Nikkei, a Japanese business journal, stated earlier today that Nikon is going to discontinue producing DSLR cameras and concentrate on mirrorless cameras. Naturally, this news spread throughout the camera community and was covered by numerous popular sites.
Nikon Inc. posted a statement on its website clarifying that it would keep producing, marketing, and servicing its DSLR camera range.
According to Nikkei’s initial report, the company has discovered that Nikon will withdraw from the single-lens reflex camera sector and pivot toward digital solutions under rising competition from smartphone cameras.
To be more precise, Nikkei stated that Nikon “plans to focus resources on mirrorless cameras, which have become widespread items as a result of more advanced digital technologies.”
Nikkei doesn’t go into further detail about how this information was gathered, and it just adds a brief history of Nikon, its history as a photographer, and the situation of the camera market now to the initial piece.
It’s interesting to note that Nikkei ends the statement by stating that “Rival Canon likewise aims to follow Nikon and discontinue producing DSLRs within a few years,” but it doesn’t provide any further information on that assertion.
Soon after, Nikon learned about the piece, but not before the photographic community picked up on Nikkei’s first revelation.
Nikon Inc. posted the following comment on its website in reaction to the report from Nikkei and the articles from other publications:
‘There was a media article regarding Nikon’s withdrawal of SLR development. This media article is only speculation and Nikon has made no announcement in this regards. Nikon is continuing the production, sales and service of digital SLR. Nikon appreciate your continuous support.’
The statement from Nikon Inc. is clear-cut, but Nikon doesn’t specifically refute the details in the Nikkei report. Nikon just states that “Nikon has not announced in these regards” rather than claiming the news is false.
Nikon does claim that it will keep up “the manufacturing, sales, and service of digital SLR,” but that’s a somewhat nebulous claim that only applies to here and now.
