Tariffs For Everyone

Since the US tariffs were announced on April 2nd, questions have swirled about what this means for the camera industry.

It’s no secret that most consumer cameras are manufactured globally in countries like China, Japan, and our friends in the EU. As a result, US importers will face tariff bills as they bring products into the US.

Even as a priority dealer of brands like Phase One, Hasselblad, Fujifilm, and more, we at CI still have many lingering questions. At first, when tariffs were mainly in the 20-35% range, we wondered how much of that would be absorbed by our US partners importing the cameras and how much would be passed to the consumer via price increases. However, recent developments have abated most countries to 10% for the next 90 days. China was the exception to this, being raised to 145% and still subject to change.

Here’s what we know today – April 16, 2025

1. Six of our partners have formally reached out with tariff-related changes.

Phase One is absorbing a portion of the tariff and only passing a 3% price increase to their customers.

Fujifilm has suspended pre-orders on their newest cameras, the GFX100RF, XT5, and X100VI.

Sony has reached out with relevant internal updates, but most prices remain unchanged.

Eizo recently confirmed that their prices will remain the same until further notice.

Hasselblad prices are not changing right now. Only 2 lenses have been affected today, their 45P and 75P lenses can not be ordered and will have a price increase very soon.

Leica has sent us a new price list with following increases: D-Lux +75%, Accessories from China +90%. All other products will have a 7% increase across the board.

2. These are the tariffs some of our manufacturers face today…

• Phase One: Japan (10%)
• Fujifilm: Japan (10%) and China (145%)
• Hasselblad: Sweden (10%), Japan (10%), and China (145%)
• Leica: Germany (10%) and Portugal (10%)
• Cambo: Netherlands (10%)
• Sony: Thailand (10%), Japan (10%), and China (145%)
• ALPA: Switzerland (10%)

2. Tariffs can vary not only per manufacturer but also per product line.

As seen above, some manufacturers import from multiple countries.

Let’s take Hasselblad, for example.

When searching online, Sweden is the only importer mentioned for Hasselblad products. However, looking at the boxes on our shelves, current Hasselblad bodies like the 907x 100c and the X2D 100c are made in Sweden, batteries, chargers, and accessories are made in China, and most lenses like the 90V, 45P, and 55V are made in Japan. This trend had a few exceptions, like the 75P lens made in China.

As of right now, April 16th, they are telling us that just the 45P and 75P will be going up in price.

3. Cambo, ALPA, and Phoxene products require a quote.

Capture Integration is the direct importer of these products. This means we are already directly seeing both the exchange rates vary and the 10% tariffs being applied to our shipping invoices.

Due to these variables, new estimates will need to be calculated according to the daily factors and pricing.

3. In-stock products are flying off the shelf.

Amidst the uncertainty, one thing is sure: Prices aren’t going down. In the past week, most, if not all, of our orders have been for in-stock products. They are ( at least at CI ) guaranteed to be protected from tariff price hikes. However, once they’re gone, they’re gone.

What we predict

Emphasis on the word “predict”. No one knows what we will face in the coming weeks and months.

However, based on what we see, we are preparing for price hikes on almost every product line and the potential suspension of distribution for some products. We don’t expect the full tariff to be passed to the consumer, but likely some portion of it will need to be for business to continue. In particular, any camera that’s imported from China surely cannot be profitable if importers have to pay well over double the cost. Unless China and the US can come to a resolution, we expect a pause on the distribution of most camera products coming from China for the time being.

What we’d recommend

For any client who is planning on buying in the near future, timing is more critical than ever.

Once out of stock in the US, some products may become difficult or even impossible to get. As prices increase and supply becomes sparse, even used products will increase in price as they adjust to the new market.

If you feel buying now might be better than later, call your CI salesman. They can provide you with the most up-to-date information and help you make the right decision.

We aim to earn your business through trust and transparency. Your support is why we’re able to weather the storm and continue providing the industry’s greatest customer support and technical knowledge.

If you’re looking to browse our in-stock inventory, check out the collections below!

CONTACT YOUR CI SALESMAN!

Steve Hendrix – 404.543.8475 – Steve@Captureintegration.com

Chris Snipes – 813.335.2473 – Chris@Captureintegration.com

Dave Gallagher – 770.846.5223 – Dave@Captureintegration.com

Murray Elliott – 631.935.3389 – Murray@Captureintegration.Com

Greg King – 303.728.4517 – Greg@Captureintegration.Com

Office – 404.522.7662 – Info@captureintegration.Com