Buying a used Deardorff

[jean-louis llech]

I've wanted for several years to buy a used 8x10 Deardorff, for

shooting landscapes with Polaroid films.<br>

The main drawback is that I can't find a used Dorff in France where I

live.<br>

On another hand, I hesitate to buy it on ebay, because I expect very

important custom duties.<br>

Has anyone experienced of purchasing such a camera from USA to France

or a knowledge of custom duties for this kind of purchase ?<br>

Thanks for your help.<br>

Best regards.

[william_whitaker1]

Duty is usually assessed by the importing country. If I were to ship you something from the U.S. to France, I would not have to pay duty (and therefore should not charge you for such). However if I receive something from abroad, it may be subject to duty, depending upon its classification. I would suggest that you check with your own customs office to find out what their regulations are. There are other cameras besides the Deardorff which may be more available to you. But if you have your heart set on a Deardorff, be patient and shop wisely. There are many of them out there.

 

Regards,

[john_kasaian1]

Jean-Louis,

 

Mid West Photo Exchange http://www.mpex.com is a very reputable dealer that often has 8x10 Deardorffs for sale at fair prices. Good Luck!

[georges_pelpel]

Jean-Louis,

 

The best way is to have the seller ship the camera to you via an express service such

as UPS, Fedex, or USPS Express Mail and have it registered as a gift and as a used

wooden box at a value of around $100.

There's little chance the package will be opened and, if it is, the custom officials won't

have any idea of its value. And a view camera is actually a wooden box.

Make sure to use an express service and not the regular air or surface mail service.

Express services are traceable and quick (3-4 days).

As a French expatriate to California I have ship many gifts to relatives in France and

never had any problem with custom.

Good luck.

[georges_pelpel]

Jean-Louis,

 

The best way is to have the seller ship the camera to you via an express service such

as UPS, Fedex, or USPS Express Mail and have it registered as a gift and as a used

wooden box at a value of around $100.

There's little chance the package will be opened and, if it is, the custom officials won't

have any idea of its value. And a view camera is actually a wooden box.

Make sure to use an express service and not the regular air or surface mail service.

Express services are traceable and quick (3-4 days).

As a French expatriate to California I have shipped many gifts to relatives in France

and never had any problem with custom.

Good luck.

[michael_briggs2]

Besides the moral issue of whether one wants to lie on a customs form, there is the drawback that undervaluing an item on a customs form will also undervalue it for insurance purposes. You can't very well write on the customs form that the package contains a $100 box and then ask for $1500 of insurance for a camera. If the package were lost or severely damaged, the insurance payout would be limited to declared value of $100. Few if any businesses would be willing to do this.

 

With the current open-trade approach, most duties between industrialized countries are fairly low. I second William's suggestion to check with the customs department in France to see what the duty would be.

 

The main advantage to buying from a dealer that has an excellent reputation in the LF community is that you can be sure of an accurate description of the condition of the camera. There are some worn out Deardorffs out there. On ebay, be cautious of buying from an ebay seller who rarely sells photo items and offers only fuzzy or very small photos.

[mark_blackman1]

Jean,

I have the same problem buying from outside the EU. Imports into the UK are a bit of a lottery, if they do get 'hit', you'll pay VAT. The handler (FedEx etc) will also add a handling charge to collect the payment from you. As stated elsewhere, you could ask the seller to undervalue and hope you don't have to make an insurance claim.

 

My advice would be to factor in the VAT in your bid, if you are lucky you wont have to pay. Failing that, limit yourself to EU ebay sites, there's a lot of stuff out there!