# Why aren't there any well-known British cameras? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 13, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509 "2018-03-13T19:47:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/61 "2018-03-19T00:08:29Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > I am trying to think of an American camera company that has done anything in the last 20 years. > > I’m coming up empty. There’s a little company out of Cupertino that’s shipped over a billion cameras in the last 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/62 "2018-03-19T02:00:47Z")
Sony and Omnivision make iPhone cameras, if that’s what you mean. It’s not like Dell makes Windows. The latter is a US company. Though not like Sony isn’t a MNC. ---
**Author:** ![DtypeJag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@DtypeJag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DtypeJag)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/63 "2018-03-20T00:32:44Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Currently I’d say aircraft wings (Airbus - ex-BAE Systems facility), jet engines (Rolls-Royce), ejector seats (Martin-Baker), very cutting-edge automobile technology (the bulk of the development centres for F1 teams are UK-based). > > Egg cups 😉 Don’t forget hand made Tea Cozies. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/64 "2018-03-20T01:15:55Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Does UK engineering in the 20th or 21st century have a good reputation in any field? Audio. I’m quite fond of my Meridian DSP8000 speakers (I better be, they cost more than any car I’ve owned). I also have 30+ year old pair of Mission 707s that are still going strong. B&W, Linn, Naim, Tannoy are other well respected brands. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/65 "2018-03-20T03:15:50Z")
It’s actually really odd that a country that has dominated the world over the centuries and become such a major power, is not known for producing many high-quality products, and the product that it _is_ best known for producing well, is clothing. If you were to ask me what comes to mind as a high-quality British product, my answer would basically be “finely tailored clothes”. It’s not something high-tech or anything with any kind of scientific or industrial application, it’s clothes. The clothes they make are really, really good, and usually command high prices. Yet there’s almost nothing else that people in America would buy, that’s made in the UK. Other than cars. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/66 "2018-03-20T04:18:44Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > It’s actually really odd that a country that has dominated the world over the centuries and become such a major power, is not known for producing many high-quality products, and the product that it _is_ best known for producing well, is clothing. It’s not so odd when you recall that the [Industrial Revolution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution) was mainly about the textile industry. Though as already mentioned, Americans buy many other things from the UK, like [jet engines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Trent_1000), [imaging sensors](https://www.e2v.com/news/e2v-ccd-imaging-sensors-to-enable-nasas-hubble-space-telescope-to-explore-the-nature-and-history-of-our-universe-with-greater-capability-than-ever-before/), airliners with wings [made in the UK](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_UK), [pharmaceuticals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GlaxoSmithKline), etc. And I myself ride a [British bicycle](https://us.brompton.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Dahu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahu/32/3416_2.png) [@Dahu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahu)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/67 "2018-03-20T07:41:06Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > Yet there’s almost nothing else that people in America would buy, that’s made in the UK. Other than cars. Scotch whisky. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/68 "2018-03-22T13:18:25Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Just put the page into the fixer and the problems will not develop further. Viewed in the right light, we knew the solution would reveal itself. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/69 "2018-03-22T13:49:23Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > Yet there’s almost nothing else that people in America would buy, that’s made in the UK. Other than cars. UK exports to the US were, in 2016, [worth $61.6 billion](https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/gbr/) (versus $55.3 billion in the other direction) so people in America are definitely buying _something_. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/70 "2018-03-22T19:33:41Z")
Aircraft parts produced by Rolls-Royce probably make up the bulk of it. It’s not a consumer item. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/71 "2018-03-22T19:39:04Z")
[This page](https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/gbr/) says aircraft parts only accounted for 3.7% of UK’s exports, and “planes, helicopters and/or spacecraft” making up another 1.4%. Though that’s of all UK exports, not just exports to the US. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/72 "2018-03-22T22:04:44Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > Aircraft parts produced by Rolls-Royce probably make up the bulk of it. Perhaps you can find some stats to back up your guess? ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/73 "2018-03-23T11:25:36Z")
[This O.E.C. page with detailed stats shows that Rolls Royce is not quite in the lead.](https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/gbr/) Though cars are the largest single export item. I am guessing “gas turbines” is power generators, not aircraft engines, yes? ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/74 "2018-03-23T17:07:14Z")
I recall something talking about clocks in the 1700’s and 1800’s - Britain used to be the leader, and Swiss played the part of Japan, making cheaper versions then cornering the market and moving upscale. I suspect part of the problem is the fine British reputation for not doing a good job in most of the 20th century. (My father mentioned their first car, a Morris, after they drove it across Canada needed an engine rebuild because the sand had not been fully cleaned out of the engine casting; after driving thousands of miles, the result was a badly worn engine.) To establish in a business like Japan did with Cameras (and everything else) you need to start cheap and develop quality production - Britain was not set up for cheap labour, and quality seem to have eluded many of their industries. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/75 "2018-03-23T17:36:03Z")
Kershaw cameras was considered pretty good with some of their models, [http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Kershaw-Soho](http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Kershaw-Soho) I also think that the contribution of British manufacturers has been greater underestimated, since it was in the UK that the leaf shutter was invented, along with the first affordable and mainstream film development process. > **[Great Britain](https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/Great_Britain)** > > Many basics of photography were invented in France, but two main principles of so-called analogue photography were found at once by a gentleman from Wiltshire, England, Great Britain. William Henry Fox Talbot invented the first photographical... And this is not to mention that it was in Leeds that the worlds very first movie camera came into being. The real question should have been, why did British camera makers not take the step up from small scale manufacture to large scale production? ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2018, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509/76 "2018-03-24T13:46:46Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > Aircraft parts produced by Rolls-Royce probably make up the bulk of it. It’s not a consumer item. –Huffily-- Maybe not in YOUR home. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-any-well-known-british-cameras/810509.md?page=3)