You might recall a story we did on Leica sometime ago about how prices were going to be impacted by the tariffs levied in the United States.
That was an accessory that was already pricey which ballooned into something completely out of the reach of most people.
Now, Nikon is joining other companies and predicting increased prices within the next month in the USA in response to tariffs. This comes on the heels of a rising trend in the industry towards more and more expensive products anyway that are making things that much more difficult for the average photographer when it comes to sourcing and maintaining gear.
And it looks like things are only going to get more expensive from here unless something changes. Heck, even Apple is reportedly on the tariff block so smartphone photography might not even be a viable entry point for people wedded to Apple products.
But really none of this is anything new. If anything, it’s an accelerated trend we’ve covered here for years. As low-end products increasingly get phased out and the margins from high-end products bolster company bottom lines, it is only natural that the latter continues its march towards dominance while the former, even without tariffs, continues to face challenges.
So how much of a price increase are we looking at in total? PetaPixel reports that a similar phenomenon happened with Sony products, raising prices anywhere from 10% to 35% depending on what you’re looking at in terms of product. In other words, it’s either going to be mild or very noticeable.
Any thoughts on the rising cost of being a photographer are welcome in the comments.
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