Grey Market Purchase of EOS R6 Mark II

[Katrinarose]

I recently purchased a Canon R6 Mark II from a local camera store, along with the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. When I attempted to register the camera with Canon yesterday, I discovered that it's a grey market product and cannot be registered. However, the lens is not grey market and was registered without any issues. The store offers a 5-year warranty on the camera, but since the serial number isn't recognized by Canon, I'm unsure whether I should keep it or return it.

[jrhoffman75]

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@Katrinarose wrote:

I recently purchased a Canon R6 Mark II from a local camera store, along with the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. When I attempted to register the camera with Canon yesterday, I discovered that it's a grey market product and cannot be registered. However, the lens is not grey market and was registered without any issues. The store offers a 5-year warranty on the camera, but since the serial number isn't recognized by Canon, I'm unsure whether I should keep it or return it.

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If you can afford the price difference I suggest you return the camera and buy a Canon USA model.

Five year warranty is certainly better than Canon one year, but you are at the mercy of whatever repair facility the third party warranty company uses. If the warranty states camera replacement that would be different.

 Since I keep my cameras for four or more years I never considered the savings for grey market worth it when evaluated over the life of the camera.

[ebiggs1]

I would return it. The savings can be small to nothing at all. Canon USA service is top drawer who knows what the store uses.

[wq9nsc]

I agree with others to return it.  Ethical retailers will clearly disclose an item that is gray market PRIOR to consumer purchase.

I have knowingly purchased some camera gear that was gray market but in the case of the one gray market body that I bought the price differential was very large and sufficient to offset the risk plus it was a tried and true DSLR body that has a history of extreme reliability.  There is now way I would purchase a Canon mirrorless without a Canon warranty given numerous failures.  The other reason to purchase gray market is when that is the only way a specific product can be obtained in your home market.

Third party warranties are something to be avoided, as one of my colleagues who did consumer research in that field told me years ago that the company "warranty forever" should be renamed "warranty never".  When you receive/buy an aftermarket warranty then you are betting against the house and the house almost always wins.

Rodger