Grey Market Equipment (Page 2): All good advice - And as mentioned - Alternative buying options are refurbished and used. I buy refurbished and have been very pleased with the...

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

All good advice -

And as mentioned - Alternative buying options are refurbished and used. I buy refurbished and have been very pleased with the equipment. Other members buy refurbished/used and the comments have been very positive.

Top recommended sites for photo gear (all authorized dealers):
B&H Photo & Video here
Adorama here
Cameta Camera here
KEH Camera here

For those located it in the U.S., it is recommended to stay away from gray market items (non-USA items) as explained in this article by Nikon.

Jim Bob

Moomoo48 wrote:

I'm looking to buy a Nikon D7200 and leaning towards the grey market to save money.
Has anyone had experience with grey market purchases and besides the warrantee issues what are the other cons?

Have you considered refurbished from an authorized dealer such as Adorama?

avemal Loc: BALTIMORE

Try this.
http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20160511015815&SearchText=nikon+d7200

ncshutterbug

I just had experience with a grey market purchase from Amazon. I knew it was grey but just wanted an inexpensive vacation lens. It turned out to be a cheap toy. Focus was far from sharp, output was flat. I was attempting to replace a very good lens and ordered same brand, same model. Amazon has taken it back and will refund. I think it was a fake.

Edmund Dworakowski

If saving money is the aim, I've found buying refurbished directly from Nikon a great resource. Purchasing a highly graded used model from KEH is also a good bet. I just bought a Nikon 105 f2 DC lens from them, and it's like new and came with a 6 month warranty, and KEH can do its own repairs.

RKL349 Loc: Connecticut

PixelStan77 wrote:

What is peace of mind worth for you when you buy a camera? With gray market you need to send it back to where you bought it and then they usually send it out to a repair place,etc,etc. Two months later you get it back and it still is not fixed. To me buy from an authorized dealer.
Here is a refurbished from a reputable dealer.
http://www.adorama.com/INKD7200R.html

I bought mine here about two months ago, refurbished, for $769. If you can be patient, watch for their sales, they just had one for Mothers Day. Mine had 15 clicks on the shutter, and was shipped looking like new. A great body.

Bob Boner

For years I used Nikon equipment. However, when my camera, tc, and 500mm (greymarket) lens fell out of my tripod and all 3 were damaged, Nikon refused to repair the lens and would not sell the parts to an independent repair shop. I switched to Canon.

bettis1 Loc: Texas

Bob Boner wrote:

For years I used Nikon equipment. However, when my camera, tc, and 500mm (greymarket) lens fell out of my tripod and all 3 were damaged, Nikon refused to repair the lens and would not sell the parts to an independent repair shop. I switched to Canon.

Your reason for switching manufacturers was that they wouldn't accept responsibility for your bad decision process and negligence??

Bob Boner

bettis1 wrote:

Your reason for switching manufacturers was that they wouldn't accept responsibility for your bad decision process and negligence??

Actually, when I bought it, I had never heard of "grey market", nor Nikon's policy, and it was cheaper on B&H.

Not sure of your reason to be insulting. I have noticed that insulting comments seem to be increasing on this site.

bettis1 Loc: Texas

Bob Boner wrote:

Actually, when I bought it, I had never heard of "grey market", nor Nikon's policy, and it was cheaper on B&H.

Not sure of your reason to be insulting. I have noticed that insulting comments seem to be increasing on this site.

Bob, my comment wasn't intended to be insulting but to try to understand your thought process. Had you mentioned in your first post that you were unaware of the possible problems with the gray market products there would have been no question.

Bob

Bob Boner

bettis1 wrote:

Bob, my comment wasn't intended to be insulting but to try to understand your thought process. Had you mentioned in your first post that you were unaware of the possible problems with the gray market products there would have been no question.

Bob

Sorry. My bad!

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

jerryc41 wrote:

Or gray market.

I thought spelling and photography were separate issues. The lesson learned here is that if one makes a spelling mishap the folks here on UHH will be more than happy to go out of there way to correct the culprit. How reassuring.

Tom47 Loc: Gettysburg, PA

I do not see the savings buying gray market. I send my camera bodies to Nikon every 2 years for cleaning and firmware up dating.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Moomoo48 wrote:

I'm looking to buy a Nikon D7200 and leaning towards the grey market to save money.
Has anyone had experience with grey market purchases and besides the warrantee issues what are the other cons?

There is no difference on the quality of the product. And it carries a warranty from the country of origin, IE. If it comes from Japan then warranty work is done there and that's where you send it. Down the road if it requires repair most local shops will not have parts as Nikon only sends parts to USA Nikon Authorized repair centers and yous will be turned away. This being said even Nikon USA authorized service centers only stock parts for only so many years. Unlike automobilies camera manufactures are under no obligation to carry parts for outdated models. There may already be limited repair parts for the D800 for example. And my guess is within 5 years Nikon may no longer be able to even repair a D800. They do not now service the original AF 600 f4.

wj cody Loc: springfield illinois

abc1234 wrote:

Check with Nikon. They may no longer sell parts to non-authorized dealers and forbid authorized ones from service gray market. You are better off buying used from a reputable dealer. What you save with gray market may be less if you have a major repair. Think very carefully about this.

excellent response. the few dollars saved are not worth the risk.