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Nikon gets real(er) on local pricing

October 19, 2011: Nikon Australia has announced pricing for its new mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, the Nikon 1 series, which is closer to US pricing than other recent releases.

Over the past 12 months or so the new releases from Nikon, Canon, Olympus and Sony have typically had local retail prices 30 percent or more higher than the US pricing – so for instance newly-announced US$600 or $700 models usually have had an RRP of $1000 in Australia (including GST).

Buyers have become increasingly aware of this discrepancy, with Australian retailers consequently being accused of price gouging both in-store and in numerous online forums, and their stores and staff used by disaffected consumers to check out camera models prior to online purchase.

The pricing of the new Nikon 1 models is somewhat less likely to draw local purchasers to online offshore transactions. While the Nikon 1 J1 with a 10mm pancake lens is priced at $900 here and $650 in the US – a price hike of over 20 percent excluding GST – there is less difference in the pricing of the twin lens kits, with the Nikon 1 J1 twin kit at $1100 here and US$900, while the up-market Nikon 1 V1 twin kit is $1400 here and US$1150. Excluding the GST component, the local premium has been pared down to around 10 percent.

Nikon says that colour versions of the J1 will not be available until 2012, with black and while models only available at launch. The Nikon 1 series is due in store tomorrow, October 20.

Noticed any other camera price movements? While Canon’s ‘price review’ is well-documented, we wonder whether other distributors have reviewed their price lists. Feel free to share your observations using our Readers Comments…

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