Used/Cheap Camera Stores in Hong Kong, and/or Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen - China?

<p>I had heard from someone that Hong Kong has a good camera market, and I will be going there with the family in a week or so. So I was just wondering if anyone knew of any stores in MAINLY Hong Kong that sell used, and/or cheap SLRs, to be more specific, Nikon 35mm SLRs. I am especially interested in these models: FE2, F3, FM3a, F100, F5, F6. And it's hard to find dealers (for me at least) that sell used models or good deals besides ebay and other internet sellers.</p>

<p>I would rather stay away from the Mainland Chinese market based off of my own personal preference, unless they are very reputable dealers.</p>

<p>Other than that, any reccomendations are welcome (of course, reputable, cheap(er), good service etc. is always preferable). And for ease of locating the store, if you could tell me the metro station/directions to get to the store that would be really great! And if they have a website, please let me know (or link it!)</p>

<p>I really appreciate the kind help.<br>

Thanks very much!<br>

- Anita</p>

<p>(A side note - When I say cheap, I mean under the $300 US mark or around $200, except for such models as the F6, because I am only a high school student, but will also be with other adults who have larger budgets than I do)</p>

<p>It is not very common for Hong Kong camera retailers to sell used gear. But specialized camera shops might still have older stock sitting around which the shop should be happy to get rid of. Avoid the big chains like Fortress, Broadway, Chung Yuen, etc and go to Mongkok. Specifically, Sai Yeung Choi Street San Tung Street has a whole bunch of such specialized shops (along with the chain stores). Get off at the Mongkok MTR station and you should be able to find these streets easily. A good shop is Man Shing (and Wing Shing, same owner). This is where local enthusiasts shop. It's like Hong Kong's B&H.</p>

 

<p>I would suggest Stanley Street in central for that sort of stuff. There are several shops there that have used equipment, and while they won't be the cheapest places they are quite reliable.</p>

<p>Thanks very much! I appreciate the advice.</p>

<p>I live in China. I just bought a camera in Shanghai and I'd compared prices with various things elsewhere, so it seems worth posting some details here for others. An old Flickr post http://www.flickr.com/groups/theshanghai/discuss/72157600342357250/ gives directions to one Shanghai place. I'll add detail on that and give directions for another.<br>

<br /> The other is 2nd through 5th floor of a building near the Shanghai train station. Come out of station into South Square, building is diagonally left. Burger King on ground floor, KFC, ... Second floor is mostly camera shops. When I was there, 3rd and up were mostly empty and many shops undergoing renovation, but a few interesting used stuff places on 2nd & 3rd. Looked like it might be quite good when it is finished. My guess would be March 2010, after the upcoming Spring Festival holiday.<br>

Things I compared to were B&H (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/) for new US prices, KEH (http://www.keh.com/) for used, prices from the Pentax Forum lens index (http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/index.php) one Hong Kong shop (http://www.tincheungcamera.com.hk/), and a Hong Kong price index site (http://www.ygdragon.net/).<br>

For a black K-X with 18-55, B&H want $550 US, an extra 50 for the blue one, no price shown for body only. All the Hong Kong prices I've seen were significantly higher. Two dealers in Shanghai quoted me 4150 and 4200 Chinese yuan for the black + 18-55. I ended up paying 4000 (about $585 US) for the blue body, somewhat above US price but not disastrously so. Below what I'd been quoted in HK, and for me, having a Chinese warranty is a large plus.<br>

New lenses were generally comparable to US prices. e.g. I was quoted 2400 rmb for the DA 16-45 F4 and 4400 for the DA * 55/1.4, a tad higher then US in both cases.<br>

The only non-Pentax item I checked a price on was Panasonic G1. None of the Panny dealers had those; they were offering GF-1, GH-1, Oly EP-1, EP-2, ... Two shops that were mostly used cameras, with much Leica stuff, did have G1, apparently new. One quoted 3900 (about $570 US).<br>

The Flickr post says Luban Lu and Xietu Lu. In more detail, take the subway to Luban Road South, go out exit 1, turn left onto Luban Lu, and you are walking North. Xietu Lu is the first cross street. The camera center is on the NW corner. 7 stories. The top one is offices, bottom two mostly new cameras. One floor (4th?) is mostly studio equipment -- lights, reflectors and so on. Another (5th?) is mostly wedding studios, wedding clothes rental, etc. Used equipment anywhere from 2nd to 6th, and dominating a couple of floors. One camera repair shop, a few accessories shops -- memory, bags, tripods, ...<br>

Just N of that building is a new one, still under construction (as of Jan 2010) that looks like it might eventually connect to it, perhaps offer more of the same. NW of the main one (inside the block, no street frontage) is another new one, only 1st & 2nd floors open so far, all either bridal stuff or printers.<br>

Back to the main building. Bottom two floors are nearly all new camera shops. Much specialisation by brand. At least one shop with nothing but Canon, some only Sony, one only Nikon & Manfrotto. Olympus & Panasonic fairly common, but no shops selling only those. Voigtlander visible here and there.<br>

Two shops with mainly Pentax along N wall, ground floor. I bought from the more Easterly of those because they were willing to sell me body only; other was not. Lots of 17-70 and 55/1.4 SDM lenses in stock, 31, 43 and 77 Limited but not 21 or 70. They were quite busy. I took my time, asked a lot of questions. While I was there, they sold two other K-X, one white & one red, both to women, and I think one K-7. Not bad for a weekday afternoon.<br>

Somewhat to my surprise, much medium & large format equipment on offer. Quite a few panoramic cameras, 6x17 or some such. Two stores that were mainly 4x5 or pano gear, apparently new. Quite a bit of Pentax 645, Hassleblad, Mamiya, Fuji, among the used. Also somewhat to my surprise, many TLRs and folders. One shop (3rd floor, new place near train station) had three entire display cases full of mainly those cameras.<br>

Quite a variety of used stuff. Much Leica and Contax. Some of almost everything else, including entire shelves of things I'd never seen before like Alpa cameras, Leicas so old they did not have rangefinders, and medium-format Contax.<br>

Prices on used Pentax stuff OK, but generally not great. XE.com says 1000 yuan is 146.50 US. From here on, all prices in yuan. I bought two used zooms, 1500 for DA 16-45 F4 and 850 for A 35-70 F4. For M 45-125, I was quoted 1250 and M 75-150, 850. No-one had either A 35-105 F4 or M 20-35/3.5.<br>

Most expensive Pentax item I saw was the boxed set LX, 50/1.2. Asking 24000 rmb.<br>

Other than that, I saw no used 50/55/58 fast lenses. New DA 50/1.4 2400. Screw mount Pentax 55/1.8 300, lots of 50/2 Pentax, some Russian 58/2, K-mount Ricoh 1.7, even some screw mount Zeiss.</p>

 

<p lang="sv">I have been living in HK for many years, and have purchased items from a number of stores. In my experience it is worth reading up on some of the dos and donts when shopping for photo gear here. There are plenty of shops that will try to rip you off, and some that are honest and offer great expertise and service.</p>

<p lang="sv"> </p>

<p lang="sv">I live in Central and shop here most commonly, I have had good experience with Kinephoto limited and Mirama, also Photo scientific are quite good. <em>Wing </em>Shing and <em>Man Shing </em>in Mongkok are good and fair priced. Avoid shops in TST, since this is known to be a busy tourist shopping area, which less honest shop owners will take advantage of and overprice you. The exception would be <em>Ting Cheung camera</em>.</p>

<p lang="sv"> </p>

<p lang="sv">Avoid Hing Lee Photo on lyndhurst Terrace, they are known to sell overpriced and allot of their second hand stuff are faulty. I know several people who have complained about their second hand equipment to be damaged, mouldy and sometimes very overpriced.</p>

<p>I confirm what someone said before:<br>

<br /><strong>Buying in Shanghai </strong>- Two main stores: Xing Guang Photographic equipment (Luban Lu / Xietu Lu). There are many shops and most of them are very professional. I wold like to mention ELITE for printing and developing. They are very professional and they work with the highest European standards (http://www.shyq.net/).<br>

<a href="http://cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/listings/shopping/electronics/has/huanlong-photographic-equipment-city/" target="_blank"><strong> </strong></a>The second store is : Huan Long Photographic Equipment City. It is across from the Shanghai Railway Station and offers the best selection of second-hand equipment in Shanghai. Probably is less known thant Xing Guang, but they have more rare cameras. I think is cheaper than Xing Guang. They are very professional as well. On the 2F you can find new gear and canon / nikon dealers.<br>

<strong>Buying in Hong Kong </strong>- I have been recently there and I found there are good second hand camera shops. Go to the ground floor of this building called Champagne Court, which is located at the junction of Kimberly Road and Carnarvon Road in the district of Tsim Sha Tsui; it's jammed packed with second-hand camera shops.<br>

As every were in the world, the stores try to get as much as possible. But is your goal to reduce the price as much as you can. Also you must know the product you are buying. Specialy on second hand products. <strong><br /></strong></p>

 

<p>Hallo<br>

I see several answers about HK in this old thread, any experience about Shenzhen?<br>

I will be spending most of my visit next month there, but I could spare a day or two in HK, where am I likely to find better prices?<br>

Thanks<br>

Maurizio</p>

<p>Film camera body prices have dropped like a rock, and there are plenty on the US market. In my local (big city) Craigslist, a FE2 goes for <$100, and a F100 for $150. My list of a N8008s for $50 got no nibbles at all! EBay's prices are similar. Can the overseas prices beat these? Perhaps getting the bodies in the US and the lenses over there may make more sense.</p>

<p>Also, there is customs to consider upon your return.</p>