Buying Cameras/ Online Shopping.

[redangel]

I know there is many many topics like this but I have a friend who is trawlling the Harvey Normans, Teds and such for a Canon camera. The prices compared to the online shops is quite staggering. I would expect she wants a good Aussie warranty, no grey imports and such. So for the inexperienced could I get a brief comment on what shops are good reliable and offer good backup service. Is there a difference btn manufacturers warranties and those offered as Aussie warranties?

Even my bestie is snubbing Nikon sniff sniff...

Edited May 5, 2010 by redangel

[Firestone]

I know there is many many topics like this but I have a friend who is trawlling the Harvey Normans, Teds and such for a Canon camera. The prices compared to the online shops is quite staggering. I would expect she wants a good Aussie warranty, no grey imports and such. So for the inexperienced could I get a brief comment on what shops are good reliable and offer good backup service. Is there a difference btn manufacturers warranties and those offered as Aussie warranties?

Even my bestie is snubbing Nikon sniff sniff...

redangel I am new to all this but I can share my experience with regard my new camera. My family bought me a Canon 450D with twin lens kit from Harvey Norman. Extended warranty, memory card 4gb sandisk extreme sdhc, a camera bag/pouch type carrier and 2 Hoya UV filters for just over $1400.00 but I had also been savng for a while so all in all I think with all it came with including the extra warranty it was not a bad buy. Here in Launceston Tas its the lack of choice thats frustrating. We have Harvey Norman, Stallards and a small Kodak shop. We are lucky here at our local Harvey Norman we have two people in the camera section who are photography savvy so thats a help and they were very good. Extra accessories there are quite expensive.

The original warranty was 12 months and we got the extension that runs for another 36 months. They send them away to be fixed I think and I have heard it can take while to get them back

Am much wiser since coming in here and learning heaps. I think my new lenses will be from DWI (digital world international) with the mack warranty and my Lowepro Bag I saved for and bought on Ebay (they are just so over the top price wise here)

[Kirislin]

I am a bit confused actually, I've heard that grey market cameras come in a plain white box. I thought in buying from DWI I was buying a grey market camera but it is in the proper Canon box. That said, it's my understanding Canon wont take responsibilty for it if there's a problem so I bought the Mack warranty. I think now if there's a problem Mack has their own repairers to do the fix. I just hope they're up with all the latest Canon techincal stuff. It was alot cheaper to buy this way, but it comes with a risk.

I bought my lens from another online seller and I've heard that Canon will fix that, but I am not absolutely sure about it either, so far both have been perfect so I haven't needed to test either warranty.

[redangel]

Thanks all...I forgot all the things to consider when looking/shopping for a new camera. Ill pass the info on.

[rubiton]

Yes canon repairs take a while - my wonderful camera went 31 March and got the quote last week. Just waiting to pick it up but easily 5 or 6 weeks now.