saylav wrote:
To both Tims, I'll just use Tim #2's message and add a bit. Let me just say that I only purchase from Hong Kong... but then I live here. LOL
Pls do a search on the topic and you should find something.
I have posted quite a number of answers.
Here's one other thread I found:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1010&message=7709355
But for a short sum up from Tim to Tim, there it goes
Price wise, I am not really sure, But taking in postage,
handling and tax, you should get a better deal. Most items,
you can find and buy off the table. But there is the good
and the bad.
Recently I've compared a few prices here with online vendors, including B&H. But these were things like filters and tripods. I've been surprised at how much less expensive Gitzos are in Hong Kong than overseas.
There used to be a webpage showing what you could expect to pay in Hong Kong -- very accurate and very useful -- but I just checked it and while the homepage is still up, the price-comparison page is not.
The bad first. Mostly no return, no refund. On reputable
places, they will open the box, check the content and boot
up whatever you are buying to see that its works. So as to
eliminate the DOA issue. So returning would be a sort of
non accepted.
Also no international warranties, in most cases.
Another bad. Avoid tourist traps. Hard to define. Just
either go to the big name chain store like Broadway, go to
Monkok and you would not miss them, or to an established
shop like Man shing or its twin Wing Shing also in Monkok.
One tourist trap that's easy to define is any camera shop in Tsimshatsui. I suppose there might be a good one, but I've never found it. It's the real tourist area, especially on Nathan Road.
Man Shing and Wing Shing in Mongkok are both reputable and recommended, although I don't shop there. I did call them both once about a price on a Pro 1 and they were both happy to give me a price over the phone... which gave me a good feeling about them.
Stanley Street ,which is in Central BTW not Stanley, is
not attractive any more. Many have moved out. For walk-in
customers, you would not get the best price. Forget it.
Actually, Photo Scientific at 6 Stanley Street is still quite good. They've been in business for 30 years and I've shopped with them for 12... tell Mr. Poon that I sent you and he will at least blink. LOL There is virtually no bargaining in this shop, but I have consistently found their prices cheaper than Broadway and Fortress, the two main electronics chains in town. It's certainly worth a look.
The best policy would be to walk in and look. Do your
homework and know your price. Hold on to whatever model
you want. See something you like, tell them the price is
too high with a friendly tone. The price is quite
competitive, so price wise, not much room, but get the
rebate in form of memory cards and another gadgets that
you want.
Following this advice, I might suggest getting your first price from Photo Scientific and then go to other shops for comparison.
Speaking of warranties, since you're probably not going to get one anyway, there's a small shop in the "298" computer centre in Wanchai. Big Digi, Shop No 172-173, Upper Ground Floor, 298 Computer Zone, Wanchai, Hong Kong. I believe it's called 298 because that's the street number of the three-storey shop. It's really a warren of mostly computer products, but also there's a great LED flashlight shop on the 2nd or 3rd floor. The place looks sleazy, but it's wonderful.
A friend of mine bought a G9 the other day for HK$3280 (approximately US$420) and got an extra battery with it (worth HK$120/US$19). It came with a Japanese manual, but the man included an English manual as well.
Places posting prices too good to be true, isn't. So stay
away. No matter how sincere they talk, smile and walk.
Very true.
The good. Everything is on the shelf. You can see the real
item prior to buying. In most cases, asking to see and
hold the real thing is no problem. However, sitting there
and checking every function then left is consider to be
very impolite and bad form. Some will actually curse you.
In general, you want to go into the shop knowing what you want and how it works. That's what online research is for. If you get a shop that curses you, you know you're on Nathan Road. LOL
After hearing about the light leak, I explained to the shop owner what I'd read on the forums and asked if he minded if I fired up the G9 in a black nylon bag I always carry with me. He was amused, and interested, and it was no problem. I checked two this way and bought one of them. (Neither had a problem.)
So, do your homework on what you want. Check the price.
Know what you want. Take good care of your wallet and good
luck.
Pickpocketing is pretty rare, but it never hurts to be careful. The boys on Nathan Road pick your pocket with your own help, and they're experts, so save yourself the pain and trouble.
Hong Kong is one of the safest cities in the world, day or night, so enjoy yourself while you're here.
Police are nice and helpful. Shops don't open until late morning usually.
Many years ago, I have co workers coming from NZ and UK,
that left on the 2nd week of training. They have never
seen so much people packing in such a small place. they
didn't like it and left. Now it is worst.
This is true -- and Mongkok was in the Guinness Book a few years ago as the most densely populated place on the planet -- BUT... the people are not hostile or confrontational and as I said, it's very safe.
In other countries, people will apologize for bumping you but you'll worry about being mugged. Here, it's the opposite... you'll be bumped occasionally (without a word of apology) but mugged never.
Enjoy your visit... it's one of the world's great cities and there are plenty of things to photograph.
Cheers,
Don
http://www.kleptography.com 
