[Andrew Diment]

I have only had my 4500 for a couple of months and, coincidentally, love it. It does everything I want it to do and it does it well. My point though is this. Why do I keep reading, on this site only, that it is due to be withdrawn from production? There are plenty of shops still selling it both real and internet and, a visit to Nikons website seems to indicate that all is well. On top of this, I have looked at a number of magazines lately where they compare all the different cameras and always place the 4500 near the top of their list. Surely, if anybody should know about the camera being stopped, the magazines should.

I don't suppose it would matter if it stopped but it's more comforting to know that ones equipment is still in production and, therefore, parts and accessories are readily available.

Does anyone here have hard evidence or can I rest easy that I've not bought something that may well become unserviceable in a year or twos time?

[Doug Greenberg]

The camera is no longer being imported into the United States by Nikon USA. Many dealers in the U.S. have acknowledged this. Even though the camera is still being sold around the world, this indicates that the end is nigh for this, apparently the last of the swivel Coolpixes. Having no secret contacts within the Nikon organization, I cannot even speculate how long it will be before the camera is officially defunct, but the writing is clearly on the wall. Nikon is pushing newer models, both at its web sites and in its advertising.

You probably don't read about this issue anywhere except here (and perhaps in the digiscoping discussion groups) because probably, no one else cares :-). Our needs are pretty specialized, and there are newer Nikon models that take excellent photographs and have similar resolution levels.

That said, this does not mean that your camera (and mine) will not be serviceable in a year or two. Nikon will continue to service the camera for as long as parts for it are still available, and you probably will be able to locate repair firms that can service it even past the time when Nikon say it cannot.

[Adey Baker]

I'm not a great fan of Nikon cameras but I have to say that if a demand exists then they will keep a model in production long after it has gone 'out of fashion.'

The FM-series of manual SLRs is a classic case in point.