I last used an SLR in 1993, and was hence unfamiliar with the current technology. This is to warn beginners like me. I was convinced by a smoothtalking salesman at Lucky Plaza and paid S$949 for a Minolta Dynax 505si + Minolta lens 28-80mm + Minolta bag + Hoya HMC UV filter. I found out later about how ridiculous this was and went back to make a reckit and was given a Minolta lens AF75-300mm, no cash compensation. Can someone please enlighten me. I wish I had discovered this page earlier. Thank you for your honest advice.

-- Melissa L. (maicha74@hotmail.com), April 04, 2002

Answers

Just want to add that this happened only 2 days ago. Thanks.

-- Melissa L. (maicha74@hotmail.com), April 04, 2002.

Sorry to hear about this. Next time,

1. Don't make a significant purchase without researching your options first.

2. Don't buy from a shop until you know and understand their return policy.

Why not use and enjoy the camera? Consider whatever you think you overpaid as the cost of the lesson you've learned.

-- Steven Hupp (shupp@chicagobotanic.org), April 04, 2002.

You have my sympathy. My constant advice for newbies buying an SLR or oldies getting back into photography in your case is to AVOID ANY CAMERA SHOP IN THE ORCHARD AREA. Peninsula Plaza is a better bet but I'm not saying that all shops here are super honest too. You gotta know which ones to avoid. Bottom line - it's best to shop for cameras with a friend who aware of the better shops. If you still feel that you might be ripped off, you could try talking to Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) to see if they can do anything for you.

-- sunil (yatsunil@hotmail.com), April 05, 2002.

The estimated street price for your new cam is about $450 with the standard lense. Freebies are mostly standard package like bag, filter. The street price for the lastest model Dynax 5 with 2 lenses + bag + filter is around $630. Cathay Photo shop in Singapore normally sell at quite a reasonable price. So the next time you upgrade or change your cam, check them out.

-- jgoh (jgohct@yahoo.com.sg), April 06, 2002.

My experience is that even the Penisular Place don'r give the best price. What I do is I usually go to Mustafa to check out the price. They displayed the price and it really make a difference. So far the price there is the most reasonable. Use their price as a bench mark before going else where to buy.

I was shopping for a super telezoom lens recently and still find that Cathay and Mustafa gave the most reasonable prices compared to the smaller shops around penisular.

-- James Wong (jkhw73@pacific.net.sg), April 10, 2002.

Sorry, as a Minolta owner too, i feel a little disgusted when such things happen, I usually buy all my equipment from a shop called Louis Photo (Located at the basement of Hotel New Park Centra, Serangoon), they are very resonable and honest. The best way to check camera prices are finding the list proces from satandard shops like BEST, COURTS, H NORMAN etc and then checking at Mustafa and then choosing the right shop.

By the way cheer up 505 SI is a good camera and now you have a good lens, so happy clicking....

-- Harish (har_krishna@yahoo.com), April 15, 2002.

Hi there,

Don't get too dissapointed to get that price... I paid A$750 for my Minolta 505si Super (Body Only) in Sydney, but that pretty much market price, can you believe it?!! I thought it was very expensive... however, later I found out that the camera is pretty good and it has bring me numerous excellent photo oppurtunities. But nonetheless, I think I would prefer to buy something 2nd hand! as Camera in Sydney is too expensive....

Sorry this is like a year later when you ask this question!

-- Hartanto Tan (hhartanto@sika.com.au), February 23, 2003.

Just been to Singapore. Got smoothtalked in a bid to get accessories for my digital camera (memory cards /lens/filters etc)- Stupidly bought the stuff with a mix of currencies & paid twice the price - Couldn't believe my stupidity once I twigged. Shopkeeper wouldn't have a bar of me. Anyway to get to the point - THE SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL fixed it all up for me ...within hours. Had a court official come with me back to the shop, & consequently the shop owners attitude changed thoroughly and I had my money back to spend elsewhere. I chased this up the day after I was ripped off, & no doubt my staus as a very short term tourist(3 days)helped hasten the process. I think I read somewhere that the limitation for such claims was 1 year. Hope this is of help to someone.

Sorry about the lack of email address supply - just happened upon this site looking for similar stories about the being that ripped me off - i don't like my email address being bandied about the web

-- Anon (notavalidaddress@notavalidserver.com), August 04, 2003.