Re: [APML] Film Sources

[Roland Roberts <roland@astrofoto.org>]

>>>>> "cs" ==   <cschur@cybertrails.com> writes:

    cs> exactly what is "grey market" film?  I would like to order
    cs> film from them as well for my schmidt camera. 

"Grey market" is a term coined by OEMs to connote secondary quality
(think "shady" = "grey") goods.  Manufacturers will often market the
same product in international or non-US markets with different
designations (e.g., in the US it was the Pentax A3000, but elsewhere
is was the Pentax A3) and different warranty terms because consumer
protection laws are different or non-existent.  It is debatable
whether or not the product is of different quality.

If the film was bought outside the US and then imported for resale, it
does *not* carry the same warranty as the US product.  This is a "grey
market" product.  Kodak films seem to come in three varieties:
purchased in the US for US distribution, purchased in the US for
international distribution, and purchased overseas and imported for
sale here.  Only the last is what is normally called "grey market,"
but only the first will have a full US warranty.

Of course, if you are buying film, that warranty only consists of
replacing the film anyway.  B&H and Adorama will warrant the film, but
Kodak will not.

roland
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Roland B. Roberts, PhD                             RL Enterprises
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