Perhaps, but supply chains will have changed (it is happening rapidly here).
There may well be significant fall in demand in some places, but stable or even increased demand elsewhere as some dumping will necessarily occur on perishable product.
My guess is when the crap starts getting bad the tariffs will be abandoned by Congress. They after all have the power to do so.
I am considering buying a couple years worth of film just in case.
The big problem which has already been mentioned is the decrease in demand. That could prove fatal for some things. Prices tend to not go back down either.
It is obvious you're taking sides, which is political. So, I suspect both yours and this post will soon disappear.
I guess this could push me back to using Kodak film instead of Ilford, but Ilford would have to get really expensive.
We just have to wait and see what happens to prices from all affected parties . This may not be known for a few weeks yet
pentaxuser
I am truly at a loss to see where my post was political or taking sides
I am truly at a loss to see where my post was political or taking sides
This should have peen post #2!
We are not discussing the elephant in the room. 219 posts but we're not allowed by the Moderators to discuss the real problem!
Kodak's quality control is the best of them all. The brief backing paper incident due to their former sources being unable to supply it any longer analogously affected Ilford too for awhile.
And just like Fuji is now the future of color darkroom paper, Kodak pretty much dominates the destiny of color film. Maybe the Chinese will come up with something suitable for the amateur market outside the US; but it won't satisfy those needing serious quality. Most of the pros have already switched to digital anyway. But that route itself is going to get awfully rough due to steep tariffs on that kind of equipment. Back to cave painting, I guess.
Politics aside
Free markets = better goods at lower prices
Doesn't guarantee that the freedom won't disrupt jobs and livelihoods.
These tariffs will raise prices on all film everywhere.
If the price of product A goes up in most real world situations, the substitute, Product B goes up.
It's a bit like soybean oil vs corn oil.
There wont be any increase on the cost of a new camera or new camera phone made in Japan or China for me as I am not burdened by any import tariffs. The same for photographic supplies like film/chemistry made in Europe.
Prices will not increase everywhere as trade routes and settlement methods are changing faster than I envisaged.
Last time the US had tariffs of this caliber was apparently in 1909. I'm assuming it was less of a problem for photographers then as dryplates and carbon or platinum papers were mostly made by the photographer herself or a company closeby.
The other thing to consider is the cost and availability of skilled labour. Right now there is zero expertise in building SLR cameras in the USA, while Japan has considerable experience. I can't imagine that Nikon, Canon et al are considerating building a camera factory in the USA and there is zero skilled workers, and zero infrastructure and supplier support compared to Japan.
Cameras are a shrinking market, it makes no sense for Nikon to double their overhead to build another factory in a foreign country and probably turn building cameras from profitable to unprofitable. Instead, USA consumers will simply have to pay more for cameras.
I expect the same can be said for Harman, there is no way they are building another coating factory to make film and paper.
The other thing to consider is the cost and availability of skilled labour. Right now there is zero expertise in building SLR cameras in the USA, while Japan has considerable experience. I can't imagine that Nikon, Canon et al are considerating building a camera factory in the USA and there is zero skilled workers, and zero infrastructure and supplier support compared to Japan.
Cameras are a shrinking market, it makes no sense for Nikon to double their overhead to build another factory in a foreign country and probably turn building cameras from profitable to unprofitable. Instead, USA consumers will simply have to pay more for cameras.
I expect the same can be said for Harman, there is no way they are building another coating factory to make film and paper.
That too! Plus an unstable political environment is something businesses always try and avoid.Craig, At the same time, why would Harman or Nikon choose to invest/build in a country with high wages, building costs & unfavourable economic volatility?
That too! Plus an unstable political environment is something businesses always try and avoid.
Posts about politics and political issues and the like are equally problematic.
If they are mainly about photography, they are okay.
Everything is going to be OK. We've already been through the most inflationary period in my 68 year life. And that's a fact. I'm confident that an equilibrium is at hand on trade deficits and we'll all be better off for it in the long term. Look at it this way... photographic paper prices are presently prohibitive to a paralyzing degree. The only possible direction in that can only be an improvement at this juncture.
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