Should Leica Shooters Fear the EU’s New Tariffs?

There is already a lot going on in the world of photography. The Chinese manufacturers are now prominent in the space, while many other camera creators from Japan and Europe are finding it hard to make gear more affordable. As things get murky, it appears that President Donald Trump wishes to go ahead with reciprocal tariffs. After Japan, the administration has targeted more countries. Here’s a look at what it could mean for you.

On July 7, The New York Times reported how Japan will face a 25% tariff, a result of a reciprocal trade war. It now appears, there are other countries on the hit list as well. Per The Associated Press, the new countries include the likes of Europe and Thailand, both of which have been hubs for camera manufacturers. Europe is home to Leica and Hasselblad, while Thailand manufactures Nikon, Sony and Canon cameras.

The news broke on July 12, Saturday, where the President continued to reveal letters to countries that have not yet reached a trade agreement (mostly in favor of America). As a result, Trump threatened the European Union with 30%, which was originally 20% when the tariffs were announced back in April. Like Japan, this will go into effect in August, with the letter noting if the EU uses counter tariffs, the US will increase tariffs further by 30% on the same amount set by EU.

Like the EU, Thailand is at 36%, which is the same as the original tariff, before the 90-day pause. Malaysia is at 25%, which is a one percent increase from the last time. Chinese goods are already at 30%, so until August, we may not see an increase. Vietnam, too, was left out of this list for now. The 10% tariff, a result of he 90-day halt, will be extended until August 1. After that, new tariffs will roll out. With the deadline so close, EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said if Trump pushes tariffs more than 30% then that rise “prohibits the trade.”

In other words, Leica, which has already revised its prices, will have to increase its prices. Similarly, Nikon, Fujifilm, Canon, and Sony will also have pushed the prices, hurting photographers more. A camera like the Leica M11-D, which is at $9,839, could now cost $12,790. Leica Q3 43, priced at $7,380, can go up to $9,594. Like Leica, Sony cameras will also see a 25% or a 36% increase. Models like A9 III, which is available for $6399, can be between $8000 $8700. Lower-end models like A7 IV, priced at $2,699 can also cost $3,300 to $3600. Nikon has increased prices for its lenses only now, but they will also be forced to push the prices of affordable models too. Canon is also yet to push up the prices.

Overall, things are quite tense, with no real solution in sight. If this continues, we may all just have to go back to using our phones.