"Factory Refurbished" vs "Canon USA Refurbished"

[John Craig]

I was wondering if anyone has experience or insight with respect to these 2 evidently different "refurbished" canon types of products. From what I can tell there are "factory refurbished" and there are "refurbished by Canon USA" products available. The "factory" refurbs seem to qualify for an actual Canon 90-day warranty, yet the "USA" refurbs only get store warranty?

Are both types of refurbs made to similar specification? Do both types get packaged and sold in the "white" refurbished boxes? There doesn't seem to be anything on the Canon website about refurbs, or even who are "authorized sellers" of refurbs would be. Do "refurbished" bodies have their own Canon SKU numbers that we can search by if comparison shopping?

Also would be interested if anyone knows the 'typical' chain of custody for a camera to get into a 'refurbished' box (factory and/or Canon USA) and sold as such?

[Will Thompson]

I have 2 friends that own 2 different Canon authorized camera stores and have only heard of store only warranty.

I will ask them tomorrow what the difference is and if they both exist.

[John Craig]

FYI.. here's a quick link to one such "Canon USA" warranteed 1ds.. see the "item includes" section.

http://www.adorama.com/ICA1DSR.html

I should I guess also point out that in the UK you can also buy cameras at the "Canon Outlet" which is apparently (?) a direct-from canon marketplace of refurbished cameras.. and all the cameras there have a 1-year Warranty.. WOULD LOVE to the see the same thing from Canon in the US.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Canon-Outlet

[Will Thompson]

Per my Canon contacts, dealers and such there are no canon refurbished camera bodies sold in the USA! All refurbished units are gray market and are imported by the dealer and have a 90 day factory warranty.

[Nill Toulme]

When my little S400 died I sent it in to Canon and they offered me a swap to a refurb S500 for an upcharge (mine was well out of warranty). As I recall it was a Canon factory refurb and carried a 90-day warranty.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

[Jack Joseph Jr]

Wow, Adorama is selling refurb 1Ds bodies for only five hundred dollars more than B&H sells new ones for. What a deal. Hmmm.

[John Craig]

Originally Posted by Will Thompson

Per my Canon contacts, dealers and such there are no canon refurbished camera bodies sold in the USA! All refurbished units are gray market and are imported by the dealer and have a 90 day factory warranty.

Obviously this is either wrong.. or resellers such as Adorama (although B&H has had these I think in the past also) are misrepresenting their products. Gray market implies imported, yet descriptions are for product "refurbished by Canon USA".. which doesn't make sense if they're gray market.

Example: do a google of the following Canon part number: 0296B036AA and I think you'll find this is an actual Canon part number for a refurbished "by Canon USA" Eos 5D. The regular "new" 5D part number seems to be 0296B002.

[Chuck Fry]

I'd be interested to hear Canon USA's stand on this. Chuck, can you comment?

[Chuck Westfall(Canon USA)]

This is not my area of expertise, so I'm researching it with our Sales group. Please be patient.

Best Regards,

Chuck Westfall
Director/Media & Customer Relationship
Camera Marketing Group/Canon U.S.A., Inc.

[John Craig]

Thank you, Chuck.

I think what would be of particular interest is in knowing if there is any set of minimum qualifications a "refurbished" body must meet in order to qualify to be packaged and sold as such in the "refurbished" (special white) boxes, eg... things like:

1) No more than XX number of shutter actuations
2) Free (or limited amount) of cosmetic imperfections
3) X, Y and Z testing has been performed to ensure meets A, B, and C mimimum requirements in overall performance...
4) Provence of camera is known and accounted for.

... that kinda thing. Again, thanks for any heads-up or further info you can throw our way!