Nikon dumping film cameras?

[tim atherton]

So what about their LF lenses?

According to this report Nikon is getting out of the "legacy camera" business (i.e. film cameras).

...hmmm

http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2003/11/10/daily44.html

(so I guess we use "legacy cameras"...)

[Brian Kennedy]

Actually, that's a report specifically denying that they are getting out of the film camera business.

In any case, whenever I go somewhere, I see about 95% P&S digital cameras, very few film P&S cameras, the occasional SLR or DSLR, and the rare MF camera. I never see anyone shoot LF, anyway.

I suspect digital sales are through the roof because people buy a new one every year. The people shooting film are still using cameras from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

[neil poulsen]

Jeepers! I think the ground just shook.

This is a news report, but Nikon indicates a decision hasn't yet been made. No denial that it's being considered, though. At first I thought that "legacy" might be a product line, but at one million per year, I doubt it.

We'll have to see how this turns out. If so, it'll have more than a psychological affect on the film market.

[neil poulsen]

The report referenced by Tim's internet location has changed within the last few minutes. The original report suggested that Nikon might stop production now and could stop shipping legacy cameras within a few months.

Interesting.

[Julio Fernandez]

If true, that would spell trouble for a company that has allowed its arch rival Canon take the lead in the digiworld. Nikon is the company that attempted making the small format CCD a permanent standard, notwithstanding the logical move to a 35mm SLR standard which other users and competitors like Canon and Kodak see as the professional standard. Nikon even launched a set of lenses for the small CCD format as if to entrench it for posterity. That left millions of their 35mm SLR lens owners in the lurch with lenses that bore a tele ratio on the small CCD. I think that Nikon marketing types are confused, let us hope they wake up for photographers need more competing manufacturers to keep prices fair.

[tim atherton]

interestingly the story on the news website has changed significantly since I posted, with Nikon vigorously denying it.

[Dave Schneider]

Has there been any corroboration of this story outside this particular webiste? If there is no other source for the information I would consider it highly suspect.

[Witold Grabiec]

It seems, given the original Japanese source of the news, that it might happen (one day) for the Japanese market ONLY.

I'm specifically referring to this "...Our Japanese photo dealers will continue selling Nikon film compact cameras."

Note also the phrase "compact cameras".

It may have been a "confusion-of-facts" when the story originally posted.

[Jim_3565]

Where I live, the Washington DC area, it's axiomatic that the best confirmation of any rumor is an official denial.

[Witold Grabiec]

It is my own observation from the, limited, time I spent in Japan, that it is so technologically advanced it's practically impossible to miss while walking the streets. So in other words I can see why Nikon might be thinking of dropping the ball on supplying Japanese market with film cameras where digital is anywhere and everywhere in every walk of life. This is not to say that there isn't anybody who wishes to continue in the traditional way.

[Andre Noble]

The following may reveal how smoothly I can(not) follow a line of thought, but I dropped into a local camera store a day ago to learn that Mamiya America/Toyo was dumping their 4x5 holders by selling them at half price.

Hey you guys, look. Just today I began a lesson to my Fourth Grade class about Ernest Shackelton's South pole expedition of about a century ago. Silent reel footage and photos in the documentary still have a life to them that is timeless.

But who can guarantee that digital originals taken today are going to be useable in the long term?

Let the companies keep dumping traditional film cameras, 'cause I'm buying, whereas in the past, it was unaffordable and I couldn't.

[Ellis Vener]

Where I live, the Washington DC area, it's axiomatic that the best confirmation of any rumor is an official denial

No comment.

[domenico Foschi]

LF photographers and amateur photographers who use film are now a bubble in the ocean of picture taking . Nikon IS going to give up film cameras , and not only in Japan , other companies will follow , also. Who needs film anymore ? People want instant gratification , and they want it cheap . Even if they will change camera every year, they still will save a lot of money in processing . Film will get more expensive ( already has ) , and hard to find , forget what the dealers and companies say ,trying to reassure you . They are there for the bottom line .. I personally welcome this change , because then i will be able to sell my work at 2-3 times the price of what i sell now . It will be a " lost art " .