There has been some controversy in online photography forums about the connection between British studio lighting company Lencarta and Shanghai-based manufacturer Jinbei.
While Lencarta brand lights look similar to Jinbei brand ones, Lencarta representative Garry Edwards insists, “people make the false assumption that they are the same, and that Lencarta is ripping people off by selling the same product at a higher price”. He goes on, “[people] will pay more to get better performance, better accessories and the ability to operate [the Safari Li-ion] while it’s recharging from Lencarta”.
We were forwarded a letter from the CEO of Jinbei, reproduced below.
Under contractual agreement, our Company is proud to be a manufacturing partner of British company Lencarta Ltd, assembling some of their products on their behalf.
The operation is carried out in strict accordance to Lencarta’s production procedures, using their British-designed engineering schematics and electronic components to Lencarta’s unique specification. By doing so the products meet the quality standards and special requirements of European consumers. Since Lencarta is a registered trademark of Lencarta Ltd, UK, these products are available exclusively from Lencarta Ltd.
As per our contract, some parts and tooling are shared between various brands to allow for better economies of scale, a common practice in OEM manufacturing. Therefore, despite possible cosmetic similarities in some product lines, Lencarta products should not be confused with other branded-products that are made to different specifications of other markets.
Chief Executive
Shanghai Jinbei Photographic Equipment Co. Ltd
