After 60 years of producing some of the industry’s most respected single-lens reflex cameras, Nikon has finally decided to end its run. According to reports, the esteemed Japanese company is seeing increasing competition from smartphone cameras which have evolved significantly over the past decade and has now decided to shift its focus on the older SLR technology to more digital-focused products instead, especially mirrorless models that offer unique features not often supported by mobile devices.
Founded in 1917, Nikon adopted its current name some three decades later and began producing its first SLR by 1959. By the late ’90s, the company started offering DSLRs as digital sensors became more mature. Last year alone, it sold more than 400,000 SLRs, although the development of new DSLR models has ceased since 2020, along with its lineup of smaller digital cameras.
The decision to end SLR production shouldn’t come as a surprise. According to figures from Nikkei Asia, the market for the older technology peaked in 2017 with 11.67 million units sold but dropped dramatically to just 5.34 million by 2021. On the flip side, the market for mirrorless models grew by a whopping 35% in 2021, and the industry is now worth ¥324.5 billion JPY, or roughly $2.35 billion USD.
Elsewhere in the tech industry, Jony Ive and Apple have officially parted ways.
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