Made in Japan no more: Nikon moving camera production overseas

[Lachlan Young]

In the mid- and long term the clever camera manufacturers will compensate a part of their revenue decline in digital by benefitting from the increasing interest in film photography.

I think it'll be interesting to see how much the revolution in manufacturing technologies of the last 15-20 years will play into this - especially as CaNikon's dash to mirrorless looks an awful lot like desperate cost cutting of almost all remaining mechanical parts from their camera assemblies. Though it must be said that as long as you don't need a fully mechanical camera, an analogue camera is essentially a set of direct drive motors in a frame inside a light-tight box. I'd also expect any new system to cluster around moderate wide to normal focal lengths (24-60-ish mm and equivalent) - there's not as much interest in the extremes of focal length amongst younger film users.

 

[George Mann]

Sad.Yes, George, it is. Have you ever considered that when you make elitist bullshit statements? When denying that the factual statements of others are correct?

Your statements border on libel!

 

[Mike Lopez]

Your statements border on libel!

How so?

 

[grat]

Snobbery should be made of sterner stuff.

Nobody said or even implied one was better than the other, only that they are different and as such, deserve to be distinguished in name. If one feels snobbery has been implied then one ought to examine their own value hierarchy and insecurities. One could just as easily recognize all that has been said as celebratory of the difference between the two modes of expression. Again, examine yourself and your own issues.

A camera is a light-tight box with a focusing element at one end and a light-sensitive medium at the other.

At least two people (starting with you) in this thread have stated categorically, that if that light-sensitive medium is read digitally then it isn't photography, or a camera. That's snobbery. And BS. It's about as useful as saying anything that isn't recorded on a sheet of metal isn't a legitimate photograph.

As for me, my conscience is clear-- they're all useful methods for capturing light, end of story.

 

[grat]

Your statements border on libel!

Only if they can be proven to be untrue, AND that the person stating them knows them to be untrue, AND that you can prove actual harm.

And there's plenty of evidence to support the defense.

 

[removed account4]

Many of us have zero interest in elitist bullshit.

that's the world we live in sal
lots of elitists out there
too many tribalists not enough photographers

 

[George Mann]

Digital image capturing, along with its post processing is technically a graphic art, which fails to meet the strict definition of photography.

A digital camera is still a camera.

 

[mshchem]

So much for any discussion about Nikon shuttering Japan camera manufacturing.

25 million words about f'ing XTOL, 1000 about this subject before the discussion degrades to BS.

 

[DREW WILEY]

It's not just cameras, and not just about Japanese labor expense. Ever since the Fukushima disaster, energy has become quite expensive for Japanese industries due to an overall shortage.

 

[MattKing]

I expect that many on this thread never accepted anything with Leica on it made in Midland Ontario.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midland,_Ontario

 

[wiltw]

I expect that many on this thread never accepted anything with Leica on it made in Midland Ontario.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midland,_Ontario

• Oh no, a Canadian made Leica. I hope it isn't a subsidiary of Bombardier, who cannot seem to make a rail transit car that runs reliably! Ask BART and MTA.
• 'Digital camera' is an oxymoron, isn't it?! If it does not use film, it isn't a real photographer's tool. Kinda like acrylic painters are not real painters who use only oils!
• Sushi made by Chinese or Mexican food staff using fish caught in the Alantic and rice grown in Texas?! Gimme a break, it ain't real Japanese food.
• COVID that comes via Europe or Brazil...it ain't real 'Kung flu'
• Kodak Alaris is not real Kodak, it's British!
• BMWs made in South Carolina are not German, either. And Toyotas made in Mississippi are not Japanese cars.
• Olympus stopped being a camera manufacturer when they started making only digital 4/3 bodies.
• And US Dollars that are not 'Gold Certificates' are not real Dollars.

 

[BrianShaw]

... and the internet... not even the real world.

 

[wiltw]

I think some Leica stuff was also made in Portugal.

a number of Leica lenses; Leica has been manufacturing in Portugal for 40 years

 

[Ai Print]

Which is wrong as Nikon is producing lots of excellent F mount lenses which are perfect for Nikon film camera users.
And in 3-4 years the demand pressure from the film revival will be big enough that camera manufacturers like Nikon will consider entering the film camera market again.

I hear by nominate Henning Serger to become the director of the "Film Travelers Network".

This will be a network of resources and data collection that will aid greatly in preventing the film revival from slipping because it will make it easier to once again travel with film overseas. Henning will oversee the development of the app that makes it super easy to choose your destination, how to either ship/courier your existing film to and from the destination, how to buy new film at or near the destination and then either ship it home or have it processed nearby. This amazing app will demystify how to navigate the daunting task of keeping it safe from X-Ray and not paying out the noise for customs.

Under his watchful eye, the "FTN" will also collate massive amounts of real time data points from all the major airports in the world, if they have CT scanners and what amount of film can be hand checked and how to make an appointment for those larger amounts.

It's great that Henning is going to do this, because if no one does...then the proliferation of CT X-ray scanning at more and more airports will certainly drive a number of people from film to that 30 year old technology called, well....you know.

 

[mshchem]

I expect that many on this thread never accepted anything with Leica on it made in Midland Ontario.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midland,_Ontario

I did Matt. It's a beautiful early 60's Summicron 90, in silver. Has a tripod foot 1/4 + 3/8 inch threaded holes, big metal lens cap. The coatings look as good as multi coated lenses out of Japan. All metal. State of the Art for 1963
Canada, Leica Portugal are democracies, labor has a voice. Thus nice things

 

[Craig75]

I expect that many on this thread never accepted anything with Leica on it made in Midland Ontario.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midland,_Ontario

I never even bought out of Wetzlar unless the camera had been assembled by Gunter Holman, the only half way decent camera assembler Leica ever had.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

 

[Lachlan Young]

I might be shortsighted on this but in reference to above posts concerning a resurgence in film photography, I don’t see much of a future for the likes of Nikon in that space. My impression of the current popularity of film (if it is even sustainable) is that it is largely seen as a kind of low-fi alternative, but that most serious practitioners will still reach for their digital equipment when they think “high quality”. To me this would mean any future market for things like 35mm film cameras/lenses would be for lower end stuff, not anything like an F6 or Canon 1V etc.

I'd have to very strongly disagree on the qualitative definitions - if anything, the budgetary/ qualitative balance I find today tends to tilt digital for 'cheap/ fast/ same day' and film for 'slower/ personal/ gallery/ book aimed/ better budgets'. The problem for Nikon is that they'd have to make an F3 or FM2/ FM3A successor (maybe even an F2) to really appeal to the younger market who buy film Nikons. Or to put it another way, it'd need to be something like a Fuji XT-4 type of external design to appeal.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Michael - Good mechanical gear can last a long time, and there's already a glut of equipment on the used market, so what's the financial incentive for them to keep making new high-end 35mm film gear? Obtaining superior image quality a step ahead of anything commonly digital is darn easy - just shoot a larger film format (as you and I both do). I don't think film is likely to go away anytime soon. It might be a much smaller percentage of the imaging market; but even a little slice of a very big pie can be cumulatively substantial in itself. There has also always been a tendency for creative types to rebel against the perceived norm and resort back to something more personalized or hands-on craft-oriented.

 

[cmacd123]

I could never justify the price of a Canadian Camera... http://leicaphilia.com/the-leica-ke-7a/
(I don't have the budget of the U.S. Military)

 

[mooseontheloose]

Speaking of mothers, mine told me if I can't say something nice, I shouldn't say anything at all**, but I think I'll push the boundaries of that advice slightly and say I wholeheartedly agree with Sal and Andrew on this thread.

This thread was never about film vs. digital, it was about Nikon outsourcing their production to "not Japan". A few individuals, however, who have made it their mission to ensure that everyone on Photrio knows how much they hate digital (which on an internet forum, is just ridiculous), decided they would rather make it about their snobbery.

**Actually, she's one of the most direct, outspoken people I know, and I'd get banned for repeating her opinion.

Thank you @grat, it's nice to know that someone read the post correctly (to be fair, I think quite a few did, but the more outspoken ones clearly did not). I did not mention the F6, only the D6. I used SLR because the article did as well, and I did mention that most people here (the film users) probably wouldn't care much. But Photrio has been open to the digital/hybrid world for some time now, and news is news.

 

[Chan Tran]

Nikon is probably in the position where they have so many other products that making any sort of Camera is a distraction for them. Canon is also likely in that sphere.

I am a Nikon fan and in general hate Canon but I must admire Canon in keeping production in Japan. Canon is the only Japanese camera manufacturer that still make most of their cameras in Japan. Not Olympus, not Panasonic, Not Sony, Not Pentax and now not Nikon and not Fuji either although they still make some in Japan.

 

[choiliefan]

Was it the Fukushima nuclear disaster which put a real strain on Nikon camera production 10 years ago?