Ouch: Nikon just became the #1 DSLR maker

Japan's Asahi newspaper reports that Nikon assumed the #1 position in DSLR market share for the first 1/2 of 2008. The gory details:

Nikon　　　　 40.7%
CANON　　　 40.6%
SONY　　　　 8.6%
Olympus 5.3%
Pentax 4.4%

The newspaper article referenced http://www.asahi.com …0703/TKY2008070​30479.html

Anyone happen to know how much of a swing in market share that is over the past year or two?

Well thank god, it's about time! In another thread about the D700 comments were made about Canon's competition nipping at Canon's butt cheeks. Well, it appears Canon has lost more than just a bit of butt flesh - more like both ass cheeks, a leg, and half an arm.

This will only make them better, change what some perceive as a sluggish complacency and make them more responsive to consumers. If nothing else has managed to wake up the Canon leadership, that stat sure will.

But then again, we DSLR users may be a little arrogant in our perceptions of our own self-importance. On the whole, we (DSLR) people are only 5 percent of the market. The big banana is the compact market.

http://www.smarthouse.​com.au …hy/Still_Camera​s/B9X7X5G2

How will Canon save face over this 0.1%? hmmm...

As a consumer, I fail to see the problem.

Nikon outsells Canon? Who cares?

Roy Mathers wrote in post #5852651
Nikon outsells Canon? Who cares?

Not to overstate cultural stereotypes, but wouldn't this be seen as a loss of prestige in Japan?

TheHoff wrote in post #5852631
How will Canon save face over this 0.1%? hmmm...

Do I detect a little sarcasm? Perhaps saving face over a small margin is, indeed. laughable. But on a larger scale, from what was once a (I believe) 70% market share?? That, I am sure you would agree, IS a loss of face!

Roy Mathers wrote in post #5852651
Nikon outsells Canon? Who cares?

I, the consumer, do because I benefit from it!

I'm not actually suprised.

but this will only make canon want to work harder to regain there position.

Plant McCloud wrote in post #5852625
But then again, we DSLR users may be a little arrogant in our perceptions of our own self-importance. On the whole, we (DSLR) people are only 5 percent of the market. The big banana is the compact market.

http://www.smarthouse.​com.au …hy/Still_Camera​s/B9X7X5G2

A self-comment about this post.

In this article, the Canon marketing manager states they sold 100,000 DSLR's last year. 100,000?? I would think that B&H sold that many alone to POTN users! I'm a little disbelieving of this, but do not know.

Plant McCloud wrote in post #5852769
A self-comment about this post.

In this article, the Canon marketing manager states they sold 100,000 DSLR's last year. 100,000?? I would think that B&H sold that many alone to POTN users! I'm a little disbelieving of this, but do not know.

Consider this...

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Canon Celebrates Production of 40 millionth EF lens.

...The production date of the 40,000,000th EF lens is just over two years since the 30,000,000th EF Lens was manufactured and just over 1 year since the 30,000,000th EOS camera body was produced.

EOS line was launched in 1989 with the EOS 1. So 1989-2007 resulted in 30 million EOS bodies, or an average of 1.7 Million bodies per year.

TheHoff wrote in post #5852652
Not to overstate cultural stereotypes, but wouldn't this be seen as a loss of prestige in Japan?

Probably, but that's even better for us. It was about time that they got at least serious competition, and getting beaten is even better. They might finally stop fooling with us, and do some proper work. Until now, they didn't have to, because no matter what they did, everyone else were so far behind, that Canon could easily afford this. Now it's our turn to get some profit out of competition

I'm sure Canon outsells the competition on P&S cameras, so they might not be too worried, yet. Although that 2nd article Plant McCloud linked to said that Canon surveyed 43% of people interested in a DSLR.

AnthonyLin wrote in post #5854020
I'm sure Canon outsells the competition on P&S cameras, so they might not be too worried, yet. Although that 2nd article Plant McCloud linked to said that Canon surveyed 43% of people interested in a DSLR.

Im not sure if this would be true. I have 0 statistical data to back this up, but just based on what I see around I would guess neither Canon nor Nikon would lead in the P&S field. Again, just what I have seen, but tons of Kodak and Olympus and I have probably seen more Casio than any of them.