[cali92rs]

Soooo...
I ran across this seller on fleabay from Japan that was selling silver FA 77mm's for brand new for only $700 USD (that is the price I usually see for these used). He had good feedback so I gave them a shot.
I am glad i did

Lens arrived yesterday, new, in box, serial numbers matching.

It is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL lens. I did not believe in "special rendering" until i got the FA 43mm Limited. Now that I saw what that lens is capable of, I needed to get its big brother.

THe only drawback is that I am not sure how much I will like the silver 77mm with the black K-5iis.

Still, I can't wait to put this thing through its paces

[chemtech]

Congrats! Sounds like you got a super deal! Do you happen to know if the seller has any more copies available?

[calculator01]

Soooo...
I ran across this seller on fleabay from Japan that was selling silver FA 77mm's for brand new for only $700 USD (that is the price I usually see for these used). He had good feedback so I gave them a shot.
I am glad i did

Lens arrived yesterday, new, in box, serial numbers matching.

It is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL lens. I did not believe in "special rendering" until i got the FA 43mm Limited. Now that I saw what that lens is capable of, I needed to get its big brother.

THe only drawback is that I am not sure how much I will like the silver 77mm with the black K-5iis.

Still, I can't wait to put this thing through its paces

You won't like the silver on black, better sell it for 20% less than you paid (it is used, after all).


I think you might find a couple buyers.

[pyrs n finns]

Congratulations on your purchase!

I have seen some really good deals too. I stayed away from them because I wasn't sure about import taxes/fees. Did you find them costly? Is there a website available to learn about these costs. Would you share your your knowledge about import costs for those of us who have stayed away from these bargains for fear that add on costs would make these bargains not the deals we thought they were.

Thanks in advance,
Deb

[JPT]

Congratulations! I just bought an FA77 in Japan last week, but mine was a used one with a few small dings and the lens cap missing for $560. I'll pick up a new cap on the way home tonight - about $20, I think.

Loving it so far. As for the colour, it looks cool on the K-01 because of its silver highlights. Another good thing about silver is that if you get any dents, the silver doesn't show up as much as on the black limiteds.

My most interesting observation so far is that focusing is a lot more decisive with the live view of my K-01 than the PDAF of my K20D. I'd be interested to hear how the two method of focusing compare on a body that's capable of both.

Now I must go and find some more cheesy bokeh shots. Railings. Guitar strings. Ornaments placed on a window sill.

[LeRolls]

Congratulations! I love my FA77 and I think you will love yours!

[lesmore49]

I've got a silver DA 70 Limited. I prefer black....but silver or black...works well.

[cali92rs]

Congrats! Sounds like you got a super deal! Do you happen to know if the seller has any more copies available?

I just checked, and unfortunately, it looks like he doesn't

---------- Post added 05-08-14 at 06:55 AM ----------

Congratulations on your purchase!

I have seen some really good deals too. I stayed away from them because I wasn't sure about import taxes/fees. Did you find them costly? Is there a website available to learn about these costs. Would you share your your knowledge about import costs for those of us who have stayed away from these bargains for fear that add on costs would make these bargains not the deals we thought they were.

Thanks in advance,
Deb

Deb,

I didn't have to pay any import fees.
The price I saw is the price I got it for, so I am not sure if the seller paid for it. Sorry, I couldnt be more help
Before buying anything online, I would ask the seller how all that works. If he isn't willing to help, it probably isnt a reputable seller.

[pyrs n finns]

Just got back to this thread. Thank you for sharing what information you could. I thought perhaps you would get a bill for import fees from US customs in the mail. Thats how it went for me many years ago when I made an $800.00 purchase from Canada. The bill from customs came a month or two after the item arrived.

Thanks again,
Deb

[K David]

I picked up a silver 77mm when I was in Japan last year for about that price. The downside is that it's gray market -- warranty is voided once it leaves Japan. However, they're well made so in my mind that's a non-issue.

It's a simply stunning lens. It is UNFORGIVING. Used on portraits, for which it's great, it will find and cling to every single flaw in your subject's face. Wrinkles, large poors, lip hair, whatever. So for people, it's best when it's at f2.5 or slower (I usually use 2.2 or 2). At f4.5 and f5.6, the sharpest apertures, it will make your subjects very angry when they see their photos. I can't count how many times I've had people say "I do NOT look that old." Yes, they do.

---------- Post added 05-13-14 at 07:48 PM ----------

I didn't have to pay any import fees.

In the U.S., there are not import fees for items under $1,000 (I believe that's the cut off, but I've also heard there's no ceiling, so I don't know which is true.)

[Eagle_Friends]

Still my favorite lens.