'Z' series full-frame mirrorless cameras to drive 30% sales in India: Nikon

New Delhi: For Tokyo-headquartered Nikon, there is immense potential in the full-frame mirrorless camera segment and the newly-launched "Z-series" line-up will be among its key growth drivers in India.

"Owing to the state-of-the-art features that our "Z" series offers, we are confident that we will achieve 30 per cent of our sales from mirrorless camera segment Year-on-Year (YoY) in the Indian market in the next two years," Sajjan Kumar, Managing Director, Nikon India, told IANS in an interview.

For the $11 billion camera industry, mirrorless cameras have been a growth engine as compact camera shipments have fallen. 

Globally, demand for DSLR cameras is expected to be outpaced by mirrorless cameras soon as the latter are equipped with advanced functionalities. Currently, Nikon and Sony are the leading players in the mirrorless camera segment.

Betting big on a market that is currently dominated by digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras, Nikon believes that both categories -- DSLR and full-frame mirrorless-- are here to co-exist.

"We are confident that the DSLR and mirrorless category will co-exist. While we work towards expanding our mirrorless segment, we will retain our focus on DSLR as well," Kumar noted. 

The Japanese imaging giant launched its first line of mirrorless cameras in 2011.

"This is just the beginning. We are coming from a strength of acceptability as a brand, and as a product for consumers. The initial response from the consumers in India is amazing and also from the professional photographers' point of view," added Kumar.

However, he did not elaborate whether the company is contemplating to refresh the full-frame mirrorless segment in India anytime soon.

Nikon this week introduced its first full-frame mirrorless cameras -- the mid-range Nikon Z6 and the high-range Nikon Z7 -- in India.

The company also launched three "NIKKOR Z" lenses under its own brand NIKKOR, featuring a new mount that will enable a new dimension in optical performance.

The imaging major is also planning to release a variety of new lenses that would expand its range of high-performance "NIKKOR Z" lenses.

Nikon Z7, that will cost Rs 2,69,950, will be available in the country starting September 27 while Nikon Z6 will be available in November at a price of Rs 1,69,950.

"The new cameras are designed to deliver a new standard of optical excellence," said Kumar.

(Krishna SinhaChaudhury can be contacted at krishna.s@ians.in)