I've got no camera gear retail shops anywhere remotely near me (apart from a Hardly Normal), so what online camera gear retail shops do those of you living in Australia recommend?

I've stumbled on webpages for -
- https://www.digidirect.com.au/
- https://www.ozdigitalonline.com/

But I haven't really searched yet, and frankly I'm more interested in recommendations from people in Australia that have dealt with online retailers rather than searching a thousand different online retailers for the best price.

Hi CCRphoto,

I used to use Digidirect but they stuffed me around a few times and lately I have used Digital Camera Warehouse and found them reliable with good service.

Cheers.

15 minutes ago, Craig said:

Hi CCRphoto,

I used to use Digidirect but they stuffed me around a few times and lately I have used Digital Camera Warehouse and found them reliable with good service.

Cheers.

Ta - will look them up!

Digidirect stuffed you around with order fulfillment or unreliable product information or ...

Digi Direct used to be a go to, these days they sometimes don't have stuff in stock and don't always tell you till after you order. They used to be cheapest but not always these days. Avoid grey market importers - you often won't get warranty service locally as the warranty is through the retailer not the official importer.

Digital camera warehouse is another to checkout, they have been around a long time. Another is Camera Pro. I've bought from Camera pro, digital camera warehouse and digi direct, sometimes Ted's George's or diamond have the model you are after at a good price.

Best bet is to go to google and type in the model you want, then "price australia" and a bunch of options will pop up. you can look at online reviews but looking recently they all seem similar. Best to physically call them to check for stock prior to ordering.

I just got a Sony lens from Digital Camera Warehouse. Good price at EOFY sale. Crappy website for ordering on a Mac. Good service getting the lens in. I bought my camera secondhand via Marketplace

25 minutes ago, Chris Ross said:

Digi Direct used to be a go to, these days they sometimes don't have stuff in stock and don't always tell you till after you order. They used to be cheapest but not always these days. Avoid grey market importers - you often won't get warranty service locally as the warranty is through the retailer not the official importer.

Digital camera warehouse is another to checkout, they have been around a long time. Another is Camera Pro. I've bought from Camera pro, digital camera warehouse and digi direct, sometimes Ted's George's or diamond have the model you are after at a good price.

Best bet is to go to google and type in the model you want, then "price australia" and a bunch of options will pop up. you can look at online reviews but looking recently they all seem similar. Best to physically call them to check for stock prior to ordering.

Cheers Chris! I can certainly see how not having something in stock and not telling you until after you order would not be good!

Will certainly be avoiding grey importers - I don't need that hassle!

Digi Direct do have one redeeming feature - Qantas points with every purchase😀

Will google as you have suggested too!

5 minutes ago, Terri said:

I just got a Sony lens from Digital Camera Warehouse. Good price at EOFY sale. Crappy website for ordering on a Mac. Good service getting the lens in. I bought my camera secondhand via Marketplace

Cheers Terry! Marketplace might be worth a shot too - hadn't considered that.

I look up best on-line prices then go straight to my local bricks and mortar store - Camera House in Geelong.

They always match the best price if it's Australian stock and not some dodgy code discount.

I reckon support your local store if you have one. It's the only place you can go to see some gear before buying.

3 hours ago, dentrock said:

I look up best on-line prices then go straight to my local bricks and mortar store - Camera House in Geelong.

They always match the best price if it's Australian stock and not some dodgy code discount.

I reckon support your local store if you have one. It's the only place you can go to see some gear before buying.

Totally agree, unfortunately I don't have a local bricks & mortar camera store apart from a Harvey Norman (who are pretty clueless), don't even have a brick & mortar dive store either - can get a wetsuit at the surf store but that is about it.

Bricks and mortar camera shops seem to have disappeared all over the place. I’ve lived in various major cities in the last few years and have seen them close the shutters and disappear. I guess online sales are largely to blame - and I have to own up to my share of guilt.

4 hours ago, CCRphoto said:

Totally agree, unfortunately I don't have a local bricks & mortar camera store apart from a Harvey Norman (who are pretty clueless), don't even have a brick & mortar dive store either - can get a wetsuit at the surf store but that is about it.

Digi direct, DCW, Camera Pro among others have bricks and mortar stores, Digi has 4 in greater Sydney. What town are you in? If you come to the Go diving show ingreater Sydney there's quite a few stores still that you can visit. Apparently OM system is an exhibitor at Go Diving.

4 hours ago, TimG said:

Bricks and mortar camera shops seem to have disappeared all over the place. I’ve lived in various major cities in the last few years and have seen them close the shutters and disappear. I guess online sales are largely to blame - and I have to own up to my share of guilt.

Locally it is probably more to do with the loss of big industries that were the major employers - paper mill had 3,300 workers, a local company made such incredibly good underground mining equipment that Caterpillar bought them and then a couple of years later moved the plant to Thailand - 600 jobs gone, paint pigment plant closed - 250 jobs gone, and so there just wasn't the money in town any more to support things like a camera shop.

4 hours ago, Chris Ross said:

Digi direct, DCW, Camera Pro among others have bricks and mortar stores, Digi has 4 in greater Sydney. What town are you in? If you come to the Go diving show ingreater Sydney there's quite a few stores still that you can visit. Apparently OM system is an exhibitor at Go Diving.

I'm on the NW coast of Tassie. Airfares and accom are booked for the Go Diving show, I will have the Monday morning free to visit camera stores. I think that is just Underwater saying that they will have OM System gear on their stand - not 100% sure though. Nikon have a stand also, not sure about any others. Are you going?

11 hours ago, CCRphoto said:

I'm on the NW coast of Tassie. Airfares and accom are booked for the Go Diving show, I will have the Monday morning free to visit camera stores. I think that is just Underwater saying that they will have OM System gear on their stand - not 100% sure though. Nikon have a stand also, not sure about any others. Are you going?

OK so a bit out of the way then. I'm likely going on Saturday, I've got a ticket so should be there.

9 hours ago, Chris Ross said:

OK so a bit out of the way then. I'm likely going on Saturday, I've got a ticket so should be there.

Yep - you know you are out of the way when you have a two hour drive just to get to the nearest Officeworks... unfortunately we need to shop online for far more than I wish we did.

Hopefully we can catch yup on Saturday then. I'm getting into Sydney late Friday afternoon, and departing on Monday afternoon.