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- clvrmnky, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10The explosion off digital photography has had some interesting effects on the big camera companies. I suspect that flagging sales was only part of the picture.
Maintaining multiple SLR lens lines for 35mm and digital use must have been a huge PITA. Most of lenses were inter-compatible, but the fact is that the Nikon SLR digital bodies work best (and more completely) with the DX lenses. The same holds true for many accessories, like flashes. For example, digital photography is bringing us huge advances in flash photography that goes way beyond TTL. Even something as mundane as filtering can be slightly different.
It is no secret that rigs like the D200 and D2x are all the camera most professional photogs need. Those who still want to work in the chemical realm (there are, naturally, some effects that people want that can only really apply in the darkroom) for aesthetic or artistic reasons will have to consider one of the other companies, now. I suspect people really into chemical negative photography might often move away to a larger format, anyway. 35mm was really a compromise between large (enough) image size and convenience.
Nikon blinked, but I suspect they know that the huge DP market will swallow the small hole left by 35mm in no time. If the notion is to consolidate their years of experience into a more unified set of DP offerings and accessories, I think this is a good thing.
I say this even as much as I prefer the look of 35mm prints and slides right now. I know things will get better (and I have not seen a largish print made from one of the newer models) but I've never been happy with many of my images at 5-6MP at any size. 35mm prints just have so much more saturation and detailing right now. I'd love to try a D200 for a weekend to see if it is really as good as they say. - n6mod, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Wow. Digg really is the New Slashdot.
Had any of you read the fine article, you'd have seen that they are continuing the F6, the FM10, and half a dozen specialty manual lenses. They're getting out of the consumer 35mm market, which is no great surprise. - marksven, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Film has already become a niche hobby for people who want to spend the extra time and money to get (usually) better results. But most all pros like photojournalists and serious hobbyists are only using Digital SLRs now. The quality is very close to film, but the convenience of digital trumps film in so many ways.
- For sports photographers shooting at 5 frames-per-second, a 36-roll exposure of film is gone in 7.2 seconds! Pro DSLR bodies can just keep firing away, and swapping flash cards is quick.
- You can adjust the "film" ISO sensitivity with digital on a per-shot basis instead of per roll. No more having multiple bodies just to shoot with different ISO film.
- Faster camera-to-publication workflow. No development time needed.
- All the shot settings are stored in EXIF data inside the photo, like the time, aperture, shutter speed.
- You can adjust the white-balance of digital RAW shots in post-processing very accurately. With film, you either have to scan it into photoshop to play with it for inferior results, or use different types of film that is adapted for different colored lighting.
Film isn't going away, but it's just going to become more expensive and troublesome as it becomes more of a niche. Digital has so many more advantages now that it's hard for anyone to consider using film. - nihilator, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3When did we start calling them "analog cameras"?
- tacom8, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I really don't get the term "analogue" photography... its not really analogue, its just not "digital"
call it "film cameras" 35mm or anything else for god sakes... yes its terminology nazism, but "analogue photography" sounds retarded.
you can buy an amazing 35mm camera these days for dirt cheap, i encourage everyone with a digital POint and shoot, reluctant to spend $3k on a decent SLR to go buy a cheap totaly MANUAL old school slr to learn all the basics first. It will rock the socks off your digitals pics when you learn to take control of the shot. - scutter, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I did RTFA. What it said was that they basically have stopped development on film technology, but will continue to manufacturer two cameras and a handful of lenses as a courtesy to their customers. In my book, that is a pretty strong statement: film is dead.
- strangerzero, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2The Digg Headline is misleading. The article says, "In recognition of Nikon’s commitment to professional photographers we will continue to manufacturer and sell the F6, our flagship film model, as well as a number of manual interchangeable lenses. Sales of the manual FM10 will also continue outside Europe."
- aimless, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2People RTFA
They are NOT discontinuing all film cameras! - puzza, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Er, close, but not quite: "In recognition of Nikon’s commitment to professional photographers we will continue to manufacturer and sell the F6, our flagship film model, as well as a number of manual interchangeable lenses. Sales of the manual FM10 will also continue outside Europe".
- mousky, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"The Digg Headline is misleading."
Nothing new there ;) - MWWLSE, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1In other news: Artists discontinue use of oil and canvas to use MSPaint...
- mccdyl001, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Whew. That's quite a big move. Looks legit. I really didn't think I'd be seeing the day that one of the major camera makers drops their analogue/film range so soon. I suppose it had to happen though.
- etruscan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Having worked for Nikon, let me just state that film cameras will likely never leave their repetoire. The only film cameras in the Nikon lineup that sell at all, however, are the F6 and FM10... which they are keeping. I wouldn't expect any major new strides in film technology from Nikon any time soon, but I wouldn't discount them as being out of the film arena either.
And for the record - the F6 is a truly amazing camera. - rossb1, on 11/14/2008, -0/+1Gee, years ago, after the invention of the automobile, manufacturers of buggy-whips went bankrupt, I WONDER WHY?
Film cameras only appeal to a very small segment of the population ie. the late-adopters and the artist type pro photographers.
http://best-digital-slr-camera.com - ultimate_ed, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Well, really, what are analog cameras supposed to come up with in terms of new features that the F6 doesn't already offer? I suspect that Nikon concludes the same that the F6 pretty much represents 95% of what a film 35mm camera can be.
There are still many advances that we can have in digital - better sensors, wifi/bluetooth transfers/controls, GPS integration and many other such things that can come since you are writing to a file that can store information beyond just the image.
As for the guys who are heavily invested in Nikon film gear - they've already been reaping the benefits of getting good deals on equipment as more and more people change over to digital gear. If it is taken care of, that film gear will last for a long time. - matsiescruff, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1this makes me really sad. i think there is a style in the analog photos that you can't find in digital photography. i can easily pick out photos done with a digital camera versus an analog. (i'm referring to the lower to middle range quality digital cameras. i'm sure professional high tech digital cameras are better.) yes, color quality is better on digital, resolution is better but there is still something about a 35mm camera that makes a photo different and to me, better. although, i do own a digital camera and use it frequently on vacations, i also bring my 35mm (which happens to be a nikon, btw).
analog photography...woe is ye. - rossb1, on 11/14/2008, -0/+1Film cameras have gone the way of the buggy-whip,phonograph, 8-track tapes, vcr's
and next CD's
http://best-digital-slr-camera.com/ - stokestack, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The pitiful part is that people don't consider what they're going to do with the pictures after they take them. Getting a truly good print from a digital camera is still an impossibility for most people, unless they take their files somewhere and pay a lot per print to have them done. And then where has your digital convenience gone? You're still schlepping over to the photo place to have your pictures developed.
There are lots of advantages to digital shots, including the sheer number of them you can take (free) and the instant review of them, and the freedom from scanning them for computer use. But when it comes to high-quality prints, they're still inferior. - rossb1, on 11/14/2008, -0/+1Film cameras have gone the way of the carburetor, rotary phones, VCR, 8-track tapes
http://best-digital-slr-camera.com/ - KevinG, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Didn't Kodak do this already, like 2 years ago?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3399529.stm
-Kevin - super_structure, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1From the press release:
"In recognition of Nikon’s commitment to professional photographers we will continue to manufacturer and sell the F6, our flagship film model, as well as a number of manual interchangeable lenses. Sales of the manual FM10 will also continue outside Europe."
So, that would make the title above not only misleading, but actually false. Film camera's will be around for a while yet. - stevievep, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Not too surprising, but yes, seems a pity.
- KenLin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Lame for CAPS in title and wrong summary and description. People who digged this are idiots!
- wilf_brim, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yea, the title is incorrect. It should have been "film" cameras. And, as was pointed out, Nikon is just going to discontinue a bunch of lenses, but the F6 body is going to continue.
I expect that what is going to happen (probably within the next 5 years) is that film is going to be a preserve of professional photographers, and mostly in large format negatives. Everybody else will go all digital. - dogon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Waiting for surprises in digital offering now.... It *better* be something spectacular...
- intoflatlines, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"• As well as the F6 film body and the manual FM10 Nikon will continue to manufacturer and sell the following Interchangeable manual lenses:"
doesn't seem like nikon is discontinuing all "analog" cameras.. - velocipenguin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0One nice thing about 35mm is the widespread availability of quality used gear. There's so much equipment already out there that the loss of one manufacturer's output isn't really a big deal. I really like older cameras - it's nice to be able to control everything using actual buttons and levers instead of a mess of on-screen menus.
- super_structure, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0How about some real reporting?
Wired: "Nikon's Focus Turns to Digital"
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,70009-0.html?tw=rss.index - chandler, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0meh Canon's better
- mezz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0If this can lower prices and improve quality of digital cameras from them, this is great!
They assume that film will not be very profitable, and so instead of having digital carry film along, they put all their resources into digital.
Seems smart to me. - RobSaint, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Bad, Good, who knows!? But I know I wasted a whole lot of money taking pics that never got developed. Now since going digital I shot, preview, print or delete. Simple!
It like MP3 verses tape cassettes for me. Gimme my digi-anything!
Saves space too. And in this ever increasingly crowded planet, that's a good thing! - pokpokd, on 04/12/2009, -0/+0smart move. anyway everyone is using digital cameras now. there are so much info on nikon digital slr cameras here so y care about analog?
http://digital-camera.onmyblog.org/ - treelovinhippie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0lol at Alex on diggnation 29...
Neye-kon
It's Ni-kon (as in, "we are the riders who say Ni") - Merlinhoot, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I recommend the Nikon D50
http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=2&productNr=25216 - asphnctrsezwhat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I don't them either.
How dare they do it anyway... it takes some nerve to discontinue a bunch of product lines that nobody buys anymore. Chodes. - techgnostic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This is only in effect in the UK (and Europe?). See the press release for the USA:
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/micro_stories.pl?ACCT=130907&TICK=NIKON&STORY=/www/story/01-11-2006/0004247596&EDATE=Jan+11,+2006 - macheat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Kinda sad, but I can't see myself ever purchasing another film camera, and I own four Nikons, only one of them digital. I can't remember the last time I used one of the 35's.
- EpsilonPi118, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0:: Tear ::
- super_structure, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0yokie44: "Thats sad.. no more SLR's i guess..."
Well, first of all, if you'd read the press release, you'd realize that Nikon will indeed continue to produce their most popular SLR film cameras. Secondly, SLR has nothing to do with digital/versus film and a D70 is still a SLR (and a damn fine one, at that). Lastly, there are other companies that make SLR cameras, film or digital. However, why bother with all that when you can just swallow a false Digg title? - rderveloy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The problem with digital cameras is that their images can very difficult to prove as "origional". For that reason, I will always keep a film camera as a backup. Digital cameras don't have negatives so, if you're not careful, someone can take your picture and use it against you.
- WayneGoode, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0They are not 'analog' cameras. They are film camera. The press release never mentions the word 'analog'.
- JeffS, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Is an analog camera one that uses film?
- yokie44, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Thats sad.. no more SLR's i guess...
- asgeirn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I won't switch until Nikon releases a full-size-sensor prosumer camera like Canon's EOS 5D.
- snapcase, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Sounds stupid to me.
- unclejesse0, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0That is really stupid. I don't them any more
- ggriffit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Good for them...Buy a Canon. They're a better camera design, image, and reliability.
I'm a photojouralist and I've shot both...for a long time. Canon turns out a better image more consistently.
Nikon needs to get their butts in gear! - raghavdiggs, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Looks like its specific to UK only. I think they will still be around in the other markets. can't see analog or for that matter film going away so fast.
- nukage, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I think my photography teacher mustve read this on digg because today he told our class nikon is getting out of the analog camera business yesterday. and I guess (from reading comments) this isn't entirely true. and then he mentioned the google PC as well.
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