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SITCSection 7
U.S. imports of television camera tubes, image converters & intensifiers, and other photocathode tubes (SITC 77621) totaled $4.0M in April 2026, traded with 14 countries.
Importers of Television Camera Tubes, Image Converters & Intensifiers, and Other Photocathode Tubes paid $503K in duties in April 2026 — an effective duty rate of 15% on $3.4M in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule. Television Camera Tubes, Image Converters & Intensifiers, and Other Photocathode Tubes imports of $4.0M in April 2026 ran 12% above the year-to-date monthly average of $3.6M.
Last updated: April 2026 dataPhotocathode-based vacuum tubes — including television camera pickup tubes, image intensifiers used in night-vision and scientific instruments, and image converters — serve specialized defense, medical imaging, and scientific research markets where solid-state alternatives have not fully displaced tube technology. Image intensifier tubes used in night-vision equipment are subject to export controls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and may also trigger import licensing requirements depending on origin and end-use; trade professionals must conduct an end-use screening before transacting. The dual-use nature of many photocathode tubes means that both the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Export Administration Regulations and, for ITAR-controlled items, the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) are relevant regulatory touchpoints.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
Importers must determine whether the specific tube is controlled under ITAR (administered by the State Department's DDTC) or under the EAR (administered by BIS). Many generation-2 and generation-3 image intensifier tubes are ITAR-controlled, requiring a DDTC import or brokering authorization in addition to standard CBP entry. End-use and end-user screening is mandatory; a licensed customs broker with defense-trade experience or a trade attorney should be engaged before the first shipment.
Traditional television camera pickup tubes (vidicons, plumbicons) have been largely displaced by solid-state CCD and CMOS sensors in broadcast and consumer applications, so current trade under this heading is dominated by image intensifier tubes, image converter tubes, and specialized photomultiplier-adjacent devices used in scientific and defense equipment. Importers dealing in legacy camera tubes typically serve the broadcast equipment repair and archival markets.
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| Country | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHINA | $145K | $5.0M | +$4.9M |
| JAPAN | $2.5M | $969K | -$1.6M |
| MALAYSIA | -- | $2.1M | +$2.1M |
| GERMANY | $524K | $80K | -$444K |
| UNITED KINGDOM | $223K | $286K | +$63K |
Monthly import values over time