GH3 Grey Market 35-100 worth the savings?

[wbrock001]

Hi All,

I see I can buy new grey market Panasonic 35-100 f/2.8 for $1259, where the seller will provide the 1 year warranty service. Or I can pay full $1399 for USA. I figured I could use the money saved to buy a nice protective filter etc for the lens and an extra gh3 battery. So my question does anyone have any nightmares that would give me pause to do this if the reputable company will give the 1 year coverage using a concierge service if work is required? Then after the 1 year warranty can I get the grey market lens serviced here in the USA, obviously costing whatever it costs to repair if service is required after that 1 year warranty period? Thanks for any input.

Bill

 

[Razz16mm]

The cost of shipping and customs for the offshore version might exceed the savings. For the small difference in price I would stick with US stock.

 

[wbrock001]

Hmmm, they say shipping is free and includes customs.

 

[Paul F]

A warranty is only as good as the company that supports it. The question is, when the warranty is needed, will they actually support it.

 

[Spartacus]

Hmmm, they say shipping is free and includes customs.

So the company is in the US and just grey imports them? How else would they be able to "include customs" when they´re abroad...?

 

[wbrock001]

My mistake, they do not include duty so now trying to figure out what it would be for a lens.

 

[stoneinapond]

My mistake, they do not include duty so now trying to figure out what it would be for a lens.

I just paid around $12 for a lens with a declared value of under $300. That also included a $7 UPS processing charge.

 

[wbrock001]

Hmmm, okay for a $1200 lens I'll just take your $12 (for $300 lens) x 4= $48...so a good chunk of discount gets eaten away.

 

[bitcrusher]

Out here in Taiwan a big gray market discount for the 35-100mm never really materialized.

They are still running $33,000ntd whitch is about $1200, we had better deals with the 14-140 when the GH2 came out. There is just not that many GH3 kits out here, so no way to split them. Thats how the gray market works. The seller splits the kit lens with the body and sells them separately, this is also why gray market 14mm F2.5 are so cheap.

Not sure if its the same situation in Hong Kong but I bet it is, so long story short just buy it in the US. Also there are no custom fees in the US because USPS never asks for it.

 

[malibudutchie]

I havn't had any problems with grey market goods, deliveries or warranties. Most of the sellers are pretty good. I bought my 35-100 in Australia on-line for about $150 less than retail and some of them offer pick-up, so no freight costs. Basically they are just big warehouses buying heaps of stock (like Costco) but without a shopfront.
Go for it.

 

[wbrock001]

Okay thank you for the feedback!

 

[aonavy]

bought my 35-100 for 1100$ including shipping. I got it in 5 days from overseas. Couldn't be happier

 

[wbrock001]

Did you have to pay any duty? Assuming you're in the USA? May I ask what store you ordered it from? Thanks!