Nikon notched up record first quarter sales of digital SLRs and compact cameras as the group?s operating profits soared 15% on the same period a year ago.

?The Imaging Products Business, despite the effects of the further appreciating yen, managed to record year-on-year increases in both revenue and profit,? Nikon said in a statement today.

?Furthermore, both digital SLR cameras and compact digital cameras marked record highs for the number of units sold for the first quarter.?

The group?s operating income rose to 11,312 million yen from April to June – up 10,582 million yen on the year before.

This helped Nikon turn a net loss of 3,997 million yen into a net income of 8,154 million yen.