Nikon Lens production slows down

[RichF]

Nikon Rumors rumors reports that Nikon just hit 120 Million lens. Let's look at the historical marks

• 65 million lenses: October 2011
• 80 million lenses: June 2013
• 85 million lenses: January 2014
• 90 million lenses: November 2014
• 95 million lenses: July 2015
• 100 million lenses: July 2016
• 110 million lenses: November 2018

I'll add 120 million lens: April 2024. Going from 90 to 100 million took less than 2 years (11/2014 to 07/2016). The next 10 million took just over 2 years (07/2016 to 11/2018). The most recently 10 million took nearly 6 years (11/2018 to 04/2024).

This slowness could be due to covid shutting production down and limiting IC chips as well as the switch from F to Z mount lens (though I would have thought that sales of Z mount lens would have been very strong.

Original Article - https://nikonrumors.com/2024/05/23/...lion-nikkor-lenses-produced.aspx/#more-194031

 

[pomkiwi]

Sales of interchangeable lens camera (both DSLR and mirrorless combined) have fallen from over 25 million in 2012 to 6 million in 2023 which is likely to a major factor in reducing demand for lenses. Additionally lenses often have quite a long life which may further suppress demand - many on this site are happily using their 500pf on Z series bodies and may continue doing so for a long time. I’m actually surp that manufacturing volumes have remained so high.

 

[RichF]

Sales of interchangeable lens camera (both DSLR and mirrorless combined) have fallen from over 25 million in 2012 to 6 million in 2023 which is likely to a major factor in reducing demand for lenses. Additionally lenses often have quite a long life which may further suppress demand - many on this site are happily using their 500pf on Z series bodies and may continue doing so for a long time. I’m actually surp that manufacturing volumes have remained so high.

True, sales of cameras are lower. But I thought that with the advent of the Z series cameras, lens sales would pop a bit.

 

[ajrmd]

Contracting camera markets with the exception of China. Cell phones have impacted the ILC sales tremendously and will continue to do so. It’s not something which causes me to lose sleep. In fact I was out before dawn enjoying a beautiful day shooting warblers, king birds, tree swallows, and sandy colts with my spectacular Nikon lenses.