Have you ever taken the time to find out where your Nikon camera or lens is made? If you’re a longtime photographer, you might assume it’s made in the company’s homeland, Japan – but in most cases, Nikon gear is made elsewhere in Asia. And Nikon certainly isn’t the only Japanese camera manufacturer to have moved at least some of its production outside the Land of the Rising Sun.
Except for Sigma, all the major players – Canon, Fujifilm, Sony, Panasonic, OM System and Ricoh – manufacture at least some of their products outside Japan, with destinations including Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan and, of course, China.
When it comes to Nikon, products are manufactured in Japan, Vietnam and China, but the lion’s share is manufactured in Thailand. Back in 2020, Nikon made the historic announcement that it would stop making cameras in Japan as a cost-cutting measure.
And indeed, all its mirrorless cameras have long been made in Thailand, even the flagship Nikon Z9 and new Nikon Z5IIC. As for everything else, Nikon Rumors has posted an updated list of every mirrorless camera and lens, so you can find out where your kit is made.
Where is your Nikon kit made?
Most notably, Japanese manufacturing is reserved for only the very pinnacle of Nikon’s optical engineering. As you’d expect, the Nikon Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct is made here, along with the freshly launched Nikon Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S.
You’ve then got the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S, Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II, Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S, Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S, and Nikon Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S.
What’s surprising is that not all ‘holy trinity’ lenses are manufactured in Japan, with the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S and Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S both made in Thailand. The new Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II isn’t on Nikon Rumors' list, but is also made in Thailand. Beyond Japan, the Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 is made in Vietnam, with all other optics split between China and Thailand.
Some people don’t care where something is made. And I get it. In 2026, especially, manufacturing has advanced to the point that in many cases, you’re hard-pressed to find any differences in quality based purely on manufacturing. For example, some Nikon Z6 and Nikon Z7 cameras were made in Japan – and I doubt anyone can tell the difference.
And yet, I do think there is absolutely a romantic component to an item’s country of origin. There is something special about a camera from a legendary Japanese brand that was actually manufactured in and shipped from Japan. However, I’ve often said that my Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR is my favorite lens, and it’s manufactured in China. And my favorite camera is my Nikon Z8, which is manufactured in Thailand.
So, there you have it. It’s nice to know where your Nikon cameras and lenses are made, but in the real world, it really doesn’t make much difference.
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