Nikon temporarily suspends order for 400 F/2.8 and 800 F/6.3

[RichF]

Note: corrected the title - 400 F/2.8, not 400 F/4.5. It seems these lens are big hits. Nikon could have charged more for them given the high demand. Wonder when first 400 F/4.5 will ship?

Nikon temporary suspended orders for the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lenses (plus the latest reviews) - Nikon Rumors

Nikon temporary suspended orders for the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lenses: “Nikon has received an unexpectedly large number of orders for the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and the NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3VR S lenses. To better assist our customers and retailer...

nikonrumors.com

 

[jeffnles1]

Unfortunately it’s the same old story, the same old song and dance.

 

[RichF]

Unfortunately it’s the same old story, the same old song and dance.

Supply chains are very backed up. Only some much production capacity - what to produce first, who to disappoint?

 

[jeffnles1]

Supply chains are very backed up. Only some much production capacity - what to produce first, who to disappoint?

I understand that and it is a fairly recent thing. It was the same story with D500, D850, 200-500, 500pf and Z7ii. All of those were pre-COVID when there were no serious supply chain issues.

 

[Venkatesh VT]

Note: corrected the title - 400 F/2.8, not 400 F/4.5. It seems these lens are big hits. Nikon could have charged more for them given the high demand. Wonder when first 400 F/4.5 will ship?

Nikon temporary suspended orders for the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lenses (plus the latest reviews) - Nikon Rumors

Nikon temporary suspended orders for the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lenses: “Nikon has received an unexpectedly large number of orders for the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and the NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3VR S lenses. To better assist our customers and retailer...

nikonrumors.com

I doubt it.This is a deliberate strategy & i am not surprised about Nikon adopting the strategy
Even Z9 was released by Nikon knowing that lot of features were not implemented during the initial release

 

[philippe]

.

 

[Venkatesh VT]

Well let's be honest - part of the problem is social media forums. Companies are suffering under the unending pressure of a population that has become used to everything being instantaneous. Now, now, now. Consumers behave like hungry babies who need to be satiated instantly. Just read the comments on Nikonrumors, youtube, even here. It is no wonder companies like nikon have to respond prematurely - or else they will have lost the 5 second attention span of the gnat-like consumers. There was a time that month-long production processes were the sign of quality and the privilege of the wealthy who were willing to wait for their bespoke shoes/wardrobes/suits etc to be handcrafted. Now, it's gimme gimme gimme, but make sure it is delivered yesterday.

It is nothing to do with social media . It is about poor quality & poor communication
Customers are not fools & they are not going to buy things blindly

 

[philippe]

.

 

[Owney]

Anyone who has ordered a popular car or truck model is experiencing the same thing. Wait times of a year are the new norm if you don’t want to settle for what the dealer has on the lot.

Most people do not like to wait, whether it be for a doctor appointment, table at a popular restaurant, or speaking to a representative when calling a business, or getting on a ride at a theme park. One way that a business can minimize some of the frustration is by giving the customer information about any progress in the wait time. Telephone calls have progressed from being on hold with only background music to ”you are caller number xx and the estimated wait time is xx minutes. Then as you hear that your que number moves up your frustration may be diminished because you are informed of any progress.

Imagine if camera companies made a master list of all orders from all their authorized dealers available to customers where they could log in and see “your order is number xx in the que and the estimated wait time is xx date. Then when you check back some other time and you see that you moved up in que you would have some knowledge of your order progressing.

Any information is better than none and the current complete lack of information along with all the rumors on the Internet only adds to the frustration. Technology is available to help but it seems to not be on their priority list.

 

[tickle_my_nikon]

Nikon only produced about 4,000 400mm 2.8 FL units in eight years.

That's 500 lenses per year. Granted, they probably sold more the first year and less as time went on, but their initial run was probably higher too.

It's only 7m / year in revenue. It's not their bread and butter. They don't really care when they make the lenses or how long you have to wait.

 

[JAS]

Our daughter and family were looking for a new car. They saw a new on e pop up at the dealer yesterday morning and called on it. It was sold before they called. They went to the dealer last evening and found one they wanted.
They got more than expected on their trade and drove new car home. There were about as many cars on the lot as sales staff in the showroom.
Our son bought a used car two years ago, drove it 20k miles and sold it for $2k more than he paid for it.
The US car market sells more cars each year then the worldwide ILC market, is a huge employer and they cannot keep up.
I moved from Saudi Arabia to the US last year. My 2500lb goods shipment took seven months to arrive. Our new whole house generator has been on back order since December.
The issue is everywhere and in all markets.
I have my 800pf on order and will take it when it arrives - happily and without complaint. That is the world we live in today.

 

[Patrick M]

this isn't just a Nikon issue obviously. The other majors have previously announced that they suspended taking orders. Whether its unexpected demand or the inability to produce the goods due to parts supply issues, is frankly irrelevant. As has been said, many industries, especially the automotive area, has been hugely impacted. I've been offered original list price on my 2016 BMW convertible Sport.

 

[jeffnles1]

I do not want to be accused of or come off as bashing the brand. The issues with production to meet demand of newly introduced products pre-dates the current COVID-19 related supply chain issues by many years. D500, D850, 200-500, 500PF all had similar problems of months to a year after introduction before being readily available to those who were not NPS members. Unfortunately, what we're seeing with these lenses and the Z9 is nothing new for Nikon. I am a Nikon shooter and have been since the early 1980's (I believe I got my first Nikon SLR in 1983). I'm not trying to bash them or say one brand is better than the next. I'm just being honest that Nikon has a problem meeting demand for new products. I'm quite sure it has hurt them. I'm just one photographer but 1) I wanted a D850 very badly. In the year it took for them to become available, a friend offered his D500 used. I bought that instead. I really was interested in a 500PF. Over the course of the year it took for them to be readily available, I lost interest and decided to stick with my 200-500 and wait out the mirrorless battles to see who would end up on top. I was very interested in the Z9 even tough the price point was painful. In the time it has taken for orders to ship (and many have not yet) I have seen other brands start to come out with mid-price bodies incorporating some of the features of the flagships. Crickets from Nikon on that front and I have every reason to believe when/if they do, it will be a year after introduction before amateur photographers like me will be able to get our hands on one.

Brand frustration is different than brand bashing, I hope all understand that.

 

[fcotterill]

There could be more to supply bottlenecks for these big lenses than cpu's and other electronic parts. The large lens elements in telephotos have be annealed for months in Nikon's glass factory in Hikari -

Glass for geeks: An in-depth tour of Nikon’s Hikari Glass factory

I've been on a lot of factory tours with various camera and lens manufacturers before, but had never had a chance to see how the optical glass was made that goes into the lenses we use every day. So I was really happy to receive…

www.imaging-resource.com

more here: "...The second problem is glass. You simply don't create those large and exotic lens elements overnight. Last time I checked, it took as much as a year from first pour to polish to final assembly. So if you didn't start enough glass "baking" initially, you can't simply turn on another "oven" and crank out more overnight. On top of that, the big glass requires some specific creation and polishing equipment, and I don't believe Nikon has expanded their capacity for that as much as they probably should have..."

特別企画：ニッコールのふるさと探訪：秋田県湯沢市「光ガラス」編　光学ガラスができるまで

ニコンのニッコールレンズが、2016年6月に累計生産1億本を達成した。8,000万本の記念でニッコールレンズキャンペーンの夜景空撮ツアーをレポートしたのが2年前。「この調子で9,000万本、1億本と数を伸ばしていただきたい」と結んだが、その時は意外と早くやってきたような気がする。

dc.watch.impress.co.jp

特別企画：ニッコールのふるさと探訪：栃木県大田原市「栃木ニコン」編　ガラス加工から、交換レンズの完成まで

ニッコールレンズの累計1億本達成を記念した"ふるさと探訪"企画。前編の光ガラス（秋田県湯沢市）で作られた"ニッコールレンズの素"を追いかけて、今回は栃木県大田原市の「栃木ニコン」にやってきた。いよいよガラスが加工されて鏡筒に収まり、ニッコールレンズとして出荷されるまでを見ていく。

dc.watch.impress.co.jp

 

[Venkatesh VT]

I think it has absolutely everything to do with social media. Just look at the posts - when did you get X? I ordered mine in December and still haven't gotten it, but I'm NPS. And it goes on. Pressure pressure pressure. Sony released this, Canon that - why is nikon so slow - they are failing - need to get a pro- level mirrorless out now or they will go bankrupt. No update yet for my z6ii. It is endless. Absolutely endless. So what do companies do - announce things prematurely to pacify the baying masses on youtube etc. And of course if something is announced prematurely it will take months for it to physically appear. And then the same people on social media get even angrier because their first world desires have not been met at the speed they believe is owed to them. Social media has everything to do with this.

It’s not about social media alone but the way people are able to analyse views of customers across forums
When a product is good like Sonys A1 there was a big demand for it though Sony itself underplayed the product
When A7 Riv did not work well with Sony 200 600 the sales suffered
Same is true for other companies too as was the over heating issue with R5
The companies which takes its customers for granted are indeed suffering with less & less brand loyalty
If the customer gets the truth from
Social media , social media can not be blamed for it

 

[GrandNagus50]

 

[tickle_my_nikon]

I have a question. Is the following considered inappropriate. I don't want to get in trouble.

"Speaking of the same story. Somewhere in that last post there might be a lesson learned. Why repeat bad experiences with Nikon ordering if one is that dissatisfied with Nikon's ability to provide them instant gratification? There are other camera and lens manufacturers for those with such contempt for Nikon. This complaint thread permeates the internet and happens everytime something new is released and serves absolutely no purpose. No ship has ever been rushed to a pier and unloaded any faster because of incessant complaining on the internet. Try to get one delivered to Mariopol or Odessa or the mall in Kremenchuk. Get over it. You can't always get your way and will have to wait."

If it's improper please let me know and I won't post it again.

How dare you bash Nikon sir. How dare you SIR. I've been shooting Nikon for 22 years. Only I'M allowed to bash them.

Joke obviously.

Most of the whining about delays is because everyone is ordering through B&H to save a couple hundred on tax and are therefore #2,371 in line. People were complaining here, on NikonRumors, on FM about not being able to procure a Z9, and I found one with three phone calls. One credit card later and it was on its way. No pre-order. This was end of January. If you're that hard up for cash, maybe you shouldn't spend $6,000 on a camera. My disappointment with the Z9 had nothing to do with its availability.

 

[John Navitsky]

i don't usually follow Thom, but i think Thom's take on the situations seemed reasonable: basically you build infrastructure for the long term ongoing demand, to do otherwise would be unwise

Demand Versus Supply | Thom Hogan

Nikon can't meet demand, or increase supply

www.zsystemuser.com

 

[mdirvin]

This is a good move for Nikon. If nothing else maybe they over time they will be able to get a better gauge of where they are with production. Not just with the "unexpected demand", but also with all the duplicate orders. How many people have multiple orders in planning on cancelling the rest when one arrives. This "unexpected demand" may not be quite what it seems..

 

[Butlerkid]

Back to the topic at hand....

It seems foolish for Nikon to continue to take orders for products that already have a significant back log. And poor customer service to do so. Long waits for products in high demand are not unique to Nikon nor the photographic world. Nor are they only a recent situation. As in the past, customers can wait or select a different product. But customer complaints about the waiting period for a product do not indicate an inferior product nor malfeasance by the manufacturer.

 

[EricBowles]

Note: corrected the title - 400 F/2.8, not 400 F/4.5. It seems these lens are big hits. Nikon could have charged more for them given the high demand. Wonder when first 400 F/4.5 will ship?

Nikon temporary suspended orders for the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lenses (plus the latest reviews) - Nikon Rumors

Nikon temporary suspended orders for the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lenses: “Nikon has received an unexpectedly large number of orders for the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and the NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3VR S lenses. To better assist our customers and retailer...

nikonrumors.com

I'm hearing the 400mm f/4.5 will ship this month. I've received some communication that mine is allocated.

 

[pnbarne]

I ordered a mandolin from a well known, well respected luthier. I was on a 12 month waiting list that actually turned out to be 10 months. He now has a 24 month waiting list. He is a one man shop who hand makes each instrument. No shortcuts.

Nikon’s problem is one of building unrealistic expectations and then keeping those expectations high while really knowing they cannot deliver. They might be better off telling everyone it will be a year before their lens is delivered because that’s how long it is takes to make a high quality lens. That, and create a single waiting list without the NPS foolishness. Nobody got to jump to the front of the line for an heirloom quality mandolin costing more than most lenses. Why create such chaos and resentment for a lens?

 

[EricBowles]

I understand that and it is a fairly recent thing. It was the same story with D500, D850, 200-500, 500pf and Z7ii. All of those were pre-COVID when there were no serious supply chain issues.

Yes - but would you really want a product that did not have a waiting list of several months? That's not very compelling.

There are two big issues - supply chain and demand. Nikon's Hikari Glass Company has two facilities - one in Japan and one in China - and they produce the lenses. China is on lock down due to Covid in several markets. The chip shortage seems to be easing, but it may take a while for that to work through. Z9 production is fulfilling orders most places except the biggest retailers.

Demand is far higher than any predecessor lens or camera. The Z9 had the highest pre-orders of any previous Nikon camera. The 800mm PF had the highest pre-orders of any long lens including the 500 PF - at double the cost. There are a lot of people who want the 400 f/2.8 in spite of the cost.

 

[jeffnles1]

Yes - but would you really want a product that did not have a waiting list of several months? That's not very compelling.

There are two big issues - supply chain and demand. Nikon's Hikari Glass Company has two facilities - one in Japan and one in China - and they produce the lenses. China is on lock down due to Covid in several markets. The chip shortage seems to be easing, but it may take a while for that to work through. Z9 production is fulfilling orders most places except the biggest retailers.

Demand is far higher than any predecessor lens or camera. The Z9 had the highest pre-orders of any previous Nikon camera. The 800mm PF had the highest pre-orders of any long lens including the 500 PF - at double the cost. There are a lot of people who want the 400 f/2.8 in spite of the cost.

Perhaps I've been sloppy in my wording. The only point I've waned to make is the issues with delivery from Nikon long predate the current supply chain issues. I'm not wanting to bash Nikon. I honestly don't care what someone buys or does not buy. We all buy or should buy the tools that best meet our needs. The announce and lengthy lead time from order to delivery seems likely to be a launch strategy for Nikon. The moral to the story, at least to me, is if a person wants a newly announced Nikon product, count on a year before it becomes readily available without needing to call dozens of camera shops across the country.
Again, not my concern what folks do I was simply saying it is not a recent thing over the past 2 years of pandemic influenced supply chain difficulties.

Jeff

 

[Whiskeyman]

Well let's be honest - part of the problem is social media forums. Companies are suffering under the unending pressure of a population that has become used to everything being instantaneous. Now, now, now. Consumers behave like hungry babies who need to be satiated instantly. Just read the comments on Nikonrumors, youtube, even here. It is no wonder companies like nikon have to respond prematurely - or else they will have lost the 5 second attention span of the gnat-like consumers. There was a time that month-long production processes were the sign of quality and the privilege of the wealthy who were willing to wait for their bespoke shoes/wardrobes/suits etc to be handcrafted. Now, it's gimme gimme gimme, but make sure it is delivered yesterday.

The only change I would make to your post would be to place an exclamation point at the end of the third and final sentences.