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Pen-F. Where was yours made?

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Bangers and Mash

Bangers and Mash

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I meant to ask this earlier, but I'm wondering where these cameras are made other than Vietnam where mine comes from. I'm not overly concerned, but I was kinda hoping it was made in Japan. So where was your Pen-F made?

Wayne
 
Bangers and Mash said:
I meant to ask this earlier, but I'm wondering where these cameras are made other than Vietnam where mine comes from. I'm not overly concerned, but I was kinda hoping it was made in Japan. So where was your Pen-F made?

Wayne
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The way it seems to work is that components are made by a variety of companies in Japan and the buckets of bits shipped to some assembly plant, with Vietnam being the latest. The chances of any Japan assembled cameras are slim to disappearing now.

Regards..... Guy
 
Guy Parsons said:
Bangers and Mash said:
I meant to ask this earlier, but I'm wondering where these cameras are made other than Vietnam where mine comes from. I'm not overly concerned, but I was kinda hoping it was made in Japan. So where was your Pen-F made?

Wayne
Click to expand...
The way it seems to work is that components are made by a variety of companies in Japan and the buckets of bits shipped to some assembly plant, with Vietnam being the latest. The chances of any Japan assembled cameras are slim to disappearing now.

Regards..... Guy
Click to expand...
Shame isn't it. I guess Japan is doing things much similar to the US. Farming everything out. I know when I see a camera with Made in Japan on the label, I think of quality in product and also quality in build.
 
In my mind, mine was made by elves in an enchanted forest. :-)

But to Guy's point. I don't think cameras are "made" anywhere now. They're assembled from parts made in factories around the world. Mine was assembled in Vietnam.
 
Japanese labor is, in general, very high quality. With it goes the price. Jobs there are being outsourced for cheaper labor. The design company now has the challenge of getting high quality parts made that the cheap labor may assemble for cheap.

This has been true for some time. My SG lenses were nearly all made in china. All of my HG and SHG lenses were made in Japan. My 12-40 f2.8 micro was made in China. Of the 5 "premium" lenses: 12mm f/2.0 - Japan; 25mm f/1.8 - Japan; 75mm f/1.8 - Japan; 17mm f/1.8 - Vietnam; 45mm f/1.8 - China.
 
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Mr. BM,
Made in Japan. Silver Pen F. :)
I do not buy Made in Vietnam or Made in Korea cameras or lenses. This just me.
Regards,
Hung
 
Last edited:
Hung Low said:
Mr. BM,
Made in Japan. Silver Pen F. :)
I do not buy Made in Vietnam or Made in Korea cameras or lenses. This just me.
Regards,
Hung
Click to expand...
 
My silver is made in Vietnam. It's as new as it gets, bought it into Olympus service centre for the firmware 2.0 issue. Forgot my receipt so they checked the serial number. Apparently left the factory in May.
 
yellodog said:
In China you can choose which country sticker you get on your knock off camera. ;-)
Click to expand...
Tell me about it. I'm a guitar player, and seen and heard of many knock off instruments coming from China with Fender, Gibson labels etc, trying to pass them off as the genuine article. If the factories in China are not under the Gibson or Fender umbrella, so to speak, then you can be easily be ripped off by their ruthless business tactics there. When it comes to buying products, or in this case, guitars from China, it's buyer beware. If you purchase a Chinese made instrument from a reputable dealer like Guitar Center, or Musicians Friend, for example, you will be OK, But outside of that, you could be paying a lot of money for a piece of garbage.
 
Bangers and Mash said:
yellodog said:
In China you can choose which country sticker you get on your knock off camera. ;-)
Click to expand...
Tell me about it. I'm a guitar player, and seen and heard of many knock off instruments coming from China with Fender, Gibson labels etc, trying to pass them off as the genuine article. If the factories in China are not under the Gibson or Fender umbrella, so to speak, then you can be easily be ripped off by their ruthless business tactics there. When it comes to buying products, or in this case, guitars from China, it's buyer beware. If you purchase a Chinese made instrument from a reputable dealer like Guitar Center, or Musicians Friend, for example, you will be OK, But outside of that, you could be paying a lot of money for a piece of garbage.

--
A smart person knows what to say, a wise person knows whether or not to say it.
Click to expand...
A bit off topic,,,,,but. A number of years ago a local musical component manufacture took a tour of Europe, Asia and other countries. Along the way the company person purchased a number of violins as samples to be evaluated for the local school music program that was in financial trouble. Upon return, blind test were conducted of the sample instruments, and all agreed the Chinese built violins were the best sounding. And, as the upshot, a lot of school children got to participate in the music program.....for $29, including bow and case.

Sometimes it just works out.
 
Last edited:
gary0319 said:
Bangers and Mash said:
yellodog said:
In China you can choose which country sticker you get on your knock off camera. ;-)
Click to expand...
Tell me about it. I'm a guitar player, and seen and heard of many knock off instruments coming from China with Fender, Gibson labels etc, trying to pass them off as the genuine article. If the factories in China are not under the Gibson or Fender umbrella, so to speak, then you can be easily be ripped off by their ruthless business tactics there. When it comes to buying products, or in this case, guitars from China, it's buyer beware. If you purchase a Chinese made instrument from a reputable dealer like Guitar Center, or Musicians Friend, for example, you will be OK, But outside of that, you could be paying a lot of money for a piece of garbage.

--
A smart person knows what to say, a wise person knows whether or not to say it.
Click to expand...
A bit off topic,,,,,but. A number of years ago a local musical component manufacture took a tour of Europe, Asia and other countries. Along the way the company person purchased a number of violins as samples to be evaluated for the local school music program that was in financial trouble. Upon return, blind test were conducted of the sample instruments, and all agreed the Chinese built violins were the best sounding. And, as the upshot, a lot of school children got to participate in the music program.....for $29, including bow and case.

Sometimes it just works out.
Click to expand...
Yes, I agree with you, but there are cases where it is the opposite to what you say. I will say this, I own a Fender Telecaster which came out of a factory in China, and I also owned a Gibson Les Paul (Epiphone model) which also came out of a factory in China. Both were under that umbrella I spoke of. I will say this, that I will put those instruments up against any comparable model made here in the US. They were awesome, and at a fraction of the cost for a US made instrument. Yes, the electronics are not quite up to snuff, but the fit and finish of the instruments were flawless. Woods, and finishing materials are not the same quality as those from the US, but none the less, they were made beautifully.

I've seen many video reviews comparing say a Genuine Gibson Les Paul Standard with an Epiphone Les Paul Standard made in China, and one would have to have incredible hearing to notice the difference. Big difference is that the Chinese Epiphone model sold for around $400, while the US made Gibson sold for close to $2000. I have no problem at all purchasing a guitar from China, as long as they are from a reputable manufacturer under Gibson and Fender corporate leadership.

Yes, we are a bit off topic aren't we.

--
A smart person knows what to say, a wise person knows whether or not to say it.
 
Last edited:
Black Pen F made in Vietnam.
 
hpfoto said:
Hung Low said:
Mr. BM,
Made in Japan. Silver Pen F. :)
I do not buy Made in Vietnam or Made in Korea cameras or lenses. This just me.
Regards,
Hung

--
People's Republic of China. Home of THE Great Wall. And proud of it!
Click to expand...
Pretty sure I'd rather buy something made in Vietnam and Korea rather than made in China.
Click to expand...
Why??
 
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