Nikon users - ever bought a "UK" lens without warranty paperwork?

puddleduck

puddleduck

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Andy Drake
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Yes
A brand new lens arrived today, and I've just got round to opening it the box.

There is no warranty paperwork - first time I've ever bought a Nikon UK lens without that Yellow slip... or any slip at all!

I bought it from an official Nikon UK dealer, so this is a bit unexpected.

Anyone else? It strikes me it could be "Grey" even though the dealer claims all UK stock (but that is different from saying Nikon UK stock)
 
could have been on display and they've lost the slip or it could be a return, try registering the serial number to see if it's been done already.
 
My MB-D80 came sans the yellow slip, but as it came from PurelyGadgets it was probably a grey, not that it mattered in that case.

I'd imagine if you call/email Nikon UK they will be able to confirm by the serial number if it is a UK lens or not.

Was the dealer one who also deals in "small systems" by any chance?
 
puddleduck said:
Blimey.. thats obuse! Yeah its them.

They do say no Grey....
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:lol: just giving the old "grey" matter a workout for you ;)

Not to put too fine a point on it they're a bunch of crooks (this isn't libelous as I have documentation to back it up ;)), does the lens definitely look new? I wouldn't put it past them to send out a return or a lightly used lens as new.
 
Well the lens doesn't look 100% new (99.1%), as it does look like its been fitted to camera (you can usually tell by looking at the mount) but tbh that doesn't bother me really.

Its the lack of paperwork. I don't do Grey, and I'm happy to buy used - as long as I pay a "used" price. I've dropped them a mail...
 
Flash In The Pan said:
:lol: just giving the old "grey" matter a workout for you ;)

Not to put too fine a point on it they're a bunch of crooks (this isn't libelous as I have documentation to back it up ;)), does the lens definitely look new? I wouldn't put it past them to send out a return or a lightly used lens as new.
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Are they based in Watford,well one of their shops.
 
:suspect:Interesting as I have had a couple of lenses from them in the past that didn't look 100% new..rang them and they just put it down to the fact that some lenses are opened up and used to show customers..
 
Hmmm... well might see if I can get them to collect it then.

As I said the lens looks fine, but that little Yellow slip is a nice bit of reassurance.
 
Bit like there display model of the 105mm vr they tried to flog me..covered in dust and a couple of marks but only been attached to a camera a couple of times for customers to try out...I asked how much they wanted for it and they said full price!!:lol:
 
Hmmm...well if they can find that warranty paperwork I'm happy.
 
StuartH said:
Bit like there display model of the 105mm vr they tried to flog me..covered in dust and a couple of marks but only been attached to a camera a couple of times for customers to try out...I asked how much they wanted for it and they said full price!!:lol:
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Must be staffed by ex-Jessops employees :lol:
 
I've edited this post as Nikon UK have told me the initial info was inaccurate
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Not to put too fine a point on it they're a bunch of crooks (this isn't libelous as I have documentation to back it up ;))
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Could you elaborate some more Graham, i'm just curious really, i guess they should be reported to trading standards if they claim "no grey here" and they are indeed selling grey imports with no yellow slip, although grey doesn't bother me personally as long as i'm buying from a decent retailer where i can take it back to the shop if there's a problem.
 
Hmm... well the plot thickens.

SRS have got back to me, and reckon that they are definately an official UK dealer, and that Nikon UK didn't include it in the box.

Anyhow Nikon UK are going to send me a card directly today.

So all in all, I'm happy with the response from SRS!
 
Well Nikon boobed, they've just told me that actually SRS *are* an official dealer.

Got a very nice phone call from SRS.

TBH I'm pretty impressed with the way they've handled this actually!
 
EdinburghGary said:
What is the "standard" Nikon warrenty on UK lenses? Also, do you need to "do anything" to activate it? Or can I just presume I have the best warrenty available as soon as I purchase said lens?
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I normally just register the purchase on their website and update my profile with new purchases.

That way I have all my nikon info in one place.

Cheers
 
TG. said:
Could you elaborate some more Graham, i'm just curious really, i guess they should be reported to trading standards if they claim "no grey here" and they are indeed selling grey imports with no yellow slip, although grey doesn't bother me personally as long as i'm buying from a decent retailer where i can take it back to the shop if there's a problem.
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I didn't say they were selling greys, just that they were crooks :lol:

I bought a Nikon-refurb'd D50 from them and when it arrived it had an elcheapo HK battery and an SD card full of images. When I phoned them I was told that Nikon-refurbished stock always comes with non-Nikon batteries :suspect:

A quick call to Nikon confirmed that this was , of course, not the case, so I phoned SRS back, but they were standing their ground that Nikon supplied the cameras with non-oem batteries until I mentioned I'd been on to Nikon and gave them the name of the person there that was now quite keen to talk with them regarding the matter...

They called back a while later to say that it had been an "error" and that they'd send me a new battery, but by this time I'd discovered the camera had done several thousand shutter actuations, which seemed rather a lot for a refurb, as the previous ones I'd had had only had at most a couple of hundred and that the sensor was absolutely filthy, suggesting to me that it may have been used and then put back into stock.

The upshot was that I sent the camera back and got a refund, so all was well (for me at least) in the end.

The battery issue may seem like nitpicking, but a genuine Nikon battery is anywhere from £25-50 and the HK one in the camera was £5 worth. Multiply this by the large number of refurbs that SRS were knocking out at the time and you come up with quite nice little "extra" profit.....
 
I got my 105 VR from Martins Camera shop, and that didn't have a ticket in the box. When i queried it on the phone i was told that it had been removed by them, stamped up and stored away. I made damn sure i printed out any and all correspondence on the purchase though.
 
Paulie-W said:
I got my 105 VR from Martins Camera shop, and that didn't have a ticket in the box. When i queried it on the phone i was told that it had been removed by them, stamped up and stored away. I made damn sure i printed out any and all correspondence on the purchase though.
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Thats just plain odd! Why would they do that, did they try to explain it?
 
Paulie-W said:
I got my 105 VR from Martins Camera shop, and that didn't have a ticket in the box. When i queried it on the phone i was told that it had been removed by them, stamped up and stored away. I made damn sure i printed out any and all correspondence on the purchase though.
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Once I saw where Martins Camera "Shop" was located any thoughts of buying from them went straight out the window...
 
puddleduck said:
Thats just plain odd! Why would they do that, did they try to explain it?
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The woman there did waffle on about it being their policy or something like that. It didn't particularly bother me at the time i must admit. Especially having bought Sigma lenses from HK and later finding out the the warranty here is worth Jack.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Once I saw where Martins Camera "Shop" was located any thoughts of buying from them went straight out the window...
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What gave you concern? I know there is a North South divide but just because they're in Leeds ;) One can collect from the "shop", and I figured (maybe wrongly) that if they were on the camera price buster site it would be ok.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
I didn't say they were selling greys, just that they were crooks :lol:

I bought a Nikon-refurb'd D50 from them and when it arrived it had an elcheapo HK battery and an SD card full of images. When I phoned them I was told that Nikon-refurbished stock always comes with non-Nikon batteries :suspect:

A quick call to Nikon confirmed that this was , of course, not the case, so I phoned SRS back, but they were standing their ground that Nikon supplied the cameras with non-oem batteries until I mentioned I'd been on to Nikon and gave them the name of the person there that was now quite keen to talk with them regarding the matter...

They called back a while later to say that it had been an "error" and that they'd send me a new battery, but by this time I'd discovered the camera had done several thousand shutter actuations, which seemed rather a lot for a refurb, as the previous ones I'd had had only had at most a couple of hundred and that the sensor was absolutely filthy, suggesting to me that it may have been used and then put back into stock.

The upshot was that I sent the camera back and got a refund, so all was well (for me at least) in the end.

The battery issue may seem like nitpicking, but a genuine Nikon battery is anywhere from £25-50 and the HK one in the camera was £5 worth. Multiply this by the large number of refurbs that SRS were knocking out at the time and you come up with quite nice little "extra" profit.....
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Thanks for that Graham, and yes i can see your point about the batteries, a very decent mark up over a few hundred customers :suspect:
 
Paulie-W said:
What gave you concern? I know there is a North South divide but just because they're in Leeds ;) One can collect from the "shop", and I figured (maybe wrongly) that if they were on the camera price buster site it would be ok.
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It's nothing to do with a North/South divide (being that they would be South for me anyway :lol:) but more that it's not so much a shop as a private house in a residential street....
 
Flash In The Pan said:
It's nothing to do with a North/South divide (being that they would be South for me anyway :lol:) but more that it's not so much a shop as a private house in a residential street....
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I put the post code into google maps and it looks more like a small industrial/set of shops from the satalite view. But hey, the lens works (touch wood) :)
 
Well fair play here to both SRS and Nikon UK.

Just got a letter from Nikon UK with the missing warranty paperwork :)
 
I must admit I've been tempted by the many listings and products on eBay for lenses from Hong Kong. Something is telling me that I'm better off buying from a reputable retailer here in the UK just in case something goes wrong. It certainly sounds as though Nikon are willing to help if you need them.

I think it's worth paying extra sometimes for that piece of mind.

Puddleduck, out of interest, did you register the serial on your lens?
 
Chumpalot said:
I must admit I've been tempted by the many listings and products on eBay for lenses from Hong Kong. Something is telling me that I'm better off buying from a reputable retailer here in the UK just in case something goes wrong. It certainly sounds as though Nikon are willing to help if you need them.

I think it's worth paying extra sometimes for that piece of mind.

...
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Not only that, but you won't find yourself being dragged down to your local Customs office and being asked to fork out for Import tax, VAT and admin fees, on top of the purchase price, if you buy from within Europe.

In Germany, they're notorious for this and I haven't got away with any "tax free" purchases in the last few years. In England, it used to be that if goods were deemed to be under a certain value, Customs would usually just ignore them and you might not be asked to pay any extra. Not recently though, AFAIK :suspect:.

Others here may have had more luck, but in my experience, almost every "cheaper" item that I've imported from Japan or the USA has ended up costing me the same, or more than it would have done if I'd shopped at home :( .

Just my $0.02 (minus taxes ;)).
 
Holy thread revival batman........


:D
 
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