Buying a Camcorder in Florida

[stodge]

I intend to purchase the Sony DCR-SR72E camcorder, which is available in the UK from late March. However I am visiting Florida for 2 weeks from 1st April, so the questions are:

1) Is this Camcorder available in the US>
2) Is it UK compatible if bought in the US? Are there any issues re; zones, picture formats etc?
3) Will it be a significant saving buying in the US or is it not worth the hassle.

This is my first visit to the USA therefore I have no experience of shopping there. Any advice would be more than welcome.

Cheers.

[essexmick]

tbh you can get just as good a deal buying on the net here than buying there i found

[wombat]

Hi,

Don't know about buying a camcorder I think I would feel happier if I could easily get to the place I bought it from in case of problems.

Did buy a camcorder battery two years ago, had problems with it six months later and found that the US warranty was not covered by the UK companies. Ended up throwing it away.

[Malcolm]

Try www.ritzcameras.com ... they are in Florida Mall....

Malcolm

[essexmick]

Try www.ritzcameras.com ... they are in Florida Mall....

Malcolm


i just compared the Sony DCR-HC96 Mini-DV DV Camcorder from the link and one from online in the uk and there was 40quid difference in favour of the US site, so i would get one from here to be safe E.T.T.O. tho i spose

[MrB]

Problems can be found in the charger although a converter can be purchased here. US use a lower voltage than in UK and if you plug the charger straight into mains it will burn out. Also the plug will be different.

You may find that with risks such as that and any warrenty constraint that its a ggood bet over here.


Perhaps someone has info on the recording format etc.

[jandlsmum]

if you buy one at wallmart asda cover the warranty dont be fooled into buy one from the camra shops on 192 /idrive who say so much %off as they r ripp offs got told this from a camra buff in orlando
jayne

[Malcolm]

Second what Jayne said, these 192 amd I-drive are out to sting you, wanted a lense for my Canon EOS and they said buy this one with this adaptor and it started off more than just buying a lens, i told them this and they started the discount process and i just said if you didnt offer it first and try and sell me what i didnt want then i am not interested, later that day met two people in Ritz who were in the shop, they said after my fiasco they walked out on their sales man..

Malcolm

[Andre]

Yes, all these outlets on I-Drive, Kissimmee, etc. are best avoided. Ritz are OK, but I'd suggest the best way to do it is to do your homework before you go, using the US companies' websites - and make sure you come back with what you want rather than what they want to sell you.

Any camera purchases that I make in the states are with B&H Photo Video (http://www.bhphotovideo.com) who are a highly reputable and long-standing professional photographic dealer, but their mail order prices are pretty good too. The one downside is that because of fraud issues, they won't ship to hotel addresses (although I'm not sure about Villas, I think those are OK). They also have a UK freephone number (0808 234 7276) that connects you directly to their New York store, might be worth a call before you go?

Andre

[Malcolm]

A sugestion is to take a jessops price book out with you and compare..

Malcolm

[malc_b]

Digital cameras are same US/UK except the charger plug perhaps, but camcorders are usually NTSC in USA and PAL in UK which would be a problem. You could get the video off on to PC but the format would still be NTSC, 29.9 frame rate, instead of PAL, 25Hz frame rate.

[Andre]

Lots of US dealers can supply PAL equipment for the tourist market, but you do need to make sure you ask for it!

Andre