Photography Thailand Forum

[Marc Schultz]

From an article I was reading about Japanese owned factories in Thailand affected by the flooding:

Nikon Corp. is also unable to forecast when it will resume production in Thailand, the site of one of the camera maker's main plants.

Nikon produces about 90 percent of its single-lens reflex cameras in its Ayutthaya plant, as well as more than 60 percent of its lenses.

- I can see the above issue affecting availability of Nikon camera products in the short term future. I hope there is no major impact on pricing.

[Adzz]

I had not realized they made so much here.. I was hoping for a D800 announcement end of the month.
Hope you are safe and dry Mark. Have you managed to record any of the flooding ?

[David Salmanowitz]

Adam--The lower end Nikons (D90,...) are made in Thailand. The pricier ones such as D700, D3, D3s are made in Japan. Production of those was also delayed as the factory was in Sendai, which was hit by the tsunami earlier this year.

[Marc Schultz]

That's sad that both Nikon factories have been affected by natural disasters in the last year.

[Marc Schultz]

You are right David:

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/news/Nikon_shuts_down_Japan_quake_DSLR_factory_news_306253.html

[Marc Schultz]

I read Canon manufactures many of their DSLR cameras in one of their newest plants in Hazami, Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan.

Canon also had a factory affected by the flooding in Thailand, but I believe it only makes printers there.

[Marc Schultz]

Canon's plant in Fukushima was also affected by the earthquake in Japan, but that factory was also one that makes printers and not cameras.

[Marc Schultz]

I believe the Canon Ōita Factory in Ōita, Japan, is Canon's main digital imaging product plant and manufactures products such as the PowerShot, IXUS compacts, DSLR cameras, and camcorders.

[bjorn slis]

Another effect of the flooding: about 25% of the world's hard drive manufacturing capacity is flooded so if you need some TB's to store your images, better get it soon.

[Marc Schultz]

Yes, Western Digital's factory in Thailand was flooded. But I don't believe they produce 60% of the world's hard drives. I think Seagate could be bigger. Not sure if Seagate was flooded too though. If both have been knocked out then the supply lines could be gravely affected as you said. But if only one factory it might not be so bad.

[Marc Schultz]

Seagate's hard drive factory is in Korat and it's ok:

http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=thailand-operations-flood-seagate-pr&vgnextoid=ee6d23472b9f2310VgnVCM1000001a48090aRCRD

[Marc Schultz]

Western Digital has 2 HD factories in Thailand and both flooded:

http://www.storagenewsletter.com/news/miscellaneous/thailand-floods-to-significant-impact-wd

[Gus]

I had not realized they made so much here.. I was hoping for a D800 announcement end of the month.
Hope you are safe and dry Mark. Have you managed to record any of the flooding ?

Yeah me too.  Very hard to find out any information on when they will be released.  Although if it is a 36 megapixel sensor as some suggest this may not be the camera I was hoping for.