Buying Imported/Grey Market Cameras

[mjames]

Does anyone know anything about purchasing imported or "grey market" cameras? I know that the warranty is void in such a situation, but are there any other downsides?

I found a Nikon FM3A for a kick-ass price at BHPhotoVideo.com. It's only $499, which is several hundred less than at my local camera shop. Has anyone ever used this dealer?

Thanks!

 

[resummerfield]

I've bought a lot from B&H Photo, usually the "grey market" stuff. Never had a problem.

 

[pelerin]

Does anyone know anything about purchasing imported or "grey market" cameras? I know that the warranty is void in such a situation, but are there any other downsides?

I found a Nikon FM3A for a kick-ass price at BHPhotoVideo.com. It's only $499, which is several hundred less than at my local camera shop. Has anyone ever used this dealer?

Thanks!

Hi,
You have already figured out downside # 1, i.e., obtaining warranty service is likely to be impossible. I would send an e-mail to Nikon and ask what would be the cost to repair a defective shutter in a camera that was not sold through official channels (yes, they can tell that it was not a Nikon USA camera) and you will know the exact dollar value of the risk you take in buying the camera.
Celac.

 

[Paul Sorensen]

B&H is very reliable, plus they include some sort of warranty on their imported items. If the difference is significant, I am happy to do it, for many items, the difference is very small any more and the convenience of not having to go through B&H or a third party for warranty service is enough to justify the extra money. You can check with them on the warranty, I feel that they are extremely reliable and if they are warrantying it enough for your satisfaction, trust them and go for it.

Paul.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

B&H will be straightforward about what kind of warrantee you get. See if it has an international warrantee. I'd rather send it to Japan for factory service than to a third-party service center, unless I knew that the third-party service center was really good.

 

[Dave Parker]

Most of the grey stuff B&H sells, has what is called a "Mack" warranty, which normally is pretty good, when I worked in the photo store, we sold alot of grey DSLR cameras, because it was so difficult to get the USA designated cameras, and never had any customers who had any problems getting anything fixed.

Dave