Learning the Hard Way
On my previous photography posts about choosing a digital SLR camera and the Nikon D90 I was a true Bangkok camera shopping rookie. I had only been to MBK and the larger and newer, obviously more expensive retail malls. In only a few months I have went from becoming a rookie to almost a professional when it comes to getting the best deals in Bangkok.
Primary Shopping Options
Besides the shops in the major shopping malls such as Central World and Siam Paragon where you can expect to pay full retail prices there are 3 primary options where you can find wholesale prices on brand new camera equipment including the top of the line digital SLR lenses from Nikon and Canon.
The three shopping locations are MBK which I have posted about numerous times. While MBK has a whole tech floor and numerous camera and lens shops, I found the prices to be more expensive than the next two places I will mention. MBK does have one of the better camera shops in Bangkok for gear such as filters and second hand equipment. The shop’s name is photofile and there are 2 locations in MBK, the main store being on the first floor. I will talk about selling SLR camera lenses later in this post.
The 2nd shopping option is an IT mall named Fortune Town. Fortune town is located near the Fortune Hotel near the Ratchada area of Bangkok off of Ratchada road. I have only been to fortune town twice. The first time I was there I bought the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens at a small camera shop for a price which I thought couldn’t be beat as it was lower than the cheapest price I could find on Hong Kong Ebay. It turns out I went to the 3rd shopping option for lenses and found out I was wrong.
The 3rd and best place in Bangkok to buy digital camera lenses, not to mention all electronics including digital SLR camera bodies, computer parts, laptops, cell phones is Pantip Plaza. Pantip Plaza is an IT mall located in Pratunam area of Bangkok. It can be reached by a 10 minute walk from Central World and is an experience to say the least.
Bangkok's 3 Primary Camera & Lens Shopping Options
Pantip Plaza
Pantip Plaza has a bustling hock shop atmosphere that some people like while others hate. It is much like most other shopping areas in Bangkok, the only difference being as you walk in you will have hardcore porn DVDs shoved in your face. As you ascent the 5 floors via escalator you will get more hardcore porn DVDs shoved in your face but if you’re looking for the best prices on Digital SLR and camera lenses this is your place.
I have read a lot and talked to numerous people about Pantip Plaza and heard many mixed reviews. Some claim that stores in Pantip sell tainted products, products with their expensive components replaced and counterfeit products.
While I haven’t experienced any of this, I wouldn’t doubt it. There are some smaller camera shops in Pantip that I wouldn’t fully trust but other shops such as AV Center where I buy all my equipment seems to be 100% trustful.
I mentioned I had bought the lens at Pantip and the appraiser at Photofile scoffed at me and offered me a lowball price. Whether he was just an elitist who wanted to continue to offer absurd prices for stuff you can get for much cheaper elsewhere or he knew what he was talking about I don’t know for sure.
Looking down from the Top Floor of Pantip Plaza
AV Center in Pantip Plaza
Pantip Plaza has numerous specialty camera shops, the best I have found to be AV Center. AV Center is actually 5 or 6 separate stores located throughout Pantip Plaza. Each store has almost identical prices and equipment. Ask one of the AV Center stores for a lens and they don’t have it, they will likely have it on another side.
At least 3 of the 5 AV Center stores are big with equipment on display but I would consider the primary AV center store is in the middle of the 3rd floor and can be viewed from any escalator. There is a nice showcase with all the equipment, multiple employees and some space to move around. The prices are offered pretty much as low as they go.
As with buying anything throughout Asia, always try to get them to knock down the price. With high-end camera equipment at AV center and the already low prices, they will usually knock down the price a couple hundred baht which isn’t much but will add up if you keep buying from them.
Camera Lenses & Gear I Bought at AV Center and was Fully Satisfied
Nikon D700 DSLR Body
Nikon MB-D10 Battery Grip for D700
Nikon Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 Lens
Nikon Nikkor 10-24mm Lens
Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 Lens
Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 HSM
Read about Developing the Right Camera Kit
One of Many AV Centers in Pantip Plaza
Selling your Unwanted Digital SLR Lenses in Bangkok
Photofile at 1st Floor of MBK
As you can tell by my list of lenses, unless you’re made of money, you will be needing to sell lenses as well. You may want something a little better, lighter, more versatile which better suits your needs. As you can probably tell by the list of the lenses I have bought in just the first few months of owning a digital SLR camera, I have had to part with lenses as much as I’ve bought them.
While craigslist.org is not the megasite it is in much of the USA, especially San Francisco, there are people who look at Bangkok craigslist for deals on used equipment. I have learned from experience, since some camera stores are so cheap, don’t expect a quick sale. Whoever responds to your ad will haggle to no end which may not be worth it as meeting them across Bangkok may also be a challenge.
I found 2 camera stores in Bangkok that buy used lenses and Digital SLR bodies but any store that sells second hand equipment may be willing to buy but it is worth it to get estimates from all the places. The primary store is Photofile in MBK. They sell equipment for much more than the stores in the IT malls and it turns out they buy lenses for more as well.
Photofile will offer you top dollar if you have the box, all accessories and a warranty card for your equipment. The second place was a small camera shop in Fortune Town. I asked them to give me an estimate when selling a lens and they offered me 4,000 baht ($120 USD) more than Photofile for the same lens but also offered 2,000 baht ($60 USD) less on another lens. The moral of the story: Get multiple Estimates if you want to get back the most for your used SLR lenses while selling them in Bangkok.
When buying a lens in Bangkok you should note that when you get a cheap price 99% of the time you will NOT get the Nikon 5 year manufacturer warranty. You will likely get the 1 year in-store warranty which I would not have too much confidence in.
Being Cheap
Most people I know want cheap prices. If you have no problem buying retail, spending 25% more when buying camera equipment or anything go to any store in Central World or the Siam Centers. I have priced SLR lenses in Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore and the USA and the prices in Bangkok are the cheapest I’ve found for new equipment. If you’re looking for the cheapest prices in Bangkok, possibly in the world, just go to AV Center in Pantip Plaza, test, buy and admire your photography.
