What happened to Nikon?

[Murph]

When I was growing up (early 1970's and later) Nikon was the camera seen everywhere used by professionals. The Nikon F and F2 were camera icons and almost nowhere could you see others in a professional environment. The Canon F-1 was nice, but it was not as ubiquitous as the Nikons. Now, if you look, you only see Canons in the hands of pros. What the *bleep* happened? Did Nikon get into digital too late?

[Daniel Bates]

What, four pages on FM didn't answer it?


Just kiddin' you, Gr--er, Murph...

[Murph]

No. I actually prefer the family attitude here over FM. Yes, I post as Grognard (grumbler in french) over there because Murph was already taken.

Originally Posted by Daniel Bates

What, four pages on FM didn't answer it?


Just kiddin' you, Gr--er, Murph...

[Daniel Bates]

Yeah, FM tends to turn into a zoo about topics like this.


My take is kind of a distillation of their opinions... Canon got a bit of a boost with tele lens IS, and they've been riding that momentum for a while now.

[Duffy Pratt]

One thing that happenned is that Canon had a brilliant marketing idea by making the white telephoto lens. Now, every news conference and sporting event is also an advertisement for Canon. The fact that you can so readily recognize the Canon gear at "pro" events makes it more likely that people will adopt the brand. And, no, you still can't assume that the black lenses you see are Nikon. They could still be anything, but the white ones...

Duffy

[Duffy Pratt]

Oh, another thing was the success of the film Rebel, as advertised by Agassi. I think Nikon's camera at this level was probably about as good as the Rebel, but the marketing was nowhere near as good. And then, for most people who move up, there is usually the issue of keeping the lenses you already got. So Canon "captured" a bunch of people with good marketing on their low end, and then kept them because enthusiasts had already bought into a system.

Duffy

[David_3]

Originally Posted by Murph

What the *bleep* happened?

The Canon AE-1 conquered the world.

[*Mike*]

Okay, I keep an eye on DPreview and photo.net - but I have no clue what FM is... Fill me in?

[Vita]

http://www.fredmiranda.com/

[xseption]

Originally Posted by Duffy Pratt

Oh, another thing was the success of the film Rebel, as advertised by Agassi. I think Nikon's camera at this level was probably about as good as the Rebel, but the marketing was nowhere near as good. And then, for most people who move up, there is usually the issue of keeping the lenses you already got. So Canon "captured" a bunch of people with good marketing on their low end, and then kept them because enthusiasts had already bought into a system.

Duffy

Too right ... my first camera was that same Rebel you are talking about

[Saltwater Servitude]

My first was an AE-1 Program, but I switched sides as of late.

The Full-frame thing has captured a lot of people as well. FF rules the roost on for some applications. Until Nikon comes out with it in their D3x they'll be fighting an uphill battle against good marketing and product placement.

Then again, the D40 could capture a lot of the entry-level DSLR owners who might now make the switch for such an affordable body kit.

[steve817]

Originally Posted by Saltwater Servitude

My first was an AE-1 Program, but I switched sides as of late.

The Full-frame thing has captured a lot of people as well. FF rules the roost on for some applications. Until Nikon comes out with it in their D3x they'll be fighting an uphill battle against good marketing and product placement.

Then again, the D40 could capture a lot of the entry-level DSLR owners who might now make the switch for such an affordable body kit.

Did Nikon switch gears on that plan? Last I heard they had no plans to offer a full frame model.

[Saltwater Servitude]

Just idle speculation on my part. Everything I have heard is that Nikon is treating FF like a niche fad.

[Rick Waldroup]

All I have heard is that there are no plans for a FF sensor by Nikon.

The AE-1 changed the playing field dramatically for Canon. Way, way back when, I actually shot an F1 for about a year and then I went back to Nikon. I had used a Nikon F previously, and it just felt better to me, but that is just personal preference. I still shoot Nikon today.

But I really think that it was the advent of the AE-1 and the A1 in the 70's that turned the tide for Cannon. Nikon was slow to respond, as they always are, and Canon had a brilliant marketing strategy and the company just exploded in sales. Even during this time period, Nikon could always boast of superior lenses but that is not an issue anymore either.

Maybe this is what happens when you rest on your laurels.

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by Rick Waldroup

All I have heard is that there are no plans for a FF sensor by Nikon.

The AE-1 changed the playing field dramatically for Canon. Way, way back when, I actually shot an F1 for about a year and then I went back to Nikon. I had used a Nikon F previously, and it just felt better to me, but that is just personal preference. I still shoot Nikon today.

But I really think that it was the advent of the AE-1 and the A1 in the 70's that turned the tide for Cannon. Nikon was slow to respond, as they always are, and Canon had a brilliant marketing strategy and the company just exploded in sales. Even during this time period, Nikon could always boast of superior lenses but that is not an issue anymore either.

Maybe this is what happens when you rest on your laurels.

Also not knowing your market can cause this, you must be close to your costumers and deliver what they want not what you think they need.