Mamiya Grey Market question.

[Screwdriver]

I understand that Mamiya would not honor a grey market camera/lens within a warranty period, but are they like Nikon, who will not touch a grey market item no matter how much money you are willing to pay?

I bought a RB67 kit out of Hong Kong and am curious if I need service, can I go through Mamiya USA, or do I have to stick with indy repair shops? I am just wondering what my options are....

Thanks for any replies.

 

[ic-racer]

e-mail Mamiya customer service and see what they say....

http://www.mamiya.com/pages/default.asp?ID=305

 

[Screwdriver]

e-mail Mamiya customer service and see what they say....

http://www.mamiya.com/pages/default.asp?ID=305

Awesome, without an email link, it's kinda useless.

Maybe I missed it, but did not see a contact email there.....which is why I started this thread.

 

[tgphoto]

http://www.mamiya.com/customer-service-contact-mamiya.html

 

[DanielStone]

"Where to send repairs
Mamiya Medium Format camera, lens, and accessory repairs may be sent directly to our national service headquarters: Mamiya America Corporation, 8 Westchester Plaza, Elmsford, NY 10523. Phone: 914-347-3300 , Fax: 800-321-2205"

from Mamiya.com

just call them, and they should be able to answer your queries over the phone. They've been extremely helpful when I had questions on my RZ.

Most repair shops don't really care, since the parts are the same as US sold RB's, and its money in the bank for them. Find a local Mamiya authorized repair shop, and ask them. Don't mention it being grey market though.

-Dan

 

[MattKing]

And you may want to pay attention to this as well:

http://www.mamiya.com/about-us-gray-market-trade-mark-warning.html

Matt

 

[Screwdriver]

"Where to send repairs
Mamiya Medium Format camera, lens, and accessory repairs may be sent directly to our national service headquarters: Mamiya America Corporation, 8 Westchester Plaza, Elmsford, NY 10523. Phone: 914-347-3300 , Fax: 800-321-2205"

from Mamiya.com

just call them, and they should be able to answer your queries over the phone. They've been extremely helpful when I had questions on my RZ.

Most repair shops don't really care, since the parts are the same as US sold RB's, and its money in the bank for them. Find a local Mamiya authorized repair shop, and ask them. Don't mention it being grey market though.

-Dan

But won't they know from the serial? All my Nikon US stuff has a US before the serial.

 

[DanielStone]

my RZ doesn't... I don't think my RB did either, when I had it before trading up to my rz.

never had to get my rb repaired, but I know the guy I bought my RZ from, and he bought it at Samys here in LA.

just call Mamiya, and ask if you can get the number for your local Mamiya-authorized repair house.

-Dan

 

[benjiboy]

Mamiya will keep all the serial numbers of the equipment they have imported on their computer, and they will be checked before undertaking repairs, I used to handle equipment repairs for a group of camera stores before I retired, and like Nikon U.K, Mamiya UK not only wouldn't repair grey imported stuff under warranty, but not even if you paid them.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

And you may want to pay attention to this as well:

http://www.mamiya.com/about-us-gray-market-trade-mark-warning.html

Matt

They are serious, aren't they!

 

[Q.G.]

That is how MAC operates.

MAC is not Mamiya. Have nothing to do with them.
They just managed to register the trademark, making it impossible for even the real Mamiya company to sell anything bearing the name Mamiya in the U.S. So the real Mamiya was forced to deal with MAC, or either forget about the U.S. market, or remove all mention of Mamiya from their products.
MAC's aggressive attitude also extends to private persons using Mamiya gear. If in the U.S., but not bought through them, they're indeed very serious about that and if they had it their way (which they often do) will have you thrown in jail, or at least have your equipment confiscated as contraband and have you pay a fine.

Still an enormous mystery why they could register a trademark in the U.S. that at he time was already in use internationally and in the U.S. ...

 

[Robert Budding]

Precision Camera Works is an excellent repair shop, and they don't ask where you bought your camera.

Dead Link Removed

 

[Seabird]

Excuse my ignorance but where does this leave someone who legitimately purchased their camera while living overseas but relocates to USA to live?

Just curious.

Cheers

Carey Bird

 

[Uncle Goose]

I don't understand this, why wouldn't Mamiya repair a camera when it's still in it's warranty period? It still came from their factory, no? Somebody paid Mamiya to purchase the camera from the factory so why wouldn't they honour this? If I go abroad and I want to purchase a camera there, why would this be a problem?

 

[Q.G.]

Excuse my ignorance but where does this leave someone who legitimately purchased their camera while living overseas but relocates to USA to live?

Up the proverbial stream of smelly effluent in a floating device without any means to propel yourself in any direction.

If it were up to MAC, your legitemately purchased cameras would be confiscated by customs as soon as you tried to enter the U.S.
Perhaps they would allow you to keep it, after removing every bit that said "Mamiya" on it.

 

[Q.G.]

I don't understand this, why wouldn't Mamiya repair a camera when it's still in it's warranty period? It still came from their factory, no?

No.
That's the thing: MAC is not Mamiya, Mamiya is not MAC.

Even Mamiya isn't allowed to handle goods wearing the Mamiya name inside the U.S. without MAC's permission.

It's modern day, state assisted, piracy.

MAC 'owns' other trademarks as well.

 

[DanielStone]

No.
That's the thing: MAC is not Mamiya, Mamiya is not MAC.

Even Mamiya isn't allowed to handle goods wearing the Mamiya name inside the U.S. without MAC's permission.

It's modern day, state assisted, piracy.

MAC 'owns' other trademarks as well.

ya, like sekonic and profoto. thieves if you ask me..... at least that's who's in the MAC student magazines lately.

-Dan

 

[Katier]

So sounds like the exported Mamiya would possibly be ok - repair wise, as in Australia ( I assume ) it's Mamiya who you deal with not MAC.

 

[benjiboy]

I just rang the U.K Mamiya importers J.P. Distribution to get it "straight from the horses mouth" ,they said that they would repair equipment purchased abroad at the normal cost, but foreign warranties were not valid and were chargeable, they also said without me asking them that in the U.S. this isn't the case, and that MAC wouldn't touch Mamiya equipment bought abroad.

 

[Ian Grant]

Other manufacturers used to sell cameras with International warranties.

Grey imports usually worked the other way around as US camera prices were always far lower than most of the rest of the World, particularly the UK and Europe and Japan's home market prices were amongst the highest, only Hong Kong annd Singapore were generally lower.

Such a purile policy by MAC discriminates against legitimate overseas purchases, many people live & work abroad for spells, it also discriminates against overseas professionals on assignment in ythe US needing equipment repaired. It probably also infringes International Free Trade agreements.

Ian

 

[Steve Goldstein]

I recently contacted MAC about some minor repairs for a Mamiya 7 body I'd acquired. The seller was not the original owner, so neither of us had any idea whether it was of US or gray-market provenance.

MAC's email reply, which I regret I didn't save, was something to the effect that "The M7 is so far out of warranty that it doesn't matter, send it in." I did, and they did the repairs (along with installing the M7-II viewfinder upgrade that I strongly recommend, only $50 if they've already got the camera open, otherwise $75).

I don't know if this is standard policy or a softening of MAC's attitude in a bad economy, but second the recommendation that you contact them by email or telephone.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I recently contacted MAC about some minor repairs for a Mamiya 7 body I'd acquired. The seller was not the original owner, so neither of us had any idea whether it was of US or gray-market provenance.

MAC's email reply, which I regret I didn't save, was something to the effect that "The M7 is so far out of warranty that it doesn't matter, send it in." I did, and they did the repairs (along with installing the M7-II viewfinder upgrade that I strongly recommend, only $50 if they've already got the camera open, otherwise $75).

I don't know if this is standard policy or a softening of MAC's attitude in a bad economy, but second the recommendation that you contact them by email or telephone.

That doesn't sound too bad. Quite reasonable actually.

 

[lilmsmaggie]

That is how MAC operates.

MAC is not Mamiya. Have nothing to do with them.
They just managed to register the trademark, making it impossible for even the real Mamiya company to sell anything bearing the name Mamiya in the U.S. So the real Mamiya was forced to deal with MAC, or either forget about the U.S. market, or remove all mention of Mamiya from their products.

I was under the impression that MAC Group stands for Mamyia America Corportion. In 2004 all they did was name change their name.

SHIPPER:

MAMIYA-OP CO., LTD.
10-13-1, NISHIBORI, SAITAMA SAITAMA 3388501 JP

CONSIGNEE:

MAMIYA AMERICA CORPORATION.
ELEMSFORD CORPORATE PARK, 8 WESTCHESTER PLAZA, ELEMSFORD NEW YORK NY 10523 US

 

[Screwdriver]

Well after doing many searches I am finding examples where people got their grey market equipment repaired by MAC. MAC would not honor the warranty and charged their standard rate. Plus if buying on the used market, and Mamiya not using a "US" in front of the serial as does Nikon, how would one safely buy a camera that was not gray market these days?

See I bought a gray market RB67 new in box and am looking at it as a mint used RB67 out of warranty and just wanted to know all my option. On a positive not, the seller said he could handle the repairs if needed up to one year from purchase. I would just have to pay the shipping to HK and he would pay the return. Also with all the independent repair facilities in the US, I don't think I will ever have an issue getting something repaired.

 

[lilmsmaggie]

Thinking about this a little more, it occurred to me that MAC Group was founded as the marketing, distribution and sales arm here in the U.S. for Mamiya products. True, they are not Mamiya, So I think Q.G.'s comment about not allowing even Mamiya to sell products here in the U.S. is a little misleading.

Mamiya is the manufacturer. It controls the product and owns the patents. Without the manufacturer, the distributor does not exist. MAC Group is essentially controls the distribution chain and determines which retailers/resellers can be deemed "authorized" sellers of the products it imports and distributes. There is nothing unusual, or unseemly about that arrangement. MAC Group is protecting you from Grey market imports/importers that neither they (MAC Group) or the manufacturer (Mamiya) have a legal business relationship with.

People who purchase products from authorized retailers and/or resellers overseas, have similar protection. You just need to make sure you're dealing with a reputable business either here or abroad. Caveat emptor!