If Sony Australia refuses to sell Alpha mount lenses and bodies where does that leave all the Alpha users in Australia?

[delewin]

Today at SAR we learn that Sony Australia and New Zealand has officially closed all sales of Alpha mount bodies and lenses.

 

This means that I, as a resident of Australia cannot buy any new Alpha mount body or lens when they are released world wide from Sony Australia and New Zealand.

 

I, along with many existing Alpha mount body and lens users are eagerly waiting for the upgraded A99 mk2 expected to be released very late this year or early next year.

 

As I cannot buy this body from Sony Australia directly, I would be forced into buying a "grey" import.

 

The following questions come to mind and I seek answers to these:

1. If I buy the A99 mk2 from a local importer, will Sony Australia honour the manufacturer's guarantee?

2. Or when it needs repair, would I have to return it to the "point of sale" to get it repaired under their guarantee?

 

I understand there is a big difference in not overtly selling Alpha mount equipment and continuing to support the existing Alpha mount user base by maintaining their repair facilities. That is; Sony can still support all Sony equipment including Sony equipment that Sony Australia does not sell in Australia. BUT Will they? Will they have the tooling required? Almost certainly they will not stock the spare parts! So, long delays which ever option is used.

 

I am very disappointed in Sony Australia and New Zealand to taking the short sighted step and politely request they consider their existing Alpha mount user base who have stuck with them for so many years.

 

Thank you,

David

[jaclarkaus]

Actually, pretty simple. Same as happened when Canon didn't sell their mirrorless here, then only the first version ... or any other importer picks and chooses.

 

Don't know cameras get released 'world wide' unless of course you are talking 'American', but then work wide is the LA-NY world wide model ...

 

They will not honour any guarantee, as they didn't import it (not unreasonable), and they probably won't have parts anyway, so,

You either return it to place of purchase, or spring for something like Mack warranty that covers global repairs.

 

I would think that Sony Australia would be more than happy to import lots and lots of them, if they thought they could sell them, which it would appear they can't.

 

Given there are equivalent, or probably better products in that segment, (Nikon 810 etc.) and the price is going down, they have taken a logical step.

 

Given it looks like high demand in the A series (and by the price they are charging lots of $$$), it is not unreasonable they focus there.

 

Now, if we could get some more lenses for them ...

[beautiful queens servant]

in australia,nz

[Austerror]

Yep, business as usual in Australia.

 

We are a tiny market.  Most corporations don't care about Australia.  It wasn't so long ago (for me) when most of this stuff wasn't sold in Australia at all. Kids these days don't know what it was like reading about a thing in a magazine and knowing it would never be sold in Australia...

 

We are also lucky to have that Australia tax on a bunch of stuff....

 

I was reading a year or two ago that Shell was thinking of closing up shop and leaving Australia....  The reason given was 'not enough profit'.

[molan]

Look Australia is a separate marked with at small population, about some twenty odd millions, the US is about 350 millions and the EU about 500 millions.

 

Simply put, it's a small and insignificant marked with a low priority.

[Guest all8]

Does B&H ship to OZ?

[delewin]

Yes. I have bought some stuff from B&H.

 

They shipped same day and I got it in Sydney Australia ~3 days later.

 

I was very happy.