Photography Thailand Forum

[bacs]

I know that Bangkok is a good place to shop for inexpensive textiles and leatherwear, but are there any good camera equipement shops and how do their prices compare with Europe or the US?

If prices are low, then please post any camera shop names and addresses.

thanks,

Maurice

[Jeremy Simons]

Try Fotofile in the MBK centre Bangkok, get off at the National Stadium BTS, ther are two stores one one the ground floor, second hand and new and then on the third floor for pro gear. Good luck and happy shoot'in. Should be cheaper than Europe, don't forget the VAT on the way out.
JAY

[anna]

Yes, Fotofile at MBK is reliable.  Prices - may be cheaper than Europe but maybe pricier than U.S.  If you are just visiting Thailand, you also have to think what happens if something goes wrong with the photo equipment once you go back home.   Is it under int'l warranty?  Anna

[Reaper]

Try AV camera... its near Saphan Taksin

[Reaper]

Went to AV Cameras last week on Wednesday... a bit far off the beaten track :'(, but makes up for it in the stuff for sale there.  It seems that there is a quite a high demand over there so you might have to pre-order stuff at least a month in advance.  Plus side is that the owner speaks very good english    Highly recommanded

[David Salmanowitz]

Replying to your question as to how prices compare with the USA, that is easy--costs more here in Thailand. I remember eight years ago when at the Nikon store here in BKK a 105mm macro lens was four times the going price in the USA. Just today I was looking at some Canon gear here in BKK and though it was not anywhere near four times the price it was pricier.

[Josh White]

Some of the prices I've seen on the web from US based stores are a little cheaper than here.
try http://www.camera-prices.com/
I think after shipping though it would defeat the purpose unless of course the price is hugely different. I saw a lens that worked out cheaper but three days later http://www.fotofile.net discounted it anyway.

I've been to the fotofile store on the third floor of MBK, I bought most of my camera gear there, but I've not found the one on the ground floor. Can anyone tell me what it is near? It'd be nice to check out the second hand gear.

[kittiwat1]

The place is called Fotofile (at Mah Boonkrong) as someone has mentioned above. They are affiliated to FotoThailand, located on the 3rd floor, which sells brand new stuffs. If you have a chance to go to HK, you may find that prices over there are generally lower than in Thailand. I am planning to buy a Canon 5D when I go there at end of the month. Bought my 70-200 2.8 L IS in HK last August at Baht equivalent of 65,000.- would have cost me over 70,000 at FotoThailand. My 2 satangs.

[aaronkok]

According to some(i have yet to try it yet), they sometimes do sell less than US prices, especially after the 7% VAT refund. I've been told they do give discounts on higher priced items.

Anyone tried asking for discounts?

[anna]

When I checked camera equipment prices in Thailand, I have not found one store yet that is cheaper than the U.S.  However, there is one place I have not checked - the photo shops along Lat Phrao.  It is a long strip of photo stores across Central Store Lat Phrao.  I heard they are cheaper than BKK and big selection, too.  As for the Fotofile in MBK ground floor, there is indeed one there.  I've been there a few times but each time I go there, I cannot find it again.  It is tiny and sort of sandwiched between bag stores or something? good luck. anna

[Sophie Elliott]

im currently on the market for a Canon 30d, and need to buy it in Bangkok, and have no idea about buying in Thailand,
Any tips or places?

[Marc Schultz]

Sophie, you are welcome to have a look at the shop I listed in the listing's section under "Camera Equipment New - All Major Brands". I think they just received a shipment of them in last week.

Recently the 30D was out of stock pretty much in Thailand I was told, as the first lot that came in through Canon Thailand and distrubuted to the Canon resellers in Thailand sold out pretty quickly.

The key is to buy one with a "Canon Thailand" warranty, which is important if you require service in Thailand, as opposed to Canon equipment purchased overseas, like in Hong Kong for example, which wont carry a warranty that is valid for warranty service in Thailand.

Hope this helps.

[aaronkok]

Marc,

Aren't most canon lens sold are with international warranty? As of my knowledge only canon EOS body do not have international warranties. But it seems some powershot do have international warranties (but are 6 months instead of a year)

[Marc Schultz]

You may be right about that, but I think Canon DLSR bodies do not carry international warranties, which is what I think Sophie is wanting to purchase.

I also recently bought a small Canon Digital IXUS 55 camera at the airport in Dubai and they told me specifically that the warranty was only good in the middle east. But warranties on different models may not be the same and may depend on the country your purchase as well too possibly.

[Paul Whitehead]

i have found that fotofile are always willing to talk about a small discount on a lot of items but not all. most times you dont have to ask, they just offer if you umm and arghh. its usually on the ancillary gear though.

for the big ticket items such as lens and bodies, i always buy from the main dealer as the after sales support (in my case from niks) is really good. the couple of thousand it will add to a lens by buying from the main dealer always pays itself back when i have a problem (more than ever self inflicted) both in time and money.