Olympus XZ-1 Housing - PT-050

[WizardHowl]

Anyone have any idea how and where I can get this housing? It doesn't seem like anyone in the US has it. I have a dive trip in 2 weeks, and I'd really like to get this housing by then. I'll even buy from abroad too! Anyone with special connections and can help me order this Thanks!

 

[cardog]

Anyone have any idea how and where I can get this housing? It doesn't seem like anyone in the US has it. I have a dive trip in 2 weeks, and I'd really like to get this housing by then. I'll even buy from abroad too! Anyone with special connections and can help me order this Thanks!

It doesn't come out in the US until March. You can buy it in Europe but I don't know if you will receive it in time for your trip.
Do you have the camera already?

 

[rusti999]

Anyone have any idea how and where I can get this housing? It doesn't seem like anyone in the US has it. I have a dive trip in 2 weeks, and I'd really like to get this housing by then. I'll even buy from abroad too! Anyone with special connections and can help me order this Thanks!

You can try ordering from here:

Olympus Shop - PT-050 - Accessories - Digital Compacts

 

[slowhands]

You can try ordering from here:

Olympus Shop - PT-050 - Accessories - Digital Compacts

It really is annoying that this is sold in Europe and Asia now, but not yet in the US. Would be early adopters have to resort to buying abroad at this time.

Olympus UK will have a 20% VAT tax added on, plus Express shipping of $50-75 to the USA. You may be able to talk them out of the VAT. They may decline to take your order, protecting the US dealer network -- I don't know. Another poster mentioned a shop in the Netherlands, as I recall.

I've checked several shops in Asia and they are all back ordered, so this is looking like a home run for Olympus but a strike out for US buyers.

If you can wait a month, they should be available in the US. Otherwise you are going to have to pay quite a premium and have a long shipping delay too.

 

[Puffer Fish]

We may be good at having low prices, but it sucks to introduce product here.

If you supply part of the country, then people get mad at you for not supplying them.

If you wait till you have enough for the whole place, it takes a lot longer, and people hate you for that.

Fact is, most camera companies make less selling in the US....so filling us (as in USA) last is also an easy decision to make.

My hope is that it is not a long wait.

It really is annoying that this is sold in Europe and Asia now, but not yet in the US. Would be early adopters have to resort to buying abroad at this time.

Olympus UK will have a 20% VAT tax added on, plus Express shipping of $50-75 to the USA. You may be able to talk them out of the VAT. They may decline to take your order, protecting the US dealer network -- I don't know. Another poster mentioned a shop in the Netherlands, as I recall.

I've checked several shops in Asia and they are all back ordered, so this is looking like a home run for Olympus but a strike out for US buyers.

If you can wait a month, they should be available in the US. Otherwise you are going to have to pay quite a premium and have a long shipping delay too.

 

[WizardHowl]

Thanks for the reply guys. I don't think its going to happen before my trip . I'll at least have the camera though for topside pics.

 

[slowhands]

We may be good at having low prices, but it sucks to introduce product here.

If you supply part of the country, then people get mad at you for not supplying them.

If you wait till you have enough for the whole place, it takes a lot longer, and people hate you for that.

Fact is, most camera companies make less selling in the US....so filling us (as in USA) last is also an easy decision to make.

My hope is that it is not a long wait.

I'm not happy about the delay, but I suspect one reason is that the demand will be huge in the US and they want to try to fill the warehouses with stock and train the service people, etc., all of which becomes a huge task given the number of retailers. This little camera is going to sell like crazy.

You are right about not making much profit on selling the camera though. Dealers I talk to complain about that. They used to make it processing film, but that has shifted to the print kiosks in every drug store and supermarket. They make much more profit on accessories, where the margins are much higher. Stuff like camera bags, memory cards, spare batteries, add on lenses and so on are where the profit is. So support your local camera dealer guys, they need help. Otherwise, don't expect them to be around to answer your questions and let you fondle the merchandise.