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NIKON to discontinue all ANALOG Cameras !!!

nikon.co.uk — I just can't believe it.... Nikon will discontinue all the analog camera line... can this be true ?? The PR comes from Nikon in the UK, but I just can't believe it...

Bury

jurassic 2 years 176 days ago, made popular 2 years 176 days ago

1208 diggs
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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.
jurassic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Ya... but man, it is horrible.. i don't know, it's like loosing history !! Well, I am pro-technology, but man, I still remember my dad with his Nikon collection traveling all over the world and bringing back those incredible "warm" pictures... anyway....
stevievep, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Not too surprising, but yes, seems a pity.
clvrmnky, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9The 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.
neggbird, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0this is bad...
en3r0, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0smart move on their part.
Twoism, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Lord Nikon...NOOOOOOOO!
sabarsky, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0at least Nikon is keeping up with the times.
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.
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".
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.
bigfuzzyjesus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0That doesn't necessarily mean they'll stop manufacturing in the US plus I think this is a good move, it shows they are interested in the latest and greatest. I also think eventually all big camera company's will stop 35mm manufacturing and a independent company that specializes in 35mm will come about.
rcausgrove, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0oh my, oh my, I just can't believe it, i mean I just can't believe it.
Slipdisc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+010 years from now, most folks wont even remember what an analog camera was. But in the meantime there are some pretty good deals to be had on this type of gear.

+ digg for the good news
CharlieL, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I'm not really sure what they mean by "...focus management resources...". They do mention that they will continue to produce the F6 for professional photographers, however, so they are not completely discontinuing their film line.
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."
elfhat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0not really surprising, didn't kodak stop a while ago too?
judsond, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Probably the analog cameras they are still going to sell won't be any cheaper though, since they are still going to sell some, as the PR says, if anyone other than n6mod bothers to read it.
Nerfdude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0completely logical to me. they're still making their professional film equipment.... seriously, who goes to the store thinking "man i really need a well-made autofocus 35mm"? nobody.
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.
Guspaz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0About time! I'm happy to see analog cameras being killed off. There isn't any need for them anymore, other than perhaps polaroides (and even then, a digital camera and portable photo printer can do a decent job).

I mean, in consumer level cameras, digitals already produce better (not to mention more flexible) pictures than analogs, and the prosumer DSLRs are at the very least on-par with analog cameras, if not better.
aimless, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2People RTFA

They are NOT discontinuing all film cameras!
grepsy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I think this is a very dumb move on Nikon's behalf. Personally I know lots of people that still use Nikon SLR both professionally and recreationaly. I think that this will cause people to move away from Nikon. I know that if I didn't already have a Nikon SLR I would probably purchase both a digital and analog SLR from a company that has both so I don't have to buy separate lens.
maverick3x6, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0ugh.
nihilator, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3When did we start calling them "analog cameras"?
Heavy_C, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1That sucks, digital still has nothing on film. As a professional photographer who uses both digital and film, I'm pissed.
minsight, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Reading is hard.
marksven, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"I mean, in consumer level cameras, digitals already produce better (not to mention more flexible) pictures than analogs, and the prosumer DSLRs are at the very least on-par with analog cameras, if not better."

Film still has distinct advantages to digital:
- The grain patterns of film is much more pleasing than digital grain
- Film's response to light is logarithmic instead of linear like digital sensors, meaning that highlights are preserved with film where in digital they would be blown out.
- Film has a higher dynamic range, so it better captures shadows and highlights in the same photo. Digital is more similar to slide film, where it is much trickier in some situations to get a good exposure.
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.
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.
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.
kACE, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This news killed my inner child. :'(
caseysousa, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0No one has commented on the fact that this comes from Nikon UK. What about the rest of the world? Or does it apply to Global Nikon?
mousky, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"The Digg Headline is misleading."

Nothing new there ;)
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
leonbev, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Look at the bright point... you can now get an old F5 camera body for a fraction of what they used to cost.
yttrx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Nikon may not be completely discontinuing film cameras, but Hasselblad is.

That was announced by their new CEO a few months ago, much to the shock and incredible disappointment of good pro photographers everywhere---who are pretty much the only people who use Hasselblad gear.

Don't worry though, film cameras will probably never go out in the face of digital, just as oil paints never went out in the face of acrylics. They became very unpopular for a while, but have since had something of an interesting resurgence.
phatcactus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0*sigh* This wouldn't bother me, except for a few things.

A quality 35mm film camera is still waaay cheaper than any comparable digital SLR. Yes, film and processing add up down the road, but that cost is spread out and really doesn't have the same impact.

Digital cameras and new film cameras just aren't built like old film cameras. I can't stand the feel of a plastic body. My cameras are all about twenty or thirty years old, but they still work like new because they were built to last. Cameras coming out today will either be technically obsolete (if not broken) in just a few years.

Too. many. *****. buttons. Give me a K1000 and some practice over an auto-everything with six hundred metering modes any day.

I'd like to go digital, because it is incredibly convenient and I know eventually that's all there will be. But when I'm just shootin' for fun, I pick my K1000 (or better yet, my 6x6 Bronica) over my DSLR every time.
slowpokeiv, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Response to all above:

Yes, Kodak has discontinued film cameras in the USA market. Film, in the USA is dying. John Q Public wants "latest and greatest" even if it is not the best. (what Johnny doesn't know, won't hurt him.)

I would agree that film cameras are now only desirable with the hobby/artist/"quality at all cost" group. That market will continue to pay for it, will continue to use what they have, and will be more than glad to buy the "old" equipment the John Q Public no longer wants in their closet. That market will also not grow in leaps and bounds, whereas the digital camera market will and is. The writing is on the wall, film is gone. "Ask not for whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee."

Post Script: Interestingly enough, in Asia, the film market is growing, so Kodak still develops and markets film cameras there.
jurassic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0All I can say now is to all Analog Nikon owners !! Be ready to make some good money on ebay !!! :)
sfmoe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0its a little missleading .... they are not totally giving up on the film industry, just on the lower end models ... the F6 which is an awesome film camera from what i hear ... anyways ... im digital anyways :D
inveterate, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Too bad this is incorrect - Nikon is just discontinuing development of its low end compact film line.
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.
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.
robbh66, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0what crap. i'm all for technology, but film is not a relic just quite yet.
Sirocco, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I'm all for technological progress, but I'll be okay as long as *someone* still manufactures traditional cameras and film. A digital photo is one thing, but nothing says "proof" like the negatives.
digikill, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0For the love of God learn to read before you decide to spew.
Noloco, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0My old I10 Maybe it was 110 camera well they stopped making film for it. :( It was sad because I loved using that camera. Now though I have a 35 mili and Im afraid to continue using it. Considering I don't know when they will stop making the film. But I do own a efficent Kodak digi. That sells for 99. Im looking into that one divx camera. Seems cool to shoot divx vid and the screen was nice.
student69, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I am a semi-pro photographer and a Nikon guy all the way. I shoot almost 100% digital for business and pleasure now. So I am not surprised at all that they would discontinue them, although I wouldn’t have guessed it would happen so soon. I think it will mean more ppl and time devoted to bettering DSLR’s, which is a truly great thing for photography. Anyone who wants to shoot film will easily be able to find used Nikons or Canons to supplement there needs.
chromogenic, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0read the ***** article
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NIKON to discontinue all ANALOG Cameras !!!

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