Re: The annual bout of depression...

David,

I think Kodak recently estimated a reduction of 30% in film sales this coming year compared to last year.

John

On Apr 14, 2005, at 7:46 AM, David Young wrote:

All:

Most of us here are still film enthusiasts... Douglas & Aram (and perhaps Ted) excepted.

For the rest of us Luddites, the annual issuing of sales statistics from the CITA (Canadian Imaging Trade Association) can be a bit depressing. But, here are the numbers.

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 (Est)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Digital Cameras 235 433 881 1488 2301 2800 (000's of units.)

Film Cameras            1,617   1,440   1,115   738     328     194     (000's 
of units.)
(inc. SLR/P&S/APS)  

Perhaps the most telling tale is the sale of film.

Film                    66,140  56,654  54,501  46,282  31,198  25,875  (000's 
of rolls.)

Professional films have taken an even bigger hit. :(

The numbers will be different in other countries, but the percentages are likely very similar.

Traditional camera makers are watching their backs. As more and more consumer electronics makers enter the photographic arena (Samsung, Panasonic & Sony are good examples) they are finding it harder and harder to sustain their traditional market shares. This could cause some to leave the field. Contax/Yashica/Kyocera already has!

The mega pixel wars seem almost over, as the traditional makers concentrate on cleaner style, better lenses and more user-friendly features, including a lot of work reducing the infamous 'shutter lag'.

All makers must beware of new competition... for digital cameras are easier/cheaper/faster to design than their traditional film counterparts. DXG, a new brand, has captured 2% of the US market within just 90 days! I've not seen their stuff, but I'm told they offer a good product with great design. They reported selling 25,000 3mp cameras through QVS (one of the home shopping networks in the US), in a single day!

With film camera sales now just 12% of what they were in 2000 and film sales at 39% of what they were 5 years ago, the handwriting is not only on the wall... it is written large!

Please don't shoot the messenger.

David.

PS: Much more detailed information can be found at http://www.citacanada.ca/News/industry.htm for those who have a truly morbid curiosity.

----------

David Young,     | égalité, liberté,
Victoria, CANADA | fraternité et Beaujolais.

Personal Web-site at:
        http://www.horizon.bc.ca/~dnr
Leica Reflex Forum web-page:
        http://www.horizon.bc.ca/~dnr/lrflex.htm


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