Wow... How insane!

[RichieJarvis]

For those that don't know, I am in Beijing, China right now for work.

So, I thought to myself that the prices for Astro-gear here should be rock bottom, as plenty of kit is made locally.

How wrong I was - for example, a Skywatcher EQ6 mount here is 9623RMB, or £814 - and thats before tax! Williams Optics scopes are even worse - according to their website, the FLT110 is priced at 29348RMB, or £2482, again before tax!

Maybe its the jetlag, but surely the shipping costs to the UK should at least make a bit of a difference in the retail price between the 2 countries?

Ah well, I guess another idea bites the dust :mrgreen:

Richie

[Whippy]

Welcome to 'rip-off' China!!

Tony..

[The Warthog]

Can you still get suits and dinnerware cheap?

[RichieJarvis]

Oh yeah - plenty is cheap here, as long as its 'knock-off'

Food is pretty cheap as well, as long as its not western food!

I was just amazed though - although one of my colleagues pointed out to me that Astronomy isn't a big pastime in China - outside the cities, people can't afford it, and in the cities, they all live in high-rises with plenty of light pollution, so I suppose it makes sense really.

I was just a little upset I couldn't get a cheap scope out here though. Probably for the best though, as the missus would have strung me up, no matter HOW cheap it was

Cheers,

Richie

[Mutley]

There's a Bloke based in HK who sells stuff on ebay (user name cnhot). Mostly eyepieces. They look all the world like Moonfish but without the logo and less than 1/2 the price if you are lucky. I got a 30mm wide angle from him. Nice quality, not bad performance and paid less than £40 inc. shipping. I've paid a lot more for a lot less.

[RichieJarvis]

Maybe I should have swung by HK then

[centroid]

I'm sure that I'd have thought the same as you did Richie, "Chinese made astro gear, would be mega cheap in Beijing", what a disappointment.

Once I knew where to look (away from the tourist shops) in Singapore, there was some very good buys to had on photographic gear.

Here in Western Australia, where I am at the moment, the is but one dedicated astro equipment retailer, and he only sells Skywatcher kit.

Dave

[RichieJarvis]

You had to import your LX then? ouch!

I think the best thing I can do is wait until I go stateside again, and get one of my colleagues to pre-order me a nice Megrez 90

I had better prepare the divorce papers at the same time though!!

:laughing3:

[The Warthog]

There's a Bloke based in HK who sells stuff on ebay (user name cnhot). Mostly eyepieces. They look all the world like Moonfish but without the logo and less than 1/2 the price if you are lucky. I got a 30mm wide angle from him. Nice quality, not bad performance and paid less than £40 inc. shipping. I've paid a lot more for a lot less.

I've dealt with him, and recommend him as a seller. I got a couple of diagonals, and some adapters from him.

[timetraveller]

you would do better to buy it in Hong Kong all optics gear out there is cheap as chips or least it use to be mind you we now have the global credit crunch to live with so guess everything is going to cost a packet from now on glad I got my new scope when I did

regards Pete