Once again we get the "what is Nikon doing?" questions, the "Nikon is going the wrong way" statements, and, of course, more heated complaints than those. I'd have to agree, unfortunately.
I'm not sure the Japanese companies realize it, but the old Japanese CES (consumer electronics) game plan is completely broken when it comes to cameras (and quite a few other product categories, as well). It all has to do with quantity. Simply put, you don't have the unit demand necessary to let you use the price elasticity of demand ladder across a line of products by simply de-contenting to produce the lower end products.
The irony is that there is a significant and strong demand for entry camera products (crossover from mobile phone users). However, that demand just isn't for a feature/performance crippled version of a flagship product. There's no doubt in my mind that millions of smartphone owners would embrace a camera that had more performance and flexibility than what's in their phone. The problem is that they don't want to give up the phone's other capabilities (e.g. connectivity for sharing, on-the-fly editing for style, etc.).
Initially the camera makers thought they could address those points by simply bolting Android onto the back of the camera. Besides the frankencamera nature that ensues with such a dual personality, there's the issue of cost: you basically just added the cost of a phone to the camera, because Android isn't powering everything in the camera (nor do we want it to, for reasons I'll go into at a later date).
Part of Nikon's problem is their mismatched messaging. To the shareholders Nikon is saying "we'll just make higher-priced units, ignore volume, and make our usual profit or more." While Nikon doesn't define what "mid/high-end models for Pro/hobbyists" means in their shareholder presentations, it's clear that "entry-level models" are supposed to disappear. Yet, here we once again have Nikon introducing an entry-level model. Only they mask this by claiming instead it's a vlogging/video creator camera.
Meanwhile, the Canon (R7) and Fujifilm (X-H2S) appear to be executing the plan that Nikon should be following. The plan that I enumerated several years ago.
One problem for Nikon is their addiction to Big Box. It's not nearly as bad as it once was (at least here in the US), but the Amazon, Best Buy, Costco, and Target type outlets move a lot of product for NikonUSA, and the same thing happens in several other countries I've examined, particularly in Asia. If Nikon can just get that Tik-Tok/Instagram influencer crowd hawking Z30's, then they could get their Big Box engine restarted. Yes, we all dream ;~).
Tech products need fast inventory turns probably more so than a "regular" product does, in that the cash generated is needed to fund serious R&D downstream. The Big Boxes can generate those turns (and cash) faster than a network of small, local camera dealers.
My bigger problem is this, though: the Z30, Z50, and Zfc are basically the same camera in three different skins. Nikon's trying a bit too hard to differentiate the same basic image quality and capability experience at a range of price points with differing UX and target audience. And ultimately fails at that, in my opinion. Moreover, the few available DX lenses available don't "handle" the same on these three models. For instance, the 50-250mm telephoto zoom is not a lens I'll use on the grip-less Zfc. Even with the SmallRig grip/plate installed, 250mm is a bit of a stretch for good handling.
Ironically, Nikon's lack of appropriate lenses for the DX trio is being solved by the Chinese, particularly Viltrox. The affordable Viltrox 13mm, 24mm, 33mm, and 56mm f/1.4 autofocus lenses are quite appropriate to the Nikon DX cameras, and grab back some of that light deficit that the crop sensor suffers versus full frame. However, note that one reason why Viltrox went the Kickstarter route with the 13mm option in a Z-mount was a fear that there wouldn't be enough demand for it. Nikon's DX mirrorless volume is not the mighty flood that their DX DSLR products were. Indeed, I'm pretty sure the D3500 still outsells the Z50 worldwide, though much of this is attempting to clear the shelves on Nikon's part via targeted final distribution.
The component shortage and lack of fab availability isn't doing Nikon any favors. We're now nearly six years into using the same basic 20mp DX image sensor and four years into EXPEED6. We need a new DX image sensor and EXPEED7's speed to change things in the Nikon DX lineup in any meaningful way, but both require an available fab and no other parts shortages to get Nikon truly competitive again. Plus lenses (buzz, buzz).
I'm far less worried about Nikon's full frame lineup. I can see the moves they can make—even under existing supply chain constraints—that will keep things moving well in FX, albeit a bit more slowly than the customer base is currently demanding. Moreover, the FX lens parade has been one gem after another, and starting to look more and more like a "complete set."
No, it's in DX where Nikon is once again floundering like a fish out of water. Canon's R7 will likely get Nikon off their butt, but why they're sitting on their butt is a good question to ask.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know the answer a Nikon executive will give before I even ask the question: "The proper image sensor isn't yet ready." Like that's stopped them before...
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Bonus: I believe that the decision to finally release the Z30 is essentially due to the "newness" factor. By launching the same camera yet again Nikon is keeping their DX unit volume up. The Z50 did decently when it first came out, then significantly tapered in sales. The Zfc regenerated that volume for awhile, then it too tapered. Now the Z30 regenerates the sales with basically the same parts once again. Note that each model was marketed to audiences differently (Z50 = small Z, Zfc = casual and stylish Z, Z30 = vlogger Z). Again, these three cameras produce the same still and video quality with virtually the same features and functionalities. So, the same camera is just targeted slightly different to keep its volume up. One key clue to that is that they all use the same lens ;~). (Some of you may think "lenses," but even that's a really small set that's the same across these three cameras.)
