Primarily price and warranty service. Generally, IMP products are less expensive. The US-warranted item's price covers the American importer's operating expenses, including warranty service, their sales staff, web sites, advertising, and all their overhead expenses. The price of the IMP product covers none of this since the IMP product was brought into the USA by someone other than the manufacturer's licensed importer.
With a few products there may be some differences. Konica-Minolta uses the name Maxxum in the USA for their auto-focus 35mm camera system but uses the name Dynax elsewhere. Nikon had a camera called the N90s in the USA but called the F90x elsewhere. The product itself is identical. It's also important to know that during the manufacturing and assembly process there's no distinction. USA and IMP lenses, for example) are all made simultaneously from the same raw materials and components, and are assembled by the same workers on the same assembly line. The US or IMP distinction isn't even applied until the assembly process is completed. There is no quality or performance difference whatsoever.
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All items sold by B&H are warranted solely by the manufacturer/distributor, except "direct import" a/k/a IMP items. All items needing repair (other than IMP) should be sent to the manufacturer/distributor directly for service Click Here for the Manufacturer's Phone Directory. B&H is not liable if the manufacturer/distributor fails to perform warranty service.
For IMP items only, B&H provides a warranty identical to the provisions and limitations of the manufacturer's warranty for such items, with the exception of the time period, which is equal to the term of the manufacturer's warranty or one (1) year, whichever is less. Your warranty card and/or sales slip must accompany all items.
IMP products never qualify for manufacturer's rebate programs.
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