Pricing for a used Z8 (as a buyer)

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

Member's gallery
Some years ago I was looking on line and was looking to buy a Yeti cooler. I found a site that claimed to be an official Yeti outlet store. The prices were deeply discounted.

I put in a small order but quickly realized the payment was going to some unknown location in Asia. I then researched further on line and found fraud warnings. I tried to cancel the order the same day it was placed but did not get a response. Nor did I get a shipment of any product.

Because I placed the order through a credit card I was able to contest the charges. In the end I did not lose anything.

The moral of this story is that there is a lot of fraud out there . Watch out for deals at super attractive prices. Verify everything and beware of the gray market.

There is a latin phrase "caveat emptor". It means buyer beware. It certainly applies to purchasing an item as expensive as a high end camera or lens.
 
Member's gallery
Agree, Also never an issue with Grey market if you deal with a larger good well known dealer outfit.

Your Grey market experience is only as good as the dealership you get involved with being large well known and reputable.

For me the D3S D4 D4s D5 200 F4 Macro all Grey still get free sensor clean NPS service, and repairs at cost, as to warranty the Grey Market store is good, its long standing and reputable with a broad market of camera club member sales history and service especially to many camera cub member's, its a matter of researching and establishing if they are a reputable major store in Japan or Asia not a small computer store in the back blocks or a small local strip mall.

I ordered my 200 F4 on Thursday Night on line, Sunday yes Sunday morning there was a knock on the door. Japan to Sydney.

The grey stores i have used have a phone number, you can talk to a person, the good grey market stores also have a local stock room in this case Sydney, its stacked to the ceilings full of all sorts of things, lap tops hair dryers cameras phones, each week one or two shipments come in, if there is a warranty claim or issue you get the camera to them about 40 minutes away and it goes back to the shop in Japan for service or repairs, the turn around is usually just 2 weeks or less. All this good experience is a consensus feed back from many many camera club members also from other clubs and member's.

Note Grey market pricing has become less competitive of late at least here.

Here is the Kicker, i do buy lots locally but i can say in all the years of grey market buying its all been a excellent experience with no issues with Nikon touching the cameras for repairs contrary to roomers.

Your Grey market experience is only as good as the dealership you get involved with.

Note the DSLRS have been flawless, bullet proof in performance with no issues, buying Grey a Z8 Z9 or mirror less, that's OK also but given the crap problems with Nikon's mirror less flagship cameras makes life a real punt or a lucky dip experience, Because of the history of Nikon s mirror less QC issues i now buy locally.

Regardless of what and where you buy, if you haven't got deep pockets warranty is critical with these computerized cameras especially given Nikon's poor QC history.

Spare your self all the agony take your time sell all you can save up and buy something with warranty, because if its going to go bad usually its earlier than later and if your on your own and it fries in big way you will need to sell the farm to pay for repairs.

Mirror less is fun and has some convenient advantages especially with glass but gee its a little over cooked.


Only an opinion
 
Member's gallery
Ever said:
Note: sorry if this is the wrong place for this kind of question, but I'm not sure where to post it and don't have any friends to ask. This is currently my main photography community.

I'm thinking about upgrading to a Z8 from my D500. It's a lot of money for me, so I'm not in a hurry. But I could see myself justifying it if I were able to secure a really good deal.

I found a private seller willing to sell a "like-new" Z8 for ~$3,300. <700 shutter count, all the original items, etc. It seems like a good deal compared to what I've seen on resale websites. Will I find any lower than that over the next six months?

I'm also curious how much prices tend to come down over the years. In other words, if a "like-new" Z8 is ~$3,500 today on a site like MPB, how many years will it take to drop to ~$2,500? I realize the answer to this is probably "it depends", so I'm mainly asking in general so I can manage expectations.

Thanks for any guidance.
Click to expand...
What lenses do you have ?
 
Member's gallery
O said:
Is there any other lens you really want
Click to expand...

Well I just upgraded to it from the 200-500, and I’m pretty new to wildlife photography so I’m not sure where I’ll wind up. But they say good things about the 600 f4 and the 800pf.

Of course I’d take a TC version if I won the lottery :)
 
Member's gallery
Member's gallery
MrFotoFool said:
Amazon USA has refurbished Z8 listed now, though I don't know if there is a way to guarantee it is was originally released as a USA model.
Click to expand...
Be careful about that one. Amazon RENEWED is not the same as refurbished by Nikon. The seller is someone called Pixibytes.
 
Member's gallery
MrFotoFool said:
Amazon USA has refurbished Z8 listed now, though I don't know if there is a way to guarantee it is was originally released as a USA model.
Click to expand...
EricBowles said:
Be careful about that one. Amazon RENEWED is not the same as refurbished by Nikon. The seller is someone called Pixibytes.
Click to expand...
For between $200-300 US more, you can get a refurbished Z8 directly from Nikon USA. And for about $200 US more than that, you can get a new Z8 from B&H, Adorama and directly from Nikon USA. (And other places, as well, I assume.)

For the cost vs risk, I'd take new every time.

If I couldn't afford it at the moment, I'd start saving my change and eat PB&J sandwiches for lunch until I could afford one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top