Hello Patricio, Friedrich and Nikon fellows, >>>>>>> From: "Patricio Murphy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <snip> 1- The Nikon F50 I payed u$s400 in London retails here u$s850 (!!!). But the Canon EOS500 that went for more or less the same in London, you can get it here for u$s550. I saw the F5 body going for u$s3600... 2- Sigma lenses are in average 50% more expensive than in USA, but it's still cheaper (or almost the same) than buying mail order from B&H. The same holds true for Tokina and Tamron. <snip> Is this equal in other "peripheric" countries? <<<<<< Things are no different in Brazil also. Retailers blame on taxes also and there is the same big difference between Nikon and Canon prices, that is, given a price in the US, Canon will probably cost up to twice as much, and Nikon about 3 times as much. But as Friedrich has pointed out, Canon has a branch in Brazil and cameras are not their most important activity here. Nikon has an "official importer and distributor". Very recently I could see an F70 in a couple (a couple indeed) of stores in my city (3rd largest in the country, 2 million inhabitants). For professional cameras or any lens other than the plastic 35-80mm, you should place an order in the only "authorized" store in town (so you cannot try one in the store). Even in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro you may find "ready to buy" equipment in just a few stores. And BTW I have never seen Tamron or Tokina lens here, but I have seen some consumer grade Sigmas. Itīs funny to see that the guys in stores consider an F70 as a *real professional* camera, and they think I am very rich when I say I own one as an amateur... Here some prices, I have checked this week: F70 + 35-80mm => US$ 1.135,00 24-50/f3.3-4 => US$ 758,00 Accessories are not *so* expensive: I bought an SC-17 for US$110,00 yesterday. With prices like this itīs no surprise that B&H has a toll free number for Brazilian customers and Portuguese speaking attendants. Adding taxes and shipping the price wonīt even double, so itīs a great deal to place a mail order. Regards, Isaac Boy Belo Horizonte, Brazil mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] page: www.bhnet.com.br/ibsos
