HV20 in Australia

[jkatme]

I went into Michael's Camera shop (Melbourne) in the city today and it had just come in. The price they told me was AUS $1999. I asked if I found a cheaper price on the worldwideinterweb would they meet it and they said yes but it had to be from an actual shop in Melbourne as opposed to an online store.
It was the PAL version.

My dilemma is that I live half the year in Canada and half the year in Oz. So I need a camera that I'm going to easily be able to convert to the other. It sounds like that should be fine if I'm using the 24p b/c the frame rates are so close anyway.

Any other aussies come across a cheaper price?

My other option is waiting 2 weeks. I'm going to Canada and will stop over in SanFran for 8 hours. Does anybody know anywhere I can get one in SanFran that's close to the airport? Or preferably in it? I went on the SanFran airports website but couldn't find a shop that sold camcorders...
I guess the last option is Vancouver. But then I miss out on the duty free aspect.

I've been lingering on this forum for a while. I can't wait to get my hands on one of these little babies. And I've really enjoyed reading people's advice, knowledge, etc.
Thanx!
j

[Mal]

The advantages of the PAL version are the non-existence of the 24p (but not really 24) pulldown, and all that crap.
If I'd have a choice I'd go with the PAL version, but then again, it would depend on the gap between both versions as far as COST is concerned.

Airports are NOT known for good pricing, or for offering the LASTEST gear.
Your best bet might be to leave the airport, and seek a Circuit City, or siimilar. Just make sure you check with them beforehand to see that they have it in stock.

Hmm, yeah, it's a tough call; $1665.00 USD for PAL, or ~$950.00 for NTSC. For that difference the NTSC might indeed be your best bet. But be prepared to get frustrated regarding the 24p fiasco....at least until the NLEs catch up and offer automatic capturing/pulldown.

[jkatme]

I've been searching around and found it for AUS$1684 (US$1400). It's just amazing how much more expensive it is here. You'd think everyone would just be getting them all sent over from the states. But of course then there's the warranty hassle.

CS3 is coming out soon isn't it? That should make the 24p workflow easier shouldn't it?

And just to confirm, so it's quite easy to get 25p footage into NLEs?

And isn't it an advantage of the NTSC versions that they can record in 60i and then you can de-interlace post so that you end up with the equivalent of 30p?

I've been reading a lot on these issues in forums, but the more you read the more you realise how little you know.

[bchammer]

I live close to San Francisco. There are some Circuit cities here. You may order online and pick it up then. Make sure to use the coupon code mentioned in another forum to get the camera for ~935 US$ plus tax (8.25% here).

A taxi ride won't cost you too much.

[rev29]

This is the cheapest I've found it (http://www.hboutlet.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21639_21666_21667&products_id=140628) - $1608. Seems not many stores have it in stock yet. I'm going to get one of the major retailers to match that price since hboutlet is an actual store (although in NSW - I'm also in Melb).

[rev29]

I went into Michael's Camera shop (Melbourne) in the city today and it had just come in. The price they told me was AUS $1999. I asked if I found a cheaper price on the worldwideinterweb would they meet it and they said yes but it had to be from an actual shop in Melbourne as opposed to an online store.
It was the PAL version.


I went there today, they wouldn't match. Didn't even want to come close. Their loss because I was ready to buy, even if they came close.

[jkatme]

Ended up buying an ntsc version because of the price and I spend equal time in Canada and Oz.
Now to deal with pulldown headaches. But I've got it and am in the midst of discovering all of it's machinations...
Maybe it'll come down in price eventually in oz...

[rev29]

Finally ended up buying one at Harvey Norman for close to hboutlets price. Still much more than the overseas price but oh well. Also got sucked into the extended warranty (4 extra years) so not sure if I ended up saving much! haha

Now have to find out what tapes to buy. I read somewhere it's recommended to stick to one brand of tape.

[rev29]

Quality tapes are SO hard to find along Elizabeth St (Melb). Most just stock the cheapest Sony/TDK/JVC tapes. Michaels has some higher quality tapes (bought JVC ProHD 3 pack for AUS$45). Looks like buying them in bulk online is the best bet. I also ordered some Panasonic AMQ from www.pcx.com.au. Price is ok (service is questionable going from email contact), but can probably source them cheaper from overseas stores, although overseas shipping and additional security checks are a pain.

Couldn’t even find any Panasonic PQ tapes…

[Murrelet]

I ordered mine from Henry's here in Canada about a little over a month ago, the delivery was fast, they price matched at $1199 (reg $1399), which at the time was the best up here I could find. The other problem back then was that no one else had the cam (everyone that had it listed had a pre-order marking), as the Canadian shipment wasn't to hit the shores for another 2 weeks, then however long it took to arrive at the retailers. If you are going to use it here and in Oz you may want the Canadian warranty, which you wouldn't get, purchasing in the US.

Congrats on getting the cam jkatme!

[David Susilo]

Congrats on the camera, fellow Aussie! (I'm from Perth, WA)

[Brandy]

I shopped around Melbourne hard and the best price I could get was $1850. Ended up getting one from www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au for $1684. I'm in country Victoria. Ordered it about midday and it arrived 9.30am next day. I had been concerned about damage etc but it was well packed and they had assured me everything was covered insurance wise.

[Deep G]

Ausies beware! don't shop at http://www.videocams.com.au/ they have the worst customer service in the world. If by the off chance you receive a faulty HV20 you are treated like the enemy and given a run around, not told about the status of your RA request, not given any indication of what they are doing for you. After a week of ringing/emailing and wondering if we would ever get any info about our faulty camera we rang their distributor and they said they had checked the camera a week ago, seen the fault and passed on the credit to http://www.videocams.com.au/ . So after this we had to beg for our refund for about a week. They just don't have any phone manners or concern for the costumer.

We ended up getting a new HV20 at JB HI-FI for only about $100 more and that included a 5 year extended warranty. The total came to $1750.

PHDsites Pty Ltd is the company behind this site and they have many other sites selling other products. I don't normally bag people out but for the s&*t they put us through they really deserve it.

[Wolfman]

Another "Aussie" here, also looking at buying from Camera Warehouse.

I see on the site they say delivery can take 3-5 working days. Brandy, how did you get yours so fast??

Cheers

[africanmarty]

got mine for harvey norman in melbourne, $1699 brand new. 3 weeks ago ( but i got a 5 year warrenty, wich made it $1999 ). - marty.

[Deep G]

got mine for harvey norman in melbourne, $1699 brand new. 3 weeks ago ( but i got a 5 year warrenty, wich made it $1999 ). - marty.
Same deal, HV20 inc 5 year warranty at JB HI-FI $1750

[wedwards]

Not sure if I should be posting this here or not, but I usually sell a lot of IT releated stuff and one of my suppliers sells a lot of canon gear including the HV20. I just ordered one for myself, and providing it arrives OK, I could prob sell to aussies for around $1650 inc postage and insurance. Anyone interested, PM me. If you want to buy local, the only place I have seen that will match prices and come anywhere near the $1600 mark is Harvey Norman.

[phez]

Best price I have seen is Landmark Computers for $1397 in VIC.

Can anyone do an equal price in NSW ?

http://www.lmc.com.au/featured_products/561958/Canon_HV20_High_Digital_Video_Camera

[ColMack]

Best price I have seen is Landmark Computers for $1397 in VIC.

Can anyone do an equal price in NSW ?

http://www.lmc.com.au/featured_products/561958/Canon_HV20_High_Digital_Video_Camera

I purchased from LMC earlier this month - I am in NSW. I was happy enough with the service - ordered on the Tuesday via the web, they rang me on the Friday to tell me it was being shipped and I received it on Monday.

Arguably they could have been a little quicker - why do fun packages always arrive on a Monday!

They were the cheapest I found.

[leucopogon]

Just bumping this up for us Aussies that are still researching the hv20. I went into my local Good Guys in Perth the other day and saw it for a cash price of $1399. This is the lowest i've seen the hv20 in Australia by a long way and the price drop seems to have happened fairly recently.

Just wondering if any other Aussies have recently taken the plunge on this camera and for what price. I'm so close to buying, but the fact that the price just dropped majorly has me thinking that a new model might be round the corner. Can't find any rumours on the web though to substantiate that.

I think its stinks how much more expensive the camera is over here compared to the US.

[brido]

http://www.jctech.com.au/

I have bought 2 from him and am very satisfied. They came in at under $1600AUD each. I bought extra warranty with one of them that boosted it to $1700AUD.

With the Aussie dollar pretty high I would expect the price to drop and that probably reflects the $1399 which i would think is unbeatable at this time.

Great cameras. No regrets or problems as yet 6; to 8 months of ownership, one to two tapes a week use. (Perhpas not totally full)

[geist]

Bought mine here yesterday http://www.roadmogul.com.au/canon-hv20-hv20-p-9572.html

$1379 with free case. LMC are also having a special with a similar price but without the free case. I bought my accessories from digital camera warehouse and HL-2L14 (BP-2L14 equivalent) battery from expansys

[leucopogon]

Just an update, with the after Christmas sales my local Good Guys (Cannington in Perth) had it for $1299 cash!!

I was amazed, but unfortunately, skint and unable to buy it.

I'm now in Indonesia for a month. I'll be very interested to see what the price is like when I return at the end of January.

[geist]

The Good Guys prices have always been great. $1299 is unbeatable.