graymarket

The Gray Market and How It Works

Globalization certainly has its advantages. Anyone can order almost anything online with a few clicks and have it conveniently delivered to their door regardless of where it is. However, convenience aside, many consumers purchasing things like cameras and lenses may unwittingly be purchasing gray market products rather than "legitimate" ones.

PSA: Buy a Gray Market Sigma Lens, Pay an Extra $250 for Servicing

So-called "gray market" products are popular in the world of photography, but buying your Sigma gear through an unauthorized reseller will cost you in the long run. Not only will Sigma not honor the warranty on gray market products, they'll actually charge you extra to fix them.

Canon is Suing Gray Market Camera Gear Dealers

Canon USA has filed lawsuits against a number of camera gear retailers in an attempt to stop the sale of gray market camera gear. The gray market is when a dealer imports and sells unauthorized gear that was intended for another country's camera market. The cheaper gear is legitimate, not counterfeit, but it's unauthorized and usually isn't covered by Canon's warranty.