Camera Shops in St. Maarten or St. Thomas

We're traveling on the CB in January and I'm wondering if the prices for digital cameras are better in US vs. St. Maarten or St. Thomas?

If anyone knows of a reputable camera shop on either island I would appreciate the names.

Also, looking for any comments on brand/modelof digital camera. I'm looking for a 5 MP with 10x optical zoom...

Thanks

I have found that you can get better prices here in the US and with a US warranty. Some cameras bought outside the US are "Gray Market" imports and are not covered by the same warranty as cameras legally imported by the camera companies. As for camera type, I would look into Canon's..

Raymok,

I have bought my last 3 cameras in St. Thomas at Royal Caribbean.

They have a shop at Havensite & downtown.

Never any problems & great pricing.

Last December I got my first digital - Pentax Optio S5i. Fits into the palm of your hand. I am considering an upgrade.

In February was with a group in St.Maarten we also made some digital camera purchases. A friend of mine went very prepared with pricing & questions. They wheeled & dealed, but, got great prices.

3 of them bought the same camera - buying power!

I would say do some research & get basic prices here first. Shop & compare.

Good Luck.

Here's a site I have looked at that can help perhaps:

http://www.dpreview.com/

[/i'm looking for a 5 MP with 10x optical zoom... QUOTE]

 

I would suggest that you take a look at Canon's S2 IS.....highly rated with 12X optical zoom, image stabilization and 5MPs

In Feb. I was looking at a Canon but didn't buy it but I am going back in Feb again. I emailed Royal Caribbean and here is the info.

Canon Rebel XT digital SLR for $ 899.95 which includes the body, lens, battery, charger, USB cable, TV cable, 512 MB memory card and a case.

I have two comments. One you must be very careful purchasing a camera on a cruise. I did purchase a Nikon 8008 on my 1st cruise in Saint Thomas and found I got a good price. On the other hand, they sold me a flash that did not work on my camera. So my advice would be to do your research, decide what type of accessories you need, then make an informed decision.

I just recently purchased a Konica Minolta Dimage Z6 here in the states and it is a great camera for a terrific price. It is 6.0 megapixels, has electronic stabilization, takes movies, has a 10X optical lens and a 4X digital lens and a variety of different modes. For my money ( about $400.00 ) IMHO it is a much smarter purchase than the Cannon ( $899.00).

Canon Rebel XT digital SLR for $ 899.95 which includes the body, lens, battery, charger, USB cable, TV cable, 512 MB memory card and a case.

I got all that plus a power drive and an extra battery and a wrist strap for use with the power drive for $999 at Chulani's Sieko House (Front St) on St Maarten just a few weeks ago. Ask for Ron.

As for being "gray" market, this particular Canon came with a US warranty but in the past the cameras didn't but we never had a problem.

OH boy! THis is a subject that hits me square in the forehead. Just recently while on the CB we were in Philipsburg, St Maarten where we kinda looking to upgrade from our 2 megapixel Olympus to at least a 4. We were not set on any particular brand. We stopped into a store called "Music Man" and looked around. We were steered to a Pentax Optio S45 4MP, neat features, small and a decent price, not a great price but it seemed pretty good. We bought it and continued on shopping. While still in port I decided that I should checkout our purchase, popped in a couple of batteries from our old camera, turned it on....Said the batteries were dead, hmm I thought, so I installed the ones that came with the camera, it came up fine, set the date and a few settings and took a picture.

Looks good so far.

Got back on board and started to check out the camera, you know, new toy, play with it, take a couple of shots, play with the zoom and so on. Well after 7 or 8 shots it showed the battery in the red and within a minute, it shuts off. "Battery Depleted" displayed just before shut off.

Well I won't go into a lot more detail other than to say, battery life with Alkalines was about 8 or 9 shots without a flash, but the manual states 30 pics or 50 minutes of run time, I got 20 minutes of run time. Then after all that the camera starts locking up, had to turn off and on to get it to work . Called Pentax HQ in Colorado, they said "Yup, about 12 shots with Alkalines is all you'll get. I then called the store, had to leave a Voice Mail, no return call. Sent them two e-mails with "Request read reciept" turned on. They read one and ignored the other..

I have now disputed the charge and am awaiting a reponse from my CC company and have mailed back the camera at my cost of $107.

We'll see what happens.

Conclusion, DO YOUR RESEARCH, check for sales and buy near where you live. Don't be a dummy like me and buy on impulse. If you must buy while on a cruise, then buy in P.R or St THomas.

A great site with some very good reviews is http://www.steves-digicams.com/hardware_reviews.html Based on all the data I saw there I chose a Cannon A610. I had used them before when I bought my first digital. Couldn't be happier with my new purchase.

STAY AWAY FROM "MUSIC MAN" (just my opinion based on my recent experience)

Live and Learn:(

I bought my brand X disposable camera at Walmart for my last cruise, and had a terrible time getting it out of the cardboard box. I had to ask my cabin steward to cut open the foil wrap, too. Once in my hand, and at our first stop (Princess Cays), a grain of sand got into the turn knob, and I skipped a whole picture! What a waste! (I intend to write a strongly worded letter to Princess about this sand problem on their beach.) At our second stop, Cozumel, I carefully placed my camera at the top of my beach bag, and the silly/incompetent beach waiter dribbled my Corona on it, causing me to use my Princess beach towel to try to dry it off. Well, my pictures of the drunks from Carnival trying to climb the water trampoline did not turn out! (I intend to write a strongly worded letter to Pedro's Beach Bar, and include the lousy beach towel issue in my letter to Princess). At Grand Cayman, I left the camera on the tender, and it took 15 minutes for Princess to get it back to me! Unbelieveable, and unforgiveable! (More fodder for my letter). At our last port, we were literally dumped off at Ocho Rios, causing me to be forced to go to Margaritaville. While trying to take a picture of the pop-top and flip-flop on the ceiling, juggling a bananaramabahamamama in one hand and my camera in the other, the camera fell into the pool. I was so disgusted with Princess by this time, that I'm filing a claim for $7.95 plus tax for the cost of my camera and the pictures I didn't get. I doubt that I'll ever cruise with a camera again on Princess:mad: !

Conclusion, DO YOUR RESEARCH, check for sales and buy near where you live. Don't be a dummy like me and buy on impulse. If you must buy while on a cruise, then buy in P.R or St THomas.

A great site with some very good reviews is http://www.steves-digicams.com/hardware_reviews.html Based on all the data I saw there I chose a Cannon A610. I had used them before when I bought my first digital. Couldn't be happier with my new purchase.

STAY AWAY FROM "MUSIC MAN" (just my opinion based on my recent experience)(

Thanks for sharing your experience. I have looked at cameras while in the Caribbean and I don't think prices are that much better in the Caribbean. I just assume buy here in the US. The little bit of savings is not worth the headache.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information...

I bought my brand X disposable camera at Walmart for my last cruise, and had a terrible time getting it out of the cardboard box. I had to ask my cabin steward to cut open the foil wrap, too. Once in my hand, and at our first stop (Princess Cays), a grain of sand got into the turn knob, and I skipped a whole picture! What a waste! (I intend to write a strongly worded letter to Princess about this sand problem on their beach.) At our second stop, Cozumel, I carefully placed my camera at the top of my beach bag, and the silly/incompetent beach waiter dribbled my Corona on it, causing me to use my Princess beach towel to try to dry it off. Well, my pictures of the drunks from Carnival trying to climb the water trampoline did not turn out! (I intend to write a strongly worded letter to Pedro's Beach Bar, and include the lousy beach towel issue in my letter to Princess). At Grand Cayman, I left the camera on the tender, and it took 15 minutes for Princess to get it back to me! Unbelieveable, and unforgiveable! (More fodder for my letter). At our last port, we were literally dumped off at Ocho Rios, causing me to be forced to go to Margaritaville. While trying to take a picture of the pop-top and flip-flop on the ceiling, juggling a bananaramabahamamama in one hand and my camera in the other, the camera fell into the pool. I was so disgusted with Princess by this time, that I'm filing a claim for $7.95 plus tax for the cost of my camera and the pictures I didn't get. I doubt that I'll ever cruise with a camera again on Princess:mad: !

Now that's funny:rolleyes:

Im a serious photographer and am bringing some serious gear on my forthcoming trip , however I would 2nd the Canon S2 IS , it is as much camera as anyone would need and is amazingly versatile. Im taking mine along as a pocketable solution. Apart from great photo quality one of the big advantages is that you can use penlights which you can find virtually anywhere and get a reasonable amount of shots with them

http://www.rodney2.fotopic.net/c626252.html

My husband is a professional photographer and he buys most of his equipment (cameras, lenses, flashes etc. ...Nikon) in St. Thomas from Royal Caribbean. They have the newest cameras sometimes before they are in stores here in the states. The equipment is excellent and we have never had any problems.

since this subject is here can I pick some brains please

I am looking for a new digital camera that takes good close up photos (like of jewelry)

My camera is fine now, but takes awful close ups so I am looking to upgrade and would love some advise

thanks in advance!

nancy

since this subject is here can I pick some brains please

 

I am looking for a new digital camera that takes good close up photos (like of jewelry)

My camera is fine now, but takes awful close ups so I am looking to upgrade and would love some advise

 

thanks in advance!

nancy

Great site, great info.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/hardware_reviews.html

thanks for the info-I will check it out

nancy