Imported Nikons.. a lesson learnt.

[Watoh]

Well I did a foolish thing it would seem. In my ignorance in purchased my D600 from Hong Kong having no prior knowledge of the consequences of my actions. I purchased from DigitialRev (whom i can't fault). The mistake was my own.

I simply sort the lowest price for my camera having no knowledge of the 'grey market'. At the time it saved my £300, but i have since learnt that i am not covered by a Nikon warranty as it is not worldwide as i had assumed. That is not the worst of it...

Nikon were giving a £150 cash back deal that i thought i was eligible for, I have since learnt i am not. Worse still the price of the D600 fell to the same price as DigitialRev on Amazon UK 2 weeks after i purchased it. So in fact it cost me £150 extra and i don't have a Nikon warranty. (which i could have extended for free for 2 years)

DigitialRev's warranty is not bad, but only one year, they will allow you to get repairs done locally at a Nikon approved repair centre, but not Nikon themselves, for which they will refund your costs. You can also send it back to them in HK. To be honest, they have been very prompt and helpful in communications with me.

This arose over dust/oil issues on my sensor. Luckily for me a basic home clean with a blower has moved 90% of the dust from my sensor. I just hope & pray i have a new series D600 that does not have the defect.

I just wanted to share this tale for any other cheap ignorant fools around like me!

 

[Lurch]

Thats sad to hear mate. But also understandable. Even knowing the risks, I struggled with the opportunity to buy 'grey' for the massive initial savings that can be involved.

 

[BackdoorArts]

Well, at least it seams your D600 is not impacted by the shutter. The good news is that, production defects aside, most cameras make it through the warranty period without ever seeing the inside of a repair shop, so hopefully your lesson learned involves no other tales of woe.

Grey market is a gamble. I'd be far more inclined to save my money via the refurbished route than go grey. Warranty is only 90 days, but it's from Nikon, and companies like Adorama will extend them for a year with their VIP membership.

 

[sam49]

Sorry to here about your problem I almost bought a new lens for my camera, but after reading about grey imports on this forum I realized and bought uk stock.
hope you don't have any problems

Regards Edward

 

[§am]

Watoh - DigitalRev I've read are amazing for their customer service, but yes as you have found, camera bodies they sell you are considered a grey import for purposes of UK/EU warranty.
However, one thing to note is, that Nikkor lenses carry a worldwide warranty, so if you purchase a lens from them you won't (shouldn't) have the same warranty issue

Edward (Sam49) - as I've said above, lenses have a worldwide warranty no matter where you buy from. Don't be put off by imports in that sense, but always check the source. DigitalRev and the like are reliable, but some shady sellers on Fleabay and even Amazon are suspicious!

For both of you, in case you've not seen this site, have a look here to keep an eye on prices for a lot of UK shops that sell camera kit:
Camera Price Comparison From CameraPriceBuster.co.uk

 

[Watoh]

Sam thanks for that info.. that is great to know.. as i did buy 2 Nikkor lens from them too and had assumed the warranty situation on those was the same as the body.

And yes, i can vouch for DigitalRev.. they have been flawless, and if i had read some of the important info regarding warranties from their site i would have known the situation prior to purchase. I only have myself to blame.

One thing that did amuse me... the Commercial Invoice for my camera stated its value as £51..not the £1,300 i actually paid, the cheeky buggers i assumed did that to get around import taxes/duty! I did read on their site that they would pay any duty etc required...but they seem to have a 'novel' approach to that problem.

I have contact them regarding the 'invoice' and they are sending me a more accurate one!

 

[pistnbroke]

Cameras bought within europe carry a european wide warrantee..so if you buy from Germany into the UK no import duty but you must just enquire if its a eurpean warrantee..of course if you buy secondhand you dont know where it came from originally and nikon might refuse to work on it ..

 

[AC016]

Watoh - DigitalRev I've read are amazing for their customer service, but yes as you have found, camera bodies they sell you are considered a grey import for purposes of UK/EU warranty.
However, one thing to note is, that Nikkor lenses carry a worldwide warranty, so if you purchase a lens from them you won't (shouldn't) have the same warranty issue

Edward (Sam49) - as I've said above, lenses have a worldwide warranty no matter where you buy from. Don't be put off by imports in that sense, but always check the source. DigitalRev and the like are reliable, but some shady sellers on Fleabay and even Amazon are suspicious!

For both of you, in case you've not seen this site, have a look here to keep an eye on prices for a lot of UK shops that sell camera kit:
Camera Price Comparison From CameraPriceBuster.co.uk

Just to continue on with what you mentioned about the warranty on lenses, this from the Nikon site:

"The Nikon USA warranty on film cameras, lenses, and speedlights will be honored by Nikon-authorized service centers outside the United States as long as you have the yellow copy of the Nikon USA warranty and your sales receipt from a dealer in the USA. The key to the validity of the warranty is a sales receipt from the country in which you purchased the equipment. If you purchase equipment in another country where the Nikon Worldwide Warranty applies, copies of the sales receipt and this warranty are necessary to obtain warranty service in the USA. Buying the equipment with a Nikon Worldwide Warranty in the United States is not recommended because that warranty is not valid in the USA without a sales receipt from an overseas dealer, and it is not valid outside the USA with a sales receipt from a dealer in the USA.

Please note that the Nikon USA warranty we supply with our sport optics products (binoculars, fieldscopes, spotting scopes, etc.) is valid only in the USA. The same is true of the Nikon Digital Imaging Limited Warranty we supply with digital cameras and film scanners."

Therefore, for the folks in the US, DO NOT buy any lenses that come with a worldwide warranty, it will not be honored in the USA without an official sales receipt from an overseas dealer and it will not be honored outside of the US with a sales receipt from a US dealer. Stick with the regular warranty. If you are going to travel, perhaps remember to bring along your regular warranty card and sales receipt, for this will be honored outside of the USA.

 

[Brusader]

Just to continue on with what you mentioned about the warranty on lenses, this from the Nikon site:

"The Nikon USA warranty on film cameras, lenses, and speedlights will be honored by Nikon-authorized service centers outside the United States as long as you have the yellow copy of the Nikon USA warranty and your sales receipt from a dealer in the USA. The key to the validity of the warranty is a sales receipt from the country in which you purchased the equipment. If you purchase equipment in another country where the Nikon Worldwide Warranty applies, copies of the sales receipt and this warranty are necessary to obtain warranty service in the USA. Buying the equipment with a Nikon Worldwide Warranty in the United States is not recommended because that warranty is not valid in the USA without a sales receipt from an overseas dealer, and it is not valid outside the USA with a sales receipt from a dealer in the USA.

Please note that the Nikon USA warranty we supply with our sport optics products (binoculars, fieldscopes, spotting scopes, etc.) is valid only in the USA. The same is true of the Nikon Digital Imaging Limited Warranty we supply with digital cameras and film scanners."

Therefore, for the folks in the US, DO NOT buy any lenses that come with a worldwide warranty, it will not be honored in the USA without an official sales receipt from an overseas dealer and it will not be honored outside of the US with a sales receipt from a US dealer. Stick with the regular warranty. If you are going to travel, perhaps remember to bring along your regular warranty card and sales receipt, for this will be honored outside of the USA.

Are you able to post the link to the source? That doesn't make sense. Why have a 'world-wide warranty' if it doesn't cover the US of A, and doesn't cover you outside the US of A if you bought it there?
​

 

[AC016]

Hope you did not think i made it up, lol

USA warranty honored in other countries?

 

[stmv]

I hate the whole warranty system, I have stacks of never mailed in registations.. the hoops of and restrictions..

got to be submitted in one week, master recepit, box coce, blah blah blah

it should be automatic with your credit card purchse, and point of sale,, this is the COMPUTER AGE!

PAPERLESS. and should be transferable, it is a simple as a valid serial number.

 

[sam49]

I hate the whole warranty system, I have stacks of never mailed in registations.. the hoops of and restrictions..

got to be submitted in one week, master recepit, box coce, blah blah blah

it should be automatic with your credit card purchse, and point of sale,, this is the COMPUTER AGE!

PAPERLESS. and should be transferable, it is a simple as a valid serial number.

I agree with you with the technology we have now this should be simple

 

[§am]

The wording makes it very confusing, but when you read it carefully then it does make sense.
The US warranty states:
"The Nikon USA warranty on film cameras, lenses, and speedlights will be honored by Nikon-authorized service centers outside the United States as long as you have the yellow copy of the Nikon USA warranty and your sales receipt from a dealer in the USA"
Pretty simple to understand

"If you purchase equipment in another country where the Nikon Worldwide Warranty applies, copies of the sales receipt and this warranty are necessary to obtain warranty service in the USA"
OK, this is a variation away from the US warranty!
This basically says if you buy from outside the US (Worldwide) then sales receipt and warranty info is all you need to get repairs in the USA

"Buying the equipment with a Nikon Worldwide Warranty in the United States is not recommended because that warranty is not valid in the USA without a sales receipt from an overseas dealer..."
This is because US Nikon warranties are different to Worldwide warranties, therefore to get a US repair, the warranty AND receipt has to be from outside the US

"...and it is not valid outside the USA with a sales receipt from a dealer in the USA."
This is because worldwide warranties are not allowed to be sold within the US!!

So - easy to understand, but confusing as 'eck when read in one paragraph like Nikon have written it!!