lf-photo.org.uk

Happy New Year to you all.

A new year and a new venture for me as I have now bought my first 5x4 camera - a Wista DXII (I think). Going against my original thinking, I did buy it from eBay and haven't taken delivery yet so I'm in some trepidation about it arriving damaged or turning out not as good as the description/pictures!

Anyway, assuming all is well with the camera, I'll need a lens and I'm thinking about a 135mm for starters (to do landscape and general pictorial stuff on colour transparency). I've seen a Schneider Symmar-S MC 135 f5.6 for £215. Is that a reasonable price for this lens (assuming clean glass and properly-working shutter)? It seems to have a reasonable image circle for what I need going by the specs I've read.

I do have a load of other newbie-type questions but I'll save those for other posts!

Thanks,

Gavin

Gavin, the MC 135mm Symmar-S is an excellent lens, I have one, the price is perhaps a touch high side but it really depends on the condition, if it's mint then about right for the UK. I tend to buy LF lenses from the US as their prices are generally much lower.

It's worth posting a wanted Advert, here but particularly on the LFP Info site (US), I was offered a mint lens within an hour of posting there. (You need to be a member for 10 days or so before you can post an advert).

Ian

Thanks Ian. I must admit I'd hoped to get a lens for under £200 but haven't seen much decent in that price range. The Symmar I've seen is described as 'good condition' but I could try asking the seller a bit more about it. As a comparison price wise, Ffordes have one described as Exc++ at £250.

Yes, I could try an advert on here and LFP (I am a member). In your experience of buying lenses from the USA, what sort of costs for shipping/duty/VAT do I need to allow for?

Cheers,

Gavin

I tend to buy LF lenses from the US as their prices are generally much lower.

This is of course before the miserable bu**ers at the Post Office and HM Customs take their percentage.

So be careful when purchasing as what seems to be a bargain may not by the time you unwrap the box in the UK.

In general you will pay 17% VAT + an import duty (around 20% for lenses I believe) plus £13.00 Post Office charges.

Of course you may be able to get away with having it declared as a gift but then it will probably sent uninsured.

Make sure you by a lens that is rather rare in the UK, say a Dagor or a Verito then you 'may' get you money back if you resell.

nn

Shipping a 135 Symmar should be $15-$20 max inc insurance from the US. If you're unlucky enough to be charged Import taxes it works out about 21% extra, but as the savings tends to be considerable more anyway it's a chance you take.

Of the 50-60 purchases I've made from the US only one lens, out of many lenses, cameras inc 3 5x4 & a 6x9 camera, and similar similar items, has had VAT & Duty added, that's up to last month.

Ian

hmvmanuk wrote: As a comparison price wise, Ffordes have one....

Remember that ffordes are giving you a warranty though. If you buy a lens on ebay or privately remember to factor in the possibilty that you'll need to spend sixty quud servicing the shutter. So ffordes one at 250 looks better value than an unwarrantied one at 215.

That said, i see ffordes' LF prices seem a lot less competative of late. I imagine since mxv folded they recon they've got a captive market.

numnutz wrote:This is of course before the miserable bu**ers at the Post Office and HM Customs take their percentage

I know what you mean, numnutz, as I've experienced this with purchases of other things from the 'States. I expected to pay a little bit of duty/tax which amounted to a couple of quid and then the cheeky Royal Mail charged £8 just for the privilege of collecting that tax and delivering the item! It has rather put me off buying anything from abroad but it sounds like Ian's been doing it quite successfully. What is it that determines whether or not an item attracts duty and VAT?

Dave, that's a fair point about Ffordes and their warranty and might be worth the extra money.

Gavin

Gavin

It's all laid out at the link below, but luck seems to play a big part as well.

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPort ... t#P36_3279

numnutz wrote:

I tend to buy LF lenses from the US as their prices are generally much lower.

This is of course before the miserable bu**ers at the Post Office and HM Customs take their percentage.

So be careful when purchasing as what seems to be a bargain may not by the time you unwrap the box in the UK.

In general you will pay 17% VAT + an import duty (around 20% for lenses I believe) plus £13.00 Post Office charges.

Of course you may be able to get away with having it declared as a gift but then it will probably sent uninsured.

Make sure you by a lens that is rather rare in the UK, say a Dagor or a Verito then you 'may' get you money back if you resell.

nn

As a rule of thumb I think in terms of $1 converting to £1 by the time everything else has been added on, and try to be pleasantly surprised if it works out to be a bit less!

Peter B wrote:t's all laid out at the link below, but luck seems to play a big part as well.

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPort ... t#P36_3279

Thanks for that, Peter. While I was looking I found a link to this site that gives the Commodity Codes and duty rates in case anyone's interested: http://online.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg ... ate=1/1/10
However, I was a little confused by all the descriptions so if any of you can work it out good luck! Anyway, it looks like the duty is 6.7% for most photo stuff at the moment.

Thanks again for all your advice,

Gavin