LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

The last time I checked there was little or no US import duty on cameras and lenses.
Here is the US Tariff list:
http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/bychapter/index.htm
If you are interested, you can wade through it. Gives me a headache!
Out of curiosity I just used a tariff calculator to see what the duty was on the 5D MkIV I just bought. It showed $0.
Not surprising. Tariffs are generally for the purpose of protecting a country's own industries. Since we no longer have a camera industry.....

blackest Loc: Ireland

Sometimes it comes down to a question of age with used stuff anyway, models get discontinued and spares are not made to sit on a shelf once a model gets discontinued it doesn't matter what market it was intended for when it breaks its broke. Unless someone can salvage from another broke version of the model.

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

When I got my a6300, my friend was heading to Japan for a visit. I was tempted to have her get the SEL18200 that I wanted. The price difference would have been about $150-175. But I finally decided that the peace of mind issue trumped. If the price difference would have been 50% or $400, I might have done it.

BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

I looked into buying a used a-77 from KEH as the price was very low. Turned out to be grey market and the only language available for menues and settings was Japanese. Deal breaker for me as I wouldn't ever have been able to use it.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

If the only issue was honoring the US warranty, then it would be a case of evaluating the tradeoff between the lower acquisition cost and the value of the warranty. But, some camera manufacturers won't repair a grey market camera even if you're willing to pay them to do it.

MW

The less expensive an item is, the more comfortable I am with grey market. Kit lens or basic 50mm f/1.8 YES. Top end body or constant aperture zoom. NO.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Pleased be advised that paperweight is worth something. It can be sold as an inoperable lens on EBay. You're not going to get anything close to used value though.

The Watcher

What B&H says about the grey market item they sell.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/HelpCenter/USGrey.jsp

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

True. Grey market though B&H and Adorama is an option and worth considering. The issue there is that if you purchase a grey market through EITHER ONE of those retailers, then it HAS to be returned to them and them ONLY for repair. They will NOT repair a grey market item from anyone or anywhere else. B&H will NOT repair grey market from Adorama and Adorama will not repair from B&H. If you purchase a Nikon (and I assume Canon) normal retail, then it can be sent in to Nikon USA or ANY Nikon authorized repair facility in the world for authorized warranty repair and also for repair after the warranty period. With Grey Market from Adorama or B&H you MUST return it to the place where you purchased it (either Adorama or B&H) regardless of where you are in the world when and if the item fails. They are an option and If I lived in NY and only shot photos in New York or in the New England area, then I would seriously consider them. Living in Florida and traveling the US and several places over seas (and sometimes taking cruises), I want to be able to take or send my camera to any Nikon repair facility anywhere in the world. Saving a couple of hundred dollars on the initial sale isn't worth the cost down the line.

dhowland

I took the risk of buying grey via Amazon for my daughter's first camera. I wanted to get her a mirrorless rather than a budget DSLR. It's been fantastic, but we've been lucky in that the camera has performed wonderfully and never needed repair. It's now past it's warranty phase anyway. For that, considering she loves the machine and takes great photos with it (thanks to her eye), it feels like a genius move because it was a great camera at a massive discount untouched by the likes of Black Friday sales, though it could have been an expensive gamble if it hadn't worked.

wotsmith Loc: Nashville TN

I have bought Canon lenses as grey market items from Adorama. They were well identified as grey market items and I saved over 10% on a 300mm F2.8 prime lens. I believe that Canon will repair grey market items, but that Nikon will not according to what I have read. I am not interested in buying a grey market body, but I have never heard of anyone needing warrantee work on a lens, so why not save more than $500? So I have had good luck with grey market items.
Bill