R-D1 Hong Kong Prices

Jim Watts · 03-05-2005

I had mentioned in the Fast Lenses on R-D1 thread that I was told a friend had picked up an R-D1 body for £900 in Hong Kong.

RML (and maybe others) were interested as to where.

I have been in touch with my friend and he tells me that the R-D1 is available at a number of places in Hong Kong but in two ways. 1. As an official import where you will have to pay about £1,250 U.K. or 2. As a Grey import where the price is about £1,000 U.K.

He paid £970 U.K from Mongokok Photo in Kowloon (near the station) for a Grey import version and he took the chance that it would be O.K. and so far he has not noticed any problems, but he is checking a few of the things mentioned as difficulties in this forum after our conversation. He went for the Grey version as ihe would have no warranty in the U.K. on either option.

Apparantly a number of shops in Nathan Road also have the R-D1 at the prices mentioned. Prices in Hong Kong seem to be pegged to the strength of the U.S. Dollar and as this has dropped further against the U.K. pound (at $1.92 to the £ today) he thinks prices may now be even more competive.

Even more Him:

Me:

Hope this is of some help, but I guess that if you are thinking of taking a trip one would want to know that a dealer had one in stock before going.

Jim Watts · 03-05-2005

Here is a list of contact addresses and phone numbers for Hong Kong and Kowloon dealers including Mongokok photo: http://www.kodak.com/HK/en/nav/locator/dai-center.shtml

driggett · 03-05-2005

Interesting... I have been checking ebay and no r-d1 has been sold (new) for almost a month and for the last two weeks no listings have been made. Has the hoopla of the EPson R-D1 died down and now it is dead in the water sales wise?
Cheers,
Chris

aizan · 03-05-2005

maybe they're all getting it elsewhere for less!

jlw · 03-05-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by driggett

Interesting... I have been checking ebay and no r-d1 has been sold (new) for almost a month and for the last two weeks no listings have been made. Has the hoopla of the Epson R-D1 died down and now it is dead in the water sales wise?
Cheers,
Chris

It seems as if most of the eBay new-item sales I had seen were done after the camera had shipped, but before it was available in the US.

More likely now that they're (fairly) readily available through normal retail channels, people who want one are buying them that way, so they can get a warranty and so forth.

I've been very pleased with mine, but considering that several people have noted (or at least worried about the possibility of) RF calibration problems, I suspect that an official warranty might be worth something.

Ed, if you don't mind my asking -- roughly how much did DAG charge you for fixing the RF on yours?

Ed Schwartzreic · 03-06-2005

jlw,
He charged me $100, but this involved half a dozen long phone calls back and forth, as well as his taking and supplying the images I posted of the R-D1's rangefinder mechanisms. He told me he could now do the adjustment in 20-30 minutes. So I think $100 would be a top figure. If a person just has the vertical RF images off, one can do that through the top plate by one's self, or he could likely do that in 5 minutes himself at a much lower rate, IMO. NB. I paid several hundred dollars less than list for my R-D1 last November, so I feel I can afford these tweaks.

A partially related issue: I tried focus yesterday with my 90AA at 3 meters, both with and without a Leica 1.25X magnifier. The slight magnification helped me nail focus more predictably. So, I just ordered a Nikon DG-2 Eyepiece Magnifier from B&H, which should arrive the middle of the upcoming week. I'll keep you all posted.

Ed

RML · 03-06-2005

Jim, thanks for the info! A 100 GBP is still a much better price than the prices over here. I'm totally broke right now but I'm seriously planning to go to HK to get me an R-D1.

Designer · 03-06-2005

Just a note, try to avoid buying stuff from those located along the Nathan Road, especially at Tsim Sha Tsui area.

RML · 03-06-2005

Why, Designer? Are you looking there for bargains?

Designer · 03-06-2005

Hi RML,

Tourists are their target customers. It need special attention in dealing w/. them, such as asking if the product you want is really in stock before you pay.

Keven

laurentvenet · 03-06-2005

sorry for my post, but what does grey market means ? does it mean buying something with a local warranty instead of international warranty ?

Doug · 03-06-2005

Hi Laurent... Grey market just means the items are unofficially imported directly from the source, bypassing the official importer/distributor. So, yes, no local warranty, but the international warranty applies. And some larger stores that carry a lot of grey market items often will provide their own "store warranty" for it. All in exchange for lower prices...

andrewch · 03-06-2005

I agree that most of the shop along Nathan Road and Tsim Sha Tsui prey on tourists. But there are also reputable dealer in that area. I got my R-D1 at Tin Cheung photographic supply in TST not long ago for HK$ 19,800. If any of you need information of reputable camera dealers in Hong Kong, you can drop me a line.

Designer · 03-07-2005

Hi andrewch,

Agree, Tin Cheung is a reliable shop. They have both offical & unoffical imported product. The price is also reasonable & sometimes attractive. I got my CV 25mm f4 from them at $195USD (w/o. local warranty). Remember that the recent price for a RD-1 (w/o. local warranty) is arround $HK 17XXX.

Keven

andrewch · 03-07-2005

I bought mine with the local warranty. I don't know what the price for R-D1 is around now. When I bought mine, Tin Cheung was them selling at HK$19,800 versus HK$21500- 23,000 asked by other dealers. I wouldn't be surprised that it is worth less now. This is the reality of owning and using digital products- the price trend has nowhere to go but down, it is only a matter of how fast it drops

Designer · 03-07-2005

Andrew,

Your price is good! From my memory, the best price for a RD-1 w/. local warranty should be from "Tin Cheung" at the moment.

Keven

dave4579 · 02-12-2006

here is the price
http://www.tincheungcamera.com.hk/pr...roducts_id=446

ezio gallino · 06-18-2006

I believe that near the summer people thinks for holidays which of course mean photographs too. So I don't think is not best period to look for a secondhand camera to buy: same is just before christmas. It's better for selling them. If you can just wait september people will come back home with less money and things will come back to natural stream. There's another big question in the game: leica M8 will be sure better under any point of view and a certain range of people (richest and professonists) will surely drop their 3000 euros Epson of just two years ago for a new 4500 euros/ $ 5000 new M8; this is sure; so there will be a big lot of near mint or very very good obsolete RD-1 on the market. just wait three or four months and you will see. Leica is playing his face now and I'm sure they will do a good job. Under any point of view.

David Murphy · 06-18-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Designer

Just a note, try to avoid buying stuff from those located along the Nathan Road, especially at Tsim Sha Tsui area.

You are most defintely correct and I have spent quite a bit of time in Hong Kong. The reliable and serious camera shops in Hong Kong can be found mostly on Stanley Street on Hong Kong side. Some of them there are excellent. You will find kindred spirits in the photography hobby on that street.

Some of the new merchandise in Nathan Road/Mong Kok/Tsim Sha Tsui shops is defective. It is mixed bag -- and there are a few good dealers too (not in the main tourist locations), but cameras are sometimes only part of their business. From the attititudes of a few of the merchants there I think there may also be gangster activity.

RML · 06-18-2006

I bought my R-D1 a year ago from Dr Joseph Yao in HK. Contact him at joseph at yao dot com.

Didier · 06-21-2006

I'm just happy to say that a demo R-D1 from Robert White (UK) for £1050 is on the way to me. With shipping plus the VAT/customs of my country (Switzerland) it costs me £1150. No grey import, and with full warranty.
I can't wait to get it...

Didier

fgianni · 06-21-2006

Congratulations!

nksyoon · 06-21-2006

Gruezi, Didier, maybe we should start a Zürich R-D1 group.

Didier · 06-22-2006

Why not? But first I got to get the camera - it's still on the way... and then get used to it...

Mark Norton · 06-22-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Didier

I'm just happy to say that a demo R-D1 from Robert White (UK) for £1050 is on the way to me. With shipping plus the VAT/customs of my country (Switzerland) it costs me £1150. No grey import, and with full warranty.
I can't wait to get it...

Didier

That's a good price. I bought mine when they were £1150 new but there was UK VAT (sales tax) on top of that. Switzerland obviously treats imports more favourably... Hope you enjoy the camera, I know I do.