simon_kull Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 hi there i'm off to japan in a few weeks. i just tried to do some research about buying gear in japan. the question is not where to buy it but more if it is as expensive as the rest of japan? comments would be much appreciated from people who were already there and bought some stuff (canon slr etc. if possible...) thankssimon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godfrey Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 I've been to Japan on three trips. My impression is that there are products sold there unique to the marketplace (Tokyo, in Akihabara and Shinjuku) but that pricing is better in the USA. I have not been back since 2002 so I don't know how the prices are running today. Godfrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua daniels Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 I go to Japan regularly and frequent the camera shops there. Even though the dollar has been slightly stronger than the yen in recent years (and, miraculously, remains so), Japanese prices are almost always higher on new equipment. Deals may be found on used equipment, if you're willing to make the rounds. One of my favorite shops is Fujiya Camera, near Nakano station. With used in equipment, you find that the condition is often excellent and the sellers are very honest. While you do want to apply caveat emptor, the entire camera-culture, particularly the used market, is far less predatory than in the US. The stores seem to actual like having their customers satified and, consequently, coming back. But if you're looking to save money on new equipment, with a few exceptions, Japan is not the place to buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rene11664880918 Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Hi there! I live in Japan and I can tell you that you won?t save any money buying in here UNLESS you really know where to buy. Big stores have the same prices everywhere (+ or ? a few bucks). They will match the price of any other store if you tell them. If you know the place, especially in Tokyo you can find small shops then can give you a better price IF they have in stock what you are looking for. If you want used equipment you can find it very cheap in very good condition (even with warranty). I will suggest you take a look at the big stores: KAMERA NO KITAMURA, YODOBASHI KAMERA, BIG KAMERA, and a few other but do it for fun coz if you are coming from the States you won?t save money. If you are coming from Europe you my fight good deals. Good luck and enjoy your trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rene11664880918 Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 I was working so I didn?ft get in details when I posted my last message. This may be useful to any one else coming to Japan. If you are buying anything in any specialist store, for instance a camera in a camera shop, always get a catalog. In the catalog you will find the makers retail price. The system in Japan works like this: The makers, let?fs say Nikon doesn?ft sale directly to any store, they sale to wholesalers and the wholesalers to the stores. If the retail price of a camera says 100,000 Yen the SUGESTED wholesale price will be around 50% of the retail price (50,000 Yen) and the store might be getting it around 5% under the suggested wholesale price (47,500 Yen). Now if you keep that in mind, take a look at the price they are asking and NEVER be afraid to ask for a better price. After you get a better price you can make an offer. Make sure the offer you make doesn?ft upset them (Be reasonable). This rule applies to chain stores and individual stores too. The only places you can not ask discount are at what they call here HOME CENTERS, uhmmm! Stores like Target, K-Mart, Sears. Which reminds me, in this called home centers you can get good prices in camera KITS like a Nikon D80 and a 18-70 lens kit but they don?ft sale just lenses or just cameras and you won?ft find accessories either. Just in case you are wondering, I know all this coz that is what I do for living in Japan. My family owns a wholesale company. Also don?ft try to get better prices in anything that is around 100 USD coz you won?ft get any. In small accessories you will pay retail price. Also, if you find any new discontinue models, let?fs say a Nikon D70?fs you might get a really good price, they might even pay you to take it! (Joke). I hope this help you or any one else coming here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry_s3 Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 To avoid starting a new thread and as the content is more or less the same, I'm adding to this thread. A relative is going to the Kyoto Environmental Conference next week and has agreed to get me a camera but says she won't have much time for shopping around. I'm interested in one of the following: 1. Casio Exilim V7 (355 Euro = $460 = 56,300 Yen) 2. Panasonic Lumix TZ3 (395 Euro = $515 = 62,600 Yen) 3. Panasonic Lumix LZ7 (247 Euro = $320 = 39,120 Yen) The Euro price is what I can get them for here in Germany and then I've roughly converted that to dollars and yen. Two questions: 1) as these cameras have just been brought onto the market, does anyone know if there is much of a saving when buying them in Japan and 2) does anyone know of any decent camera shops in Kyoto so that my relative doesn't have to run around looking for one? Thanks for your answers and I'll also send her the info about asking for a price list and the retail prices as mentioned above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rene11664880918 Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Hi Henry! If you are looking for a compact camera tell your relative to go to a electronic store. Uhmm! She can find any of the follow anywhere in Japan: YAMADA DENKI, K?fs DENKI, LAOX, JOSHIN, SHINDEN, KOJIMA DENKI, PC DEPOT. Anywhere she goes she will find them. All of those stores are always kicking each other selling as cheap as they can trying to call as many costumers as they can. I don?ft know about those models you are saying but just last years about 10 of my European costumers bought Casio cameras here in Japan coz they say they are cheaper than in Europe. These costumers were British, Italians, and Dutch. EXILIM CARD EX-S770RD I just check on the net and this is the latest they have, maybe different name in Europe, the price is 42,700 Yen. The latest Panasonic is LUMIX DMC-FX50-K and it has the same price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rene11664880918 Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Henry, I found them JOSHIN Lumix TZ3 46,800 Yen Casio Exilim EX-V7 52,800 Yen. This is net shopping, at the store they would be a bit cheapper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry_s3 Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Hi there Rene'! What a fast response! All three cameras I mentioned are really very new on the market - the Casio for example was announced at the Consumer Electronics Association fair in Las Vegas on 8th January and the two Panasonic Lumixes on 31 January. I'm interested in them because of the focal length going to 220-280 mm range, the large monitors of at least 2.5 inches and that they have 7,2 megapixel. Would these specifications coincide with the names you mentioned? I've often found companies change names from country to country - whether cameras or cars (e.g. Volkswagen Golf in Europe and Rabbit in the States) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rene11664880918 Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Maybe you haven't read the last post, the first store I checked I think they haven't updated their home page. The second store I looked up they already have them there. the third camera Panasonic Lumix LZ7 32,800 Yen. The price she will find will be almost the same everywhere coz they are brand new and as far as I know Casio cameras are very popular. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamespjones Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 As mentioned previously; if you have the luxury of time, you can find deals. If you don't, the general quality of used equipment will be extremely high. Japanese people traditionally have taken extremely good care of their goods. Used instruments (guitars etc), used electronics, and used cameras are generally in extremely good condition, or priced accordingly. Additionally, used goods are sometimes sent back to the manufacturer before being put out for sale. Last night I received a Nikon lens from Japan that is about 35 years old that looks absolutely new because it has been cleaned inside and out by Nikon, before it was sold as used. Be aware, Japan is a country of collectors and they have great buying power. Of most interest is that the lens I just acquired has "Nikon" on the lens, not Nippon-Kogaku. Nippon Kogaku branded lenses which may be optically inferior are currently demanding more money in Japan that their Nikon branded counterparts because of the collectors in the market. Have fun, I wish I was over there right now. James photographyri.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepas_nigs Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 you can check www.mapcamera.com it is in Shinjuku, Tokyo - they have a sizeable lens and camera collection new and used. hope that helps. but better if you can browse through their store Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew robertson Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 It's way more expensive there. When I was in Tokyo in 2005 everything was 2x the price it was in America. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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