Cameron T
Well-known member
And I'm at 333xx
Oddly, I got mine before a prior poster did by a couple of weeks...and he had an earlier serial.
Nikon is definitely planning poorly.
Nikon 180-600mm lens ship date
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Oddly, I got mine before a prior poster did by a couple of weeks...and he had an earlier serial.
Nikon is definitely planning poorly.
Cameron T
Well-known member
Well, I tend to treat pf lenses as "maybe in a year", because of the special element involved. Exotics, also a trickle.
The 180-600 is probably their biggest error as of late, and they did royally screw the pooch on it.
That said, different lenses are made in different places, so a new lens shouldn't hurt another one in current production (pf elements aside, those are limited there, and I think exotics are just slow regardless).
John Navitsky
Well-known member
because:
1) it's likely there is little interaction between the production line of different lenses. it's very unclear that the introduction of the 600 PF *slows* delivery time of the 180-600.
2) there is a line between frustrating users making them wait for the announcement and frustrating them waiting for delivery. it's likely that when they announce the product, the product has been in production for a while to build up stock for the launch. those products could wait on the shelf going to NOBODY, just sitting there, or they can start shipping them out and just frustrate the people who couldn't get them.
3) shipping a well received new product, even if it's in limited numbers puts pressure on your competitors who may not have a good alternative which potentially attracts customers to your platform
4) it serves as a roadmap of sorts. you may not be able to get one right away, but as a nikon peep, you at least know it's coming and if it's your kinda thing, you can at least get in line
Cameron T
Well-known member
To be fair, leaving the lens on the roadmap for 4 years was either a mistake, or an attempt to get people to buy into z gear for a better zoom telephoto. That's what killed me.
ajrmd
Well-known member
Maybe they are suffering a shortage of the brilliant “cases” which accompany these lenses? Hey Nikon, call this guy, he has a ton of new cases…
Obviously, at this point in time there has not been a big stock produced just waiting on a shelf going to nobody. As serial numbers of lenses being received have been stated, very few have been shipped. Are they still just sitting on a shelf? I think not. Evidently, at this point in time, Nikon cares little about frustrating customers.
What, no Ginsu knives???
I take a different point of view.
First a business principle - if you make one less than demand there is no need to discount the price.
As soon as you make one more than demand you may have to discount the price.
Taking one step back, Nikon like any other business primarily makes a profit for their shareholders.
Second if Nikon are making around 1000 units in a month, do they perhaps take a year or 18 months to produce 10,000 or 20,000 and store them in a warehouse until they think they have enough to supply whatever final demand might be?
If they did cash flow would be serverely impacted with a likely price increase - and new products would take longer to get to market.
if a manufacturer under estimates demand some would still be unhappy, and if they over estimated there would be a lot of unsold lenses in a warehouse.
A recent poll result on the 180-600 was 50% had got their lens on time and 50% were waiting.
Getting a new product early in the cycle seems very much related to who you buy from, and perhaps not the one masses go to to avoid paying sales tax.
ajrmd
Well-known member
As much as I agree with your assessment of the market, I depart on the delivery estimates. Having spoken directly with two local and one regional dealer, they received a handful of lenses to satisfy the NPS customers and no more. The collective waiting lists between the three proprietors are greater than 100 units versus delivery of 7 lenses. Albeit a small market sample, the percentage of lens deliveries is 7/107 or 6.5%. Admittedly, this may not be representative of the the larger market though it is a far cry from the "50%" poll. Statistically, a direct inquiry of the market would likely be more accurate than posting a poll in a forum where NPS members are over represented.
Nikon did not "need" to fill every order, however they should have been able to gauge the market better and scale up the product (thereby reducing production costs) which would have improved the bottom line as well as customer satisfaction.
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DRM
Well-known member
Money. Nikon would rather sell a person a 600 PF than a 180-600. Each 600 PF lens makes Nikon a lot more money than each 180-600 lens does.
Frank73
New member
On per unit basis it’s probably true. On a gross basis maybe not. It depends how many want each lens. A lot more will want the zoom. I also see on this forum and others some want both lenses.
Could be that the production line has parallel paths that allow making both at the same time…or it could be the production line for grinding the lenses and machining the barrels and other components that is the limiting factor. Nikon needs to balance the long term production needs vs the short term bubble caused by a lens introduction and builds capacity based on long term needs with some surge capability but obviously not enough surge capability to completely cover the bubbles…because in the longer term a lot of that expensive production line capacity is going to be unused. None of us users really like the delay…but it is what it is and Canon/Sony's production lines are differently configured because at least in Canon's case they make more lenses per year anyway so need the extra capacity, don't know about Sony.
Nikon made a conscious decision to shift emphasis to the Z line…so they had to show a plan to provide native lenses, hence the roadmap. That wasn't necessary when they were introducing new F mount bodies though…and they've stated they are doing away with the lens roadmap…but it was necessary to get purchase decisions shifted over to the newer Z bodies.
Without knowing details which are not public it’s impossible to properly evaluate the economic decisions in play here.
I certainly did not expect the wait for this lens to be quite so long. I ordered 6 hours after it was announced, but obviously there were a LOT of folks in front of me.
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Fiat
Active member
And a LOT after you also!
I ordered mine the next day, never realizing it was a futile thing to do. Maybe I'll see mine by December, 2024.
ajrmd
Well-known member
December 2024? A week or two after the original release date I was informed by a Nikon rep and local camera shop that Nikon expected to have all outstanding orders filled within 45 days. We’ve exceeded that and dealers haven’t even seen a second shipment. Maybe they were mistaken and meant 45 weeks?
Warren D
Well-known member
Looks like another batch is in the USA (or will be soon)
SCoombs
Well-known member
Interesting. Where have you seen such reports?
Warren D
Well-known member
A friend told me he was notified by Nikon USA that his copy was on the way to the dealer. While it's possible that they had a few in reserve for NPS, I highly doubt it.
I placed an order early morning June 21 at B-H, but later went back and realized I did not complete the order! So I am at 2:45 day one. Many are ahead of me.
Knowing I was going to wait long, I placed an order directly with Nikon, last Thursday 10-12. Yesterday I received an email it was in shipping process. I checked the credit card and it has been charged.
Knowing I was going to wait long, I placed an order directly with Nikon, last Thursday 10-12. Yesterday I received an email it was in shipping process. I checked the credit card and it has been charged.
Jack12Nikor3
New member
Would this confirm that Nikon is shipping in a semi-random order?I placed an order early morning June 21 at B-H, but later went back and realized I did not complete the order! So I am at 2:45 day one. Many are ahead of me.
Knowing I was going to wait long, I placed an order directly with Nikon, last Thursday 10-12. Yesterday I received an email it was in shipping process. I checked the credit card and it has been charged.
SCoombs
Well-known member
Or simply that BH is shipping very slowly.
I'm not sure what to make of the talk of Nikon not shipping based on the time of order. I'm just not sure how a system would work thar does that. It's not just that it would seem unfair to do thus - but it's that I'd think you'd have to go out of your way not to ship in the order that purchases were made; simplest/cheapest/most default way for a system to work would be to just have a list of buyers as they come in and fill them in that order. Why would they put in the effort required to mix the orders up?
I am mentioning this, not insulting or even suggesting anything. Just a fact I know-
Nikon bumps the credit card - should it not accept they pass the person up and move on. This has caused a few to be passed up. And having done so, I have read that they don't even tell the buyer! wow
BTW, this is the first time I have ever dealt direct with Nikon. I like the no fee tax at B-H, but I'd be waiting a long time and the eagles are getting active. So I went to Nikon, very happy I did. I hope the lens pleases me.
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