Recently, rumors have been doing the rounds regarding the demise of two of Nikon's most popular DSLRs, the Nikon D3500 and Nikon D5600. However, according to Nikon itself, these rumors are unfounded – at least outside the manufacturer's home territory of Japan.
Several websites, including this one, ran stories of the Nikon D3500 and Nikon D5600 cameras both being discontinued, based on the fact that Nikon Japan has listed these models as being 'archived products'. However, it turns out that this decision affects the Japanese market only.
• Read more: Nikon D3500 vs D5600
Here’s the official statement from Nikon Japan:
"Nikon Imaging Japan has decided to archive some digital SLR camera models based on market trends. In Japan, the D5600 and D3500 are archived products. The products will continue to be sold in countries and regions other than Japan. We plan to continue selling these products for the time being. For areas other than Japan, we will consider the optimal timing for discontinuation based on the needs of the market and customers."
Adding fuel to the fire, several UK retailers currently have the cameras listed as 'awaiting stock', which is often a tell-tale sign that discontinuation is imminent for a given product line.
However, Nikon UK has clarified to us that this is due to a 'long list of backorders' waiting to be fulfilled. Nikon products coming into the UK have been badly affected with delays attributed to Brexit, which could be partly to blame for the situation.
It had struck us as somewhat odd that Nikon would discontinue its biggest-selling entry level models before any replacements were on the horizon. That said, we are still expecting an entry level mirrorless model to be launched this year, potentially without a built-in electronic viewfinder in the shape of the Nikon Z30…
Read more:
Nikon D3500 review
Nikon D5600 review
Best Nikon camera
