Hi all,
A little while ago we had a discussion on postal costs, arising from a posting
I made about Canada Post costs.
Well, today I received in the post (OM content) a len (or is it a lense? I have
difficulty remembering :-) ) sent from Oregon State in the USA.
The customs form was completed on 22/2/2005. it was postmarked on
23/2/2005, and arrived in New Zealand on 2/3/2005 (d/m/y date format).
So it took all of 7 days from Oregon to my hands.
The packet measures 20 x 13 x 13.5 cm (8 x 5¼ x 5½ inches), was reported
as weighing 13.8 oz, and the postal cost was USD 9.70.
According to http://www.xe.com/ucc/ today,
USD 9.70 = NZD 13.37
I haven't opened it (yet) and took it straight down to the post office and did
a
cross-check.
The cost to send this packet to the USA (anywhere in the USA) from here,
metric weight 396gm, would be NZD 13.95 if they print out the stamp label. If
I purchase postage stamps (yes Dan is right - I didn't know this, so I asked),
would be NZD 13.95 + GST at 12.5% = 15.69, if I have done the sums
correctly. Stamps accrue GST, printed labels do not, I was told.
>From now on, guess who will be using labels as a matter of course. The post
offices do it anyway, mostly, to be nice to their customers.
Now the nice part. Sound of cutting knife, crinkling wrapping etc, Untie a
plastic bag - a very surprised gush of Oregon air found itself loose in New
Zealand sunlight, open a lens-bag, and what have we.
Hmm looks very clean, front cap has definitely seen use, but the lens has
been very well cleaned. More of the OM part.
Olympus OM-System Zuiko Auto-macro 50mm 1:3.5 251617
A late-model version of this len. And all for £54.2 for those in the UK.
The highest number recorded for this model lens by Scott Gomez is 252800
with an estimated production run of 151,899.
So; another horse in the stable, and it looks like a nice clean one, if not the
fastest 50mm Zuiko macro..
Brian
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