Nikon Plans To Wind Down DSLR Production By 2025, To Focus On Mirrorless Cameras Instead

Last Updated on May 28, 2022 by Anu Joy

Nikon has announced its medium-term management plan for the years 2022 to 2025, which reveals a surprising news. The company plans to wind down DSLR camera production by 2025. Instead, it plans to shift focus towards mirrorless cameras and lenses.

Nikon reported a profitable 2021 thanks to its Imaging Division. However, DSLR sales declined. According to BCN Awards, its DSLR sales fell to a market share of 34 percent. Nikon appears to have made note of it, as reflected by its earnings plan spotted by PetaPixel.

According to the document shared by Nikon, mirrorless cameras contribute to approximately half of the company’s revenue. Its share is projected to increase to a whopping 82 percent by 2025. On the other hand, DSLRs make up a modest 30 percent, which is expected to dwindle down to a paltry four percent by 2025.

As mirrorless cameras continue to dominate the professional camera market, DSLR cameras haven’t seen any major releases. Neither Canon nor Nikon has put out any new DSLRs for two years. In fact, Canon’s EOS-1D X Mark III, which released in 2020, marked the end of its DSLR cameras. It declared that the company is shifting its focus towards mirrorless cameras instead. Yet, Canon continues to rule the roost when it comes to DSLR sales, leaving Nikon way behind.

Nikon’s earnings plan has some bad news for professional photographers and hobbyists. The company aims to increase the average selling price of its digital cameras by 20 percent.

The Japanese firm is attempting to diversify beyond camera systems, by diving into imaging content and services. It recently announced its partnership with Microsoft to build a 3D virtual reality studio.