Grey-import Canon: check the languages first
A grey import saves money — until you open Menu → Setup → Language and find only English and Japanese. Here’s how to check before you buy, and what you can do if the camera is already yours.
What a grey import is
A grey (or parallel) import is a camera brought into your country outside Canon’s official distribution — often from Japan, Hong Kong or the US. You’ll find them on Amazon, eBay and local marketplaces, usually at a discount. They’re genuine Canon cameras, but with the firmware and warranty of the market they were made for.
The language problems people run into
Only English and Japanese on a camera from Japan, no Arabic for buyers in the Gulf, no French for buyers in Canada — we hear these every day. Compacts like the G7 X Mark III and SX740 HS, and the EOS M50 Mark II, come up most often. If you can, check the Language menu in the shop; if you’re buying online, read the return policy first.
What to ask before you buy
Ask the seller which market the camera was made for, how many languages it shows under Setup → Language, whether the warranty is local, and whether you can return it if the languages aren’t what you need. Already bought one with a short list? Note the firmware version and ask us for a free check — and if you have five cameras or more, ask about a volume price.
Already bought? Add the languages instead of returning it
If returning isn’t an option, MenuLang Unlock adds the missing languages over USB on supported models. Buyers in Germany add German, in France French, in Poland Polish. In Israel, Hebrew is possible on many PowerShot compacts, some EOS models and all the Sony cameras we support. Each model page shows the exact list, and our guide to cameras with only English and Japanese explains the next steps.
Frequently asked questions
Are grey-import Canons fake?+
Usually not — they’re genuine Canon cameras with firmware and a warranty from another market. It’s still worth checking the seller’s reputation.
Can I return a camera because of the language menu?+
That’s up to the seller. Some treat a Japanese-language menu as “working as designed” for stock from Japan, so read the terms before you buy.
Which grey-import models do you set up most often?+
PowerShot G7 X Mark III, SX740 HS, EOS M50 Mark II and EOS M200. We always check the firmware first.
Related cameras
Related guides
Canon From Japan Only in English and Japanese? The Fix
Bought a Canon in Japan or from a grey importer, and Menu → Setup → Language shows only English and Japanese? Nothing is broken. The camera simply has firmware for the Japanese market. The same model sold in Europe or the US has many more languages — and on supported models we can add them over USB.
→Japanese-Market vs European/US Canon: What’s Different?
A Canon made for the Japanese market is the same camera as its European or US twin — same sensor, same lens mount. What differs is the firmware: the Japanese version usually has just English and Japanese in the menu, while the version sold in Europe or the US has many more languages. Grey imports bring the Japanese version to buyers everywhere.
→Is Adding Menu Languages Safe? What Changes and What Doesn’t
We only change the camera’s language menu settings — not the sensor, the lens mount or the card slots. Still, no modification is completely risk-free. Here’s what changes, what we don’t touch, and how to keep things smooth.
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