marilynfaye

Someone told me it is cheaper to buy a Japanese camera in the U.S. than it is in Japan. Since exchange rates go both ways and there is the additional cost of shipping, distributors, etc., is this really true?

Thanks.

glorialf

It was cheaper a year ago -- especially if you go to the discount camera stores in NY or order online.

KimJapan

It's true, sort of. You can buy a Japanese market model for less...but the guarantee is only valid in Japan. The export/international market cameras you could buy with interntational guarantee, are usually not cheaper, and the selection is not as good. I would buy it at home for service reasons, never mind price. Anything you might save in exchange rate or slightly lower pricing could well be offset by having to pay for repairs...or not being able to have it repaired at all if it's not a model sold in the states.

rkkwan

Buy here in the US, unless:

1)it's a model not released here, but you really want it, or

2)it's a brand new model and it's still full price in the US or you want to get it before everybody does.

kuranosuke

also, if you buy a japanese market model, won't the operating/programming manual be in japanese?

deptrai

If you know what you want do some research. Check prices on Amazon, Buy.com, cnet. Then see what the prices are when you go to Japan. I've found that the prices in Japan are usually higher than in the States even for products produced in Japan. Like others have stated, you might be able to find models in Japan that are not yet out in the States or may never be released at all.

I bought a car stereo for a pricey US$475 in Tokyo. The model was not and still is not available outside Asia.

KimJapan

Although most electronic goods now have multilanguage menus, items bought in Japan seldom have English manuals...you've got to request them from the manufacturer or download them from the internet. Not a big problem, but if the model isn't released in English speaking countries, there willl be no English.

The biggest concern would be warranty. Japanese domestic models of everything have warranty that are valid only in Japan. That means that should it break or have trouble outside of Japan, you are out of luck. Any model that has an international warranty is an international/export model, and the price will reflect that. This is a moot point for those of us who live in Japan...but I wouldn't buy anything expensive as a tourist in Japan for use outside of Japan, just because of warranty.

Also, while there are good deals to be found in Japan, the deals are not typically found in the areas tourists tend to go. The duty free and international models available in areas like Akihabara are not priced to be bargains, even when you take into consideration that the tax is refunded.

mjs

I have never found photographic equipment to a better deal in Japan as opposed to the US. In fact grey market equipment can be less expensive in the US. Now there are models in Japan you cannot find in the US, but if they break you will have a most difficult time getting it fixed. I do find good prices on some high end stereo equipment in Japan but not cameras.