MDI Mainer

Let's remember that, if the USA import arm of a manufacturer is so foolish as to refuse service to a grey market camera, there is an international alternative for service, albeit more complex to access.

So the gray market equation is not less cost for no service, but less cost for a different service. And why should a consumer not profit personally from today's international market? The manufacturers certainly do.

Zeke4351 Loc: Kentucky

There are other places available for repairs on Nikon other than Nikon USA.
True or false?

BebuLamar

Many places would try to but can they fix it if they don't have parts? For very old cameras like film cameras from the 60's 80's these places are actually a better suited to fix a Nikon but for a 1 year old mirrorless I doubt that they can fix it.

Zeke4351 Loc: Kentucky

So where do people in Europe and Asia get Nikon repairs? I buy a lot of Nikon products from a large camera shop in Tokyo. Great to deal with and my shipments usually get to me within 3 days. In my 70 years I have never needed any camera or lens repaired other than the Nikon D750 recall. Mine was not needing repair but was taken care of by Nikon. It was not a USA model.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Actually, Nikon USA has changed their policy and they now will work on grey market, though it will be at the customer's expense (i.e., no warranty). Once a USA camera is out of warranty, the cost will be the same as getting a gray market camera repaired.

However, Nikon USA still has a policy that they will not sell most replacement parts. Most parts are only available to their factory service centers. Independent repairers have to actually do repair work (rather than just replace parts) or scavenge parts from donor cameras (hence the market for unrepairable cameras on certain auction sites) or use some replacement parts that are being made by other manufacturers.



False...

Well, sort of.

Nikon USA also "fired" all their "authorized repair shops"... There used to be 15 or 20 of them, as well as the factory service centers. Now the only place to get Nikon repair done in the US is through the factory service centers.... Unless you can find an independent repair shop that can handle the work without need for replacement parts.

As someone else already said... unless you go to Nikon USA's own service centers with it, you'll likely have trouble getting a one, two or three year old digital camera repaired. Yet you can get a Nikon F from 1960 or FM2 from 1980 repaired almost anywhere.

Nikon USA states their policy is "to insure high quality repairs". No mention that it also insures all the work and money go to Nikon USA.

There are "right to repair" cases taking place in various courts as well as laws being written and enacted in a number of US states, mostly involving automobiles and consumer electronics where the manufacturers have tried to design things and restrict access to parts to make it difficult or impossible for anyone other than their own service centers to work on them, or are forcing consumers to buy a new product when something breaks. It will be interesting to see if Nikon USA gets in trouble over this.

therwol Loc: USA

Where they bought the Nikon equipment. Nikon USA doesn't service the entire world.

therwol Loc: USA

You said, "Actually, Nikon USA has changed their policy and they now will work on grey market, though it will be at the customer's expense (i.e., no warranty). Once a USA camera is out of warranty, the cost will be the same as getting a gray market camera repaired."

This is contrary to the information on Nikon's web site. I know they did this a few years ago, but it would seem that they have changed their minds.

https://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-store/shopping-help/gray-market.page

If true, and you buy a grey market camera that is recalled for a defect, are you screwed?

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

This is all subject to how often/hard you use your gear. Best of luck.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

At the end of the day, it's just so much easier to buy Nikon USA gear. I can't afford the lost time or expense to send gear to Japan for repair. Best of luck to all. Happy Turkey Day!!!

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

KEH repairs cameras and there others. Much to do about very little.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Never is too strong. But even the good ones seem to try and conceal it with statements like "International Warranty". That is deceptive to US buyers who are naive about the grey market limitations of some manufacturers. Nikon might be the worst refusing even to work on anything grey market even if you are willing to pay.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

There are several pieces of good news for some grey-market equipment. First, the grey market hardware is the same as the US labeled. Second cameras and lenses rarely fail. Third sometimes grey-market is less than half the price Nikon wants for US labeled products. So if one ever failed you can chuck it and replace.

I suspect if one did a financial risk analysis looking at the failure experience data grey market might win out.

BebuLamar

Less than half the price? I often saw it's less than 20% off.

therwol Loc: USA

Recent model Nikon cameras? My understanding is that Nikon won't sell parts to independent repair businesses any longer. What if there is a recall on a camera, something that has happened on the D610, D750 and D810? Nikon USA will do the repair work for no charge, but only on USA models.

ronpier Loc: Poland Ohio

very few fail because of manufacturing defects. usually caused by a user