dpfoto Loc: Cape Coral, FL

Don't walk away from Abe's of Maine. RUN away from them!!
USA models have USA warranties. International models, while the cameras may be the same, do NOT have USA warranties. Good luck on getting GOOD repairs should you need it.

BebuLamar

Don't run or walk away from Abe's of Maine. If you live far from them then don't order from them. If you live near them then just walk or drive to their store and you will know whether you want to deal with them.

coolhanduke Loc: Redondo Beach, CA

Gray market. No US warranty. Nikon won’t work on them. You have to go to an independent.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes, avoid Abe's. As for the terminology, it can be tricky - and misleading. Buy from an authorized dealer and make sure it has a warranty from Nikon. Any other wording means you're getting the "International" version - gray market - which is not warrantied by the American Nikon Inc. They won't even work on it (with a few exceptions).

Gianfranco47 Loc: Senoia GA

every manufacturer worldwide has to release on new products a warranty period , single official importers in the countries have the possibility to extend this period , of course only all new official imported products can take benefit of this . not official imported products , grey market , can take benefit only by the initial warranty period released by the manufacturer and after all repairs have to be paid , this my experience made in Europe and now in US , all repairers take care of the cameras indipendently if is official imported or grey market , the only difference is the payment according the warranty period

ltj123 Loc: NW Wisconsin

Don't do Abe's. No difference, all made same factory.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

It did not come through the Official US Nikon Distribution System, so it is cheaper because of less or no manufacturer price control and Nikon won't service it (you'd have to send it back to country of origin for service). Be aware, Nikon has really closed down the available service network, many shops cannot even get Nikon parts. I think there are only two US Authorized Nikon service centers now. So yes, Grey Market is cheaper, but there can be issues if you encounter a problem....and they may have a "seller" warranty or aftermarket warranty, but may/may not be able to get parts................... On the flip side, no problem if there is never an issue.....

On Abe's.....you will see many warnings, there is a reason for that!

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

The difference, as has been already stated is that the international version comes without a USA warranty. If repairs during the warranty period are required, not that it happens often, Nikon and many other manufacturers will not repair the camera.
Avoid Abe of Maine. Spend a little more with a reputable dealer and have peace of mind.

OlinBost Loc: Marietta, Ga.

To me the only difference is the serial number.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

As long as it doesn’t need repair...

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Stay away from Abe's of Maine, run!

Toment Loc: FL, IL

Forget Abe’s, they like to bait and switch, and up sell
That’s what I’ve heard

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

International version.... essentially no warranty (unless you pay extra to buy one from a third party... which will end up costing you more total than if you bought the camera/lens from a more reputable store). Item has been imported through "unofficial" channels by the retailer. In this case, probably because the retailer is *not* one of the manufacturer's "authorized" dealers. To be an authorized dealer means signing a contract to do business on a legitimate basis.

USA version... full manufacturers warrant, item is being sold by an authorized dealer.

Abe's of Maine isn't in Maine (it's in New Jersey) and no one named Abe has worked there for many, many years.

Abe's is considered one of the most disreputable "shysters" in the photography business. They will almost always remove items from the original manufacturer's packaging, substituting cheaper stuff or even just not including it and then selling it to you separately at highly inflated prices. If you place an order they will almost always follow it up with a phone call and a hard sell pitch to inflate your purchase. You'll be told absolute bullshit, such as that the camera you bought is the Chinese version and if you want the menu to display English they'll be happy to sell you that version of the camera for a little more money (in case you don't know, to change the language of a camera simply requires a firmware update... which only takes a few minutes with firmware that can be downloaded for free from the manufacturer's web site... i.e. there is no cost to changing the language of a camera menu system, but Abe's will be happy to sell you one at an inflated price).

If you buy from them and try to return the item... or even cancel the purchase before it's shipped... good luck! You are almost guaranteed to need to talk with/email numerous people to get any satisfaction, will likely end up waiting for some time for any refund, and may still be charged a "restocking fee".

Look elsewhere... If you find prices substantially lower than the largest reputable retailers and authorized dealers (i.e., Adorama, B&H, Amazon, etc.) are charging for the same item, be careful. There is almost always a "catch", to the lower price.

JeffinMass Loc: MA

* USA version does not have a Canon or Nikon USA warranty. It usually comes with a generic warranty.
* International does not have a Canon or Nikon USA warranty either.
* Canon or Nikon USA warranties are warrantied in the US and Canada.
It's the fine print that's most important.
Canon and Nikon USA warranties come with a USA/Canada warranty card.

Gabyto

To all the members, who shared their experience with this place. Thank you very much. I was ready to buy something from them since the price was too good to be true, but I decided to ask for your advice and I am glad that I did. I will stay with B&H, Keh, Canon and the other big names. Love this club. Thank you.....