Given all the Nikon DSLR gear being killed off lately, it’s no secret that Nikon is now fully committed to mirrorless. Well, as fully committed as Nikon commits to anything. But we know there’s an entry-level Nikon Z30 on the way and it might be getting announced in as little as a couple of weeks from now. According to a report from Nikon Rumors, there’s a Nikon event scheduled in Asia for the first week in June. There’s no word yet on whether this will be a public announcement of a new product, a press briefing or simply an internal Nikon briefing about upcoming products to be announced later. But, there’s an event of some kind.
Regardless of what type of event it is, it’s quite clear that Nikon needs to get a wiggle on and start releasing more bodies if they want to compete in the mirrorless space. They’re already losing massive ground (I think that temporary focus is now their only focus going forward) and are way behind Canon and Sony in mirrorless sales, and way behind Canon in DSLR sales.
Nikon also has the Z9 on the way at some point but I don’t think that’s going to help them. It’s not flagships that drive sales because despite how advanced they may be, the majority of people who buy cameras aren’t photographers. They’re camera owners. Families who just want higher quality snaps than they can get with their phone. They’re not going to spend $6K+ on a flagship and drop another $10K in lenses. They’re gonna get a $500 or less entry-level body and kit lens. And when those people with their entry-level bodies do start to realise that “hey, this is fun, I think I’ll get something better and learn how to use it properly!” they’re going to stick with the brand more often than not. It’s not brand loyalty, it’s just what they’re used to and they already have one or two lenses for the system (even if they are kit lenses). With each new generation of the D3x00 and D5x00 series being little more than minor cosmetic improvements since their first iterations and the Z50 being the only mirrorless option in the entry-level space, it’s no surprise Nikon’s losing ground. As good as the Nikon Z6II and Z7II are, they’re not the ones that bring in the money. Whether or not the Z30 will be announced in two weeks remains to be seen, but the longer they wait to announce it, the more ground they’re going to lose as people go with Canon (who already has a well-established EOS M lineup) or Sony. [via Nikon Rumors]
