[kencameron1949]

Pity, I don't buy via eBay from Chinese manufacturers. I know it's unfair to lump everything together, but selling in Europe means a product hast to have a CE logo including declaration of conformity, a proper manual in my language and a repair center somewhere in Europe - what every big manufacturer has, small Chinese sellers don't make any effort. We just see exploding E-boards from China.

 

I know that Chinese manufacturers always try to lower their costs at any price even by faking CE logos and other safety lables, I just don't want to take a risk. 

If I had followed your example, I would have deprived myself of quite a number of  good products at good prices. I have bought regularly from Chinese manufacturers. Generally cheaper products so my risk has never been great, but I have had good responses from manufacturers on the few occasions I have had any problems. They seem genuinely concerned to avoid negative reviews.

[JJ_SO]

Then I hope you earn your living as well from Chinese manufacturers - ok, giving the number in your alias as your year of birth, I should ask if your pension is paid from Chinese manufacturers. It's lack of perspective to live in a country where I can earn high salaries and benefit for high life standards and buy from countries where the low prices are the consequence of nearly slavery working conditions. Of course, I'm aware that high price items also come from China and a lot of people get rich by that.

 

When I wrote that post the "hoverboards", this little amputated Segways, were exploded in some cases. And the owners won't see a repair or any other compensation. When I bought one of this Laowa macro lenses and in fell down, it became obvious the design is a bit poor and the repair service non existing in Europe. I bought it because it is unique, not cheap.

 

Oh, and of course you don't have to follow my example. Go ahead and buy cheaper - buying expensive is no guarantee of better quality or service. I understand your experience but love long term the damage will have to be paid. Not by you, by your kids or grandchildren.

 

Please don't feel offended, it is very tempting to get the same or sometimes even better quality from China. But those enterpreneurs are cheap, becasue they betray systematically: The label their items as "gift" and put the values to 10 $, just to save taxes and import fees. Those taxes are not paid for the government, those are paid - like VAT - to establish a certain living quality, to pay for public services. Each manufacturer in Europe would be treated as criminal, if they tried the same trick. But for Chinese it's a challenge to save as much costs as they can, no matter how legal that is.

[kencameron1949]

Then I hope you earn your living as well from Chinese manufacturers 

 

Oh, and of course you don't have to follow my example. Go ahead and buy cheaper - buying expensive is no guarantee of better quality or service. I understand your experience but love long term the damage will have to be paid. Not by you, by your kids or grandchildren.

Please don't lecture me about the interests of my kids or grandchildren, particularly on the basis of what I assume is pretty much total ignorance of my situation.

 

I live in a country which makes a significant proportion of its living in the Global economy by trading with China. My pension is paid by a government that derives massive taxation revenues from that trade. We have a free trade agreement with China, while we are subject to various protectionist policies when we trade with Europe. Many of our citizens sell Chinese products here or sell our products to the Chinese. Chinese tourists provide jobs to many of us and Chinese students pay well to study in our universities. Trade with China is good for my generation, and I am confident that it will remain good for my children and and my grandchildren. I have no problem participating in it by buying products from Chinese manufacturers.

 

And I don't know much about your country, but I also wonder whether it sells anything to China, and whether you benefit, directly or indirectly, from that trade. I suspect that broadly speaking, we all benefit from being part of a global economy. That is not to say there isn't exploitation in that economy and that we shouldn't do what we can to oppose it. But I am not sure that refusal to participate is an effective (or even a possible) response.

[JJ_SO]

But I am not sure that refusal to participate is an effective (or even a possible) response.

So am I, but it's the only way of response a private buyer can choose. Any better suggestions are welcome. On some markets I don't have a real choice, because China is dominant, copying without any respect to copyrights. On other markets I have a choice - I don't want to lecture you, I just said, I made enough bad experiences with Chinese traders. And I buy preferrably local Europe.

 

I assume you're living in the US or Canada, then. That brings TTIP up and into discussion, but since that's a photo- and not a political forum and I don't know much pleasant things to say about TTIP, mostly because it's kept secret what is never a democratic way to deal with things, I will not going on with that discussion.

[AN2]

There is two Nikon to FE AF adapter, one is commlite, the telescope side AF speed is slowï¼› another just have a phototype,but the AF speed is ideal(<a class="bbc_url" href="http://forum.xitek.com/thread-1529533-1-1-1.html">http://forum.xitek.com/thread-1529533-1-1-1.html</a>).

[kencameron1949]

So am I, but it's the only way of response a private buyer can choose. Any better suggestions are welcome. On some markets I don't have a real choice, because China is dominant, copying without any respect to copyrights. On other markets I have a choice - I don't want to lecture you, I just said, I made enough bad experiences with Chinese traders. And I buy preferrably local Europe.

 

I assume you're living in the US or Canada, then. That brings TTIP up and into discussion, but since that's a photo- and not a political forum and I don't know much pleasant things to say about TTIP, mostly because it's kept secret what is never a democratic way to deal with things, I will not going on with that discussion.

 

I am from Australia, not the US or Canada.  I agree that further discussion of political and economic issues would be out of place in this photo forum. My original post was simply to say that my experience with Chinese manufacturers of photo products differs from yours. I have had mostly good experiences, both in relation to the quality of the products, and to the response by the seller on the few occasions when there has been a problem. You responded to this by telling me that in buying Chinese, I am acting against the interests of my kids, etcetera.  I don't agree with that, for reasons which I have explained. I would also note that at one time, Japanese products were regarded as junk, now they are high end. I believe that Chinese products are on a similar quality trajectory. 

[Brightcolours]

Indeed, Made in Japan/Nippon used to be a warning sign for cheap crappy goods. Nowadays that title belongs to french cars (pun intended) ;-)

[JJ_SO]

Look, when it comes to exploding batteries and no one responsible for that because those manufacturers can hide in China, I get a little sensitive. I also get more than a little bit sensitive because I'm working in an industry copied in a pretty illegal way by Chinese manufaturers, who don't give a damn sh.t about playing fair.

 

I'm sure no adapters explode so far, but first is buying Chines means support methods and ways to exploit humans. I'm not sure if capitalism is the answer to anything. I just don't support it, as simple as that. And I also realize western people stole a couple of things from Chinese, like paper, fireworks, explosives.

 

Do what you want and buy wherever you want, as I will for sure. Australia doesn't have much of an optical industry so it won't hurt you much.

[kencameron1949]

I certainly don't share the neoliberal view of capitalism, which I  suspect may be unsustainable. And I have no general problem with sensitivity. For example, I have some sympathy with people who get sensitive about banks which run secret accounts for criminals and dictators, or about pharmaceutical companies which conceal the results of negative tests and attempt to patent natural products. My view is that no country has clean hands. Not even Switzerland.(Edit: and certainly not Australia)

 

Back to photography. Adapters are surely going to be made in China  (or Thailand, or Vietnam, or Korea at the high end) because they have the levels of technical capacity and wages which makes it viable to sell them in bulk to a Global market. Having a wide range of adapters available is good for photographers, who can use pretty much any lens on their mirrorless camera body. Having photographers wanting to buy adapters is good for workers in those countries. No harm, that I can see, to Switzerland. Minimal risk of explosion. Win win situation.

[Brightcolours]

I too use adapters for lenses on my Canons. Cheap ones, from China. The expensive ones are also produced in China, the extra money goes to other people who feel entitled to the big difference.