Grey Imports

[evacguy]

What do the Brits in the forum think of purchasing new camera kit that are grey imports? I’m thinking of purchasing a new lens from Cotswolds Camera. It’s a great price (even cheaper than purchasing in the USA), but clearly it’s a grey import, so won’t be covered by manufacturers warranty but will have a store warranty.

Any thoughts or experiences anyone would like to share?

 

[evacguy]

Yes, I've also looked at Panamoz, but it they also deal with grey imports, so same question and concerns really. Also, the lens I'm interested in is about £100 more expensive from Panamoz.

Sony FE 24-70mm F/2.8 GM II Lens​

 

[evacguy]

Check Panamoz. Plenty of customers here: @Angus Cameron @spudhead, @Uncle Kevriano, and even me here in the US.

@DavidN posted he has experience with Cotswolds.

Hi Tim, I did a search on cotswolds camera and didn't come up with anything apart from my post.

 

[DavidN]

I bought my A1 from Cotswold Cameras a couple of months ago. Good price, delivery when they said and cameras works fine. Time will tell if I have problems with it ( hopefully not) . They seem to have some positive reviews but who knows whether to believe them these days. However, the saving £4029 v £5879 list gives some latitude for a repair if the warranty doesn’t work. I’ll just keep my fingers crossed (although it makes it more difficult to press the shutter button!)

 

[evacguy]

I bought my A1 from Cotswold Cameras a couple of months ago. Good price, delivery when they said and cameras works fine. Time will tell if I have problems with it ( hopefully not) . They seem to have some positive reviews but who knows whether to believe them these days. However, the saving £4029 v £5879 list gives some latitude for a repair if the warranty doesn’t work. I’ll just keep my fingers crossed (although it makes it more difficult to press the shutter button!)

Thanks David, I'm also thinking of getting an A1, so will keep them in mind, but I'm waiting to see what the software upgrade is like for the A1 as I'm also thinking about waiting until the M2 comes out, but that could be a long time! I've read so many horror stories about grey imports, especially with cameras, there was one guy who got a second hand camera with 4000 shots clocked up when he ordered and paid for a new camera! My current purchase decision is about a lens, so hopefully not so many issues with that type of purchase, just a little concerned about getting delivery on time, getting new rather than used, and slight concern about warranty issues.

 

[Astacus]

What do the Brits in the forum think of purchasing new camera kit that are grey imports? I’m thinking of purchasing a new lens from Cotswolds Camera. It’s a great price (even cheaper than purchasing in the USA), but clearly it’s a grey import, so won’t be covered by manufacturers warranty but will have a store warranty.

Any thoughts or experiences anyone would like to share?

I've never considered this, though will buy new or used through dealers. Reading about other experience here, I do wonder if this is a future route though. En passant, I would not have like to have my seriously broken 600 f4 repaired if it was a grey import.

But, at the same time, apart from this issue. I have never had to send an item in for checking/reapir/adjustment (apart, if memory serves me well, an A99 and a 100-400 that never seemed sharp enough).

All this being said, when my A7RV comes today, (used) the first thing I shall do is check if it is genuine UK stock.

 

[Angus Cameron]

Panamoz will normally price match Cotswold. I can't comment on Cotswold warranty service should anything go wrong. I was unlucky to get an A1 from Panamoz that had all sound/mic fail. Sent to Sony UK, estimate for repair was £850.00 forwarded to Panamoz and the sent the funds within 2 hours.

 

[Astacus]

So, the s/h A7R5 arrived in the last hour, and look immaculate. All basic functions seem to work.
I registered it on the Sony site, which was accepted - implying not previously registered and also, a UK product.
Any other way I can check this?
R

 

[Angus Cameron]

Hi Robert,

If it accepts the serial number it's not grey.

Angus.

 

[Astacus]

Ahh, THAT's what I was hoping Yay!

 

[Astacus]

Here's a new twist. The ser number on the body and the ser number reported within the software are different! What gives? Any ideas?

 

[Unframed Dave]

Nearly everything of mine is pre owned or grey. My nikon gear previously was the same, it's an expensive hobby to begin with, so I'll take the savings.

In total, that's over a decades worth of purchasing and not a claim made.

The hundred quid difference in the Panamoz price is because of their 3 year warranty. Their delivery is very swift these days as is einfinity. Usually about 7 days.

The 24-70 ii is a great choice BTW. I'm currently in Japan and for this trips itinerary, it's the only lens I've needed so far. It's a little obtrusive for street but still gets the job done.

• ILCE-7CR
• FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II
• 70.0 mm
• ƒ/2.8
• 1/3200 sec
• ISO 100

• ILCE-7CR
• FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II
• 70.0 mm
• ƒ/2.8
• 1/8000 sec
• ISO 400

 

[Angus Cameron]

Here's a new twist. The ser number on the body and the ser number reported within the software are different! What gives? Any ideas?

Hi Robert,

Not sure what is going on there.

If you go to this page https://services.sony.co.uk/supportMVC/en/BookService

Enter your model and serial number as if you are going to book in a repair if its a grey market item it will not recognise the number.

Its the serial number on the camera body you need to enter.

Hope that helps.

Angus.

 

[Sdawes]

Another thumbs up fro Panamoz from , great service , 3yr no quibble warranty . Have bought a few bodies and lenses from them over the years and never had any issues . Would hesitate to buy from them again

 

[Astacus]

Today's update.
So many warning flags: mismatch of serial numbers on body and firmware, lack of serial numbers on box, a non-Sony UK 3pin to mini 8 power lead, lack of CE markings on camera... all of which imply not just a grey import but something fishy going on with the bottom plate.

MPB< to their credit, were very taken aback, and immediately arranged pickup at their expense, and also, will refund me in full. T be fair, the A7RV looked almost new, and worked well, but I could foresee nightmares down the line. I have no complaints about the way MPB handled this. But, maybe they need to improve their QC on arrival.

When I have the credit back, I'll consider my options. I am tempted, based on others' experience here, to deliberately go grey, and with Panamoz, get a three year warranty free. All for less that the price mpb charged for the dodgy A7RV.

 

[Astacus]

what would the price difference have been? I'm in no great hurry, but will need to send off my A1 to be checked at some time

 

[evacguy]

what would the price difference have been? I'm in no great hurry, but will need to send off my A1 to be checked at some time

I've made a mess of this post. I uploaded from my phone, duplicated an image, tried to delete the image and deleted the entire post! So here goes again.
I couldn't wait for the grey important delivery, they said it would take 14 days and they wouldn't accept payment for a faster delivery. So I ended up going with WEX. I received the lens the day after I ordered it, pretty good service!

I got £100 off and an addition year of manufacturers warranty. In total I paid about £300 more than the grey import.

• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro back triple camera 6.86mm f/1.78
• 6.9 mm
• ƒ/1.78
• 1/50 sec
• ISO 800

• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro back triple camera 2.22mm f/2.2
• 2.2 mm
• ƒ/2.2
• 1/25 sec
• ISO 1250

• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro back triple camera 6.86mm f/1.78
• 6.9 mm
• ƒ/1.78
• 1/33 sec
• ISO 800

 

[Astacus]

not bad. I would have done the same, I think. For my needs, the difference is £1100.. hard to ignore.

 

[Unframed Dave]

Enjoy getting out with it, it's a cracking lens.

Why the filter?

 

[evacguy]

Enjoy getting out with it, it's a cracking lens.

Why the filter?

I always put a filter on to protect the glass.

 

[Unframed Dave]

I always put a filter on to protect the glass.

That's what I suspected. Seems to be a bit out of fashion these days.

 

[evacguy]

That's what I suspected. Seems to be a bit out of fashion these days.

Yes, but I like the idea of providing some addition protection to my expensive glass.

 

[andrewluke]

Yes, but I like the idea of providing some addition protection to my expensive glass.

in my opinion manufacturers put optimum amount of glass in their lenses and they don't include a filter,

Should You Use a UV Filter on Your Lens?

Some photographers use UV filters while others do not. Who is right? I set out the pros and cons as I see them.

www.dpreview.com

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

<FE 24-70/2.8 GM II>

I want that baby!

 

[Paul stuart]

if the costs of buying grey import are over £500 or so the it is hard not to miss on such a good deal ,but a lot of sony gear has cash back and offers on trade in on any lens for more savings ,so a lot can be had from a reputable camera companys (non grey import) in the uk ,also if you build a repitoire with some camera sales firms you get the best treatment ,and not a £5000 pound item dumped on ypur porch .i have used both and my a1 and a7r5 were purchased at panamoz both grey import ,sony gear is pretty reliable o they tend not to make faulty gear. and it is only e infinity were i had a issue with a grey import a 70-200mm f2.8 gm which had to be returned not a issue just a annoyance money returned .

 

[AlphaWorld]

Agreed. It never made any sense to me to put a $100 filter in front of a $2500 lens. It certainly isn't going to improve the lens. Use your hood to protect the glass and be careful. If I didn't need polarizers I would never put anything on the lens.

Caveat: I used them a lot in film days, but that was a different animal.

Roger Cicala at LensRentals has written a lot about using lens filters as protection, and has argued both sides of the case. He has crates of front elements they have had to replace, and he points out that sometimes the front element replacement can be a third of the price of a new lens (or more). He has demonstrated that using a cheap filter can be a terrible choice (some of them do terrible things to image quality). He even measured the transmissivity (I think that's the word) of a whole range of filters.

In film days, using a UV or Skylight or Haze filter made sense - UV could fog your fim. No sense for digital because UV has no effect on a digital sensor. So the smart choice, if you are using digital, is to go for a purpose-made protective filter - they use hardened glass or even transparent ceramic. Worth using if a $100 or $200 protective filter can save you replacing a $1500 front group, especially if you are going to be shooting in an environment with wind blown abrasive material (like a beach with fine sand, or a salt lake, or some industrial sites like a place working on manufactured stone).

For what it's worth, I don't use protective filters these days, but I do use the lens hoods all the time, and that has saved my lens once already. If I were thinking of shooting on a beach, though, I'd think about a filter.

 

[Paul stuart]

But not only do you pay more, but if you do need help you get to struggle through Sony's warranty, while Panamoz is 3-years and no hassles. Panamoz wins.

not if i am trading in a lens or body , items are better bought in store for obvious reasons ,not sure i ever have had to use a a warranty either ,i still rate panamoz as the best grey import firm,i just like my local camera store more for some items ,

 

[Astacus]

Hi Robert,

Not sure what is going on there.

If you go to this page https://services.sony.co.uk/supportMVC/en/BookService

Enter your model and serial number as if you are going to book in a repair if its a grey market item it will not recognise the number.

Its the serial number on the camera body you need to enter.

Hope that helps.

Angus.

Final Update
mpb immediately agreed that something is fishy here - suspect they got taken for a ride!
Full refund, arranged collection, and even refunded the expedited shipping I had paid.

My faith in mpb has remained. I think that have excellent sutomer service, and seem to act properly.

I now have all funds in my bank account, and am back to deciding on my best strategy.

But zero complaints about mpb (nor do I have connection to them).

 

[amcluesent]

I bought my A7RV as a grey import via Cotswold Cameras, excellent £ saving of course. It took the firmware update to 2.02 that came out a few days after the camera was delivered by courier, so hasn't been 'black listed' by Sony for basic support.

 

[AlphaWorld]

I bought my A7RV as a grey import via Cotswold Cameras, excellent £ saving of course. It took the firmware update to 2.02 that came out a few days after the camera was delivered by courier, so hasn't been 'black listed' by Sony for basic support.

I think the firmware updates are the same world-wide - they aren't locked by country.

It's warranty repairs that's the issue with grey imports. Part of the price in the country is to pay for the warranty support in the country. If the camera was "bought" in another country (by the grey marketeer), that's where warranty support is available.