Interesting graphs showing what's happening in digital cameras

[GaryLH]

http://www.mirrorlessrumors.com/cam...-for-mirrorless-and-premium-compacts-expected

The first graphs shows how dslrs vs mirrorless vs advance compacts vs compacts are doing year over year.. Overall the digital camera market is declining due to the usual suspects as shown in the second graph. The prediction is that dslrs will hold their own from this year and mirrorless will get some more traction but the surprise prediction is that the advance compacts are going to do better. This would seem to include cameras like Sony RX family to Ricoh GR to Canon g1x to Fuji x20 to me.

Gary

 

[mfogiel]

I don't think most of us are concerned.

 

[Mackinaw]

Whoa. From 136 million digital cameras sold in 2011 to an estimated 75 million in 2014. No joy in those numbers. The camera manufacturers must be pulling their hair out trying to figure out what to do next. Cell phones are truly redefining mass-market photography.

Jim B.

 

[slidesandthecity]

I don't think most of us are concerned.

I agree.
...........

 

[btgc]

I believe, this days as technology evolves, manufacturers can release new models yearly instead of each 4-6 month as before, when they replaced models like tissues.

 

[GaryLH]

True. And when wants to jump on or off that merry go round is up to the individual. But I really have a hard time understanding where some of the real profit margins are coming from w/ such a short turn around. I want to c these guys stay in business not this last man standing type stuff. For the consumer that is willing to wait for last years model to go on sale, these quick product turn around cycles are great.

Gary

 

[Ansel]

Interesting. So basically digital cameras are on the decline, year after year and pale in comparison to mobile phone cameras...

 

[btgc]

T For the consumer that is willing to wait for last years model to go on sale, these quick product turn around cycles are great.

Nice they don't employ (yet) strategy to just dump remaining stock instead of fire-selling it.
Then activate timer making camera working only few months after warranty expires and second hand market would be eliminated.

Until that, model race creates great purchase opportunities.

 

[JPSuisse]

Yikes! Feel sorry for the people working in that industry... They appear to be following close on the heels of Kodak. Is the death of the digital camera near?

On a funnier note, I am totally amazed at the number of people I see taking pictures with their iPads. Never would I have thought to have used that tool for pics...

 

[sparrow6224]

No one has noted (in writing) that only one category of digital sales is going down: the cheaper compacts. Every other category (SLR, mirrorless, high end fixed lens) has grown. Which result is obvious: your phone is as useful just about any cheap compact you can buy. Ergo, halved sales.

 

[GaryLH]

Yep biggest loser is the low end compact p&s.

But as I look at this info a second time, the more interesting result of the 2013 sales figures is that dslr and mirrorless sales are essentially neck and neck. I wish they broke out by region as well.. In the past, I have been told that dslr is king in the US as compared to other parts of the world.. I would be interested in knowing if this still holds true.

Gary

 

[YYV_146]

Yep biggest loser is the low end compact p&s.

But as I look at this info a second time, the more interesting result of the 2013 sales figures is that dslr and mirrorless sales are essentially neck and neck. I wish they broke out by region as well.. In the past, I have been told that dslr is king in the US as compared to other parts of the world.. I would be interested in knowing if this still holds true.

Gary

In Korea Sony system camera sales (a and e mount) actually were higher than Canon's last quarter...

Asia is definitely the growth engine for mirrorless sales, M43 is quite popular among young people in China, and Fuji is of course rather well-received by photographers worldwide.

 

[Aristophanes]

The article is wrong. The market is not shrinking. It is maturing. Growth is slowing considerably. Wit higher MPs and better systems overall, people are hanging on to their equipment much longer. This happened in film photography as well, in cycles.

 

[Mackinaw]

.......Wit higher MPs and better systems overall, people are hanging on to their equipment much longer. This happened in film photography as well, in cycles.

Not really. People are throwing their digital cameras in the closet and are now using cell phones to take their pictures. A look at both of the graphs clearly shows that.

Jim B.

 

[Aristophanes]

Not really. People are throwing their digital cameras in the closet and are now using cell phones to take their pictures. A look at both of the graphs clearly shows that.

Jim B.

They are doing both. They are simply extending the life of both by sharing photo opportunities between them.

The exact same thing happened repeatedly in the film era, especially as compact got smaller, more automated, and autofocus. Then they reached their IQ limits, the industry tried APS, and when the reviews of that method were too negative people rediscovered larger formats and better films that could make the most of new technology. And SLRs also got smaller.

 

[GaryLH]

And then there were enough people that were also perfectly happy w/ the Kodak instamatic. The cell phone camera today maybe overall better iq then the average 126 cartridge camera of the day.

Gary

 

[charjohncarter]

And then there were enough people that were also perfectly happy w/ the Kodak instamatic. The cell phone camera today maybe overall better iq then the average 126 cartridge camera of the day.

Gary

Oh Yeah!!!:

A joke, but for tones.

 

[rluka]

I believe, this days as technology evolves, manufacturers can release new models yearly instead of each 4-6 month as before, when they replaced models like tissues.

But don't they need to release it every season ?
It's hard to sell (in required volume) anything but the latest. Why buy this Canon when Nikon already released a newer model that one-upped the Canon's specification ? You'll just get buyer's regret because you bought the lesser product when you can get the better with same price.

(for casual buyers, not those who are serious in practical photography or pixel peeping)

 

[Jonik]

i bet there's a film around there, pointing and laughing.