Nikon 1998 Annual Report Download - page 8

Download and view the complete annual report

Please find page 8 of the 1998 Nikon annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.

Page out of 32

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32

Business Results
The business environment affect-
ing Nikon’s consumer products
operations remained harsh in
fiscal 1998, exemplified by ongo-
ing downward price pressure and
increasing competition. Despite
the Camera Division’s return to
profitability for the first time in
five fiscal years, sales of consumer
products fell, slipping 0.8%, to
¥130.3 billion (US$986 million),
and accounted for 35.0% of con-
solidated net sales.
Cameras
During the period under review, the
Nikon F5 and Nikon F90X (N90s in
the United States) SLR cameras
received high acclaim from con-
sumers around the world. Coupled
with strong performances by the
Nikon F50 and Nikon F70 series
and the new F50, with its metallic-
colored body, camera sales con-
tinued to surge. In 1997, the Nikon
F5 was awarded first prize in the
Camera Grand Prix ’97 in Japan
and selected Camera of the Year
and Best SLR Camera in overseas
competitions.
Sales of interchangeable lenses
grew during the term, thanks in
part to the successful launch of
the world’s first micro AF zoom lens
(AF Zoom Micro Nikkor ED70mm-
180mm, f4.5-5.6D) suitable for
SLR cameras. This lens provides
photographers with zoom capabil-
ities—even for near-range photo-
graphs—allows the switching of
reproduction ratios without chang-
ing the position of the camera, and
increases flexibility in framing the
shot. Other strong-selling inter-
changeable lenses include the
compact AF Zoom Nikkor 28mm-
200mm f3.5-5.6D (IF), which boasts
a zoom ratio of approximately 7X,
and the AF Zoom Nikkor ED70mm-
300mm f4.5-5.6D, which offers
superior cost performance.
In compact cameras, Nikon intro-
duced the Advanced Photo System
Nuvis 160i—which features a
REVIEW OF OPERATIONS
Consumer Products
Nikon F50 AF Zoom Micro Nikkor
ED70mm-180mm, f4.5-5.6D
6Nikon Corporation
QX /NIKON AR 98 9/21 00.4.11 3:44 PM ページ 6