Gray Market Cameras: There's been a lot of talk about Gray Market cameras and their lack of warranty coverage in the U.S. I'd like to know if any Hogs have used these cameras and had...

Photoholic Loc: Vernon Hills, IL

There's been a lot of talk about Gray Market cameras and their lack of warranty coverage in the U.S. I'd like to know if any Hogs have used these cameras and had to deal with repairs. I've owned several DSLRs, and have yet to have one break down. I just purchased a Nikon D5200 body for use as a wide angle shooter (Sigma 10-20 lens), and it will be used less frequently than my other 5200, mounted with an 18-250.
I just learned that it is a grey market, and I can still return it to Amazon. Before I do, I'm wondering what, if any, reliability issues others have had with these cameras. Do you think it's worth keeping? Price was $200 cheaper than US cameras.

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

Photoholic wrote:

There's been a lot of talk about Gray Market camer... (show quote)

I have not purchased grey market, but I do not see the concern in purchasing such an item. If I am correct, if you purchase grey market, this means that it was designed to be sold somewhere other than the United States. If you buy non grey market, you may send the product to be repaired to a manufacturer in the US to be repaired. In any event, you need to send your product to a repair shop by a shipping company, with grey market could you not send the product by the same means to the country it was marketed for and obtain the same repairs? The other thing I do not understand is the position places like Nikon stand on with their repair policies. Is the product built differently for other countries, and if not, why can the product not be repaired by Nikon USA?
If you are getting a substantial savings, and are not concerned with repairs in the future, go for it. If you need the satisfaction of knowing that you may repair the product rather that replacing it if it needs service, pay the extra for the USA warranty.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Nikon will not fix a gray market camera, nor will they allow any of their authorized repair people to fix gray goods - regardless of whether it is in warranty or not.

That is the first impact. The second is that gray is hard to sell and when you do you won't get the same as if it were not gray.

Nikon's policy is the most restrictive.

Rjbara

I purchased my D5500 while on a trip to Johannesburg South Africa. Due to the exchange rate, it was a great deal. The camera is the same as one purchased in the US, but the warranty is through Nikon S.A. If I ever need repair, I'll have it done locally and pay for it.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Photoholic wrote:

There's been a lot of talk about Gray Market camer... (show quote)

The quality and longevity of a grey market Nikon should be identical to one sold by an authorized US dealer. The main difference, all other things being the same, is that in the event you do ever need to have your grey market camera or lenses serviced, Nikon USA will not service them either under warranty or for a fee. They will simply not even look at it. You would be on your own to find a 3rd partly to resolve any issues. The only other potential issue with grey market is, depending on who you purchased it from, will you be sure the camera is not one that someone else previously purchased and returned, essentially making it a used camera regardless of its condition when you receive it.

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

orrie smith wrote:

I have not purchased grey market, but I do not see... (show quote)

I, philosophically, oppose restraint of trade policies, where the manufacturers protect vendors from competition but also refuse to sell to them if they do compete on price. (You'll notice that a Nikon camera costs the same whether you buy from Amazon, B&H, Adorama, Cameta, etc. because the manufacturers don't let them compete.) But that is the reason. Canon, Nikon, etc. do sell cheaper in some other countries. By refusing the warranty in the US, they are protecting the vendors. It has nothing to do with the quality of the product, just greed.

A Sony camera (Or Canon) sold in Japan is every bit as good as one sold in the US. My Japanese brother in law is a fabulous photographer. He shoots Nikons and has an army of lenses. His cameras rarely if ever malfunction any more than mine do. I've had one camera failure in about the last 30 years.

I'm not saying that the AABCs don't compete. They do, but not on camera price.

There are supposed laws against this collusion and price fixing, but everyone has enough lawyers to figure out ways around the law.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Rjbara wrote:

I purchased my D5500 while on a trip to Johannesburg South Africa. Due to the exchange rate, it was a great deal. The camera is the same as one purchased in the US, but the warranty is through Nikon S.A. If I ever need repair, I'll have it done locally and pay for it.

Since you apparently purchased it from an authorized Nikon dealer in South Africa, you camera is technically not grey market. Grey market products are those purchased outside a manufacturers normal authorized distribution network, like 42nd St Photo in NYC.

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

I purchased my last three Nikons as gray markets. I haven't had to get them repaired. When I purchased them I did so knowing that I would purchase another gray market Nikon should something bad happen to the camera. I'm willing to take the risk for the money I saved on each purchase.

CathyAnn Loc: Apache Junction, AZ

I would avoid black market like the plague! I bought my first Nikon DSLR from Amazon which was grey market. I didn't know such a thing existed! When I found out about it, I was upset because the ad (on Amazon) didn't disclose this fact, and it was too late to return it. And now, the hot shoe doesn't work and I'm stuck! I have since bought other US Nikon cameras, but this problem really sticks in my craw.

Now, when considering buying a new camera or lens, I ask the seller before buying whether or not it's grey market.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

photoman022 wrote:

I purchased my last three Nikons as gray markets. I haven't had to get them repaired. When I purchased them I did so knowing that I would purchase another gray market Nikon should something bad happen to the camera. I'm willing to take the risk for the money I saved on each purchase.

Sometime's it works out, sometime's it doesn't, but you calculated the risk into your decision making process. For some purchaser's of grey market gear, they don't realize the potential downside until it comes time to repair it, especially under warranty.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Rjbara wrote:

I purchased my D5500 while on a trip to Johannesburg South Africa. Due to the exchange rate, it was a great deal. The camera is the same as one purchased in the US, but the warranty is through Nikon S.A. If I ever need repair, I'll have it done locally and pay for it.

A face to face purchase with a authorized dealer anywhere in the world is not a gray market purchase, provided you can produce the sales receipt. If I made a deal with an authorized dealer in Singapore to buy a container-load of his overstock Nikon camera gear, and brought it into the USA, I would be a direct importer, and those goods would be gray market.

The camera purchased abroad is covered by the international warranty, and Nikon would have no problem fixing it as long as you have the receipt. If you later sell the camera, the camera can and will be repaired by Nikon, and the sales receipt will be the verification that it is a foreign purchase and not gray market.

The problem with gray market is that a)Nikon won't fix it, b)Nikon won't allow its authorized repair people to fix it , c)Nikon only sells repair parts and provides support to the authorized network, cutting out all of the independent repair guys.

Jim Bob

Gene51 wrote:

Nikon will not fix a gray market camera, nor will they allow any of their authorized repair people to fix gray goods - regardless of whether it is in warranty or not.

That is the first impact. The second is that gray is hard to sell and when you do you won't get the same as if it were not gray.

Nikon's policy is the most restrictive.

This is misleading and inaccurate. Nikon authorized repair facilities will repair certain gray market units. Come on Gene. If you don't know what you're talking about, keep quie.

craggycrossers Loc: Robin Hood Country, UK

Photoholic wrote:

There's been a lot of talk about Gray Market camer... (show quote)

For what it might be worth ...... I'm UK based, have owned 4 Nikons (D80, 2 x D300, D700), all purchased through the various UK second-hand markets. Each was owned for at least 2 years by me. Now they're sold (through the same market places I bought them).I never had a mechanical problem with any during my period of ownership. Nor has any buyer come back to me reporting a problem of any kind.

Check with Amazon US as to whether your "gray market" Nikon has any warranty at all, either with Amazon or a third party provider. If not, what warranty might they be able to offer you ?

There are two well-known, highly successful and reputable companies in the UK that I know of who buy straight from Hong Kong - so the cameras are, effectively, grey market. Both companies offer excellent warranty programmes whereby, if required, any repair would be effected in the UK. Their prices are lower than Nikon UK normal prices. There is lots of "pre-purchase" info about their warranties on their websites.

As I mentioned above ...... for interest and information .......

http://panamoz.com/index.php/faq/

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.panamoz.com

http://www.hdewcameras.co.uk/faq-2-w.asp

avemal Loc: BALTIMORE

Suppose you were in the Arm Forces overseas & made a purchase. I think it is unfair in this situation.

WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio

Jim Bob wrote:

This is misleading and inaccurate. Nikon authorized repair facilities will repair certain gray market units. Come on Gene. If you don't know what you're talking about, keep quie.