I have a friend that just bought an OM-D EM-5 per my recommendation. Here in the USA, it was very easy for me to get the Panasonic 20mm and Olympus 45mm (one through Amazon another ebay from Korea) but he tells me that customs are a pain in Austria where he lives. Does anyone in Europe have any tips for ordering these lenses without huge customs waits/costs? Please let me know. Thanks!
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m43 lenses to Germany or other parts of Europe
- Thread starter modafoca
- Start date
texinwien
Senior Member
Any reason why he doesn't want to buy them in Austria?
Edit: These lenses are readily available in Austria. I've purchased a 20 f/1.7, 45 f/1.8, 40-150 and a 15 f/8 in Austria (Vienna, to be exact). Many of the lenses are available at major electronics retailers like Saturn or Media Markt. Some will be available at larger Niedermeyer or Hartlauer stores (sorta like Radio Shack). For the better deals, your friend should look at geizhals.at - that's probably where your friend will find the lowest prices on new m43 lenses.
I have also seen a black 12mm, a 75mm and several other m43 lenses in shops here - they're reasonably easy to find. Last tip - even though the lenses are probably available at larger chain stores, I recommend that your friend try to find a local, smaller camera shop to purchase from. They'll often go down on their prices for regular customers, in order to get close to cheap online deals, and I like to buy from local operators, when possible.
tex
Edit: These lenses are readily available in Austria. I've purchased a 20 f/1.7, 45 f/1.8, 40-150 and a 15 f/8 in Austria (Vienna, to be exact). Many of the lenses are available at major electronics retailers like Saturn or Media Markt. Some will be available at larger Niedermeyer or Hartlauer stores (sorta like Radio Shack). For the better deals, your friend should look at geizhals.at - that's probably where your friend will find the lowest prices on new m43 lenses.
I have also seen a black 12mm, a 75mm and several other m43 lenses in shops here - they're reasonably easy to find. Last tip - even though the lenses are probably available at larger chain stores, I recommend that your friend try to find a local, smaller camera shop to purchase from. They'll often go down on their prices for regular customers, in order to get close to cheap online deals, and I like to buy from local operators, when possible.
tex
Last edited:
the-dude-75
Well-known member
inside the EU he doesn't have to deal,with custom, just buying in germany is fine
but I see no problems getting these lenses in austria too, amazon has the 45 one in stock
but I see no problems getting these lenses in austria too, amazon has the 45 one in stock
acahaya
Senior Member
he is aware that Olympus lenses are less expensive in the US? Panasonic lenses cost more or less the same he as in the US.
Depending on where he lives in Austria, if it is not too far from Munich, there are several large stores here where he can get almost every mFT lens and also try them on location. I usually buy my mFT cams and lenses at Foto Sauter and Foto Nürbauer. The Saturn market close to Theresienwiese also has a good choice of mFt lenses and accessories.
Another option is to order in the Netherlands or UK. There are some good and reliable online stores with better prices than he might get in Germany or Austria. The German systemkameraforum is a good place to ask about experience with online orders.
sgoldswo
Veteran Member
If he can't get lenses in Austria your friend can buy them from anywhere else in the EU, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, France, etc, etc
Forget about US-prices in the EU, if he buys local he is going to pay EU-prices. That said, there are some (relativily) nice deals to be found in the EU. Just search EU wide, don't stop at the border.
Some lenses are cheaper in The Netherlands others in the UK or Germany. An online store in Italy has some nice prices on the olympus 75mm and 60mm but it won't ship outside Italy. Depending on where in Austria he is he might be able to arrange a pickup just over the Italian border? Limal gmbh in Germany offers refurbished lenses, they have an ebay-store. Often German shops offer shipping to Austria for less than for shipping to other EU countries (why?)
Use slidoo.com and set the search to "europe", there should be some good hits.
About buying in the US: the freightcompanies handle the import and taxes for the customs these days. If you have bad luck you end up paying more for US import than for an EU lens.
Some lenses are cheaper in The Netherlands others in the UK or Germany. An online store in Italy has some nice prices on the olympus 75mm and 60mm but it won't ship outside Italy. Depending on where in Austria he is he might be able to arrange a pickup just over the Italian border? Limal gmbh in Germany offers refurbished lenses, they have an ebay-store. Often German shops offer shipping to Austria for less than for shipping to other EU countries (why?)
Use slidoo.com and set the search to "europe", there should be some good hits.
About buying in the US: the freightcompanies handle the import and taxes for the customs these days. If you have bad luck you end up paying more for US import than for an EU lens.
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