graybeard

I am fantasizing about a new dslr, probably a Canon SL2. Naturally, I am looking for the best buy I can get. I see them on ebay, as 200D and from Hong Kong at $456. Setting aside difference in shipping time, what is wrong with this? Or perhaps I should better rephrase this as is it better to pay another 80-100 for this camera to be shipped from a USA address and labeled an SL2? Does the very fact that it is shipped to me from Hong Kong make it gray market? Thanks.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Yes
Gray market is anything that enters the US without going through the authorized distributor.

If you want an SL2 at a lower price - right now the Canon Store is having a discount sale on the refurbished body for $398.99 and with the 18-55 lens for $498.99. These include the same 1 year warranty as new in box.

graybeard

Thanks for the market clarification. Does "authorized" mean only USA, and at that only certain outlets? As for the rest, I want new, and no lens.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Yes, authorized US distributor - for one thing that is the only way they honor the warranty. Gray market may have a third party warranty - like Square Trade. Canon will work on Gray market, but at full price for parts and labor.

Nothing wrong with Canon Store Refurbished. They are often demos, open box, over stock etc and even if they are ones sent in for warranty repair/replacement they are completely gone over and actually get a closer inspection than those on the assembly line. I have bought refurbished cameras from Canon twice and both were in new condition with no signs of use. Both have worked perfectly.

mrjcall Loc: Woodfin, NC

The term 'refurbished' often means the original box has simply been opened and then returned without being used. The Mfg techs. carefully go over the camera and make any adjustments/corrections necessary to bring it to as new condition. These refurbished cameras are actually LESS likely to encounter problems because of this secondary formal inspection. I always buy refurbished if the equipment I need can be bought this way. It is the smart thing to do and I guarantee the only thing you'll notice is the extra money in your pocket!

Gray Market cameras are another issue. They are the exact same camera as USA models by the way, just without the USA warranty. The supplied warranty is usually something less and provided by the seller, not the manufacturer. I've bought this way many times and have never had issues. When is the last time you had to send camera gear back for repairs? Never for me. Sure it happens, but it's pretty darn rare!

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

I also buy refurb. As for grey market. Yas they are the "same" as those from a US Factory approved seller, but still a bit of crap shoot. If that risk doesn't bother you go for it. However often grey market stuff are sold by less than relailable outfits which should be avoided at all costs.

graybeard

That's what I am thinking. I have had my T3 for several years and had no problems with it at all. Is paying the extra money for a guarantee really cost justifiable??

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Depends, do you know my old buddy "Murphy"? Esp when the Canon factory refurbished and sold body is actually a few dollars less right now.

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

Absolutely no reason to shy away from Canon USA refurbished product. You buy new, don't like it after a few shutter exposures and return it. That is what becomes the refurbished product for the next buyer after Canon goes through it mechanically, electronically and physically cleaning it. Same warranty as new.

The last 2 bodies I purchased refurb had shutter counts of 17 and 36. Still going strong and never a problem.

Canon grey market repairs will be done by Canon, but without a US warranty, you pay for the repair. If you really are looking for the best buy you can get, then Canon USA refurb is a way better deal by price and service than the unknown history of a grey market unit.

DannyKaye Loc: Sheffield now but soon moving to Blanzay

Simply Grey is ok but no manufacturers warranty and they have been known to refuse to service them at any price. There have been rumours that some manufacturers firmware updates are country specific so they won't work on grey imports. Personally, I am happy with grey for a less complex item such as a lens but for a Camera body I want a full manufacturers guarantee. Some manufacturers, for example Tamron and Nikon, give an extended warranty when you register them, this does not happen for a grey import. As far as I can see it is only Grey when you order on line, not if you visit a country and buy a camera, the difference is that on a grey import there is usually no manufacturers warranty card.

Danny

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Yes, shipped from outside this country will make it a gray market. It is my understanding that Canon repairs under warranty a gray market camera but in the case of Nikon and I do not know about other manufacturers, you will have to send the camera back to the place where you bought it if repairs are needed.
Buying here assures you the camera has been imported by the manufacturer and all warranties apply. If something wrong with the camera the seller, if a reputable one, will accept the camera in return.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

Gray market is repaired by Canon but will charge you (No warranty) but Nikon will not fix them.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Grey market requires (usually) an independent camera repair outfit, should it fail (it may never fail, so its a crap shoot). If you are adventurous give it a shot, for high end, I would not, but consumer to prosumer, could be ok.

Note - for those who buy ebay, I'm seeing a lot of grey cameras/lens for sale....check the serial numbers!!!!!

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

And the refurbished Canon products have the full 1 year warranty.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

An officially imported, USA camera for "full price" will have at least a 1 or 2 year warranty against any sort of failure of camera or lens (longer warranty may be available to purchase at added cost).

Undoubtedly a camera shipped to you from Hong Kong (or elsewhere overseas) at a significantly lower price will be "gray market". Gray market basically means it was imported unofficially, not through the manufacturer and their USA/N. American distributor "official" channels.

An unofficially imported or "gray market" camera will have no "official" warranty at all. As a result there's some risk buying that way, although most modern gear is pretty darned reliable. I think the majority of "problems" you see are actually "user errors", no fault of the gear. Even so, there's at least some risk that a failure could occur.

With Canon, you can get an imported camera repaired at their facilities, at your expense. You also can get it repaired at an independent shop, if it's not beyond their capabilities. If spare parts are needed, Canon will sell them to an independent shop (or to you directly).

With Nikon it's another story. Nikon USA refuses to work on import/gray market cameras. Further, they will not sell spare parts to independent shops. So if any parts are needed for a repair, you are out of luck. Unless you can find someone who can repair it with parts from another "donor" camera or an overseas repairer who has access to parts, you might as well toss a failed, gray market Nikon in the trash. It's just a paperweight or Christmas tree ornament now.

I don't know anything about repair/parts policies of the other manufacturers.

When it comes to the cameras themselves, they are basically the same, regardless. AFAIK, Nikon uses the same model names throughout the world.

Canon for some reason continues to use different model names in three markets: N. America (Rebel SL2, for example), Japan (Kiss X8 = SL2) and the rest of the world (EOS 200D = SL2). So the nameplate on a Canon may be different, depending upon the source. But there's no functional difference in the cameras themselves. In very few cases, Canon has only offered a model in one market or another... but that's not common (I forget which, but there was an earlier M-series "mirrorless" that was only offered in Japan.)

Personally, I'd be verrrrrry nervous buying a "daily user" camera off eBay from overseas (I have bought vintage collectible cameras that way, though). I'd also worry about buying from Amazon "partners" in unknown locations (Amazon direct, where they warrant it, no problem... also some of the major retailer/partners who sell through Amazon). Little to no recourse if there are any problems.

In contrast, if you buy a gray market/import from a well established, major US dealer, you at least have recourse if something goes wrong initially. Most modern electronic camera gear, if anything is wrong with them it happens right away and is apparent right out of the box. If it works correctly for a few days or a week, it will very probably have a long, happy, trouble-free life. The major, well-established, domestic retailers typically offer a 14 day, no questions asked right of return on gray/import items and used gear. They might additionally offer a "store warranty" for a longer period of time.

General rule of thumb... beware if the price is significantly below that of the really big, high volume stores like Adorama and B&H. Prices very much lower than they can offer are likely only possible by taking away something (warranty) or by substituting a cheaper item. In the worst cases, it's a bait n switch scheme where after you place the order they'll call you to sell you the battery and charger or something else essential, at a much higher price... and you actually end up paying more total, for what's normally included in the box from the more reputable stores!

SL2 is often sold with EF-S 18-55mm IS STM lens... which is plasticky, but capable with auto focus that's quieter, smoother and faster than the AF of the cheaper "micro motor" EF-S 18-55mm IS II.

Some retailers bundle the SL2 in a two lens kit... with the above 18-55mm STM, and the EF-S 55-250mm IS STM. That's a decent lens too.

Costco (and perhaps some others) instead offers a three lens kit with the SL2 that instead adds the EF 75-300mm III, which I'd recommend avoiding. It's Canon's cheapest telephoto zoom, has not got as good image quality, has slower/noisier micro motor focus drive, and lacks image stabilization... The 55-250mm IS STM is a better lens in pretty much all respects. The third lens Costco includes is the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, which is a decent little prime (i.e., not a zoom) and, among other things, nice for portraiture when it's used on an APS-C camera like the SL2.