Buying an *ist D from USA

Hi everyone.
A friend is going to the USA and has offered to buy me an ist D.
The prices are about 40% of UK prices, so a large savings.
Has anyone any experience of doing this?

Also, I am thinking of adding a tamron 28-200 AF28-200mm XR Super Zoom. Will this be Ok on a digital SLR? Or should I stick to the lenses specifically made for digital cameras? What exactly would the difference be?

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards, Dave

I ordered my MZ-S and BG-10 from the US since it saved me $1000 from the price here in Canada. That price is what I saved even after change-over of currency!

Don't forget UK Customs though
They'll charge you VAT...

Matt

Well folks,
My friend got me the ist D - seems in perfect condition.
But I haven't yet got a lens.
All went smoothly and Pentax UK will honour the US guarantee (I checked with them).
Thanks to everyone who helped.
Dave

Hi

I'm thinking of doing the same - if I don't make it to the States myself in the next month (which I may be able to swing) then I might ask a relative who is returning to the UK from NY for a week or so, to bring me one back.

Where did you buy? Was it in NY?

Did you ring and pay for it yourself and arrange collection? (etc. etc.)

Any hints would be gratefully received!

Cheers

Jules

Dave,

I should have answered your question on lenses. Any 35mm lense will work a treat on the *istD. The difference with the digital lenses is their intended use - they have a smaller image circle (because the digital sensors are smaller than 35mm film). If you use a digital lense on a 35mm film camera you will get serious vignetting. Contact and mount wise they are identical

Don't underestimate the quality of Pentax SMC lenses! I stocked up on three really nice Tokina AT-X zooms (the 28-70/2.8, 20-35/4.5, and my favourite 24-200 is a really useful, but heavy, lens). They were much better than anything I'd used before. However, I now have three Pentax SMC-F prime lenses (28/2.8, 50/1.7, 100/2.8 macro) and the difference is amazing! Colour is almost always bang on, flare almost non-existent, bokeh beautiful, sharpness razor. I'm kicking myself for not getting them earlier!!

A second hand SMC-FA or SMC-F 50mm f1.7 is a really good investment if you can find one. (Great for low light stuff.)

One final thing, any 35mm lens you put on the *istD will behave 1.5x longer (so a 50mm will behave like a 75mm). If you want wide angle, then 24mm will help a bit, but even better is the new Pentax 16-45mm giving effective range of 24-70mm. You may find the price prohibitive, but the quality is superb (and IMO, worth the extra). Don't forget, you get what you pay for

Enjoy the *istD when you can get a lense!
Hope that helps!
Matt

I am heading to the states Thursday, from the mountains of Mexico, and my *Ist will be waiting for me. I got the 16-45mm digital lens, with the current $200 rebate if you also buy the *Ist and I'm ordering the Pentax 50mm F/1.2 lens to use primarily for interior shots in churches in Mexico and other buildings that don't allow for flash.

Enjoy your new camera.

Jules,

To buy it in the US over the interent is the cheapest. But I didn't have anyone there who could order and pay for it. So I gave my friend the money and the address of a Ritz shop I found from the internet. (like Jessops, I think - ubiquitous, but not very cheap). The site is:

http://www.ritzcamera.com/

Click on the "Store Locator" in the top left hand corner.

He bought it from a Boston branch - it cost him (me) £1399 without the lens - about £770.

Be prepared to possibly pay another 22.5% approx for tax and duties.

Pentax UK will honour the US guarantee.

Hope all goes well.
Dave

Dear Matt,
I immediately went out and bought one of the Sigma 18-50mm digital lenses. It had excellent reviews and was cheap.

I'm pleased with it, although I need to spend a good few weeks experimenting to see what causes the good/bad pics - me, the camera, the settings or the lens. I suspect the lens will be less to blame than me for the bad ones!

I had not considered SMC lenses - I don't know Pentax lenses (I was an Olympus man in pre-digital days), but from checking on Ebay, they seem to be the standard glass lenses of manual focus Pentaxes (comparable with my old zuiko lenses which were excellent). They are available cheaply, so I will take your comments on board - thanks.

I must say that I am pulled to the super zooms because of their convenience - "1 lens does (nearly) all". I can take a single, light camera bag with the camera+super zoom anywhere, and be ready to shoot at an instant. I'm not one to spend hours waiting for the right moment (which probably explains why I have so few great shots). Besides, my wife keeps nagging if I hang about!

Thanks for your help.
Dave

Dave,

It is true there are a lot of Pentax SMC lenses that are manual focus on ebay. Some of the real gems are the SMC-F and SMC-FA, both autofocus, and these hardly ever come up on ebay - probably because once you've got one you don't want to part with it

Like you, I like the one-lens-for-all. That's why I ended up with the Tokina 24-200. Cost about £250. Pretty heavy (which I like), distortion is minimal, sharpness very good. If you want a lighter super zoom, there's the newest Tamron 28-300 which is reported to be very good. With a young family, I too can't be forever changing lenses - I just have to snatch at image opportunities!

I did find though, in my mad quest for quality, that you can't beat a prime lens. Since getting the SMC-F AF lenses, Recently I've only been using the 28mm and 100mm macro and getting beautiful results. And, as I mentioned before, the 50mm f1.7 is superb for concerts and low light, as well as portraits.

Here's a 100mm macro shot: http://www.ephotozine.com/gallery/showlargepic.cfm?photoid=58971
And a crop of a 50mm: http://www.ephotozine.com/gallery/showlargepic.cfm?photoid=48574
(I can't match that resolution and contrast on a zoom)

Have fun with your *istD, and take plenty of pictures!
Matt

$1399 WITH lens or body only?

22.5%???! I thought it would be more like 8%? Is that common just to Boston? (i'd theoretically be buying from NY).

At 22.5% I think i'd have to reconsider and [gulp] go for something cheaper or [double-gulp] no DSLR at all. :O(

cheers

Jules

Jules,
Body only I'm afraid - I bought a lens (Sigma 18-50mm) here in the Uk. The 22.5% breaks down into about 4.8% duty + 17.5% VAT on the camera AND duty.
Customs don't stop everyone. You are taking a risk by doing it yourself.
And if you know someone in the US who can buy it for you via the internet and get it delivered to his/her house, then you'll save another $200 or so - it then starts to become more worthwhile.
Also, the GBP/USD rate has fallen in the last week or so - so it's about another £40 more expensive.
Anyway, best of luck in what you decide.
Dave

Thanks Dave

I presume then, that you're talking about UK customs, and UK VAT etc?

My relative in NY does live there, and could have it delivered, so this would I presume avoid local tax? I don't know.

I'd noticed the drop in exchange. Still very good though. 1.8ish is something I'm desperate to make the most of somehow!

If you order from a U.S. shop and have it delivered to an address in the U.S. there is no tax in most if not all states.

I got my *ist D from Canada, and was happy to pay the VAT. That way, if it goes wrong, I can safely ship it out again for repairs, or go on holiday without wondering if somebody will tap me on the shoulder as I go through Customs.
Still saved a lot of money!