Grey v. USA - what does it matter if warranty expired?

[shawn_rahman]

I have an approx. three-year old FM3A that I am now selling. I bought it grey

market, and it seems buyers are very interested in whether it is grey v. USA.

 

I am wondering about what difference it makes, as a USA warranty, had their been

one, would expired by now anyway?

 

Is it just a matter of whether Nikon USA will repair it or not? For a nearly

all-mechanical camera like the FM3A, I suppose any reputable place could repair

it if it needed.

 

Does grey v. USA matter for any other reason?

 

Thanks.

[Jerry_]

If Nikon USA determines the FM3A is grey market, the next owner cannot pay Nikon USA to fix it (or adjust it.)

 

 

 

But any camera repair center should be able to work on the FM3A body.

[ShunCheung]

After the original warranty expires, if the camera needs repair, obviously you need to pay for it. The difference is that if the camera is gray, Nikon USA will not repair it even though you are willing to pay. That is how they attempt to discourage people from buying gray.

 

However, for something like an FM3a, it should be very easy to find alternative repair shops. For example, Authorized Photo Service in Chicago is highly recommended by a lot of people in this forum. See this thread for more details:

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BxJs

[StuartMoxham]

Thats a real shame for the people who move to live in another country or who bought cameras while living or working abroad.

[ShunCheung]

Stuart, if you had lived in another country, bought a Nikon camera there and then moved (back) to the US, then by definition, your camera is not gray and Nikon USA would repair it.

 

A gray-market camera is one that you purchase new in a country but it is imported via an alternative channel rather than the official importer, such as Nikon USA in the US. Since you are denying the official importer's profit, it is very much in their interest to discourage people from buying such products.

[StuartMoxham]

Thanks Shun thats useful info for people working abroad and considering a purchase. I would have assumed that they just refuse to repair anything without a US serial number.