Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

In these troubling times a lot of companies are bowing out, mostly retail and restaurants, but this pandemic has touched many other businesses as well. Olympus recently announced it is giving up on their camera division and rumors are that Pentax, Samsung and Fuji are also experiencing losses they may not be able to overcome. Nikon is also mentioned as a possibility but most feel it will survive. Some observations though have me wondering. Their most recent announcements involve "tweeking" their Z6 and Z7 rather than coming out with a new camera (the Z8 or whatever). It seems like the Z50 was just a test and they will not support digital with a cropped sensor in the future. I purchased a Z50 to test whether I would prefer mirrorless to DSLR and I see no support on that platform. As far as I know there have been no lenses that would be native to that format other than the two that come in the kit. The battery for that unit is expensive and I have looked for a Watson or Neewer replacement but there is none (seems they know more than the general public does). Also in the most recent DP review, all stories were about Canon and Sony and even a mention about Pentax (although relating to a software update for the video aspect), not a single word about Nikon. I turn 70 in a couple of days and with D750, D810, and Z50 bodies and more Nikon glass than I can carry at one time, I can get by without buying anything else for the rest of my life. That being the case, I still hope that as technology advances, Nikon will continue to evolve and should I want to invest in that newer technology it would be available.

Quixdraw Loc: x

I have the Nikon DSLRS you describe as well as others and a variety of lenses, old and new. My experience with my non Nikon Mirrorless has been very good, they are small and handy, take fine photos but are not as useful across a wide range of subjects and conditions as DSLRS. Probably a question of what one is accustomed to. I am a bit older than you, have been into photography most of my life. I have difficulty imagining what advance could trigger purchase of more gear. If suddenly the "photo genie" dropped from above and gifted me with $20 K strictly for photo gear, can't think of a thing I'd need or buy.

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

Hard to give an accurate answer since we don't know how long you will be living. However, I believe that if the Cova-19 comes to a close within the next year, I think all we are seeing is a slow down because Nikon and others know that with the limits we have on travel etc. there will be no bear market for new equipment during the interim. I do believe however that they are working to improve and develop new things now but will not start building until they see daylight in the market. Just my uneducated feelings.

Quixdraw Loc: x

UPS and FedEx, still come to my door regularly, though not recently with camera gear. The big camera outfits still deluge me with online offerings. Travel is not all of photography by any means - I suspect there are a lot of folks who rarely let a day go by without a few photos. Phones are probably more the enemy of camera companies than the panic-demic.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

It sounds like you could relate to both myself and my sister-in-law. For me to travel, it has to include a good bit of photography -- it is the way I enjoy seeing new places. On the other hand, Janet never takes a camera (says to bother with photos would distract from the experience). She will occasionally take a few shots with her phone, usually involving relatives seen while on trips to Germany or Switzerland. For me that would be misery as I always want to explore the world through my camera lens!

reverendray

I would suggest that holding off sounds both reasonable and financially a good choice. I too have wondered about the shakeout of the current economic disaster. Seeing the unemployment numbers and other economic indicators there is not going to be a strong market for amateur purchases that are discretionary. In that category I would put most of the camera stuff. With the costs of new designs for new equipment, it seems this will be an easy quick savings on the part of manufacturers.

repleo Loc: Boston

I think you will find most of your answers in Nikon's own Company Reports. https://www.nikon.com/about/ir/ir_library/result/pdf/2020/20_all_e.pdf

Nikon is midway through a medium term restructuring plan. At the outset of the plan, Nikon recognized that Imaging was a core business that they needed to diversify away from. They tied the future of the Imaging Division to their (then) new mirrorless offerings and the potential to sell high profit margin lenses for the new format. DSLR's were not even mentioned in their initial presentations.

Since then, the wheels have pretty well fallen off of the Imaging Products wagon. Although sales of the mirrorless models and lenses have done fairly well, profitability for Imaging Products were evaporating even before the pandemic. Profits for the Imaging Division fell from 22 Billion yen in FY2019 to a loss of 17 Billion yen for FY2020 (through end of March). Management anticipates a further loss in the coming year but won't even hazard a guess as to how much that will be. Note that under the restructuring plan, the future of Imaging products was premised on a stable and secure profit of 20 Billion yen / annum.

Nikon's plan for addressing these problems? 'Drastically' reduce its global sales and marketing expenses including 'optimizing' at least 700 staff and shifting production facilities over to Precision Equipment where it sees better demand. Don't expect Nikon to be spending much on R&D for Imaging in the foreseeable future.

SX2002 Loc: Adelaide, South Australia

Like other manufacturers, Nikon products are way too expensive...if they all want to stay viable they need to introduce some realistic prices...

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

OK, I am not sure what the point of your rambling post was, but, rest assured that Nikon will be around for the long haul.
Nikon is a scientific company, their camera division is just one part of the whole. Nikon is one of only two optical companies in the world that produce their own lens BLANKS. That means, they design and actually produce lenses from the beginning of the process with the final result in mind.
So grasshopper, the bottom line is, yes, Nikon used to be #1 in camera's, and like many companies who were on top, they paused and looked around and said, "we are good". And, usually when you pause, in business anyway, your in trouble. Competition got really GOOD, Canon first, then Sony. Nikon did almost nothing with research and development for years.
Everyone makes a big deal about Nikon using Sony sensors. But, what is really important is that Nikon produces its own EXPEED Image Processors, which is actually more important than the sensor.
Nikon over the past several years is starting to put more resources into research and development, something they should have been doing for years.
Bottom line, Nikon will make those investments and will develop quality mirrorless camera's.
Their most recent developments, the 300 and 500 PF lenses have been a huge success along with the D800 series camera's.
Nikon is not going away, they are evolving, just like all good companies that will continue to produce quality optical equipment.
All will be well in the end.
I have been with Nikon since my first Nikon Ftn in 1969. I am a member of Nikon Professional Services. But I also own and use the Sony a9 and a7r4.
I use both camera's in Florida's wetlands. Both Sony and Nikon deliver quality images.
I am sure if I shot Canon, I could do as well.
Again, as I have always said, it' the photographer who makes the difference, not the equipment.

ClarkJohnson Loc: Fort Myers, FL and Cohasset, MA

As I understand it, Nikon plans to announce a batch of new products tomorrow. I will be watching, in addition, to see what happens to the pricing for the existing lineup.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

OK, pricing on existing lineup? Here you go.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/products/nikon-lenses/ci/31377?filters=fct_a_filter_by%3A04_USA&utm_medium=Email+1816273&utm_campaign=DealZone&utm_source=063020+200719&utm_content=Retail&utm_term=nikonBanner&encEmail=8CE097BA005E859C8AB51D30BB06C70FCE515F09ABD1E03D60621C2393754B6C

tomcat

Gee, if Nikon does go belly-up, can I still use my Z6, D750, D3s, and D500? Will all my lenses still work?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Sony is now making Nikon's high-end sensors. They've embedded a clever bug into the Nikon cameras with these Sony sensors: the Nikon DSLR suddenly dies after a encrypted number of flips of the mirror the sensor can detect as different from the original Sony mirrorless cameras. Just look online for 'Nikon Sudden Death Syndrome'. I've seen a thread where they think from your Nikon serial number you can identify the week number in the calendar year (01 -> 53) your camera is most likely to die. The syndrome isn't even very hush-hush.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

Absolutely not! You will be required to bury all Nikon equipment in your backyard next to Rex, your trusted German Shepard that expired six years ago! And you will need to wear a mask while digging the hole!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

The lenses will work, but not the cameras. There is a lot going on inside the cameras, and they need that supporting electromorphic ray that is emitted from Nikon headquarters.