Hey all,

As I dive into photography with an open (but thin) wallet, I've stumbled into a conundrum.

Upgrading my camera was the Holiday gift plan. I'm going the d7000 route, and didnt communicate much with the wife about it. I ordered one new w/out warranty (call it gray market, even though the seller offers a warranty) wife ordered one for me as well, new with a warranty.

Two identical cameras, and ones going back. The one with a warranty is $160 more than the one without. Is the year coverage from Nikon worth that?

I've read stories about front/back focusing, and it appears that adjustment/repair can run $250. Hopefully that's the worst of the common issues that need addressing.

Nikon will service the gray market one (as long as I have a receipt) at any time, so it's just a matter of playing the odds with paying, or not, $160 for a years coverage from Nikon.

I'm new to this, and have no feel for the reality and frequency of warranty repairs. Thus, all opinions are valued.

If this has been covered elsewhere, please point me in that direction.

Thanks in advance.

Nikon will NOT service any gray market gear even if you pay them a million bucks. Always buy NikonUSA version since Nikon doesn't sell parts any more.

$160?? Send back the gray.

Welcome to the forums, enjoy your xmas gift.

Thanks for the responses.

mshi wrote:
Nikon will NOT service any gray market gear even if you pay them a million bucks. Always buy NikonUSA version since Nikon doesn't sell parts any more.

That's what I had read elsewhere (re: servicing non-USA warranted models). I called Nikon this evening and was told otherwise. I didn't use the words "gray market" to the rep, but was pretty clear about the lack of known origin of the camera that I bought. Perhaps I needed to explain it differently.

DTOB wrote:
$160?? Send back the gray.

Welcome to the forums, enjoy your xmas gift.

Thank you! Will do.

And thanks to both for the advice.

Sensored wrote:

That's what I had read elsewhere (re: servicing non-USA warranted models). I called Nikon this evening and was told otherwise. I didn't use the words "gray market" to the rep, but was pretty clear about the lack of known origin of the camera that I bought. Perhaps I needed to explain it differently.


Just call them again tomorrow and tell them you have a NikonCanada D7000 bought in the US but it needs to be serviced in NY.

For me, I'd say the warranty cost is well worth the headache saved if something goes wrong.

As with most robust electronics, the camera is most likely to break within the first year, so the warranty covers the most valuable time. Add to this the fact that grey market serviceability is questionable, and I wouldn't hesitate to keep the new one. Even if Nikon tells you, today, that they will absolutely service the camera - what happens if you send it in and they deny your repair? Today's conversation doesn't help.

Additionally, if you bought it with a credit card, many credit cards will double the warranty period for another year.

^ This

in my experience, while i would never buy a 'grey' camera, i don't value the nikon warranty very highly....but only because in all my years of owning nikon gear (d200, d300, d3, d3s, d4 and a ton of glass), i have never needed the warranty. i think my only warranty interaction was thinking i had a defective battery for my d300, but as it turned out i had a later version. no wait, i did have one warranty item, a replacement for a lens case for a 200-400...that was it. i think if these cameras work out of the box, hardly anything ever happens to them. same with canon.

From the Nikon USA web site:
http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/331/kw/gray%20market/session/L3RpbWUvMTM1NDcyMDM2NS9zaWQvSnBvc0ItY2w%3D


Interpret as you will...
(From the above Nikon USA link)

What does owning a "Grey Market" Nikon product mean to you?

Nikon Inc. USA cannot provide any technical support or warranty service on Gray Market items. Additionally Nikon Inc. USA cannot perform any fee-based repair work on Gray Market items. Please do not contact Nikon Inc. USA for help with any Gray Market products. Please contact the reseller or importer of your Gray Market items for warranty and service information as well as software updates and downloads.

Does owning a "Grey Market" Nikon product mean I don't have a warranty?

No! All Nikon products come with a warranty by the manufacturer. The designated Nikon service center will always repair "in warranty" Nikon products and perform "out of warranty" repairs. If you own a Gray Market product it will need to be returned to the reseller or importer for service. Refer to your reseller or to the warranty cards included with the product for service contact information.