Nikon: No More DSLRs

Nov 3, 2021 | Bodies, Nikon, Rumors

Staff involved personally with Nikon sales channel activities indicate that the firm will not produce new DSLR designs. This was corroborated recently in an otherwise unnewsworthy interview with Nikon executive Naoyuki Murakamio. DPReview elicited one interesting response when asking how much Nikon will be investing in future DSLR making. He replied that current market conditions have forced them into a situation where “we are currently focusing on the development of mirrorless products…” He did indicate that Nikon would continue to provide support for DSLR cameras, lenses and accessories, but that manufacturing new ones would require a change in “future market trends.”

In other words, perhaps there will be a resurgence in the hipster market a few decades from now, as their was for instant film over the past few years.

It may not be coincidence that these indications of abandoning mirrors come precisely when the Z9 flagship is about to launch, where professional shooters will have to decide whether they too would rather abandon mirror slapping bodies. It would be advantageous to Nikon sales to have their market understand that waiting for a D7 is futile.

Nikon vastly reduced its domestic manufacturing capacity just before the pandemic struck, so it finds itself in a more limited position than even its competitors for output capacity. The domestic facilities closed were the ones concentrating on high-end bodies and glass, the making of which has now been moved primarily to Thailand.

 

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