Nikon D850 - fake or ????

I have had a D850 for a couple of months and am very happy with its performance sofar. However, the other day when I wanted to register the camera with Nikon, I was told the serial # is invalid!. I therefore contacted a Nikon importer in Europe, who advised me that it was a "gray market" camera, which I know that my D700 also is, and that could be registered without a problem. When I advised the Nikon importer about the D700, he came back and told me, that the camera was most likely then a fake copy.

I have never heard about a Nikon DSLR been fake only some kit lenses years ago.

Somebody have had the same experience??

Well, there is this article: I Bought a Fake Nikon DSLR: My Experience with Gray Market Imports where someone got a Nikon DSLR that had a printed-on serial number that didn't match the "internal serial number" (I assume that's the one that's reported in the EXIF). On your D700, you could check if the serial number on the body matches the one in the EXIF.

I doubt there are any fully functioning fake copies of Nikon DSLRs. I can't imagine it would be cost-effective to copy this type of a product.

I have read about D800 internals in a D800E body and also D4 internals in a D4S body - essentially a body panel swap to make a profit. Allegedly someone swapped a D7100 into a D610 body - that should be an easy fake to detect one would assume.

Not surprised that one cannot register a "gray copy" - the importer/distributor knows which serial numbers went through their channel and inventory.

.....or I guess maybe it's just a 'random' number in the same general format to disguise it's stolen.

Mine starts 5508***..... and was bought grey from E-Infinity.

I'm in the UK....and is now registered with Nikon EU.

The Nikon importer in Europe came back today and “softened” the statement as it would be fake, instead: I am sure it is outside our area of responsibility.

I have four DSLR from D300 to D850 all bought grey market, as there is only one shop selling legal imported Nikon and they charge between USD 600-900 more than the neighbor and the difference is 12 months warranty against 6 months. I have had some minor repairs, and I still to the official Nikon Service Center and pay about 25% of what it cost in other parts of the world.

The serial # on the body of the D850 is the same as in the EXIF, assuming it is a Nikon house I have got – it starts with 2013xxx.

I have registered the other DSLR without any problems – a D7200 for my wife was bought in New York, and the serial # referred to UK!! When I purchased the D700 everything was for South Korea, but I got an English manual the day after. No I am not living in the wild west, but in Asia -J

I thank all of you for the comments, which will likely ease me to fall asleep tonight.

[quote="

I'm in the UK....and is now registered with Nikon EU.

until Halloween -:)

until Halloween

You mean it becomes a Pumpkin? ;)

I'm sure knowing Nikon's prowess with software, there will be a seamless transition of my EU account to Nikon UK....:D

There is no way to fake a camera that you don't know because making a fake camera to perform any where near the original is more expensive than the original. It's possible that your D700 is real but has a fake serial #.

my D700 was just meant for the Korean market and the body # is the same as the # in the EXIF, the same for all the other ones.

I only asked, as I am living in a society, where majority of product are fake including food products!!

my D700 was just meant for the Korean market and the body # is the same as the # in the EXIF, the same for all the other ones.

I only asked, as I am living in a society, where majority of product are fake including food products!!

As I said be it the D850 or D700 it's impossible to fake it to the degree that it actually work reasonable well. A lot of the fake with clothing and hand bags are actually not fake because they were made in the same factory, using the same equipment just not what they are contracted to do. To make a fake D850 one has to make it in the Nikon factory but since Nikon own its own factory in Thailand I don't think it's possible. Unlike shoes like Nike which were produced in factory not owned by Nike (in fact I think the factory that made the Nike shoes in Vietnam is owned by the Korean) so it's possible to have fake made.

my D700 was just meant for the Korean market and the body # is the same as the # in the EXIF, the same for all the other ones.

The only kind of fakery that would make sense for a dSLR would be the sort of thing Dieter mentions - rebadging a closely related older or cheaper model (even then, you could easily spot it by checking the EXIF 'Model' tag). But both the D700 and the D850 are 'one of a kind' models. You could stick a D850 badge on a D810 or something, but it wouldn't pass even a cursory inspection.

As I said be it the D850 or D700 it's impossible to fake it to the degree that it actually work reasonable well. A lot of the fake with clothing and hand bags are actually not fake because they were made in the same factory, using the same equipment just not what they are contracted to do. To make a fake D850 one has to make it in the Nikon factory but since Nikon own its own factory in Thailand I don't think it's possible. Unlike shoes like Nike which were produced in factory not owned by Nike (in fact I think the factory that made the Nike shoes in Vietnam is owned by the Korean) so it's possible to have fake made.

In majority of cases you are right regarding hand bags and clothing (rejected by contractor) and for Nike as you say, however, I have some very detailed information about shoes made at a factory set up to make copy products and then the personal care business, where anyone can produce copy products and sending children out collecting specific empty bottles.

I am a happy man again

There is some EU anti-trust regulation when it comes to companies with "a dominant position" (I don't know whether Nikon counts) when it comes to region restrictions. For example, this states "The EU's general antitrust rules are set out at Articles 101 and 102 TFEU. Article 101(1) prohibits any agreement or concerted practice - formal or informal, written or unwritten - that is made between two or more "undertakings" (independent businesses) that may affect trade between Member States and that has the object or effect of preventing, restricting or distorting competition." [...] "other agreements between businesses that have the object or effect of restricting competition, for example, by including exclusive dealing provisions or territorial restrictions."

I'd understood (from my limited training - this isn't my area) that this effectively meant you couldn't (in the EU) refuse to service a product which came from a retailer in another market, such as a grey import, although I wouldn't necessarily assume that this also applied to warranties. My understanding from discussions on this forum is that Nikon USA have provided a "firm nope" when asked to service items bought outside the USA, although again I could have misunderstood; Nikon UK have, however, serviced a lens I bought in the US, by contrast. I can only imagine that moving country to somewhere with a restriction like this would be a massive pain and reflect badly on the company involved - should I ever move to the US, I'll not be best pleased if any Nikon repairs I have to do involve shipping things back to the UK.

Nikon might get away with the "customers can just buy Canon instead" argument, or there might be small print that would get them out of this, and I'm in no way a lawyer. But I'd kind of expect most moderately large companies to be treading carefully.

Swapping a D7100 into a D610 body is arguably an upgrade... Other than the bodies that are externally almost identical (D800/D800E, D810/D810A, D600/D610, D7100/D7200 maybe, D4/D4s, D300/D300s, D3/D3s) where people might swap a sticker and hope nobody notices, I agree with others that the effort involved in "faking" a body feels like it would vastly outweigh any potential profit. Swapping serial numbers is another matter.

There is some EU anti-trust regulation when it comes to companies with "a dominant position" (I don't know whether Nikon counts) when it comes to region restrictions. For example, this states "The EU's general antitrust rules are set out at Articles 101 and 102 TFEU. Article 101(1) prohibits any agreement or concerted practice - formal or informal, written or unwritten - that is made between two or more "undertakings" (independent businesses) that may affect trade between Member States and that has the object or effect of preventing, restricting or distorting competition." [...] "other agreements between businesses that have the object or effect of restricting competition, for example, by including exclusive dealing provisions or territorial restrictions."

 

I'd understood (from my limited training - this isn't my area) that this effectively meant you couldn't (in the EU) refuse to service a product which came from a retailer in another market, such as a grey import, although I wouldn't necessarily assume that this also applied to warranties. My understanding from discussions on this forum is that Nikon USA have provided a "firm nope" when asked to service items bought outside the USA, although again I could have misunderstood; Nikon UK have, however, serviced a lens I bought in the US, by contrast. I can only imagine that moving country to somewhere with a restriction like this would be a massive pain and reflect badly on the company involved - should I ever move to the US, I'll not be best pleased if any Nikon repairs I have to do involve shipping things back to the UK.

 

Nikon might get away with the "customers can just buy Canon instead" argument, or there might be small print that would get them out of this, and I'm in no way a lawyer. But I'd kind of expect most moderately large companies to be treading carefully.

 

Swapping a D7100 into a D610 body is arguably an upgrade... Other than the bodies that are externally almost identical (D800/D800E, D810/D810A, D600/D610, D7100/D7200 maybe, D4/D4s, D300/D300s, D3/D3s) where people might swap a sticker and hope nobody notices, I agree with others that the effort involved in "faking" a body feels like it would vastly outweigh any potential profit. Swapping serial numbers is another matter.

NIkon USA won't service gray market cameras but I know for sure they will service a camera that I buy from Japan and bring it back to the US. I know because I asked Nikon. They do not consider an item bought overseas from a Nikon authorized dealer as gray market. Now I am not sure how they get the gray market cameras.

The serial # on the body of the D850 is the same as in the EXIF, assuming it is a Nikon house I have got – it starts with 2013xxx.

Nikon cameras with 20xxxxx serial numbers are reserved for the Japanese market. See Nikon Cameras (note this webpage only has serial numbers I have collected so far - I don't get any official data - it won't have the latest production serial numbers, probably is missing some regional series, and may have some errors, but at least it is a useful guide)

The serial number would only be "invalid" in other markets such as USA or Europe in terms of warranty support. The camera itself will be genuine - made in the same factory as all other D850 cameras. I have occasionally come across grey market cameras where the serial number sticker appears to have been replaced with a completely different serial number. I can't see what benefit the grey market seller would get by replacing the sticker, most grey market cameras still have the original serial number.

Given the easy availability of gray market Nikons, I wonder how they get from the factory into the seller's hands.

Seems Nikon could shut this down easily.

Given the easy availability of gray market Nikons, I wonder how they get from the factory into the seller's hands.

Seems Nikon could shut this down easily.

My understanding is that Nikon actively sells to grey market sellers. It helps them to clear out inventory, and the after sale support is cheaper.

My understanding is that Nikon actively sells to grey market sellers. It helps them to clear out inventory, and the after sale support is cheaper.

Surprised their legit importers don't complain. Most mfgrs protect their wholesaler chain.

It's just like watching Crime shows on the TV, just FOLLOW THE MONEY!

Who actually loses out to Grey Imports? I guess most of it is the Duty Imposers with VAT or Export/Import Taxes being evaded/avoided.

IE, I'm not sure Nikon Global actually 'care' about Grey stuff...sure, they deny warranty repairs in Nikon US, but that seems to be pretty States unique due to different consumer laws.