going to japan

[Carlos Cruz]

Hi, I am going on business to japan in few days and wanted to do some shopping. I am looking for canon 35/2 to accompany my canon P. I was wondering where in Tokyo is the best place to start looking, and how much you think I'd pay.

Carlos

 

[Ash]

You lucky SOB!

You may end up paying 'collector' prices for that, but as I hear, Japan has a helluva lot of camera stores. A friend's slr broke halfway through her trip and was fixed and posted back to the UK at cost. If she had that luck with a store at random, no doubt one down any street will have a selection of Canon gear.


Sorry I can't be more help and good luck!

 

[Carlos Cruz]

lucky SOB??

lucky SOB??

how dare you, I am just a poor student earning his bread and tutition with blood, sweat and tears. To be honest I'll be working for some kind of crappy reality show for lowest wage ever in my career, but hell it's in Tokyo, Japan... I couldn't refuse it.

Happy SOB

 

[mjflory]

I returned to Tokyo this summer for the first time since my student days long, long ago. Of course I stuck my nose in every camera shop I passed, but my unscientific impression was that it's a lot easier to find bargains here in the States. (Don't know about prices elsewhere.) Actually, a 35mm for my Canon 7 was the main thing I was looking for and I didn't see a cheap one.
Have a wonderful time on the trip. Perhaps it will start a lifelong interest in Japan for you, as it did for me!
-- Michael

 

[Bill58]

You better take a lot of Yen w/ you. Their prices are ridiculous--the culprit is 50 yrs of runaway inflation more than anything else. I've looked and there are no bargains to be had. The shops are not terribly friendly to foreigners either from my experience.

Maybe--just maybe--if you have a Japanese friend do your bargaining for you, you can get good price.

 

[Carlos Cruz]

Thanks for your advices, I thought that going to Tokyo would be like entering a dirt cheap canon lenses mine, but since it looks this way too bad I'll have to live with it. I always wanted to go there, what you see on movies photos etc gives a great impression but guess it has nothing to do with real experience. Someone showed me an album with photos from japan the artist; name was Bill Klein, and it showed B&W stuff from 1960~70 japan. The photos looked certainly great but I can't imagine myself shooting Tokyo in B&W, It doesn't seem right in such place. Anyway I'll be taking two bodies one BW and the other colour.

carlos

 

[FrankS]

how dare you, I am just a poor student earning his bread and tutition with blood, sweat and tears. To be honest I'll be working for some kind of crappy reality show for lowest wage ever in my career, but hell it's in Tokyo, Japan... I couldn't refuse it.

Happy SOB

A Japanese reality show: you must tell us some more details! I lived a year in Japan 20 years ago teaching English and simply LOVED it.

 

[Carlos Cruz]

It's polish version of some crappy US reality show (amazing race or something similar) and among other places we're going for couple of days to japan. This is it. Hope I'll have just a day off to see Tokyo.

carlos

 

[mjflory]

One day when we were rushing through Tokyo we passed a promising camera shop. No time to stop, so I took these quick snaps so I could look at some prices later. Just to get you started (or to prepare you for a little sticker-shock)...
P.S. -- I confess they're not rangefinder shots, just used my Sony DSC-T5. (I'm still scanning in the slides and negs done with the CL.)

 

[Carlos Cruz]

Back home, in love with Japan and Hawaii.
Did someone said tokyo is expensive, salesman unfriendly etc? No way, I just had few hours to walk around on my own. Didn't know directions around but was lucky enough to find great shop with vintage nikon stuff, asked the salesman for canon shop, told me directions but eventually didn't find it. So went to shinjuku to find a pristine canon 35/2 with filter for ridiculous price 22000 yen ~180 USD waiting for me in Map camera, salesman was trying to be as helpful as possible, he didn't speak any language I know and my japanese is more than meager but eventually I got the lens he got $$$ and that was it

Lucky SOB

 

[RicardoD]

Cruz,

I am going to Tokyo for business after the new year. Where exactly was the store? Name and location if possible.

 

[Carlos Cruz]

It was near shinjuku station, can't tell what was the address (I heard that in Japan streets have no names only xing have and the numbers are set in chronological order) But there are few words written in latin alphabet on the receipt I got, it says "mapcamera.com tel. 03 3342 8440 fax 03 3342 3350" they have a map on their website and some info hope it helps

It is on foot 5 minutes from the Shinjuku west entrance and the southern entrance.

No.1"FilmCameraStore"
Business hours

10:30～20:30
6F trade center (an acquisition receptionist is to 20:00)
Address

1-12-5, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0023

 

[steamer]

Here is a map, I don't think they actually answer their email

http://www.mapcamera.com/inf/inqu-e.php

 

[Rayt]

Pick up a copy of either Nippon Photo or Asahi Photo while in Tokyo. These mags have lots of adverts of second hand shops complete with easy to follow maps.

 

[John Shriver]

I've seen quite a few recommendations for Map Camera, so you lucked out and stumbled into a good place.

 

[RicardoD]

Well I think I'm all set for Tokyo now. Thanks. Problem now is money!

 

[roblumba]

Yodobashi Camera

Yodobashi Camera

Yodobashi Camera is another great one. They are located near the Niko or Metz Hotel in Kawasaki, just a short walk from the Kawasaki JR station.

www.yodobashi.com

When I was there 3 years ago they had just about every film camera wether medium format, or whatever with demo models to play with. What a fun place. They moved from that old location and I just visited their new location this year but didn't get a chance to look around their camera section thoroughly. So I don't know if they have the same setup.

At the Kawasaki station there's also a new mall attached to the station that has a camera store. This camera store has just about every Canon and Nikon zoom, plus some huge zooms on tripods to play with.

Japan is really fun for camera lovers.