# "I am boycotting Nikon" campaign



## Marsu42 (Apr 5, 2013)

For once, I'm really happy to be a Canon shooter - no matter what the dynamic range is 

Animal rights activists have targeted (doh) Nikon for a campaign because the evil empire is not only selling cameras for shooting (doh) baby pets but also rifle scopes so you're able to take not only the picture back home, but also the real thing... plus they sponsor trophy hunting in Africa for watermarked shots.

If this is over the top or a legit criticism of business practice is up to you to decide and I certainly don't want a political discussion or even a flame war, but I'm posting this as information because no Canonista should be ignorant about public relation events that for once hurt the main competitor:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/04/03/nikon-under-fire-for-making-rifle-scopes

http://www.viva.org.uk/huntingban/nikon/

EDIT: Added Nikon print commercial


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## 9VIII (Apr 5, 2013)

That scope looks awesome.

Hunting is sometimes necessary, and in well regulated places not a problem in the least. I do agree that the idea of hunting exotic animals (populations numbering less than millions) should probably be put to an end though. There's more than enough stuff to shoot without endangering species.

I would say this is worth a letter to the company, but the terms of the boycott seem a little sensationalist.


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## Rienzphotoz (Apr 8, 2013)

*Long time Nikon user (Photographer Stefano Unterthiner) condemns Nikon gunsight*

Nikon receives negative publicity for their product "“Monarch African Rifle Scope”
Stefano Unterthiner, winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2008, criticised Nikon’s connection to hunting.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2302805/Fury-wildlife-camera-company-Nikon-produce-rifle-sight-hunting-big-game-Africa.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/the-wrong-kind-of-photo-shoot-nikon-in-the-line-of-fire-over-rifle-sights-for-big-game-hunting-8556123.html


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## psolberg (Apr 13, 2013)

am I supposed to sell my gear because of a junior marketing guy did?


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## mrsfotografie (Apr 13, 2013)

I hate guns, so I shoot with a CANON 8)


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## Sporgon (Apr 13, 2013)

mrsfotografie said:


> I hate guns, so I shoot with a CANON 8)




And I've never heard of anyone mounting a 'scope on a Canon - its dynamic range isn't good enough


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## rumorzmonger (Apr 13, 2013)

Don't worry about those animals - if the 'scopes are made by Nikon, they will all be out of calibration and aim to the left.


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## AprilForever (Apr 13, 2013)

Those are hogs, and hogs are numerous, and rather a nussance as well, but worse still often a threat to local endangered and threatened populations. I am totally against poaching of threatened species, and totally against wanton destruction. But, some animals NEED to be hunted by man, often especially because we displaced their predators through habitat destruction. Here in Florida, hogs are a severe nuisance, and the laws are actually pretty easy-going about the taking o' hogs. The poster says "Bring home the bacon", so the thought is not some Great White Hunter racking up tons of kills for trophies, but a productive use, potentially, anyway. THere is no reason to be so sensitive about this...


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## Click (Apr 13, 2013)

mrsfotografie said:


> I hate guns, so I shoot with a CANON 8)




;D Good one!


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## Pixelsign (Apr 13, 2013)

well, the carl zeiss group is producing sights for anti personnel weapons like the hk g36 (for hunting rifles as well  )...


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## skfla (Apr 13, 2013)

rumorzmonger said:


> Don't worry about those animals - if the 'scopes are made by Nikon, they will all be out of calibration and aim to the left.


 LOL, sooo true


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## IWLP (Apr 13, 2013)

I will never, ever buy a Nikon scope!

I'll stick with my Leupolds.


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## TrumpetPower! (Apr 13, 2013)

First, I'm kinda surprised they're not also taking flak from the pushback of the 90% of Americans fed up with the NRA. Their words say this is for hunting game, but it reads much more like a sniper rifle for somebody wanting to take out an entire SWAT team ("pigs") with a single magazine. The veiling, it is _very_ thin.

But, assuming it really is just for hunting and not for urban assault (though I have a hard time imagining a soldier, uniformed or not, who wouldn't want something like this), it's worth noting that today's multinationals are huge corporations with their fingers in all sorts of pies. For example, it's _very_ likely that at least one Canon imaging device, especially a printer of some type, was used in this Nikon campaign. So, where's the uproar over Canon printers being used to sell Nikon rifle scopes?

Cheers,

b&


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## distant.star (Apr 13, 2013)

.
I'm boycotting all these imaging companies. They make infernal machines that steal your soul!

My belief is that corporations have essentially completed their takeover of the world. They will make minor adjustments responding to niggling little complaints like this to keep sales at full tilt. Beyond that, we and they are on a path to destroy this planet. Since I can't stop it, I plan to enjoy the ride into the pits of hell.


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## Canon-F1 (Apr 13, 2013)

great BS thread. ;D

every company that is really good at optics has in one way or the other to do with military equipment. zeiss, nikon, linos optics (i worked for them) etc. .... and im sure canon too.

if your are really concerned.. go VEGAN!!


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## brad-man (Apr 13, 2013)

AprilForever said:


> Those are hogs, and hogs are numerous, and rather a nussance as well, but worse still often a threat to local endangered and threatened populations. I am totally against poaching of threatened species, and totally against wanton destruction. But, some animals NEED to be hunted by man, often especially because we displaced their predators through habitat destruction. Here in Florida, hogs are a severe nuisance, and the laws are actually pretty easy-going about the taking o' hogs. The poster says "Bring home the bacon", so the thought is not some Great White Hunter racking up tons of kills for trophies, but a productive use, potentially, anyway. THere is no reason to be so sensitive about this...



Quite so. I live in S Florida and we are overrun with harmful exotics. We have beautiful lionfish ravaging our reefs, and all sorts of pythons taking over the Everglades. Both species are pretty much on the "kill on sight" list. Can I put a Nikon scope on a speargun? The diffraction of the water might compensate for the crappy optics...


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## Rienzphotoz (Apr 13, 2013)

Ha ha ha, good one ... btw, when I started my earlier thread (on this same topic) I did not notice this topic was already posted ... sorry about that.


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## junkwerks (Apr 13, 2013)

All purpose hunting tool.
http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/binoculars

Would be interesting to know the breakdown on sales to gun toter's (hunters and government ) vs. non-gun related activities. Canon probably has a good idea and won't release that information for good reason.


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## aroo (Apr 13, 2013)

All the major optics companies have their roots in targeting animals... humans.


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## AprilForever (Apr 13, 2013)

brad-man said:


> AprilForever said:
> 
> 
> > Those are hogs, and hogs are numerous, and rather a nussance as well, but worse still often a threat to local endangered and threatened populations. I am totally against poaching of threatened species, and totally against wanton destruction. But, some animals NEED to be hunted by man, often especially because we displaced their predators through habitat destruction. Here in Florida, hogs are a severe nuisance, and the laws are actually pretty easy-going about the taking o' hogs. The poster says "Bring home the bacon", so the thought is not some Great White Hunter racking up tons of kills for trophies, but a productive use, potentially, anyway. THere is no reason to be so sensitive about this...
> ...



Indeed we are. Sadly, a scope would help none helping either... Always aim left with a Nikon scope!


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## paul13walnut5 (Apr 13, 2013)

I won't be boycotting Nikon, mainly because I don't buy Nikon anyway.

If their scopes are anything like their lenses then you'll need a pocket book of caveats depending on the age of your gun..

The nikon f mount will work on any nikon slr.. except if you need aperture index, except if you need an AF motor, on an fx body but at 3mp etc etc etc.

It's a pretty nasty advert, but then it probably appeals to the mindset of the nasty people who shoot animals for fun (and I am clear to make the distinction between fun and necessary culls)

If canon made a similar advert or made a similar product would I boycott? Probably not. Theres all sorts of reasons to boycott all sorts of products.. some folk might boycott a japenese product because of their historical reluctance to accept and apologise for war crimes, some folk might boycott an israeli manufactured bag because they don't like the way the palestinians are treated.

I grew up in a lefty house, so nestle was barred at one point over the african baby milk powder, outspan over apartheid etc. but these companies are still in business. I'm sure nikon will survive. Despite recent attrocities recreational gun users don't seem to putting down their arms any time soon.


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## MrFotoFool (Apr 13, 2013)

I am not a hunter myself and do not see the attraction of it. Nevertheless, properly regulated hunting can bring in lots of money for conservation. And the statements above about feral hogs - which are non-native invasives - are certainly true. The boycott is ridiculous.


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## ewg963 (Apr 13, 2013)

AprilForever said:


> Those are hogs, and hogs are numerous, and rather a nussance as well, but worse still often a threat to local endangered and threatened populations. I am totally against poaching of threatened species, and totally against wanton destruction. But, some animals NEED to be hunted by man, often especially because we displaced their predators through habitat destruction. Here in Florida, hogs are a severe nuisance, and the laws are actually pretty easy-going about the taking o' hogs. The poster says "Bring home the bacon", so the thought is not some Great White Hunter racking up tons of kills for trophies, but a productive use, potentially, anyway. THere is no reason to be so sensitive about this...


+1


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## RGF (Apr 13, 2013)

Thanks for the heads up.

To me, so what - This may cause a few fringe anti-hunters to boycott Nikon and possibly even more sane people to buy it. 

Whole thing is stupid if you ask me (which you did not). Hunting is a personal choice, hunting endangered is criminal but not a reason to boycott the make of the rifle scope. Would you boycott a keyboard manufacturer because some people who use the keyboard are hackers???


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## mrsfotografie (Apr 14, 2013)

brad-man said:


> The diffraction of the water might compensate for the crappy optics...



I don't think it's fair to bash Nikon's optical know-how like that, they have some stunning optics. A friend of mine has the 200-400, oh how I wish that would be a Canon.


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## bycostello (Apr 14, 2013)

so what they make scopes....


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## Marsu42 (Apr 14, 2013)

bycostello said:


> so what they make scopes....



As always, animal rights activists seem to live on another planet and completely fail to connect to the rest of the world, but certainly the us american public. After all arms manufacturers don't kill, and gun's don't either, it's the people that use them, so if people abuse automatic weapons or scopes it's certainly only the fault of a small minority? But well, here's probably not the place to discuss that in depth.

Anyway, the issue of some with Nikon is that they the lack of differentiation between shooting for re-balancing the wildlife after human impact or general sports hunting of non-endangered species and trophy hunting that is a factor in severely diminishing some animal species in africa (but they sponsor trophy safaris), for example see http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/the-wrong-kind-of-photo-shoot-nikon-in-the-line-of-fire-over-rifle-sights-for-big-game-hunting-8556123.html

But for some reason or another Nikon doesn't seem to be entirely unaffected by the pressure - they recently re-designed their arms website to exclude shots of happy hunters standing in 19s century pose above capital prey and renamed it from "Nikon Hunting" to "Nikon Sport Optics".


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## m (Apr 14, 2013)

Marsu42 said:


> renamed it from "Nikon Hunting" to "Nikon Sport Optics".



Leica also calls it "sport optics".


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## mrsfotografie (Apr 14, 2013)

It just occurred to me: maybe we should all go out and buy Nikon camera's, increasing Nikon revenue so much they can close shop on the hunting sights ;D


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## insanitybeard (Apr 15, 2013)

distant.star said:


> .
> I'm boycotting all these imaging companies. They make infernal machines that steal your soul!
> 
> My belief is that corporations have essentially completed their takeover of the world. They will make minor adjustments responding to niggling little complaints like this to keep sales at full tilt. Beyond that, we and they are on a path to destroy this planet. Since I can't stop it, I plan to enjoy the ride into the pits of hell.



Ain't that the truth. Very true Sir, very eloquent. :'(


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## jebrady03 (Apr 15, 2013)

brad-man said:


> AprilForever said:
> 
> 
> > Those are hogs, and hogs are numerous, and rather a nussance as well, but worse still often a threat to local endangered and threatened populations. I am totally against poaching of threatened species, and totally against wanton destruction. But, some animals NEED to be hunted by man, often especially because we displaced their predators through habitat destruction. Here in Florida, hogs are a severe nuisance, and the laws are actually pretty easy-going about the taking o' hogs. The poster says "Bring home the bacon", so the thought is not some Great White Hunter racking up tons of kills for trophies, but a productive use, potentially, anyway. THere is no reason to be so sensitive about this...
> ...



Agreed about hogs. They are the number one most destructive non-native animal species out there. What's number two you ask? Burmese Pythons? NOPE! Feral cats. Feral cats are less destructive than hogs because they don't destroy habitat like hogs do - but they do kill for fun - daily. Where are pythons on the "most destructive" list of invasives? If you believe the media hype - then hundreds of thousands of them are a half a step slither away from killing everything in the US including the human population. Or, if you're more informed about the issue, have spent any actual time hunting them, and/or know anything about their natural environment and their requirements to survive, then you realize there's only a few thousand of them (max) and they are a very localized problem in South Florida with no ability to spread anywhere else. They also don't eat or kill much (like cats) and they definitely don't destroy habitat (like hogs).

Need some proof? How about the month-long FFW SPONSORED Burmese python challenged that happened just recently. Something like 1600 people had 30 days to capture as many as they could. How many did they get? 68!!! If you gave 1600 people 30 days to kill as many hogs or cats as they could, they'd get hundreds and probably more like THOUSANDS!

Don't get me wrong, I'm vehemently opposed to the survival of any non-native species, but we should really inform the general populace that Senator Bill Nelson has fooled them all by making the Burmese Python the "poster child" for non-natives. The Brazilian Pepper plant, hogs, and yes - even fluffy the cat are FARRRRRR more dangerous to the Everglades (and the rest of the US) than Burmese Pythons.

/end rant


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## Don Haines (Apr 15, 2013)

Like so many issues, there are no simple answers. For example, look at Ducks Unlimited.... There is not a government or environmental group in North America that has done a fraction as much as them to preserve wetlands......and they are doing it so that they can shoot ducks.


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## crasher8 (Apr 15, 2013)

*Why stop with Nikon?*

I'm boycotting the following:

dirty sensors
dust on filters
disembodied hands in pics
Canon Haters
Nikon Haters
Film Haters
Folks who think noobs shouldn't buy top notch gear
flare, unless artistically shot
older gay men on Model Mayhem who are cruising


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## RLPhoto (Apr 15, 2013)

I prefer zeiss scopes over nikon anyway.


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## AlanF (Apr 15, 2013)

rumorzmonger said:


> Don't worry about those animals - if the 'scopes are made by Nikon, they will all be out of calibration and aim to the left.



We should keep politics out of the forum - some will prefer they aim to the right.


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## TrumpetPower! (Apr 15, 2013)

jebrady03 said:


> Agreed about hogs. They are the number one most destructive non-native animal species out there. What's number two you ask? Burmese Pythons? NOPE! Feral cats.



All three species pale in comparison to _H. sapiens sapiens._

Similarly, the destruction from hogs, pythons, and cats again pales in comparison to the destruction from corn, wheat, cattle, poultry, cotton....

Cheers,

b&


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## distant.star (Apr 15, 2013)

.
Well, I don't like it when butterflies get in your hair!! Damn nuisance.

I say we need more butterfly nets -- and we should go to the United Nations about this!


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## awinphoto (Apr 15, 2013)

Killing hogs is murder! Yummy tasty murder! breakfast time, where's my bacon!


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## Deva (Apr 15, 2013)

AlanF said:


> rumorzmonger said:
> 
> 
> > Don't worry about those animals - if the 'scopes are made by Nikon, they will all be out of calibration and aim to the left.
> ...



According to one of my colleagues, it was because he aimed to the left that he ended up with twins...


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## rpt (Apr 15, 2013)

TrumpetPower! said:


> jebrady03 said:
> 
> 
> > Agreed about hogs. They are the number one most destructive non-native animal species out there. What's number two you ask? Burmese Pythons? NOPE! Feral cats.
> ...


You are so right!


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## sagittariansrock (Apr 15, 2013)

Canon-F1 said:


> if your are really concerned.. go VEGAN!!



Sorry to disagree, but plants are living too!
And they give us oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide.
In fact, it is only out of my concern for them that I eat meat... 8)


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## jebrady03 (Apr 15, 2013)

TrumpetPower! said:


> jebrady03 said:
> 
> 
> > Agreed about hogs. They are the number one most destructive non-native animal species out there. What's number two you ask? Burmese Pythons? NOPE! Feral cats.
> ...



100% completely agree. Human interference has had the largest impact on the Everglades. I'd venture to guess that the human impact would be larger than all animals and plants combined (even if you exclude the fact that humans are the cause of all the plants and animals being there). Pollution and drainage have ravaged the Everglades (it's 50% smaller just because of drainage).


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## bvukich (Apr 15, 2013)

Marsu42 said:


> bycostello said:
> 
> 
> > so what they make scopes....
> ...



I've been a hunter all my life. My personal philosophy is that I'll never hunt something that I either can't eat, or isn't a genuine nuisance/threat. So I would never go trophy hunting, but as long as it's species with a stable population, I'm not opposed to other people doing it.


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## bvukich (Apr 15, 2013)

TrumpetPower! said:


> First, I'm kinda surprised they're not also taking flak from the pushback of the 90% of Americans fed up with the NRA. Their words say this is for hunting game, but it reads much more like a sniper rifle for somebody wanting to take out an entire SWAT team ("pigs") with a single magazine. The veiling, it is _very_ thin.



I can't help but laugh when someone believes that 90% number.

(pro-tip: a survey of 1000 college students asked leading questions is not even remotely representative of the general adult population)


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## TrumpetPower! (Apr 15, 2013)

bvukich said:


> TrumpetPower! said:
> 
> 
> > First, I'm kinda surprised they're not also taking flak from the pushback of the 90% of Americans fed up with the NRA. Their words say this is for hunting game, but it reads much more like a sniper rifle for somebody wanting to take out an entire SWAT team ("pigs") with a single magazine. The veiling, it is _very_ thin.
> ...



Well, we're really getting off-topic, now.

But here's a very comprehensive collection of data on surveys about guns. You'll see, very consistently, from every pollster, roughly 90% support for universal background checks.

http://www.pollingreport.com/guns.htm

_You_ may well oppose universal background checks. But you're not only in a very small minority of Americans, you're in a rather small minority of _NRA members._

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/04/03/90-percent-of-americans-want-expanded-background-checks-on-guns-why-isnt-this-a-political-slam-dunk/

And, yet, the NRA is doing everything in its power to prevent universal background checks -- including threatening its own most favored members of Congress if they even allow the matter to come to a vote.

Cheers,

b&


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## bvukich (Apr 15, 2013)

TrumpetPower! said:


> bvukich said:
> 
> 
> > TrumpetPower! said:
> ...



This is way off topic, I shouldn't have responded in the first place.

Any other admin feel free to delete the political portion of this thread, my posts included. Having already participated, I'm biased, and it would be improper for me to take further action.


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## Marsu42 (Apr 15, 2013)

AlanF said:


> rumorzmonger said:
> 
> 
> > Don't worry about those animals - if the 'scopes are made by Nikon, they will all be out of calibration and aim to the left.
> ...



I generally agree, though the question is where politics begins. For example is talking about lens/camera production, manufacturing standards and worker welfare political (Canon produces in Japan, but is expensive for this reason)? Or is only party politics political?

Anyway, I'm glad CR didn't delete the whole thread right away (and I'd like it to stay it this way, even if it's locked for getting too far off topic): I wanted to know how a general photog crowd would respond to the campaign, and as expected even people who are ok with general hunting but are critical towards trophy hunting and want to preserve endangered species aren't getting the intended message.

Still, I feel if the campaign would be better it'd be not impossible to nudge manufacturer's arms advertisements more in the direction of "remember species preservation", just like alcohol campaigns are conveying "drink responsible" - no matter what the manufacturers think or say behind closed doors.


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## brad-man (Apr 15, 2013)

jebrady03 said:


> brad-man said:
> 
> 
> > AprilForever said:
> ...




Actually, the most harmful thing out in the glades is _Big Sugar_. And yes, it _was _put there by H. sapiens sapiens...


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## woollybear (Apr 15, 2013)

politics is merely another word for hypocrisy


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## RLPhoto (Apr 16, 2013)

This thread is getting alittle too political. As a Texan, I believe UBC is a terrible idea but if it passes, I will respect the law.


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## paul13walnut5 (Apr 17, 2013)

RLPhoto said:


> This thread is getting alittle too political. As a Texan, I believe UBC is a terrible idea but if it passes, I will respect the law.



Why does being a Texan come into it?


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## RLPhoto (Apr 18, 2013)

paul13walnut5 said:


> RLPhoto said:
> 
> 
> > This thread is getting alittle too political. As a Texan, I believe UBC is a terrible idea but if it passes, I will respect the law.
> ...



Texas is a state that is less restrictive on gun users. Not all states are as open as Texas.


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## bigal1000 (Apr 19, 2013)

Great looking scope,by the way I thought this was a camera forum not some idiots political rhetoric.


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