buying from adorama

So I'm picking up a nifty fifty and in adorama there's 3 options,

First is "grey market" which is an imported lens without USA warranty but with 1 year warranty from them.

Next up with "white box" which is the same price but comes with a canon warranty. Does white box means it's for a consumer so there's no need to have advertising on the box for retail?

It's 20 bucks cheaper and comes with the same amount warranty as the regular one.

White box can mean that it was pulled from a kit, it was purchased from a 3rd party or the original packaging was damaged but more importantly, it is still covered by the manufacturer's warranty.

Go for the white box unless you want to have the original box.

Thanks

If you are considering a cheapy lens like the nifty-fifty I would look in our "sell forum" or Craigslist and buy a used one, they are usually less than $90 and $80 is not uncommon, there is always a good deal and one in mint condition from someone.

I just bought two used lenses from two forum members, Sigma 30mm f/1.4 and Canon EF 85mm f/1.8. The Sigma 30mm will be a better lens (clarity, quality, bokeh) than the nifty-fifty and the focal range more useful since you are planning on using it on a cropped body like mine - T2i

See here cropped 50mm image
https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1201723

These will compliment my zooms (plus better low light and extra more bokeh) ,Canon EF USM 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 and newly purchased Canon EF-S IS 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6

White box to me from them means refurbished. The warranty is most likely through them. Not sure the pricing but if shipping is free and its $100 or less, then I'd buy it. I won't buy the gray market becaus they weren't meant fr sale in the US. I don't want to have warranty problems down the road, or even repair issues.

As to buying here, it can be an option. Many people here offer good deals on lenses, however I have found far too many want far too much for a lens. In some (many, actually) cases, the pricing for a used lens, after shipping, would be so close to new price you won't even save 10% and you wouldn't have a warranty. -As an example, a new 50mm 1.4 goes for $369 to your door and I normally see people here wanting $340 plus for a used lens without a hood or anything else, and they may want shipping or fees on top of that price.

For example, on Amazon the lens new is $110 shipped. Used ones start at $100 shipped, so why buy used when you don't get any type of warranty? In fact, after looking at the Adorama site, I'd just buy from Amazon, though you may wait a day or two extra for shipping.

*edit... I should note that I bought my T3i kit through Adorama a couple months back as a Canon refurb unit. Cam with a 1 year warranty and everything in the box. Was $600 vs $750 new and when I came here, I found people were asking over $600 for their T3i kits, or close to $600 for the body only. I wouldn't hesitate to do business with them again, and most likely will.

White box can mean different things. I got a white box 24-105L from them and it is the same lens you would get when you order a USA version, new with warranty. In some cases, white box items are pulled from kits, like the 5DII or 5DII kits. This can also happen with the 18-55IS or the 18-135IS, since a number of bodies are bundled with these lenses.
White box could mean a demo model or a return. I am not sure about this for the 50f1.8.
I have gotten white box lenses before, including the 18-55IS. They have been fine.
Grey market means that the warranty is from Adorama, not Canon. I doubt that there would be a problem getting it fixed in the future, after the warranty expires. On the other hand, I wouldn't worry about a repair for the 50f1.8, since it would cost more than the lens.

ejhc11 wrote in post #14652210
If you are considering a cheapy lens like the nifty-fifty I would look in our "sell forum" or Craigslist and buy a used one, they are usually less than $90 and $80 is not uncommon, there is always a good deal and one in mint condition from someone.

yeah I looked into that and couldn't find one for lower than $90 so I'd rather just get spend $10 more and get it new from someone who will give me a warranty rather than to buy one used w/o warranty . I actually wanted to buy it from newegg since I love their service but they're currently out of stock.

mikeinctown wrote in post #14652416
White box to me from them means refurbished. The warranty is most likely through them. Not sure the pricing but if shipping is free and its $100 or less, then I'd buy it. I won't buy the gray market becaus they weren't meant fr sale in the US. I don't want to have warranty problems down the road, or even repair issues.

As to buying here, it can be an option. Many people here offer good deals on lenses, however I have found far too many want far too much for a lens. In some (many, actually) cases, the pricing for a used lens, after shipping, would be so close to new price you won't even save 10% and you wouldn't have a warranty. -As an example, a new 50mm 1.4 goes for $369 to your door and I normally see people here wanting $340 plus for a used lens without a hood or anything else, and they may want shipping or fees on top of that price.

For example, on Amazon the lens new is $110 shipped. Used ones start at $100 shipped, so why buy used when you don't get any type of warranty? In fact, after looking at the Adorama site, I'd just buy from Amazon, though you may wait a day or two extra for shipping.

I was thinking the same thing, people want more for used ones than a new one! I can understand if it's an L glass that's hard to find. But the 1.8 is like the cheapest new lens you can have and people still want retail price for a used lens!

In the ideal world it should be selling for $50-60 once it's used. But I understand that most people treat their lenses far better than say an iPod. So it's not that surprising to see them hold their value.

I wanted to bid on some on ebay but they used units were selling for more than what they cost new! I don't understand why spend more to have used one without warranty.

Just get it from Amazon. $112.79 NEW - $90.00 USED adorama prices are Ludacris.

http://www.amazon.com …r=1-1&keywords=Canon+50mm

You can get a refurb from Canon for $80+tax through Canon Direct. You'll need the coupon code (search the forums).

http://shop.usa.canon.​com …uct_10051_10051​_269494_-1

DJHaze596 wrote in post #14653271
Just get it from Amazon.

Thanks but I don't buy from Amazon, have had horrible service before including them charging me for stuff I never ordered. And that was from their department not one of the sellers on there.

I just called up a local shop and they have one in stock, said they'll beat adoramas price as well

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1201915