Canon not popular in Japan?

[pcasciola]

Is Canon not popular in their home country?!?!?!

I was just watching a Yankees special of a game played in Japan. In the photographers area were at least a dozen Nikons. Not one white lens in the entire bunch!!! All big, Nikon primes.

[Raj]

Well Canon's reputation (from whatever I have heard) is that it uses cheap parts to produce cheap camera's & so they are not as robust as Nikon, however I do see a lot of ppl using canon here. Its not that bad.

You will be amazed to know Sony is considered to be worst when it comes to camera/laptops/camcorders. Japanese say - sony is good for one year as warrenty is for one year !

[swoop1156]

Canon is decent here in Japan. I see some shooters using them, and they promote them in the stores well too. Nikon does seem to have a slight edge, possibly -- but I still like my Canon.

[pradeep1]

But the Japanese market is considerably smaller than the USA/European markets, where Canon dominates over Nikon. ;)

[pcasciola]

Wow, I'm really surprised to hear that. I would have assumed they would dominate in Japan too, like they do here in the United States. At any major sporting event here, you are likely to see 2-3 Canon's for every Nikon.

[UK_Terry]

would the co$t have $omething to do with it ???

[Raj]

Well Canon is big, no doubt abt it. I am not saying people use canon at all. They use it, but old timers especially, prefer Nikon. I see more Nikon users here in Tokyo atleast.
With only two main competitors in DSLR market, margin deciding who has upper hand is quite thin.

[Longwatcher]

I suspect it it a case of loyalty. Americans are less loyal to brands then probably anybody else in the world. So anybody that has been shooting for awhile will tend to stick to their brand until completely proven differently. since Nikon can compete, even if they are behind, I suspect that has a lot to do with the reason for a lot of Nikons. A lot of older photographers in US tend to stick with Nikon for same reason, but not as much. Also, they had a great rep for many years and Canon had a not so good rep, but the reality has changed and it takes people a long time to recognize the change.

Just my opinion, which may have no bearing on the real world.

[Jon]

I wouldn't be amazed to see Sony considered rubbish. What always amazes me is the people who think their stuff's so great. Guess they never had to support it. After poor design leading to cracked circuit boards, lousy drivers for their computers, proprietary and pointless standards, . . . I don't do Sony, and strongly recommend against them. Gee Whiz factor may be great, but the attention to detail and serviceability always lacked a certain je ne sais quoi. And they've got one of the most impenetrable web sites I've ever had the misfortune to encounter.

[Raj]

I wouldn't be amazed to see Sony considered rubbish. What always amazes me is the people who think their stuff's so great. Guess they never had to support it. After poor design leading to cracked circuit boards, lousy drivers for their computers, proprietary and pointless standards, . . . I don't do Sony, and strongly recommend against them. Gee Whiz factor may be great, but the attention to detail and serviceability always lacked a certain je ne sais quoi. And they've got one of the most impenetrable web sites I've ever had the misfortune to encounter.

People seem to have realized it here :-)

[Raj]

Canon is decent here in Japan. I see some shooters using them, and they promote them in the stores well too. Nikon does seem to have a slight edge, possibly -- but I still like my Canon.

As best as I remember, actually salesman in big stores in Tokyo were trying to push *ist DSLR more than both canon or nikon, mentioning it is more easy to use ;) or more consumer type, small & light weight :-)

[Redbird_xo]

Honda is considered as great car manufacturer in the States. A Japanese friend of mine told me years ago that Honda is not considered a good car brand in Japan.

[PhotosGuy]

So anybody that has been shooting for awhile will tend to stick to their brand until completely proven differently. 'specially if they have a lot of $s tied up in lenses!

[Raj]

Honda is considered as great car manufacturer in the States. A Japanese friend of mine told me years ago that Honda is not considered a good car brand in Japan.

That beleif still seems to persist here :rolleyes:

[Tomasz Dziechciarz]

I know why .....
Canon is simply more expensive in Japan then Nikon generaly.
Last June I was in Tokyo region and I would like to buy a DigiRebel (called KISS in Japan)
The camera body was more expensive then in Europe .... I was so surpriced ...
I was even in CANON S-plaza building in Shinagawa. Huge skyscraper Canon Musem, toolroom, galleries, the whole Canon equipment the ever built ....

But the official prices - strangly high .....crap!!
I went to Akihabara and the prices there still too high so I decided to buy Rebel and 20d in USA..

[Redbird_xo]

When it comes to shopping for good quality consumer goods (electronics, clothing, etc.) for great prices...there is only one place comes to mind...

Hong Kong it is.

[PhotosGuy]

Hong Kong it is. There used to be a guy named Lindsay Wu in Kowloon that I imported Nikons from. They were shipped to Canada & I'd pick them up & pay duty to bring them over the border. One shipment had an extra body in it with a note that he was overstocked & would I mind sending him a check for it? :D
Things sure were different then! ;)

[Redbird_xo]

Things sure were different then! ;)

With no doubt you are right. In fact, things in Hong Kong seem to have changed more frequently and rapidly than other places. But as far as shopping goes, here is still the shopping heaven with a few new shops here and there.

[rssfhs]

I know why .....
Canon is simply more expensive in Japan then Nikon generaly.
Last June I was in Tokyo region and I would like to buy a DigiRebel (called KISS in Japan)
The camera body was more expensive then in Europe .... I was so surpriced ...
I was even in CANON S-plaza building in Shinagawa. Huge skyscraper Canon Musem, toolroom, galleries, the whole Canon equipment the ever built ....

But the official prices - strangly high .....crap!!
I went to Akihabara and the prices there still too high so I decided to buy Rebel and 20d in USA..

That's absolutely right! It seems absurd, but it's cheaper even with shipping included in the price to buy Canon stuff in the States.

[Raj]

I know why .....
Canon is simply more expensive in Japan then Nikon generaly.
Last June I was in Tokyo region and I would like to buy a DigiRebel (called KISS in Japan)
The camera body was more expensive then in Europe .... I was so surpriced ...
I was even in CANON S-plaza building in Shinagawa. Huge skyscraper Canon Musem, toolroom, galleries, the whole Canon equipment the ever built ....

But the official prices - strangly high .....crap!!
I went to Akihabara and the prices there still too high so I decided to buy Rebel and 20d in USA..

Thomas,
Price may not be the exact factor.
Its not only canon or Nikon & its not only camera's. Everything - laptops, camera, memory, batteries, you name it ! everything here is expensive that States. Although the brands are Japanese. Possible reason is that labor is very expensive in Japan. So things "made in japan" are quite expensive. Then there are other taxes. Thats why many of the manufacturing units have been relocated to other countries. But still Japan is expensive.
Only thing I find beneficial to purchase here is video camera's.

Cheers
- Raj

[Raj]

I guess I should start purchasing stuff from HK :-)

[pcasciola]

everything here is expensive that States.I can only imagine what it's like now. About 10 years ago, a friend of mine was there on business, and breakfast for 4 people at an average restaurant was $100.

[Raj]

Phil, u r absolutely correct.
My lunch usually costs me $15-20 :-) Dinner is altogether different story. At a decent place, it around $100 per person & I am talking about, lets say middle class restaraunts ...

How is it in States, how much usual lunch/dinner costs ?
Yet another pain is renting home's ! I live in a 3DK & it costs me around ~$1700 a month ... Is it competetive with States ?

[PhotosGuy]

Here, a 'normal' lunch special in a middle range place can run between $5-10. In New Yourk City I'd expect to pay more.
Yet another pain is renting home's ! I live in a 3DK & it costs me around ~$1700 a month ... Is it competetive with States?:D:D You can buy a very respectable house here for that! I'm only paying $600/month for a 4 bedroom, 2 bath, quad-level. Figure another $250/mo for taxes & insurance.
Someone told me once that a cantelope costs several hundred $s in Japan. I'm not sure if he was putting me on. ;)

[pcasciola]

The average 2-3 bedroom rental in the New York City "area" is $1500-2000 a month. Of course, in the city I know people paying $4000-5000 a month, but that's the extreme. Property taxes ALONE in New Jersey average about $1,000 a month.

[Redbird_xo]

In terms of highest cost of residential renting, four places come to mind...London, Hong Kong, Tokyo and NYC. I don't even want to remind myself how much I am paying for a 1,400 sq. ft. apartment here...such a PAIN!

[Raj]

The average 2-3 bedroom rental in the New York City "area" is $1500-2000 a month. Of course, in the city I know people paying $4000-5000 a month, but that's the extreme. Property taxes ALONE in New Jersey average about $1,000 a month.

Oh well, it dosent seem to be very different ! I feel better now :-)
Just kidding.
When I was in New York for around 6 months I stayed in candlewood Suites near New Port Tower stations, therefore I have no idea about living cost there although I did spent some time. What hurted that time was the ferry fare for crossing the river :-)

[Raj]

Here, a 'normal' lunch special in a middle range place can run between $5-10. In New Yourk City I'd expect to pay more.
:D:D You can buy a very respectable house here for that! I'm only paying $600/month for a 4 bedroom, 2 bath, quad-level. Figure another $250/mo for taxes & insurance.
Someone told me once that a cantelope costs several hundred $s in Japan. I'm not sure if he was putting me on. ;)
I envy you man ! I have been dreaming since long to have a billiards table & my wife wants to bring her Piano in, but with my current home I cant do nothing & I cant afford any bigger .... although a 4 bedroom would be very nice to live in :-)
Are you renting a house or a appartment ?

[PhotosGuy]

Are you renting a house or a appartment ? No, I bought it. Best investment I ever made! ;-)