Used vs. Grey Market ?
Jul 21, 2019 20:48:43 #
My good friend Larry, a photographer who passed away a few months ago swore on a gray market.
Jul 21, 2019 23:34:41 #
DaveyDitzer
Loc: Western PA
burkphoto wrote:
I’ve not used them, but always hear good things about them from folks who have.
I’m not much of a fan of eBay or Craigslist. And I stay away from 42nd St. Photo and Abe’s of Maine!
I’m not much of a fan of eBay or Craigslist. And I stay away from 42nd St. Photo and Abe’s of Maine!
Bought a used camera from Roberts. Developed a problem. Nikon fixed it and Roberts paid for the repair. I have only good to say about them at this point.
Jul 22, 2019 01:37:05 #
used are just that you do not know what your buying buy a refurbished camera for about the same as a used rig and call it a day.
Jul 22, 2019 08:37:44 #
larryepage
Loc: North Texas area
sbohne wrote:
And I've had three of them that never had a problem.
I also have my original D200 bought new in 2007 (now on loan), a D300 bought on this site a couple of years ago, and a D300s acquired in a trade. All still work perfectly and none have ever seen a repair shop.
My point was never that any specific camera or lens is going to fail. My point is that there is risk, and that the risk is greater with today's increasingly complex cameras. The risk is real. If you are willing to live with it or to ignore it, I firmly believe that choice should be up to you. Just don't ask me for a lot of sympathy if something does go wrong with a gray market camera.
Jul 22, 2019 09:28:09 #
burkphoto wrote:
I’m not much of a fan of eBay or Craigslist.
Well, everybody has different experiences, I guess.
I have bought hasselblads on eBay. I have bought laptops and desktops on eBay.
Problems? Yeah. I had a girl stiff me on a $12 software purchase.
The biggest purchase I every made on eBay? $4000 for a demo Canon 1D (saved nearly $3000). Sold it two years later for the same money.
Jul 22, 2019 10:08:15 #
sbohne wrote:
Well, everybody has different experiences, I guess.
I have bought hasselblads on eBay. I have bought laptops and desktops on eBay.
Problems? Yeah. I had a girl stiff me on a $12 software purchase.
The biggest purchase I every made on eBay? $4000 for a demo Canon 1D (saved nearly $3000). Sold it two years later for the same money.
I have bought hasselblads on eBay. I have bought laptops and desktops on eBay.
Problems? Yeah. I had a girl stiff me on a $12 software purchase.
The biggest purchase I every made on eBay? $4000 for a demo Canon 1D (saved nearly $3000). Sold it two years later for the same money.
I’ve bought a used Mac, a few replacement parts for computers, and an ice maker for a refrigerator. The computer worked for a while, but I had to replace the power board, external power supply, RAM, and optical drive. By the time I did all that, I’d spent almost what a certified refurbished one would have cost.
Jul 22, 2019 12:28:37 #
smf85
Loc: Freeport, IL
Longshadow wrote:
Some manufacturers will not touch a gray market camera for any repair.
Some go as far as to not supply parts to independent repair shops for gray market cameras.
Some go as far as to not supply parts to independent repair shops for gray market cameras.
Most importers don't have the odd legal structure that Nikon USA does. Under the law a grey market Nikon camera isn't a Nikon camera (really) its a Nikon JP camera. So Nikon USA doesn't have to touch it or provide parts for it. Legally, Nikon USA is entirely independent from Nikon so it actually falls under the rules that allow a retailer to offer its own warranty service (for both used and new).
Jul 22, 2019 18:35:01 #
hookedupin2005
Loc: Northwestern New Mexico
Scott24 wrote:
used are just that you do not know what your buying buy a refurbished camera for about the same as a used rig and call it a day.
That depends on where you buy used.
Jul 23, 2019 10:53:49 #
hookedupin2005 wrote:
That depends on where you buy used.
Absolutely true!
I will buy again from KEH. Their used gear is often better than rated, and six months is a generous warranty.
Remember the bathtub reliability curve — let someone else take the depreciation hit and most of the failure risk for you!
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