Today’s Question: I ordered the Canon Rebel T7. What arrived today was the Canon 2000D. Is the Canon 2000D the same camera as the T7? I assume it is, because online and elsewhere it’s referred to the Cannon 2000D/Rebel T7.
Tim’s Quick Answer: This appears to be an example of a “gray market” product, meaning a product intended for an international market being sold in the US. In many cases gray market products are not covered under the manufacturer’s warranty, among other potential limitations.
More Detail: It will probably come as no surprise that there are two sides to the issue of gray market products. While there are certain risks or limitations involved with purchasing gray market products, many photographers actually seek out gray market cameras to get the advantage of a lower price.
In the case of the specific example from today’s question, the Canon EOS 2000D is the European version of what is the Canon EOS Rebel T7 (https://bhpho.to/4gK2opX) in the Americas. These cameras have the same basic features, but there are some localized differences, such as chargers for different power outlets for their respective regions.
If you purchase the 2000D in the US, it means it was not sold by an authorized reseller. In other words, in effect you’re buying a used camera (even if the box was never opened) from a private individual (even if a company is selling you the product). Of course, if you had purchased a 2000D in Europe, you could obviously travel to the US and have a perfectly good camera. So the overall business issue here is that the authorized reseller is being bypassed.
For the consumer, as long as the product is legitimate and hasn’t been modified (such as by adapting the battery charger from a European to a US outlet type) there isn’t any inherent problem with buying a gray market product. And in most cases you’ll find that gray market products are less expensive than the markets intended for your market. For this reason, many photographers seek out gray market products to save money on their gear. In this situation you just need to make sure you’re buying from a reputable seller and that the product is legitimate.
However, you may not be able to get warranty coverage, technical support, or rebates if you buy a gray market product. Canon, for example, calls out that they won’t provide these benefits to those who purchase gray market products, as outlined on their website here:
https://www.usa.canon.com/support/gray-market
Many photographers purchase gray market products on a regular basis and are very happy with their purchases. I’ve even heard from photographers who were able to get warranty coverage (even from Canon) for gray market products. However, if you’re going to purchase a gray market product, you should be aware that there are some risks. And if you unknowingly purchased a gray market product, you may want to consider returning it for a refund or contacting the manufacturer to see if they’ll be able to cover the warranty and provide technical support.
