Mox,
With FedEx and UPS Worldwide, or even the good old Post Office Air Service, there is no need to fly around the world to buy anything anymore. That's why we in New York are eating Kiwi from New Zealand, or Hong Kong connoisseurs are ordering lobsters from Australia, or Maine.
Unless the price differential is large enough, I still don't think it is worth the while because of warranty issue. USA Nikon would not repair any non-USA models (they can tell by the serial number). You also cannot get the firmware update, at least not from their site. With digital, i.e. electronic, there is always something that can go wrong. That's why I don't even want to bother with those unscrupulous sellers from Brooklyn. They sell gray market Nikon/Canon. They strip the battery and charger out of the package. They high pressure you into buying lenses and other junk accessories. Then they give you a "third party" warranty servicer, to whom I am afraid to send my $5,000 camera. The same holds true for lenses too. There are a lot of electronics inside a lens these days.
Those are major consideration when you make a good size investment. Of course, if I am buying a throw away P&S for a couple of hundred dollars, I would not hesitate at all buying from whoever sells it cheaper.
Mox, I am sure those photobugs-wanna-be are eyeing your D3s with green. After all, all wannas know that the D3s is the undisputed king of camera. Just don't stick a Sigma lens on it though (LOL).
You know, this thread is turning into a very intellectual discussion that we don't often see in this board. Very good. Very good indeed.
Now, let's see you Hangzhou pictures. It is a place I want to go. My son and daughter in law just visited Huang Shan this week. It was rainy all three days they were there. When we visited there 11 years ago, it was rainy too and the guard told us that it rains 250 days of the year up there. But as we left the last day, the weather opened up and I was able to snap a few shots. One of them was enlarged and hangs in my living room.
I want to go back there and Guilin with my digital. Well, only if this stupid economy turns around and I feel comfortable of walking away. Well, well well . . .
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