Nikon had a terrible sales quarter and is revising forward estimates.

[MortyCapp]

One issue that might have been mentioned, but I think that the camera manufacturers not only need to help us take much better pictures to stand out from our phones (and that is hard since well used my PIxel takes really good images) , but also be much better marketeers of said capabilities, Nikon IMHO has the worst marketing of all camera manufacturers (maybe Olympus?)

At this stage it is also a numbers game.
They do not have the direct reach and are not embedded in as many customers' life as the smartphone manufacturers.
Every extra effort costs them a lot more.
Fundamentally though, the great trick smartphone manufacturers have achieved is to put their camera in the pocket of non photographers, thus creating new usage cases and leading to new behaviours and needs from these millions of new users that traditional camera makers did not cater for.
(There is a great documentary that explains that the boom in film cameras in Japan was due to US soldiers who after WW2 moved to Asia Pacific and wanted to capture memories. This drove demand for 35mm cameras - I slightly digress).
Back to the point:
Their (camera manufacturers) hope was that these new smartphones users would upgrade to their "proper" cameras as the gap in quality was still wide.
Unfortunately this gap narrowed very quickly and video was soon added to the list of features which with connectivity, online sharing and online storage, low cost took the game in a place where camera manufacturers could not compete with.
Add a rapid innovation and product upgrade cycle.
Not only that but action camera makers (such as gopro) captured some of these new market opportunities, offering waterproofing, shockproof, selfie, wifi and video in a compact form.
Then drone makers captured the "mobile remote from above stunning scenes" market, stills and video.
All competing for the same wallet.
Traditional cameras only competed on image quality and low light capabilities. Not many pros and far too many cons.
And even then there was/is a learning curve coming from the smartphone world. Too steep for many.

I am amazed that they lasted so long, traditional camera makers have no pastures anew to go to.

 

[Pa]

If you have a Wall Street Journal online subscription you might want to read...

How Camera Brands Are Keeping Pace with Smartphones

Full disclosure: I haven't read it all myself. It does feature the Z 50.

 

[MortyCapp]

If you have a Wall Street Journal online subscription you might want to read...

How Camera Brands Are Keeping Pace with Smartphones

Full disclosure: I haven't read it all myself. It does feature the Z 50.

Many thanks,

just read it.
Gist of it:
Cameras need to emulate smartphones to survive and some are trying harder than others.
AI and software are game changers.
If they don’t manage to up sell to new generation of smartphone users they will not survive.
And it goes on using examples of such attempts by Nikon and Leica.

 

[Replytoken]

Yup. I'll be setting up my plastic surgery practice next week.

I'll be working on my JD specializing in medical malpractice

Should I start a rumor site and v-log about the two of you on YouTube?

--Ken

 

[Nikon-mike]

One area i feel Nikon has to watch is not so much the launch of new gear but what it does with the gear already in the market, Olympus, Panasonic and Fuji all keep giving added value to existing cameras.
Firmware updates can do a lot more than correct cockups in the original operating system, Nikon tends to add features by launching a new model.

 

[barry lloyd]

What Nikon don't say is the fall on profits based on year by year or overall profits, there is a big difference. If they are basing it on last years sales then it it might look bad. If on overall profits over a period of time things may look completely different

 

[Tinstafl]

Nikon’s sales have been in a steep decline since 2012 here is a quote from a senior executive in imaging Before the Z was released. So this is a huge issue not just year over year.

While Mr Toshikazu did acknowledge the difficulties Nikon has been experiencing, saying that its unit sales have decreased to less than one-sixth in comparison to fiscal 2012, it's heartening to see that not only does Nikon have high hopes for its future, but it's also putting strong plans in place to achieve that.


the Z system is their strong plan and thus it being weaker than sony is going to hurt. They needed the focus module of at least the d5. it did not happen and now we discuss viability. What happens when more venues require silent shooting. It is a sad state they find thmselves in. My new iphone takes great pictures in all but low light so they are being squeezed.

 

[Mike Buckley]

What Nikon don't say is the fall on profits based on year by year or overall profits, there is a big difference. If they are basing it on last years sales then it it might look bad. If on overall profits over a period of time things may look completely different

That information is easily available in their financial statements.

 

[MortyCapp]

Have a look at Nikon’s financials vs GoPro's. And work out the revenue per head.

 

[Terri French]

This has been an interesting discussion. I love everyone’s point of view.

 

[Pa]

Many thanks,

just read it.
Gist of it:
Cameras need to emulate smartphones to survive and some are trying harder than others.
AI and software are game changers.
If they don’t manage to up sell to new generation of smartphone users they will not survive.
And it goes on using examples of such attempts by Nikon and Leica.

"The Nikon Z 50 features built-in Instagram-style filters and a low-light setting to automatically enhance images that rivals the iPhone’s ‘Night Mode.’"

I had not seen that elsewhere.

 

[bpdougd]

Should I start a rumor site and v-log about the two of you on YouTube?

--Ken

Yes. That will help with site traffic once we get our web presence set up. I suspect that we will do better with ad revenue than surgery and lawsuits so clicks will be important.

 

[bpdougd]

Many thanks,

just read it.
Gist of it:
Cameras need to emulate smartphones to survive and some are trying harder than others.
AI and software are game changers.
If they don’t manage to up sell to new generation of smartphone users they will not survive.
And it goes on using examples of such attempts by Nikon and Leica.

The bold-type sentence above says it all. If the purpose-built camera makers are just in the "replacement" business for those who already own and use their wares, the death spiral will be steep and swift. It is surprising to me that so many camera makers still exist. If Nikon was not a Japanese company I suspect it would already have either gone out of business or have been purchased by another camera maker.

I fear that the Z line may be too late to alter the curve of Nikon's decline. They are making steady progress and, IMO, the Z cams are well done. But Nikon needed a home run, not base hits.

 

[Palouse]

Having Consumer Reports rate the Z6/Z7 as the best Mirrorless Cameras in their recent Buying Guide can't hurt.

 

[andreasb]

I can't help but to think that both Nikon and Canon have to stop playing an old game of how they differentiate between models and intentionally take out features that some users (like me) think are essential. Example in the Z series are a proper buffer, a real grip with a shutter button, blackout, and for many only one card slot. All new models have to be better then the older DSLR models, a small buffer on the Z6 & Z7 when we know they can have a great buffer because of the D5, D850 and D500, is a real turn off for me.

Its time for some desperate measures, and bring all you have to the table Nikon, I think its time for the s versions of the Z6 and Z7 and fix all these glaring issues. If Nikon has another year until the MKII's of the Z6 & Z7 (or whatever Nikon would call them) arrives it could be getting late in the evening.

Sony throws in the kitchen sink in all they offer it seems, and of course they have found their killer feature: Eye AF. (However if you haven't checked it out the new A9 II's AF options are pretty daunting in complexity, still a lot of work to do here)

 

[Pa]

Thom Hogan has an interesting column today that is very relevant to this thread

My Proposal For Nikon's Product Future
​

In short, he would trim down to six cameras: two DX mirrorless, two FX mirrorless, a D850 replacement, and the D6.

 

[Palouse]

That ^^ is an interesting read. His argument on DX lenses makes sense to me (though I no longer shoot DX), but some may take umbrage with his idea for the future of DX cameras.

 

[Butlerkid]

Thom Hogan has an interesting column today that is very relevant to this thread

My Proposal For Nikon's Product Future
​

In short, he would trim down to six cameras: two DX mirrorless, two FX mirrorless, a D850 replacement, and the D6.

Makes sense to me.......

 

[Mike Buckley]

This from Hogan's introduction: "There's no way that what I propose here could actually be done, partly because you can't just jump in at one point in time, wave your hands, and make models appear/disappear. "

Thus, I stopped reading. The rest of his piece might be enjoyable reading, but since by his own admission his proposal can't be done, well, why propose it? He should at least call it something other than a proposal.

 

[Palouse]

It's a good reason to pour another glass of wine. My take is the line is written in exasperation, since he has conveyed the same sentiment to Nikon over the years, only to get nowhere--so he takes on the persona of an outsider. He also includes a dose of sarcasm " . . no way that what I propose here could actually be done . . ."