Have you ever wondered about the origin of your cameras and lenses? Nikon has changed their manufacturing process quite a bit over the years. Although they do continue to make some of their equipment in Japan, most is now made in Thailand and China. Here’s the situation today!
By the way, I’m excited to report that Libor already has gotten his hands on a copy of the new Nikon Z5 II (pictured above) and has confirmed that it’s made in Thailand. So, the list below should be completely current as of April 2025:
| Equipment | Manufactured In | Price as of April 3, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
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| Nikon Z30 | Thailand | $710 ($610 with current sale) |
| Nikon Zfc | Thailand | $960 |
| Nikon Z50 | Thailand | Discontinued |
| Nikon Z50 II | Thailand | $910 |
| Nikon Z5 | Thailand | $1400 |
| Nikon Z5 II | Thailand | $1700 |
| Nikon Zf | Thailand | $2000 |
| Nikon Z6 | Initially Japan, then Thailand | Discontinued |
| Nikon Z6 II | Thailand | $1600 |
| Nikon Z6 III | Thailand | $2500 |
| Nikon Z7 | Initially Japan, then Thailand | Discontinued |
| Nikon Z7 II | Thailand | $2300 ($2000 with current sale) |
| Nikon Z8 | Thailand | $4000 ($3700 with current sale) |
| Nikon Z9 | Thailand | $5500 |
| Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR | Thailand | $360 |
| Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR | Thailand | $310 |
| Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR | Thailand | $640 |
| Z DX 24mm f/1.7 | China | $280 |
| Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-5.6 VR | Thailand | $380 |
| Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S | Thailand | $2500 |
| Z 14-30mm f/4 S | Thailand | $1350 |
| Z 17-28mm f/2.8 | China | $1200 |
| Z 20mm f/1.8 S | China | $1050 |
| Z 24mm f/1.8 S | China | $1000 |
| Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 | China | $400 |
| Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S | Japan | $2400 |
| Z 24-70mm f/4 S | Thailand | $1000 |
| Z 24-120mm f/4 S | Thailand | $1100 |
| Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR | Thailand | $900 |
| Z 26mm f/2.8 | Thailand | $500 |
| Z 28mm f/2.8 | Thailand | $270 |
| Z 28mm f/2.8 Special Edition | Thailand | $310 |
| Z 28-75mm f/2.8 | China | $1200 |
| Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ | Thailand | $2600 |
| Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR | China | $1300 |
| Z 35mm f/1.2 S | Thailand | $2800 |
| Z 35mm f/1.4 | China | $600 |
| Z 35mm f/1.8 S | China | $850 |
| Z 40mm f/2 | Thailand | $300 |
| Z 40mm f/2 Special Edition | Thailand | $310 |
| Z 50mm f/1.2 S | Thailand | $2100 |
| Z 50mm f/1.4 | China | $500 |
| Z 50mm f/1.8 S | Thailand | $630 |
| Z 50mm f/2.8 MC | China | $600 |
| Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct | Japan | $8000 |
| Z 70-180mm f/2.8 | China | $1250 |
| Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S | Thailand | $2700 |
| Z 85mm f/1.2 S | China | $2800 |
| Z 85mm f/1.8 S | China | $800 |
| Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S | Japan | $2700 |
| Z 105mm f/2.8 VR S MC | Thailand | $1050 |
| Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena | Thailand | $2500 |
| Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR | China | $1900 |
| Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S | Japan | $14,000 |
| Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S | China | $3250 |
| Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S | Japan | $15,500 |
| Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S PF | China | $4800 |
| Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S PF | China | $6500 |
| Z 1.4x Teleconverter | China | $550 |
| Z 2.0x Teleconverter | China | $600 |
so under our new trade policy they will be bring back the manufacturing of lens to the USA….Kodak is gearing up as we comment
No they won’t, as they would then have to pay huge duties (aka reciprocal tariffs in trumpland) for exporting them to the rest of the world. Which is larger than the USA.
Sad but true, we’re now pouring more money into China, knowing perfectly they’re sucking us dry – well, at least most people are, but I’m not buying lenses made there.
Anyway, it’s a lost battle. Cheap stuff is what average people will buy. That’s what makes them average.
Whether you want to avoid Chinese goods yourself out of principle, that’s your call, and good for you. But it’s silly to look down on photographers who use inexpensive gear or call them average. I’ve seen a lot of photographers take amazing photos with “cheap stuff.” Not to mention that most of the cheapest gear in this list is from Thailand, not China.
I like China and they make great things. Much better than America.
There is something you are missing, I’m afraid:
There is a whole range of products made overseas. Some such products are those cheap, no-name style products of poor quality or made under extremely poor conditions by pop-up brands that leverage the tragedy of the commons to provide something that costs a couple dollars cheaper than what could be manufactuered at home due to the fungibility of the product. In that case, I do think such consumerism has gotten out of control.
But other such products are unique products made by brands who have put in the effort to make something of reasonable quality, such as the Nikon 500mm f/5.6 lens – mine is made in China, at least.
Instead of making a crude choice of which products to buy based on the country of manufacturing, you might try and make a choice based on the sort of product and the company that makes it. Cheap junk that is only profitable because its only differentiating factor is that it can be made for fifty cents cheaper using materials from questionable sources is something valid to avoid, no matter where it comes from.
That you have created a single category of people and goods based simply on where they buy from and where those goods are manufactured shows that the only thing that is “average” is your economic analysis.
Well if it helps anyone, I currently have five items of Nikon Mirrorless equipment on consignment sale at my local camera shop in Australia.
I can’t help but think about one of the Worlds largest camera manufacturers who are actually an American company but manufacture overseas. How is this going to play out for them?
Seems like you’re missing the Zf, but it’s also made in Thailand, just like the rest of them
Added, thanks!
Now you just need to add a column with the tariffs applied to each of these countries… :/
Japan: 24%
Thailand: 36%
China: 54%
Brazil: 100% on price + shipping. Beat that.
They beat it. Tariff rate now 104% on Chinese goods, effective at midnight 🙄
Tak? A ja mam Nikona Z6 i nigdzie nie znalazłem informacji że jest produkowany w Tajlandii. Jest natomiast tabliczka znamionowa na której jest numer seryjny i pisze ,,MADE IN JAPAN,,
According to Thom Hogan, the Nikon expert, they moved production of Z6/7 to Thailand around late 2020.
www.zsystemuser.com/z-mou…meras.html
That’s right, it began in Japan and moved to Thailand. I’ve updated the chart to reflect that.
Wished I’d bought the 800mm Z during this last sale now…
I’m sure everyone is wondering about the price of just about everything in the US with the newly announced tariffs. If I’m not mistaken, the tariff on all imports from Thailand will be 36%, which is too much to simply be absorbed. Assuming these tariffs are not rolled back in the coming weeks, I expect every item in this list is about to get a lot more expensive.
If you allow me a joke – this is like adding a super VAT for these products on the US mkt. Seriously – I believe (I may be wrong) that there is no production in US – so the producers will never absorb the duties. They’re all in the same conditions (more or less) so there’s no pressure for them to act differently.
I think it will take up to 6 months to see the effects of tariffs on pricing. Other than car companies shifting some production to existing US factories, no one is going to build a factory in the US to avoid tariffs that are unlikely to last through the midterm elections, much less the next administration. Companies will charge a little less, accept a little less in profit, offer more modest sales and just wait it out.
Simple solution: Annex Thailand.
Simple solution. Let America go down the drain and the world will be a better place.