Camera Warranty Repair Survey: Lots of questions on this site about purchasing Gray Market camera's and the danger of needing 1st year Warranty work. Got me to wondering if any survey...

insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida

Lots of questions on this site about purchasing Gray Market camera's and the danger of needing 1st year Warranty work. Got me to wondering if any survey had been run to see the statistics among our members on needed new camera warranty repairs. Anyone know if such a survey has ever been taken on this site? Did a search and cannot find anything.

BebuLamar

1st year warranty isn't as important as no service even you pay.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

None of my cameras have needed repairs in the first year following its purchase. As a matter of fact, warranty repairs is something I cannot remember that it ever happened to me.
As has been said, the problem is IF warranty repairs is needed with a gray product.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I have never purchased a grey market camera, but none of my DSLRs has ever needed service.
When I got my first digital camera (a P&S) I got a store warranty. After 2 years I dropped the camera and it quit. The store replaced it (the model I started was obsolete by that time so I got something of comparable value).

I don't generally buy extended warranties. They're usually overpriced. I will consider one if it's less than 2-3% of the purchase price per year of warranty. But I don't think I've ever bought an extended warranty for something that cost less than about $500. At that level I self-insure my stuff.

However, my stuff is covered by my home insurance policy against loss. Not against breakage.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Buying grey market Nikon DSLRs is a risk. It's like gambling. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose. For myself, I never buy a gray market DSLR.

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

My D600 suffered from the sensor dust issue that is well known. I sent it to Nikon for cleaning and a new shutter mechanism, but that didn't help much. The third time I contacted Nikon, they said to send them the camera and they'd send me a new D610, which they did.

I had the 80-200mm f/2.8 D lens and on two occasions, I had to send it to Nikon for focus mechanism issues.

These were the only two times I've had factory repairs performed.

moffie100

You can get a rider on your home owners policy. Check with your home insurance person and see what it covers. Mine covers everything except "mysterious disappearance." With my rider there is no deductible.
Some homeowners deductibles can easily be $500 to $1000. I have no idea how the gray market fits with insurance.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

I have not used any warranties on my Nikons. I don't think that is much of an issue. Recently, I dropped my 24-70 f/2.8 Nikon lens on to a concrete floor and it was seriously damaged. Had it been a gray market item I don't know where I would have been able to have it repaired. I sent it to Nikon in LA and they repaired it for about $500. Service was fast and it came back like new.

RidgeRunner2 Loc: NEGeorgia

Just curious what is a gray market camera?

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

insman1132 wrote:

Lots of questions on this site about purchasing Gray Market camera's and the danger of needing 1st year Warranty work. Got me to wondering if any survey had been run to see the statistics among our members on needed new camera warranty repairs. Anyone know if such a survey has ever been taken on this site? Did a search and cannot find anything.

Never had a problem with Nikon for over 30 years. But in the last two years I have sent in a D750 for (not sure what, Nikon had a recall on them) and a D500 with the 200-500 lens attached for error messages (still in to Nikon), also had to send in the 200-500 for a firmware update. I would say, in the past I could have gotten away with gray market with mechanical cameras. But with today's electronics and firmware updates, I will go with only Nikon USA issued products. And yes, even though I have had to send in Nikon equipment lately I will stick with them because it is my opinion that they make the best equipment out there, this is not taking anything away from Number two Canon. Oh boy.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

insman1132 wrote:

Lots of questions on this site about purchasing Gray Market camera's and the danger of needing 1st year Warranty work. Got me to wondering if any survey had been run to see the statistics among our members on needed new camera warranty repairs. Anyone know if such a survey has ever been taken on this site? Did a search and cannot find anything.

I was just talking about this with one of my best friends that is thinking of buying a Canon 5DS R. You can buy a grey market model for almost $1000 less. Canon will repair one for money, but will not do warranty work on it. But if you are thinking about buying a Nikon grey market piece of gear, they simply will NOT work on it even if you can pay for repairs. So the only way to get it fixed is to send it to a repair shop that might or might not have genuine Nikon parts, and may or may not be factory trained - most likely not.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

I purchased a Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR1 from Canada and after 5 months the focusing motor burned out, I sent it to Melville NY and they put a new motor in. So I am not sure if Canada is grey market or not.

insman1132 wrote:

Lots of questions on this site about purchasing Gray Market camera's and the danger of needing 1st year Warranty work. Got me to wondering if any survey had been run to see the statistics among our members on needed new camera warranty repairs. Anyone know if such a survey has ever been taken on this site? Did a search and cannot find anything.

whitewolfowner

insman1132 wrote:

Lots of questions on this site about purchasing Gray Market camera's and the danger of needing 1st year Warranty work. Got me to wondering if any survey had been run to see the statistics among our members on needed new camera warranty repairs. Anyone know if such a survey has ever been taken on this site? Did a search and cannot find anything.

The nikon D750 has been already called in for 2 redo's. If it was purchased grey market, you would have been SOL unless you wanted it to spend half a year going back over seas each time.

spdmn54 Loc: Avon Lake, Ohio

insman1132 wrote:

Lots of questions on this site about purchasing Gray Market camera's and the danger of needing 1st year Warranty work. Got me to wondering if any survey had been run to see the statistics among our members on needed new camera warranty repairs. Anyone know if such a survey has ever been taken on this site? Did a search and cannot find anything.

Stay away from grey market anything. I purchased a Nikon zoom from a reputable camera site, I won't mention the name. Little did I know it was grey market, of course the ridiculous low price should have been the light bulb. Long story short, after a month the auto stabilization stopped working, shortly after that the lens quit all together, Sent it to the store, sorry not warranted, contacted Nikon, serial number told them it was grey market, therefore not their problem. I now have an expensive paperweight.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

insman1132 wrote:

Lots of questions on this site about purchasing Gray Market camera's and the danger of needing 1st year Warranty work. Got me to wondering if any survey had been run to see the statistics among our members on needed new camera warranty repairs. Anyone know if such a survey has ever been taken on this site? Did a search and cannot find anything.

I've owned SLRs since the 1970, and I've never had to have one repaired - all Nikons.