Nikon achieves number one DSLR spot

But will the D3X keep it there?

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1 December 2008 18:21 GMT / By Katie Scott

Nikon had a four year plan to grow its share in the DSLR market, and at the launch of the much anticipated D3X flagship DSLR, Nikon's professional business manager, Chris Hoare, said that the company has achieved its ambitions.

Nikon, he says, has grown its DSLR business by 333% since 2004. And, in October this year, it reached a key milestone in becoming number one in the DSLR market by volume of units in UK, Europe, the US and Japan.

Hoare added his recognition that Nikon's rivals will, obviously, also be bringing out new technologies, but focused on the company's current achievement.

In the pro market, specifically DSLR models over £750, Nikon has an average market share in the UK of 63%.

And this area now has a new flagship in the D3X, which offers a 24.5 megapixel CMOS sensor, noise control from ISO 100 to 1600, 5fps continuous shooting, in a sturdy magnesium alloy D3 body.

But what it is missing is HD video recording capabilities.

James Banfield of Nikon UK's pro support and training team explained that this simply wasn't in this camera's remit. The focus for this model always was delivering detail, he explained.

As Hoare added: "We've achieved a massive step in covering nearly all of the pro photography needs with this model. But we didn't have the HD video technology when we decided to bring this product to market".

But both hinted that the technology is now there, and so we should expect a new launch from Nikon in the future that may not pack in the pixels like the D3X but does offer HD video recording.