Thailand floods : What is the impact for camera industry?

[pinholecam]

Global fallout of Thai floods - The Nation

In brief :

There are various things said about the Sony factory as well.
Some claim it makes the SLTs and NEX. Others mention that the facility does the sensors as well.
Sony’s Sensor Manufacturing Plant Hit Hard by Thailand Floods

Nikon plant is affected as well, and some claim that site only assemble the lower end (ie. non FF) models.

How much of this information is true and does anyone have clearer information?




Note : this is just sharing camera related news.
Pls don't take the chance to jump on the post with 'camera is the last thing to worry about' replies.
We all live in SEA and the Thailand floods affects all of us directly or indirectly.
Condolences to the Thai people who are so badly affected.

 

[daredevil123]

The talk out there is suggesting that the FF Sony sensors for the D800 may be made in the thailand sony plant. That is why the announcements are all pushed back.

 

[small pig]

The talk out there is suggesting that the FF Sony sensors for the D800 may be made in the thailand sony plant. That is why the announcements are all pushed back.

D800 I thought is made in Japan likewise to all FF cameras..

 

[Cowseye]

D800 I thought is made in Japan likewise to all FF cameras..

Parts might comes from other country, and D800 was said to be made in Malaysia.

 

[ricohflex]

Table shows Thailand is strong in manufacturing sector. They will recover after the flood. But current rice crop may be affected.

 

[daredevil123]

D800 I thought is made in Japan likewise to all FF cameras..

FF cameras made in Japan previously. Then the earthquake and tsunami in Japan happened. So FF production is moved to Malaysia. But the D800 is rumored to be using the same sensor as the coming Sony FF. The sensor is the 36MP FF sensor made by Sony. And sony sensor division factory is in Thailand.

When they say a camera is made in Japan, it doesn't mean every part within the camera is made in Japan.

 

[pinholecam]

FF cameras made in Japan previously. Then the earthquake and tsunami in Japan happened. So FF production is moved to Malaysia. But the D800 is rumored to be using the same sensor as the coming Sony FF. The sensor is the 36MP FF sensor made by Sony. And sony sensor division factory is in Thailand.

When they say a camera is made in Japan, it doesn't mean every part within the camera is made in Japan.

I'd always thought sensors were high tech stuff that are usually done in more developed countries due to requirements of stable power supply, clean water, workforce, etc.
If its done in Thailand, then its going to be bad.


But so far, no news here and no one complaining about the supply of cameras and stuff.

 

[UncleFai]

I'd always thought sensors were high tech stuff that are usually done in more developed countries due to requirements of stable power supply, clean water, workforce, etc.
If its done in Thailand, then its going to be bad.

Intel makes a lot of its chips in Malaysia. Is Malaysia more developed than Thailand? Or you won't be using a PC or laptop soon?

 

[daredevil123]

I'd always thought sensors were high tech stuff that are usually done in more developed countries due to requirements of stable power supply, clean water, workforce, etc.
If its done in Thailand, then its going to be bad.


But so far, no news here and no one complaining about the supply of cameras and stuff.

Image Sensors World: Sony Thailand CCD Plant Flooded

and this one, Sony Thailand's own website. http://sonydevice.co.th/page/ccd.aspx. Note the building show on this site... and compare it with the flooded building shown in the first link.

Bad or not I don't know. I just know the Nikon cameras made in Thailand were good. The Nikon, Sony and Pentax cameras with Sony sensors made in Thailand also performed fine.

Shrugs.

 

[pinholecam]

Image Sensors World: Sony Thailand CCD Plant Flooded

and this one, Sony Thailand's own website. .: Welcome Sony Device (THAILAND) Co., Ltd. :.. Note the building show on this site... and compare it with the flooded building shown in the first link.

Bad or not I don't know. I just know the Nikon cameras made in Thailand were good. The Nikon, Sony and Pentax cameras with Sony sensors made in Thailand also performed fine.

Shrugs.

Intel makes a lot of its chips in Malaysia. Is Malaysia more developed than Thailand? Or you won't be using a PC or laptop soon?

I meant 'bad' as in the floods affecting at least 3 players in the market. Not the quality of sensors.

 

[cks2k2]

Intel makes a lot of its chips in Malaysia. Is Malaysia more developed than Thailand? Or you won't be using a PC or laptop soon?

Intel MY is only an assembly plant. The silicon is still fabricated in the US (Oregon, Arizona or New Mexico), Ireland and Israel.
Other components come from Japan, SK, Taiwan or even the Philippines. The chip is even labeled as "Assembled in MY", not "Made in MY".

I do doubt that the sensor is fabricated there - fabs require very mature infrastructure.
The only country capable of running a cutting-edge fab in SEA is SG (Globalfoundries, IM Flash etc).

 

[CamInit]

Just to share an interesting statistic from the Japanese earthquake - as of 30-Apr-2011, 66 companies were bankrupted due to the disaster and 75% of them are actually located outside the affected area. All due to supply chain disruption. As long as demand for one critical component could not be supplied or replaced, it's a loss. In this sense, it doesn't matter whether it's sensors you are manufacturing or assembly of bodies, what matters is whether there's provision for business continuity to minimize the impact.

 

[daredevil123]

I meant 'bad' as in the floods affecting at least 3 players in the market. Not the quality of sensors.

Yes it will be bad. As the report states that both the Sony and Nikon plants are not recoverable.

 

[qystan]

Yes it will be bad. As the report states that both the Sony and Nikon plants are not recoverable.

The bigger fear, instead of rebuilding, they relocate out of the country - loss of jobs

 

[daredevil123]

The bigger fear, instead of rebuilding, they relocate out of the country - loss of jobs

Yup. I think Sony has already started the process to ramp up a line in another location. Whether it is in Thailand, I am not sure.

 

[pinholecam]

The bigger fear, instead of rebuilding, they relocate out of the country - loss of jobs

Heard that is so for one of the auto makers.

 

[Atarandas]

I think you better open mind and eye to follow up world Tech news.Have you ever seen all factory in THAILAND They are so big have to drive in between building and very advance equipment due to 5 year tax free for all new factory and machine so cheap cost they engineering very well produce !
Their quality engineer are super many had been working oversea included NASA and mostly many line too! Pls. don't think they are less developed country! Thai people are more detail honest people for the job duty not mostly worker that work here which mostly farmer non educated but very honest hard working but only like to drink!very bad but some very good too.

Think you are bit emotional here. Thailand is a great country no doubt, one of the key economies in SEA and major manufacturing hub to many companies. What people have posted here has been saying is just general norms for companies to keep their highest value production within their own country.

Anyway, the flood will disrupt supply chain significantly and push back product releases by at least a quarter or more before Companies relocate their production lines elsewhere. I doubt the giants will pull out of Thailand permanently, but they will sure lobby for more incentives from the government to rebuild and continue their presence in the country.

 

[qystan]

I think you better open mind and eye to follow up world Tech news.Have you ever seen all factory in THAILAND They are so big have to drive in between building and very advance equipment due to 5 year tax free for all new factory and machine so cheap cost they engineering very well produce !
Their quality engineer are super many had been working oversea included NASA and mostly many line too! Pls. don't think they are less developed country! Thai people are more detail honest people for the job duty not mostly worker that work here which mostly farmer non educated but very honest hard working but only like to drink!very bad but some very good too.

1. The last post is over 6 days ago, ie, we're finished talking about it.

2. What are you trying to say? No one here is accusing the Thais for the flood, no one said they're lazy, no one said they're backwards, no one thinks it's a cottage industry that's being flooded. So what's yr point?

 

[woody58]

"I'd always thought sensors were high tech stuff that are usually done in more developed countries due to requirements of stable power supply, clean water, workforce, etc.
If its done in Thailand, then its going to be bad. "
This post from early post I just want to tell! our country need to be come in our ASIAN and protect amoung ourself so we can stay on as we are small in size but high tech! most advance and so we are leader in our ASIAN country US and EUROPE so bad is it our time to prove that what we can do to the world. Pls. apologize if it course you not happy with my post i had deleted anyway. REMEMBER we must show and prove what best we can do to the world. I'm just come to see when search for D800 it's appear so do not know it had been finished talking about it pls. POST THAT IT HAD FINISHED TALKING SO ALL MEMBER CAN SEE.

 

[kei1309]

"I'd always thought sensors were high tech stuff that are usually done in more developed countries due to requirements of stable power supply, clean water, workforce, etc.
If its done in Thailand, then its going to be bad. "
This post from early post I just want to tell! our country need to be come in our ASIAN and protect amoung ourself so we can stay on as we are small in size but high tech! most advance and so we are leader in our ASIAN country US and EUROPE so bad is it our time to prove that what we can do to the world. Pls. apologize if it course you not happy with my post i had deleted anyway. REMEMBER we must show and prove what best we can do to the world. I'm just come to see when search for D800 it's appear so do not know it had been finished talking about it pls. POST THAT IT HAD FINISHED TALKING SO ALL MEMBER CAN SEE.

wow. i didn't know anti-colonialism is back and still prevalent in our society today :bsmilie: