Buying Grey Market Canon cameras: A call to Canon customer service told me they would fix any canon camera. They will not honor the warranty. But as the worker pointed out if you buy...

Harryd68959

A call to Canon customer service told me they would fix any canon camera. They will not honor the warranty. But as the worker pointed out if you buy used you also get no warranty. I see a grey market 5Ds for 5 hundred $s less than used is being sold for.. What else can go bad that can't be fixed? I have bought several used camera s and lens and only one bad experience.

Tomcat5133 Loc: Gladwyne PA

If something serious happens (I have never had this experience) camera fixes are very expensive.

AntonioReyna Loc: Los Angeles, California

I have had great experiences with Canon service centers the few times that I have used them.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Harryd68959 wrote:

A call to Canon customer service told me they would fix any canon camera. They will not honor the warranty. But as the worker pointed out if you buy used you also get no warranty. I see a grey market 5Ds for 5 hundred $s less than used is being sold for.. What else can go bad that can't be fixed? I have bought several used camera s and lens and only one bad experience.

It ALL boils down to the likelihood of needing warranty repair during the warranty period, and your risk aversion.

If you don't think it is likely that the camera will fail during the USA warranty period on a new camera, then gray market is a good deal, as is used that doesn't have a warranty. Paying for the warranty is wasted IF the camera does not fail. It's up to you.

Canon, unlike Nikon, doesn't care if the camera is gray market. They will repair it, and you will pay for repairs whether it is gray market, or a USA-market camera with an expired warranty.

No difference.

Harryd68959

Thats what my feeling was. Thank you.

repleo Loc: Boston

Harryd68959 wrote:

A call to Canon customer service told me they would fix any canon camera. They will not honor the warranty. But as the worker pointed out if you buy used you also get no warranty. I see a grey market 5Ds for 5 hundred $s less than used is being sold for.. What else can go bad that can't be fixed? I have bought several used camera s and lens and only one bad experience.

Even a new gray market camera will come with a manufacturer's warranty. In the unlikely event that you need a warranty repair, you will just have to ship it abroad to avail of the warranty repairs which will involve filling out a customs form at the Post Office.

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

Harryd68959 wrote:

A call to Canon customer service told me they would fix any canon camera. They will not honor the warranty. But as the worker pointed out if you buy used you also get no warranty. I see a grey market 5Ds for 5 hundred $s less than used is being sold for.. What else can go bad that can't be fixed? I have bought several used camera s and lens and only one bad experience.

From all information I've gathered so far, the 5D mark 1 (classic) will not be repaired by Canon due to lack of parts. I have bought a 5D classic because it was a bargain (under $200) they have been known to develop broken shutters and there was a recall by Canon to fix the problem. So, there are those 5D Canon owners who never had this problem and didn't have the shutter "fixed." I just love my 5D classic - it's so straight forward and it fills my needs; it doesn't do videos, etc. and besides, I have a camcorder to do this job whenever I need video. Therefore, I'm surprised that Canon, according to you, has changed their mind and are repairing the old classic 5D! I'm sure their repair prices must be mighty expensive. I think there still exists repair personal who works on the 5Ds however.

Keen

With Grey goods, you may not get an owners manual, battery, battery charger, cable, or such. The goods may be defective, or damaged. All sorts of things can go wrong. Then, again, you may get a perfect item with all accessories, at a great price which never needs repairs. Do ya feel lucky? It is a gamble, and may-or may not-be worth taking. Only you can decide whether it is worthwhile to you. I would prefer to buy used, refurbished, non-grey stuff domestically. To each his / her own.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Keen wrote:

With Grey goods, you may not get an owners manual, battery, battery charger, cable, or such. The goods may be defective, or damaged. All sorts of things can go wrong. Then, again, you may get a perfect item with all accessories, at a great price which never needs repairs. Do ya feel lucky? It is a gamble, and may-or may not-be worth taking. Only you can decide whether it is worthwhile to you. I would prefer to buy used, refurbished, non-grey stuff domestically. To each his / her own.

What!? You are talking about a factory-sealed box that is opened so things can be removed, by an unscrupulous dealer/seller, so they can be sold separately. This can happen whether USA-intended and warranted or gray market. The reputable dealers we all on UHH know about would not do that.

Or, an item can be sold as "open box", meaning it could have been a display model, or a store return, or someone just opened the box to look inside. With any of these, you should still get ALL of the factory-supplied contents including warranty card, unless specified as lacking anything by the seller.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Anything can go wrong, and repairs can be expensive. Are you a gambler? That's exactly what you're doing when you buy gray market. You gamble that you will save money by not needing service on the item.

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

Harryd68959 wrote:

A call to Canon customer service told me they would fix any canon camera. They will not honor the warranty. But as the worker pointed out if you buy used you also get no warranty. I see a grey market 5Ds for 5 hundred $s less than used is being sold for.. What else can go bad that can't be fixed? I have bought several used camera s and lens and only one bad experience.

It's just like a used car. if a new muffler or headlight, ok. Transmission, air conditioner, timing belt all the frugleness,
puff!

khorinek

Keen wrote:

With Grey goods, you may not get an owners manual, battery, battery charger, cable, or such. The goods may be defective, or damaged. All sorts of things can go wrong. Then, again, you may get a perfect item with all accessories, at a great price which never needs repairs. Do ya feel lucky? It is a gamble, and may-or may not-be worth taking. Only you can decide whether it is worthwhile to you. I would prefer to buy used, refurbished, non-grey stuff domestically. To each his / her own.

I bought my Canon 5D Mark IV from a Grey Market Dealer a few years ago. It came in the factory sealed box. Same as if you bought it from an authorized dealer. It has over 65,000 shots and still going with no problems. Grey market Dealers are no different than authorized Dealers other than they import direct from the manufacture and they don't adhere to the Manufacture's suggested retail price, which means the equipment does not come with the Manufacture's warranty. If you trust your manufacture, (Canon, Nikon, etc.) and feel their products are top quality when bought new, you should not be weary of grey market, the products come off the same assembly line as the warranty products.

bajadreamer Loc: Baja California Sur

Harryd68959 wrote:

A call to Canon customer service told me they would fix any canon camera. They will not honor the warranty. But as the worker pointed out if you buy used you also get no warranty. I see a grey market 5Ds for 5 hundred $s less than used is being sold for.. What else can go bad that can't be fixed? I have bought several used camera s and lens and only one bad experience.

I too had the same experience. Talked to Canon Service in Irvine, CA, and it was confirmed that they would repair any 5DsR brought in. The 1 year factory warranty would not be honored with a grey market camera, but as you pointed out, there would also be no warranty with a used camera. I ordered a grey market 5DsR through Ebay for $1700. Arrived in 5 days, unopened box with all accessories and an English manual and a 14 day guaranteed return. I used the camera extensively during the first week to make sure it was not a DOA device-it worked perfectly.
List price for a new US model is $3699 through B&H. Yes, for $2000 I am willing to take the chance that I will not need a warranty repair within the first year.

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

Harryd68959 wrote:

A call to Canon customer service told me they would fix any canon camera. They will not honor the warranty. But as the worker pointed out if you buy used you also get no warranty. I see a grey market 5Ds for 5 hundred $s less than used is being sold for.. What else can go bad that can't be fixed? I have bought several used camera s and lens and only one bad experience.

This is one thing I love about Canon and it leads me to believe that they respect their customers & their products a little more in this area for consideration. I have purchased Grey Market in London and the price difference is about what the repair would be so the warranty guarantee was mute to me.

If by chance a future repair would be so expensive as to question the decision , I would simply buy another one and keep on truckin. Time is more valuable than any camera or possession I own and $$$$ just another tool in the box !
Tomorrow is promised to No One....so Go with What You Got ...and make the Most of What You Have. The End.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

ballsafire wrote:

From all information I've gathered so far, the 5D ... (show quote)

The 5Ds is still a production model still in the catalog by Canon for sale new.
No issue in actual repair, just who pays for it.