Photo Equipment

[yvr1]

For many years I have bought virtually all my photo gear from a company called B&H in New York. I ship to an address in Washington State, and bring my equipment accross the border by car.

This company has a great web site.  You should always check their prices before buying camera gear.  Once you know their price you can use this information to negotiate a sharper price on either side of the border.

[Northstar]

Absolutely agree! I just got the B&H catalog in the mail yesterday and the prices of quality lenses, 35mm cameras, digi cams, bulk film, video cameras are WAY WAY cheaper than buying here in Canada.

For the past 20 years I too have purchased the vast majority of my camera and video equipment from B&H as their prices are way cheaper than London Drugs and Future Shop. And that was back when the Canadian dollar was at 75 cent US!

For an example, I am now interested in Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 digi camera, which is $120 cheaper at B&H than here in Canada. Even when you pay the $20 shipping it is still a $100 savings by purchasing from B&H instead of at London Drugs or FutureShop.

At FutureShop it costs $469 US
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10092661&catid=

At London Drugs it costs $499.98
http://www.londondrugs.com/Cultures/en-US/Product+Detail/Cameras.htm?CatalogNavigationBreadCrumbs=Cameras;Cameras;Cameras%20-%20Digital;Cameras%20-%20Digital%20Compact;Panasonic%20Lumix%20DMCFZ18K%20Digital%20Still%20Camera%20-%20Black&CS_Catalog=Cameras&CS_RootCategory=Cameras&CS_Category=Cameras%20-%20Digital%20Compact&CS_ProductID=2617322&ProductTab=1&MSCSProfile=DCCDF22EB27065BE6D1C166B2ADF9B3B6CD8D84F86767D2C652CE7EF60C2191AA1CEAC712713DA76364AE93D58D6102EC13D9E74ADF7A0BE479461B8598C5D51CEB32C40311BACA376EB7F1765016783B85B312C761A955AC55B0435D6BEADA5AB5C4F175356B87CAD4D1AC041CD10272D7768870C6710222DB915B39FE5664C&UserPref=CurrencyCode%5EUSDen-US

And at B&H the camera costs $349
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/514298-REG/Panasonic_DMC_FZ18K_Lumix_DMC_FZ18_Digital_Camera.html

And all B&H cameras and accessories include full USA warranty, so they are not gray market goods.

[JorG]

But, how do you ship them to canada?
Do you just ship to point robert or places near the border and get it through the states?

Also,
does any know how does the tax and duty works?
coz i want to get some lenses from B&H...
i dont mind they tax it...
but ... how do i know how much duty (if any) i will need to pay?

thz

[Northstar]

One of two ways.

1) B&H will ship your order by US Post to your address in Canada. Canada Post will knock on your door and collect the GST and PST and hand you the item, or if you are not home, they will leave a card and you can pay the fees and collect your parcel at your designated postal depot.

2) Or, you can have the item shipped to Hagen's in Blaine, WA and you can drive down and pick it up. There is also a similar service in Point Roberts which I learned from this forum.

[Garball]

I've had major problems with B&H with regard to shipping good to Washington instead of BC.  Problem is they have a policy stating they won't ship to addresses other than that on your credit card.  Two years ago when I ordered my L series Canon lense (about 2k) they turned down the order a week later.  No problems ordering the same product though Amazon.com however.

Cheers,

[JorG]

One of two ways.

1) B&H will ship your order by US Post to your address in Canada. Canada Post will knock on your door and collect the GST and PST and hand you the item, or if you are not home, they will leave a card and you can pay the fees and collect your parcel at your designated postal depot.

2) Or, you can have the item shipped to Hagen's in Blaine, WA and you can drive down and pick it up. There is also a similar service in Point Roberts which I learned from this forum.

Oh... they ship to Canada??
that's good!!

but is the shipping cost much higher?
and was there any duties? since most of the camera (canon) gears are made in Japan...

[Garball]

of course they ship to canada.  You pay duty plus all taxes and exhobitant shipping plus handling fees by the carrier.  It adds up to too much and that's why I started cross boarder shopping two years ago.

G.

[JorG]

Usually how much duty does the border charge (% wise)
(just want to get an idea... so i can expect how much i need to pay)

thz for answering all the newbie questions
 

[Northstar]

To answer JorG...

When I have brought camera and video equipment across the border (that I have purchased either at B&H or on ebay) I have yet to pay a penny of duty, even though the items are made in Japan or Asia.

I think Canada Customs is actually nice in this regard because technically they can charge duty over and above the PST and GST, but in nearly two decads of buying camera and video gear in the US I have yet to be charged any duty. I wonder if other people have had the same experience in this regard.

For cameras and video gear you have to pay PST and GST on the amount paid for the item, so you will need to present the store invoice, or ebay print out to Canada Customs which is what they use to prepare your GST and PST fees, which I always pay by credit card.

I find that honesty is by far the best policy with Canada Customs. I go in with all my paperwork that I have prepared in advance and there is never a problem. As a side note, US border officers always ask why I am going across the border, and showing them the paperwork for the goods I have purchased always help expedite my crossing.

I figure I have saved a good dollar on the actual purchase, and I have not paid any US sales taxes, so it is only fair to pay Revenue Canada the actual PST and GST based on the actual price I paid.

I have seen other people show up at the border without paperwork on large items, and they naturally go through a grilling from Canada Customs when they try to bring their good across saying they paid peanuts for it.

As a final note, most Revenue Canada Customs officers know to only charge the PST and GST on the price of the item, not the postage costs. Sometimes you may need to point this out if the Officer is new on the job.

[Northstar]

I've had major problems with B&H with regard to shipping good to Washington instead of BC.  Problem is they have a policy stating they won't ship to addresses other than that on your credit card.  Two years ago when I ordered my L series Canon lense (about 2k) they turned down the order a week later.  No problems ordering the same product though Amazon.com however.

Cheers,

OK here is the answer. With B&H, it is true that if you want it shipped to Blaine, you will need to send them a Money Order if you are a new customer. I have been a customer of theirs for a number of years so they will ship my goods to me in Blaine (at Hagen's) using my credit card that has a Vancouver billing address. If you are an existing customer of theirs, you can call them on the phone and ask if they will ship to the Blaine address for you. I am sure that if someone is a brand new customer, this is the reason they won't do it.

[Northstar]

of course they ship to canada.  You pay duty plus all taxes and exhobitant shipping plus handling fees by the carrier.  It adds up to too much and that's why I started cross boarder shopping two years ago.

G.

When I bought my Panasonic Lumix FZ7 last year, I actually had B&H ship to me here in Canada by Post. They sent it insured, and Canada Post only charged me the actual PST and GST and their $5 processing fee so that was not too bad, and it saved me the time of driving to Blaine to pick it up.

I never have items purchased in the US sent to me here in Vancouver via UPS, FEDEX or DHL because all of these courier companies (WITHOUR EXCEPTION!!) charge a $30-$50 custom brokers fee to clear your goods through Canada Customs. When your good are delivered by Canada Post you do not pay a penny of custom brokers fees.

So that is why these courier companies never get a penny of my business.

[JorG]

okok..
thz for the detail reply!