warning: mischievous question. Lower F5 prices imply new model in the works?

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Prices for the F5 have dropped quite appreciably of late. Does this imply that a replacement is now in the works? And that it'll be released soon? Notwithstanding that, now is a good time to buy a Nikon F5 for the price of a good song. I don't think prices will get any lower.

P.S. to Brad and all concerned. If this post offends due to its speculative and provocative content please do delete it. I'm talking about vapourware essentially but those who have followed the history of Nikon (or may have links to the top brass at Nikon) may have an inkling of what's in store.

P.P.S. For what it's worth; I've just returned from S-E Asia and the lowest prices there are little better than the current US selling price of the F5 after rebate (about $1800-1850).

-- rene z. quan (renequan@goplay.com), January 31, 1999

Answers

F series Nikon SLRs seem to have a life of about 8 years before their successor is introduced (they tend to stay on the market even longer), so I wouldn't expect to see an F6 until sometime around 2004. I think the ecconomic situation (crisis?) in Asia could have a greater affect on price than a successor would.

Although not direct competitors I'm sure the introductions of the F100 and the EOS 3 have had an affect on prices.

-- Geoffrey S. Kane (grendel@pgh.nauticom.net), January 31, 1999.


I am not a Nikoner so I cannot speak with extreme confidence with respect to Nikon products.

With Canon, however, the age of the product, frequent rebates and a price drop are good indicators.

The F5 is still a relaitively new model *and* overpriced to begin with. With the fluctuations in foreign currencies vs. the dollar, a lot more prices *should* have come down!

-- Dick Ginkowski (dickg@execpc.com), January 31, 1999.


Either they're getting ready to bring out a F5s or something like they did with the F4 or are they're trying to encourage pros to buy their camera before Canon releases their new flagship camera???

-- Gary Wilson (gwilson@ffca.com), February 01, 1999.

Yes, well, clearly Canon will soon bring out a revision of the EOS 1n that will incorporate some of the technology of the EOS 3.

This would follow the pattern that saw the technology of the A2/A2e bodies get incorporated into the EOS 1n as an upgrade of the EOS 1.

The interesting question will be whether the new top-of-the-line EOS camera will have eye-controlled focusing. This may be regarded as an amateur gimmick or may show the wider acceptance among pros of this sort of advanced technology.

As far as Nikon goes, I would expect a mid-course upgrade to the F5 to incorporate some features of the F100 -- especially the red focus point indicators -- but I would not expect an F6 until 2002 or 2004.

By the way, there is a rumor afoot that production of the F3 has been discontinued. Any comment?

-- John Wall (john_wall@ncsu.edu), February 01, 1999.


The pricing on all advanced-technology/electronic products have a "life cycle curve" on pricing (except the F4, apparently). Pricing tends to peak at the beginning and drift lower as competitors upgrade technology and as R&D costs are amortized. The maturity life cycle on new electronics technology is approximately 2-years. After 2- years, price erosion is the norm.

-- Charlie Robbins (robbnsc@hotmail.com), February 01, 1999.


Regarding F3 production, I found the following on Nikon Japan's homepage in the article: http://www.nikon.co.jp/main/eng/society/rhnc03f3-e.htm
"Even with high production costs and problems such as the securing of inventories of spare parts, Nikon Corporation has no plans to stop selling the F3 high-eyepoint (depending on the country or region)."
Even though it doesn't really say anything, it does sort of imply that the end is near. I've read from unofficial sources that production stopped in the summer of 1997. I've heard that Nikon has been able to save money by assembling the FM2n in Korea, and although I've never heard of and F series body being made outside of Japan, who knows....

BTW, the F4s is the same as an F4 except that it has a larger (6xAA) battery pack. In fact the F4s is the only F4 you could ever buy off the shelf in the US (you have to buy the MB-20 or MB-23 (F4e) as a separate item).

I have heard rumors of Nikon designing a screen for the F5 with the same light-up AF sensor display that the F100 has. Even if it does become the new default screen, I doubt it would show up as an official F5 variant.

-- Geoffrey S. Kane (grendel@pgh.nauticom.net), February 01, 1999.


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