The new tariffs look to completely upset advice formerly given on this forum, and will, I think, greatly reduce our camera and lens choices going forward. For example, I don't see how Olympus can remain viable in the U.S., when I think their products are assembled in Vietnam, which will have a nearly 50% duty levied. Similarly, I think most Tamron lenses are manufactured in Vietnam. Would you still buy one if nearly 50% more expensive? Etc.
Photography will soon be a considerably more expensive hobby/profession.
The fact is, most hobbyists can afford to spend 50% more, even if we don't want to. It's still a relatively cheap hobby because once you have the gear ongoing costs are zero.
Pros will have to charge a little more to cover their equipment costs, but equipment costs are only a small percentage of most photography business expenses. Also, since tariffs trigger broad inflation, customers will expect rising prices.
For my part, I'll take a trip to Canada to buy my next batch of camera gear. I'd rather do business there anyway.
.Maybe - but most "experts" say in a couple years this tariff war will end
Most experts didn't think this tariff war would start in the first place. I don't think we should put too much stock in their predictions now.
Trump has pushed for tariffs since the 1980s. This idea that we should tax imports to bring slave-wage manufacturing back home is one of his core beliefs. He also loves that imposing tariffs makes leaders of foreign countries beg him (or bribe him) to change his mind. Even if they negotiate out of this wave, I think we should expect consistent threats and escalation. Had the market continued to fall, maybe Congress would have stepped in, but Republicans seem to be on board with this insanity.
Also, China is calling Trump's bluff and so much of what the US imports is from China that that is really the whole ballgame in a lot of ways.
