Counterfeit Canon flashguns

[Rhossydd]

http://www.canonrumors.com/2015/06/product-advisory-counterfeit-canon-speedlite-600ex-flashes-on-the-market/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+canonrumors%2Frss+%28Canon+Rumors%29

Whilst a few cheaper items like ink and memory cards have been counterfeited before in the photographic market. It's the first time I've seen such a sophisticated and high priced item as a Canon Speedlie counterfeited.
A bit of a worry with the high power involved with flash guns like this, it could have the potential to do damage to camera bodies and possibly lenses.

[AlterEgo]

It's the first time I've seen such a sophisticated

no longer it is sophisticated to do - 3rd party flash manufacturers ("China") are selling Canon TTL protocol flashes for a fraction of the (Canon's) price, so you just need a plastic shell imitating a Canon own design for their guts... very simple... retail ~$500 for this Canon model ? 3rd party TTL flashes __retail__ for $100-150 and cheaper if you are buying wholesale to remove their exterior and put the fake exterior plastic and not going after 3rd party innards with Radio TTL options... profit... as for the damage, I 'd say it costs more to obtain something that will damage the camera, rather then a properly functioning 3rd party flash to replace the exterior as noted above 

[barryfitzgerald]

Well third party makers are quite entitled to make flashes for any camera, "fake" means trying to knock something off so yes adding a Canon case to the flash probably isn't hard to do and some dodgy companies might do this. Not that I condone it but OEM flash makers do need to sort their prices out a bit some of the third party ones are very good and cost a fraction. No need to buy any fake products just use the china flashes and save a fortune.

[Rhossydd]

The problem is not whether you choose to buy an third party unit, an option that has always been available, but that there are fakes in circulation.

You might be very disappointed to buy what you expect to be a genuine flashgun and find it's a fake sold at an inflated price with a worthless warranty.

[AlterEgo]

The problem is not whether you choose to buy an third party unit, an option that has always been available, but that there are fakes in circulation.

You might be very disappointed to buy what you expect to be a genuine flashgun and find it's a fake sold at an inflated price with a worthless warranty.

so true, however buying from such outlets might leave you w/o warranty even if the piece is actually a genuine Canon - but "grey" one... so when price is too good to be true it makes sense to buy a genuine 3rd party flash in a more reliable outlet.

[Rhossydd]

so true, however buying from such outlets might leave you w/o warranty even if the piece is actually a genuine Canon - but "grey" one...

Grey imports may still be warranted in some territories.

so when price is too good to be true it makes sense to buy a genuine 3rd party flash in a more reliable outlet.

Sure, I'd be suspicious of any ridiculously cheap offers, but it may be a case of not being too good to be true. Just a decent price for what is sold as a genuine product.

They'll also find their way into the secondhand market and again you won't be getting what you'd expect.

I doubt there's any chance they'll be as well built as a genuine product, or even as well made as a non-OEM product, so may prove to be unreliable or worse damage the camera they're attached to.