tradergeorge Loc: Newport, Kentucky

Yes, but this is just an identifying number for a certain run...It does not mean that the product itself is of greater or lesser quality, only that it is slated for shipment to a certain market. I worked in manufacturing for a while and am keenly aware of how expensive it is and how much work to tool up for a different but similar product. Most times, it is cheaper to just make them all the same and just label them differently, and, as in your case, substitute one part with a different ID number. I still lean toward all of them being physically the same...And, as stated before, this is an item that is unlikely to profit from cheaper parts and would have a low failure rate in any case, it just does not make sense to have separate runs for different markets.....Cheers!...

Bob Boner

For an inexpensive TC, I would probably go for grey market. Not for an expensive item. I had a 500mm f/4 nikkor lens, Nikon body, and tc fall out of my tripod onto cement. The 500 lens was grey market. Nikon USA would not repair it. They would also not sell parts to an independent repair business to fix it. I replaced all my Nikon equipment with Canon. I have not bought grey market equipment since (with Canon products, there is seldom much difference between grey market and officially imported items).

tradergeorge Loc: Newport, Kentucky

It is pretty much a given that when you buy grey market items, you are giving up factory service. That is the price you pay for the discount you get. I have never had any trouble getting repairs on these items if I was willing to pay. Your "independent repair business" must have had a strange relationship with Nikon, since I have never had any trouble with them getting parts, except when they are doing warranty jobs...

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Effectively the only difference is that official imports have a warranty and unofficial "grey" market items don't.

In the case of a teleconverter, there are almost no moving parts and very little to break or wear out... So I would be completely fine with taking advantage of a discount via grey market (so long as the retailer has a reasonable right of return in case the TC has a problem right out of the box).

OTOH, I'd think twice about buying something more complex, with more potential for a warranty claim on grey market - such as a camera body.... the discount would need to be pretty significant to get me to buy a DSLR without a warranty.

Whether "grey" or "öfficial", design, materials, manufacture and quality control are all identical... everything comes off the same production line. It's just a difference in distribution and a means for the manufacturer to try to control pricing.

tradergeorge Loc: Newport, Kentucky

I have been working with electronic devices since my teens (I am 65).....One thing I have found to be consistently true over the years, ; Electronic devices tend to either fail almost immediately, or last almost forever......You may scoff at that or flood me with anecdotes to the contrary, but as an axiom, it is true. That is the reason that extended warranties are the MOST profitable item the Big Box stores sell and why they push them so vigorously.

If the company I am buying from is reputable and they either offer a 90 day warranty (most do) or a liberal return policy (Amazon, etc), I do not hesitate to buy grey market items. You may get stung on occasion, but as a lifetime policy, you will profit IMMENSELY!