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Photography to get even more expensive in the USA in 2025?

Update 4/23/2025: News websites reported on Fujifilm suspending shipments to the USA. I'm going to assume other camera companies are doing or considering the same thing. 

Fujifilm suspending shipments to the USA.

Update 4/15/2025: I'm not sure I should be saying who, but one of my affiliates said they will be dropping commissions until at least May. 

Retailers are concerned.

To me, this happening at least feels like a good general data point to gauge economic direction that people can add to their research.  Something most reddit users wouldn't necessarily look for or have access to.

I don't want to say the specific store, but my current list of affiliates are: B&H, KEH, Acdsee, Best Buy, Walmart, Adorama, Moment, and Amazon. Only of a few of those use Impact-dot-com for their affiliate program. 

I posted on reddit and someone pointed out that it could be due to the retailer using any reason to cut rates, which might be true. I'll at least say that the company seems to be smart to lower their expenses right now, but from my perspective it lowers my interest in promoting them in video descriptions and such. 

My viewership isn't large enough to get actual paying sponsors besides what amounts to free product. So I can't gauge what's happening besides monitoring affiliate sales. 

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Camera equipment in the USA could get noticeably more expensive. At least 10% higher for literally everything imported, both finished products and materials...

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-declares-national-emergency-to-increase-our-competitive-edge-protect-our-sovereignty-and-strengthen-our-national-and-economic-security/

Looks like cameras are not excluded, but they do rely on semiconductors.

The tariff list on Wikipedia.

Or more importantly it could be 24% for Japanese products (Nikon, Canon, Sony, etc), 25% for Korean products (Samyang, Rokinon), and 34% for Chinese products (7Artisans, Viltrox, Yongnuo, Godox, etc). 

Chinese made lenses have been stepping up their quality a lot while keeping prices lower, so they might not have a huge issue with everything else rising in cost too. Though I did see on Reddit that the 34% number might not be including an existing 20% or so, which would mean over 50%. That would put a big damper on their pricing advantage... and our ability to get lower cost lenses. 

FUJIFILM GFX100RF Digital Camera

The potential increase from Japanese products could result in photography being an even more expensive hobby for everyone. Assuming prices increase 1 to 1, the recently announced FUJIFILM GFX100RF would go from $4899 to ~$6075. Or a more popular camera like the Canon EOS R6 II. That's currently $1999 on B&H. It would end up around $2479. If they decided to calculate it from MSRP then add an extra $200. 

You can look at current prices through my affiliates B&H Photo Video, Shop Moment, and Amazon. As an associate of those shops, I earn from qualifying purchases! 

That is assuming we didn't already have some form of tariffs on camera gear from countries that produce it. 

I don't know of a single camera or lens product that's 100% locally produced. Maybe some niche camera straps and lighting gear? Even if it is made here, as far as I understand it, the component materials also need to be produced here to avoid the tariffs completely. 

GoPro? They probably make everything outside of the USA. 

Foothill Ranch, California is home to their "world-class manufacturing facility"

Red? If they still have local production capacity, they make specialized video gear in small quantities. Assuming Nikon hasn't transitioned their manufacturing elsewhere. Maybe just maybe Nikon would see an opportunity to use them as a starting point to produce some cameras in the USA. Seems extremely unlikely, but who knows. Foreign car makers use this strategy of manufacturing some models in the USA. 

Maybe I'm not understanding how this will all work in practice, but I guess we will see one way or another if the new tariffs stay in place. I highly doubt camera and lens makers will eat the cost entirely. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Semiconductor

I am curious how possible it would be to construct a completely USA sourced camera. I think Tower Semiconductor makes camera sensors in California. And they are now owned by Intel, apparently. Are there circuit board and IC producers here to offer components at scale? Then there are all of the extra components like buttons, dials, panels, EVFs, LCD screens, etc. I do wonder how viable it could be.

It would be cool to make an open source camera project with the goal of sourcing components locally. 


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