Heads up, Canon P

[FrankS]

Nice camera! You and the Canon 50 f1.4 will be very happy with it. 🙂

 

[back alley]

any advice?

get an m grip for it, makes for a potent machine.
find a nice 35mm lens, maybe start with the 2.8.

i'm left eyed so really don't take advantage of the 1:1 finder (both eyes open while shooting)

joe

 

[ChrisN]

Hey GBH. Congratulations and well done. That's a good price - watch out for Customs duty - I got stung for an extra $115 GST and import duty for the one I got from Adorama! Did you bid on the P with 50/1.2 from Sydney, last week? Be grateful you missed - the lens has bad haze! You won't need a manual - very easy to work it out.

 

[GBH]

Thanks Chris! Customs duty? Didn't think of that... I have bought a heap of things off ebay, amazon and a few different stores and have never been asked for duty... Hopefully the Aussie Customs Officers are having smoko when it comes through. Doesn't really worry me, I will just be happy to finally have a P in my hands. I didn't bid on the P from Sydney last week mainly because I didn't like the look of the black rubber parts of the camera and I wanted another P that went for auction the next day. I got out bid on that one with 7 seconds to go and was very upset. Anyways, I have one now and hopefully it will be in good condition and work well. I have a Canon 50mm f1.4 lens which I got through eBay a few weeks ago and it is just sitting there waiting to go onto the P. (Well its on my IIIa (which I really am not sure how to use), I have the first test roll still in it so I will see how I went with it shortly.) The 50mm is in great condition, well at least it appears that way not a mark or bit of fungus or haze in sight.

Joe, I have used 50mm lenses before on rangefinders (Canonet ones) and think they are wide enough for me for now... if anything I think I would like something a bit longer and I now have an obsession for really fast lenses. Not sure I will be making anymore rangefinder purchases for a while now (at least if the P works fine). Got to save up for the Canon EOS 5D which was just announced. Cant wait to get my hands on that baby too.

 

[rover]

Good going, when are you getting your second? 🙂

 

[GBH]

Customs just called! I had to pay an additional $92.91 aussie dollars to get it through but the good news is.... IT WILL BE HERE IN 2 TO 3 DAYS!

I've got my lens clean and plenty of Ilford B&W film to throw straight on and in it. Can't wait!

So whats the go with Customs duty? Do you get hit with it when buying new goods through retails stores from overseas? But not on privates sales, auctions etc.?

 

[Terence T]

Is the GST levied on the declared value of the package or do they somehow have access to some pricing guide to determine the value of the camera? If it's the former, couldn't you get the store to under declare the value? Or what's if it's a gift from someone?

 

[djon]

advice:

1) be careful about that shutter. the reason for wrinkles is thumbs. there's evidently something about P that invites thumbs. it's not just Ps though. i thumbed one of my Canon F1 Slrs years ago and I've been careful with metal shutters ever since.

2) if you feel the finder is hazy you can remove the front finder plate and glass easily (don't lose screw or little parts!) ...you may be able to clean it with a little photoflo and water and get a much brighter finder.

 

[GBH]

Terrence, I bought the camera from KEH.com. I doubt they would under declare the value. I guess customs adds the tax on the sale price of the item which would be written on the box???

 

[Terence T]

They do the same here in Singapore, except postage is included in the calculation of the tax!