Cameras in Japan

Tyler · (#1 (**permalink**))

Hi!

I'm going to be spending a year studying in Osaka starting in the fall and I figured I should get myself a camera

I'm thinking of a digital camera in the ¥20,000 - 40,000 price range.

I was wondering if it was worth it to buy a camera in Japan or if I should just buy it here (Canada).

Also, if you have any recommendations for cameras or places to buy feel free to mention them!

Thanks

yamashita · (#2 (**permalink**))

i m a photographer and i guess its better to buy it in osaka. but i never was in canada. dont know the prices there...
in august 23 I m in osaka too. if you want i can watch out prices for you!
i will have enough time cause my boyfriend lives there and he has to work all day long.

IamKira · (#3 (**permalink**))

um...I'm a film base photographer, so i haven't had experience in the digital world.........but It all depends on what you are looking to shoot......and how much you want to spend...you know...how deep you want to get in.........I can't tell you much because I don't know if you'd like to get into SLR photography, rangefinders, or just casual point and shoot......Japanese manufactured cameras tend to be top of the line in quality...and there is only one company in my mind that beats out Japan in camera technology...and that is Leica

....i love leica soooo so much......aahhhh...dreamy.....

IamKira · (#4 (**permalink**))

This is my Baby!!!!!!!!!!!.........

but i have a 28-70mm f:3.5-4.5 instead of a 50 f:1.4...I'd like one though!!!.....lol.....the lens that I currently have is the sharpest peice of glass I think I'll ever find!!!!!

IamKira · (#5 (**permalink**))

this is my rock!!!!!...I love my F!!!!!

well, these aren't my pics of my cameras, but they're the same models and everything!!!!...

Tyler · (#6 (**permalink**))

Nice cameras Kira! That Leica is pretty

I wish I could afford a higher end camera but the whole exchange trip is pretty expensive by itself so I think I'll get a point-and-shoot compact digital.

Yamashita, that would be really cool if you could keep an eye out for camera prices for me! Thanks for offering

Now that I've started looking at cameras I'm going to have to exert a bit of willpower to not go out and buy one right away :P

jasonbvr · (#7 (**permalink**))

You will be better off getting in Canada. Everyone thinks Japan is wonderful for buying high end electronics, but the truth is they don't have the kind of sales they do in the US. You're best deal would be to buy it off Amazon at home.

I'll give an example, there is a waterproof and shockproof Olympus that I want. Off the net back home I'd save at least fifty dollars while here I'll have to pay full price. The only time it is worth buying techie stuff in Japan is if it has not been released elsewhere because we do get a lot of things before North America and Europe.

Tyler · (#8 (**permalink**))

I was checking yodobashi.com for prices earlier.
At first the prices looked like they were nothing special... then I noticed that the prices shown include taxes.

Those prices are not bad actually.

Nyororin · (#9 (**permalink**))

Actually, if you know where to look, when to look, etc - you can get REALLY good prices. You also have to take into account the AMAZING effect of store point systems in Japan.
We bought a TV, on sale, for half price in a store opening campaign. We got a 300,000 tv for 160,000 - with 30% points. 30% of 160,000 - that`s 50,000.
We picked up a new camera, which was also on sale for 30,000 - got 30% points on it. We also bought some other stuff...

You just have to know the system, etc. You can almost always undercut Kakaku.com by quite a lot. Stores allow you to bargain - you just have to do it. We`ve gotten them to knock things down a lot. Bic, Yodobashi, Yamada, Eiden - they`re all great to bargain with.

I mean, we just bought a new HDD/DVD recorder - for more than 10,000 less than the lowest kakaku price. All we did was say "We want this one, and have the cash with us.... But can only afford such and such amount..." and the salesman ran off, talked with those above, and sold it to us - extended warranty included, and even threw in a free i.Link cable for the exact price we wanted.

SgtBeavis · (#10 (**permalink**))

If you shop outside of the major cities, you can find sales.

For instance. I shopped around Akihabara for an Olympus E-500 DSLR, but everywhere I looked the camera was at or near retail prices ($800 US). However, when I shopped around an electronics store in Hadano, I found the same camera on sale for the equivalent of $530 US.