Caysnowman Loc: MN & SC

Thom Hogan ran an article in his blog today on the awful financial statement that Nikon just released. I'm not trying to start a war but I am concerned enough of Nikon's future to impact my desire to upgrade my D7000 to the D500. Following Nikon for the past few years, I wonder if they can keep pace with Canon or will they become another Minolta. I also am wondering why there seems to be many more wildlife photographers shooting Canon than Nikon - maybe that is just my choice of sites or Canon just makes it easier/cheaper to switch.

Nikon's recent release of the D5/500 provides some hope that they are still in the game but as Thom said in his article, those camera bodies fall into the worst performing market for Nikon - measured in sales volume. Maybe they provide the most profit, but that is down a bunch from last year on a corporate basis.

I would not think of switching to Canon if I was convinced that Nikon would remain competitive but I sure don't want to watch them fade into the Sunset after I have upgraded to the D500 and possibly some glass.

Hope to hear from some of you.

Bill

CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!

The only company that is actually EXPANDING it's user base is Sony.

But ALL the big camera companies are taking a beating and here is the reason why:

I spent yesterday evening in Port St. Joe Florida at the City Marina which has some of the BEST sunsets on the Gulf Coast.

There were 20-30 people there taking pictures of the sun as it set across the bay behind St. Joe Peninsular.

I WAS THE ONLY ONE USING A REAL CAMERA!!! Everyone else had a cell phone. :(

THIS is what is killing Nikon and every other camera manufacturer.

Caysnowman Loc: MN & SC

Some amazing work is being done with cell phones and virtually everyone has one.

Bill

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

There is truth in Cholly's comment. At Yosemite this week the majority of visitors were using iPhones or equivalent. Next were the point-and-shooters and less than 20% were using DSLRs. That group was mainly Asian tourists that also used tripods. I gave my Daughter as D5000 with Sigma 18-200mm lens to make images of her twins but almost all the pics I get are from her and her husband's iPhones. I have to admit that my Facebook postings from the trip were all either iPhone or iPad because it was much more convenient that using the images from my Nikon D800e. I just grabbed second image with the Phone or Pad when I made an image that I thought was Facebook material. Less muss and fuss for me at least.

Quixdraw Loc: x

Work with cellphones as cameras -- interesting concept. They certainly are ubiquitous, and have their strengths. Some take good images with them, but they are a tool with too many weaknesses for serious work under all conditions. Simply they are an easy way for many to follow the prime directive "have a camera." I think it will require considerable advances in technology before they completely (if ever) replace fine cameras.

krl48 Loc: NY, PA now SC

To expand on that, quixdraw, I would say "have a camera (or other device ie. tablet) that allows them to post images to the social media site of their choice."

Capturing an image is just one small step in accomplishing their purpose. If it isn't on FB, Instagram, Flickr, etc, was I really there, and/or did it really happen?

wattsimages

I think you'll find that Canon is also having a tough time.
http://www.reuters.com/article/canon-results-idUSL3N17T2B7?type=companyNews

Both Nikon and Canon need to shift their focus to new technologies (or releasing their existing technologies at a faster pace). Canon in particular has great technologies that they sit on until they feel like they have to release them. This is why companies that diversify and release new technologies like Fuji, and Sony are doing so well. That doesn't make them take better photos, but they certainly have their pluses (and minuses). When Sony gave Nikon the chip for the D800 it should have sent a clear signal to Canon. but instead Canon took years to come out with the camera that is in many cases only marginally better, and in some instances still not as good. In fact there are still companies that refer to the dynamic range of the D810 as " setting the bar" that others are compared against.


thttp://www.dpreview.com/articles/2799146766/fujifilm-s-latest-financials-show-strong-sales-of-instax-products-shrinking-sales-of-digital-cameras
http://www.dpreview.com/news/9101531532/sony-posts-significant-imaging-division-income-gains-in-2015-financial-year-end-report


Hopefully both Nikon and Canon will correct this trend. Ultimately a group of four or five healthy manufacturers leads to healthy competition which in turn leads to better cameras for us.

jederick Loc: Northern Utah

+1

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

LoL, that probably IS killing Nikon.
Unfortunately for Nikon, they lost their #1 status to Canon when they refused to modernize their mount, since they thought they could do it with a mechanical driveshaft and could not. I'm sure it killed them to have to go ala Canon electronic system. By the time Nikon made their electronic(Canon style) AF work, Canon was already well into perfecting IS/VR. When I came into Digital in 08, Nikon still didn't have VR in their big teles but I doubt anybody else did either.
Fortunately for Canon, they are used by a majority of pros, as was demonstrated by the fact that of the last years world press awards images, of the 60 or so images awarded, something like 41 were taken by Canon equipment. Those photographers are not anytime soon gonna trade their cameras in on a 4/3's or mirrorless system and they already have cell phones!!!!
SS

Quixdraw Loc: x

SS -- Speaking of mounts I can use every Nikon lens I own back to the early '60's on my digitals. Can you! ;-)

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

QD, why would anybody want to use a lens from the 60's?!?!
Admittedly, if one was on a shoe-string there could be some obvious advantages to cheap old glass. In fact the most valuable lens I own is a Nikon from the 60's but I can't use it and neither can you, because you can't use ALL Nikon lenses, just some of them.
It always makes me chuckle a bit when some brag about how many old lenses they have in their "collection". I don't even have a collection, either new or old, just a few that I use in my daily photography pursuits!!! ;-)
SS

Quixdraw Loc: x

Neener -- neener, you can't, I can, except for a very few lenses. BTW, I have nothing against Canon -- just against puffery. It isn't a collection, just an old working set that I still use. I never had much interest in anything wider than 20 in olden days. The old lenses still work just fine, as do I! I bought a few on the cheap (ones I couldn't afford back then), bought most when I was shooting film for pay. Have a better one. Q

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

I don't think that the situation is quite as dire as is being suggested. Clearly cell phones are having a big impact on the P&S market, and after pretty rapid growth in the digital market for higher end cameras it is natural to see the pace slow down. Mirror less cameras are clearly having a big impact. They are like a cellphone on drugs for the younger generation, and easier to carry for the GWAC's (Geriatrics With a Camera) or others looking for smaller and lighter weight equipment. Both Nikon and Canon have yet to produce competitive offerings, although Canon at least has said it will do, starting this year. The enthusiast and pro market will continue for both Canon and Nikon for some decent period, especially with the support of their lens families. Other strong competitors will also take their share of the market.

That much said, the business is not what it used to be and is not likely to recover in the foreseeable future. It's not just a question of new tech for cameras, it is a need for new markets. Canon is aggressively pursuing a diversification strategy into other imaging areas which will help the company adjust. I don't have any knowledge of what Nikon may be doing in that arena, but they will face challenges if they don't.

It will be interesting to watch, but changes of this type usually happen slowly, not rapidly in enthusiast and professional or business markets.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

One financial statement means little. All companies have ups and downs. Harley-Davidson was once flat on it's back. Look at it now. I'm 100% Canon, but Nikon makes fine products also and I don't doubt that they will for a long time. Buy a camera because you want it, not because you are afraid that you have to.

Jim Bob

I predict it will continue to be a struggle when all of its better offerings exceed one thousand dollars. It is increasingly a niche market with the advent of cell phones, especially those with decent cameras. The general public is not about to drop $700 on a cell phone and another grand on a camera.