Gray Market?

[earl_damron]

Could someone offer a quick emplanation of a "gray market" lens or camera?

Is there a way to tell, visually or otherwise, if a lens (Canon 16-35 in this case) is gray market?

I've been thinking about getting a lens from HotBuyElectronics.com but they are awful cheap. I'm concerned their products may be gray market (or the company itself may be a little gray).

[ljhrusovsky]

A camera or lens that is imported through normal oem channels will have a US warranty card included. If warranty work is required, you must have that card along with your purchase receipt and warranty service is performed by the manufacturer. A grey market camera/lens will have a so callled international warranty or a warranty given by the selling dealer. Warranty work or support will not be given by Canon on a grey market item. In most cases the product is identical, so if you purchase a grey market item, your hoping the product will not fail during its lifetime. Reputable dealers can sell both grey market and US warranty items and will readily identify them for you. IMO, warranties given by others than Canon are generally not very good or is tough to get service.

Larry

[UK_Terry]

I am not sure how things work in the US but, here in the(rip off) UK your warrenty for the first year is with/from the dealer you bought from. After that extended warrenties are direct return to Canon.

This issue of Gray (US) and Grey(UK) products was discussed in a forum a few months ago.

Canon like Nikon Fuji Kodak Hassleblad etc etc are World Players, they make top quality products, the 16-35 lense could have been made at the same factory as a 16-35 lense for sale in the UK, Australia, or Outer Mongolia. The only difference being Instuction manuals, and even this is being done away with as most manuals in Europe now come approx 2inches thick in many languages, you just look for the few pages in your own language.

I would be more inclined to look at the quality of the dealer, if he is a well respected, long standing dealer with a shop that will still be there next week then i would be grateful of the lower prices offered.

if he is dealing out of the boot (trunk) of a car or just cyber space then Buyer beware.

If you feel like really getting ripped off come over here and pay in £ pounds the same as you pay in $ dollers.
with the excuse of "we charge what the market will take" or "It is a UK spec product" which normally means a different name on it ie EOS 5 against EOS Rebel.

global (gray - grey) trading is now putting an end to the rip off's some of us have had to put up with for years.

[shannon]

With a gray market camera that was imported from overseas but has not been tampered (with the warenty card still in the box) Canon will honor the one year warrenty. As with the usa warrenty you would need to keep a copy of you receit and original warrenty card. YOur limitations with these cameras is were you can have them repaired, you can only use the factory service centers; not local, and you run the risk of having to send it overseas for repair if any of the parts are differnt than the american models (this is exstremely rare). Also with a gray market camera you are not eliable for rebates or exstended warrenties. You will however be able to get free tech support on the OK CANON number. The best way to find out if the dealer is autherised is to call canon presales group, with a zip code and street address they can look up the whole us. For websites look under contact us, if it's not listed you may want to reconsider buying from them. Also just so your not confused, the ef lenses come with an international warrenty but north american cameras come with a us/canada warrenty.

Hope I could be of some help.

Shannon