More about onestop digital

Gandhi · 26-10-2005, 18:19

I know many of you have ordered stuff from them in the past, but I wanted to know was (and yes I did search the forum first) is....

Did you get hit for VAT and cutoms duty when it was delivered? I know that they'll refund it but I'd rather not have to go through all that hassle.

BTW just ordered a new camera...... Xmas pressie from kell....Panasonic FZ30

Dslr was a bit out of the budget range and I'm lazy these days so don't want to be carting around 2 or 3 lenses plus extra gear.

Not only that, to get that quality of lens and IS on a dslr I'd be spending a couple of grand. I know noise is an issue but for the stuff I shoot it wont really be much of an issue.

Roll on Delivery day when I can throw off the shackles of the compact!

***Dave*** · 26-10-2005, 18:35

No import duty or VAT. They marked my 50mm as damaged / repaired lens on the outside of package...good way to get around customs. Reminds me of a person I knew who imported s/h motorbikes from states....he used to dump the seat & class it as scrap to get around duty / tax. Heard of someone else who used to import cars / trucks from Japan & took heads off engines for same effect . Amazingly enough the heads turned up in another cars boot

***Steve*** · 26-10-2005, 18:35

Not from personal experiance but from reading many posts not many have been hit buy customs so I guess you will be unlucky if you get caught. On saying that I have read that they (One stop) are very quick at sorting out the claim if you are unlucky.

26-10-2005, 18:40

Nope, but it depends on the method of delivery they use, which is dependant on the cost.

I think under £150 its standard mail, (not likely to be 'sprung' but takes a few weeks to arrive).
£150-£250 it's reg'd airmail (about a week, and not as likely to ne 'sprung').
£250+ courier only (and likely to be caught I think).

Check the postage section on their website for the exact amounts and clarification.

Gandhi · 26-10-2005, 18:47

my new cam is coming FEDEX as it was over £350, but having said that, my LOMO fisheye came from Vienna by UPS and the taxman never got his mitts on that one!

RobertP · 26-10-2005, 19:00

In maybe 15 import purchases (never used one stop d.) I have been stung only once.

I've had stuff from Australia, HK, Taiwan and mainland China all with no charges. It was my first ever purchase from USA where I got stung £4.50 vat plus £10 post office 'fee'

. Other stuff from USA has been OK.

Gandhi · 26-10-2005, 19:06

ok. cool. it's looking good then!

why isn't there a smiley for 'stupidly excited' ???????

***Steve*** · 26-10-2005, 19:12

is the closest we've got.

Gandhi · 26-10-2005, 19:20

that'll ave to do then!

:FIcamera0

Steep · 26-10-2005, 19:42

Companies like Fedex, UPS and DHL will charge you the import duty/vat directly. It sometimes takes a month or two for the invoice to arrive from them.

With regsrds your FZ30 gandhi I don't theink there is actually any import duty on digital cameras even now, vat yes, import duty no.

**Sonsey** · 27-10-2005, 00:32

I just ordered a battery grip and a filter from OneStop-Digital at the start of the week, at a total of £110 or so, posted with "Hongkong Post". It's my first time using them aswell so I'll let you know if I get charged.

I'm not that worried to be honest, they're apparently very good at refunding any extra charges, dosn't sound like that much trouble.

Gandhi · 28-10-2005, 19:04

b********d customs have decided to open my package!

Fedex were suppose to deliver today but when I phoned them to confirm the delivery time I was informed that my package was still was customs. I'm angry like a tiger! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. gotta wait til monday now!

CT · 28-10-2005, 19:52

Nice camera gandhi. There's plenty of freebie noise reductiion software available for the odd low light shots you might want to take.

Gandhi · 28-10-2005, 20:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by CT

Nice camera gandhi. There's plenty of freebie noise reductiion software available for the odd low light shots you might want to take.

*rises to the bait*

Yeah, I've read the reviews too. I think the noise issue is greatly over-emphasised. why did digital camera magazine just give it 91% and rate it comparable to the D50 on noise eh? eh? eh? and above on all other factors such as colour accuracy, exposure, sharpness et al.

I think, cos of the success of the FZ20, the leica lens, IS etc. everybody was expecting to have a camera that was a Dslr beater in a prosumer body. What they fail to realise is that all design and engineering (sp?) is about compromises and trade-off's. I get a 420mm image stabilised lens that will give me a good 2 stop advantage over a Dslr with a kit lens for £368. Ok, so it has noise in low light, but that is easily dealt with. either with NR software or simply exposing the raw image correctly so as not to produce excessive noise in the first place. i.e. keep the exposure's short as poss and recover the shadow detail PP ( I may have that the wrong way round BTW, too much wine again)

Only reason I chose this camera was a) lens b) can't be arsed carrying around loads of lenses. I've been doing that since I was 14 and it's too much hassle these days.

anyway. enough of justifying the purchase to myself!

The proof will be in the pudding.

and trust me my friend, you WILL be eating it!

BIG

AND

Peace

Steep · 28-10-2005, 21:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by gandhi

*rises to the bait*

why did digital camera magazine just give it 91% and rate it comparable to the D50 on noise eh? eh? eh?

Panasonic probably stumped up for some major advertising

Gandhi · 28-10-2005, 21:22

^^true^^

same reason they panned the fuji 9500?

I would like to think, in my naive, everybody's good at heart, kind of way that this wasn't the case.

Good job I've had a play and I know they're right, eh?

Warspite · 28-10-2005, 21:26

I dont see any problem - he undertsands the shortcomings of the device and will work with or around them as necessary, while using the pros in situations that would make it awkward to have a dSLR type camera with you.

One thing I do hate about having a dSLR and my modest amount of accessories is something you can just sling in the top of a backpack or a large pocket

Thats why I still try to take my trusty if crappy Sony P&S when I dont take my 350D.

26-10-2005, 18:19	#1 (permalink)
Gandhi Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: bath, somerserset Posts: 966	More about onestop digital I know many of you have ordered stuff from them in the past, but I wanted to know was (and yes I did search the forum first) is.... Did you get hit for VAT and cutoms duty when it was delivered? I know that they'll refund it but I'd rather not have to go through all that hassle. BTW just ordered a new camera...... Xmas pressie from kell....Panasonic FZ30 Dslr was a bit out of the budget range and I'm lazy these days so don't want to be carting around 2 or 3 lenses plus extra gear. Not only that, to get that quality of lens and IS on a dslr I'd be spending a couple of grand. I know noise is an issue but for the stuff I shoot it wont really be much of an issue. Roll on Delivery day when I can throw off the shackles of the compact!

26-10-2005, 18:35	#2 (permalink)
*Dave* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 15,176	No import duty or VAT. They marked my 50mm as damaged / repaired lens on the outside of package...good way to get around customs. Reminds me of a person I knew who imported s/h motorbikes from states....he used to dump the seat & class it as scrap to get around duty / tax. Heard of someone else who used to import cars / trucks from Japan & took heads off engines for same effect . Amazingly enough the heads turned up in another cars boot

26-10-2005, 18:35	#3 (permalink)
*Steve* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: An Englishman living in Germany Posts: 16,166	Not from personal experiance but from reading many posts not many have been hit buy customs so I guess you will be unlucky if you get caught. On saying that I have read that they (One stop) are very quick at sorting out the claim if you are unlucky.

26-10-2005, 18:40	#4 (permalink)
Marcel Posts: n/a	Nope, but it depends on the method of delivery they use, which is dependant on the cost. I think under £150 its standard mail, (not likely to be 'sprung' but takes a few weeks to arrive). £150-£250 it's reg'd airmail (about a week, and not as likely to ne 'sprung'). £250+ courier only (and likely to be caught I think). Check the postage section on their website for the exact amounts and clarification.

26-10-2005, 18:47	#5 (permalink)
Gandhi Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: bath, somerserset Posts: 966	my new cam is coming FEDEX as it was over £350, but having said that, my LOMO fisheye came from Vienna by UPS and the taxman never got his mitts on that one!

26-10-2005, 19:00	#6 (permalink)
RobertP Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Woodford Essex Posts: 841	In maybe 15 import purchases (never used one stop d.) I have been stung only once. I've had stuff from Australia, HK, Taiwan and mainland China all with no charges. It was my first ever purchase from USA where I got stung £4.50 vat plus £10 post office 'fee' . Other stuff from USA has been OK.

26-10-2005, 19:06	#7 (permalink)
Gandhi Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: bath, somerserset Posts: 966	ok. cool. it's looking good then! why isn't there a smiley for 'stupidly excited' ???????

26-10-2005, 19:12	#8 (permalink)
*Steve* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: An Englishman living in Germany Posts: 16,166	is the closest we've got.

26-10-2005, 19:20	#9 (permalink)
Gandhi Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: bath, somerserset Posts: 966	that'll ave to do then! :FIcamera0

26-10-2005, 19:42	#10 (permalink)
Steep Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inverness Posts: 964	Companies like Fedex, UPS and DHL will charge you the import duty/vat directly. It sometimes takes a month or two for the invoice to arrive from them. With regsrds your FZ30 gandhi I don't theink there is actually any import duty on digital cameras even now, vat yes, import duty no.

27-10-2005, 00:32	#11 (permalink)
Sonsey Pixalo Crew Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: N. Ireland Posts: 7,245	I just ordered a battery grip and a filter from OneStop-Digital at the start of the week, at a total of £110 or so, posted with "Hongkong Post". It's my first time using them aswell so I'll let you know if I get charged. I'm not that worried to be honest, they're apparently very good at refunding any extra charges, dosn't sound like that much trouble.

28-10-2005, 21:32	#18 (permalink)

28-10-2005, 19:04	#12 (permalink)
Gandhi Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: bath, somerserset Posts: 966	b********d customs have decided to open my package! Fedex were suppose to deliver today but when I phoned them to confirm the delivery time I was informed that my package was still was customs. I'm angry like a tiger! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. gotta wait til monday now!

28-10-2005, 19:52	#13 (permalink)
CT Feet under the table Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: West Mids UK Posts: 3,500	Nice camera gandhi. There's plenty of freebie noise reductiion software available for the odd low light shots you might want to take.

28-10-2005, 21:22	#16 (permalink)
Gandhi Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: bath, somerserset Posts: 966	^^true^^ same reason they panned the fuji 9500? I would like to think, in my naive, everybody's good at heart, kind of way that this wasn't the case. Good job I've had a play and I know they're right, eh?

28-10-2005, 21:26	#17 (permalink)
Warspite Feet under the table Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Newcastle Sunderland Middlesbrough (UK) Posts: 1,736	I dont see any problem - he undertsands the shortcomings of the device and will work with or around them as necessary, while using the pros in situations that would make it awkward to have a dSLR type camera with you. One thing I do hate about having a dSLR and my modest amount of accessories is something you can just sling in the top of a backpack or a large pocket Thats why I still try to take my trusty if crappy Sony P&S when I dont take my 350D.