Lens choice
- Thread starter bikeit
- Start date
RocketCowboy
Senior Member
Looks to be the same lens in both examples, and identical to the one on my D500. Not sure the reason for the price difference between the two sites thought.
Bikerbrent
Senior Member
Do you have gray (or do you spell it grey, over there) market lenses like in the U.S. Here on this side of the pond if you have a gray market lens, it has no warranty and Nikon USA will NOT even service it. If so, this might account for the price difference.
Horoscope Fish
Senior Member
Yes, it's the same lens in both adverts. However, I'll bet you dollars to donuts the lens from eGlobal Central is grey market. Now, I don't see anything wrong with GM kit, I've bought a lot of it over the years and had no problems whatsoever, but that's me and my situation. I just think you should know you're getting a GM lens if indeed it is.
Edit: I've confirmed to my own satisfaction the eGlobal listing IS for a grey market lens. Just so you know what you're getting...
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Yes eGlobal seems to be a grey market supplier, but you can get their 3 year Mack warranty, which if properly configured is much better than Nikon one.
Coverage & Benefits
• Coverage available worldwide
• Covers all parts and labor
• No deductible
• Arrange for service online
• Warranties are fully transferable
• Live chat customer support
• The warranty program is fully insured
• The largest independently owned repair facility
• Knowledgeable and friendly customer service with 24/7 support
• Warranty may be purchased as long as 90 days remains on the original manufacturer's warranty
Coverage & Benefits
• Coverage available worldwide
• Covers all parts and labor
• No deductible
• Arrange for service online
• Warranties are fully transferable
• Live chat customer support
• The warranty program is fully insured
• The largest independently owned repair facility
• Knowledgeable and friendly customer service with 24/7 support
• Warranty may be purchased as long as 90 days remains on the original manufacturer's warranty
Horoscope Fish
Senior Member
It comes with a two-year warranty backed by eGlobal... Not Sigma.
And therein lies the rub with grey market kit: warranty support and, in a broader context, support in general. For example, eGlobal can't repair your lens and Sigma won't. It comes down to whether you trust the vendor to back your product both during and after the warranty period since the warranty is only as good as the company behind it.
Some people find this warranty/repair arrangement acceptable, others do not.
EDIT: Apparently in the UK the standard Sigma warranty is two years, which is extended to three years if you register the lens.
Per Sigma: You’d expect the world’s number one independent lens designer and manufacturer to offer you something extra, and that’s just what we’ve done - extending the traditional one year European Warranty of our world class lenses by two years free of charge, to provide Sigma UK customers with an unrivalled three years of cover in the UK. Before purchasing your Sigma lens, please check with your retailer that the lens has been imported by Sigma Imaging (UK) Ltd. If the lens has not been imported by us, the extended UK warranty will not be available.
And that's where the savings come from when buying grey market kit. It's a bit of gamble, as I see it... You're betting nothing will go wrong with the lens, or if it does, that the vendor will exchange it in a hopefully painless transaction; against paying for a full manufacturers warranty that insures you have repair support for the life of the lens because you're betting something will go wrong with the lens. During the warranty period your repair, most likely will be free. After the warranty period you'll be charged for repairs. With grey market kit Sigma will NOT repair the lens at any time, for any reason, even if you're willing to pay for it.
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Horoscope Fish
Senior Member
I can't speak to other countries but here in the United States the Sigma warranty on new lenses is four-years.