[MoiVous]

I'm trying to locate camera shops in Australia with new and used Pentax lenses. Adelaide (my home town) is not blessed with many - I think we are down to 3 I know of (2 I've actually visited)! One of the old camera shops that had second hand gear has closed down (Eden Photographics at Glenelg, who used to be at Kent Town and Blackwood - closed last year).

Seems that either e-bay, pawn shops or the internet has killed them off. Or maybe its just the size of the city......

I'm wondering if the Pentax users of Australia could set up a register of such shops around Australia.

Something like this was proposed a while back in these forums (see https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/189411-post16.html). It might be of use to those trying to track that missing piece of glass or those with little to choose from in our home towns.

So Aussie Pentax users - what do you think? Shall we try?

Heres my starting entries for Adelaide (pitiful though it is):

• PhotoCo Camera House, 5 Western Road, Adelaide Central Market, ADELAIDE
• Twin City Camera House, 120 Grenfell Street, ADELAIDE

BTW, I've looked at new lenses in the US too (BandH and Adorama), the current state of the Australian Dollar against other currencies makes it uneconomical when you add freight . So at present thats not high on the list.

[cupic]

A great idea Chris,as I too was buying from BH photo till the AU$ died and looks to be that way for a long time,so any saving with this register is great.Although I havent got any to add Im sure the rest of Australia will band together


cheers

[RussellW]

I use camera-warehouse.com.au here in Sydney.

I have just ordered a Sigma EX 300 F2.8 through them for AUD3119, BH was USD2999

I haven't found many stores that sell used equipement, there is a magazine photographic trader that comes every couple of months which I have bought some used and not used lenses.

[lithos]

Holy hell! You have two suppliers in Church City? That's two more than Brisbane!

Ask anyone working in a camera store. They'll chuckle and tell you they don't move much Pentax, so they don't get it in.

Photocontinental, formerly the southern hemisphere's biggest photographic store, has three K-mount lenses in stock, on shelves. Two of those are Sigmas.

I'd be glad to help with some sort of registry. Mostly because I want to help, but partly because, sadly, it would be ridiculously easy work.

[dazman]

There isn't many second hand sellers. You can keep an eye on the trading posts in your area Trading Post - Buying and Selling Goods Online Australia wide
Ebay if you dare
And if you are passing by a Cash Converters or Pawn shop...you never know what you can find.

The 3 cheapest retailers I know of, I'm sure everyone knows about
Cheap Digital Cameras Australia - Dirt Cheap Stores
&
Digital Camera and Digital Cameras at Digital Fun Stuff
&
Digital Camera Warehouse Australia - Discount Digital Cameras shipped Australia Wide - Home
I prefer DCW, as I can try before I buy with them at there Melbourne store, great customer service and pricing.

And believe it or not Teds can have some good deals from time to time
Ted's Camera Stores Australia

[Adrian Owerko]

I am from Adelaide aswell! The place is ran buy C&N.. But if you go to Camerahouse City Cross arcade.. They are the best for Pentax gear!! Diamonds city and Teds are a Joke. Diamonds Westfield Marion are OK as there is a Pentax user behind the counter! When I walked into Teds.. With my K100D and DA 40MM LTD on it, the sales person looked at me like I was from MARS lol(: (Planet PENTAXIA)

Adrian (:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14684571@N06/

[MoiVous]

Thanks to all for such a quick response...guess I'm not the only one thats noticed the low level of used/new Pentax kit.

I know about Teds in Adelaide - they do sell new Pentax kit, and they let me have a serious play with the K200D - which helped me in my decision.

Diamonds used to be really helpful in the CBD (I bought a lot of my old film SLR lens kit there) - but once they dropped their used line I noticed the shift in attitude. Incidentally, they are also on line as Camerastore.com.au - and prices are no better!

I've been in to TwinCity/CameraHouse City Cross (they are owned by the same people BTW) and found them helpful, but without much kit when I visited. Similar situation with PhotoCo.

In the meantime, keep those supplier names/addresses coming in - I'll put them together into a table at the end of the week with links so we don't have to hunt through the thread the whole time.

[Wombat]

I was in Adelaide yesterday and Cash Converters in Gouger St. (down near the Morphett St end) currently has a fair stack of used Pentax lenses and bodies. You'd need to be a bit picky. There's also:
Photographic Wholesalers, 47 Hutt St, Adelaide 5000, ph.8223 6777. They do retail as well and really know their stuff.
You can also try:
CR Kennedy & Co., ph 8410 0533, Welcome to C.R. Kennedy | Photographic, Digital, Medical, Surveying, Surveillance, Digital Audio. CR Kennedy. Australia. He does wholesale distribution only but is a really helpful and friendly guy who's a Pentax enthusiast and actually advertises as a Pentax supplier in the Yellow Pages! He'll tell you where you can get Pentax gear "at a place near you." Definitely worth a ring and a chat.
L&P Photgraphic Supplies, 10 College St., Kent Town, ph. 83631783, has a bit of second-hand Pentax gear and had a K200 and K20 in stock yesterday. He also knows his stuff and seems happy to knock a few bob off the price.

So, it's not all black, but it does take a bit of hunting. Great idea, Chris.

[melcordell]

Great idea Chris, and thank you Wombat, I am also from Adelaide and other than City Cross Camerahouse where I bought my K10D, I wasn't really sure where else to go other than online. This thread has already helped me enormously

Thanks again
x Mel

[Wombat]

Great idea Chris, and thank you Wombat, I am also from Adelaide and other than City Cross Camerahouse where I bought my K10D, I wasn't really sure where else to go other than online. This thread has already helped me enormously

Thanks again
x Mel

Welcome, mate. You'll love it here - best forum bar none.

[Helen Oster]

I'm trying to locate camera shops in Australia with new and used Pentax lenses. Adelaide (my home town) is not blessed with many - I think we are down to 3 I know of (2 I've actually visited)! One of the old camera shops that had second hand gear has closed down (Eden Photographics at Glenelg, who used to be at Kent Town and Blackwood - closed last year).

Seems that either e-bay, pawn shops or the internet has killed them off. Or maybe its just the size of the city......

I'm wondering if the Pentax users of Australia could set up a register of such shops around Australia.

Something like this was proposed a while back in these forums (see https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/189411-post16.html). It might be of use to those trying to track that missing piece of glass or those with little to choose from in our home towns.

So Aussie Pentax users - what do you think? Shall we try?

Heres my starting entries for Adelaide (pitiful though it is):

• PhotoCo Camera House, 5 Western Road, Adelaide Central Market, ADELAIDE
• Twin City Camera House, 120 Grenfell Street, ADELAIDE

BTW, I've looked at new lenses in the US too (BandH and Adorama), the current state of the Australian Dollar against other currencies makes it uneconomical when you add freight . So at present thats not high on the list.

It might also be worth asking on ausphotography.net.au, or the following flickr groups
• Melbourne (2,750 members)
• Melbourne Silver Mine Inc. (191 members)


Sincerely

Helen Oster
Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador

helen.oster@adoramacamera.com
Digital cameras, all other cameras and everything photographic from Adorama Camera

[Bramela]

I actually was surprised to see an ad on tv showing Officeworks was selling
K200d at a marked down price. Checked it out when I was in there and they had them on hand.
Surprise! Surprise!
Office works is a subsidiary of Coles.

Sadly the local newspaper had a 2 page spread on Digital SLR cameras and the value in purchasing them. Most known brands got a mention with picture, EXCEPT PENTAX not a word..
Astounds me how much they are ignored, being such a great buy.

[MoiVous]

Thanks for the suggestion Helen - will get on to that next.

I'll have the summary so far in the next day or two - and if I get some feedback from the other groups will include that too.

Bruce, I also saw the OfficeWorks ad in the paper. Guess CR Kennedy must be trying different suppliers. But as Wombat said, if you can get an enthusiast to help you out from the source it might be helpful.....

In the meantime keep the suggestions coming. Many thanks to all contributors so far (it's surprising how many responses I've got from my home town!) - shows the value of this forum.....

[MoiVous]

Just had a hunt around Flickr and found these useful thread for Melbournites....

• Flickr: Discussing Photography gear in Melbourne.(where do u get ur gear?) in Melbourne
• Flickr: Discussing Anyone used http://camerasdirect.com.au/ and where do you buy your gear? in Melbourne
• Flickr: Discussing Lens Rental in Melbourne in Melbourne

and this little treasure.....Melbourne photography wiki home with a list of second hand shops and comments!

So next time I'm in Melbourne......

[dazman]

GOLD!
Thanks for those links Chris.