Counterfeit cameras. New York electronic stores?
So I'm currently in time square. On every block there's an electronic store. (By electronics I mean they also sell luggage, and NYC souvenirs. )
These aces have real looking cannon and Nikon DSLRs. Which I'm currently in the market for.
They look real. And there are so many of these shops. Are the cameras phony?
For the price discount, should I buy?
In New York City especially if you walk down from 34th street 5 ave. Stores will have people or even on the street selling technology that they probably stole from a warehouse. These are probably real depending on how many products the seller has. The more means probably knockoffs. Less means real. The items will probably be 50% or more cheaper. I'd say buy it. But you're always taking a risk. I almost bought a beats headphone for $120, but I didn't have enough cash.
Not counterfeit, but, kit or body-only?
current model or close-out?
US warranty or grey market?
5 stores with web presence. Check their ratings, and at bbb.org
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...video.com/
420 9th Ave. At 34th St.
New York, NY 10001
800.606.6969 / 212.444.6615
http://www.42photo.com/
NYC Retail Store Location: 378 5th Avenue Between 35th & 36th Street on 5th Avenue
http://www.adorama.com/...orama.com/
42 West 18th St.
New York, NY 10011
http://www.17photo.com/
33 WEST 17TH STREET NEW YORK, NY 10011
http://handbdigital.com/
29 West 46th Street in Midtown, Manhattan, NYC
Stick with the higher volume ones.
Some of it is authentic, but isn't licensed for sale in the US. If you buy it, you may find that the manufacturer will not honor the warranty.
Lots of stuff here can be "grey market" which means that they were imported from other countries. If they break, the warranty will not be valid.
If you want a fake, this is where you get it. Look for misspelled names. Cannon instead of Canon
A lot of the times they're fake, used, or even stolen. Sometimes there good, though. If the price sounds to good to be true, it probably is.
I know someone who bought an iPhone from one of those, and when she opened it there was actually no screen.