Thread: Made in Japan vs. China

I'm an inch away from buying a Sony RX100. One niggling thing is holding me up. Early reviews touted the fact that the camera was made in Japan, close to the source. Later cameras have been made in China, I read, with not only the sweatshop downside (I know, I know: I'm writing this on a MacBook, but--), but also less quality control. Any problems with Made in China RX100's?

I wouldn't get too hung up on what country electronics are made in when it comes to Asia. Parts that make up the whole of most electronic devices are from all over the region, often times the final processing location is the one that is listed as the manufacturing location.

Japan has a much better reputation than any others in this area for design and QC. Outsourced parts and assembly helps keep the prices down.

I think it depends on the camera. I have a NEX made in Thailand, a Fuji X10 made in Japan and a Panasonic G2 made in China and they are all pretty nice in the build department and I don't have any issues with them. I will say that of the three the X10 does strike me as a bit nicer fit and finish but that could also just be Fuji's QC.

Amusing that, 50 years ago, "Made in Japan" was something to be avoided as cheap and nasty ...

Originally Posted by pdh

Amusing that, 50 years ago, "Made in Japan" was something to be avoided as cheap and nasty ...

I remember those days

Back in my day, 'Made in Japan' had become a mark of reasonable quality.

It was 'Made in Hong Kong', and 'Made in Taiwan' that had taken up the cheap and nasty mantle by then.

It is not being made by a different company and so the QC standards are not different.

It doesn't make a jot of difference, any more than Leicas being built in Portugal or Canada make them any the less than those assembled from scratch in Solms. It's a global world

Sent from another Galaxy

I don't think it matters at all. I have a MIC and it's perfect in everyway. There was someone on DPR that sent back like 4 RX100s to Amazon hoping to get a MIJ. He already had one RX100 that was a MIJ and he wanted another one. He kept saying that the MICs just aren't as good as his MIJ. Guess what? He didn't compare them side by side. In the end he did with the last one Amazon sent out and concluded that the MIC is just as good as the MIJ. He should have done that to start with and spared Amazon 4 returns.

Originally Posted by TraamisVOS

Back in my day, 'Made in Japan' had become a mark of reasonable quality.

It was 'Made in Hong Kong', and 'Made in Taiwan' that had taken up the cheap and nasty mantle by then.

i lives in this era hahahahahaha