That's IMHO a mistake. Equipment is still expensive here. At one
time it was taxed 250%, then in the 1990's 140% and now it's only
VAT (15.5%), but people still have the mentality that cameras are
for rich men and charge accordingly.

Digital cameras are for some reason twice the price they are in the
U.S.

If you really need to buy something here, try http://www.jugend.co.il
They are in Tel Aviv.

In Jerusalem, there are several stores in area around Jaffa road and
King George Street. There is Photo Prizma on Jaffa Road itself, and
Photo Shwartz on a small street off of Ben Yehudda. There is a running
discussion on the Jerusalemphotography Yahoo list about which one is
better. Even the ones that claim Prizma is a better store say that
Shwartz is cheaper.

There is also another store on Jaffa Road west of King George
on the south side, but I don't know anything about them.

I don't know about used prices in the stores, but I often see things
advertised on local lists in "as new", "excelent", "wonderful", etc
condition, which would be rated as a bargain or ugly by KEH, at high enough
of a price where I could buy it from KEH, ship it here airmail, pay the
VAT on the item and shipping, and still save money.

If you don't know where to go stop in any Steimatzky's, they are a
nationwide book store chain (the only one) and are almost everywhere and
buy a map. I don't know what languages you read, but they all have them
in English.

Feel free to contact me off list if you wish.

Good luck.

Geoff.