Used equipment.

If a guy is selling a used camera body and says it has been barely used. How do you know it isnt a grey market camera? It seems that you can make some cash by buying grey market and reselling it as used. Is there any proof that can be given other than the warranty card?
Example:
50D body new : $1099
50D body used : $999
50D grey market :$899-920

I can be totally wrong on this, please correct me if so.

The only difference between a US camera and a gray market camera is the warranty. Since Canon warranties don't transfer to a second owner, you won't have a warranty anyway. Unless you lie to Canon repair...

-js

number six wrote in post #8093676
The only difference between a US camera and a gray market camera is the warranty. Since Canon warranties don't transfer to a second owner, you won't have a warranty anyway. Unless you lie to Canon repair...

-js

What he said. There's no disadvantage to buying a used grey market Canon.

Pmolan wrote in post #8093664
If a guy is selling a used camera body and says it has been barely used. How do you know it isnt a grey market camera? It seems that you can make some cash by buying grey market and reselling it as used. Is there any proof that can be given other than the warranty card?
Example:
50D body new : $1099
50D body used : $999
50D grey market :$899-920

I can be totally wrong on this, please correct me if so.

So if this were the case you would end buying a new camera at a used price, and what is the problem with that?

As mentioned buying used means no warranty regardless of the period left on the original warranty. As many have found Canon often "knows" who bought a body and when. My favorite brick and mortar store completes a dealer sales warranty form on every Canon (or Nikon) body they sell. Means I don't have to worry about it except registering the new stuff with CPS.

I certainly wouldn't consider $100 on a 1099 item to be worth the worry and loss of warranty; though it would admittedly add up to more with sales tax in most places. I'm a lot more comfortable with a mildly discounted used lens than a used body.

Warranty cards don't matter anyway. Canon wants to see the receipt. That tells them when the camera was purchased and whether it is within the warranty period and whether it was bought from an authorised dealer. For the most part they will honor someone other than the name on the receipt sending a camera in for warranty work. If they didn't, then it would be impossible to gift someone a Canon product and expect warranty work.

Someone once told me that grey market also meant that it contains parts form another country that Canon doesnt normally use. Thant is what I was mainly afraid of.

EDIT..

Bohdank. Are you going to be shooting the balloon festival in St. Jean sur Richelieu in August?

Pmolan wrote in post #8095569
Someone once told me that grey market also meant that it contains parts form another country that Canon doesnt normally use. Thant is what I was mainly afraid of.

Surely that doesn't make sense. If its a Canon built product they will have used parts sourced by Canon, so where is the problem?

Pmolan wrote in post #8095569
Someone once told me that grey market also meant that it contains parts form another country that Canon doesnt normally use. Thant is what I was mainly afraid of.

Sounds like BS to me.

Daz3210 wrote in post #8095592
Surely that doesn't make sense. If its a Canon built product they will have used parts sourced by Canon, so where is the problem?

Hey man, I dont work there. Thats why Im asking.

Im sure Canon doesnt have one plant that they use. Im also sure that if plants are in other countries they have different sources for parts. I wasnt sure if Canon cameras made in China and cameras made in Malasyia have the same production standards. I dont know where the plants are, I just made those up.

Pmolan wrote in post #8095569
Someone once told me that grey market also meant that it contains parts form another country that Canon doesnt normally use. Thant is what I was mainly afraid of.

EDIT..

Bohdank. Are you going to be shooting the balloon festival in St. Jean sur Richelieu in August?

Don't know. To early to say.

Pmolan wrote in post #8095849
Hey man, I dont work there. Thats why Im asking.

Im sure Canon doesnt have one plant that they use. Im also sure that if plants are in other countries they have different sources for parts. I wasnt sure if Canon cameras made in China and cameras made in Malasyia have the same production standards. I dont know where the plants are, I just made those up.

I wouldn't think that quality control will change from factory to factory or country to country. Canon is Canon.

Yes parts will possibly come from different sources, but they will all be to the same specification I would think, and hence will be essentially the same quality.

When I called canon professional services to check on a serial number from a lens I was about to buy, they told me they could tell me nothing based on the serial number of the lens (they did have information they could access, but they are not authorized to give it out). Also I think it was discussed before, but there's pretty much no way to make a "fake" Canon camera or lens.

This is somewhat off the topic of "gray" and refurbished items but I enjoy repeating it because I think it is important. The one major thing I would check before you purchase anything is if the item has been stolen in or not; in the off-chance that it was AND the person took the time to register it as such, you could check the registries by:

1. Google the serial number (someone may have posted it in a forum such as POTN or FM as stolen, like I did when my 70-200 2.8 L IS was stolen.

2. Check Photo.net stolen camera registry.

3. Check this stolen camera registryat http://www.registeryou​rcamera.com/).

Pmolan wrote in post #8095569
Someone once told me that grey market also meant that it contains parts form another country that Canon doesnt normally use. Thant is what I was mainly afraid of.

That would imply that Canon is making and distributing for the gray market which seems unlikely. Unless you're actually talking about Canon clones which from a technological perspective just seems impossible. Gray market technology goods are just normal goods that got outside of the authorized distribution network somehow.

Here's what B&H says about gray market items:

"About USA and GREY MARKET (DIRECT IMPORT) Products

Items marked "USA" are imported and/or distributed by the manufacturer or the manufacturer's official licensed importer/distributor and are warranted by them. Items marked "IMP" are imported and/or distributed by other entities and are warranted by B&H Photo-Video. "IMP" products do not qualify for manufacturer's rebate programs. There is no difference in the item itself.

Click here for additional information."