Nikon delays D6 camera due to lack of parts

Nikon just announced a delay of its D6 camera for professional sports photographers. The company originally planned for a March release, but that’s been pushed back to sometime in May due to a shortage of components caused by actions taken to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. The camera is expected to be a big seller ahead of the summer Olympic games in Tokyo scheduled to begin in July.

”As a result of delays in the procurement of parts and components from a third-party cooperating company due to measures implemented in response to the spread of COVID-19, the release of the new Nikon D6 digital SLR camera, originally planned for March 2020, will be delayed,” said Nikon in a statement.

Nikon and others have seen their product timelines disrupted by an upending of the global supply chain in recent months. In response to the new coronavirus, the Chinese government closed factories and restricted travel for millions of workers, many of whom are responsible for the assembly of products like the iPhone or producing parts for Teslas. With the rate of new infections now falling across China, manufacturing giants like Foxconn are expecting to be back to normal operation by the end of this month.

The Tokyo Olympics are also under threat by the spread of the coronavirus. Last week, the New York Times reported that a fan-free Olympics was one of a number of options being discussed in an effort to avoid cancelling the Games.

Nikon says it will announce a new release date once it has a better handle on the situation.