Nikon rethinks 1 System and cuts 2013 forecast citing poor sales

For me it was ergonomics. I loved the V1 and still use it extensively however the V2 design was too far away from the V1 that it was evident they were going in a different direction.

For a camera that purportedly sold very well in Asia and Europe I wondered why the big design change. If they took the V3 back to a camera similar to the V1 I would probably upgrade.

Perhaps they thought the V line was too close to the Coolpix A and in terms of design. they seem like first cousins. But in terms of performance there is no comparison. I remain astonished by the shutter performance of the V1 and it has allowed me to capture pictures that to this point I haven't figured out how to with a 'normal' dslr.

I wonder how the other manufactures are doing with their mirrorless cameras?

I am a big Nikon fan (have a DSLR and several lenses) but never considered a system 1 camera because of the small sensor, for me that was the big mistake in their entry on this market. I think that there are many people like me that would rather buy bigger sensor mirrorless.

Just think if the Fuji X Pro 1, X20, or similar had NIKON stamped across the top. They'd be absolute winners (note, clearly they are already wonderful - I have both). If Nikon coupled its technical expertise with its old rangefinder aesthetics it would be on to an absolute winner.

The bosses are the customers, not the brands.

Nikon is dying.

Why entry dslr?
As a cyclist, I use compact (today LX5). Please make compact with P3XX, RX100 body, atleast CX sensor 12-14 MP, clean pics at ISO 800; F1.8 at wide end, 24-120. I'ts not difficult.
For action & everyday use please, D400 :) with 16-85 F4 II. If it will happens 2 years ago, today I'll be ready for 300, or 80-400. Who will buy big glass with D3xxx or weaker camera?

Nikon goes your mistical way. So many big photographers & persons in Europe and Americas tolds everywhere around - make tools for photographers, don't make toys for barby girls.

Nikon has a fantastic feature set & image processing engine in the Nikon 1 system. For what it is, it has fantastic focus speed that is still class-leading in the ILC world (with on-sensor PDAF), good video, great OOC color that beats their DSLRs (I have used Nikon's DSLRs so I know what I'm talking about), image noise that is tolerable bec it appears film-like, great FPS speed, etc.

But they blundered on pricing, on the ugly design of the V2, incomprehensible launch of the J2 followed closely by the J3, slow release of good primes, for starters. So many mis-steps. And now, they choose to delude themselves that the ILC market is not growing.

"But people who like cameras tend to just go for SLRs, even though they're very heavy." Oh my gosh... what a terrible mistake to take this view. It's obviously a case of internal politicking between two camps within Nikon.

The market says small with large sensors. M43 seem to hold the future and the new Panasonic GX7 will meet the demands of most people wanting high end with a largish sensor in a small package. I never considered the Nikon 1 series because it seemed expensive and why go smaller than M43?

Nikon, make a full frame X100s with CLS integration and I will separate money from wallet. Make an full frame X-Pro1 and I will buy two.

Why I can get CLS integration on a $446 Coolpix P7700 (which gave me the impetus to buy a Nikon flash in the 1st place, knowing I would be investing in a FF Nikon of some sort) and not a V2 is just mind boggling to me...

Marketing product like Nikon does, dilutes and does disservice to the "brand".
Better to just introduce a new marque and build it from the ground up on merit ...

I'm sure I'll be advised in the error of my thinking...

I commented on the day they realised this product, and it seems my insight was correct. (Not blowing my own whistle or anything)....

Nikon have lost the momentum. The way they want to keep DSLR as their mainstream product has hold them back too long and made them lost the momentum.
Nikon 1 was way too late. They failed to be a trendsetter. Sony's won the MILC battle.
The greatest new gen camera community are now belong to Sony and OlyPana.

Well, if Nikon can make a mirrorless camera worth buying, maybe they'll sell more. Don't blame the market if you failed to make a worthy product. The mirrorless market is currently lead by Sony, Olympus, and Panasonic. Take notes from them.

I went for Samsung NX for the IQ, price, ergonomics, and good lens choice, and for Pentax Q for fun, size, weight and price. Nikon is in the middle. Nobody wants it, sorry.

Solution:

Drop the entire "1" line, fire all employees connected to the "1" line, including all departments doing research, design and marketing, and yes... including the advertising company that put a spin on this nonsense crap.

Voila! Profits galore!

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Nikon was looking for a home run. The last home run came with the SLR which changed the camera industry and is still dominate - independent of digital sensor or film. Home runs are difficult to come by. What people want is not important - it is what people buy is. I expect the Nikon 1 type cameras will be around in the mix for a long time. However, just as the flexibility of the SLR system limited the rangefinder cameras of the 50's and 60's to a niche - I expect the flexibility of the DSLR system will limit the mirrorless to a niche. That doesn't mean that the companies won't pursue their development or limit their utility.

Maybe it's just me, but as a m4/3 user I think the Nikon 1 system has potential. I would recommend it to some people who just want something better than a point and shoot but not a dSLR. The camera's are easy to handle and blazing fast, lenses are small and there are some nice colors. The V1 sold really well for around 300/400 euro. It would be a shame if Nikon 1 will vanish within 2 year after introduction.

Notice Olympus made virtually the same announcement about disappointing PEN sales (see DPR front page).

But here there are hundreds of comments about the Nikon 1 system, how it's not this or that. But as I said earlier this announcement has less to do with the quality of the Nikon 1 (or the PEN) as a system and more to do with a shrinking enthusiast market.

Action plan proposal for Nikon:
1. Make the 1" sensor size the smallest in the lineup.
2. Start turning out 1" sensor compacts (there is room for competition for RX100, and what about weather resistant, underwater etc.)
3. Make FF compact camera line with prime lenses (28, 50, 75-85mm lens) at a price max. usd 1500 each.
4. Decrease the price of A (it is inevitable) and launch a modified A+ with 35 mm equivalent lens below USD 900 as starting price.
5. Keep the 1 system and start selling a really attractive V3.
I am real smart, ain`t I?

Nikon did all the mistakes you can do it, not to touch the DSLRs. No PSAM, no CLS, no real Hotshoe and a lot other. This and the insane price the want is DOA.

I bought the v1 months ago for the reduced price and it is a good video-cam and a not so good photo-cam, with good batterie-time. Interesting is the change the good batterie in the v2 to another model!?... another mistake .... :)

But it works nice for video together with my D700. So no need for D800 or other stuff.

Nikon it was really a good chance, but you loose. Maybe with the v3 it will be better, i hope and have time, you not. :)

The biggest problem with the 1 system was the insane launch price. I hated the 1 system, started shouting calling the police saying ripoff. Hard to forget. The price of this system must have been initially below D3200/D3100, and that is the value proposition of the system and the place to be and nothing more.
But
put a 10mm f/2.8 lens on a V1 and you have a nice street shooter with larger sensor than GRD IV.
Put a 10-100mm powerzoom on and you have a bridge camera better than the X-S1.
And there are more lenses to shoot with and they are great for the price.
Nothing replaces the first impression though, and that is showing in sales results.

Do these dismal sales figures mean that perhaps Nikon will stop taking it's customers for fools?

Did they really think the market would not figure out that a 1" sensor doesn't cut it in face of the competition? Not competing with their own DSLRs is one thing, but they seem to over-estimate Nikon brand loyalty and forget that there are other choices out there in the mirrorless market space.

The RX100 price has hold up very well since release. It is the best pocketable camera on the market today. Someone needs to bring in a competition fast.

Nikon maintain one foot on mirror less market at a cost. Nobody is making money on this cannibalistic market. People for this market wants mirror less, big sensors and have no money to to pay for that or does not want to pay for it. I wonder why manufacturers insists in this insane market.

With cameras like the Sony RX100, it is a miracle that Nikon sells any 1 series cameras. Nikon puts a small sensor in a big body with a high price and then forecast big sales?

The forecast for Nikon and other Japanese camera makers is grim.

Nikon shares are trading 32% lower this year.

Their biggest slide comes from the 48% decline in compacts (with "only" a 6% drop in DSLRs).

As their company President Kimura hinted last month, Nikon are looking to tap into the smartphone market by creating a product that will "change the concept of cameras".

A Nikon smartphone, anyone?

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Maybe they finally need to get rid of that dud Ashton Kutcher as the faceman of this product line. He lays a steamy pile everytime he touches something. Although, I did like the Butterfly Effect. But even a broken clock is right twice a day.

This is not all about economic slowdown or economic recovery. It is about having an excellent product. If you overprice your product and your product is so-so, then guess what you are driving away your customers.
I have a J1 and I've been using it for a year. I like the product but I didn't recommend to my friends, because am sure of the less informed people about the strenght and weakness of your product will complain.

Again don't blame the economy, blame your product.

How about reducing the prices of some of your many overpriced DSLR lenses and see if the volume increase more than makes up for the price cuts in increasing revenue

If only Nikon had put P-A-S-M on the control dials in the first place, then none of this would have happened.

Nikon 1 series are interesting. The prices are simply ridiculous. With Sony' s excellent NEX line, why one has to bother with the small sensor N1's?
Won't buy N1 V2 with 10-30mm lens until its price goes to $299 level.

If Nikon pay attention to Fuji's X forums, and how many Nikon-Fuji adapters sold, it is not hard to figure out that those are the people Nikon LOST (with me being one of them). Nikon 1 is a disaster, face it.

so many experts here that all know better how to run a large company. LOL

The only saving grace for NeeKhon is to either jump in the 4/3 bandwagon (it's not too late yet...) or start being serious on the APS-C "mirrorless" market.

Trying to implement a NEW lens breed was such a bad idea. (even their Jurassic Nikkor Ai could be used on current 4/3 by using a $20 adapter!)

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I gave up Nikon long time ago for their pricing policy. If you have a DSLR in the beginners range, it is so incomplete, like no drive motor for lenses, reduced AF, no tilting screen, and so on. When it is complete, or somewhat special it is overpriced, like all high end cameras and the J1 series and the compact APSC camera. Nikon should check what the market wants, we want correct priced complete cameras, like d200 and d300 have been once, and we want a correct mirorless sytem with differnt sensor sizes. Come on Nikon, you can do it, why all this crappy stuff people get interested in when they sell as end of production gear, for 1/3d of the price.

cruser:

Claiming that "it's shifting to cellphones" isn't exactly paying attention, it's asserting about what right now is a very different market. Cellphone cameras just aren't that capable; they lack a huge number of features. Some of this is the fault of cell phone makers, some not.

Of course people walking around are more likely to have a cellphone camera than Nikon1, or say a Samsung EX2F but that's not the question. The question is "what kind of smallish camera, with high image quality, would you seek out? The question is not: "If you had to carry one camera, already own a smartphone, what would you choose?"

Yes people use their smartphone cameras as good enough because it's at hand.

The biggest thing Nikon has going against themselves is their own arrogance. They feel that just because they are Nikon that consumers will flock to their products when something new comes out. What essentially happens instead is that people stay away because a lot of these products (the 1 system, the Coolpix A are 2 great examples) are simply overpriced for what they are. Perception is that one can get as good as, if not better than by going with Panasonic, Olympus, Sony, or Ricoh than by spending a few hundred dollars more for essentially the same item from Nikon.
Wake up Nikon...look what happened to Leica using similar practices.

There may be a spreading belief among many into serious photography that Nikon does not care enough about the equipment it puts out. I have been buying Nikons since 1978 and I was going to buy either a D600 or a D800 when I started reading about the dust problems and the focusing problems with those two cameras. Not only were there problems but Nikon did not seem to care enough to fix the problems. I eventually downsized to a D7100 which I am happy with but that is $1000 to $2000 less than I would have payed for the larger cameras. I think Nikon should be spending more time putting out cameras that work well all the time.
As for Nikons current non DSLR cameras - I do not like any of them. I think Fujii, Sony, Panasonic and Ricoh are making cameras that have more appeal to me than any Nikon in that class of camera.