You find a great deal on a Canon EOS R5 in Kuala Lumpur or Hanoi. The price is 30% lower than the official store. The seller says it is "New, International Version." This is a grey market camera. It is genuine hardware, but it was imported by a third party, not Canon Asia. The serial number will tell you this story instantly.
Note: While you can decode the manufacture date, the only way to verify if the camera is stolen or validly imported is through a direct inquiry with Canon or checking for local warranty documents. What to Do If You Suspect a Counterfeit Canon Camera Serial Number Check Asia
: Hidden inside or on the door of the battery slot. You find a great deal on a Canon
Turn your camera over. The serial number is a string of numbers (usually 12 digits, or a mix of letters and numbers on older models) stamped onto a sticker. It is genuine hardware, but it was imported
: On some modern cameras, you can find it digitally via the Status Monitor or Device Information menu. How to Use the Serial Number
Kaito remembered an online forum thread: photographers traded stories and tips for verifying gear. The most practical safeguard was the serial number. Canon’s serial numbers, he’d read, could reveal a product’s manufacturing region, model series, and sometimes help track service records if checked through official channels or reputable regional registries. In Asia, forums and community archives often kept lists correlating serial ranges to factories or batch years. He pulled the camera gently from the box and found the engraved sequence on the base: a neat row of digits and letters.
Canon does not offer a single global serial number database, so you must use the specific portal for your country to check warranty and "gray market" status. Where to find your serial number - Canon Europe