Where to buy a HMC151?
- Thread starter exseven
- Start date
Us online sellers will likely only have the HMC150, which is the US model. It's cheaper for sure, but then it only has the 60hz frame rates. If you want to buy the cheaper 150 and have it upgraded to do everything the 151 can do, Panasonic may be able to do this for you, but of course the price difference will be gone.
I'm not sure where you are located, but if you are in Europe then remember to add shipping costs, import duty and VAT to the USA costs, which will get added as it's imported in to Europe.
You can buy the 151 pretty much any where in Europe online, and the price difference between Europe and the USA (when taxes are taken in to account) is really not that great - especially if you want/need the dual 50/60hz frame rates.
If all you want is the 50hz frame rates then you can also look for HMC152s. These are available on the grey market in Europe (they are meant for Asia / Australia) cheaper than 151.
Personally I like having the 3 year warranty and all frame rates - so I bought in the UK. If you spend time on the web you will find there is a range of about £750 between the cheapest and most expensive. Some places have offers on some of the time and not others so it's worth looking around when you are ready to press the buy buttons.
It's also worth going to trade shows with credit card in hand. I bought my first one at a trade show at a significant discount and walked away with it right there and then. Also look for ex-demo deals. My third camera was about £500 off the dealer's normal discounted price because I took it without the box or mic holder, but it only had 18 hours of the clock. However it did come with the full 3 year panasonic warranty so other than the box (I already have two others) and the mic holder (I use a hot shoe mount on that one) there was no real difference - but £500 saved.
I'm not sure where you are located, but if you are in Europe then remember to add shipping costs, import duty and VAT to the USA costs, which will get added as it's imported in to Europe.
You can buy the 151 pretty much any where in Europe online, and the price difference between Europe and the USA (when taxes are taken in to account) is really not that great - especially if you want/need the dual 50/60hz frame rates.
If all you want is the 50hz frame rates then you can also look for HMC152s. These are available on the grey market in Europe (they are meant for Asia / Australia) cheaper than 151.
Personally I like having the 3 year warranty and all frame rates - so I bought in the UK. If you spend time on the web you will find there is a range of about £750 between the cheapest and most expensive. Some places have offers on some of the time and not others so it's worth looking around when you are ready to press the buy buttons.
It's also worth going to trade shows with credit card in hand. I bought my first one at a trade show at a significant discount and walked away with it right there and then. Also look for ex-demo deals. My third camera was about £500 off the dealer's normal discounted price because I took it without the box or mic holder, but it only had 18 hours of the clock. However it did come with the full 3 year panasonic warranty so other than the box (I already have two others) and the mic holder (I use a hot shoe mount on that one) there was no real difference - but £500 saved.
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Thanks for the reply. The thing is, I have found a nice 151E long time ago at globalmediapro for quite cheap and already planned to order it to a US address, then go there (I am in Hungary) visiting my friend and also use the opportunity to shoot some footage for my documentary project. Then it turned out that this company is located in New Zealand and ordering it to the US probably involves taxes, so the price advantage would be gone. If I don't buy the cam in the US, there is not much point in going there, but I'd really like to... also European prices are crazy compared to the US. The cheapest HMC150 I found is $2600, while the 151E is 3500 euros (4200 euros in my country). But yes, I need a PAL version. Apart from the frame rate, do you think an NTSC version would flicker when exposed to 50 Hz lighting?
Lenaic
Member
Ho ya i do understand you exseven. I'm from Eu too and prices are literally crazy for everything and for technological stuff like cameras, prices are mind blowing as well ! In case you consider to buy it in Eu, I personally bought it in my country, in france, at a fair deal and it was 3600euros (4955 dollars) but i've found some slightly lower prices in Uk around 3500 Euros. So i guess it's the best you will find. Good luck
CTN
Member
I bought my 151 in Romania for 3100 euros. If you live in Hungary, you could drive to Bucharest and buy it yourself. If you understand Romanian, this is the store I bought mine from www.westbuy.ro (euro prices are without VAT). I don't think they ship abroad but you can ask them at office@westbuy.ro. Good luck!
ilauzirika
Boring Senior Member
I bought it in UK for 3200 ( a new release discount). Also if you have a registered VAT number you wouldn't have to pay VAT taxes.