Originally posted by GUB Totally not disputing camera sales decline but a 7 month graph that includes a seasonal blip cannot demonstrate a trend.
Year-by-year numbers look more sloped than a skiing ramp... every maker is facing a harsh deceleration (not necessarily failing to break even, however, just massively lowered profits, but we all know how the resident bean counters will react to that). Nikon has apparently terminated the D3000, D5000 and D500 lines, which makes sense: The D7000 series has the exact same sensor (so the same pictures are taken). With 4 lines, all using different platforms (chassis, processors, AF, etc.), you are damaging your own economy of scale.
Add to that the two DSLR lines (D850+D750) PLUS the Sports-pro-dual-grip-line, plus two FF lines and you have a hot inefficient mess.
Sony can survive it because they stick different housemade sensors in the same shoebox and they anyway have two lines of ILCs only IIRC (a6X00 and a7? The A9 is basically an A7 with extra processor and another dial); for the others I'm not so sure.
I reckon we will be seeing some significant streamlining of lineups.
For Canon, the 7D users will probably be nudged into lower-priced (perhaps slightly more "pro" than the RP?) FF R bodies with modest MP and fast fps; the crowd that buys a 1500€ crop body probably uses EF or even L glass anyway. One or two entry level models might be kept because of those people who still want to dabble in "better than a phone" and buy a 250D or somesuch. 80D line and the like probably out. 6D probably out as well, either get an RP or pony up for the 5D.
For Pentax... the K-S2 might be the last of its kind, the K-70 line stays as entry-level, the K-3 succesor is the new flagship APS-C for that great DA lens line-up we have. The KP is a wildcard and I have zero clue what they intend with it: it's a very different chassis design and it fills a slightly awkward spot in the lineup...
On FF the most likely possibility is one line (K-1iii or whatever they name it). For MF, Upgrade to the 645Z to tell Fuji to stuff it?
I am honestly scratching my head thinking about how the main players will deal with this situation. Logic says they will focus efforts in coming up with "midrange" (which is almost entirely, despite the price, the new entry level) lenses and bodies, but apparently Canon are throwing R&D monies *first* at 3500€ f2.0 full frame zooms. Sony came up with two very expensive, very large superteles recently. I know it's more of a statement along the lines of "We are still the best at this" but it all stinks of "fleeing forward*".
*That's a Spanish expression. I mean they are panicking and rushing to their apparent demise. Or, at least, to a worse situation. Manglement at work, maybe.