Would you buy a camera from Japan?

MartinCrabtree · Jan 5, 2016

While I'm sure there are exceptions (as there are everywhere) the Japanese eBay sellers I've seen post many good photos and offer honest detailed descriptions of the product. I'd not hesitate in the least to buy from them.

Sirius Glass · Jan 5, 2016

Since I have not bought any camera equipment from Japan, I would like to know whether or not I would have to pay US tariffs for used cameras or lenses. What is your experience?

aoresteen · Jan 5, 2016

I've bought lots of stuff from Japan. Recently got a nice 'parts' Pentax ESII body that I had overhauled. Sweet camera. I've bought lenses as well. Never an issue. I've bought lenses from Cyprus, Greece, Russia, Ukraine, and the EU. I buy lots of accessories from Hong Kong & China all the time. All have been good.

Sometimes it takes awhile to get here, sometimes it's crazy fast. But the packages always show up.

Sirius, I've never been hit with a customs duty/tariffs.

Sirius Glass · Jan 5, 2016

aoresteen said:
I've bought lots of stuff from Japan. Recently got a nice 'parts' Pentax ESII body that I had overhauled. Sweet camera. I've bought lenses as well. Never an issue. I've bought lenses from Cyprus, Greece, Russia, Ukraine, and the EU. I buy lots of accessories from Hong Kong & China all the time. All have been good.

Sometimes it takes awhile to get here, sometimes it's crazy fast. But the packages always show up.

Sirius, I've never been hit with a customs duty/tariffs.

Thanks, that is good to know.

MartinCrabtree · Jan 5, 2016

I've not yet bought form Japan but have from Australia,New Zealand and The UK. Never an issue.

I did get a box of Cuban cigars bought from Spain seized a couple years ago. In the end the seller credited my card and apologized for the problem. And ICE sent me a nice letter notifying me of the seizure.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 5, 2016

I did the same thing

Rick A said:
I bought my GW690II from Japan, no regrets.

I think there was a glut of them in Japan. I've heard that they're cameras for taking tour group shots.

aoresteen · Jan 5, 2016

Just bought another Pentax ESII from Japan. This one is in chrome - not many chrome ones in the USA. Again it's a parts camera so it will need repair. $25 plus $17 shipping.

aoresteen · Jan 5, 2016

Maincoonmaniac wrote:

"I think there was a glut of them in Japan. I've heard that they're cameras for taking tour group shots. "

The GW690II has a 90mm normal lens. The one used for tour group shots was the GSW690 with the 65mm IIRC.

TheFlyingCamera · Jan 6, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
Since I have not bought any camera equipment from Japan, I would like to know whether or not I would have to pay US tariffs for used cameras or lenses. What is your experience?

For most used gear, most of the time, customs duties will not be imposed. It would depend on what exactly it is - a LNIB Nikon F6 would most likely get tagged, as the customs inspectors would recognize what it is and be able to look up the value, which would be over the personal exemption. However, a scruffy-looking Plasticca, worth far more than the F6, might skate by if the value were not declared. A used Rolex might be a different story since it would be classified as luxury goods. If you are concerned, there are tables of information on the US Customs website that list the categories of goods and their tariff rates.

Sirius Glass · Jan 6, 2016

So if I order spiffy new Nikon or Canon digi-snappers I get nailed, but if I order the nasty, ratty old Hasselblad things that no one in their right mind would want then I am OK. Got it. Thanks.

Old-N-Feeble · Jan 6, 2016

I guess I've been lucky because I've not paid any customs fees on any of the many dozens of things I've bought from Japan or anywhere else. Perhaps they pay no attention to a few hundred dollars item value.

aoresteen · Jan 6, 2016

I've never seen any evidence of any of my packages being opened for inspection. How do they know it's a ratty old Pentax? X-rays perhaps?

TheFlyingCamera · Jan 6, 2016

aoresteen said:
I've never seen any evidence of any of my packages being opened for inspection. How do they know it's a ratty old Pentax? X-rays perhaps?

In part they're relying on customs declarations forms to be accurate and complete. But they have some ways of figuring out which packages to open and inspect. It's all very complicated.

davedm · Jan 7, 2016

I guess most of the stuff gets x-rayed these days unless brought by specific companies or in very large boxes/crates/containers.

John_Nikon_F · Jan 8, 2016

I've purchased a few items from Japan myself. Mainly some Nikkors and accessories, etc. No problems. My main concern is with older bodies, like Nikon F and F2 bodies that have had time to live in the humidity. There have been a few F2 bodies that look real nice and clean that have been sent to Sover Wong (soverf2repair here) and are covered in mold inside. An F4 or F5, no problem. New enough that it probably won't have fungus. Or, if it does, it'll be something that can be cleaned off with Windex.

That said, if you do decide to have Nikon service it, they will be looking for either the "US" stamp on an F4, or the little oval "NikonUSA" sticker on the flap covering the buttons on the rear of an F5... Not that big of a deal with an F4, since, if the wind-side top cover is iffy, find a junker in the states with a better one, and swap it. Then, send the camera in. From what I've read, Nikon USA won't service anything gray market, even if it's out of warranty. Most independent shops won't care. I'm guessing my father sent his Nikomat FTn to a local independent shop when it got dropped in the early '70s. That would be why his camera wound up being cobbled together with different versions of the FTn, parts-wise. 361xxxx serial, but meter coupling that went to f/32, and an AR-1 compatible shutter release button assembly, as well as the newer takeup spool.

I've yet to have to pay duty on overseas purchases, even on the two F3P bodies I bought from the UK (one around the time I joined here, and the other in the summer of 2013). Just had to go into the lobby, show either the yellow or small beige sheet of paper, sign/print my name, then print the delivery address. After that, my parcels were passed over the counter to me.

-J

rrusso · Jan 8, 2016

I had been told that the Japanese take much better care of their camera equipment than we do here in the U.S., in general. I'd have to agree based on my experience, which is three separate transactions - a Nikon MF zoom lens, and two F4 bodies. The lens and the first body were nearly spotless, but the second body, while also virtually spotless, had a damaged viewfinder (the mirror and/or prism was loose). I contacted the seller (same seller for all three transactions), and literally the next day a replacement was sent out. No charge, no questions, no hassle. He didn't even want the damaged viewfinder sent back.

As I recall, even with the higher shipping (typically between $20-$30), I paid less that I would have through a place like KEH.

Shipping was very fast - I had the items in about 3-4 days, and no extra customs charges, etc.

aoresteen · Jan 8, 2016

aoresteen said:
Just bought another Pentax ESII from Japan. This one is in chrome - not many chrome ones in the USA. Again it's a parts camera so it will need repair. $25 plus $17 shipping.

OK, that was on Jan 5th. (post #109) Today is Jan 8th. The EMS package was dropped off at my door this afternoon around 4:00 EST. I'm just a bit south of Atlanta. Coming from Japan I'd say that was very quick !!!

jbcrane · Jan 9, 2016

I've purchased several items from Japan and have been extremely pleased with: how fast they ship and it arrives here in the States, the overall quality of the item, and the overall buying experience with the sellers, who are communicative, courteous and even include small things in the box like bags of tea and hand-written notes. Here is my most recent experience: I was considering a Nikon MD-2 motor drive but was reluctant because of a slightly rusted screw visible on the exterior. He assured me there's no rust inside - they'd just opened it and serviced it. When the item arrived I saw he had replaced all exterior screws with perfect-match replacements - on his own initiative; I did not request this. Another time, another item made it from Japan to Colorado in 4 days. Think about that... (!) Things like this have been my experience buying from Japan. I would not hesitate.

benjiboy · Jan 10, 2016

jbcrane said:
I've purchased several items from Japan and have been extremely pleased with: how fast they ship and it arrives here in the States, the overall quality of the item, and the overall buying experience with the sellers, who are communicative, courteous and even include small things in the box like bags of tea and hand-written notes. Here is my most recent experience: I was considering a Nikon MD-2 motor drive but was reluctant because of a slightly rusted screw visible on the exterior. He assured me there's no rust inside - they'd just opened it and serviced it. When the item arrived I saw he had replaced all exterior screws with perfect-match replacements - on his own initiative; I did not request this. Another time, another item made it from Japan to Colorado in 4 days. Think about that... (!) Things like this have been my experience buying from Japan. I would not hesitate.

The " small things in bags like tea are silica gel to absorb any moisture in the air and keep the equipment dry.

ColColt · Jan 10, 2016

You have to look closely at what you're buying. Sover has a good example of that with cameras coming from Asia on the Nikon F2 group on Facebook. He bought a pristine F2AS that upon arrival looked great but someone sent him a like camera from that area that he ended up sending back due to the amount of fungus not only on the outside in places(a dead giveaway) but inside as well. The guy that sent it to him for another reason didn't even know anything of that nature was wrong. You just have to know what you're looking for, get good pics and ask up front about any fungus.

Would you buy a camera from Japan?

MartinCrabtree

Sirius Glass

aoresteen

Sirius Glass

MartinCrabtree

Mainecoonmaniac

aoresteen

aoresteen

TheFlyingCamera

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Sirius Glass

Old-N-Feeble

aoresteen

TheFlyingCamera

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davedm

John_Nikon_F

rrusso

aoresteen

jbcrane

benjiboy

ColColt

Would you buy a camera from Japan?

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