Two Most Popular Nikons Buck Declining Sales (and Other Industry News)

Phase One's glorious Schneider-Kreuznach lenses

Nikon
According to financial information found in Nikon Investor Relations, Nikon's sales of digital cameras dropped more than 11% in July, August and September of this year. Lens sales declined more than 10% in the same period.

Of course, that's good news in a sense, because Nikon's dropoff in sales was less than that of other major manufacturers, and Nikon still sold 960,000 cameras and 1.33 million lenses in that period. That's still an awful lot of cameras and lenses to shift in three months.

And Nikon confirmed to amateurphotographer.co.uk that sales of the sweet-spot D750 full-frame camera and D7200 APS-C (DX) camera bucked the trend. Both saw increased sales in the same period.

(I get it. I still have an itch for one of those Nikons, because of their ungodly high dynamic range. There is just something about what those cameras can do. I think I've suffered from low-level but permanent gear lust for the mainstream Nikons ever since my fling with The Big Dragoon. Shut up, Josh.)

Samsung
In other indsutry news, Samsung has a new software-centric mobile chief (that's not really relevant, I just wanted to use the term "mobile chief"), and Samsung is shutting down its digital camera and camcorder business in the UK. Samsung said in a press release, "We quickly adapt to market needs and demands. In the UK, we have seen a gradual and sustained decline in demand for standalone digital cameras and camcorders and related accessories. For this reason, we have taken the decision to phase out the sales and marketing of these products. This is a local decision, based on local market conditions."

In other words, the Korean giant doesn't want you to believe the rumors that it's considering leaving the camera business altogether. It's just those tightfisted Brits that are the problem, that's all.

...Except that this news follows earlier news that Samsung will be letting stocks of its flagship NX1 camera (now down to $1,100) dwindle to extinction in Germany. And, as dpreview reports, the language in that press release was almost identical to the UK press release...just responding to local conditions, nothing to see here, move along, move along.

Mamiya
Finally, hot of the presses, Phase One, the maker of medium-format digital backs for professionals, issued a press release yesterday saying that it has acquired the assets of Mamiya Japan. This is not entirely a surprise; medium-format cameramaker Mamiya's presence in the camera market has been pretty vestigial except for its collaborations with digital back makers, and Phase One (or rather its parent, Silverfleet Capital) already owned 45% of Mamiya stock. The lock-stock-and-barrel move will allow Phase One even greater control of the manufacture of its high-end digital cameras.

For film fans with fond memories of Mamiyas past, however, this probably puts a penultimate period on the Mamiya they once knew—and thus, even though Mamiya will continue from today more or less as it has been doing up until today, this marks another quiet sic transit landmark of sorts, in the march from film to digital imaging.

Mike

Original contents copyright 2015 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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Comments

[John Shriver]

It's fascinating that Mamiya is just 80 people! That's one small company for the number of products they have. But, I'm sure that they were a lot larger in the 1970's.

[Josh Hawkins]

But imagine a modern Mamiya 7 with a Phase One sensor. Just the thought of it is probably making you question if you really need a car in that nice remote home of yours. ;) (To be clear, if Phase One did that my marriage would be in danger.)

[Mike Olson]

"fond memories of Mamiyas past"
The first SLR I ever owned. The Mamiya-Sekor 1000DTL. A great alternative to the Pentax Spotmatic that was so popular in 1969. And the first dual through the lens metering system (thus "DTL").

[Max]

I still have an itch for one of those Nikons, because of their ungodly high dynamic range. There is just something about what those cameras can do. I think I've suffered from low-level but permanent gear lust for the mainstream Nikons ever since my fling with The Big Dragoon.

The cure for this kind of lust isn't scratching the itch with another fling. It involves committing to photography and actually taking a ton of photos. After 23K exposures, I can confirm that the D750 is a very satisfying camera but so was my D700. For me, the joy of the D750 is its AF performance as well as its dynamic range at high ISOs.

I know that TOP still has articles on the creative process but I feel as if there is a sales undercurrent that makes the site less interesting.

[Trecento]

Mike,
I'm sure you're getting a million comments on the Samsung / Nikon rumor. But if you aren't, it goes like this:
Samsung is now making full frame sensors for Nikon, based on the technology (BSI, etc) they perfected in the NX. The context is that Nikon is dependent on a competitor (Sony) and a company owned by Sony (Toshiba) for its sensors, and would like an alternative. This is a good deal for Samsung, since they were in the sensor business anyway, but will no longer have to support consumer level cameras. (Probably.)

If this has been brewing for a while, it would lend credence to the rumors that Nikon is going to make a full frame mirrorless camera,* distinguished by mobile era software programmed by Samsung. (Who have expertise in that area.) So maybe Thom's idea of a communicating, programmable, modular, camera will come to fruition. If they have been knee deep in this, it might explain why there have been few deliberate leaks and product introductions this year.

Anyway, its been a few years since I heard a really interesting camera rumor, and I just want to pass it on.

*my money's on continuing to use F mount, keeping the same size lenses and bodies.

[This reminds me of the rumors when Leica was in deep doo-doo that Canon was going to buy Leica and keep it going. Like a chestnut tree suffering the blight, the rumors would die back to the ground for a while but the organism wouldn't die--the rumor went on and on. The idea that Samsung will provide connectivity for Nikon cameras seems a little fantastic.

Like the old Canon-buying-Leica rumor, this sounds a bit too much like wishful thinking.

I could be wrong, of course--that's what makes rumors fun. --Mike]

[David Bennett]

I am on holiday in Florence, Italy. Even in December there are lots of tourists from all over the world. And there are lots and lots of Nikon dSLRs - D3200 and cameras of that ilk. Many more Nikons than Canons.

And a smattering of high-end Nikons and Canons with big lenses.

And the big item the street sellers are selling are selfie sticks.

[Dave in NM]

"I still have an itch...ever since my fling with The Big Dragoon."

I remember reading on a blog by somebody somewhere, that one should "never sell a good lens". I suppose that applies to cameras too...

[robert e]

I was expecting the punchline to be that Nikon has acquired Samsung's NX tech. Or is that rumor still unverified?

P.S. Best of luck to TOP, Peter Turnley, and lucky buyers of the latest print sale!

[robert e]

I was expecting the punchline to be that Nikon has acquired Samsung's NX tech. Or is that rumor still unverified?

P.S. Best of luck to TOP, Peter Turnley, and lucky buyers of the latest print sale!

[Duncan]

There is a rumor that Nikon has purchased Samsung's NX mirrorless technology. Wouldn't that be interesting!? Here's the link: http://www.mirrorlessrumors.com/hot-rumor-nikon-bought-samsung-nx-mirrorless-tech/#disqus_thread

[Earl Dunbar]

Mike, five words: You Are Happy With Fuji You Are Happy With Fuji You Are Happy With Fuji You Are Happy With Fuji You Are Happy With Fuji You Are Happy With Fuji You Are Happy With Fuji You Are Happy With Fuji You Are Happy With Fuji You Are Happy With Fuji

[Voe]

It's a good news if Mamiya brand is preserved like Ricoh did with Pentax.

[Andrew Lamb]

The press release says that Phase One have acquired Mamiya's digital division. Does this mean there's a separate film division?

Is the wonderful Mamiya 7 still being made? It doesn't look like it.