You can now add Nikon’s vaunted D3500 and D5600 DSLRs to the list of products canceled during the COVID-19 era.
Recently labeled “out of production” on the company’s website, the end of two DSLR cameras isn’t unexpected but it is, as always, sad for fans.
Originally reported on Amateur Photographer, this headline was later confirmed by Nikon themselves who said in a statement:
“You may have seen from recent Nikon Investor Relations releases that Nikon has focused its R&D efforts into mid- to high-end cameras and lenses, targeted at professional and hobbyist photographers. We are also focusing on strengthening products in response to younger hobbyists’ needs, for whom video is the primary focus. We can see the benefits of this focused R&D strategy, with launches such as the highly successful Z 9, and we are pleased to say that the product pipeline continues to look strong over the coming years. It is with this product strategy in mind that production has ceased on both the D3500 and D5600 cameras.”
Two of Nikon’s more critically acclaimed products, the D3500 and D5600 are certainly going to be missed. For longtime readers, this news might seem somewhat surprising given that we reported on CIPA numbers from the first quarter of 2022 that showed an amazing jump in the sales for DSLR cameras.
Of course, you might also recall that the experts, as well as anecdotal commentators, both noted that this was likely because of general shortages in products across the industry (in other words, if you wanted a new camera, you had more limited options). On that point, we’re not really seeing an immediate end in sight as far as shortages go and, further, we expect to see more, not fewer, products canceled as a result.
Were you a fan of the D3500 or D5600? Let us know your thoughts on the end of production in the comments.
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