Nikon Goes All In on its Z Line

 

Nikon made its reputation as the professionals' choice in the 1960's with the legendary Nikon F, its flagship camera, and for years it remained the best SLR money could buy.  For that matter, I still own and treasure the F3 I purchased in the 1980's.  So successful was the camera that even years after digital photography was first introduced, Nikon still clung stubbornly the same design format in its generally excellent line of DSLR's.  Doing so, however, cost Nikon dearly as it lost a huge percentage of its  market share when photographers flocked first to Sony's and then to Canon's mirrorless models.  Only belatedly did Nikon realize its mistake and attempt to rectify its error with the introduction of its first Z models several years ago.  They received only mixed reviews, however, and I was decidedly unimpressed when I handled them at New York City's Photo Expo shortly after their initial release, though I did appreciate the free Z line tee-shirt Nikon gave away at the time.

To everyone's shock, including mine, Nikon, through a herculean effort, made up all the ground it had lost and then some when it introduced the amazing mirrorless Z9 earlier this year.  So good was the camera that it could truly be described as revolutionary, and suddenly Nikon's fortunes were on the upswing.  One Z9 reviewer went so far as to call it "the comeback story of the decade."

To better capitalize on its success, Nikon has revealed in its Medium-Term Management Plan that it intends to increase and diversify its production of Z mount lenses to the point that by 2025 there will be no fewer than 50 available.  Such an array can only hasten Nikon users' move to mirrorless.

Unfortunately, in the same report Nikon also indicates that it intends to reach its goal by, among other things, raising the price of its products by as much as 20%.  Considering that the current MSP of the Z9 is $5,496.95 that's not exactly a negligible price jump.