Trouble Registering Used EOS 5D Mark IV

[Heet]

Hello,

I recently bought a used canon 5D Mark IV.

I am just a student with low funds, and really into photography.

But now I am trying to register my camera to Canon USA and it says it’s not supposed to be sold in US. I fear I got a grey market product.

The serial number is 

1280XXXX0943 [Masked Serial Number]

Please let me know which location does my camera belong.

[shadowsports]

I've alerted the Mods to your post.  

[SamanthaW]

We recommend reaching out to our support team! They can take your serial number and figure out which region it's for. They can be reached at 1-800-OK-CANON (1-800-652-2666). 

[normadel]

What's your fear?

1. A gray market camera is exactly the same as a US-intended one.

2. You'd only be missing out on a Canon warranty for the US, if the camera was new enough to still have one anyway. And, I believe, a warranty would not follow the change of ownership.

3. Download the full manual from Canon if you haven't already, so you can see all of the capabilities it has. You might actually get to use them.

Enjoy your camera!

[rs-eos]

No.  Grey market items can be modified. e.g. the sellers could remove parts and/or accessories and replace with sub par ones.

[normadel]

That can be done with a USA model, too.

[jrhoffman75]

---

@Heet wrote:

Hello,

I recently bought a used canon 5D Mark IV.

I am just a student with low funds, and really into photography.

But now I am trying to register my camera to Canon USA and it says it’s not supposed to be sold in US. I fear I got a grey market product.

The serial number is 

1280XXXX0943 [Masked Serial Number]

Please let me know which location does my camera belong.

---

If/after you find out, don't worry about it.

The only time I have ever seen a problem is if a camera was intended for the Japan Domestic Market (JDM). Those cameras have a very limited language selection option (I think just 3).

Canon, unlike Nikon, does not seem to have a restriction on servicing gray market products. It would be a fee service, but so would a US market device after the warranty expires. 

[wq9nsc]

If the price you paid was a good deal, don't worry.  The risk you took on is not having the fairly short Canon factory warranty and the 5DIV, and its same era DSLR siblings, has been highly reliable.  Lots of people are happily and unknowingly doing photography with grey market cameras, typically people only notice if they try to register the camera like you did or need in warranty service.

The other common difference with grey market Canon bodies, depending upon the model, is the charger may be equipped with a removable cord set instead of fixed allowing easy adaptation to the market where it is sold.

Enjoy using a very nice camera.  As a student with low funds, you have other more pressing issues including high tuition costs and ridiculous textbook pricing.  Your camera should be a source of happiness and not worry.

Rodger