texasdigital Loc: Conroe, Texas

With Nikon, that would mean Japan. I had a grey market lens that NikonUSA wouldn’t touch. I didn’t try Japan.

Every dealer I’ve inquired with (and that’s many) have told me grey market products are not supported by manufacturers USA warranties. That goes back years.

Again, I never tried Japan.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

The misconception is around a "Manufacturer's Warranty." The retail purchaser of a "legitimate" Nikon camera or lens in the United States DOES NOT receive a Manufacturer's warranty from Nikon Incorporated. They receive warranty coverage provided by NikonUSA. That warranty is supported by parts sales to NikonUSA by Nikon Corporate. We have no clue what the exact agreement there is. NikonUSA may pay for those parts, or they may have some other agreement with Nikon.

No one who purchases a used camera from Nikon has any sort of warranty coverage on any product...gray market or otherwise. The statement of warranty clearly indicates that it is provided to THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER ONLY. It is not transferable to a subsequent owner. In fact, part of the process of submitting a product for warranty repair requires providing a copy of the original purchase receipt. If you think about it, this "original customer" limitation would preclude warranty service for gray market products by itself, since your purchase of that product is at least its second sale.

There is much reference to "sending a camera to Nikon Japan" for repair. Has anyone ever actually done that? Did it work? Given the level of agreement and he amount of responsibility that Nikon has licensed to NikonUSA, I would quite frankly be very surprised to learn that they had actually authorized shipment to their factory for such a repair.

texasdigital Loc: Conroe, Texas

There is much more to this question about gray market gear. BebuLamar hints at this, but I think his question goes deeper.

I went to Nikon Japan’s website and copied this:
Gray Market Warning
Nikon products that are imported and sold by anyone other than Nikon Inc. USA are considered Gray Market products. These often are genuine Nikon products that were intended for other countries; therefore, they may not meet Nikon’s specifications for US products or perform as expected, and they are not covered by a Nikon USA warranty or eligible for Nikon USA repair service.

This opens a can of worms. Why would any reputable camera company, Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji, etc., manufacture a product that doesn’t meet their highest standards? It shouldn’t matter that it is sold outside of the USA since we are a global economy, especially considering the World Wide Web. Much like this forum, we have members from all over the world.

I next found this in a Bing search when I asked: If Nikon gray market items are intended for other countries besides the USA, and selling them might be pushing legal boundaries, why do major companies (such as B&H & Adorama) sell them in the USA?
The response:
That’s a good question. There are different reasons why major companies sell gray market items in the USA, but they are not always legal or ethical. Here are some possible explanations:
Some companies may sell gray market items to boost their sales in the USA, especially if they can offer them at lower prices than authorized products1. This way, they can reach more customers and increase their market share.
Some companies may sell gray market items to avoid paying taxes or tariffs on their products in the USA. By selling them in the gray market, they can avoid these costs and save money.
Some companies may sell gray market items to exploit the demand for certain products in the USA. For example, some luxury fashion brands may sell their products on gray market sites to cater to customers who want to buy them at a lower price or without waiting a long time for delivery.
However, selling gray market items in the USA also has some risks and drawbacks for the companies. For example:
They may face legal consequences if they violate any laws or regulations regarding importation, distribution, or consumer protection4. They may also lose their reputation and credibility among customers and regulators.
They may lose access to professional service programs or warranties that come with authorized products. This means that customers who buy gray market items may have less protection or support in case of any problems or defects with the product.
They may harm the retail trade and the industry by undercutting authorized dealers and creating unfair competition. This may lead to lower profits and quality standards for authorized retailers and manufacturers.
Therefore, selling gray market items in the USA is not always a good idea for major companies. It may seem like a quick way to make money, but it also comes with many challenges and risks. It is better to sell products legally and ethically through authorized channels. That way, both customers and companies can benefit from trust, quality, and satisfaction.

In defense of B&H and Adorama, they clearly state when a product is gray market, and in most cases, offer their version of a warranty. Some less reputable companies are not as transparent. You may not know you have a gray market product until you have issues.

Since BebuLamar states the price of a gray market product is not necessarily cheaper outside of the USA (I have no reason to doubt this), my question remains. Why jeopardize your company's reputation by intentionally producing a product that doesn’t meet your highest standards?

While Nikon doesn’t address this, gray market products may be what is referred to as “seconds.” Products that don’t pass quality control but are sold to willing buyers. I’m unsure if that is the case since most companies selling “seconds” clearly state they are just that. If Nikon’s statement is correct, I am puzzled how they decide which countries deserve products that don’t meet their highest standards. We still have the paradox that reputable companies like B&H and Adorama can sell these products without repercussions.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

I have always heard that gray market equipment was just the same as US equipment, and it's surprising that Nikon admits it isn't. I'm sure people have bought gray market thinking it was the same and it's just a matter of not having a US warranty and taking a chance nothing will go wrong. This is another good reason to stay away from gray market, as it may be more likely to need service.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Distribution agreements are common. They contain all sorts of provisions and protections for both the manufacturer and the distributor. An excellent example is just up the road and around the corner from you.

"Dublin Dr. Pepper" became well-known a number of years ago for formulating the soft drinks that they bottled using cane sugar, rather than less expensive (and less sweet) corn syrup. This was the traditional formulation, and all was well with it for a long time. It was a common thing for many of us in the Dallas/Fort Worth area to schedule occasional trips to Dublin or Stephenville or one of the other small towns in the Dublin Dr. Pepper service area to load up of their superior product. But eventually, enough wasn't enough, and Dublin Dr. Pepper started advertising and promoting their product in our market area. Some stores here started somehow sourcing and selling the product locally. Eventually, the corporate office found out what was going on and summarily "fired" the Dublin bottler, breaking all ties with them for doing business outside their authorized marketing area.

No more Dublin Dr. Pepper...anywhere.

There was some legal wrangling, but the action stuck. There was another bottler that claimed for a while to be making the product and selling it at a premium price, but it was not equivalent to what was lost. I haven't seen it on the shelves anywhere in a long time.

So the point is that you can't know what the agreement between the manufacturer and the distributor is...unless you somehow do. And when you do find out, it very well may not match how you think it ought to be.

niteman3d Loc: South Central Pennsylvania, USA

Scroll down after you connect to the link:

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

texasdigital Loc: Conroe, Texas

They cover themselves by saying, "they may not meet Nikon’s specifications for US products." In other words, they may or may not ... it's you're guess. In their defense, I suspect all of the major camera companies do the same thing. The gray market item I stated I bought in an earlier post was originally purchased in Hong Kong. I bought it second-hand. It came with a warranty policy ... at the camera store in Hong Kong. I later upgraded to a newer version and sold the old one to B&H to offset the newer price.

texasdigital Loc: Conroe, Texas

So I reported. But the question still remains. Unless we are talking about Chinese knockoffs, which would be counterfeits and not gray market, why would Nikon, by their own admission, manufacture products that resemble their USA products but at lesser standards and admit they are intended for foreign markets that apparently don't deserve the best? My view, not theirs. And even though they are intended for markets that apparently do not deserve the best, they still end up in the USA and being legitimately sold.

Excuse me, sir; you need to know that this high-performance race car is gray market, and the tires may disintegrate after ten miles. Also, your warranty is non-existent. Have a nice day!

My view on gray market has changed. I do not envision purchasing gray market, given Nikon's admission.

JeffR Loc: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

All of these cameras rolled off the same assembly line and were offered to any company wanting to buy them in bulk. None of them were manufactured with the intent of being sold in any specific market. The "gray market" distinction has nothing to do with the actual cameras, it is the result of who bought them and how they sold them. Those cameras that were bought by NikonUSA were bought for sale in the US with a US warranty and repairs through the NikonUSA network, and are considered by NikonUSA to be "legitimate." Those bought by other companies were bought to sell wherever and however they felt it was profitable. The cameras were NOT manufactured for a specific country. Foreign language menus are software/firmware updates made at the request of the purchasing company. For example, a camera sold in Japan by an authorized dealer in Japan is not a "gray market" camera when it's serviced in Japan. It's when the consumer who bought that camera in Japan and then tries to get it serviced in the US, that it becomes deemed a "gray market" camera in the eyes of NikonUSA. Effectively, the term "gray market" means it has no NikonUSA warranty and no access to the NikonUSA repair network, but has nothing to do with where or how it was manufactured.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

"... My question is that for which country the gray market was intended to be sold? "
Are you joking BebuLamar... Since you're shooting Nikon It's right on the frigging box!
I'm not going through 5 pages of clueless responses to such a silly question...

The answer is in the camera's serial number!
So you don't have the Box in front of you?
Then you can find your answer here BebuLamar.
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html

If you're buying a Nikon Camera then go to mpb who btw posts Camera Serial Numbers unlike KEH
And for Nikon Glass this can (and does seriously matter)! From experience, I purchased a used high end Nikkor which carries a U.S. Serial Number... Nikon USA (New York) serviced it no questions ask and did a fabulous job!

This is site supposedly purports to be a Photographer's Web Site... What a joke!
I went through all five plus pages of responses in this thread and found ZERO images in reply posts!
This site is for Talkers, NOT photographers...

Maybe get off this faux photography site BebuLamar and start looking for clients...
There you may find Life in the Fast Lane as a Commercial Photographer is more than a trivial challenge where one's kit is simply another tool which btw many commercial shooters actually rent for particular assignments **and pass this expense through to their client** As well I know having assisted many commercial shooters in my market.

This site (except for Sport Photography forum) isn't actually frequented by commercial photographers, primarily it's only enthusiast or others who seem to be hell bent on becoming amateur Photographic Kit salespersons...

Which camp to you fall in BebuLamar? And how many High End Clients did you shoot for last week?
Maybe post images not words, k?

I'm so done with UHH... Back to flickr where there are a vast number of stellar photographers posting their epic imagery instead of words... This site reminds me of Junior High School Boys & Girls marveling over Baseball Trading Cards but don't play the sport, except here it's Camera Gear instead by those who don't shoot commercially... albeit they all seem to talk a really good game...

=============================================================
Serial Numbers for the Nikon D300s example posted below...
2000001 < 2001204 - 2037727 > Japan
3000001 < 3001062 - 3073521 > USA
5000001 < 5001037 - 5011392 > Canada
6000001 < 6000343 - 6104218 > Europe
7400001 < 7402970 - 7491963 > UK

A Nikon D300s produced for sale in Japan (and purchased directly from Japan)! Notice SN starts with 20... i.e. Japan Also notice that the Camera is listed as a D300s (j) where (j) is for Japan

JeffR Loc: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Perhaps part of the confusion comes from people thinking Nikon is Nikon. Nikon Corporation is the manufacturer, and it's a Japanese company, part of the Mitsubishi Group. Nikon Inc., USA, is a US corporation that commonly refers to itself as "NikonUSA". NikonUSA is a reseller and servicer. They purchase their cameras from Nikon Corporation. They are two separate and distinct companies.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

That concept is truly at the core of this discussion, but it seems to be beyond the comprehension of the vast majority here.

srt101fan

I think you totally misunderstood Bebu's question so your rant has no basis. And something has puzzled me about your posts. Why do you always seem to assume that a poster has an interest in commercial photography? Most don't....

(I love your work and that's why I look at your posts. Disappointed this time, all I got was a picture of a lousy box!)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

"...therefore, they may not meet Nikon’s specifications for US products or perform as expected, and they are not covered by a Nikon USA warranty or eligible for Nikon USA repair service."

I simply don't believe that statement. I can't believe that the Nikon assembly line has different cameras for different countries. I think the purpose of that statement is to encourage people to buy locally and support the local franchise - and be eligible for warranty work.

Either way, I buy gear aimed at the US market - playing it safe.

BebuLamar

They may have some differences in term of the languages available. Of course the manual is different.