Buying Digital Cameras and Lenses Cheaply as a Canadian

Once you've decided what you want to buy, you need to figure out where you want to buy it. In this article, I offer advice regarding where and how best to purchase that coveted camera or lens.

Have you considered the States?

The prices on photographic equipment in Canada rarely fluctuate, but the exchange rate with the US dollar does. Often times, Canadian retailers are selling you stock purchased when the Canadian dollar was much weaker than it is now. As a result, you can save quite a bit by purchasing your new equipment in the states.

Are you going to the States any time soon? If yes, it's a no brainer: buy it in the States and save the GST + PST; you'll need to claim it against your personal exemption, though. If no trip to the States is planned in the near future, you can always buy by mail order (but note, GST + PST applies). Try Adorama or B&H Photo Video, two of the biggest and most respected camera stores down south.

Don't worry, cameras and lenses are duty free! All you'll have to pay is the tax. To avoid nasty customs brokerage fees imposed by your courier, try to select either USPS (US Postal Service), or the more expensive courier options (such as UPS Expedited or Express). Avoid UPS or FedEx ground shipping. For more details, read our articles on Cross-Border Tax, Duty, and Brokerage Fees.

Note! The product you purchase will have a US warranty (once you bring it or mail it back to Canada, it may be considered "Grey Market"). Some manufacturers (for example, Nikon) will not provide you warranty service in Canada. Other manufacturers (including Canon) will honour a US warranted product provided you can show proof of purchase from an authorized dealer in the states. Still other manufacturers (like Olympus and Pentax) have international warranties that are valid for Canadian service regardless of place of purchase. For more details, read our articles on Grey Market and Warranties.

Have you considered out of Province?

When you purchase something from your own province, you pay your province's PST. If you travel to another province and buy something there, you pay that province's PST. If you mail order something from another province, that store won't charge you any PST. Go figure!

Just ordering products from an out-of-province retailer will save you your PST. But note, by law, some provinces require you to report and remit the PST on goods you purchased by mail-order from out of province.

So you're going to a real store, huh?

Sometimes it can't be helped: you need a lens before you go on a trip the day after tomorrow, or you just don't feel comfortable buying it online. Well, you can go to a real brick-and-mortar store. Warning: prepare to pay a little extra.

There are some small bonuses, however. You'll be able play with the stuff before you buy it, and returning it should be easy if it really wasn't what you wanted. Be sure to know the best prices for competing stores. At camera and photography stores you may be able to haggle the price down, or get them to price-match one of the cheaper online options. At the very least, you can get them to give you a deep discount on any necessary accessories. As you continue to build rapport with your friendly commissioned salesperson, you'll get wonderful service and discounts without the need to haggle... but will probably still pay more than if you bought it online.

If you're feeling adventurous, you may be able to get a big-box store with a price match policy to price match some ridiculously low prices. I'm generally able to get Future Shop or Best Buy to price match any local store price, saving hundreds of dollars plus an additional 10% of the difference.

Do Your Research.

Check PhotoPrice.ca and familiarize yourself with the best prices for what you want to buy. Arm yourself with a price list if you're going to a brick-and-mortar store.

Also, there's nothing more costly or time consuming than having to return the camera or lens you bought because you've decided that it doesn't fit your needs. Do your research thoroughly before deciding to buy. We'll provide another article at a later date with tips and resources about checking out your cameras and lenses before and after you buy it!

Good luck, and happy photographing!

Gordon
July 2007

Return to PhotoPrice.