Nikon wants to focus on the future, and it believes that mirrorless cameras give it a good chance to compete with smartphone photography.
Nikon, one of the biggest camera brands in the market is ready to quit the digital single reflex camera or DSLR camera market. The company is eager to push its focus on the mirrorless camera segment, which could be the future of the imaging industry.
The change from Nikon comes amidst the challenge faced by traditional camera manufacturers with the advent and evolution of smartphone cameras. Even then, Nikon exiting the DSLR market will be a huge shock for the consumers, especially those who have relied on the brand for its products over the years.
The report doesn’t give us an exact timeline as to when Nikon will stop making its DSLR cameras, but we won’t be surprised if the next series of products are part of the mirrorless lineup.
Mirrorless cameras are viewed as the best way to rival the compact cameras residing on a smartphone. The Japanese brand is also expected to increase the share of digital cameras in its portfolio, something that Sony and Canon have also adopted in the past few years.
Nikon believes that competing with smartphone cameras is not going to be viable for its DSLR business, so pivoting to the mirrorless segment gives them a chance, even though it faces competition from Sony and Canon in the respective segments.
In fact, Sony estimates that by 2024 smartphone cameras will outperform DSLR cameras. The Japanese brand claims that thanks to the combination of sensors, larger apertures and more importantly the use of computational photography, the cameras on your phone will continue to improve, while DSLR cameras stagnate because of limited innovation.
Phones like the Vivo X80 Pro and even Pixel 6 Pro are testament to the diverse nature of the photography space right now. And with additions like the periscope lens and microscopic sensor, things are going to be exciting in the coming years.
And looking at these trends, Nikon is probably planning for the future and is not willing to lose its place in the market. So, in a way, it is good to see Nikon being proactive and looking forward rather than staying in its comfort zone.