Will the carry one in Japan affect the price of gear

I'm not going to argue with the rest of your post. But the bit above I've snipped out is wrong. The OP didn't want that at all, he was prepared to dismiss the suffering in Japan as a 'carry on' and was only interested in the short term affect on camera prices.

I suspect there will be a huge impact on the global economy from this, and were the OP interested in this I'd of been all ear, but to be honest he wasn't.

you obviously have not read my second post. I referred to "gear and camera lenses in general since this is a Photography forum" I could have mentioned Plasma TV's, BluRay Players and so on, but I did not. The point was that due to the circumstances in Japan what would the effect be "to all of us" since Japan is a major producer of high end electrical goods that we purchase by the bucketload.

I have just watched the News about Japan, and not for the first time I may add, and I really feel for these people. For people to post remarks that make me out to be some kind of B*****D that doesn't give a ****** about anything except the price of a lens, then these people certainly do not know me.

As some have said, what has happened will have a dramatic affect on all of us for quite a while, and that affect was being opened for discussion. Maybe my choice of words were not the best, to which I admitted and apologised for.

If this thread is going to get out of hand because of what I said then can one of the Mods lock it down. I did not intend to offend or upset anyone when I posted the thread but it seems that has been done now.
 
Scotty Pro said:
you obviously have not read my second post. I referred to "gear and camera lenses in general since this is a Photography forum" I could have mentioned Plasma TV's, BluRay Players and so on, but I did not. The point was that due to the circumstances in Japan what would the effect be "to all of us" since Japan is a major producer of high end electrical goods that we purchase by the bucketload.

I have just watched the News about Japan, and not for the first time I may add, and I really feel for these people. For people to post remarks that make me out to be some kind of B*****D that doesn't give a ****** about anything except the price of a lens, then these people certainly do not know me.

As some have said, what has happened will have a dramatic affect on all of us for quite a while, and that affect was being opened for discussion. Maybe my choice of words were not the best, to which I admitted and apologised for.

If this thread is going to get out of hand because of what I said then can one of the Mods lock it down. I did not intend to offend or upset anyone when I posted the thread but it seems that has been done now.

I'm with you on this one I must say.

It is fine to question the economy. You can remain caring and considerate towards the people of Japan, whilst at the same time wondering about the effects on the economy. Is that not another victim to the earthquake? Depending on the scale of its effects, it could make life very difficult for others around the world in poverty, not just the Japanese.
 
you obviously have not read my second post. I referred to "gear and camera lenses in general since this is a Photography forum" I could have mentioned Plasma TV's, BluRay Players and so on, but I did not. The point was that due to the circumstances in Japan what would the effect be "to all of us" since Japan is a major producer of high end electrical goods that we purchase by the bucketload.

I have just watched the News about Japan, and not for the first time I may add, and I really feel for these people. For people to post remarks that make me out to be some kind of B*****D that doesn't give a ****** about anything except the price of a lens, then these people certainly do not know me.

As some have said, what has happened will have a dramatic affect on all of us for quite a while, and that affect was being opened for discussion. Maybe my choice of words were not the best, to which I admitted and apologised for.

If this thread is going to get out of hand because of what I said then can one of the Mods lock it down. I did not intend to offend or upset anyone when I posted the thread but it seems that has been done now.

I never read your post wrong and i can totally understand where you are coming from. I don't think the thread should be closed, i just think people need to get a grip on reality.

This is an interesting subject which needs to be diiscussed.
 
you obviously have not read my second post. I referred to "gear and camera lenses in general since this is a Photography forum" I could have mentioned Plasma TV's, BluRay Players and so on, but I did not. The point was that due to the circumstances in Japan what would the effect be "to all of us" since Japan is a major producer of high end electrical goods that we purchase by the bucketload.

I have just watched the News about Japan, and not for the first time I may add, and I really feel for these people. For people to post remarks that make me out to be some kind of B*****D that doesn't give a ****** about anything except the price of a lens, then these people certainly do not know me.

As some have said, what has happened will have a dramatic affect on all of us for quite a while, and that affect was being opened for discussion. Maybe my choice of words were not the best, to which I admitted and apologised for.

If this thread is going to get out of hand because of what I said then can one of the Mods lock it down. I did not intend to offend or upset anyone when I posted the thread but it seems that has been done now.

I don't think the thread should be locked, there is an interesting and valuable discussion to be had.

I'm sorry - I hadn't read your second post though
 
A couple of small points:

Anyone who is professes a bleeding heart and says that we should just concentrate on the poor victims, rather than discuss the economics of the situation, is being woefully naive. The reaction of the markets is absolutely vital to Japan's chances of recovery and their ability to afford the necessary reconstruction.

Specifically regarding electronic exports the position is potentially interesting. There will be a shortage of supply, causing relative prices to rise, but Japan desperately needs to devalue her currency in order to finance the recovery, which may well balance things out in the long run.

The second point is slightly more emotive and controversial. Whilst I feel great sympathy for them, I am also well aware that more often than not Japan could not give two figs for World opinion when it comes to their own interests; vis their lack of concern when they were roundly condemned for recommencing the slaughter of whales, flying in the face of global sentiment.

How many of those who want to concentrate solely on the human tragedy were also vilifying Nipon for their fishing practices last year?
 
A couple of small points:

Anyone who is professes a bleeding heart and says that we should just concentrate on the poor victims, rather than discuss the economics of the situation, is being woefully naive. The reaction of the markets is absolutely vital to Japan's chances of recovery and their ability to afford the necessary reconstruction.

Specifically regarding electronic exports the position is potentially interesting. There will be a shortage of supply, causing relative prices to rise, but Japan desperately needs to devalue her currency in order to finance the recovery, which may well balance things out in the long run.

:thumbs:
 
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A couple of small points:

Anyone who is professes a bleeding heart and says that we should just concentrate on the poor victims, rather than discuss the economics of the situation, is being woefully naive. The reaction of the markets is absolutely vital to Japan's chances of recovery and their ability to afford the necessary reconstruction.

Specifically regarding electronic exports the position is potentially interesting. There will be a shortage of supply, causing relative prices to rise, but Japan desperately needs to devalue her currency in order to finance the recovery, which may well balance things out in the long run.

The second point is slightly more emotive and controversial. Whilst I feel great sympathy for them, I am also well aware that more often than not Japan could not give two figs for World opinion when it comes to their own interests; vis their lack of concern when they were roundly condemned for recommencing the slaughter of whales, flying in the face of global sentiment.

How many of those who want to concentrate solely on the human tragedy were also vilifying Nipon for their fishing practices last year?

I understand what you are saying about Japanese fishing practices, but I can't see either where or how it fits into the impact on a discussion of the impact of this on the Japanese economy, or why someone who did vilify the Japanese fishing practices, is not entitled to feel a great sorrow over what has happened
 
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DemiLion said:
A couple of small points:

Anyone who is professes a bleeding heart and says that we should just concentrate on the poor victims, rather than discuss the economics of the situation, is being woefully naive. The reaction of the markets is absolutely vital to Japan's chances of recovery and their ability to afford the necessary reconstruction.

Specifically regarding electronic exports the position is potentially interesting. There will be a shortage of supply, causing relative prices to rise, but Japan desperately needs to devalue her currency in order to finance the recovery, which may well balance things out in the long run.

The second point is slightly more emotive and controversial. Whilst I feel great sympathy for them, I am also well aware that more often than not Japan could not give two figs for World opinion when it comes to their own interests; vis their lack of concern when they were roundly condemned for recommencing the slaughter of whales, flying in the face of global sentiment.

How many of those who want to concentrate solely on the human tragedy were also vilifying Nipon for their fishing practices last year?

This isn't a case of karma or tit for tat though.

The slaughtering of whales is seen as wrong by many, but the majority of Japan wouldn't have been directly involved and a lot of innocent people will have been effected by the disaster.
 
I understand what you are saying about Japanese fishing practices, but I can't see either where or how it fits into the impact on a discussion of the impact of this on the Japanese economy, or someone who did vilify the Japanese fishing practices, is not entitled to feel a great sorrow over what has happened


My point being that all factors need to be considered in any given situation. Taking an exclusively humanist viewpoint leads to a very shortsighted and narrow perspective. The whaling practises were mentioned purely as an illustration.

Japan is beyond anything else a pragmatic country, as is most of the Far East, and it would be misunderstanding her not to take that into account when considering the situation.
 
How can you call it a carry on what is going on in Japan?

Kids carry on in the playground causing mischief. Whats going on in Japan is uncomparable at the moment to anything.
 
Demilion...The fact that you use a phrase like "professes to have a bleeding heart" is quite presumptuous in itself. I am genuinely appalled about what's happening there. What I said was a response to the OP. I admit I didn't take any action when Japan resumed whaling, however I think you're conflating two totally different issues.
With regard to financial naivety, I certainly understand that this "carry one" will have massive impact across the world and for a long, long time. It would be nice to let the bodies cool before we look at how we may be affected.

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By "carry on".. you mean at least 2,500 deaths, probably 10-15,000 when the counting is done, half a million homeless, at least three nuclear reactors on the brink of melt down.

Sorry mate, but the price of cameras lenses isn't even on the same page in my reality.

well said
 
By "carry on".. you mean at least 2,500 deaths, probably 10-15,000 when the counting is done, half a million homeless, at least three nuclear reactors on the brink of melt down.

Sorry mate, but the price of cameras lenses isn't even on the same page in my reality.

Well said Alastair. The price of camera lenses is probably in a different book and library to what is going on in japan
 
With regard to financial naivety, I certainly understand that this carry one will have massive impact across the world and for a long, long time. It would be nice to let the bodies cool before we look at how we may be affected.

The impact was being assessed on The Nikkei before the first bodies had even been found. Look at the last two hours of trading for Friday 11th March!
 
DemiLion said:
The impact was being assessed on The Nikkei before the first bodies had even been found. Look at the last two hours of trading for Friday 11th March!

I understand that. Again I was talking about the original post.

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Karma! ..... Read the comments......Not my thoughts by the way, just sad idiots! :shake:
 
Splog said:
Karma! ..... Read the comments......Not my thoughts by the way, just sad idiots! :shake:

FFS

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DemiLion said:
Middle America - for when The Daily Mail just isn't funny enough!!!! :D

I second that emoticon.


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This is the sort of topic thats always going to stir up emotions, something thats already evident.

Its a tradegy and may not be over yet given the on going problems at the Fukushima plant. Its going to have long and far reaching economic effects including to pension funds and share based savings reliant on far eastern shares etc.

My personal opinion is that as manufacturing kicks back in they will probably attempt to lower prices on high end goods to temp people to buy their upgrade earlier than they would otherwise have done, and coupled with a lower yen might work to some extent.

Slightly off topic - I saw a report on the news from a search and rescue team who had just had their gear cleared by customs......... I dont get that at all.
 
It's a perfectly legitimate question, albeit referring to the situation there as a 'carry on' isn't really the best choice of words.

What happens in the global markets affects all of us, every day, not just when it comes to buying expensive toys.

Right now though, respect goes out to those guys left at the nuclear plant trying to keep the reactors under control. There's every chance they're going to pay for it dearly.
 
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I'm in the "concerned but life goes on" camp.
My ex-colleagues in Singapore are frantically co-ordinating efforts to record and distribute imagery from the disaster zone, not out of any altruistic reasons, but because ratings matter to the shareholders.
The story is a bonanza for the international Press coming just as interest in North Africa was waning (though coincidentally, Ghadaffi's troops seem to be taking the upper hand again). While the majority of individuals involved will be saddened and appalled by what's happened, as organisations, the priority is to get the story out and keep selling to the customers.

This disaster is only just starting: the nuclear aspect is the next stage and the economic disaster to follow will be coming shortly after that.
Practically all Japanese production has been halted: some predictions are that nearly 80% of future manufacturing capability will be earmarked for reconstruction in the short term. That means enormous shortfalls in exports which means everyone will be impacted.
How many people's jobs in the UK depend on Japanese consumer electronics? What if there just aren't any for the next six months?
Most of the components assembled in Chinese plants are still manufactured in Japan...no components, no assembly, no product.
Might only be for a couple of months if things go well, but what if it gets worse?

This is very far from being a 'Japanese' disaster - aside from the immediate and tragic human impact, this will affect all of us in the long-term.
 
By "carry on".. you mean at least 2,500 deaths, probably 10-15,000 when the counting is done, half a million homeless, at least three nuclear reactors on the brink of melt down.

Sorry mate, but the price of cameras lenses isn't even on the same page in my reality.

Spot on Alastair :clap:, couldn't agree more.:thumbs:
 
By "carry on".. you mean at least 2,500 deaths, probably 10-15,000 when the counting is done, half a million homeless, at least three nuclear reactors on the brink of melt down.

Sorry mate, but the price of cameras lenses isn't even on the same page in my reality.

Well said Alastair, I sometimes think that we have it too easy in the UK with respect to natural disasters.
 
Karma! ..... Read the comments......Not my thoughts by the way, just sad idiots! :shake:

Thanks for that link Steve, pretty unbelievable comments (or are they so unbelievable?). If they really believe in that "Karma" thing, then I hate to think what is going to happen to them over Korea, Vietnam and Iraq.
 
The Online Photographer lead a report with this paragaph:

'Note: In no way is this brief report intended to minimize, mitigate, or delimit our concern for all the people of Japan or for any of the victims of the earthquake and tsunami or the nuclear powerplant crisis there. This is a photography-related website, and we discuss many things as they relate to photography. I hope it goes without saying that that does not mean that's the only thing we care about. —Ed.'

I think that's pretty apt here.
 
The Online Photographer lead a report with this paragaph:

'Note: In no way is this brief report intended to minimize, mitigate, or delimit our concern for all the people of Japan or for any of the victims of the earthquake and tsunami or the nuclear powerplant crisis there. This is a photography-related website, and we discuss many things as they relate to photography. I hope it goes without saying that that does not mean that's the only thing we care about. —Ed.'

I think that's pretty apt here.

Indeed, but it's fairly sad that they even have to voice that rider!
 
Agreed. As someone else mentioned, the Japanese economy is another victim of the Earthquake and Tsunami. We can only try to help the recovery of both the Japanese people and their economy. If we can't be there on the ground, then monetary aid is the next best thing, channelled via the best organisations to implement change.

So, does discussing a relatively insignificant, longerterm [but entirely legitimate, given our context as a photography forum] component of this catastrophe instantly make us impartial to the worrying plight of the Japanese people? Of course not, we're not animals. The two are not somehow mutually exclusive.
 
legitimate to worry about, Nikon's production chain seems to be more affected (sendai located) than Canon but generally the yen is becoming stronger...which is going to affect the Japan exportation and prices of the item out of the country.
Plus if the items in shortage we all know the more rare the more expensive.
I just hope japan with be able to recover
 
I must stress that if anyone who have got the cash available for lenses to please donate instead to the Japanese aid charities because I'm sure they would appreciate the money more than you will need that 85mm f1.2 or whatever. I've made a donation yesterday of £20 which of course isn't much but it was all I could afford and if it means saving peoples lives and getting those big camera companies back on track also then it would make sense to donate :)

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110317073641AAQd7CY
 
The Online Photographer lead a report with this paragaph:

'Note: In no way is this brief report intended to minimize, mitigate, or delimit our concern for all the people of Japan or for any of the victims of the earthquake and tsunami or the nuclear powerplant crisis there. This is la photography-related website, and we discuss many things as they relate to photography. I hope it goes without saying that that does not mean that's the only thing we care about. —Ed.'

I think that's pretty apt here.

Bang on. :thumbs: Shame it doesn't fit in a thread title.

One has to assume that this forum is about photography, and treat each thread as such, rather than attacking the OP about matters they don't know his opinion on.
 
It's not just the Japanese economy that is suffering the global economy will suffer, the effects of this natural disaster.

Honda USA has slowed production due to lack of components and GM in the US have already close a car plant again due to,lack of parts. We live in a very interconnect world and globalisation means the when one major national has problems we all do.

How long will Nissan in Sunderland be able to keep going with out parts from Japan, or Honda in Swindon, yes there has been a huge human tragedy in Japan, but if you listen to economic experts from around the world we could all be in for a double dip recession, which could make things even worse for the Japanese, a country that relies heavy for is prosperity on exports.

Giving a bit of money to charity will help a tiny bit, but real help is coming from countries like Russia who have said they will give employment to those Japanese who have lost work due to industry being distributed.

To think in just humanistic terms is being naive to the full and longer lasting problems of such a large disaster.
 
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There have been some thought out and considered replies concerning the long-term and wider economic implications of recent events in Japan. If the thread had started in such a considered manner it may not have taken the twists and turns that it has. If it had more thought had been put into the title it would almost certainly have been more constructive from the start.

Before criticising those that have raised humanitarian considerations, please remember that the OP did not (and has not) used such considered arguments/phrasing and the initial criticisms related to the ill-considered choice of words that made his concerns appear hobby-centred worries about the price of camera equipment and lenses only. It is not the only thread to have appeared on this and other forums in this manner. The OP may have been intending wider considerations, and perhaps a misunderstanding has arisen as a result of a poorly chosen turn of phrase.
 
There have been some thought out and considered replies concerning the long-term and wider economic implications of recent events in Japan. If the thread had started in such a considered manner it may not have taken the twists and turns that it has. If it had more thought had been put into the title it would almost certainly have been more constructive from the start.

Before criticising those that have raised humanitarian considerations, please remember that the OP did not (and has not) used such considered arguments/phrasing and the initial criticisms related to the ill-considered choice of words that made his concerns appear hobby-centred worries about the price of camera equipment and lenses only. It is not the only thread to have appeared on this and other forums in this manner. The OP may have been intending wider considerations, and perhaps a misunderstanding has arisen as a result of a poorly chosen turn of phrase.

Thanks Alastair

you have put into words what I "should" have done originally :thumbs:

I apologized for the poor thread title in my second post but it seemed that some didn't see that post and felt they should condemn me, but hey, I'm thick skinned so am prepared to take it, after all it was my choice of words that got a lot of peoples backs up.
 
Splog said:
Karma! ..... Read the comments......Not my thoughts by the way, just sad idiots! :shake:

Very worrying indeed....

andy700 said:
Well said Alastair, I sometimes think that we have it too easy in the UK with respect to natural disasters.

..........

I think 'having it too easy' isn't quite the term that describes best what you meant to say....
 
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