Purchased a Grey Market camera recently? Is it GENUINE?

[ricktas]

An issue has currently arisen and is being investigated by Canon. In the UK a person purchased a Canon 5DIII from a grey market selling out of Hong Kong. When the camera had an operational issue, they contacted the seller and were advised to take their camera to Canon UK for service. This is where the issues began. Canon UK contacted the customer and advised they would not fix the camera as the serial number on the camera was not valid, the serial number plate was counterfeit.

Over the past few days an investigation has started and the source of the issue has been traced back to Canon Hong Kong.

At this time it appears that Canon Hong Kong, without telling the retailers it sold cameras to, has taken refurbished stock or new stock and re-serial numbered them and sold them as new. The retailers (grey marketers in this instance) were completely unaware of this issue.

If you have purchased a grey market camera recently, check the serial number on the camera plate to the serial number available in the EXIF of your camera. If they are different, contact your retailer immediately.

Below are two images of a Canon 5D MkIII. Note how the C and the A of the genuine plate are touching. Note how the serial number on the counterfeit plate has not got the numbers evenly placed and at the same height.

At this time, how extensive this issue is, is not known, but your grey retailer was not aware of this issue, but they should be able to advise you of what to do, now this has become apparent.

GENUINE


FAKE


NOTE : These are not my photos, but placed here to show you the issue

[danny]

Wow. Better check my D7000... Just in case

[arthurking83]

Firstly, the No. (real serial) and NO. (fake serial) are different between the two plates too.
Secondly and more importantly, is where and why are/have CanonHK been getting their source bodies from.
The obvious answer would be returns and refurbs, but in reality how large is this 'returns' market?

Canon HK must surely have one of if not the largest volume of sales of any of the Canon importers networks, as it seems HK is the centre of the global universe when it comes to electronic consumer items(especially high priced stuff like cameras and such).
If the only source was these returned faulty cameras, then this problem, whilst serious, can't be that widespread, otherwise the implication would be that Canon camera bodies have a massive failure rate in percentage terms.
So the next question is; have Canon HK been modding real deal Canon cameras to hide them from the Canon sales figures for some reason?

I know that Canon have asked the HK distributor to cease supplying grey bodies to the HK grey retailers for the purpose of this massive Grey marketplace.
I'm sure I read that Nikon is in the midst of forcing strict regionalisation of it's distributor network too.. where US based companies are not allowed too sell to overseas markets.

Considering the volumes that Canon HK must surely be moving, it looks to be a ploy by the distributor to circumvent Canon's wishes.
And where there is one bad apples, it surely must follow that there is an entire orchard full of rotten apples and trees and their root systems .. I can imagine that the Nikon distributor had probably invented this marketing solution to maintain market position, but they weren't smart enough to patent the idea.

I'm sure action will be taken against Canon HK soon enough.

[ameerat42]

SHOT! What a skim!
They oughta be! With a real (sounds like Canon).

[agb]

Interesting that you say it was Canon HK, my reading of the issue elsewhere made me think that it was another supplier who was doing the label change. If it was Canon HK doing it then that is not good. But how dumb were they .They could not even get the serial numbers on the body to match the serial numbers on the exif of the photos.

[ricktas]

Interesting that you say it was Canon HK, my reading of the issue elsewhere made me think that it was another supplier who was doing the label change. If it was Canon HK doing it then that is not good. But how dumb were they .They could not even get the serial numbers on the body to match the serial numbers on the exif of the photos.

I have more information than is available 'elsewhere'. Which is why I have not named any grey stores involved. What I have as extra information is only partly divulged here as an investigation is still current, I have to be careful what I announce publicly at this time. However, from the information I have, this is outside the control of the grey marketers. They purchased their stock in good faith. I agree that the grey marketer involved in the UK matter directly may have been able to deal with the matter in a better manner, but at the same time they needed to investigate what was going on here. For all they knew the purchaser could have been the one who changed the serial plate. They needed proof before they could do anything.

[Kym]

Warning: Be careful with any posts in this thread!
Please don't quote any other random Web posts.

There are a LOT of rumours flying on the web, mostly only (at best) partially correct.

Rick will post as he gets more information that can be substantiated and published without legal entanglements.

[JSP]

My Dad just gave me a heart attack!!! about this post...... My new 5D Mk III is genuine though

[Cattleprod]

Looks like I've been stung... The serial on my new 5Diii doesn't match the EXIF serial.... I had noticed that the sticker wasn't lined up very well.... What should I do about this Rick??

[agb]

Looks like I've been stung... The serial on my new 5Diii doesn't match the EXIF serial.... I had noticed that the sticker wasn't lined up very well.... What should I do about this Rick??

Immediately notify your supplier.

[ricktas]

Looks like I've been stung... The serial on my new 5Diii doesn't match the EXIF serial.... I had noticed that the sticker wasn't lined up very well.... What should I do about this Rick??

As above. Contact the company you purchased from.

[Mark L]

Looks like I've been stung... The serial on my new 5Diii doesn't match the EXIF serial.... I had noticed that the sticker wasn't lined up very well.... What should I do about this Rick??

And if the camera is working okay, keep taking photos, and don't stress to much. Would be nice if you could get a new ...... camera though.

[ricktas]

And if the camera is working okay, keep taking photos, and don't stress to much. Would be nice if you could get a new ...... camera though.

BUT..if the camera needs a service or repair in future, Canon will not do it! That is the issue here.

[Cattleprod]

I've contacted the supplier, will see what they say... I will keep you posted

[mongo]

As a general point people should note that if you live in NSW and purchase an item from a retailer anywhere in Australia and the goods are supplied to you in NSW, then, if the goods are not as described eg, new or a genuine product form a particular manufacturer eg canon or nikon etc, you have recourse against the retailer direct. It makes no difference that it is described as "grey market". If the goods are sold as , say, a new Canon.......then, it must be new and a genuine Canon etc. If you live in other states, those states throughout Australia may have very similar consumer legislation but you should check with the equivalent of the Department of Fair Trading in your specific state to confirm this.

It seems better to avoid the problem if you can to begin with by buying from a reputable source, asking for the serial number of the goods you are about to buy (before you buy) and check with the manufacturer that it is one of theirs before you buy etc

[Tommo1965]

Firstly, the No. (real serial) and NO. (fake serial) are different between the two plates too.
Secondly and more importantly, is where and why are/have CanonHK been getting their source bodies from.
The obvious answer would be returns and refurbs, but in reality how large is this 'returns' market?

Canon HK must surely have one of if not the largest volume of sales of any of the Canon importers networks, as it seems HK is the centre of the global universe when it comes to electronic consumer items(especially high priced stuff like cameras and such).
If the only source was these returned faulty cameras, then this problem, whilst serious, can't be that widespread, otherwise the implication would be that Canon camera bodies have a massive failure rate in percentage terms.
So the next question is; have Canon HK been modding real deal Canon cameras to hide them from the Canon sales figures for some reason?

I know that Canon have asked the HK distributor to cease supplying grey bodies to the HK grey retailers for the purpose of this massive Grey marketplace.
I'm sure I read that Nikon is in the midst of forcing strict regionalisation of it's distributor network too.. where US based companies are not allowed too sell to overseas markets.

Considering the volumes that Canon HK must surely be moving, it looks to be a ploy by the distributor to circumvent Canon's wishes.
And where there is one bad apples, it surely must follow that there is an entire orchard full of rotten apples and trees and their root systems .. I can imagine that the Nikon distributor had probably invented this marketing solution to maintain market position, but they weren't smart enough to patent the idea.

I'm sure action will be taken against Canon HK soon enough.

seems like a lot of agro to go to if you're only gonna re-badge one or two..getting those new labels made up wouldn't be the easiest thing in the world..not like nipping down to a local snap and having a few business cards knocked up

if they have gone to the trouble to do a con and risk a lot more than the odd refurbished body { which by the way they could have sold as refurb as Nikon do} then Id say the financial return would have to out weigh the potential fall out .....or they are just greedy stupid people

[Warbler]

Interesting that the "C" doesn't touch the "a" on my label, but the serial numbers match, and the serial on the label looks just like the labels on my other bodies. It works perfectly as well. Interested to see where this goes. I have no idea why they'd need to switch the label in the first place, refurb or not.

[ricktas]

Interesting that the "C" doesn't touch the "a" on my label, but the serial numbers match, and the serial on the label looks just like the labels on my other bodies. It works perfectly as well. Interested to see where this goes. I have no idea why they'd need to switch the label in the first place, refurb or not.

Cause the supplier has a contract with Canon that stipulates who they can/cannot sell to. Canon trying to control the market and eliminate grey sellers. From what I know, they have been swapping out serial numbers and then selling cameras to retailers that they have most likely been told not to, under their contract with Canon, in an attempt to stop Canon finding out they were breaching the contract.

Stupidly they seem to have forgotten that the serial number is also embedded in the camera data and hav been caught out. The fallout from this will be very interesting.

[Kym]

As a general point people should note that if you live in NSW and purchase an item from a retailer anywhere in Australia and the goods are supplied to you in NSW, then, if the goods are not as described eg, new or a genuine product form a particular manufacturer eg canon or nikon etc, you have recourse against the retailer direct. It makes no difference that it is described as "grey market". If the goods are sold as , say, a new Canon.......then, it must be new and a genuine Canon etc. If you live in other states, those states throughout Australia may have very similar consumer legislation but you should check with the equivalent of the Department of Fair Trading in your specific state to confirm this.

It seems better to avoid the problem if you can to begin with by buying from a reputable source, asking for the serial number of the goods you are about to buy (before you buy) and check with the manufacturer that it is one of theirs before you buy etc

Since 1/1/2011 Under the national consumer law this applies across Australia.
http://www.consumerlaw.gov.au/conten.../your_home.htm

[Papou]

Shyte must check out my 7D make sure its ridgydidge ey???......

- - - Updated - - -

Since 1/1/2011 Under the national consumer law this applies across Australia.
http://www.consumerlaw.gov.au/conten.../your_home.htm

Do these rights protect us against online purchases also???...Most important thing to know here ey..