How can you tell a...

[jederick]

grey market lens, like on a Panny/Leica 12-60 f2.8-4.0? Is there a marking or special serial #?

 

[BosseBe]

AFAIK a grey market lens is the same as all other with respect to serial numbers etc. the only difference is that it was not imported by the manufacturer but by someone else.
So to check if a lens is grey market I think you would have to contact the manufacturer and ask where the lens with the serial number was sold.

 

[agentlossing]

There aren't really counterfeit lenses for this system, like there sometimes are with Canon/Nikon. Instead, grey market just means that the product doesn't come from an authorized retailer so there isn't a warranty per se.

 

[jederick]

My Nikon serial numbers were preceded with the letters "US" ...I was hoping Panasonic had some way to identify but I guess a call about the ser. no. would be the only way.

Many thanks for looking and responding!

 

[PakkyT]

There aren't really counterfeit lenses for this system, like there sometimes are with Canon/Nikon. Instead, grey market just means that the product doesn't come from an authorized retailer so there isn't a warranty per se.

Or more specifically these are items that were meant for another part of the world but due to things like the exchange rate, tax rates, as well as the target retail price of that item in that market, it makes it worthwhile to import them into another market and be able to undercut the price of the ones sold there.