Lens and camera prices
- This topic has 19 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated Apr 14, 2011 at 6:53 pm by
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My guess based on a number of things is prices are going through the roof.
1) Various govts (Canada for sure, I beleive the US and others) are today intentionally *selling* the yen to depress its value. A higher yen makes it tougher to the Japanese to export, which in turn hurts the economy, which in turn will make it tougher to recover/rebuild.
2) No idea how Canon/Nikon facilities fared, have to assume there is damage, if not to major manufactoring plants..satelities and infrastructure
3) Loss of personel
Have to imagine alot of workers will need to be replaced, some might be key engineers, management etc.4) Shipping. I doubt epxorters will be making their usual quoata’s anytime soon. Existing inventory. Even if undamaged, with the threat of radiation spreading, they could lose more. So even the things that are here today and on the shelves today….once they are sold………how long before in sufficeient quantity are available again?
supply/demand.
No supply and high demand =????Long story short.
I dont think the real scope of it is going to be known/felt for months.
In the meantime Im not expecting them to get their new products to market on schedule..In Canons case their new super teles etc ( Ive been eyeballing the 200-400). Even *if* by some miracle stuff ships somewhat on time Im expecting prices to soar. Everything from parts to people is/could/should be in high demand and getting those things is going to be a whole lot harder.I was toying with the idea of selling my 500mm possibly in the late fall to buy the 200-400, best estimates for that were 7g. If I was selling now or in the short term I can tell you my asking price would be alot higher….alot..for the simple reason that I doubt I could replace it anytime soon or for what the price of X (what ever I getting) *was*.
I doubt it Neal. They may not be out of stock, my bet is they aren’t and rather they are pulling bigger ticket item off the shelves ahead of short falls in meeting “demand”.
Most of the “bigger” stuff is special order and in limited quantity to begin with. Higher priced items where theres usually at least some in store, the only thing the stores can do today is pull them.
In the next month or 3 the price on that lens could ( my guess is will) go through the roof. If you owned BH would you sell your stock today knowing you probably wont be able to replace it a month and further ….when you might need to pay a boat load more for what *might* be avialable.?
I wouldnt.
Looking at some lenses on Ebay and amazon it seems prices are rising already. Just sold my 50D, maybe I should have waited…. I’d say if you want it you better start getting it.
just some related tid bits from various news services at my disposal
~Reuters – Asia-focused hedge fund Central Asset Investments (CAI) has cut its entire exposure to Japan, including stakes in blue-chip companies such as Canon Inc and Toyota Motor Corp , its chief executive said on Friday
~March 18, 2011
Canon has been forced to temporarily suspend its operations in Japan following the devastating earthquake that hit last week. As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of photographic equipment, many commercial photographers from Leeds to Los Angeles have all relied on Canon cameras at some point in their professional lives. The Canon factories which closed are based in northern Japan – an area which has been hardest hit by the 8.9 magnitude earthquake.
A statement from Canon released on Friday said:
“‘Canon can confirm that the Canon Inc headquarters and the Canon Group Subsidiary locations in Japan did not suffer major damage to any buildings or factories as a result of today’s earthquake and tsunami.
~TOKYO, March 14, 2011—In response to the damage sustained by the Canon Group due to the major earthquake that struck Japan on March 11, Canon Inc. has established an Earthquake Disaster Recovery Task Force (Task Force Chief: Chairman & CEO Fujio Mitarai; Task Force Assistant Chief: President & COO Tsuneji Uchida; Executive Director: Executive Vice President and CFO Toshizo Tanaka) and begun taking related measures.
The Task Force today issued the following instructions toward the promotion of swift response measures.
1. The prompt review and drafting of comprehensive recovery plans, spanning development, production and sales operations, for relevant operating sites, primarily by persons in charge of each business (chief executives/group executives). The Company’s headquarter divisions will provide full support for this effort.
2. With regard to Canon Inc. operation sites and Canon Group companies for which production operations may be suspended for one month or more, the Company will also consider making use of alternate sites that were not damaged by the earthquake as a means of continuing production.
Below is an overview of the latest impact of the earthquake on Canon operations in Japan as of 15:00 JST on Monday, March 14, 2011.
While the level of damage differs at each Canon Inc. operation site and Canon Group company located in northern Honshu (the area hardest hit by the earthquake), beginning today, the Company is earnestly taking action to realize the earliest possible start of operations. At this time, however, concrete schedules for when production may resume have yet to be determined.
As for Canon plants and Group companies in the western half of Honshu, while operations resumed as usual today (Monday, March 14), the Company is now working to ascertain whether or not there will be any impact on production at each location.
With regard to the Japanese government’s requests for cooperation in conserving electricity, in addition to the energy-saving measures Canon promotes as a matter of course, the Company has also called on its employees to make every effort to conserve electricity in their homes.~MF Global – Japan Morning News Roundup
2011-03-16 03:29:45.226 GMT**FUKUSHIMA – It was reported that radiation was leaked out of a crack in the core of reactor No. 4 causing radiation level to spike to 11.93 millisieverts momentarially (9 AM Tuesday, 15th) aftewhich by 3.30 the radiation level dropped to 0.5964 millisievrerts. Between 9 AM ~ 5 PM the level of radiation in the Kanto and Tokyo metropolitian areas averaged 10 times that of normal levels yet its thought that this will pose no health risk. The Japanese self defense force sprayed water infused with Boric Acid from a helicopter to continue to cool reactor No. 4. Tempertaures are aparently still rising in the spent-fuel pools of No. 5 and No. 6 reactors since the cooling system is still not functioning.
Apparently a new fire has just broke out in Dai-Ichi reactor number this morning.I have read news reports indicating…Nikon has earthquake damage at it’s plant in Sendai, Japan that makes the high end pro bodies (D3s, D3X, D700 included) and also has lost production at the factory that makes the high end lenses which carry the “Made in Japan” on the label. These would include all of the Gold Ring lenses, such as 24/1.4, 35/1.4, 85/1.4, 14-24/2.8, 24-70/2.8, 70-200/2.8, and the Super telephotos. Company news release stated that while there were some employees injured by the quake, there were no loss of life among employees. The Sendai plant had tidal-wave water within a short walking distance of the plant. Losses to family of employees has not been commented on by Nikon, to my knowledge.
Wow, B&H just went out-of-stock on the 85mm f1.4! I have been eye-balling that lens for some time and just last week they had plenty in stock. Who knows, maybe a fluke, but I think not.
B&H being arguably the largest Nikon retailer on the east coast, has been selling out of the 85/1.4G within a couple of days of each shipment. There are plenty around just look at some smaller shops.
Prices have already gone back up on several of Nikon bodies and glass. The D700, D300s, 70-200 2.8 VRII, etc. all went up in price on B&H, Adorama and Amazon.
Gone up some yes, but all of your examples are at or below MSRP. The situation is driving the discounts out of the market for sure.
Maybe folks could consider sending a donation to the significant number of people there who are in dire need of help versus fretting over the price and availablity of gear.
Will
I am not aware of anyone here that is not capable of doing both at the same time. ::)
Nor do I know/wonder if people are fretting about it Will.
That said I think theres a very good chance they might. Right now retailers on this side of the pond are selling inventory, that will start to dry up. The question is, how badly is Japans infrastructure damaged, if not production facilities, suppliers and so on and how long will it take to get back online, up to speed? The Auto motive sector is a real concern.
If its “really” bad, it knee caps what little recovery is occuring in NA, as various plants/dealership/suppliers/manufactorers here stop getting shipments/business and start closing production lines, temporary layoffs here etc.I *had* thoughts of a sale/purchase this year. If it doesn’t happen I’m not going to sweat it. ie Im not worried whether prices spike or not. If theres one thing to take from all of this, its how to put our own lives into perspective.
This like many other topics are simply off shoot discussions of world events
I wasn’t trying to minimize the disaster over there at all Will. I work for a Japanese company so I’m directly involved with the people in need of help over there in one way or another on a daily basis.
Updates on Nikon products in 2011 after the Earthquake and Tsunami
WOW.
For the first time my body is worth alot more then I paid for it.Mark IV
$5499
http://www.adorama.com/ICA1DM4.html?utm_term=Other&utm_medium=Shopping%20Site&utm_campaign=Other&utm_source=gbaseMark IV $5999
http://www.abesofmaine.com/item.do?item=CNEOS1DIV&id=CNEOS1DIV&l=FROOGLEWOW.
For the first time my body is worth alotIt would have been hilarious if you had stopped the sentence right there ;D
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