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Hello The Photo Forum;
Question. Is it possible to tell if a DSLR camera is a counterfeit before buying it?
------ Historical information ---------------
Back in the early 1980's I used to work for a distributor that sold and serviced photocopiers [i.e. copy machines]. The company was located in South Florida, specifically the city of Miami.
They sold a brand of photocopiers that was made by Panasonic. They belonged to a network of photocopier dealers that re-branded the Panasonic photocopier with their own corporate brand [which is perfectly legal].
When I worked for them they would do things that were highly unethical. Back then photocopy machines had what they called a "click counter." It's kind of like a mileage odometer on a car. They would turn back the click counter on the photocopier which lead the buyer to think the copy machine had less wear.
I was a copier salesman. They underpaid the salesmen. I didn't work there very long.
Before owning the photocopier distributorship the owners of that [i.e. the 1980's] company owned a business that sold cameras and camera equipment.
Those people, if they could get possession of counterfeit merchandise, would have sold it for authentic equipment. There's no doubt about that.
------ Current scenario ---------------
Today, there is a certain camera dealer headquartered in New York. They have no relation to the early 1980's photocopier distributor [as far as I know]. The New York camera seller says they are "Authorized Dealers" for Pentax. They are offering a Pentax K-500 camera for $399. That includes shipping.
I realize that many of the Japanese camera companies farm out the manufacture and assembly of their cameras to other Asian countries. Those cameras are made with the authorization of the Japanese camera company.
However, I kind of suspect some of those Asian countries make cameras outside the authorization of the camera company and sell "bootleg" cameras to American dealers.
My question is: Before buying the camera from a dealer is there any way to tell if a camera is a bootleg camera that is made outside of the authorization of the Canon, Pentax, Nikon, etc. camera company?
Thanks.
Hello The Photo Forum;
Question. Is it possible to tell if a DSLR camera is a counterfeit before buying it?
------ Historical information ---------------
Back in the early 1980's I used to work for a distributor that sold and serviced photocopiers [i.e. copy machines]. The company was located in South Florida, specifically the city of Miami.
They sold a brand of photocopiers that was made by Panasonic. They belonged to a network of photocopier dealers that re-branded the Panasonic photocopier with their own corporate brand [which is perfectly legal].
When I worked for them they would do things that were highly unethical. Back then photocopy machines had what they called a "click counter." It's kind of like a mileage odometer on a car. They would turn back the click counter on the photocopier which lead the buyer to think the copy machine had less wear.
I was a copier salesman. They underpaid the salesmen. I didn't work there very long.
Before owning the photocopier distributorship the owners of that [i.e. the 1980's] company owned a business that sold cameras and camera equipment.
Those people, if they could get possession of counterfeit merchandise, would have sold it for authentic equipment. There's no doubt about that.
------ Current scenario ---------------
Today, there is a certain camera dealer headquartered in New York. They have no relation to the early 1980's photocopier distributor [as far as I know]. The New York camera seller says they are "Authorized Dealers" for Pentax. They are offering a Pentax K-500 camera for $399. That includes shipping.
I realize that many of the Japanese camera companies farm out the manufacture and assembly of their cameras to other Asian countries. Those cameras are made with the authorization of the Japanese camera company.
However, I kind of suspect some of those Asian countries make cameras outside the authorization of the camera company and sell "bootleg" cameras to American dealers.
My question is: Before buying the camera from a dealer is there any way to tell if a camera is a bootleg camera that is made outside of the authorization of the Canon, Pentax, Nikon, etc. camera company?
Thanks.
