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03/04/2003 02:01:17 PM · #1 |
NIKON
After a visit to the Nikon booth, I was a bit disappointed to learn that most of what I had heard as rumours was not true.
I have been told several things. Here they are in no particular order:
- There are no new D-SLRs planned for this year to answer the obvious leadership challenge from Canon, Pentax, Olympus and others.
- They feel that they have done it right with the D1H and the D1x, so there is no reason to change.
- They are not going to offer a full frame CCD at this time.
- They are not going to offer a CMOS product at this time.
- They feel that their current cameras produce superior results when compared to the 11 megapixel Canon EOS 1Ds. It sounds like a concern over the noise characteristics of the CMOS chip versus the CCD.
- They are not selling products that depend on in-camera processing, the image files from the Nikon D-SLRs needs to be post processed in programs such as Photoshop. This approach offers the serious or professional photographer more choice in the final output. But, to the beginner or amateur photographer, this approach means that their is a need to learn a software program in order to produce suitable results. This approach is in direct contrast to the EXIF concept of direct to the printer finishing.
- They suggested that a price decrease will be how they respond to the competitors. However, do not expect huge drops, as I was told that they are near to their cost pricing already. The D100 may drop by a few $100s (US). But, it will still sell for slightly more than the Canon EOS 10D.
- They have launch several new lenses here at the PMA and will continue to develop new lens products to be branded with the DX and VR feature sets.
- I tried out the new AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12 mm to 24 mm f4.0G ED-IF and it is a very smart looking lens. It feels a lots less substantial than the AF-S 17 mm to 35 mm F2.8D, but appears to be a nice product.
- The AF-S 80 mm to 200 mm f2.8D is now discontinued and will be replaced by the AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70 mm to 200 mm f2.8G ED-IF. I am not too sure of the value of the VR feature at this focal length, many users can already handhold this sort of focal length, but the VR feature should add two full stops (effectively) so it is worth the change, I suppose. Maybe it has to do with the aging demographics, where we will all be more shaky as we age?
- Nikon's story sounded very much like the Olympus story about purpose built lenses for the digital SLR. But, Olympus joined the 4/3 consortium to pursue a standardized approach, and Nikon sounds like they will go it alone.
- I questioned Nikon's financial stability in light of the sale of Hasselblad over the weekend to a Hong Kong-based distributor - Shiro - and the recent merger between Konica and Minolta. The Minolta / Konica merger was driven to permit the new business to compete head to head with the big three photography players - Canon, Fuji and Ricoh. Yes, they are the big guys, not Nikon! Canon earns about 17% of its revenue from the photographic business unit. The other two OEM for many of the other popular brands and are huge players in the background of this industry.
I was assured that Nikon overall was in good health financially. Their photography unit is carrying the load these days as their integrated circuit division is feeling the pain of the downward trends in the Internet and telecom worlds.
- All in all, nothing too exciting about Nikon at this show....sorry, to all of the Nikon fans out there in the DPC world. But, Nikon has lead the way in the past year or more with the high-end products. Canon pretty much owns the low end and the mid range products. I looks like Nikon fans will need to wait until 2004 to see more changes. At least, that is the view that was offered to me here at PMA 2003.
- Finally, an interesting point was offered, Nikon felt that the role of the photo-finisher was still vital. They believe that most folks do not wish to print their own images. Yet, Nikon also said that the cost for a retailer to deal with a digital print job was significantly higher than with a film print job. So, the idea of a low cost print run was a real chellenge. The time sorting the print job out with the customer was much longer and eats up sales cycles. It was more in line with the effort to make reprints. Therefore, the cost will not be as low as when developing and printing a C-41 film. The web helps, but with large file sizes the average user is still restricted. It is not realistic to upload 20 to 40 images at 2 Mb to 3 Mb each. It would take hours or much smaller JPEGs are required, which lessons the end quality.
As well, they offered a real concern that family-type photography that is normally cherished and archieved for many years, will be lost or seriously reduced with the digital era. I must admit that I agree with these thoughts, what do you think? |
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03/04/2003 03:47:02 PM · #2 |
I know some people who will be disappointed by this -- ahem, Langdon. What's it like there at PMA? You have pictures for us? :)
Drew
Message edited by author 2003-03-04 15:47:14. |
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03/04/2003 03:53:29 PM · #3 |
Well, I'm disappointed too. Well, I was going to go with the Nikon system but I know now, for sure, I'll be getting the Canon 10D. I'll be selling my Nikon N80 (F80 in Canada) and the 75-300mm lens, and getting a Canon Elan to replace the film camera. No need to carry two systems ... my wife wants to do film photography so we can swap lenses.
You snooze you lose I guess. I just don't feel like waiting.
Thanks for the great update Morgan.
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03/04/2003 07:56:08 PM · #4 |
I work in the photo industry, and I can tell you there have been ALOT more challenges this year than the previous years. Our lab made the switch over to a Fuji Frontier about 8 months ago, we are one of the few labs that have better sales than last year. The time it takes the average customer to adjust to the learning curve of digital is more than they are prepared to invest. You would be suprised to find out how many people still cant connect their digital cameras to the computer. As far as digital printing goes maybe 10% of the pictures that get taken get printed, which puts a big dent in our profits. Also with all the online merchants with no overhead of a brick and morter store selling equiptment for dirt cheap it is getting harder and harder to run a business while manintaing any level of cutsomer service let alone profit margis. I am concerned that in the comming years the ability to put your hands on a camera or lens before you buy it and get a sales person that has a clue how it works let alone what it is may be comming to a close. Looks like we just can't afford a decent sales staff anymore, they get all thier time eaten up by how to questions from people who bought their stuff online, and tire kickers.
I have been watiching all the news on PMA closely, and have to agree that for the time being Nikon looks a little limp, but never count them out. I will never sell or get rid of my current glass, it is not worth the selling and buying process, newer and better bodies will come out soon eough, and to be honest I haven't found a single thing that I can't do professionally with the current equiptment that I am using, and could probley get away with a step down.
Please support your local camera store, we are a dying breed, and a much needed one at the same time.
Corey |
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03/05/2003 12:03:59 AM · #5 |
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03/05/2003 01:46:58 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by Morgan:
NIKON |
- They feel that their current cameras produce superior results when compared to the 11 megapixel Canon EOS 1Ds. It sounds like a concern over the noise characteristics of the CMOS chip versus the CCD.
Have they even looked at the 1Ds output!?
And when I check high iso samples of the 10D upgrade CMOS, they equal if not better then the high iso samples of the D100's Sony CCD.
And it is not only that, early reports about the D10's AF performance show enormous progress.
- They suggested that a price decrease will be how they respond to the competitors. However, do not expect huge drops, as I was told that they are near to their cost pricing already. The D100 may drop by a few $100s (US). But, it will still sell for slightly more than the Canon EOS 10D.
Oh oh.....
- They have launch several new lenses here at the PMA and will continue to develop new lens products to be branded with the DX and VR feature sets.
That is just as important as improving the body.
- All in all, nothing too exciting about Nikon at this show....sorry, to all of the Nikon fans out there in the DPC world. But, Nikon has lead the way in the past year or more with the high-end products. Canon pretty much owns the low end and the mid range products. I looks like Nikon fans will need to wait until 2004 to see more changes.
And in the mean time Canon will have introduced one or two new bodies and is working on the 20D for PMA2004......
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03/05/2003 02:07:27 PM · #7 |
I have made a new topic of my reaction.
Message edited by author 2003-03-05 14:13:32.
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