With the news that Nikon Japan has recently labelled the Nikon D3500 and the D5600 as "old product", could these two entry-level DSLRs be destined for the chopping block? Historically, products labelled in this way are usually already discontinued, or are set to be discontinued soon.
This news may come as a surprise to camera retailers around the world, as both of these DSLRs tend to sell quite well. In fact, the Nikon D5600 was actually the top selling DSLR camera in Japan last year, according to the BCN ranking.
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As reported by Nikon Rumors, this news could potentially herald the end of the D5XXX and the D3XXX series – unless both of these entry-level DSLRs are replaced with an updated generation soon (although we haven't heard any rumors pointing to this possibility).
Instead, we might see the Nikon D5600 and the Nikon D3500 replaced with a new Nikon Z mirrorless APS-C camera. While the Nikon Z50 is one of the best mirrorless cameras, it doesn't quite have the same affordability factor as the D5600 and N3600. However, there have been rumors that we could be seeing a Nikon Z30 appear at some point this year.
Unless Nikon replaces these cameras with something before they're no longer sold by retailers, we worry that this could be a potential misstep for the imaging giant. The Nikon D3500 and the Nikon D5600 are both entry-level APS-C cameras that will be important tools for locking consumers into Nikon's lens system.
This is why a 'Nikon Z30' would be so useful – by introducing beginner photographers to the Z mount at a super affordable price, these users will be more likely to continue investing in the same system as they improve their own skills.
However, only time will tell whether these two entry-level Nikon DSLRs have actually been discontinued – and what kind of replacement we'll eventually see in their place.
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