Maybe Ms Leong could share some of her insights about economics which I know nuts of. But for some reasons unknown to me, I know that the price difference of some lenses that I'm hoping to buy in Singapore is so huge that I could get a return airfare to Hong Kong to get those lenses and still end up with a huge savings.

The stuff are as follows
1.) Sony Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* DT 16-80mm - $1,285–
2.) Sony SAL 50mm F1.4 Lens - $637 –
3.) Sony SAL500F80… price - $1,187
Price before GST. Makes up to more than S$3.3k if I buy locally. If I visit those specialized camera shops like MS Color or Cathay, I might be able to save up to a max of $200 I guess.

Let's look at the price in Hong Kong Sony Style
http://www.sonystyle.com.hk/ss/product/alpha_lens/index.jsp

In the same order,
1.) 5390 hkd
2.) 2690 hkd
3.) 5590 hkd

For a grand total of about $2.65k SGD! That's a S$650 savings at least if I get from Sony Style HK compared to Sony Style SG! And the tickets for return airfare to Hong Kong from Pricebreaker.com? S$280 (or S$400 for SIA). Even if $280 does not include airport tax and fuel surcharge, I'll still save quite a sum. Plus, if I source out local stores like Wing Shing which seems to hold good reputation in HK, I may get the lens at 10% cheaper than official HK Sony price too! WTH?!! (P.S. Hong Kong don't have GST, yet)

Similarly, I could save lots of money if I buy from USA instead but the air fare there is more expensive plus my passport is non-biometric ready. (However, I got a friend in USA) The best thing about USA is that I could buy online safely and get them to deliver to Singapore and still save hundreds. And if there is anything wrong with the lens, I can mail back my lenses (twice) for exchange with the money I saved! More so if I buy a few lenses at the same time

I bet local distributors might wonder why business for their Sony lens is so bad. That's because they shot themselves by pricing it ridiculously high. The only thing that is cheaper locally? Perhaps its the flash gun.

Crap.. I'm itching for some new glass. Is this an addiction?