anybody knows where to find a lighting store in Manchester?
 

Hi,

I'm Faiq from Malaysia. i do indie movies, wedding and event video and now I'm going to purchase my first lighting equipments. i have a cousin living in Manchester and he is willing to help me buying my lighting kits. can anybody suggest where he can find a good video lighting store around his area. i don't want to trouble him to go to a far place and i'm not familiar with UK myself so i will rely solely on you guys suggestions. my budget is around USD1000 to USD1200 ( around 600 UK pound). any suggestion on the right lighting equipment will be very appreciated. thanks.

regards, Faiq.

If your cousin is free on 17th or 18th October he could go to this trade show in Coventry where there are usually a few good bargains,
http://www.iov.co.uk/showarticle.pl?id=2531;n=240
Otherwise, you may find it hard getting good bargains in the UK due to the exchange rate, you may be better off importing from the US where the low dollar rate makes it cheaper than the UK.

What sort of items are you looking for?

thanks for the response Paul. my cousin is a doctor, so he need me to tell him exactly what to buy. i have checked the link and found some lighting manufacturer that will be exihibiting their products like Arri, Desisti, calumet, but i don't know which of their products will be available at that show. or are they going to have all their products at that time?

actually i want to build my 3 point lighting, so, i'm looking for 3 light kit (continuos) consisting 3 stands, at least 1 boom, at least 1 4leaf barndoors, 1 softbox & 1 umbrella (for key and fill), reflectors & diffuser w stand, gels, and other necessary things.

regards, Faiq

Hi Faiq,

I really don't think you're going to find bargains in the UK compared to the very area you are in right now. You can email me at richard@coollights.biz and perhaps I can help you. I'm in China which is a lot closer to you than the UK anyway. Hope this helps.

I concur....
 

Faiq,

Buying gear in the UK when you live just next door to Singapore is one of the strangest "coals to Newcastle" stories I've ever heard.

If you can't get what you need cheaper in Singapore than just about anywhere else on the planet, I don't think you're trying.

I'm pretty sure you'll find representatives of most of the big players in just about every field there.


Just my 2 cents.


CS

If i purchase from Singapore, they will have to send it through the southern Malaysia entrance. that is why i did not go for Singapore because i do not have anybody in the custom dept at the southern to help me out with the tax and import duty. i only have a friend in the central custom dept who always help me when i purchase something from overseas, so i have to look for somewhere else but not Singapore, or Thailand which will enter from the northern. the reason why i want to get it straight from outside and not from the local dealer is to skip those taxes and duty which will add 45% more to the price.

Hi Faiq.....
 

May I suggest you look seriously at the prices in Singapore + Taxes and then at the prices in the UK + Taxes + Shipping.

I could well be wrong (wouldn't be the first time) but I suggest you may still be better off buying from Singapore.

I didn't realise that Malaysia had such steep import taxes.

Whatever, can't help with buying lighting in Manchester, even tho' lived in the UK for a very long time indeed, was one of many thousands of places I never got to visit (tho' can't say I feel at all deprived as a result).

Good luck.


CS


PS: Er, did you ever check out Richard Andrewski's offer from China? That sounds like well and truly you're best bet if the stuff needs to come from "overseas" as opposed to "next door". Check out his web site and give him a hoi, got to be worth a try.

yeah, i have already sent him an email and waiting for his reply. i'm also looking at B&H, photography-lighting.com, and other sources on the internet. i have also contacted the local dealer for Lowel. right now still considering the best (cost & quality). i just trying to ask anybody here who knows a place in Manchester where my cousin can facilitate me in getting the gear IF i find the cost reasonable and further more he said he can also help me with the budget. and yeah, the stupid tax and import duty for those stuff to get here is 45%, that is why i need them to get to the central custom dept in Kuala Lumpur as i have a friend there who has been helping me out for the bloody taxes but anything from Singapore will have to go to the Southern custom dept in Johore Bahru which means i have to spend 45% for the damn taxes.