Digital Camera Sales Continue to Decrease

[Mackinaw]

I suppose by now, this is hardly shocking news, but digital camera sales continue to decrease. 2018 sales are 22% lower than what was recorded in 2017. And 2019 camera sales, through May, are behind that of last year. Smartphones of course, are the reason. Overall, Canon and Fuji seem to be doing well, but Nikon is not. Interesting read, if anything.

https://petapixel.com/2019/07/08/ca...in-2018-but-camera-market-continues-to-bleed/

Jim B.

 

[raydm6]

I rarely see digital cameras other than smartphones myself. My last digital purchase was a Canon S90 as I am more into vintage cameras anyway and use my iPhone for snaps.

My next digital purchase will be a 2020 iPhone (5g w/enhanced camera & triple lens array lens) if rumors pan out.

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

Smartphones may be the main reason for the decline in digital camera sales, but they are not the only reason. I think that an equally important reason is that digital cameras are not fun to use. This is also why there seems to be a (small) resurgence in the use of film cameras.



As one example, the operators' manual for the Nikon Z7 is 496 pages long. Who in the world wants to use a device that complicated to do a simple thing like taking a picture? The owner's manual for the Nikon FM/FE, Olympus OM-1, and Pentax Spotmatics and K series cameras are only about 20 pages long (excluding the marketing fluff for lenses and accessories) and those cameras are a joy to use. That's why smartphones are killing digital cameras—they make photography simple and fun again.

 

[Huss]

Smartphones may be the main reason for the decline in digital camera sales, but they are not the only reason. I think that an equally important reason is that digital cameras are not fun to use. This is also why there seems to be a (small) resurgence in the use of film cameras.



As one example, the operators' manual for the Nikon Z7 is 496 pages long. Who in the world wants to use a device that complicated to do a simple thing like taking a picture? The owner's manual for the Nikon FM/FE, Olympus OM-1, and Pentax Spotmatics and K series cameras are only about 20 pages long (excluding the marketing fluff for lenses and accessories) and those cameras are a joy to use. That's why smartphones are killing digital cameras—they make photography simple and fun again.

I never cracked open the manual for my Z7. Going through the menus and setting stuff up the way I want is very intuitive. And if you don't want to do that and just shoot it in Program mode, you can do that too.

The reason sales are dying is no-one cares about dedicated digital cameras anymore. By no-one I am talking about the average person, not someone who lives on whatever enthusiast site. Digi cams became good enough for 99% of people years ago. And now (actually for a while now) so have the cameras in phones. Peeps always have their phones with them, so that means they always have the camera in the phone with them. Why use anything else?

The resurgence in film is because it is not digital. Simple as that.

 

[gavinlg]

Smartphones may be the main reason for the decline in digital camera sales, but they are not the only reason. I think that an equally important reason is that digital cameras are not fun to use. This is also why there seems to be a (small) resurgence in the use of film cameras.



As one example, the operators' manual for the Nikon Z7 is 496 pages long. Who in the world wants to use a device that complicated to do a simple thing like taking a picture? The owner's manual for the Nikon FM/FE, Olympus OM-1, and Pentax Spotmatics and K series cameras are only about 20 pages long (excluding the marketing fluff for lenses and accessories) and those cameras are a joy to use. That's why smartphones are killing digital cameras—they make photography simple and fun again.

100% agree. The only digital cameras that are truly fun are Fuji’s and Leicas IMO and even the Fuji’s are getting a little unwieldy. I got an xt10 for my
Dad and he barely uses it over his iPhone because he finds the features and interface a bit overwhelming.

 

[PRJ]

The megapickle race spurred sales on, but that is pretty much over. People always wanted the biggest pickle. People don't really see the need to buy a new camera anymore, especially since everything is online now. Anything made in the last ten years is good enough, and even some cameras made before that. Look at the popularity of videos for the original Canon 5d. People realized 12 megapickels is all they really need, and the used prices actually increased. Ten years ago pretty much anyone would have predicted that the professional cameras would have reached hundreds of megapickles by now, but nope.

And cellphones have pretty much arrived of course. We all know that. Me me me now now now!

 

[al1966]

The megapickle race spurred sales on, but that is pretty much over. People always wanted the biggest pickle. People don't really see the need to buy a new camera anymore, especially since everything is online now. Anything made in the last ten years is good enough, and even some cameras made before that. Look at the popularity of videos for the original Canon 5d. People realized 12 megapickels is all they really need, and the used prices actually increased. Ten years ago pretty much anyone would have predicted that the professional cameras would have reached hundreds of megapickles by now, but nope.

And cellphones have pretty much arrived of course. We all know that. Me me me now now now!

It is very much this, the jump from gen to gen of earlier DSLR type cameras was significant with improvements in resolution and lower light performance. Once 10mp was hit there was enough resolution for the majority of peoples needs an acceptable A3 could be made and most will do an A4 if at all. Now I look at cameras and have not for ages felt a major jump has been made even in alternate generations, certainly not enough to buy a new camera. I question the falling sales, yes less cameras are being sold but more that the market is returning to some form of equilibrium where a large number are not getting the latest thing but going back to replacing one when it is beginning to wear out. I am sure for large periods pre digital the camera market was around this level.

Yes old cameras like the OM1 or AE1 are so much more pleasurable to use.

 

[benlees]

100% agree. The only digital cameras that are truly fun are Fuji’s and Leicas IMO and even the Fuji’s are getting a little unwieldy. I got an xt10 for my
Dad and he barely uses it over his iPhone because he finds the features and interface a bit overwhelming.

Also agree. I have been finding my X-Pro 1 a bit cumbersome lately; I'm always changing something on the camera unintentionally as I walk around. Small problem, for sure, but the ergonomics of digital cameras are terrible. Sadly, Leicas seem to be the best in this regard. I may have to go to the dark side and start saving for a used Leica Q...

 

[Archlich]

Even digital cameras were all made super fun (for whom? we all have different definitions for "fun"), and super cheap to have, sales will still decline. Very few people would like to shed extra time, money and the trouble just for fun in picture making, or picture making at all. Such is the status of images in today's visual world: couldn't bother for the extra reward as long as it's not completely trouble-free.

 

[jsrockit]

The monthly doom and gloom thread...

 

[Keith]

The monthly doom and gloom thread...

Your perception maybe?

 

[jsrockit]

Your perception maybe?

Are you saying you don't see a thread like this every month? Maybe I am imagining it...

 

[Mackinaw]

Not every month, but maybe every six months when the latest sales data comes out.

Jim B.

 

[splitimageview]

Modern digitals need:

• a modern user interface
• a modern display

Today’s digitals have user interfaces seemingly from the DOS era.

Camera manufacturers need to make their products easy to use, not requiring a college course.

Maybe then they can stop the decline...or at least reduce it.

 

[jsrockit]

Not every month, but maybe every six months when the latest sales data comes out.

Jim B.

You might be right. I think I’m confusing it with the film doom and gloom threads.

 

[Ted Striker]

I rarely see digital cameras other than smartphones myself. My last digital purchase was a Canon S90 as I am more into vintage cameras anyway and use my iPhone for snaps.

My next digital purchase will be a 2020 iPhone (5g w/enhanced camera & triple lens array lens) if rumors pan out.

I just thought of this last week when I was out with my family. I saw one person with a Nikon SLR and that was the first camera I have seen in public in 6 months or more. It is now an absolutely rare sight. Didn't used to be that way of course. But now when I'm at one of my kid's events at their schools, I never, EVER see traditional digital cameras. It's 100% phones, myself included. I have roughly 10 digital cameras and I have not used them in close to 3 years. I dont even know where their battery chargers are. My iPhone X does just fine taking photos. I have zero temptation to buy a digital camera which feels weird. I used to have semi annual arguments with my wife about why I had to by the latest camera released. It was sooo predictable for 6 years. Now that never happens.

 

[Keith]

You might be right. I think I’m confusing it with the film doom and gloom threads.

Where there is light there is often dark ... think of the doom and gloom stuff as the darks! 😀

I'm no use to them ... I haven't bought a digital camera in five years and I have an i-phone 6 that I'm perfectly happy with! 😛

 

[css9450]

I think that an equally important reason is that digital cameras are not fun to use.


As one example, the operators' manual for the Nikon Z7 is 496 pages long. Who in the world wants to use a device that complicated to do a simple thing like taking a picture?

Is it "photography" that is or is not fun, or just the use of the camera? I enjoy my digital cameras and use them every weekend. They're fun. But I suppose if my photography was in a rut, no camera or different kind of camera would suddenly make it "fun".


And the manual? I bet with just a glance at three or four pages most people here would be shooting that Z7 as if they'd owned it for years, especially existing Nikon users. And users of other brands? I'm sure most could grasp it in just a few more pages.

 

[Ste_S]

Chalk me down as another person who just uses cameras for film and phones for digital

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Smartphones may be the main reason for the decline in digital camera sales, but they are not the only reason. I think that an equally important reason is that digital cameras are not fun to use. This is also why there seems to be a (small) resurgence in the use of film cameras.



As one example, the operators' manual for the Nikon Z7 is 496 pages long. Who in the world wants to use a device that complicated to do a simple thing like taking a picture? The owner's manual for the Nikon FM/FE, Olympus OM-1, and Pentax Spotmatics and K series cameras are only about 20 pages long (excluding the marketing fluff for lenses and accessories) and those cameras are a joy to use. That's why smartphones are killing digital cameras—they make photography simple and fun again.

I'm looking at photographer jobs local postings. They have requirements for cameras and lenses. No photography jobs with mobile. Except record it on video and dump it on local media reporter thing. Not bad at all, but it is not my cap of tea. Anything else image related required dedicated camera and lenses.

And to me mobile phones are boring and limiting to use for photography.

But I know well what you are saying. People who are incapable of RTFM are more abundant these days. 🙂
At my current work, younger colleagues are getting phone calls from customers, who are not RTFM, then they are asking same thing on chat, simply because they are not RTFM, then we RTFM and post it for them.