Nikon Deathwatch: 2 More Plants to Close

Nikon will close two of its three Japanese manufacturing plants (Nagai City and Aizu). The Aizu plant is located in the prefecture that Sigma’s lens manufacturing facility is.

One wonders if Sigma, hard on a radical expansion of their lens making facilities, may be able to re-home some skilled displaced lens technicians.

US news and rumors sites have been making expressions of sympathy for Nikon, criticizing commentators indicating that Nikon may not pull through this ebb of the camera market.

Then again, Nikon has been making news every other week with odd decisions and changes that it chalks up to external circumstances; such as suspending UK orders due to Brexit or indicating pandemic measures are preventing it from delivering lenses and cameras… except these same circumstances do not seem to be affecting other manufacturers.

Camnostic responds with a new recurring feature titled “Nikon Deathwatch,” providing a safe space for those hopeful groups of camera fans of such systems as the Nikon F and Z mounts; Canon M-mount; micro four-thirds; and film. To be clear, we hope Nikon produces a bang-up revision for a new flagship Z-mount camera. Nikon has survived the past half dozen years largely on moonshot cameras that bested the competition, like the D500 and the D850. They could well have another in the wings, but corporate filings instead talk more of retrenchment and investing less in research.