| Member | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...?
Appreciate the speedy replies you two! Quote:
Thanks for the site advice ... I'd only used pricegrabber.com and Adorama ... it was up for some more research ... but now I've got a list of places to look it will make the job much faster! Quote:
 ... too lazy for my own good sometimes ... You say ... the 400 feels better in your hands ... given the choice I have at the moment ... to you - would it feel £100 worth of better in your hands? I know money is subjective to how much you have to spare ... as a complete novice ... I have a feeling in the back of my head will be "but they are essentially the same camera - the 400D just costs quite a chunk more" ... I don't want to come across as a skinflint ... but I'm sure you can see what I'm saying | ||
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20-10-2007, 1:24 PM
| #6 | |
| Conspicuous Member | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? Quote:
Go to Jessops today or on Sunday and have a play. Ask them also look at the others the Sony A100 or even the Nikon d40/x. That is what I done and I have a list of cameras that I would have and like you its budget that will have the final say. 1. 400d 2. A100 3. 350d Thats my 1,2,3.  | |
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| Thanks from: | MrChris (20-10-2007) |
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20-10-2007, 1:34 PM
| #7 |
| Moderator | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...?
Put it like this.. £100 is not hay to be sure but in the grand scheme of things you would have forgotten it in say 6 weeks time. Buying extra lenses, compact flash cards , an extra battery and maybe flashgun will take you over a £100 easily. I imagine printing them off off your inkjet.. to see how good they are will ensure you need to buy new printer inks ( they are ..)The 400Ds bigger brighter LCD alone is IMO enough to sway most people. Although costlier, if you had a play with the 30/40D series you would have to work hard not not to wish you had the extra cash  If my 350D gave up today and I had to replace it. I would get a 400D. But admittedly no 350D owner would consider the 400D a significant "upgrade". If you dont have any at all it is worth knowing that the price difference isnt a waste of money IMHO Any 350D around now would have been manufactured before the 400D , not alongside PS ;Just seen the above post. FWIW I think the Sony A100 is a better camera than the 400D , this is a subjective opinion but not an endorsement as such . I used it for 4 months earlier in the year and really enjoyed it despite being a "Canonite" Last edited by senu; 20-10-2007 at 1:38 PM. |
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| Thanks from: | MrChris (20-10-2007) |
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20-10-2007, 1:57 PM
| #8 | ||
| Member | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? Quote:
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I think ... at this moment in time ... if I carry on reading while trying to block out the noise of the next door neighbours having their double glazing fitted ... I may well implode ...  I'm going to treat myself to a walk ... though I will be back to read and budget ... and probably ask questions  As an aside to my original question re: buying from the States ... is it worth going on a night school course? Or do most just press buttons and figure out how to use their cameras sitting in their pants on the sofa? My initial thought was to buy as cheap a camera as I could get away with that wasn't crap ... because I'd end up spending £200 on a course to teach me how to use my toy properly ... any thoughts greatly welcome Last edited by MrChris; 20-10-2007 at 2:00 PM. | ||
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20-10-2007, 10:12 PM
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| Member | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...?
So ... I've spent the best part of the evening digging about ... and it turns out ... *drum roll* ... Cheapest place in the States for: 350D = £254 400D = £331 A100K = £303 Surprised as I am ... all cheapest on Amazon than any camera shop ... The deal on amazon.co.uk is £399 with £50 cashback on the 400D ... and potential for 5% student discount with the OH's NUS ... meaning ... if I do go for a 400D ... it will be from this side of the pond ... shocks me no end as to how good a deal that actually is ... £329 ... albeit only very slightly cheaper ... how often do we get things cheaper than the States?! I'm going to Jessops hopefully tomorrow so one way or another - I'll have ordered something by this time tomorrow To the A100 owners/fans ... am I wrong in thinking that compared to Canon's "dominance" ... Sony/Minolta lenses will be harder to come by/more expensive/less choice ... ? Incidentally ... I'm going to start a poll to try to find out how everyone else figured out to use their camera in the hope I'll be able to follow suit ... so if you have anything to add ... please do so here How did you learn to use your camera ...? Thanks everyone for your help C Last edited by MrChris; 20-10-2007 at 10:33 PM. Reason: added link |
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20-10-2007, 10:24 PM
| #10 | |
| Conspicuous Member | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? Quote:
However, on the plus side, remember that every Sony/Minolta lens will benefit from image stabilization. | |
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| Thanks from: | MrChris (21-10-2007) |
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21-10-2007, 11:23 AM
| #11 |
| Senior Member | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? |
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| Thanks from: | MrChris (21-10-2007) |
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21-10-2007, 11:48 AM
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| Member | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? Quote:
Silly question as it may be, how much of a difference does image stabilization make? Quote:
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21-10-2007, 6:42 PM
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| Member  | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...?
Hi Mr Chris sorry I couldnt reply sooner been driving up to Scotland today hope 2 post some shots later In answer to your question I love the 350D and have no complaints other than it being a tad small I have large hands If I was buying now though I would go for the 400D in preference. In fact im hoping to up grade to the 40D soon If you go for the 400D try and afford the 17-85mm lens and avoid the 18-55mm its ok but you will want to change it very soon But if money is tight isnt it always the 350D is a very capable camera. |
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| Thanks from: | MrChris (21-10-2007) |
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21-10-2007, 6:50 PM
| #14 | |
| Conspicuous Member | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? Quote:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/SonyDSLRA100/page14.asp | |
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| Thanks from: | MrChris (21-10-2007) |
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21-10-2007, 6:57 PM
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| Ex Member | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? Quote:
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| Thanks from: | MrChris (21-10-2007) |
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21-10-2007, 7:41 PM
| #16 | |
| Moderator | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? Quote:
If the lighting conditions are good and the shutter speed is high..it doesn't make a difference. Also it will eliminate blur when the lens is not "fast" and light is low with handheld shots.. If you use a tripod .. or need to IS can be turned off. Having it does not eliminate the need for good technique One area IS is great is handheld long Zoom shots As such IS rocks.. and is not a gimmick. It costs more in Lenses which have it ( hence the attractiveness of built in IS) I used the A100 for 4 months this year and liked it a lot.. not so much for IS though.. it is well built. As you can see Im not knocking image stabilisation at all ( I have 2 Canon lenses with it) , However even with them and the A100 I still got the occasional blurry shot. As such, it is very nice to have but you can live without it if you have to and even it has its limitations | |
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| Thanks from: | MrChris (21-10-2007) |
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21-10-2007, 9:24 PM
| #17 | ||||
| Member | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...?
Update of the day’s activities … I went to Jessops @ Angel, Islington and was disappointed to find they only had a 400D that I could play with … but to be honest … I was quite happy playing with it in store … I’m hoping Jessops @ Moorgate/Oxford Street will have the 350D and the Sony in stock so I’ll be able to have a play in the next 2 days … otherwise … I’ll probably just plump for the 400D from Amazon UK … just to be safe that I don’t miss the £399.99 - £50 pricetag … Quote:
I do have the small hands of a woman I don’t think the 350D would be a problem in my hands … but we’ll see whether that’s the case if I manage to find a shop I can play with one … If I do plump for the 400D - I’ll be buying the kit that comes with the 18-55 … in a short space of time it may become apparent that banging it on ebay and buying the 17-85 is the way forward … we’ll just see Quote:
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If I get used to it – then pick up another camera down the line – the results will be less impressive than I am used to? Please someone shoot me down if this presumption is completely wrong?  Quote:
1) taken handheld with IS; and 2) taken with a monopod/tripod without IS I don’t want to dismiss the Sony without having ever touched it … I’m just not sure that I want IS to be my top priority? As you say, IS does not eliminate the need for a good technique … so if I learn without IS then get a good lens with it built in (as and when it is required) then I’ll really see the benefits? ====== Also, I want to thank everyone so far and any future contributors to the thread … I really appreciate people taking the time to help out … | ||||
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21-10-2007, 9:54 PM
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| Moderator | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? Quote:
. Seriously , depending on shutter speed you aim for, even with a tripod you can still get shake at the point of taking the actual image. In such a case, you can use a 2 sec self timer. Where IS may help is if you need to grab the shot quick as the subject is only there for a few secs.. The moral.. technique is just as impt as technical support  Quote:
Your assumption is right.. use IS if you have it but not as a crutch FWIW I think all of them should have it in some way or another ( most camcorders do albeit electronic sometimes as opposed to optical) but the fact that the Canon/ Nikons ( and higher end "Pro " cameras) dont .. and still sell speaks for itself | ||
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21-10-2007, 10:09 PM
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| Conspicuous Member | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? Quote:
But that is missing the point. With IS, you don't need to carry a tripod with you Of course for some subjects, a tripod will always be needed. But the real joy is going on a walkabout where a tripod would be impracticle, and still grabbing shots those without IS cannot easily capture without pumping up the ISO and using expensive fast lenses. e.g British Museum, hand held 1/10s  Last edited by loz; 21-10-2007 at 10:12 PM. | |
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22-10-2007, 5:21 AM
| #20 | |
| Moderator | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? Quote:
and say:Id rather have a fast sharp lens ( with or without IS) Some very small but sturdy tripods can fit in your pocket and on a little ledge if you need them Higher ISO isn't always badly implemented I agree though that for spontaneity like your image above, it speaks for itself without the cost of "fast expensive lens" or deep pockets to get a camera with low noise at ISO3200 I say this as one whose walkabout lens has IS, but still fell there is a tendency to become dependent on it.....It is still possible to get shaky blurred images with it . OOF and subject movt certainly Although I do ( as Ive stated earlier) like the A100, like all cameras it is by no means perfect .While the provision of built in IS is a big plus for it there are weaknesses in other areas which Im sure the A700 has sought to address Last edited by senu; 22-10-2007 at 5:25 AM. | |
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01-11-2007, 6:48 PM
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| Conspicuous Member | Re: Is it worth buying from the States ...? Quote:
However, when it arrives in the UK, then UK customs will extract their pound of flesh in the form of 17.5% VAT, and the shipping company may well a charge customs handling charge on top of that. The US retailer cannot act as a tax collector for the UK government, hence you have to pay it here in the UK. | |
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