Heading to Taipei

So I am going to be stopping over in Taipei for a day while traveling back to Canada.  Has anyone been?  I am thinking about trying to find some camera shops to see if prices are going to be cheaper.  I am hoping that if they are cheap enough I can pick up a Canon 1d mark IV!!!! But Im sure this is just a dream.

Anyway if you have been or know much about Taipei I would really like to know if you have any suggestions on where we should get to.

Canon and Nikon control the retail prices of their cameras and you won’t find it significantly cheaper anywhere. If there are high import taxes in Australia it might be cheaper, or if you have a favourable exchange rate the day you buy it you might get 10% off. When you get to Canada, you should take a trip to the states to get a camera for the best price. or come to japan, where sometimes there are different kit lenses available. Best deal right now is $1200 for the 7D (in japan)

I’ve been to Taipei twice but didn’t venture out - just one day stopovers. I’ll talk to my travel agent friend to see what he knows.

Cool thanks for the info Gamblor… Im actually canadian just living in Aus for another year.  I can get the American price pretty much any time as I have family down there to.  But I heard if you hit up some of the Technolgy markets in Taipei you can get some really great deals on everything from accesories to bodies so I thought I would check.

Well I will take a look any way and see what kinda black market junk I can find lol.

I know from experience at Akihabara in Tokyo that deals are all relative. Export models with english menus are usually around regular price (which may be cheaper than the country you’re comparing to). You save on the tax free bit if you have your passport. For cameras, most brands have english menus so it’s no problem (not Lumix though).
Domestic models are more likely to be discounted since there’s more people buying.
I wouldn’t buy a dslr or lenses there, but I would look for chinese knock offs of flashes. There’s one called coco flash which is a blantant ripoff of the $200 Rayflash (ringflash). The coco flash is selling on amazon.com for $50 or so lol. I want one if you are dropping by japan anytime

Ya I thought cameras may kinda be set…. Really thinking I will just look for things like E-ttl flash cords and some extra flashs for now.  If I had a choice my lay over would be in Japan.  Dont think I will make it there till may be next may or april…If funds allow that is

If you want stuff like flash cords there is a really cheap site called
http://www.dealextreme.com
It’s based in Hong Kong and there is heaps of good stuff on there.

I’ve bought tones of stuff off them so far.  The shipping is free but it can take a while to arrive.  For example my last purchase of a blower ball, lens pen and remote trigger cost $11 with free shipping.

My Nikon flash cable was about $25

Sweet f@tony I will look into it.  Great to have you back and active again.  Hope all has been well!

Been to Taipei a few times for stop over but haven’t gone far from the airport, ment to be some good markets around but I couldn’t find them while I was there.

At the Vancouver airport heading back taiwan, back in syd on weds see ya soon Aus! packed the gloves, toque and boots looking forward to finding some Aus pow!

Enjoy Brad! Looking forward to having you back…