I have a question about purchasing a lens.......

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"CHRIS"

Senior Member
Hello, I have a rather newbie question....so please bear with me here. I have been on ebay, Amazon, etc. looking for the best deal on the AF-S 55-300mm ED VR DX. I do not know who to trust LOL. Some reviews from the Photo Video 4 Less site, for example, say that some purchasers didn't receive the Nikon warranty card.....or some said the box wasn't Nikon version, etc. I was on the Ritz Camera site and they say their lens' are imports, and they come with a Ritz 1 year warranty? Can someone tell me if these deals are too good to be true, or where I can find the best deal? I would like a "brand new" Nikon lens with warranty. If I were to go to Best Buy or comparable, the lens would be just under $400.........these other sites are anywhere from $250-300, so there is a difference in savings. Thanks so much.

Here's another site that I just came across. Is this the real deal? Keep in mind that I'm not a very avid online purchaser, so I may be missing something quite evident to all of you!
Amazon.com : Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED Vibration Reduction Zoom Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras : Camera Lenses : Camera & Photo
 
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Brett

Senior Member
I only buy from Adorama.com or B&H Photo. You have to be really careful and these two family-owned stores will always offer the best price, are very trustworthy, and offer free returns. I'm glad you're being appropriately wary.
 
C

"CHRIS"

Senior Member
BrettProbert said:
I only buy from Adorama.com or B&H Photo. You have to be really careful and these two family-owned stores will always offer the best price, are very trustworthy, and offer free returns. I'm glad you're being appropriately wary.
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Thank you sir. Being money "challenged" makes me wary of many things:)
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
In the uk you are safe buying gray imports from reputable dealers as when there warranty runs out Nikon uk will repair for a charge,i understand that is not the case in the USA
so my advice is buy he proper imort.
 
C

"CHRIS"

Senior Member
Thanks for the responses. I hadn't really thought about refurbished lens.......but I assume most people have been satisfied with them? Maybe I'll look into it, that darn tax return is burning a hole in my pocket :)
 
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Zeke_M

Senior Member
BrettProbert said:
I only buy from Adorama.com or B&H Photo. You have to be really careful and these two family-owned stores will always offer the best price, are very trustworthy, and offer free returns. I'm glad you're being appropriately wary.
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My 55-300 was a refurbished unit bought from Adorama for $199.
Not a bad lens for $199.
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
When a retailer says the lens, or camera body, is an "Import" it means the lens is grey market. Grey market is perfectly legal and a great way to save a lot of money. But, and this is a big "but" for some -- the reason grey market is so much cheaper, primarily, is because it will not come with a Nikon warranty; any warranty issues will be handled by the seller.

B&H sells grey market and so do many other reputable retailers but Amazon does not. You really kind need to know your pricing but if your lens is, say, $500 on Amazon, and another retailer is selling that same lens for $300, you can pretty much bet the cheaper one is grey market; look at the fine print, there's usually a giveaway buried in the technical specs or elsewhere in the description.
 
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hark

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Horoscope Fish said:
B&H sells grey market and so do many other reputable retailers but Amazon does not. You really kind need to know your pricing but if your lens is, say, $500 on Amazon, and another retailer is selling that same lens for $300, you can pretty much bet the cheaper one is grey market; look at the fine print, there's usually a giveaway buried in the technical specs or elsewhere in the description.
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When I checked the link, the lens is sold by a 3rd party on Amazon. It lists this: Important Warranty Information: All Nikkor autofocus lenses from Nikon Inc. USA include four years of Nikon Extended Service Coverage at no charge. Be sure to look for the Nikon ESC certificate with every Nikkor lens purchase you make.

Further down the page in the description, it gives this link which states a 1-year limited warranty. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71ig7SX6hXS.pdf

Confusing and contradictory for sure. I am not familiar with the seller. Perhaps the OP should contact the seller to find out specifics of the warranty.... :confused:
 
nsomnac

nsomnac

Senior Member
hark said:
When I checked the link, the lens is sold by a 3rd party on Amazon. It lists this: Important Warranty Information: All Nikkor autofocus lenses from Nikon Inc. USA include four years of Nikon Extended Service Coverage at no charge. Be sure to look for the Nikon ESC certificate with every Nikkor lens purchase you make.

Further down the page in the description, it gives this link which states a 1-year limited warranty. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71ig7SX6hXS.pdf

Confusing and contradictory for sure. I am not familiar with the seller. Perhaps the OP should contact the seller to find out specifics of the warranty.... :confused:
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Nikon lenses in the US come with a 1 year warranty without registration, and 4 years ECC if you register within 10 days of purchase. I contacted Nikon in January regarding the 10 day rule, and they basically said they don't enforce it, just be sure to register the lens with the warranty.


Jim
 
C

"CHRIS"

Senior Member
I appreciate all the responses! It has given me food for thought............but it is still a bit confusing. The link I provided sure makes it even more muddy, as hark had alluded to. I will just have to weigh my options:
1. Grey market/seller warranty
2. refurbished lens
3. Best Buy/finance the lens/Nikon warranty
4. win the office March Madness pool.........and get two lens!!
I am liking the fourth option best:)
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
hark said:
When I checked the link, the lens is sold by a 3rd party on Amazon. It lists this: Important Warranty Information: All Nikkor autofocus lenses from Nikon Inc. USA include four years of Nikon Extended Service Coverage at no charge. Be sure to look for the Nikon ESC certificate with every Nikkor lens purchase you make.

Further down the page in the description, it gives this link which states a 1-year limited warranty. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71ig7SX6hXS.pdf

Confusing and contradictory for sure. I am not familiar with the seller. Perhaps the OP should contact the seller to find out specifics of the warranty.... :confused:
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$400 is the going rate for that particular lens. That tells me it's a Nikon USA product.

There are other places online selling that exact same lens for $150 and THOSE... are grey market.
 
S

singlerosa_RIP

Senior Member
3. Best Buy/finance the lens/Nikon warranty
[/QUOTE]

I thought you had a tax return burning a hole in your pocket. :) Btw, Nikon refurb takes Paypal credit, which is 6 months no interest. As for grey market, not only do you get no Nikon warranty, you get no Nikon service EVER in the US.
 
C

"CHRIS"

Senior Member
singlerosa said:
3. Best Buy/finance the lens/Nikon warranty
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I thought you had a tax return burning a hole in your pocket. :) Btw, Nikon refurb takes Paypal credit, which is 6 months no interest. As for grey market, not only do you get no Nikon warranty, you get no Nikon service EVER in the US.[/QUOTE]

LOL, unfortunately there are a few holes in that darn pocket:) Thank you for the information.......grey market probably just got bumped off the list then.
 
W

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
"CHRIS" said:
Thanks for the responses. I hadn't really thought about refurbished lens.......but I assume most people have been satisfied with them? Maybe I'll look into it, that darn tax return is burning a hole in my pocket :)
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I've purchased a few Nikon USA referred items, and while most have been good buys, I won't likely buy refurbed again.

WM
 
W

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
singlerosa said:
Why not? Something break after 90 days?
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I got a D7100 that had some focusing issues, and by my own fault, didn't figure it out until after the 90 days was up. I hardly got to get the camera out to use it before it was out of warranty, so it is my fault that it wasn't found and remedied...:( But, still...


WM
 
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