Hong Kong dealer - Type of Warranty Offered

[ambientfx]

I have perused eBay from time to time for a used Nikon lens. One can not help but notice the ads by a variety of Hong Kong dealers marketing gray market lenses. Most state that the lens carries a one-year warranty which the dealer will honor through its store.

One dealer's listing states that the lens carries a "Nikon Worldwide Service Warranty." I inquired about this and was told: "this lens comes with 1-year Nikon worldwide service warranty which is applicable at any Nikon authorized service center around the world. " The dealer has a 99.9% eBay rating, but I've never heard of such a warranty.

Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks.

rick

 

[Cameranserai]

All new equipment from any manufacturer has a one year warranty but this normally applies in the country of purchase, not where you are. So if there is a problem you have to return the lens or whatever to an official dealer over there.

That being said, in over 25 years of Nikon ownership, countless bodies and lenses, I have never had a problem. My lenses aren't soft or back focused, my camera bodies function perfectly even after 10 years of hard use, and I have bought a few lenses now from Hugo So at URGalaxy with speedy delivery and perfect service. There are a few others like Chinaart and Digitalrev all with impeccable ratings. I wouldn't worry at all since the savings can be huge.

 

[lanef]

According to what I have read, lenses, flash and film cameras have international warranty, but not digital cameras. For example, if you buy a lens overseas while on holiday, the warranty card must be stamped by the retailer stating the country of origin. It would be helpful, if the ebayer could show a copy of the warranty card to prove that it is valid.

I have perused eBay from time to time for a used Nikon lens. One
can not help but notice the ads by a variety of Hong Kong dealers
marketing gray market lenses. Most state that the lens carries a
one-year warranty which the dealer will honor through its store.

One dealer's listing states that the lens carries a "Nikon
Worldwide Service Warranty." I inquired about this and was told:
"this lens comes with 1-year Nikon worldwide service warranty which
is applicable at any Nikon authorized service center around the
world. " The dealer has a 99.9% eBay rating, but I've never heard
of such a warranty.

Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks.

rick

 

[Dave Chambers]

In my limited experience of buying from HK dealers, the so called 'Nikon Worldwide warranty' actually turns out to be a Mack Warranty. I've never had to resort to using a Mack service centre so I cannot vouch for their reliability in dealing with Nikon equipment.

--
Dave (Sgt. Pepper), Epsom, England.
http://www.pbase.com/davecq

 

[M Lammerse]

I bought several lenses in Japan, with internartional warranty.

I do not need, but it is no problem to hand them at a service centre in Holland, for the first year.

By the way, I believe that Nikon in Europe changed it's country warranty to that of European Union warranty, meaning with this, that you have service everywhere in the EU on Nikon bought anywhere else in the EU for 1 year on all Nikon equipment.

I also bought some small things at Urgalaxy/ebay. No problems and fast shipping.

--
~ Light is eveything ~
Curiosity is the key to creativity - Morita Akio
http://www.fotopropaganda.com

 

[KeithF]

I suggest you call Nikon you local country to find it out.

I called Nikon Canada about the lens from oversea. They said all Nikon lens will have one year international Warranty in the warranty card. If the lens need services in Canada, I only have to provide the international Warranty card. Make sure the grey market Nikon lens has the international warranty card. I know some they don't have the internataional warranty card.

Most of my lens was brought from Hong Kong except the 50 f1.8 and 24-120 vr. I will either get the 17-35 F2.8 or 70-200 VR in April trip back to Hong Kong.

Keith

I have perused eBay from time to time for a used Nikon lens. One
can not help but notice the ads by a variety of Hong Kong dealers
marketing gray market lenses. Most state that the lens carries a
one-year warranty which the dealer will honor through its store.

One dealer's listing states that the lens carries a "Nikon
Worldwide Service Warranty." I inquired about this and was told:
"this lens comes with 1-year Nikon worldwide service warranty which
is applicable at any Nikon authorized service center around the
world. " The dealer has a 99.9% eBay rating, but I've never heard
of such a warranty.

Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks.

rick

 

[ambientfx]

thanks for your responses.

i'm a little confused though about the one-year warranty being valid in the country of origin of the sale. and must be misunderstanding something. i don't believe a nikon factory service center in the us will honor a gray market lens sold in the us, let's say by b+h. rather b+h will service the camera.

seems like an advantage to buy the lens from a hong kong dealer and get a warranty which will be honored by nikon authorized service centers in the us, rather than the us dealer. (at least if you believe what the hong kong dealer says you are getting.)

am i missing something?

 

[jmop]

Digitalrev and others offer a Mack 3 years warranty for relatively small sum of money. Might be good investment for peace of mind.

 

[KeithF]

I spoke to the shop in Hong Kong in 2005 about the Nikon Grey market lens. If I remembered correctly, the shop owner said all the Nikon Grey market required to remove the Warranty card from the box. But Hong Kong Nikon will still services all grey market lens with the services fee.

Sometime the grey market lens in Hong Kong are more expensive then the Nikon Hong Kong Imported lens. My 85 F 1.4 cost me HKD$6600 = USD850, grey market cost HKD6700 at that time.

Here is the market price for Nikon, Canon camera/lens and others.

http://www.ygdragon.net/index.php?page=photo/cameraprice.htm

Why you want to buy lens from Hong Kong rather than in US? The prices are very close. Canada is total different story.

Keith

thanks for your responses.

i'm a little confused though about the one-year warranty being
valid in the country of origin of the sale. and must be
misunderstanding something. i don't believe a nikon factory
service center in the us will honor a gray market lens sold in the
us, let's say by b+h. rather b+h will service the camera.

seems like an advantage to buy the lens from a hong kong dealer and
get a warranty which will be honored by nikon authorized service
centers in the us, rather than the us dealer. (at least if you
believe what the hong kong dealer says you are getting.)

am i missing something?

 

[lanef]

According to Nikon Australia, if the warranty card does not have the Nikon Australia stamp, it is grey import; they will not service it or sell parts (even to an independent repairer) to service the camera during or outside warranty.

Here is the market price for Nikon, Canon camera/lens and others.

http://www.ygdragon.net/index.php?page=photo/cameraprice.htm

Why you want to buy lens from Hong Kong rather than in US? The
prices are very close. Canada is total different story.

Keith

thanks for your responses.

i'm a little confused though about the one-year warranty being
valid in the country of origin of the sale. and must be
misunderstanding something. i don't believe a nikon factory
service center in the us will honor a gray market lens sold in the
us, let's say by b+h. rather b+h will service the camera.

seems like an advantage to buy the lens from a hong kong dealer and
get a warranty which will be honored by nikon authorized service
centers in the us, rather than the us dealer. (at least if you
believe what the hong kong dealer says you are getting.)

am i missing something?

 

[KeithF]

That's why I suggested OP to call their local / Country Nikon office to find out did Nikon honour the one year International Warranty.

Keith

Here is the market price for Nikon, Canon camera/lens and others.

http://www.ygdragon.net/index.php?page=photo/cameraprice.htm

Why you want to buy lens from Hong Kong rather than in US? The
prices are very close. Canada is total different story.

Keith

thanks for your responses.

i'm a little confused though about the one-year warranty being
valid in the country of origin of the sale. and must be
misunderstanding something. i don't believe a nikon factory
service center in the us will honor a gray market lens sold in the
us, let's say by b+h. rather b+h will service the camera.

seems like an advantage to buy the lens from a hong kong dealer and
get a warranty which will be honored by nikon authorized service
centers in the us, rather than the us dealer. (at least if you
believe what the hong kong dealer says you are getting.)

am i missing something?