Buying a 'Grey' import camera body Yes or No?

should I buy an IMPORT camera body?

  • Yes

    Votes: 70 87.5%
  • No

    Votes: 10 12.5%

  • Total voters
    80
they probably took the lens out to sell seperately ... the whole sale price is probably lower for kits than separates so it make sense to buy kits and take the lenses out if they arent wanted ( i have experienced this with 'white' market dealers before)
 
Recently purchased a 70D from HDEW, it arrived within 3 days. Obviously brand new, but it was shipped in a box designed for a Kit (I didn't buy a lens). Also the accessories looked like they had been re-wrapped.

Box was also not sealed.

I'm still on the fence.
That's not uncommon in the UK either. Usually they just open the box and take the kit lens and it's packaging out. Often happens with new releases when body only units are in short supply.
 
I'm currently trying to decide between hdew and panamoz, hdew is currently around £70 more expensive but wondering whether it's worth it to deal with a UK store? From what I can tell their both good dealing with warranty issues but communication wise would be easier to ring a UK store rather than email abroad.
 
Recently bought a "grey" 70D for £500,saving me a tidy sum that will go towards lens purchases in the near future.
Had no trouble with the service as it took all of 3 days from ordering to receiving the camera.
Will most likely go "grey" again when its time for my next purchase.
 
Since when do service centres check Camera serial numbers to see if they are lost or stolen?. The only time a service centre will check a serial number is to see if its within warranty.
They do it all the time, and it's not about whether or not it's stollen, it will still come back as a grey import. They have a reportable duty to manufacture's in exactly the same way as having a camera repaired by an unauthorised repair centre voids your warranty, repairing grey imports voids their licence to carry out repairs for that manufacturer...
 
Again, any evidence f or this whatsoever?
Believe whatever you like dude, but there's a reason that grey importers offer there own warranty. If you buy a camera in the Hong Kong, legitimately, while on holiday, you can't use the guarantee in this UK, and that is fact. If you don't believe me ask Canon. There's been a massive controversy over this exact problem for years..
 
Believe whatever you like dude, but there's a reason that grey importers offer there own warranty. If you buy a camera in the Hong Kong, legitimately, while on holiday, you can't use the guarantee in this UK, and that is fact. If you don't believe me ask Canon. There's been a massive controversy over this exact problem for years..

Canon UK won't repair it obviously (as it's nothing to do with them) but ANY Canon repair centre will fix it if you pay.
 
I purchased a E-M5 MK2 from HDEW and it was delivered in a week. The box was a body only box and was opened so the correct power cable and warranty card could be put in. None of the other accessories were touched. Very happy with the service
 
Believe whatever you like dude, but there's a reason that grey importers offer there own warranty. If you buy a camera in the Hong Kong, legitimately, while on holiday, you can't use the guarantee in this UK, and that is fact. If you don't believe me ask Canon. There's been a massive controversy over this exact problem for years..

Dodging the question... how much are Canon paying you? ;)

You said...

repairing grey imports voids their licence to carry out repairs for that manufacturer

This is clearly not true. Fixation have repaired my grey import camera for me, have Canon taken away their licence to carry out repairs?
 
, repairing grey imports voids their licence to carry out repairs for that manufacturer...

Utter rubbish I'm afraid - a grey import is just a canon (or whatever) bought in a different import zone - so are you seriously saying that if a chinese person buys a camera in hong kong then emigrates to Britain he can't have his camera repaired at a UK repair centre. Same in reverse if you buy a camera in the UK , do you really think you can't have it repaired at an asian/american repair centre ?

The reason grey importers offer their own warranties is because repair centres won't carry out repairs under warranty for grey imports (unless the manufacturer offers a worldwide warranty of course), but they will happily repair an imported camera if you pay them to

I'm not an particular advocate of grey importing, but making s*** like that up just looks daft IMO - its better to deal with facts...
 
Believe whatever you like dude, but there's a reason that grey importers offer there own warranty. If you buy a camera in the Hong Kong, legitimately, while on holiday, you can't use the guarantee in this UK, and that is fact. If you don't believe me ask Canon. There's been a massive controversy over this exact problem for years..

I'm glad you like facts. Here's one for you. I can't speak for Canon. However, Nikon UK Will honour them. Ipso facto !
 
I'm glad you like facts. Here's one for you. I can't speak for Canon. However, Nikon UK Will honour them. Ipso facto !

Not necessarily - Nikon has a worldwide warranty for some items , for others it has a Europe wide warranty if purchased from a Nikon Europe retailer (and presumably the same in the other import zones )- ergo it will honour the WW warranty anywhere , but if you camera isnt covered by it it won't honour a Nikon Asia warranty in europe

In short DSLRs and other digital imaging equipment (CSCs scanners etc) are covered by the europe warranty - lenses, film SLRs, and scopes etc are covered by the international warranty. Full Gen here http://www.europe-nikon.com/en_GB/service_support/repair_centre/warranty.page
 
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Yep buy it. I bought a 6d and 24/105 from Hdew saved a small fortune at the time. Came as if I ahd bought it from Jessops/Currys or similiar. Everything was in English manuals/plug etc !

Gaz
 
Not necessarily - Nikon has a worldwide warranty for some items , for others it has a Europe wide warranty if purchased from a Nikon Europe retailer (and presumably the same in the other import zones )- ergo it will honour the WW warranty anywhere , but if you camera isnt covered by it it won't honour a Nikon Asia warranty in europe

In short DSLRs and other digital imaging equipment (CSCs scanners etc) are covered by the europe warranty - lenses, film SLRs, and scopes etc are covered by the international warranty. Full Gen here http://www.europe-nikon.com/en_GB/service_support/repair_centre/warranty.page

Fully aware of the above, I have been in this game for over 30 years using Nikon. I got a D750 from Panamoz in Hong Kong under warranty. Nikon UK honoured it. They were unable to fix the problem after two attempts and gave me a brand new Nikon D750.(UK Stock) Now that's good service but I would expect nothing less.
 
Voted No.
its tax evasion which supports our society
we can't complain of under funding and evade tax in this way.
Careful - you'll attract a lynch mob expressing sentiments like that round here.

But well said.
 
Voted No.
its tax evasion which supports our society
we can't complain of under funding and evade tax in this way.
I hope you don't buy anything from Amazon

Or ever use Google

Or go to Starbucks

Do you only ever use companies with perfectly ethical business practices?
 
I hope you don't buy anything from Amazon

Or ever use Google

Or go to Starbucks

Do you only ever use companies with perfectly ethical business practices?

I use companies that operate in the EU and operate under full EU law.

The companies being mentioned in this thread do not operate under EU law and do not contribute to any forms of taxation that benefit our country in any shape or form.

I will not be drawn into your "ethical" minefield because that is clearly not covered by this arena.

if you purchase a product from outside of the EU with the clear intent of circumventing TAX and Import duty you are evading tax simple as that.
If you seek out threads like this for discussion and advice and then go on to purchase you are showing intent to evade also.
 
I use companies that operate in the EU and operate under full EU law.

The companies being mentioned in this thread do not operate under EU law and do not contribute to any forms of taxation that benefit our country in any shape or form.

I will not be drawn into your "ethical" minefield because that is clearly not covered by this arena.

if you purchase a product from outside of the EU with the clear intent of circumventing TAX and Import duty you are evading tax simple as that.
If you seek out threads like this for discussion and advice and then go on to purchase you are showing intent to evade also.

I think your definition of the term 'grey import' is incorrect.

Grey importing is simply goods that have been imported outside the normal manufacturer distribution channels, nothing to do with evading taxation (which may also happen).

Canon might not repair your grey import, but not because you haven't paid tax on it - it's because you didn't use the distribution channel in the country that they set up to control prices.

HDEW will supply you with a VAT receipt, even though it is a grey import. You haven't evaded anything.
 
The fact of the matter is and the tone of this thread defines the grey import as being cheaper because it generally evades tax.
It also attracts warranty issues which again the tone of this thread is deemed to be the risk the buyer takes against the savings.

As @StewartR states its all down to your definition.
 
Another straw man. He didn't define the term.

Because the implication was clear

The companies being mentioned in this thread do not operate under EU law and do not contribute to any forms of taxation that benefit our country in any shape or form.

Grey importers can operate under EU law and pay their taxes, including some being mentioned in this thread.

And the ethical argument was clear. Tax evasion is bad for society, so don't support firms who practise it. I want to know whether
@Mr Bump supports firms who don't pay their fair share of taxes.
 
Yes but that is not the big picture you would like it to be. The responsibility also ultimately rests with the purchaser. If you knowingly purchase goods that should be subject to import tax and duty and do not pay them you are expected to self declare. Ultimately it is a two way street.
 
will supply you with a VAT receipt, even though it is a grey import. You haven't evaded anything

Except Import Duty - it's not all about VAT

Grey importers that source from outside the EU 'skillfully' don't always inform that you (The Purchaser) are the one liable to pay Import Duty. That makes the Purchaser the one evading tax!
 
Except Import Duty - it's not all about VAT

Grey importers that source from outside the EU 'skillfully' don't always inform that you (The Purchaser) are the one liable to pay Import Duty. That makes the Purchaser the one evading tax!

correct
 
I'm really unsure of the issues with what people like to call Grey Imports.

I've bought an imported camera (which ALL of them are) before, from a trader on here. I got a UK invoice from him, and a Canon warantee.
Now I've bought a 5Diii from HDEW. I get a 12 month warantee with Canon followed by a further 2 year guarantee with HDEW. UK charger / accessories etc.

The fact is that these items can be purchased in bulk abroad cheaper than in the UK, and some companies take advantage of this to offer better prices. It's not a case of evadfing tax or duty, the import duty rate for digital camera bodies was zero last time I looked. Import VAT is paid at the time of importation, so no evasion there.

So, Canon warantee, cheaper price, and great reviews for HDEW as a company on the internet.
 
Except Import Duty - it's not all about VAT

Grey importers that source from outside the EU 'skillfully' don't always inform that you (The Purchaser) are the one liable to pay Import Duty. That makes the Purchaser the one evading tax!

The import duty on cameras to the UK is zero, import VAT is paid on import to the UK, based on the value of the goods, insurance, import duty (of which there wouldnt be any) and unless you actually smuggle the goods undeclared into the UK you cannot avoid paying that on import

"The import duty rate for importing Body Digital SLR Camera -UK into United Kingdom is 0% , the import VAT is 20%, when classified under Cameras & Photography → Digital & Film Cameras → Digital Camerawith HS commodity code 8525.80.3000"
 
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I'm really unsure of the issues with what people like to call Grey Imports.

I've bought an imported camera (which ALL of them are) before, from a trader on here. I got a UK invoice from him, and a Canon warantee.
Now I've bought a 5Diii from HDEW. I get a 12 month warantee with Canon followed by a further 2 year guarantee with HDEW. UK charger / accessories etc.

The fact is that these items can be purchased in bulk abroad cheaper than in the UK, and some companies take advantage of this to offer better prices. It's not a case of evadfing tax or duty, the import duty rate for digital camera bodies was zero last time I looked. Import VAT is paid at the time of importation, so no evasion there.

So, Canon warantee, cheaper price, and great reviews for HDEW as a company on the internet.

But is it the same level of customer service that say JL offer? Where I can go in with the item and get a new one if it is faulty, rather than sending it away somewhere.
 
This thread wasn't specifically restricted to camera bodies (I accept they are, currently, 0 rated). What about all the other items? Lenses in particular can be more expensive than bodies.
 
But is it the same level of customer service that say JL offer? Where I can go in with the item and get a new one if it is faulty, rather than sending it away somewhere.

So far the level of service is fine
If the camera was faulty, it would be returned to them under normal UK law, and in any case most people pay by credit card which has its own protection

Theres too much greyness and misinformation about what you call grey imports. In most cases the product is the same ... apart from the price
You've only got to look on here about the duty and vat issues I guess.
 
This thread wasn't specifically restricted to camera bodies (I accept they are, currently, 0 rated). What about all the other items? Lenses in particular can be more expensive than bodies.

Fair enough, I dont know as I wasnt interested in buying a lens
The rate of duty on a lens is 6.7%, but as stated they cant evade paying that as it is paid at the point of UK entry
 
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