You might want to re-consider buying from grey imports :(

D.P. said:
I really don't understand what your problem is, i really have absolutely zero care what so ever on the subject, no least because it is Canon and is about the UK (I shoot Nikon and live in the US). I have nothing to gain, no personal opinion or interest on the matter.

As i said earlier in the thread, Canon don't have to touch a grey market camera at all. They only have to repair or replace defective cameras to the extent of the UK LAW and their advertised warranty. The cameras linked to in the OP was not purchased within the UK so Canon UK have no duty to do anything, whether they will even when paid is entirely up to them.

Canon are loosing profits they may be trying crack down on grey imports, not servicing grep import gear would be one way of persuading people not to buy grey imports.
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Did u read rays post?

i would like to see how you will respond to that especially when you yet again mention how canon do not have to touch a product that was sold within THE UK alone meaning ray's scenario about what happens if you buy fro switzerland because if canon says no to that. THEY ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE as they have to HONOUR any product from europe.

And again somoene mentioned to you and replied about u saying "canon looses profits" from where? Where did DR and every other retailer in the world get a 5dmk3? from the heavens of the sky? lol

Last note, if you do not care about the subject and have no interest in it, why did you make a post lol
 
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Raymond Lin said:
I'll reword that for you...

How shall I put it?

This isn't new, and it isn't limited to cameras, this is all over the consumer market. It is how companies control a product to a particular region.

Take DVD and Bluray for example. There is a reason they have region codes in the first place. So they can control release dates to a particular part of the world and they know it won't work in another part of the world.

Now, here is the sticking point that just popped into my head.

Is this limited to UK or Europe?

Can a camera bought in say....Switzerland be repaired here?

Because if they say no then they have a problem. Article 34 of the ECT (Treaty of Rome I think...) specify the free movement of goods (and workers). It is how the Polish can come here to work and how we can go buy a house in Spain. So they can't refuse repair a product that they manufactured that is bought within the EU.

What does that bring us? Well, I know DR is not in Europe but if they limit their warrant to UK only then who's to say they honour those that bought in Europe?

So it seems the only way out is say that the serial is fake, since clearly the camera isn't fake and to be honest, there is no reason to put a fake serial on a real camera, unless you steal a lorry load of goods out of Canon's factory and tried to get rid of it on the black market.

So it seems to me, bit of a long shot, that Canon is using this as a tactic to control their product to a specific region. They want to control the sales of their product, the import and export.

I guess they don't take too kindly of you buying it online from the far east and save a lot of money in the process thus removing money away from their Canon UK operation (not Canon Asia). They may not take the same stance if your story is that you got it whilst on Holiday.

I may be talking rubbish but its just a thought.
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I understand and we are on the same page.

Canon UK as a distributed have a duty to their resellers to mitigate grey imports
 
jonney_joop said:
Did u read rays post?

i would like to see how you will respond to that especially when you yet again mention how canon do not have to touch a product that was sold within THE UK alone meaning ray's scenario about what happens if you buy fro switzerland because if canon says no to that. THEY ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE as they have to HONOUR any product from europe
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Is English your native language? I don't mean to offend, I only ask because you don't seem to be making any sense what so ever.

The camera linked to in the OP was not from Europe but from Hong Kong. EU regulations have nothing to do with grey import cameras.


A camera is no different to a games console, they are sold to particular regions and typically in modified forms (notable power plugs, manuals, warranties and guarantees, boxes, and also video codecs).
 
This is not just a canon issue Nikon also do it as well. I'm not a fan of the term grey import - its all the same stuff at the end of the day no matter where u buy it from, there's just pros and cons to both options. And don't Dr do a years warranty anyway?
 
D.P. said:
Is English your native language? I don't mean to offend, I only ask because you don't seem to be making any sense what so ever.

The camera linked to in the OP was not from Europe but from Hong Kong. EU regulations have nothing to do with grey import cameras.


A camera is no different to a games console, they are sold to particular regions and typically in modified forms (notable power plugs, manuals, warranties and guarantees, boxes, and also video codecs).
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Hi D.P

i do not like you post as you are now coming across as naive, aggressive and rude.

It is fine to disagree with me and others but can you not do so in the right appropriate manner?

i will put you on ignore list(i hope there is a option to do so) as i feel you are being rude to me and i do not wish to get into any chidish bickering and argument. i am too mature and old to go through that in a public forum..

Have a nice day
 
An Exception said:
Perhaps the below has something to do with it.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1243655

Canon is cracking down on retailers discounting their camera's, however as to not cause too much pain to retailers, they would have to do more to limit competition from places like DR and other HK stores.
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"MAP" is illegal in the UK anyway, we have a recommended retail price but any sort of fixed minimum has been made illegal years ago.

They can't control sellers shipping online or overseas hence using this tactic.
 
I thought people knew this? Camera Bodies have local warranties, whereas Lenses have worldwide warranties (therefore you CAN buy grey-import lenses)?

Always get the Body from within your country.
 
As above.. title should be "Make sure you read and understand the warranty of a product before buying it"

Grey imports are called "Grey imports" for a reason. Total non-event this.
 
Addicted said:
I thought people knew this? Camera Bodies have local warranties, whereas Lenses have worldwide warranties (therefore you CAN buy grey-import lenses)?

Always get the Body from within your country.
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Hi.

this has nothing to do with warranty but to do with canon refusing to fix a camera brought abroad when a user wishes to pay for the repair
 
jonney_joop said:
Hi.

this has nothing to do with warranty but to do with canon refusing to fix a camera brought abroad when a user wishes to pay for the repair
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But surely it covers the same sort of thing?

If a warranty is void, why would they be willing to fix it?


It's like opening an electronic product and breaking the void sticker - if you try and then return it for repairs - you won't get anywhere.
 
Addicted said:
But surely it covers the same sort of thing?

If a warranty is void, why would they be willing to fix it?


It's like opening an electronic product and breaking the void sticker - if you try and then return it for repairs - you won't get anywhere.
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By your definition, once your year is up from your 5d3 bought from UK, the warranty is also voided so Canon wont fix it even if you pay for it.
 
jonney_joop said:
By your definition, once your year is up from your 5d3 bought from UK, the warranty is also voided so Canon wont fix it even if you pay for it.
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You're quite argumentative aren't you. The warranty is not voided after the year is up, it's just finished. There's a difference.

Regardless of this argument, it makes sense, and is commonly known so I can only assume you got stung by this process and are a little sore?
 
jonney_joop said:
Hi.

this has nothing to do with warranty but to do with canon refusing to fix a camera brought abroad when a user wishes to pay for the repair
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I think the guy who started the thread in POTN wanted to get it repaired under warranty.

DR said fine, ship it to us in HK but you will have to pay the £120 shipping excess as they only cover £40.
The guy said, no way ! I want it fixed here in the UK as advertised on your website.
DR said fine, send it to Canon UK and DR will fit the repair bill.

Now, this is where I don't understand.

Did he send it to Canon UK and ask for it to be repaired under Warranty, or did he send it to Canon UK and asked for it to be repaired? (although since the camera was released world wide under 12 months ago it is under warranty anyway and no need for an invoice, may be that's why Canon asked where he bought it from.)

Did he send in the invoice from DR?

I understand Canon's stance in trying to control the market of their product distributed but in this day and age, people travel a lot and there is nothing illegal or even unethetical about buying something aboard. My excuse could easily be that my main camera died after the airline lost it and I was on my way to a location shoot and needed one right then so I bought one whilst out there.

I really don't buy the whole fake serial thing. What reason is there for a retailer or person to replace a legit serial sticker with a fake one? A new camera with a serial number is unregistered. If you are going to replace the serial sticker, you replace one that is stolen from a user because it is registered. To fake a serial number on the body and the box but the camera is real? Makes no sense. It sounds like the serial is just not registering on their system.

Then again, the moral of the story is that to buy it on credit card.
 
Addicted said:
You're quite argumentative aren't you. The warranty is not voided after the year is up, it's just finished. There's a difference.

Regardless of this argument, it makes sense, and is commonly known so I can only assume you got stung by this process and are a little sore?
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Sorry if i am being argumentative, i am not trying to be on purpose :)

A finished warranty vs voided warranty have the same outcome ie the warranty is no longer active anymore

Raymond Lin said:
I think the guy who started the thread in POTN wanted to get it repaired under warranty.

DR said fine, ship it to us in HK but you will have to pay the £120 shipping excess as they only cover £40.
The guy said, no way ! I want it fixed here in the UK as advertised on your website.
DR said fine, send it to Canon UK and DR will fit the repair bill.

Now, this is where I don't understand.

Did he send it to Canon UK and ask for it to be repaired under Warranty, or did he send it to Canon UK and asked for it to be repaired? (although since the camera was released world wide under 12 months ago it is under warranty anyway and no need for an invoice, may be that's why Canon asked where he bought it from.)

Did he send in the invoice from DR?

I understand Canon's stance in trying to control the market of their product distributed but in this day and age, people travel a lot and there is nothing illegal or even unethetical about buying something aboard. My excuse could easily be that my main camera died after the airline lost it and I was on my way to a location shoot and needed one right then so I bought one whilst out there.

I really don't buy the whole fake serial thing. What reason is there for a retailer or person to replace a legit serial sticker with a fake one? A new camera with a serial number is unregistered. If you are going to replace the serial sticker, you replace one that is stolen from a user because it is registered. To fake a serial number on the body and the box but the camera is real? Makes no sense. It sounds like the serial is just not registering on their system.

Then again, the moral of the story is that to buy it on credit card.
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I think you have hit the nail on the head so to speak :)
 
dannyjo22 said:
Why, I bought my DR flash on credit card why would it make a difference?

I'd be a bit miffed if they wouldn't repair my flash out of warranty, I will avoid any more big purchases from HK for now.
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Because if Canon is really pulling this fake camera stuff then using the credit card is your only way of getting your money back for certain.
 
Yeah, I've got to agree, I can understand with what is really considered a 'grey import' ie, a camera bought from a retailer abroad and shipped to the UK. But as Ray says, in todays world, there are many reasons why somebody may purchase a camera abroad or even move country. I bought my 350D when I was living in Canada, I had no idea when I purchased it that the warranty wouldn't be valid in the UK, but I never had to make a claim. People buy stuff all the time when travelling at airports, so again it seems pretty harsh to flat out refuse to repair at all.

Perhaps this 'fake serial' number thing is just Canon blacklisting serial numbers which were allocated to Hong Kong dealers who ship abroad and then a claim is made in another country. Where as say you picked it up at an airport and had a receipt as such, maybe they would honour it, who knows.

Also as Ray has pointed out, a retailer telling you that your item is fake opens up a whole new can of worms, as credit card protection aids you with fakes. As somebody else already pointed out though, the idea of a fake Canon 5D mkiii is ridiculous!
 
Yes I can understand that they wouldn't honour a warranty but a flat out refusal to repair for a fee is something very worrying.

It's not just about the VAT. You can buy a import 600RT for £360, it's £200 more expensive in this country. That's not VAT. That's Canon UK charging re-sellers an inflated price.
 
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