buying secondhand u/w camera online

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Will - 28 Mar 2004 19:03 GMT

Hi,

I am going to Fiji for 12 weeks in the summer on a diving expedition
and I want to be able to take some underwater photos. Ideally I would
buy a digital camera and housing for underwater photography, but this
sort of set-up is expensive, and also impractical for my trip as I
will be without a computer and reliable electricity supply for the
length of my stay. I therefore need a film camera, and so I am
considering buying a (secondhand) Sea & Sea MX10. This is because it
seems a reasonably compact set-up, and one that is easy to use (aside
from a few shots with a hired MX10 on a warmwater trip some years ago,
I am a total novice when it comes to u/w photgraphy). Reading through
the group's archives, the consensus seems to be that the MX10 is a
good (albeit limited) system, but is getting a bit old these days. As
I do not wish to spend a fortune, I am after a secondhand MX10 +
strobe, and I was wondering if anyone had any advice on buying scuba
kit from Ebay. Alternatively, is it worth trying to buy one from the
US and get it shipped over? "17photo" in New York have an MX10 +
strobe for 360 US dollars, which is only 198GBP
(http://www.17photo.com/product.asp?id=04701&l=Shopping). This seems
pretty cheap even if you add on some customs and excise charges. Any
advice would be much appreciated.

Will.

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Daniel Taylor - 28 Mar 2004 20:53 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>
> Will.

I would recommend having a look at the MM IIex. They seem to go for peanuts
in the States. In my opinion they are far better camera and value. I have
seen the camera and strobe held out as being in good nick go for well under
?150.

It is always worth getting the camera serviced before use if buying second
hand.

I would also have a look at Alan James
http://www.erb.org.uk/ajphoto/used.php.

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Gordon Mackie - 29 Mar 2004 09:51 GMT

I would agree - go for the MMII EX - and consider getting a 16mm or 20mm
lens as well.

I have bought loads of photo gear on Ebay from the states - you can get
a camera, strobe and case for under ?200.

Remember that VAT and import duty are levied on whatever insurance value
is on the parcel sticker if valued over ?39 (or whatever) and for some
reason they don't convert the currency and assume it is sterling so you
often pay 2 or 4 times the amount to get it out of the postman's
clutches and then have to claim it back from customs - so never buy
anything in Turkish Lire :-)

--
Gordon Mackie

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