Who will rescue Nikon?

[p.giannakis]

I don't think Nikon needs saving, they are good at getting the point and offer good products. Remember back in the mid 80s, at the beginning of the AF era, Nikon offered the F501 and the F401, it had the reputation of AF tractors. Soon they pulled out the F4 and F801. Same again in mid90s, everyone was switching to the EOS1n, Nikon had the F90 to hold the flag. Sales were falling, they came up with the F5 and F100.
They will pick up the pieces and start listening to what photographers want.

 

[jsrockit]

I think they will save themselves and figure this all out.

 

[brennanphotoguy]

I'm also in the camp of, "they don't need saving/won't get bought out." I think they'll just restructure their photo products and streamline their offerings more. I think they should do what other have suggested and dump everything below the D5XXX. So get rid of their Coolpix cameras and the D3XXX cameras. There's too much overlap in their lineup. I think they should cancel the Nikon 1 line or change it up to something better. They need to focus more on the prosumer/professional end of the market spectrum.

 

[oftheherd]

Nikon will become the optics/imaging/photo arm of a multi-product, multi-platform electronics conglomerate like.... wait for it....

SAMSUNG 😎

My wife tells me SamSung is in trouble for a variety of reasons. They have suffered from manufacturing defects in other product lines besides cell phones. They apparently have been linked to the current Korean President's problems, but they aren't the only one on that. Product problems will do more to hurt their image and business.

One never knows, but I don't know they would want to buy a business that may be, or at least is perceived to be, in trouble. They would probably want to clean their own house first.

 

[ForestCap]

As of 13:55 CET, 33.33% say «Chinese camera or lens maker».

Errrrrrrm, are you sure?

I mean, you know what «national security» is, don't you?

Is it a good idea if a foreign power gains access to, amongst others, YOUR military technology?

I wouldn't say so …

In the end there are no countries but only megacorps/syndicates.

 

[radi(c)al_cam]

In the end there are no countries but only megacorps/syndicates.

😀 Is this an Utopia, or a Dystopia?

 

[Spanik]

AFAIK, not unlike ZEISS, photography wasn't and isn't their main field.

I'm sure they'll remain very important in their core role as
— supplier for science, particularly microscopy and ophthalmology
— supplier for military goods

So there's really no need to speculate that one must «rescue» them.

+1 They could get out of general photography, licence the name to put on cameras and keep some income from the patents or sell those.

 

[farlymac]

If Nikon wanted to make a big noise in mirrorless, and save their butts in the long run, they should bring out the digital SP!

PF

 

[zuiko85]

I dunno. Bring back the F2 and the old heavy duty AI primes from 20 to 200mm? Hey, if Leica can still sell three different film bodies then Nikon should be able to also.
Seriously, I really have no idea.

 

[Out to Lunch]

From what I've read so far, Nikon needs ideas, not capital.

 

[brbo]

From what I've read so far, Nikon needs ideas, not capital.

Nah, give them new money and they will have a reason to come out with a Nikon 2 system (same as Nikon 1 just a smaller sensor size).

I think Nikon will be better for us consumers when they are not doing so great financially.

 

[xenohip]

Bringing out a true monochrome camera should do it for them. :~)

 

[nikonhswebmaster]

To understand the financial situation of Nikon, please read these articles of Thom Hogan:

If I had to read his articles, I would prefer to just be surprised.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

If I had to read his articles, I would prefer to just be surprised.

Why do you say that?

 

[Finglas]

Clicked "other investment" as it is the closest to NOT needing an outsider buyer or investor. They have plenty of scope to manage things themselves.

That dreaded word "rightsizing" and internal restructuring of the company plus steps like cancel the DL line shows they are beginning to cop on.

I agree with earlier posts about the Japanese board making same mistakes as other Japanese large companies - that culture needs to change and adapt.

But they are a large company, well resourced and well placed to survive on their own.

 

[BillBingham2]

If Nikon stops focusing on useless features demanded by marketing, improve the integration/basic functionality of their products (e.g. master flash control), stop doing zoom after zoom after zoom and focus on prime glass that rocks, Nikon will save Nikon.

Get back to basics, focus on user control not having the camera think for you.

B2 (;->

 

[analogish]

Dr. Kaufmann will buy Nikon.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

folks losing their jobs is not a joking matter

Where I'm people are losing jobs because they are too old and it is not profitable to pay for their benefits. Where I'm even young people are losing jobs because it is outsourced.
Where I'm people are losing jobs because of automation and robotization.
And where I'm people are losing jobs because management is shortsighted at one side and world is quickly changing outside, which is case with Nikon as well.

 

[unixrevolution]

General Motors was bailed out in 2009 by the US government because too many jobs were at stake in a failing economy. But there were causalities within GM. Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Saturn were lost. An established name really means nothing anymore.

I don't pretend to know anything about the Japanese economy or the Japanese govenment, but the only way Nikon survives is a propping up by the Japanese government. No for profit business or investor will want Nikon, as camera sales have been tanking for several years with no chance of a rebound. A shrinking market means a shrinking number of participants in said market.

Furthermore, within a few years there will be not more than four major players in the 35mm/Medium format camera game: Canon, Sony, Fuji and Panasonic/Leica. All of these makers will have diversified interests besides cameras. Zeiss will continue but of course does not make cameras. Olympus, Pentax, Sigma, Ricoh and all of the other volume camera makers will be gone. Smartphone cameras will continue to proliferate and dominate the market. If I'm wrong about this, it will be that fewer than four major players survive.

It's possible a nimble, niche company like a Konost could make a speciality product and survive. But most of the volume makers will be gone.

Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer, and Saab.

 

[Spanik]

I don't think you can compare cars with cameras in this case. All those brands were nothing more than brands, selling the same thing with some cosmetic changes and different marketing. So far in camera land this isn't happening. (Ok, if you leave out the rebranded sony/hasselblads) Nikon doesn't sell the same camera under different brands.