EF-S 17-85 (made in Taiwan) ?

DDWD10 wrote in post #6019297
My 28-105 II USM is made in Taiwan. Some models of this lens are made in Japan as well. My only complaint is the zoom ring is stiff, jumpy, and loose all at the same time... but I can't complain since its as sharp as a tack

Many could say that in the end that is all that really matters (IQ) and I wouldn't disagree.

I think what it really comes down to here is that some people like the OP and many more do care where items are made and if two identical lenses were placed on the table both the same price, one made in Taiwan the other in Japan, given the option to only pick one lens without testing, they would pick the one made in Japan.

Other people couldn't care less and there is nothing wrong with either school of thought.

Robf wrote in post #6018327
I think you might be in for a shock.

Made in doesn't mean everything is made in. It can mean assembled in.

Your product could be made in Taiwan or Chine and sold as Made in where ever it's assembled.

When a Chinese company bought the Uk Rover car company, one idea was to ship the parts all the way back for assembly in the UK, because it was thought it would keep with the kudos.

Rob funny you brought this up.. My Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 is "assembled in China" while my Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 is "made in Japan".. What is stranger the 28-75mm is two years older than my 17-50mm..

Work that one out??

tommy52 wrote in post #6019336
you know theres a big difference between taiwan and the mainland china?
oh and taiwan is also an island too.....
from my experience, taiwan' was no where near 3rd world, they are up to par with japan and america.
and i have never seen so much beautiful girls in my life until i went to taiwan

Cheers for the geography lesson I guess all them years in the cockpit taught me nothing, naughty me

I cant remember anyone calling Taiwan or China third world, I always believed they were 2nd world or a developing nation.I sure hope they are not third world as they are about to host the Olympic Games.

What girls have to do with all of this I don't know but I won't disagree they do have some beautifull women.

Flickster wrote in post #6019872
Cheers for the geography lesson I guess all them years in the cockpit taught me nothing, naughty me

I cant remember anyone calling Taiwan or China third world, I always believed they were 2nd world or a developing nation.I sure hope they are not third world as they are about to host the Olympic Games.

What girls have to do with all of this I don't know but I won't disagree they do have some beautifull women.

Actually "3rd world countries" isn't used anymore,, its deemed political incorrect.. "Developing Countries"..

yogestee wrote in post #6019966
Actually "3rd world countries" isn't used anymore,, its deemed political incorrect.. "Developing Countries"..

Indeed, you sir are correct.

fWord wrote in post #6018511
Two schools of thought here. Some say the location of manufacture matters while others think likewise. It's like the Leica lenses where collectors prize German-made lenses above Canadian-made ones. Ultimately though, they are supposed to be of equal quality.

The 17-85 I had in the past was made in Japan. The 18-55 that came with my 350D however, was made in Taiwan.

Supposed is the key word here, although I wouldn't be worrying much over Canadian-made goods.

Chinese way of manufacturing traditionally valued quantity over quality (I am talking modern China here, not the handcrafted goods of some long gone dinasty). The level of compliance is low, and it's common for the line managers and workers to use tricks to bypass QC system to meet the planned volume (and it's not uncommon, by the way, for them to run an extra shift after offficial work hours & produce unofficial/counterfeit​/moonshine goods on same production line using same or fake parts - e.g. during the day they produce product for company ABC, at night they produce product with ABC logo that ABC knows nothing about) . So the product made or assembled in China has more probability of having quality issues as time goes by. Japanese-made goods had similar quality problem in 1950's but they improved as time went on.

I wouldn't be surprised if the kit lens was made in Taiwan -my 55-250 was made in Malaisia - but the 17-55 IS is an expensive lens.

surely the lens will carry the same canon warranty regardless of where it was made? So if there's something wrong with it send it back... if there's not what's the problem?

Flickster wrote in post #6018086
Welcome to PTON.

Regarding your question I would have thought it was made in Japan, I didn't know Canon made any lenses in Taiwan apart from maybe the lowest of the range ones.

P.S Just checked my 17-85 and it's made in Japan, it's not a entry level lens and should be made in Japan. I hope this is not a sign of things to come.

Not sure which is worse? That you think the 17-85 is some pro L lens or that it's so much one there's no way in heck it should be made anyway other than Japan.

No they are not on par with US or Japan if you separate them from China.

Is there anything wrong with the lens mechanically or optically?

Just because someone posts something on the internet doesn't make it true. I have also seen the "tests" of someone testing ONE Japanese made lens vs. ONE Taiwan made lens and coming to the conclusion that the Taiwan made one is inferior.

As we all know, 2 exact lenses made on the same exact line can have differences in optical quality.

Until someone tests 100 Japanese lenses vs 100 Taiwan lenses and proves without a doubt that one is inferior (and not just a single bad copy), I doubt the credibility.

If the lens looks good to you, I say get outside and enjoy you setup!

binliner wrote in post #6021038
surely the lens will carry the same canon warranty regardless of where it was made? So if there's something wrong with it send it back... if there's not what's the problem?

First, Canon warranty isn't that good. People buy lenses to keep for years, and Canon only gives you one year.

Second, even if a problem manifests itself early on, now you have to wait for several weeks until you get it back (not even mentioning the money and effort it takes to ship it to Canon).

If I buy an $10 I'll take my chances.

If I spend hundreds of dollars, I want long lasting quality.

LeeSC wrote in post #6021067
Is there anything wrong with the lens mechanically or optically?

Just because someone posts something on the internet doesn't make it true. I have also seen the "tests" of someone testing ONE Japenese made lens vs. ONE Taiwan made lens and coming to the conclusion that the Taiwan made one is inferior.

As we all know, 2 exact lenses made on the same exact line can have differences in optical quality.

Until someone tests 100 Japenese lenses vs 100 Taiwan lenses and proves without a doubt that one is inferior (and not just a single bad copy), I doubt the credibility.

If the lens looks good to you, I say get outside and enjoy you setup!

There's a good chance that a product made in China or Taiwan would be done to the same specs that a product made in Japan.

There's even a chance that a product made in Japan would have a quality issue and a product made in China won't.

However as someone who spent years in / around manufacturing, I can assure you that, all things being equal, the probability of having lower QC and subsequent quality issues is much higher in China than in Japan. And much higher in Brazil than in Germany. And so on. Just look at Volkswagen quality ratings over the last 20 years, as they shifted manufacturing capacity from Germany to countries like Mexico and Brazil. BTW I can assure you that quality of product I saw coming out of Mexican plants far exceeds quality of stuff I saw coming out of China; of course it's company / industry dependent.

Got a friend who is heavily into watches. He said there are a couple of the marquee watch makers that have parts made and assembled in China. The watches are then shipped complete to Switzerland where they are opened, cleaned and a protective coating put on the watch glass. Hence they are made in Switzerland.

just my 2 cents. i think the problem is cost. look at how much stuff used to be made in America. all these companies look at how much something costs to build. "building it in America costs XXXX number of dollars, but if we get the items manufactured in another country, that means more profit."
so maybe now, Canon has the products made in Japan, and maybe Japan manufacturers are saying "how much can we save if we outsource the operation to Taiwan or China"
just my opinion on what I know (or think I know) about the situation at hand.

Flickster wrote in post #6018143
Maybe it's just me but I don't like to buy any quality product made in China/Taiwan etc, I like it to be made in Japan/USA/Germany etc a place where they pay people a fair wage for a days work and where quality has real importance not quantity regardless of anyone saying they would have high levels of QC in-place.

Maybe I'm just old school .

P.S I'm the opposite if Im spending big $ on an item and I can pick between a 400L f2.8 made in Tiawan and one made in Japan I would pay a fair amount of extra money for the Japan version. Must be my old fashion way of thinking .

Personally, if quality is the same I do not care who or where lens are made. No reason to believe quality have dropped - am under impression no matter where it's made, they still have to follow Canon specs (I hope).

There is a big difference between China and Taiwan. Taiwan has been an economic power for a number of years - I think they are in top ten of nations with cash reserve. Due to their enormous population, China is a developing economic power. Woman are more fashion conscious in the big cities in Taiwan/China so you see more beautiful women. In US, we are more "laid back" and comfort conscious.

If Canon were smart, they will have all lens shipped back to Japan where they can stick an "asset tag" that has serial# and "Made In Japan". Consumers are none the wiser - they just have to be sure the asset tag is made in Japan.

Instead of worrying about where it's made...

Take some freaking pictures of something already. Do the pictures look fine to you?