Might be the same factory, but for me I'll risk a Chinese knock off Flash, wireless flash trigger, intervalometer and maybe a few other things, but I won't risk this. I'm nervous enough with the real Spider.
It would not surprise me if this were the same manufacturer. They've done with golf club components (and very well I might add) and a bunch of other products.
I very seriously doubt it's the same manufacturer. I'll bet anything the holster hardware was designed by the people who own the Spider brand, therefore they own the rights and the IP to the design. The manufacturer could NOT sell that design to anyone else without serious repercussion.
What's far more likely is that someone in China reversed engineered it and took it to their own manufacturer to build. I would not expect the same level of quality at all.
This is what you get when chinese factories make your stuff. For me as a customer- I don't give a s..t how it's called- if the quality is comparable. Actually we have to thank China for making prices more "down to Earth" nowadays- esp. studio lightning. I just purchased wireless flash triggers, and the quality is really, really good (didn't expect it to be that good).
What I've noticed is that Chinese don't produce things that weren't produce in China by foreign companies earlier. They just asked for it.
deepbluejh wrote:
I very seriously doubt it's the same manufacturer. I'll bet anything the holster hardware was designed by the people who own the Spider brand, therefore they own the rights and the IP to the design. The manufacturer could NOT sell that design to anyone else without serious repercussion.
What's far more likely is that someone in China reversed engineered it and took it to their own manufacturer to build. I would not expect the same level of quality at all.
repercussion from whom? The Chinese government? HAHA
It always amazes me when I see people who MAKE THEIR LIVING by selling IP giddy with excitement at the thought of paying 1/2 for something that is clearly either:
1. A ripoff copy commissioned by someone who reverse-engineered the original
or
2. A ripoff where someone bribed the manufacturer to build extras under a different brand.
I felt the same way when some peeps here got all excited about trying the COCO Ring Flash thing (an obvious ripoff of the Ray Flash design)
I bought a Quick Strap earlier last year( knock off of Black Rapid Strap)
Last week in Africa a metal part snapped and camera fell down(thankfully in the grass).
Shit happens...
I paid $15 for it and bought another one today. I am very trusting!
On the side note...I use my own holster system and it's SOOO much more safer and better than Spider or any others for that matter. If a "factory made" copy of it with a few modifications for comfort would come out, I'd buy it right a way!
It always amazes me when I see people who MAKE THEIR LIVING by selling IP giddy with excitement at the thought of paying 1/2 for something that is clearly either:
1. A ripoff copy commissioned by someone who reverse-engineered the original
or
2. A ripoff where someone bribed the manufacturer to build extras under a different brand.
I felt the same way when some peeps here got all excited about trying the COCO Ring Flash thing (an obvious ripoff of the Ray Flash design)
When you sell a DVD with jpgs and don't care what happens to it because you were paid for your time, then it should be easy to see how IP is not something a person would be overly concerned about. Doesn't really shock me at all.
That's no reverse engineered design, that's someone selling the exact same unit with slightly different finish out the back door of the Chinese factory. Unfortunately it's one of the risks of sending production to China, I wonder if they weighed this possibility in considering whether to produce there cheaply or to produce in a country with more IP protection at a higher cost? I would expect Spider Holster will be looking for a new factory, but I wonder if they'd actually be able to remove or destroy the tooling from the current factory?
brett maxwell wrote:
That's no reverse engineered design, that's someone selling the exact same unit with slightly different finish out the back door of the Chinese factory. Unfortunately it's one of the risks of sending production to China, I wonder if they weighed this possibility in considering whether to produce there cheaply or to produce in a country with more IP protection at a higher cost? I would expect Spider Holster will be looking for a new factory, but I wonder if they'd actually be able to remove or destroy the tooling from the current factory?
I guess you don't travel much. Fakes are being sold in dozens of well developed counties openly.
In Asia, you can find a ton of branded and debranded products being sold at malls.(debranding means the factory for say Gucci will make the same bag,remove the logo and sell it for 50X less)
The problem with the photography equipment/accessories is that it cost way more than it should. That creates a good counterfeit market. Fong Dongs are still being sold at many stores for up to $70. You can buy the same thing online for about $8-shipped!
A Spiderholster is not a metal latch system that goes in the trunk of a Honda Civic, which sells MILLIONS every year. While I know people here on the interwebs who use a spiderholster, in the years it's been out I've NEVER seen one used by anyone other than an out of town fm photographer who stayed at my house. This includes shootouts with other photographers, photowalks with HUNDREDS of enthusiasts, and just me noticing that kind of thing due to not being satisfied with my carry system for the longest time.
If my experience is fairly standard I don't think they're selling thousands of spiderholsters every day... hence the "WAY MORE THAN THEY SHOULD" pricing probably reflects CRB, R&D, low-volume production costs and of course a profit motive.
DmitriM wrote:
I guess you don't travel much. Fakes are being sold in dozens of well developed counties openly.
In Asia, you can find a ton of branded and debranded products being sold at malls.(debranding means the factory for say Gucci will make the same bag,remove the logo and sell it for 50X less)
The problem with the photography equipment/accessories is that it cost way more than it should. That creates a good counterfeit market. Fong Dongs are still being sold at many stores for up to $70. You can buy the same thing online for about $8-shipped!
How does that have anything to do with how much I've traveled?? Which I have a fair bit, btw. Nothing you said contradicts anything I said, was it supposed to?
