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If I buy an "import" lens from B&H Photo, generally that means that Nikon USA (or Canon USA, so far as I know) won't touch it. Instead, B&H offers you their own warranty for the same time period and whatnot.



I think it depends on your local Canon people honouring the warranty. My understanding is that Canon US will not honour claims on grey kit imported into the US, whereas Canon UK will honour claims in lenses bought elsewhere in the world (but not bodies).

I have never had a problem with the lenses I bought in the US (they were US stock, rather than greys) so I've never found out whether my understanding is correct or not

It is of course in B&H's benefit to sell added warranty whatever the situation is...

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Given how much cheaper it is to buy these things in the U.S., I'm surprised there isn't some sort of arbitrage going on. Is there not a U.K. version of B&H selling "import" gear for close to American prices? If they buy at wholesale (or even street) prices here and pay those duties, it looks like they still come out ahead of your street prices.


I don't know of any UK based companies doing this. Various European companies have won court cases in the past against people under cutting the official European importers of various stuff, which probably explains it.

There are lots of Hong Kong based people who specialise in selling new camera gear to the UK on ebay though. Many of them advertise the fact that they will attempt to package the goods to avoid duty and sales tax.
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