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Grey market deals for the Nikon D610

The Nikon D610 is a enthusiast DSLR that features a 24.2MP sensor. It was launched in October 2013 at a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of USD 1999. Over time and in particular once a successor model appears on the horizon, camera prices tend to come down. Yet, while waiting for the discounts to kick in, you might have seen some very attractively priced offers from online sellers that advertise international versions of the Nikon D610. Are these grey market deals too good to be true?

Nikon D610

What are grey imports?

Grey market cameras are products that are imported outside the manufacturer's official marketing channels. They are sometimes also referred to as parallel imports. Like other camera producers, Nikon sells its imaging devices world-wide, but prices them according to prevailing exchange rates (which change over time) and local market conditions. As a result, the Nikon D610 can be found in Japan or other Asian countries at a substantially lower price than in North America or Europe. These pricing differences are exploited by grey market vendors, who buy the cameras in low-priced locations and ship them to countries where Nikon via its in-country division and its authorized retailer network maintains a higher price level.

The term "grey market" places parallel imports somewhere between manufacturer authorized trade of cameras (the "white market") and trade in illegal or stolen goods (the "black market"). This terminology should, however, not be taken to imply that a camera from the grey market is of somehow inferior quality or of shady origin.

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Are grey market transactions illegal?

Grey market imports are subject to the same border taxes and regulations as officially authorized imports of the D610. The products are not smuggled into the country (which distinguishes them from black market merchandise), and they do not represent counterfeit or refurbished goods, but genuine new items. Buying or selling a parallel-imported camera does not violate any laws. However, Nikon obviously tries to discourage grey market imports, as the latter undermine the company's pricing strategy and squeeze its profit margins.

Is a grey market D610 different from an official D610?

Gray market

Grey market cameras are technically identical to officially marketed ones. They are brand new, probably originate from the same production line, and have passed through the same quality control checks as a camera from an authorized retailer. They also generally come with the same set of accessories and in similar packaging. However, the cameras might be customized for their target markets. This customization might be most visible through the menu languages that the camera's firmware supports. A grey market Nikon D610 might feature several Asian language options alongside English and Japanese, while a camera that comes from an authorized retailer in North America or Europe would complement English with other European languages, such as French or Spanish. Also, the instruction manual that comes with the camera might be in a different set of languages. Sometimes, grey market sellers will modify the original camera set and replace or add a non-original power cord or adapter to localize the camera to the electrical plug standard in the target market (e.g. add a US plug for a camera sold in North America, or add a UK plug for one sold in Britain).

In some cases, grey market retailers will break down camera and lens kits and sell the individual components separately. The latter will then be shipped in white box packages, rather than the standard Nikon packaging.

Does a grey market D610 benefit from the official warranty?

Nikon discourages grey market imports and does not provide any manufacturer's warranty for these products. So, if the camera fails due to a manufacturing defect shortly after its purchase, Nikon will not repair or replace it for free. That said, most grey market vendors are providing their own warranty, so that the buyer can send his or her D610 back to the seller for fixing or replacement if the camera is faulty. This seller warranty will normally be backed by an insurance company, so that it will be valid even in the case that the seller meanwhile discontinued his or her business. In addition, some buyers find it advantageous for reasons of peace of mind to additionally buy the extended warranty policies that some shopping platforms, such as Amazon or eBay, offer.

Nikon USA states on its website: Since Gray Market products are not imported and distributed by Nikon Inc. USA, you don’t know exactly what you’re getting; and further: Gray Market products may contain a limited warranty from the seller, but they are not covered by a Nikon USA warranty.

It should be noted that both the Nikon warranty and the seller warranty are limited warranty policies. These limited warranties protect the buyer from any manufacturing defects, but they do not cover any damage from user error or neglect. So any harm that the owner has done to the camera through mis-handling or accident will not be covered under a limited warranty. The owner will have to pay for the camera repairs, even if the incident occurs before the end of the warranty period.

Will Nikon repair a damaged grey market D610?

Nikon keeps track of serial numbers and refuses to touch any grey market cameras. Their authorized repair facilities will not even fix them against payment if broken. You will, thus, need to find and go through a third-party repair shop in order to restore your Nikon D610 to working order if it were to get damaged.

Do grey market vendors provide good customer service?

Best price

Grey market sellers compete primarily on price. Most vendors will process transactions quickly and accurately. However, grey sellers tend to have very limited staff and run a tight stock management regime. These constraints can sometimes lead to stock-outs and delays. Hence, if you are unlucky, your Nikon D610 might arrive a couple of days later than you had been hoping for. Also, it is probably advisable to be conservative with respect to the quality of the phone support that you can expect. The transaction is all about getting the best price...

A grey market D610 will not be eligible for any promotional programs that Nikon might run, such as special offers or mail-in rebates. Grey market sellers do not offer any such promotions.

How do I identify a grey market Nikon D610?

Grey market cameras are rarely advertised as such. Indicators of the parallel-importing origin of a Nikon D610 would be a price that is substantially below the prevailing retail price and a mention of "international version", "direct import" or "no manufacturer warranty" in the product description. Alternatively, many grey market sellers just specify the applicable warranty terms at the bottom of the item page, stating that a seller's warranty (rather than a manufacturer's one) is provided.

How do I know a grey market seller is trustworthy?

It is always good to be careful when encountering deals online that seem too good to be true. Yet, Nikon seems to realise a healthy profit from sales of the D610 in Europe and North America, such that grey imports can undercut the MSRP markedly. Grey market offers for the Nikon D610 can be found notably on eBay, and sometimes also on Amazon. Both of these shopping platforms provide buyer protection policies and feedback facilities. The latter make it possible to check the sales record of different vendors and weed out the unreliable ones. For example, if an eBay shop has a history of hundreds of positively evaluated transactions for high-value items and a feedback score of 97 percent or higher, one can realistically expect a smooth sale. Conversely, if a seller has little experience with high-priced products and several of these transactions have been negatively assessed by buyers, it is probably advisable to look elsewhere. You can check the currently available offers for the Nikon D610 on eBay and Amazon via the buttons below.

amazon.com ebay.com

Should I buy grey market?

Going for the cheaper price of the grey imports can be tempting, but might not be desirable for everyone. If your income depends heavily on your photography, you might value the assurance that comes with an authorized purchase more than the savings the parallel import offers. In particular, in case of any problems with your new Nikon D610, you can send it to Nikon and get it fixed quickly and without hassle, while calling in a seller's warranty will likely be more time-consuming and cumbersome, and, thus, could cost you dearly in terms of lost imaging income. Also, if the currently available discount of the grey market D610 over the authorized retailer price is modest, you might prefer the peace of mind that comes with the official marketing channel and the associated customer service. On the other hand, if the parallel import is much cheaper than the prevailing retail price, you might well be willing to accept a little bit of additional risk with your camera purchase in return for the possibility to save a good chunk of money that could, for example, serve towards acquiring an additional lens for your D610.

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Specifications Summary
Camera Model Nikon D610
Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
Camera Lens Nikon F mount lenses
Launch Date October 2013
Launch Price USD 1 999
Sensor Specs
Sensor Technology CMOS
Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor
Sensor Size 35.9 x 24.0 mm
Sensor Area 862 mm2
Sensor Diagonal 43.2 mm
Crop Factor 1.0x
Sensor Resolution 24.2 Megapixels
Image Resolution 6 016 x 4 016 pixels
Pixel Pitch 5.97 μm
Pixel Density 2.80 MP/cm2
Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
Movie Capability 1080/30p Video
ISO Setting 100 - 6 400 ISO
ISO Boost 50 - 25 600 ISO
Image Processor EXPEED 3
DXO Sensor Quality (score) 94
DXO Color Depth (bits) 25.1
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 14.4
DXO Low Light (ISO) 2925
Screen Specs
Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
Viewfinder Field of View 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.70x
Top-Level Screen Control Panel
LCD Framing Live View
LCD Size 3.2 inch
LCD Resolution 921k dots
LCD Attachment Fixed screen
Touch Input No touchscreen
Shooting Specs
Focus System Phase-detect AF
Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
Continuous Shooting 6 shutter flaps/s
Shutter Life Expectancy150 000 actuations
Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
Time Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer Built-in
Fill Flash Built-in Flash
Storage Medium SDXC cards
Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots
UHS card support UHS-I
Connectivity Specs
External Flash Hotshoe
Studio Flash PC Sync socket
USB Connector USB 2.0
HDMI Port mini HDMI
Microphone Port External MIC port
Headphone Socket Headphone port
Wifi Support no Wifi
Body Specs
Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
Battery Type Nikon EN-EL15 power pack
Battery Life (CIPA)900 shots per charge
Body Dimensions 141 x 113 x 82 mm
(5.6 x 4.4 x 3.2 in)
Camera Weight 850 g (30.0 oz)

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