25 photography cliches you should stop doing

[Mike Farley]

Poor you, having all that exciting new gear. Now when a shot does not work out quite the way you wanted, the equipment cannot take the rap.

Prices are pretty much as I expected, even taking VAT and import duties into account. Is there a sales tax in Singapore? It looks as though Europe is keeping the Japanese camera industry afloat.

[davidc]

GST is 7% and, like VAT, included in almost everything by standard (unlike the US where they add it on afterwards)

Most of the time I've seen Hong Kong be slightly cheaper (it seems to be the "gold standard" for prices) but Singapore is very close and for rare cases even cheaper! The 50mm Sigma 1.4 Art being the lens in particular I've got my eye on.

[Mike Farley]

GST is 7% and, like VAT, included in almost everything by standard (unlike the US where they add it on afterwards)

Most of the time I've seen Hong Kong be slightly cheaper (it seems to be the "gold standard" for prices) but Singapore is very close and for rare cases even cheaper! The 50mm Sigma 1.4 Art being the lens in particular I've got my eye on.

Sales tax is set locally in the US and varies state by state, so the only way to be able to compare prices across the country is not to include it. I must admit that the first time I bought something for $2, paying with a $5 note and getting $2.88 change was a surprise. It would be more helpful if prices were displayed with and without tax, although I guess that locals are used to the system the way it is.

AP has just reviewed the Zeiss Otus 55 and Sigma Art 50 side by side and could find very little to separate them, which seems to the opinion of most. As AP points out, it is possible to buy the Sigma and a Nikon D800E for less than for what is being demanded for the Zeiss optic, which is manual focus only. If you do make the purchase, let us know what you think of it.