Gray market?? I'm in Germany on vacation and see a lens I'm interested in at a large authorized camera store in Munich. If I purchased the lens, would Canon USA consider it a gray...

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

I'm in Germany on vacation and see a lens I'm interested in at a large authorized camera store in Munich. If I purchased the lens, would Canon USA consider it a gray market?

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

47greyfox wrote:

I'm in Germany on vacation and see a lens I'm interested in at a large authorized camera store in Munich. If I purchased the lens, would Canon USA consider it a gray market?

A camera or lens purchased from overseas is considered gray market, and in most cases is not eligible for a Canon USA warranty. The warranty will be from Germany. It may be wise to call Canon USA Support before buying, and see what they say, and provide a serial number of the lens. You claim it is from a Canon Authorized Camera Store in Munich, Germany. Perhaps an exception if you have the original purchase invoice.

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

No. But keep your receipt - you'll need it to get it serviced under warranty, or later when you try to get it serviced out of warranty. If you sell it, you ought to make a copy of the receipt for the next owner. This is the only document that establishes the fact that you purchased the lens internationally, from an authorized seller and not a gray market source.

However, unlike Nikon, Canon USA will repair gray market goods, though it is at their discretion.

http://www.canonpricewatch.com/blog/authorized-unauthorized-dealers-and-grey-market-explained/

Bobbee

Just asking.......aside from all the warranty crap.

If this is purchased though an authorized Cannon store outside of the US and not shipped to the US. Is the term 'grey' still appropriate? Isn't grey selling in the US, models not meant to be sold in the US.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

47greyfox wrote:

I'm in Germany on vacation and see a lens I'm interested in at a large authorized camera store in Munich. If I purchased the lens, would Canon USA consider it a gray market?

Canon is a bit more lenient when it comes to gray market products. When you send an item to Canon for repair, it's Canon USA doing the work, not Canon. Canon USA didn't make an profit from the sale in Germany, so any repair is a financial loss to them.

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/standard_display/gray_market

loumazz12 Loc: Hawaii

47greyfox wrote:

I'm in Germany on vacation and see a lens I'm interested in at a large authorized camera store in Munich. If I purchased the lens, would Canon USA consider it a gray market?

More than likely. If it isn't authorized for sale in the US, then it is Gray Market. Since you at an authorized dealer in Munich, it is more than likely an item that is authorized for sale in the European market.

Jim Bob

47greyfox wrote:

I'm in Germany on vacation and see a lens I'm interested in at a large authorized camera store in Munich. If I purchased the lens, would Canon USA consider it a gray market?

If it is an authorized dealer, it is not gray market.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

I decided against the purchase. I was looking at a Canon 70-200mm f4 and a Sony e-mount 18-200mm. According to the store, a large Munich authorized dealer for both, I could be at risk since it was a European purchase. Having said that, the Sony lens was 599€, quite a bit less that the $748 at home.

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

Jerry, I think that the term is way more lenient. Canon will work on Grey Market Goods, Nikon will not. I tend to believe that Conon USA would honor an item purchased out side USA/territories. That being said I would want to make a phone call/email to confirm. Further I would need a really great price to over come any hassle.

J. R.

jerryc41 wrote:

Canon is a bit more lenient when it comes to gray market products. When you send an item to Canon for repair, it's Canon USA doing the work, not Canon. Canon USA didn't make an profit from the sale in Germany, so any repair is a financial loss to them.

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/standard_display/gray_market

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Gifted One wrote:

Jerry, I think that the term is way more lenient. Canon will work on Grey Market Goods, Nikon will not. I tend to believe that Conon USA would honor an item purchased out side USA/territories. That being said I would want to make a phone call/email to confirm. Further I would need a really great price to over come any hassle.

J. R.

I would agree. Canon USA has historically been very good about honoring warranties even from some of the notorious eBay sellers. I went into the store thinking lens for my 6d or 7d2 but have a Sony a6000 with me and was getting tired of switching between the 10-18, 18-55, and 55-210. Since most shots have been with the 10-18, I was tempted to jump on a 18-105 f4 or the 18-200. Fortunately (?), the 18-105 was out of stock. The 18-200 price was tempting, but decided against it. Thanks everyone.

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

Invest in some great food! Much more cost effective. J. R.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Jim Bob wrote:

If it is an authorized dealer, it is not gray market.

Correct. It just might not be eligible for warranty service by Canon in the US. However, I'm going out on a limb by suggesting that based on my experience with Canon they might honor the warranty here if the lens was purchased directly at an authorized Canon dealer since it would not technically be an imported item, and certainly not grey market because it would have be purchased directly from a Canon dealer. I think some people here have blurred the meaning of buying grey market products which are legally, and sometimes not so legally, distributed items from an unauthorized third party source.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

mwsilvers wrote:

Correct. It just might not be eligible for warrant... (show quote)

Yes, I would agree.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Gifted One wrote:

Invest in some great food! Much more cost effective. J. R.

We DID that!! But, at the same time, I'm glad our hotel wasn't next door to the Hofbrauhaus. We're waddling as it is.
🍺🍺🍻🍻

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

Jim Bob wrote:

If it is an authorized dealer, it is not gray market.

I would agree. What if you're living in Germany for a year and buy a camera from an authorized dealer then return to the US of course you'd have service.