Made in China

[weekh]

The Chinese are producing some very good products like tripods, ballhead, bags at just a fraction of similar products. U may call it imitation or copycats but the fact is that the product is really good. In fact, the original stuffs could be manufactured in China.

The magazines are good and the photographers work eqaully good.

Some lenses and camera are already being produced in China....


Just wondering when will there be a made in china lens that rivals the German!

 

[satay16]

having parents that depend on china for their business, i would say you are right. many products they produce right now are indeed of good quality. been to their factories like shaving kits, fishing equipment, bicycle equipment, etc, all these things they sell are actually more of a competition to USA, and they are winning. however, if you want to compare to german, i think still quite far, as china is better at mass production products.

 

[weekh]

if jap can mass produce voigtlander lenses which exceed 99% of the Leica glasses, I don't see why it can be a limiting factor.

 

[Soapa1125]

The day will come when the China currency will be bigger than Sing dollars, just look at those China big spenders when they travel, when that happens Asia market will be in deep sh##t, all major working projects will directed to china, you and I can only suck our thump when our children finds it so difficult to find jobs in our home land, can't see why you all so happy about it.

 

[weekh]

It will be a self regulating system once cost in China increases.

China is a force to be reckon with seriously. It is similar to the made in jap goods. In the 70s they are regarded as inferior.

Anyway the current made in China goods are damn good. If u can't afford branded goods like the Gitzo tripods, Swiss Arc ballheads or Domke/Lowepro bags, the Chinese products are almost as good as a fraction of the price.

 

[Xiao_shin]

Some of the imitation is real good. But must be careful when buying china product. Heard stories about them using hair to make soya sauce and those black-heart milk powder.

 

[anttz]

It will be a self regulating system once cost in China increases.

China is a force to be reckon with seriously. It is similar to the made in jap goods. In the 70s they are regarded as inferior.

Anyway the current made in China goods are damn good. If u can't afford branded goods like the Gitzo tripods, Swiss Arc ballheads or Domke/Lowepro bags, the Chinese products are almost as good as a fraction of the price.

Can recommend some Chinese brands for tripods and bags.

 

[Deadpoet]

Let's just stick with photography related equipment for this discussion.

Made in China can be good and can be horrible. The key is quality control as demanded by the OEM. If the OEM is German or Japanese, or even USA (Kodak), the product must past stringent quality control, I have little problem buying these products. However, if they are manufacturing for some China OEM or themselves, I stay away.

Experiences - bought a made in China camera bag, look great, good ergonomics, all look great, but the D-right for the shoulder strap failed in 3 months, the zipper started to act strange within 6 months, and the water proofing was proffing nothing. I tryed out the knock off version of the Arca Swiss ball head, well, it's not an Arca Swiss, not even close. It looked like one, it doesn't cost like one, and it never worked like one. Wireless transmitter/receiver, well, not sure how many sets I have gone throught, nuff said. Last but not least, a smiple thing like a reflector, they are cheap, and they are cheaply made.

 

[Sjourn]

Well....you pay for the price of quality.

If you buy cheap, don't expect top quality. If you buy expensive than you expect quality.

..2 cents from a OEM manufacturer.

 

[Deadpoet]

I need my equipment ot not fail when I need to use it, I need them to perform as advertised, otherwise, I don't need them at all. My worse experience was the bag, now I stay with branded bag that I trust from OEMs.

For the now infamous wireless transmitter, I am going for either a Pocket Wizard or Multiblitz. Much more expansive, but they work as advertised.

 

[satay16]

seems like someone is buying bags at the wrong places. there are someplaces where the prices are extremely cheap. i bought a nike school bag at one of those areas. spoilt in about 3 months. now, i dun go to those pasa malam type places to buy, i go to those shop that sells factory direct bags, it is slightly more expensive, but many times cheaper than singapore. right now, still using my china bought bodyglove school bag and it looks as good as new since it is actually equal to an original one.

when go china, dun see cheap cheap then buy. must get to know the place first. my father now in china, he helping me find factory direct shop that sells lowepro bags, but problem is that the demand for these bags are low in china, so might be hard to find.

btw, when i say factory direct, i dun mean those nike shops or adidas shop in china. those are still pretty expensive. what i meant are those shops that secretly smuggle out these orignal bags directly from factories.

 

[hongsien]

Let's just stick with photography related equipment for this discussion.

I tryed out the knock off version of the Arca Swiss ball head, well, it's not an Arca Swiss, not even close. It looked like one, it doesn't cost like one, and it never worked like one. Wireless transmitter/receiver, well, not sure how many sets I have gone throught, nuff said. Last but not least, a smiple thing like a reflector, they are cheap, and they are cheaply made.

Have you tried the Kangrinpoche ballheads? You can view them at Cathay now.......not all china made ballheads are bad.......

I am using Benro CF tripods now without any problems, their Benro ballheads are less well made as compared to the Kangrinpoche though.

Hong Sien

 

[G-man]

seems like someone is buying bags at the wrong places. there are someplaces where the prices are extremely cheap. i bought a nike school bag at one of those areas. spoilt in about 3 months. now, i dun go to those pasa malam type places to buy, i go to those shop that sells factory direct bags, it is slightly more expensive, but many times cheaper than singapore. right now, still using my china bought bodyglove school bag and it looks as good as new since it is actually equal to an original one.

when go china, dun see cheap cheap then buy. must get to know the place first. my father now in china, he helping me find factory direct shop that sells lowepro bags, but problem is that the demand for these bags are low in china, so might be hard to find.

btw, when i say factory direct, i dun mean those nike shops or adidas shop in china. those are still pretty expensive. what i meant are those shops that secretly smuggle out these orignal bags directly from factories.

Don't say secretly smuggle out lah, sound so horrible, say erm... "overruns".

Hahahahahahahahah

 

[Deadpoet]

Have you tried the Kangrinpoche ballheads? You can view them at Cathay now.......not all china made ballheads are bad.......

I am using Benro CF tripods now without any problems, their Benro ballheads are less well made as compared to the Kangrinpoche though.

Hong Sien

I was looking for another ball head and was actually looking at the Kangrinpoche at CP. It was a copy of the Arca Swiss, nearly an exact copy. Unfortunately, after going through 4 copies, the movement of the ball is still not smooth. Compare to the Arca Swiss, not comparable. Got th best of the 4 copies, got home, got it out, tried it, hated it, got back o CP and exchanged for an Arca Swiss instead.

I don't have any experience with Bnero.

There are good stuff that are made in China, but caveat emptor.