JYC Filters

[roysmith]

Has anyone used a JYC branded filter?
I'm looking for a decent quality UV filter (or lens protector) for my new Sigma 70-200. I like Hoya's new HD series but they're too expensive. I was about to get a Marumi DHG lens protector, which already own for another lens and is good enough, but saw this offer and made me wonder if it's any good:
http://www.dinodirect.com/JYC-77mm-High ... amera.html

This is the official site:
http://www.jyc-hk.com/epro.asp?id=218&classid=51

[pakodominguez]

Seams as a brand X...
Hoya are probably the best third party Japanese made filters and yes, they are a little expensive. Here in the USA you can find the Tiffen everywhere, but apparently consistency is not their strong point.

I don't use UV or protector filters -I always put the lenshood instead. I only use Polarizers, I just bought a Sunpak 77 mm Graduated Neutral Density that looks OK for the price.

Your profile say that you are in Baires, where do you get filter or accessories over there?

Regards

[roysmith]

I buy anywhere I can get what I need
Unfortunataly there are not many big photography shops here, and the few are ridiculously expensive. So the only way to get something is to walk around all the small shops (which usually don't have internet sites or ever update them), or order from another country. But shipment costs are high and custom duties are absurd (50% of product+shipment costs). One exception are chinese online shops like dinodirect, focalprice and dealextreme. They ship via common mail (free shipment btw) and since the packages tend to be small they bypass customs most of the time.

That's why I was asking for that chinese filter... I can't find a 77mm UV HD Hoya here, and if I order one from adorama I'd have to pay it about US$220 which is way too much for a filter. So I'm getting a Marumi DHG that costs me about AR$200 here (~US$50) and move on
I like to use filters as an additional protection. As an example, I bought this used Sigma 70-200 lens, and it has some small scratches on the front element because the previous owner didn't use any permanent filter and scratched it when putting the cap on. I did this once to an UV after a long day of hiking, the cap slipped from my cold fingers and it scratched the filter... I was tired and these kind of things happen sometimes.

[pakodominguez]

I was curious of how a photographer survive in Buenos Aires nowadays...

I lived in Baires from 1987 to 1994. Actually, even if I'm not Argentinian, I'm an Argentinian photographer because I did learn photography over there (I've never been involved in photography while living in Peru)
I learned photography while working, first at a photo lab, then doing event photography. By 1990 i star taking classes with Barabino Devoto and by the end of my sojourn I had the chance to work with the best event photographers (Rolo Repetto from Photo-Life, Pablo Arbetman, German Falke...)

At that time the world was way bigger than today, Internet and the Chinese trade machine didn't exist and we had to go to Calle Libertad in order to get second hand equipment, or wait for any friend's trip to the USA... Today the world is smaller and travel is more democratic. I understand that you can get some equipment easily today -a friend bought a Nikon D700 for just 10 or 15% more that the NYC price.

It is a shame you just asked about it, a friend was here last week and I sent some stuff (batteries, lens hoods, memory cards...) my old pals asked me for, I could include your filter!

[roysmith]

Well you're right, the world is getting smaller every day
By 1990 I was about 10 years old, and learning to use my first reflex, an old Zenit 12XP. We still have some shops in Libertad, in fact I live just a couple of blocks away and sometimes go there when looking for something in particular... but the shops there are getting smaller and oldish, except for one which has many things but is expensive (PYH).
As a reference of prices in commercial shops (not importers) we have a Canon 7D (body only) at AR$14500 (~US$3600) in Optica Cosentino. Or a Nikon D300s (body only) at AR$12000 (~US$3000) in Nikon Argentina. Alphas are less expensive, an A550 (body only) is AR$6500 (~US$1600) or the A850 is AR$12000 (~US$3000) in SonyStyle Argentina. Of course we have direct importers which lower the costs a bit, but not that much, and we loose most warranties (can't really say for Canon but we loose Nikon and Sony's). If you know where your friend got the D700 at that cost please let me know as I'm very interested for future equipment
Too bad I didn't make it in time for the filter, thanks anyway. I'm getting the Marumi this week anyway.

[pakodominguez]

Udueño (who used to be the importer and service for Nikon since ever)

[roysmith]

Well that price I mentioned from Nikon Argentina is actually Udenio
Maybe he's got a special discount... I've heard they do big discounts to some pro's. I'm not a pro nor a reseller so I guess I'm stuck with the list price.

[pakodominguez]

did you try mercadolibre.com?

[roysmith]

Yes, but those are direct importers and there's no local warranty. Besides you don't really know what you're getting... it can be refurbished, used and returned... you never know. A friend of mine bought a camera there, a month later it was broken and they didn't took it under warranty. He had to go to trial and it took more than a year, paying legal expenses, until they finally replaced it.