New entry-level Nikon DSLR camera coming in the near future

A new entry-level Nikon DSLR camera might be announced by the end of the year, as the company is aiming to improve its disastrous sales and revenue.

Nikon has posted the financial report for the second quarter of the 2013 calendar year. Unfortunately for the company, the past, present, and future are not looking good, as sales and revenue have dropped once again.

Nikon D3200 is the company’s entry-level DSLR. An even lower-end camera will become available soon and will most likely compete against the Canon Rebel SL1.

Nikon camera sales are dropping much faster than expected

The most disappointing results come from the mirrorless segment. Although Coolpix compact camera sales have taken the biggest hit, Nikon was expecting to sell more 1-system units.

These results have forced the company to cut down its sales forecast. As a result, Nikon says that it will sell 6.55 million cameras during Q3 2013, down from the 7.1 million planned at the beginning of the year.

New entry-level Nikon DSLR camera to be released soon

Nevertheless, the company has a backup plan, which consists of several key points. The first consists of a new entry-level Nikon DSLR camera.

The report officially mentions such a device, therefore it cannot be considered a rumor. However, there are no indications about its specifications, or its price point.

Canon Rebel SL1 competitor is the most likely candidate

If it were to speculate, then the first thing that comes to mind is a real competitor for the Canon Rebel SL1. This shooter has become the world’s smallest DSLR camera ever and it has been launched earlier this year.

The Rebel SL1 / EOS 100D / Kiss X7 features an 18-megapixel image sensor, DIGIC 5 processor, full HD video recording at 30 frames per second, 3-inch LCD touchscreen, 9-point AF system, and up to 4fps in continuous shooting mode.

The Canon Rebel SL1 is available for $649 at Amazon.

How low can Nikon go?

Additionally, it is worth noting that the Nikon D3200’s fate is unknown. The company may choose to replace it with a new version soon, but it is unlikely that the D3300 will be released by the end of 2013.

It will be interesting to see how low will Nikon go in terms of price point. The D3200 can be bought for only $546.95 with an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens kit at Amazon, which is already a very low amount.