Nikon announces price increase from next month due to supply issues

After other manufacturers, Nikon has also announced a price increase starting next month. It’s only limited to Northern Europe for now, but it’s possible that it will expand globally as the world continues to crumble.

It sounds like an early April Fool’s joke, but all Nikon gear will get more expensive starting precisely on this day. The reason is, according to the company, “severe disruption in global supply chains.”

Folks at Nikon Rumors have obtained a screenshot of an email Nikon sent out to its customers. It reads that the company will increase the prices of cameras and lenses across Northern Europe. This excludes sports optics and accessories, but also the Nikon Z9, which will keep its current price, at least for now.

“Following a period of severe disruption in global supply chains, we have experienced continued cost increases to component parts and logistic charges,” Nikon writes. “Whilst we have explored all options to absorb these costs, to maintain the production in these lines moving forward, we are regrettably having to increase prices.”

The company doesn’t note what caused the supply chains disruption, but I guess we can all assume. First, it was the pandemic, and now there is the political and economic situation in Europe and the war in Ukraine that affect entire Europe in different ways.

To remind you, a few other camera manufacturers have also increased prices in 2021 and this year. Leica announced it on 1 April last year, and then increased prices again, but quietly, in October. Zeiss also did it in October, making an announcement a month earlier. Canon did it twice: in September 2021 and again last month, but did it quietly both times. According to Photo Rumors, Chinese lens manufacturer TTArtisan is increasing the prices of its two popular lenses, too.

So, on 1 April, Europeans are about to get the worst April Fool’s prank ever. Therefore, if you’ve been planning to get some new Nikon gear, perhaps now is the best (and the only) time to get it on the old prices. We’ll follow the situation closely and let you know if the price increase spills over to the rest of the world.

[via Nikon Rumors]