Grey imported Sigma lenses

[inside]

Just a FYI the authorised Australian importer of Sigma lenses will price match any grey import. This from their website:

"C.R. Kennedy & Co P/L will only undertake warranty repairs on products sourced through us. All products imported directly from overseas and resold are not covered by our warranty. This includes purchases through ebay and through grey importers such as Camerasdirect.com.au - Digital Camera Store (http://www.camerasdirect.com.au), Canon Nikon and Sony digital SLR Cameras and lenses - Sydney and Brisbane pickup - Discount Digital Photographics (http://www.d-d-photographics.com.au) and Globalmediapro eShop (http://www.globalmediapro.com).
Mark Harrison from Camerasdirect.com.au - Digital Camera Store (http://www.camerasdirect.com.au) has been directly advised by Sigma Japan that C.R. Kennedy, the only authorised Sigma agent in Australia, will not cover warranty on Sigma products bought through Camerasdirect.com.au - Digital Camera Store (http://www.camerasdirect.com.au)

We will match, through our authorised Sigma dealer network, any legitimate advertised internet price on Sigma lenses by these grey importers.

These prices do not include traditional pre-sales and after sales service normally given by your local retail store. We suggest that you research the product thoroughly before making any purchase."

Sigma | Photographic, Digital, Medical, Surveying, Surveillance, Digital Audio. CR Kennedy. Australia (http://www.crkennedy.com.au/v1/index.cfm?pageID=315&h=grey&)

With this policy there is no need to source Sigma lenses from OS. Find the price then email them and they'll work it out with an authorised agent that you pay the agreed price. This has been successfully documented, check google.

[dullbird]

sounds good

[slt]

These prices do not include traditional pre-sales and after sales service normally given by your local retail store.

Hahaha!!! When was it the last time you received "service" at a camera store that was worth paying for?

Btw. my Sigma 70-200/2.8, bought 13 months ago through a legit Aust. dealer has given up auto-focussing and is starting to have fungal growh on the inside of the front element. Out of warranty now of course. The 14-24 and 24-70 Nikkors I own and and which were always in the same bag have no troubles whatsoever. Saves me right for trying to save a bit at the time I switched over to Nikon. You get what you pay for I guess. I know where the replacement is going to come from ... and it won't have an "S" in front of it...

[dmdigital]

Hmmm, so they'll match the prices of the grey importers. But a lot of those importers are only about 10-15% less than the Australian stock suppliers.

If you pick a Sigma lens overseas it can be as much as 50% less.

slt - Have you upgraded the camera body? I've heard of Sigma lenses having AF problems on older lens with a newer body and needing a chip upgrade.

[werdan]

On the flip side of the coin, I've owned a couple of Sigma lenses over the past 20-odd years and never needed needed to service any of them. Then again they are Minolta mechanical AF and not Canon USM AF.

[Bigbjorn]

I remember a certain distributor of luxury cars that were sold in quite small numbers who wanted your VIN number before selling spare parts. They refused to sell parts for cars that were not imported by them. They claimed "safety" as the reason, saying they had no idea of the specification of the vehicle and would not make themselves liable for any failure that may have been attributed to a wrong part.

[slt]

slt - Have you upgraded the camera body? I've heard of Sigma lenses having AF problems on older lens with a newer body and needing a chip upgrade.

No, same old D700, and we're talking the new 70-200, which was only released in 2008.

Mind you, I don't baby my equipment when I think good shots are to be had. So it went through some freezing drizzle in Iceland and a shower or two back here ... but so did the Nikkors I must add, and they're fine, while the Sigma expired 1 month after the end of the warranty period. Optically the Sigma was fine, but they clearly don't apply the same manufacturing standards as Nikon, which is of course reflected in the price.

But maybe that's a good thing, if I'd bought the Nikkor 70-200 back then it would have been the old version, while now I can get the new one that's optimised for FX ;)

[slt]

I remember a certain distributor of luxury cars that were sold in quite small numbers who wanted your VIN number before selling spare parts. They refused to sell parts for cars that were not imported by them. They claimed "safety" as the reason, saying they had no idea of the specification of the vehicle and would not make themselves liable for any failure that may have been attributed to a wrong part.

Maybe that's applicable to a luxury car, where even international distributors are limited. But we're talking consumer electronics here. What it comes down to is that shops in the US or HK price primarily on volume, whilst here they price on margins that are being justified as paying for local "service" and "support". Given globalisation and the internet it's the locals that will lose out in the end. Buyers who are prepared to take a (small) gamble on warranty issues can make considerable savings when the exchange rate is right (as dm mentioned, as much as 50% on Sigma!).

I give you another example: I recently bought an Astronomical telescope that you can go down to a premier outdoor/nature/science dealer in your local mall and pay AU$2999 for. Or you can try a local specialist store, who in a pre-Christmas sales drive sold it for as low as AU$1899. Or you can hop on the internet and order it for US$699, plus a couple of hundred in shipping, and have it delivered to your doorstep literally 3 days later! You tell me how the mall retailer can justify effectively having a 200% margin! Their sales staff are clueless when it comes to Astronomy, and I doubt they're paid overly well. At least the specialist dealer is knowledgable on the subject, and knows where the wind's blowing from...

Then again, I probably wouldn't buy a new Land Rover over the internet ... not that I seem to be getting much in the form of warranty support :mad:

[dmdigital]

But maybe that's a good thing, if I'd bought the Nikkor 70-200 back then it would have been the old version, while now I can get the new one that's optimised for FX ;)
Was talking to a pro-photographer in Broome who shot D700 and 70-200 Nikkor. Said they couldn't see any issues and I must agree so far looks to work well on the FX. The thing I'd say that will have improved is the light transmission ability with the new lens coatings. Won't be rushing out to get one anytime soon as I suspect the next lens will be something for birding - maybe the new 300 f/2.8 + 2xTC III - in a few years time.

[Bigbjorn]

Maybe that's applicable to a luxury car, where even international distributors are limited. But we're talking consumer electronics here. What it comes down to is that shops in the US or HK price primarily on volume, whilst here they price on margins that are being justified as paying for local "service" and "support". Given globalisation and the internet it's the locals that will lose out in the end. Buyers who are prepared to take a (small) gamble on warranty issues can make considerable savings when the exchange rate is right (as dm mentioned, as much as 50% on Sigma!).

I give you another example: I recently bought an Astronomical telescope that you can go down to a premier outdoor/nature/science dealer in your local mall and pay AU$2999 for. Or you can try a local specialist store, who in a pre-Christmas sales drive sold it for as low as AU$1899. Or you can hop on the internet and order it for US$699, plus a couple of hundred in shipping, and have it delivered to your doorstep literally 3 days later! You tell me how the mall retailer can justify effectively having a 200% margin! Their sales staff are clueless when it comes to Astronomy, and I doubt they're paid overly well. At least the specialist dealer is knowledgable on the subject, and knows where the wind's blowing from...

Then again, I probably wouldn't buy a new Land Rover over the internet ... not that I seem to be getting much in the form of warranty support :mad:

The luxury car distributor were just being dog in the manger. Everything they sold was at rip-off prices. Their bitch was imports from the USA of used vehicles which were converted to RH drive here and sold quite affordably compared to what they were trying to sell new ones for. They hated to think they were missing out on the consumer dollar. A specialist repairer got legal advice and threatened them with the then new Trade Practices Act. This guy was importing many spares but didn't like being refused when he needed a bit. The company now sells to all comers as required by the act.