Robert White purchase question

[Michael Feldman]

I believe that Mamiya is imported into the UK by Johnsons's Photopia, but your point is well taken that most of products (but not all) sold by RW are imported by other companies. So I stand corrected on that point. However, I don't know why you think I would be shocked about that. I never suggested that RW was forgoing a healthy profit. If you can find statements from me that suggest otherwise, please point them out.

I have clearly stated, and previously given many examples, of the high cost structure of Mamiya America Corporation and HP Marketing, which are partly due to a very high level of service they provide (which not everyone wants to pay for) and the basic inefficiencies of their distribution model. The extensive amount of marketing they do in the USA also may account for additional costs. Finally, there is the question of greed by the USA distributors, but since they are mostly privately held companies, their financial statements are not publicly available.

For USA customers buying from RW there is an immediate 17.5% benefit of not paying the VAT. Some of the equivalent taxes (but not all) in the USA are built into our corporate income tax structure (federal and state) and cannot be avoided. I also suspect that the UK distributors do less marketing and have a more efficient distribution model. I am not shocked about any of this.

[tim atherton]

> To some extent, I can understand the plight of the USA distributor as > > the bulk of the world's professionals are working in this market, > > highest fees are paid here, the biggest photography market is here, > > they sell mainly to professionals, so why not charge them higher > > prices than elsewhere. It goes with the territory.

Not entirely correct - in many ways the European market for photography in many areas is much more healthy than the US, with greater demand for images, more value placed ont he photographer and higher fees paid.

The European market is a pretty darn big market, with a lot of pros in it.

[John Hennessy]

Someone read far too much into my calling White's e-mail relies "glib". I meant nothing negative at all. I always look forward the wit, fluency, articulation and facility of responses from Robt White or the staff there. They are completely honest and seem to enjoy themselves too. For instance:

me: Can you ship an AS B1 now?

them: We don't have the balls for that just now; but expect to in a fortnight.

[Ed Candland]

I would second what has been said. Some things are a lot cheaper at RW some things are not. As for the Schneider Symmar APO 120/f5.6 as stated by another poster it's doesn't have very much coverage for 4 x 5 if that's what you'll be using it for. If you can't afford the 110 SS XL you might want to look into the Fuji 125 CMW. It has a Image circle of 204 and if you call Badger I think you'll find the price close to what the Symmar would be at RW after shipping, duty etc (the price is lower than stated on the web site due to a drop in the yen). I don't have this lens but I have heard good things about it. Almost as sharp as the 110 SS XL and lighter in weight. Both of those lens are really the only choices that make sense in a new lens for 4 x 5 in that Focal length that I know of.

Ed,