Nikon F5 Non US Model

[jamie_perth]

Hello all,

I'm considering buying a second hand Nikon F5 which is a non US

model. Is there any difference between the US & non US model?

Esp considering that I live in Australia anyway...

[mark_scheuern]

None other than the warranty.

[joseph_mcdonald]

Check with Nikon Australia to see if they will service or repair it. Here in the U.S., if you approach Nikon for service with a grey market anything, all they will do for you is show you the way out.

 

Search the archives. This subject has been beaten to death.

 

Joe McDonald

[photojim]

Bear in mind that a non-US model in Australia probably is a domestic model and the US model could be grey-market. :)

 

My F90 is an *F*90 because I'm not in the US. I bought it from a Nikon Canada dealer and got all the Nikon Canada paperwork. It isn't grey-market because of this.

[alex_lofquist]

You should have no problem with a "non-US" model. It should have an International Warrenty. Besides, even the US warrenty is only valid to the original purchaser! I have never had problems getting service in Chicago, in spite of the nay-sayers. You pay your money and they fix it!

[constance_cook]

Alex is right, and although we use two different repair shops in the same very close area, both are excellent, fast and most of the time, considerably cheaper than sending things off to Nikon.

 

Alex and I have many times contributed information about grey market repair at these facilities. Neither of us is associated with the stores but the problem of grey market repair comes up regularly and although Shun has also posted these two locations, the problem of repair persists. It really isn't a problem! You just have to know there are available repair facilities.

 

Since you're in Australia, you're free from the tyranny of Nikon USA.

 

Conni

[gary_woodard]

I've never really got a handle on how a Nikon camera, be it a F5 or F100

or whatever, can be manufactured in the same factory, and one can become

evil, (Gray Market) and will not be serviced by Nikon, why do they make

products they won't service, what am I missing here?

[paul_neuthaler]

Nikon is the greatest, but they're not the brightest!

[ilkka_nissila]

The reason is that a part of the cost of servicing the item and providing the necessary equipment is paid for in the price of the lens when it is imported by an official Nikon importer. A gray market lens just means that Nikon doesn't get the money it has budgeted to provide local service for the item. Now, why do they not service it for money? Because the repair bills are not enough to cover the costs of providing the service and the availability of parts.

 

Similarly, I expect that Nikon Australia would be more hostile to a US-marked item than others. Keep your warranty and payment slips. Even Nikon USA has to service items bought overseas as long as the original documents showing where it was bought and the international warranty is given. This doesn't apply to digital products which only have local service and warranties.