Gray Market Lenses?

[dmw16]

What does it mean when a retailer calls a market gray lens? I was looking on Adorama and they have a lot of lenses that come in both retail and gray market. If I go with gray market, what am I giving up? Is it just a shorter (or lack of) warranty or are there other quality sacrifices?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Basically:

The path a "normal" lens travels: Japanese Manufacturer -> Manufacturer's Branch in the US -> Retailer -> Consumer
Grey Market Lens: Japanese Manufacturer -> Retailer -> Consumer

Quality is the same. They all come from the same manufacturing plant.
Warranty is iffy. If you buy grey market you MIGHT be able to send it into Canon USA or Nikon USA or whatever and have it fixed. Word on the street is that Canon USA will fix grey market stuff because they don't want to alienate customers by turning them away. You may also be able to get a warranty that is the same as the manufacturer's directly from the retailer you bought it from. If it breaks, you send it back to the retailer.

 

[dmw16]

Thanks. On the 50mm lens I am looking at the the price difference is only $10, but on the 18-55 it is $40 which is a lot more substantial.

 

[996GT2]

Are you talking about the 18-55mm VR?

If so, you can find those brand new (non gray market) on eBay for <$120 shipped to you.

The ones on eBay are usually brand new lenses taken out of D60 kits, since not many people by the 18-55mm VR by itself.

 

[ElFenix]

gray market means it was imported from another country against the manufacturer's wishes. usually imported from somewhere cheaper. sometimes the goods are not the same quality, sometimes the goods, despite the same brand, are not the same at all. for example, energizer may sell crappier batteries elsewhere for cheaper. they don't want the batteries coming here and ruining their good brand name.

 

[dmw16]

Best I've seen so far is about $135, but I will keep searching.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
gray market means it was imported from another country against the manufacturer's wishes. usually imported from somewhere cheaper. sometimes the goods are not the same quality, sometimes the goods, despite the same brand, are not the same at all. for example, energizer may sell crappier batteries elsewhere for cheaper. they don't want the batteries coming here and ruining their good brand name.

While this may be true with grey market in general, I don't believe the quality issues are the same for camera lenses.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
While this may be true with grey market in general, I don't believe the quality issues are the same for camera lenses.

probably not. the difference with those is mostly warranty.

 

[corkyg]

That is true about warranty matters. In some rare gray market cases, it can be trouble if you leave the country and bring it back in and it doesn't have a customs sticker on it.

Over many years, I have never had to use a warranty on a lens of any kind.

 

[ivan2]

also depends on where you are buying from, in HK, it could mean smuggled.