Here in the US, a large shipment of Nikon Z products hit dealers this week. Since I did a shipping status update on them, I thought it appropriate to do one for the Nikon DSLR side, too:
- D3500, D5600, D7500 DSLRs, including most kits: plentiful supply. Reasonable supply available, though some dealers may have short-term sellouts of some SKUs as they try to keep their inventories to a minimum during the pandemic.
- D500 DSLR: basically in stock. Reasonable supply available, though some dealers may have short-term sellouts as they try to keep their inventories to a minimum during the pandemic.
- D610 DSLR: mostly out of stock. A few units pop up at the bigger dealers from time to time as Nikon empties the cupboards.
- D750 DSLR: plentiful supply. I'm not sure how long this will last, but I'm not seeing a lot of out of stock notices, even on the US$1100 refurbished models. Nikon will be emptying the cupboards of D750's sometime this year, I'd guess.
- D780 DSLR: sometimes out of stock. This is a new status for this camera. I get the impression that deliveries are regular, but small, and dealers aren't sitting on much of an inventory.
- D850 DSLR: sometimes out of stock. This is a new status for the camera that still is probably the best all-around model Nikon (or anyone) makes. I get the impression that deliveries are regular, but small, and dealers aren't sitting on much of an inventory.
- D5 DSLR (refurbished): plentiful supply. Reasonable supply available today of refurbished units, but it's not clear when supply will run out. New units are mostly out of stock.
- D6 DSLR: completely out of stock. The first shipment mostly went to NPS priority purchase orders. I ordered mine late, and it took several weeks for NikonUSA to fulfill an NPS order on it. These units seem to dribble into the country just a few at a time.
- Df DSLR: sometimes out of stock.. We're probably seeing the last of these units as the D4 sensors slowly dwindle in supply. Expect to pay top dollar for one.
- f/1.4 primes: mostly in stock, the 105mm being the most limited, and which goes on back order from time to time. Overall, a reasonable supply is available, though some dealers may have short-term sellouts as they try to keep their inventories to a minimum during the pandemic.
- f/1.8 primes: sometimes in stock, the 24mm, 50mm, and 85mm being the most limited, and which go on back order from time to time. Overall, a reasonable supply seems to be available, though some dealers may have short-term sellouts as they try to keep their inventories to a minimum during the pandemic.
- DX lenses: mostly in stock. Some very short term supply disruptions for a few lenses. The 10-24mm AF-P has been in short supply since I started recommending it on an FTZ adapter with the Z50.
- 14-24mm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8: basically in stock. Reasonable supply available, though some dealers may have short-term sellouts as they try to keep their inventories to a minimum during the pandemic.
- 16-35mm f/4, 24-120mm f/4, 70-200mm f/4: basically in stock. Reasonable supply available, though some dealers may have short-term sellouts as they try to keep their inventories to a minimum during the pandemic.
- 8-15mm, 18-35mm, 24-85mm variable aperture zooms: basically in stock, except for 18-35mm. Reasonable supply available, though some dealers may have short-term sellouts as they try to keep their inventories to a minimum during the pandemic. The 18-35mm is now trending towards being sometimes out of stock.
- 200-500mm f/5.6: sometimes out of stock. This is still a popular lens. Nikon seems to replenish stock every couple of weeks or so, but I've seen it go from always in stock to now being out of stock some of the time.
- 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 AF-P, 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G: basically in stock. Reasonable supply available, though some dealers may have short-term sellouts as they try to keep their inventories to a minimum during the pandemic.
- 300mm f/4E PF: basically in stock. Reasonable supply available, though some dealers may have short-term sellouts as they try to keep their inventories to a minimum during the pandemic.
- 500mm f/5.6E PF: perpetually out of stock. This lens remains back-ordered everywhere. Every month we get a low three-digit number coming into the US, and that isn't enough to fulfill all backorders. This lens is likely to show this same status for a long time. The only way to really get one within 30-60 days is to find an authorized dealer with no wait list who will submit an order request to NikonUSA.
- Exotics (120-300mm f/2.8, 180-400mm, 200mm f/2, 400mm f/2.8, 500mm f/4, etc.): sometimes in stock. Reasonable supply is available if you're willing to shop around or wait a short bit; some dealers may have short-term sellouts as they try to keep their inventories to a minimum during the pandemic, particularly of these expensive units. If a dealer falls out of stock and puts an order in, they usually get it in a 14-45 day window.
- Micro-Nikkors: sometimes in stock. A lot of the Micro-Nikkors seem to drift in and out of supply now.
- PC-E's: basically in stock. Reasonable supply available, though some dealers may have short-term sellouts as they try to keep their inventories to a minimum during the pandemic.
- TC 1.4x, TC 1.7x, and TC 2.0x: basically in stock. Reasonable supply available, though some dealers may have short-term sellouts as they try to keep their inventories to a minimum during the pandemic.
With lenses, I expect to see Nikon cut some models in 2021. That won't be any of the lenses you probably want, but in looking around closely I see a lot of older screw-drive AF and MF lenses that are starting to show up as back-ordered more and more often. I don't think Nikon is making these lenses other than perhaps creating a very small batch from time to time. If I were them, I'd just mark them "Special Order" and stop promoting them the same as their main lens lineup.
- WR-R10 set: mostly out of stock. As new batches enter the US, they mostly go to people on wait lists, though each shipment seems to have few "extras". The problem is that shipments are few and far between as far as I can tell.
- EN-EL15, EN-EL15B: plentiful supply.
- EN-EL15C: mostly out of stock. As usual, small accessories tend to be back-ordered when they first appear.
- EN-EL18C: plentiful supply.
- EH-5D/EP-5B AC adapter set: mostly out of stock.
- EH-6C AC adapter set: mostly out of stock.
- MB grips: mostly in stock. Reasonable supply available, though the D500 and D850 options do seem to go out of stock from time to time.
- Various chargers and battery doors: mostly out of stock. Have no idea why Nikon can't keep some of these things in stock.
