Why
and not… great?
Woah!!
does anyone know if this handle would work with the Spark, would be really nice to have to trigger option on a side handle but not sure if the usb-c port on the camera allows the rec function from external device such as this?
What back number are you?
13
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My experience with DHL in Canada has always been some of the highest brokerage fees plus the dreaded 15% federal/provincial tax
Jose, what backer # are you? Where in Canada are you? I’m #24 and in AB and also worry about import fees. Will find out shortly I guess.
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So if bought at $7499 for Canadians, is that like an extra $1125+ on top?
I’ve got several messages and emails confirming that we shouldn’t have nothing else to pay, i’m also in Canada and was also very scared of this. Apparently the 100$ usd we paid for shipping and all duty import fees. Which sounds very surprising but we’ll see.
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Uhm, I’m #24 
I’m a backer from South Korea, around backer #102.
I’m also worried about customs. To be honest, I was initially quite skeptical when the PixBoom team claimed they could clear and handle all customs duties for just $100.
However, during a recent review I did for a mini PC, the manufacturer sent me a unit worth $2,000. Because they shipped it marked as a “sample,” I was able to receive it safely without paying any customs duties at all.
My guess is that they might be planning to handle the shipping in a similar way, though I doubt this specific method works seamlessly for every single country.
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Sorry I’m #26
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Hope you’re right!
Fingers crossed my Korean friend!
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What about Canadian friends? Hahaha
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Can’t forget about our Canadian neighbors as well. Hehe
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I’m backer #51
When I saw they were shipping through DHL I mentally prepared myself to be fleeced by about $1,600 to $2,000, which is a good chunk of what I had budgeted for the lens.
Here’s the estimate I got back from Google AI for someone living in Quebec:
For a $7,600 USD camera, you will not pay an exorbitant flat rate for the broker. DHL Express Canada charges a brokerage minimum of $17.50 CAD or 2.5% of the duties and taxes owed (whichever is greater), plus an Advanced Payment (or transaction) fee of $5.25 CAD, plus the applicable Quebec sales taxes (QST) on those fees. [1, 2]A clearer breakdown of what you can expect when clearing your camera:1. DHL Brokerage & Transaction Fees
- Clearance Admin Fee: 2.5% of duties and taxes (with a $17.50 CAD minimum).
- Advancement Fee: $5.25 CAD flat fee for DHL paying the CBSA upfront.
- Taxes: 5% GST and 9.975% QST applied to the above two fees. [1, 2, 3]
Because your taxes and duties on a $7,600 USD camera will almost certainly exceed $700 CAD, the 2.5% rate will be applied rather than the $17.50 minimum.2. Duties & Taxes (The biggest cost)More importantly, you will be on the hook for Canadian duties and taxes based on the landed value of the camera (cost of goods + shipping + insurance in CAD): [1]
- Taxes: 14.975% (combined GST + QST).
- Duty: Photographic cameras are generally classified under Chapter 90 of the Harmonized System (HS) code. Depending on whether you are buying a digital camera, a video camera, or specific accessories, duties can range between 0% and 5%.
Example Estimate
- Approx. Camera Value ($7,600 USD): ~$10,400 CAD
- Estimated Import Duties & Taxes: ~ $1,600–$1,800 CAD
- Estimated DHL Brokerage Fee: ~ $260–$280 CAD (2.5% of the duties/taxes + $5.25 + local taxes) [1]
How to avoid the DHL Brokerage FeeIf you want to avoid DHL’s brokerage processing fees, you can do what is called “self-clearing” the package at a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) office near you:
- Contact DHL as soon as your tracking number is generated and tell them you want to self-clear the shipment.
- They will email you the commercial invoice and customs documents.
- Take those documents to your local CBSA office and pay the duties and taxes directly to the government.
- Provide the stamped, paid receipt to DHL, and they will release your camera for final delivery.
You can get an accurate landed-cost estimate beforehand using the MyGTS Customs Calculator or the CBSA Duty and Tax Estimator by finding the correct HS code for your specific camera. [1, 2]
long time ago, they telling this:
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I think people are stressing out way too much about imaginary import fees. Pixboom has told us over and over again that we won’t be responsible for additional fees. Until I see evidence to the contrary, I’ll trust they know what they’re doing and will fix any issues.
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Has anyone received an email yet for the second batch? I would have expected the emails to have been sent by now. I’ve seen what I presume are the first batch PIXBOOM Spark cameras with their new owners on social media.
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