Changing system.

No, I'm not giving up on Pentax.

I'm doing a lot of industrial photography where all the little details have their importance, so I got a 645D.

Now, since I hardly used the APS-C cameras in the last month, I'm considering selling the following:

K20d, D-BG2 grip, DA14 2.8, DA*16-50, DA*50-135, 31Ltd, 43Ltd and 77Ltd. I keep the K-7 and K10d and a few lenses.

Why do I keep the K10d instead of the K20d? Because the K10d at low ISO in studio has such a clean noiseless image.

Before I put the lot on eBay, I'll see if anybody on this forum is interested in some (or all) that's for sale.

Everything is in mint condition.

Might be better if you make a proper post in the Classified Ads section, so those who want to buy things look.

If you are a member you might be better off posting on the other Pentax forum where the majority of users are "local" to you. I would be interested in the 31mm/43mm/77mm but once you start including all the duties payable to HMRC I have a feeling they would be cheaper to buy here in the UK.

Good point Mike, HMRC seem to exact their pound of flesh on everything coming from Canada and USA plus the fees charged by the carriers or the Post Office for collecting the duty. Oddly enough a lot of stuff from China slips through the net perhaps because Chinese sellers are economical with the truth regarding the value of the items.

Do they charge duty on secondhand goods though?

Yes, unfortunately they do. Best to stick to buying and selling within the EU

I think all in all it works out at approx 25%+ with import duty, VAT and Royal mails charges.

HMRC is clear that you do: link

Unless Yves can sell and ship them for less than £15!

Didn't I read on another thread something odd about photography imports?

Camera bodies - no duty; lenses - duty?

In any event, duty, etc, is directly related to price paid, as stated on the customs declaration.

What's the situation regarding gifts? Fathers Day is coming up soon.

Yup that's correct and the seller can always reduce the value on the declaration accordingly.

Only problem then is that both parties are committing import duty avoidance and what happens if the item gets damaged/broken in the post and the insurance is based on the customs declaration.

The rules regarding import duty are very complicated but everything over .£18 is subject to VAT at 20% and the Post =ffice charges £8 for collecting the duty.

So far as I understand it is always the responsibility of the importer (ie the buyer) to pay the required amount of duty and VAT regarless of what the exporter says.

So If you send some money to your aunt in the US to buy you a camera and send it to you as a gift, if you do not declare it as a purchase then you are the one who gets fined.

The rules are not really complex.

Anything imported from outside the EU is subject to duty and VAT.

Duty is levied on the price including shipping costs, and VAT is charged on the price including shipping AND duty.

Fortunately, import duty is generally very small.

Some carriers will charge you a fee for importing the item, and paying the VAT and duty on it.

If you allow 25% you won't be far out unless the item is unusually cheap or expensive.

G

Not everything imported is subject to import duty, fortunately digital cameras among other items do not attract import duty though like most things have 20% VAT charge.

I said subject to duty. In some cases the duty is zero, but all imports from outside the EU are subject to duty (with a few special exceptions).

However, duty is very small on most things nowadays, thanks to GATT, and we can expect duties to fall further or disappear.

Not so with VAT, unfortunately. I should be unsurprised to see the return of differential rates of VAT, with "luxuries" attracting a higher rate.

G