Franku wrote:
I use all Nikon lenses. Occasionally, i find a high-priced Nikon lens being offered at a dramatically low price. I have also heard the term "gray market"used at times.
Is this is a term given to a lens when the lens is not the authentic manufacturer's product or perhaps it was not manufactured where it was designed?
Here is a brief extract from a Nikon website in Europe. Their comments refer Nikon products sold in the USA and elsewhere, which are referred to as Grey Market products as someone already mentioned. I just wanted to see it in print in case they used different colors or terms.
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What are Grey Market Products?
Nikon products that are not imported by Nikon Europe B.V. and sold through it's sales channels are considered Grey Market products. These usually are genuine Nikon products that were intended for other Nikon markets; therefore, they may not meet Nikon’s specifications for European products and they may not perform as expected.
Why are Grey Market products risky?
Since Grey Market products are not imported and distributed by Nikon Europe B.V., you don’t know exactly what you’re getting.
No Nikon Warranty
Grey Market products may contain a limited warranty from the seller, but they are not covered by a Nikon Europe warranty.
Not eligible for warranty repair service
Not eligible for Nikon Europe Warranty repair service, you will be charged.
Non-genuine accessories
May include counterfeit or third-party accessories that could damage Nikon equipment.
[etc.]
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From my reading on UHH, I gathered that to get a warranty repair from a component purchased from another country, the respective Nikon center will honor it with proof-of-purchase but you may end up paying more for shipping and waiting a bit longer, of course.
It would be good to hear from someone who knows, if they haven't already replied, whether the differences in the firmware or sources of certain materials actually result in different specs or tolerances in the same models sold in different markets. I doubt Nikon publishes such data.
It would also seem that keeping repair centers aligned with their respective retail markets helps Nikon plan on the potential volume of warranty repairs in each region. It probably also helps streamline their shipping departments and cuts down on claims from customers who experience problems or delays with international shipments, which is understandable from a business perspective.
Corrections welcome, please.