Buying a digital camera here- Any tips?

Hi there! I'm just looking for a shopping tip this time...I need to buy another digital camera as I'm giving my first one to my parents. I bought my first one in the U.S. before leaving, and ordered it from one of those direct online sites instead of a standard retail shop, which saved me a considerable amount of money. Does anyone know of a good equivalent website in the UK, or, as an alternative, the retail outlet here that has the most competitive prices (I'm guessing it's not John Lewis  )

Many Thanks

I bought my first digital camera from these people:

http://www.internetcamerasdirect.co.uk/

There were problems with the camera, and in getting the problem resolved, the customer service i received from them was really good!

http://www.dabs.com/uk

Try this place too, Rich buys from them all the time.

Never bought a camera there but it's good to have choices.

Any chance of your folks getting it for you in the States?

(just for better prices, etc.)

if you are buying a more expensive camera, it may be worth it to get it in the states. we travel to US, or have family visit us, every 3 months so weren't bothered about US warranty. we bought a £1000 camera for $999 in the US.  the warranty covers worldwide usage, but repairs have to be done in US.

Oh, forgot that option!  We did that with the video camera! (We got as a present for the wedding, there rather then here)  I did have to find an adapter though, took a little while!!!

Hi All,

Thanks so much for all these helpful responses!

Unfortunately (or fortunately), my parents also escaped the U.S., in fact, a year earlier than I did! They now live in Poitou-Charentes, a lovely (albeit quiet) corner of rural France.

Thanks again for all the help. Guess I'll do some websurfing this weekend!

try ebuyer.com,,I know alot of people who get cameras from them. Also, B&H.com, they are in New York, but can ship to the UK. There is the issue of VAT and stuff, but it may still save you money in the long run.  I just got a new camera from www.buydigital.com, but they don't ship to the UK. They do have great prices tho.

Don't bother with an Olympus. We have a C-350 zoom - just a cheap-ish little point-and-shoot. It takes reasonably good photos, but the damn thing eats batteries like they're going out-of-style. Some friends of ours have the same one and they have the same problem. Like you can't really even use it for an entire day without changing the batteries which is a huge pain on holiday!!!

http://www.dabs.com/uk

Try this place too, Rich buys from them all the time.

Never bought a camera there but it's good to have choices.

The BF has bought stuff from dabs, too. It's supposed to be good.

I'd also recommend ebuyer as mentioned by tebs before. Another option is to check prices on a shopping comparison website such as kelkoo or PriceGuide UK once you've decided on a certain type/model of camera to see the best offer.

I've never bought from dabs as they've never come out as the best deal in my searches!

There is the issue of VAT and stuff, but it may still save you money in the long run.

Just curious what VAT was.  Also if I bring the camcorder I purchased in the US will there be any issues with playing it on a tv in the UK - does the digital format work on the PAL system just as well as on the US system?
Thanks,
Grant

VAT = value added tax, it's the sales tax in Great Britain and it's currently 17.5% on all purchases (with a few exceptions like books and food, etc.). I think what tebs meant was that you're likely to be charged import taxes when you order from the States and have it shipped to the UK. I ordered from the US many times but never actually had to pay VAT, I think import taxes are the equivalent for buying goods outside the European Union.

Re PAL/NTSC issues, I'd say it totally depends on your equipment whether you can hook up the camcorder to your TV. If your TV is PAL AND NTSC compatible, you won't have any issues. I'm not familiar with camcorder features but maybe there are models available that can record in both formats? Otherwise, you could always upload the footage on your computer and convert it into PAL, then record it back on camcorder tape or another medium (DVD?). Of course you'd need a video editing software for that, again, don't know for sure but maybe some camcorders come with a piece of software.

Another way would be if you had a computer graphics card with output option, you could connect your computer to your TV and watch the uploaded footage from your harddrive. I don't think that PAL/NTSC would be an issue as the TV merely transmits the pictures from the computer.