UPDATE 1-Canon Q3 operating profit likely halved-Nikkei

TOKYO, Oct 23 - Canon Inc's quarterly operating profit likely halved from the previous year as a stronger yen and sluggish sales of copiers and laser printers weighed on it earnings, the Nikkei business daily said on Friday.

Canon is unlikely to change its earnings projection for a 60 percent fall in operating profit to 190 billion yen ($2.1 billion) for the year through December, the paper said.

That would be just shy of the average 197.9 billion yen estimate by 22 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

But Canon may revise its assumed dollar-yen rate for the October-December quarter to 90 yen from the current 95 yen, it said.

Canon likely earned around 60 billion yen in July-September, up 30 percent from the previous quarter, thanks to solid sales of its digital SLR cameras, but that would be a plunge from the previous year's 129.3 billion yen, the paper said.

That would be roughly in line with the average 58.4 billion yen estimate of six analysts polled by Thomson Reuters.

The stronger yen and sluggish sales of toner cartridges and other consumables have dragged down Canon's profit, despite strong sales of its EOS Kiss X3 camera, launched in the spring, and cost cuts, the paper said.