Purchasing a D7i

[matthew]

Ill be visiting Singapore soon and have a D7i on my shopping list.
I was wondering what people's recomendations would be for places to get Minolta gear - authorised dealers who will have proper 'International' Warantees on their goods.

On my shopping list is
D7i
Hoya UV(0) filter
FS1100 Hot shoe adapter

options
more CF memory - Microdrive ?
extra NiMH cells.

I gather the best place to search is around the Peninsula centre, my Sister who has visited a few times claims to have had good dealing with LORDS Cameras & Watches in Lucky Plaza, She described them as 'less 'agressive' than some other places she visited, although it doesn't look like she checked out the Peninsular area. She also isn't into photography like I have been in the past so doesn't know the technical speak of photography.


Seems like the popular places are
Cathay Photo (more for range than price)
John 3:16
Alan Photo

Ive also seen repeated references to MS Colour being pretty good.

Any suggestions or recomendations much appreciated.

My hope is to find a suitable dealer and price on the first day of the trip and spend the rest using the new DigiCam to photograph the sights around the city.

 

[ninelives]

If you are going to Alan Photo, make you you bring Yslee with you. He will get a special discount. If not, I think you better stick with cathay or john 3:16. They both have very good after sales service.

 

[TME]

Originally posted by ninelives
If you are going to Alan Photo, make you you bring Yslee with you. He will get a special discount. If not, I think you better stick with cathay or john 3:16. They both have very good after sales service.

Sentiments are the same here. Alan Photo has better prices usually but their range is rather limited. And they may "chop" a tourist. CathayPhoto is okay but prices can be up to $50 more in my experience with the Tamron 24-135mm SP lens that I just bought a month back. MS Colour is a rather small shop like Alan and is out of the way and may also "chop" tourists. Sale service are okay but not sure about aftersales though. Got the Tamron from MS Colour though. Mainly because of price and availability.

I feel that The Camera Workshop is qutie good both with services and price. But they may or may not deal with digital stuff. I cannot remember. U can try the Peninsular Shopping Centre and Peninsular Plaza - they are just opposite. John 3:16 is in Funan Centre - the IT Mall which is behind Peninsualr Shopping Centre. MS COlour Centre is in Ang Mo Kio opposite the MRT station. Alan Photo is in Sim Lim Square which is also a computer mall at Rochor Canal a short distance away from Peninsular.

 

[YSLee]

I have to say this, I don't really like TCW.

 

[matthew]

Originally posted by TME


Sentiments are the same here. Alan Photo has better prices usually but their range is rather limited. And they may "chop" a tourist. CathayPhoto is okay but prices can be up to $50 more in my experience with the Tamron 24-135mm SP lens that I just bought a month back.

I've been corresponing with another Singapore local who just bought a D7i from AP, for approx $50 less than a E-Quote I just recived from CP. He also sent me a photo of the 'International Warrentee' card. The dealer name stamped on it is not 'Alan Photo' (Either its their registered company name, or AP shares its Minolta 'dealership' with other retail stores), but also the International Warentee specificaly excluded Australia (my home) from the Digital Warrentee (possibly the local Minolta agent is not setup for digital. If my Dell laptop ever breaks, Dell will send it to Singapore for service, so this in itself is not unsual for Australia).

This leads me to possibly just pay extra and deal with Cathay, who I presume as a 'pro' shop have a proper dealler relationship with Minolta, so i'm less likely to have warrentte problems in the future. The D7i is an expensive device. I don't want to buy a potential paper weight.

Cathay's price on battaries and CF cards isn't much better than home.

 

[Kit]

Do not rely solely on prices from E-quotes. They're generally higher than what you can expect in person from the shop. I suggest you still go to CP in person to check out the prices.

 

[TME]

Originally posted by Kit
Do not rely solely on prices from E-quotes. They're generally higher than what you can expect in person from the shop. I suggest you still go to CP in person to check out the prices.

E-quotes are valid for a week after they have been sent to u. All you ned to do is to print out the email and send it to them. They will honour their quote. Prices can vary within the week as new stocks arrive due to currency fluctuations. SO it is not surprising for such expensive equipment to vary by a few tens of dollars.

 

[TME]

Originally posted by matthew


I've been corresponing with another Singapore local who just bought a D7i from AP, for approx $50 less than a E-Quote I just recived from CP. He also sent me a photo of the 'International Warrentee' card. The dealer name stamped on it is not 'Alan Photo' (Either its their registered company name, or AP shares its Minolta 'dealership' with other retail stores), but also the International Warentee specificaly excluded Australia (my home) from the Digital Warrentee (possibly the local Minolta agent is not setup for digital. If my Dell laptop ever breaks, Dell will send it to Singapore for service, so this in itself is not unsual for Australia).

This leads me to possibly just pay extra and deal with Cathay, who I presume as a 'pro' shop have a proper dealler relationship with Minolta, so i'm less likely to have warrentte problems in the future. The D7i is an expensive device. I don't want to buy a potential paper weight.

Cathay's price on battaries and CF cards isn't much better than home.

Don't be alarmed by the chop from Alan Photo that does not say Alan Photo. Alan Photo is just the name of the shop. It has a parent company using some Chinese name that i cannot remember. U can visit Alan Photo's website here: www.alanphoto.com.sg. They are authorised dealers of Minolta also, and that is quite definite.

 

[TME]

The parent company is Poon Hup Seng

 

[matthew]

My correspondant says he got a D7i at AP for $1550, however the photograph he sent me of the warranty certificate shows the dealler as 'Minolta Imaging Gallary' 'Funan IT Mall'. The address is not even in the same mall !

This sort of difference concerns me since I may need to do a remote service on the thing if it ever breaks or gets broken.

 

[TME]

Originally posted by matthew
My correspondant says he got a D7i at AP for $1550, however the photograph he sent me of the warranty certificate shows the dealler as 'Minolta Imaging Gallary' 'Funan IT Mall'. The address is not even in the same mall !

This sort of difference concerns me since I may need to do a remote service on the thing if it ever breaks or gets broken.

What u can do and should do is to ask to look at the warranty card even before u examine the camera in detail. Look at the dealer's chop and if it is not there ask what name their chop bears. Shops usually chop all their warranty cards in advance to prevent forgetting to chop a customers card which may affect his claiming warranty in the future. Do not be put off by the salesman telling u that he is an authorised dealer, etc. Insist that he shows u the shop's chop and what it says. If he does not want to tell u, then it is best to back off and go somewhere else. Not worth saving that few bucks. Remember that products which come with international, local or regional warranties are all priced differently. Always ask if the price covers the international warranty.

Also always ask what is included in the price, especially if the price is substantially lower - like $50 or so. Stuff like extra memory cards, batteries, straps, cases, gifts like travel tripods and other minor accessories which may cost more than the price difference may be excluded.

 

[TME]

BTW, try not to buy anything (especially electronic goods) from Chinatown even if u are aware of the prices. I once bought a Olympus Compact Binos for $160 when I could get it in Orchard Road area for just $120. Well, I got nicked for $40 there but it was my fault cos I didn't look around at the prices. In my experience, prices in Chinatown are much higher than at the regular places we people in this forum get our photographic stuff.

 

[YSLee]

Originally posted by matthew
My correspondant says he got a D7i at AP for $1550, however the photograph he sent me of the warranty certificate shows the dealler as 'Minolta Imaging Gallary' 'Funan IT Mall'. The address is not even in the same mall !

That's the showroom. No biggie.

 

[TME]

Originally posted by YSLee


That's the showroom. No biggie.

I suppose that u mean that that is Minolta's showroom in Funan, no? But why should the address not be found in Funan as Matt says?

 

[ninelives]

my minolta products (dynax7 , minolta elite II) warrenty also stamped with Funan center show room address. but i think it is ok.

 

[TME]

Originally posted by ninelives
my minolta products (dynax7 , minolta elite II) warrenty also stamped with Funan center show room address. but i think it is ok.

Then I suppose it is okay but I still find it strange since Minolta has a dedicated service centre near Shenton Way why do they address warranties to their showroom instead!

 

[mpenza]

Originally posted by matthew
My correspondant says he got a D7i at AP for $1550, however the photograph he sent me of the warranty certificate shows the dealler as 'Minolta Imaging Gallary' 'Funan IT Mall'. The address is not even in the same mall !

This sort of difference concerns me since I may need to do a remote service on the thing if it ever breaks or gets broken.

want to add that friend's Olympus, my Fujifilm and Casio cameras bought there all come with legitimate local warranty.