Sony RX100iii, gray market vs. usa warranty?

[Billy Ray]

So I’m pretty sold on the Sony RX100iii, but not the price :)
Thought I had a deal at about 650 instead of the normal 750 – 800 price, but it seems that is the difference between a camera with a usa warranty by Sony (750 -800) and one with some kind of non-Sony aftermarket warranty (gray market) that might need to be shipped over seas for repair. So my question: Has anyone bought a low priced gray market camera and been happy with it? Or had problems?

I’m not sure I fully understand this ‘gray market’ stuff, but here is a link to a post at dpreview to provides a dated (2012) explanation from B&H Photo:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/42324914

Can anyone enlighten me further on risks of buying a gray market Sony camera?
thanks,
Billy

[Bruce Tolley]

Grey market (as opposed to black market) means you are buying a real legitimate branded product from a non authorized channel of distribution. If you buy a new grey market camera from a reputable dealer like B&H and buy the B&H service contract, I would think you are OK. You are just locked into B&H for the service on the warranty. You can always buy the grey market camera and pay for service from an authorized service center. But if the camera goes south, you are out of luck. This is why you are getting the discount because you are assuming the warranty risk. If you want the piece of mind of the manufacturer’s warranty, do not buy grey market.

To offer warranties and returns is just one of the many functions of authorized channels.

 

[Ralph Burgess]

I tend to think you should treat any non-Sony extended warranty as worthless, since they are usually scams with infitely many loopholes, and just not worth the stress.  So assess the transaction on the basis that the camera comes with no warranty at all.   Buy with a credit card, of course.  If a product is actually defective, you have a statutory right to return it, and “returns accepted within 14 days” or “no warranty” cannot take away that right.   If the merchant messes you around on a defective product, your credit card company will issue a chargeback to enforce your rights for at least 60 days, longer with some CCs.

So I’d view it this way:
You’re saving $x.
You have 60 days to check it out thoroughly, make sure it’s working perfectly.
If something goes wrong after that, you’ll have to pay to get it fixed.

In my opinion,  I certainly do that if x is around 20%.   If I have a well made Sony camera in my hand that’s in perfect working order, it’s pretty unlikely that it’s going to stop working next week due to a manufacturing defect.  Far more likely that it will be damage that I inflict by dropping it or getting grit in it – something not covered under any warranty, Sony or otherwise.   So I’d rather have the $x in the bank.

[Ian]

I’ve yet to send my Sony in for repairs but from talking with others on Sony forums, it’s a pretty miserable experience and you’re often time referred to a third party.  In a recent example, a guy was quoted $1100 Canadian dollars to repair an A6000 body.  You can buy it new on Amazon for a bit less than $500 USD.

One issue I encountered with the RX100i is that the lens cover can stick.  I’ve heard others complain of the same.

I’d approach it one of a couple ways

1. save as much money as possible up front and buy a used one from a reputable seller on Amazon so you’re protected by Amazon’s return policy if it’s a lemon.
2. Pay full price through Best Buy and pay extra for a few years of their warranty, which I have used on other cameras and thought the exchange process was painless when my Canon bit the dust

[Ralph Burgess]

Pay full price through Best Buy and pay extra for a few years of their warranty, which I have used on other cameras and thought the exchange process was painless when my Canon bit the dust

It may have worked out for you on that occasion, but statistically I think this is a terrible option for a ~$600 camera that in 2 years will have been technologically superseded by more advanced models, and worth less than $200 even if it’s in perfect working order.

Warranties are a huge profit center for all consumer products.  Their expected value, even from reputable names, is usually less than 25% of what you pay, a tiny fraction of the expected value of other insurance products.   That’s why you always get the hardest of hard sells on warranties.

So long as the product is genuine from a name brand major manufacturer with a good rep, I will always take a discount and money in the bank.

[Ian]

I rarely buy warranties and didn’t for my A6000, but will for the RX100iv or v when I get it this spring as this will be a camera that’s on my hip seven days per week and will see a lot of use.  If I can get three years of use out of it before it gives up the ghost, I’ll consider it money well spent.

My cameras don’t spend their days bubble wrapped in my pack.  I’ve got them on my person to where I can get to them at a moments notice.  As a result, they get exposed to a lot of dust.  With the RX100 series, I’m mostly concerned with the retractable lens, pop up view finder, and lens cover as being areas subject to premature failure.

I hear what you’re saying and would normally agree, but for me and my money, I’m willing to buy the insurance in this instance.

As always, YMMV and do what works for you.

[Ralph Burgess]

But a warranty is not usually insurance in that sense.   It sounds like you are expecting them to repair it for free if dust ingress causes something to stick.  That sounds more like a “service contract” type of thing.   Be sure to make sure the warranty terms really cover that if that’s what you’re looking for.

[Franco Darioli]

“Warranties are a huge profit center for all consumer products. Their expected value, even from reputable names, is usually less than 25% of what you pay, a tiny fraction of the expected value of other insurance products. That’s why you always get the hardest of hard sells on warranties.”
That may be correct (it usually is) for EXTENDED warranties not the original manufacturer warranty.
When you buy Grey Market you bypass the service side of that product.
Not only the warranty part but also spare parts and other releted services.
Not really hard to understand.
Imagine you were buying Brand X tents from the factory (or an overseas importer of that brand) and then selling them as is on the Net.
By as is I mean if they work they work, if you have a problem, bad luck.
Obviously a Grey Market reseller has lower costs that an authorised importer/retailer therefore they can sell for less.

And , yes, a warranty is not an insurance.
When you buy you Ford car, Ford will guarantee the car for manufacturing defects not if you run someone over or smash it against a tree.
Cameras are the same…

[Ian]

Best Buy’s coverage covers just about everything, including dropping it in a river.  At least that was the case when I bought the insurance for my Canon P&S a few years back.  I assume it hasn’t changed as that’s the same sales pitch I get from them as I continue to buy gear from them.  Do your own due diligence but my limited experience with it has been favorable.

When the retractable lens cover started sticking a year after my Canon purchase w extra coverage, they swapped out my camera, no questions asked and didn’t bother to look at the camera to confirm what I was claiming.

No skin off my… nose… how you spend your money.  Just sharing what I will do and my limited experience.

[Ian]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/geek-squad-protection/cameras-camcorders-protection-plans/pcmcat280100050006.c?id=pcmcat280100050006

[Ralph Burgess]

Thanks, Ian – yes, that’s more like what I’d call a service plan & accidental damage insurance, rather than a warranty.    And the prices seem pretty reasonable if you’re doing what we’re doing with the camera (my concerns are exactly the same as yours).   It’s one situation where we may well be getting value for money out of these things, because the probability of damage is high while backcountry hiking.

For similar reasons, the AppleCare plan for my iPhone is great value for me… because I hate putting a case on my iPhone, and it’s usually with me when I’m hiking!   So I know that I’m covered for breaking two phones over the course of my two year contract.

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