Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]<<Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2000 20:40:52 -0400 From: Austin Franklin <austin@darkroom.com> Subject: [Leica] "B Grade" Leica gear???? Message-ID: <01C00E0B.9A963BE0@user-2ive2l5.dialup.mindspring.com> References: I just got off the phone with a camera dealer in California (he was not trying to sell me anything) who insists that all camera manufacturers sell A grade and B grade equipment...even C and lower grade. He claims the B grade is what is sold by the mail order outfits (typically called "Gray Market")...and is why they can offer the lower prices. The only marking distinction between any of the grades is a sticker on the item...and he said these stores just pull the stickers off. Manufacturers will always have some items that don't 'meet spec' and these 'inferior' grade products, are what become B grade products, as opposed to fixing them, or throwing them away... It tees me off that if this is true, the manufacturers don't physically mark the products as B grade... He said Hasselblad sells this grade as 'demo' equipment...but again, the item it self isn't marked with anything but a sticker. What about the used equipment market, how do you know if you are buying an A grade or a B grade? It would appear that even new equipment can be 'not so good'... What does anyone else know about this?>> While I doubt any of this is actually true...I can say that I have never found any grey market gear with a sticker on it indicating it was some sort of different grade. I have imported gear from: Germany Hong Kong Italy Holland Switzerland Austria Singapore Cayman Islands ...and maybe a few others and I have never found a single difference beyond the paperwork. I have also had some really REALLY picky customers come to the showroom and compare gear atom-for-atom and never come up with anything. Perhaps Joseph Yao is still on the list and can shed more light on the subject, if there is anything to it. I'd like to hear it too. It would actually be a great sales-pitch for someone who sold only USA gear too. ;-> later, Rich