I will be in Taipei for 2 weeks and was looking for the best place to shop for cameras, namely I wish to buy a Lumix GF1 with the 20mm pancake lens.
Any advice???
Thanks
Keith
Someone wrote on Flickr that Panasonic isn’t going to import and sell the GF1 here. I don’t see how that’s possible as the EP1 and LX3 are selling very well, but there it is. Maybe Hong Kong or Japan would be a better choice, although from what I hear the GF1’s sold in Japan are locked into a Japanese menu system.
Thanks, I am not looking for a deal, and I know what I want, so hopefully I can find it locally, before I fly out (soon!).
Still if there is a great camera district, let me know!
Thanks
Keith
There’s definitely a camera district, between Taipei Main and Hsimen.
I’m sure someone else will chime in with the exact address.
Google maps, street view is your friend …
If you find it, let us know; I really doubt Panasonic would refuse to sell it here.
As noted above, you’ll likely have to get one from Japan, as Panasonic TW is not importing at this time. They never imported the GH1, as a matter of historical note.
I found a couple of places in Hankou that told me the Four Thirds lenses -pancake- had to be ordered, they did not have them on hand. Guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask them to bring the model you want, the GF1, over. They said it takes about 4 days. Dunno how practical that’ll be for the OP, though.
Most expensive Panasonic I saw that time was 27 thousand. Just saw that the GH1goe sfor over 1600 USD on the Internet. Yipes. GF looks like a bargain, then.
It’s listed online shopping.pchome.com.tw/?mod=item … 07&ROWNO=1
but that’s grey import from Japan…
I just found a local source for the camera, but still will visit the shops! Great information, thank you very much!
btw I am getting the ‘cheaper’ GF1 not the GH1 - a bit rich for my blood!
Keith
The G1 is the really cheap one, but it doesn’t shoot video, so if you want that feature…
The GF1 is also a lot smaller, as it’s a different design, but I guess you’re aware of this already…
I’ve been looking at getting a DSLR for a little while, but settled on the Canon 500D in the end, as the choice of lenses is much better and much more affordable.
Don’t expect too much from the camera street though, as it’s pot luck as to what you’ll find. I went up and down all of the streets there and it was just as I was about to leave that I was lucky enough to find a shop that sold a wide angle lens for my camcorder that didn’t also come bundled with a zoom lens… :loco:
I guess the place isn’t what it was a few years ago, but then again, I don’t speak the language which might be a barrier as well, to a degree.
It might also be worth checking out Nova (near the main station) and the computer market, as there are a fair few camera shops there too.
[quote=“motomonki”]I just found a local source for the camera, but still will visit the shops! Great information, thank you very much!
btw I am getting the ‘cheaper’ GF1 not the GH1 - a bit rich for my blood!
Keith[/quote]
You should keep in mind that when you buy a gray import, you generally won’t get official warranty in the country you bought it in or the country it originated from. Inquire with your importer just to be sure what the situation on warranty is. And if you do end up dropping coin, let us know where and how much!
With luck a camera store in the US had the camera! I have taken over 500 photos with the GF1 in Taiwan! The pancake lens is very good in low light!
Thanks for the camera shop information! Will get there today or Wednesday!
Thanks!
Keith
[quote=“motomonki”]With luck a camera store in the US had the camera! I have taken over 500 photos with the GF1 in Taiwan! The pancake lens is very good in low light!
Thanks for the camera shop information! Will get there today or Wednesday!
Thanks!
Keith[/quote]
Great to hear about the low light capacity. That ahs always been the Aquilles’ heel for Panasonic cameras, IMHO.
Saw someone with a white GF1 while I was grabbing lunch today (新店). Wonder if I can pick one up in the vicinity of Las Vegas during CES?
[quote=“Icon”][quote=“motomonki”]With luck a camera store in the US had the camera! I have taken over 500 photos with the GF1 in Taiwan! The pancake lens is very good in low light!
Thanks for the camera shop information! Will get there today or Wednesday!
Thanks!
Keith[/quote]
Great to hear about the low light capacity. That ahs always been the Aquilles’ heel for Panasonic cameras, IMHO.[/quote]
I haven’t heard that; my LX3 is better in low light than any of the compact Canons I had before it.
Most reviews mention this “deficiency” as a result of the different type of sensor, compared always to the Canon, of course.
There will be a show to display the newest camera equipment at TWTC on the 30th. I’d like to check out the prices for these newest models, and whether they will have abetter distribution of the pancake lens.
[quote=“Icon”]Most reviews mention this “deficiency” as a result of the different type of sensor, compared always to the Canon, of course.
There will be a show to display the newest camera equipment at TWTC on the 30th. I’d like to check out the prices for these newest models, and whether they will have abetter distribution of the pancake lens.[/quote]
Actually it wasn’t so much the sensor as the post-processing logic. Some early generation Lumixes (with the Venus I or II engine) were not known for having good chroma noise removal. There’s discussion on this matter in the dpreview Panasonic forum somewhere.
Yep, both my Canon and Panasonic are older models, and certainly teh Canon -a pocket- performs better in low light and movement, even though it is teh Panasnic that has all te bells and whistles. Nevertheless, I prefer the Panasonics’ user friendlines, and those new models with the pancake lenses are so portable you won’t miss any of the other features.