Why are imported DSLR lens are cheaper than USA lens?
I'm trying to get an everyday 18-105 mm Nikon lens, but I was told that the image quality is not as good as the 18-55 mm and or 55-200 mm lens. Why is that?
Two separate questions…
Imported (AKA "Grey" market) items are cheaper due to packaging and warranty. A lot of the grey market items come in just a plain box (and may or may not include documentation), and how the warranty is handed is different.
Canon may or may not honor the warranty… If it is a lens, they probably will. If it is a camera, they will insist that it is returned to the original country of sale for repair. Which means that you have to return it to wherever you bought it from and let them handle it (which could take several months).
You need to be aware, that Nikon USA will not service a direct import item at all, whether the customer is willing to pay or not.
On the lenses… Whether it is Nikon, Canon, whoever… Not all lenses are created equal (and it is normally reflected in the price). The three biggest factors are the element quality, type of materials, and the aperture size.
It seems you have 2 questions. I don't have any idea regarding your second question. Why are imported lenses cheaper than the "USA" lens? The "USA" lens is imported by the company usually a USA subsidiary of say Canon for example. They import the equipment, set up; offices, sales personnel, and repair personnel. And any thing else it takes to market the equipment. So to expect the USA subsidiary to repair the product which YOU have circumvented them and their profit from selling the product themselves, is why these products are termed "grey" market and do not carry a USA warranty.
So the best thing for the US Consumer to do is find the best deal they can on the product they want.
Usually on professional equipment B&H Photo and Adorama in New York have the reputation for selling at the best price. But don't expect these people to hold your hand either. When you call them they expect: brand, model number, credit card number, your address and that's it! They are not there to discuss the why's and wherefore's of what you want. If you need that, then shop locally and help your local tax base by patronizing the stores in your community.
I don't fully agree with that. OK, granted, the 18-105 is not at it's best at the extremes of the zoom but no lens in that pricerange is. I've shot with two versions of the 18-55 and with the 18-105 and I've found the 18-105 a pleasurable lens to shoot
Many times the imported "Grey Market" are cheaper because of the exchange rate of the dollar. The actual quality of the lens is the same. Nikon will not allow an imported lens to be made any different that the USA lens. The only thing is the warranty. I noticed on the 18-105 lens B&H offered their own 1 year warranty on the imported lens which is $70 lower the the usa one.
Enjoy your new lens.