purchasing a canon slr from america?

overthere

overthere

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Yes
is there any downside to purchasing a camera from america and bringing it back here to use??

you know things like power/voltage etc

got some family going mid-may and considering asking them to bring me back a 500d as its about £550 body only
jessops are selling it for £869
 
The downside is no UK warranty, silly Rebel name, you'll need a different power plug and you could have to pay import duty/VAT.

If these are acceptable risks, then go for it. Supplies may be limited in mid-may though.

If not, wait a couple of months for the 500D price to plummet, or get a 50D instead.
 
It's a fair saving but Canon won't repair it under warranty unless you have a UK issued reciept.
And you will need an converter for the charger
Edit. beaten to it
 
Been there done that :)

Bought an EOS 350D in Florida a few years ago.

Yes the charger for the battery is different but this is easily rectified with an adapter plug that they were only too willing to supply in the shop when I purchased the camera. The Canon battery charger is dual voltage so don't worry about the 110/240v, it will charge on both.

Silly Rebel name means no one knows what model you have got when they look at it :lol:

No UK warranty can be a bit of a pain but then you need to weigh up the potential cost of paying for repairs within the first twelve months against the reduction in purchase price. Obviously if the camera was damaged and you had it insured then this would be covered seperately on the insurance (proof of purchase would probably be required) but a warranty fault ie shutter problem you would have to pay out for to get repaired, if the warranty wasn't valid in the UK.

Anything over about £50 you should declare when you enter the UK so that you can give the government 15% of its value. This helps pay for the public services we all know and love, such as helping with MP's expenses to furnish their second homes.

It's very naughty if you don't declare an imported item and I'd imagine the customs men, if there are any on duty and if they can be bothered when you arrive back in the UK, would identify smugglers by looking for items such as empty boxes which I imagine the unscrupulous amongst us would bin in the foreign country or post separately to their home address, if they really wanted to keep them to maximise resale value when they upgraded the new camera at a later date.
Bringing a camera back as hand luggage in a camera case with photographs taken of the holiday must make it doubly difficult for customs officers to do their job effectively.

:bat: It is against the law not to pay the VAT :bat:
and you should pay it on your return to the UK but even with this duty you still might get a bargain :)

I had the EOS 350D for about 2yrs and it worked perfectly with no problems. If I was going abroad again and was in the mood to buy a new camera I wouldn't hesitate. :thumbs:
 
I bought my 400D in Dubai and declared it when I brought it back into the UK.

I was told by the nice man at Customs that import duty didn't apply to digital cameras. Maybe he just wanted an easy day.
 
andrewc said:
The downside is no UK warranty, silly Rebel name, you'll need a different power plug and you could have to pay import duty/VAT.

If these are acceptable risks, then go for it. Supplies may be limited in mid-may though.

If not, wait a couple of months for the 500D price to plummet, or get a 50D instead.
Click to expand...

could consider waiting for the price to drop
its not like i desperately want or need it
just for the price difference thought it might be worth looking into



Sinbecks said:
Been there done that :)

Bought an EOS 350D in Florida a few years ago.

Yes the charger for the battery is different but this is easily rectified with an adapter plug that they were only too willing to supply in the shop when I purchased the camera. The Canon battery charger is dual voltage so don't worry about the 110/240v, it will charge on both.

Silly Rebel name means no one knows what model you have got when they look at it :lol:

No UK warranty can be a bit of a pain but then you need to weigh up the potential cost of paying for repairs within the first twelve months against the reduction in purchase price. Obviously if the camera was damaged and you had it insured then this would be covered seperately on the insurance (proof of purchase would probably be required) but a warranty fault ie shutter problem you would have to pay out for to get repaired, if the warranty wasn't valid in the UK.

Anything over about £50 you should declare when you enter the UK so that you can give the government 15% of its value. This helps pay for the public services we all know and love, such as helping with MP's expenses to furnish their second homes.

It's very naughty if you don't declare an imported item and I'd imagine the customs men, if there are any on duty and if they can be bothered when you arrive back in the UK, would identify smugglers by looking for items such as empty boxes which I imagine the unscrupulous amongst us would bin in the foreign country or post separately to their home address, if they really wanted to keep them to maximise resale value when they upgraded the new camera at a later date.
Bringing a camera back as hand luggage in a camera case with photographs taken of the holiday must make it doubly difficult for customs officers to do their job effectively.

:bat: It is against the law not to pay the VAT :bat:
and you should pay it on your return to the UK but even with this duty you still might get a bargain :)

I had the EOS 350D for about 2yrs and it worked perfectly with no problems. If I was going abroad again and was in the mood to buy a new camera I wouldn't hesitate. :thumbs:
Click to expand...

lol
id no doubt go for the 'naughty' option

but yeah the warranty thing is something to think about

thanks for the info about the chargers doing both voltages


AB22 Easy Tiger said:
I bought my 400D in Dubai and declared it when I brought it back into the UK.

I was told by the nice man at Customs that import duty didn't apply to digital cameras. Maybe he just wanted an easy day.
Click to expand...

interesting, lol


think ill consider it still, but weighing towards the 'not bother' side as it would be a pain if something did infact go wrong


thanks for the replies everyone
 
overthere said:
interesting, lol


think ill consider it still, but weighing towards the 'not bother' side as it would be a pain if something did infact go wrong


thanks for the replies everyone
Click to expand...

Just wait until you see the prices in the shops and the credit card is on fire in your pocket :lol:
 
Sinbecks said:
Just wait until you see the prices in the shops and the credit card is on fire in your pocket :lol:
Click to expand...

haha
no doubt that would happen
which is why its a good thing its just family who are going who i would have asked

if it was me going lol i would have got it and regretted it later
 
AB22 Easy Tiger said:
I bought my 400D in Dubai and declared it when I brought it back into the UK.

I was told by the nice man at Customs that import duty didn't apply to digital cameras. Maybe he just wanted an easy day.
Click to expand...

Digital cameras are import duty-free. However, they are not VAT free.
 
Sinbecks said:
Been there done that :)

Anything over about £50 you should declare when you enter the UK so that you can give the government 15% of its value. This helps pay for the public services we all know and love, such as helping with MP's expenses to furnish their second homes.

Bringing a camera back as hand luggage in a camera case with photographs taken of the holiday must make it doubly difficult for customs officers to do their job effectively.
Click to expand...

You aren't giving correct advice here. The limit on imported goods (not alcohol tobacco perfumes) from outside the EU is £390. [previously £340]

Sorry to have to tell you this, but as a well used world traveller, for you to suggest that by taking pictures of your holiday on the imported camera it will make the customs officer's job more difficult is somewhat naive. Throwing the box etc away is also a waste of time. They are far from stupid. Just seeing the name Rebel tells them it's from the US. A check of the serial number against their database tells them which country it was purchased in. All cameras and lenses have serial numbers. Their country of origin are all on the Customs database. You will then not only have to pay the VAT, but also a substantial fine, and maybe have the camera confiscated as well.

Should you manage to get the camera in to the country without being challenged or paying the vat, then you may as well accept the fact that it stays in this country. No more taking it away on holiday. Just because you got it in the first time doesn't mean that you will get it in again. You can be stopped on any re-entry and asked where you bought the camera, lens, flash etc. You will then be asked for your proof of having paid the tax, regardless of when. If you can't produce it, then it's back to the fine/confiscation scenario. And don't try to bluff your way out of it. You'll only dig yourself a deeper hole.

For those who have purchased stuff from abroad and outside the EU, say ebay Hong Kong, requiring tax/duty to be paid and have a receipt for this payment, then always take a copy with you when you travel overseas. Again, if you managed to escape payment then you take a risk every time you return with it from overseas.
 
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If you bought an imported camera second hand in the UK would this still apply as it is not your responsability to pay the duty and VAT?
 
MisterE said:
You aren't giving correct advice here. The limit on imported goods (not alcohol tobacco perfumes) from outside the EU is £340.

Sorry to have to tell you this, but as a well used world traveller, for you to suggest that by taking pictures of your holiday on the imported camera it will make the customs officer's job more difficult is somewhat naive. Throwing the box etc away is also a waste of time. They are far from stupid. Just seeing the name Rebel tells them it's from the US. A check of the serial number against their database tells them which country it was purchased in. All cameras and lenses have serial numbers. Their country of origin are all on the Customs database. You will then not only have to pay the VAT, but also a substantial fine, and maybe have the camera confiscated as well.

Should you manage to get the camera in to the country without being challenged or paying the vat, then you may as well accept the fact that it stays in this country. No more taking it away on holiday. Just because you got it in the first time doesn't mean that you will get it in again. You can be stopped on any re-entry and asked where you bought the camera, lens, flash etc. You will then be asked for your proof of having paid the tax, regardless of when. If you can't produce it, then it's back to the fine/confiscation scenario. And don't try to bluff your way out of it. You'll only dig yourself a deeper hole.

For those who have purchased stuff from abroad and outside the EU, say ebay Hong Kong, requiring tax/duty to be paid and have a receipt for this payment, then always take a copy with you when you travel overseas. Again, if you managed to escape payment then you take a risk every time you return with it from overseas.
Click to expand...


ahhhh
i didnt even think about it like that
good point about taking it if u go anywhere else..

but then again
do they realllyyyyy go to that much hassle??
 
overthere said:
but then again
do they realllyyyyy go to that much hassle??
Click to expand...

Not in my experience.

I often travel internationally and have brought my camera bag into the UK over 300 times without ever being challenged.

Edit: Including more than 100 trips to China and the far east in which case I'd have thought they were being extra vigilant given the rip off gooods that come in from there.
 
Downsy said:
If you bought an imported camera second hand in the UK would this still apply as it is not your responsability to pay the duty and VAT?
Click to expand...


As far as I understand it, it is the responsibility of the person importing new goods to pay for the import duty/VAT

I was lead to believe previously that second-hand goods do not incur these charges, as it is private sale.

I doubt that any customs officer would bother, on the second entry of a camera to the UK, to try and get proof that the initial duty was not paid.
 
I would be interested to know, what is the warranty regarding lenses bought from outside of the UK.
I thought that I had once seen that they have a world-wide warranty?
 
Downsy said:
If you bought an imported camera second hand in the UK would this still apply as it is not your responsability to pay the duty and VAT?
Click to expand...

Whilst the person that imported the item was responsible for paying the VAT, unfortunately the item remains "VAT unpaid", and VAT is still due. As I understand it, HMRC can recover the unpaid tax from the current owner, and it is then down to him to pursue whoever he bought it from for recompense. Remember, tax ain't fair.
 
Downsy said:
If you bought an imported camera second hand in the UK would this still apply as it is not your responsability to pay the duty and VAT?
Click to expand...

If they had a mind to they could still pursue you for it. Otherwise the more serious smuggler could escape penalty just by saying he bought his van full of fags from somebody at the pub.
 
MisterE said:
If they had a mind to they could still pursue you for it. Otherwise the more serious smuggler could escape penalty just by saying he bought his van full of fags from somebody at the pub.
Click to expand...

Hmm, I think in that case, (if HMRC got that far), then they would require the accused 'smuggler' (as it isn't proven yet, remember innocent until proven...) to provide proof that they purchased the goods from someone in the UK, which they would not be able to.
 
overthere said:
ahhhh
i didnt even think about it like that
good point about taking it if u go anywhere else..

but then again
do they realllyyyyy go to that much hassle??
Click to expand...

Yes they do. A friend of mine got stopped and questioned at length about the contents of his camera bag about 3 years ago. And the contents weren't even modern dslr stuff. This was a modest 35mm Canon slr + lenses. He was asked when and where he bought everything. Most came from a shop in Bristol, the name of which he couldn't remember. The Customs man prompted him with the correct shop name. The serial number was then checked. All was well.

Now my friend isn't the sort of guy you'd think would attract their attention. He's just 'normal'. He didn't get stroppy, didn't argue. But he was targetted and given the works (apart from the "bend over sir").

I too have caught their attention, briefly. In a crowd of mixed flights exiting, they were milling around amongst us. A tap on the shoulder and I was asked which flight I had just got off. I told him Tokyo, and he said thank you and moved on. I've seen a little old English lady with her suitcase being taken to pieces, and a standard looking businessman having a small holdall full of fags confiscated. As I was sitting at the taxi kiosk he stopped and furiously ripped up the paperwork he'd been given and chucked it in the bin next to me. I had a look when he'd gone. It was a notice of prosecution.

So don't think that just because you're a standard looking English guy you will succeed in your small scale smuggling operation.
 
coldpenguin said:
Hmm, I think in that case, (if HMRC got that far), then they would require the accused 'smuggler' (as it isn't proven yet, remember innocent until proven...) to provide proof that they purchased the goods from someone in the UK, which they would not be able to.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, HMRC take the attitude that you're guilty until proved innocent and there's nothing you can do about it. If you can provide proof that you've bought it here then you may be on safer ground as far as being fined is concerned. Whether they make you pay the necessary duty/tax or go after the original purchaser is a matter of speculation. I haven't heard of any cases like this yet.
 
This concurs with what I had previously been told on the planes and in the holiday shops. Obviously the original post was about a 'gift' of course. No money changing hands.... :)

Paragraph 3 onwards is the important bit...

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How much duty-free can we bring back with us from holiday?
This information applies to England, Wales and Scotland

There are no longer any duty-free allowances for journeys within the European Union (EU). Instead, you can bring back an unlimited amount of goods from travel in any EU country, as long as it is for your personal use or as a gift. In practice if you are over 17 you will be allowed up to 3200 cigarettes, 10 litres of spirits, 90 litres of wine and 110 litres of beer. If you bring in more you will have to persuade customs that it is for personal use. There are further allowances for different tobacco products and alcoholic drinks.

There are still duty-free allowances for travel from other countries outside the EU which are much smaller.

If you are aged over 17, you are allowed to bring in 200 cigarettes, 4 litres of still table wine, 2 litres of sparkling wine, 1 litre of spirits and 16 litres of beer. You are allowed to 'mix and match' alcohol or tobacco products as long as you do not go over the total allowance on each product. For example, you can bring in 100 cigarettes and 25 cigars which is 50% of your cigarette allowance and 50% of your cigar allowance. You cannot 'mix and match' alcohol and tobacco allowances. You are also allowed to bring in up to £300 (£340 from 1 January 2009) worth of other goods including perfume and souvenirs.

If you are bringing in more than that, you must declare the goods at customs, and may have to pay duties. If you don’t, you are breaking the law. Your undeclared goods can be seized, you may have to pay penalty charges, and you might even be prosecuted.

The same duty-free allowances apply for business trips as well as holidays.

If you are travelling from a non-EU country to the UK, you must declare any cash you are carrying if it is 10,000 Euros or more (or the equivalent in other currencies). This rule also applies when you're travelling to another non-EU country from the UK.

You don't need to declare cash if you are travelling from or to another EU country.

For more information about goods and cash you can bring in to the UK and general information about travelling abroad, see Travel abroad.
 
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