2010 Camera outlook on still sees increase, according to CIPA
The Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has announced the outlook on the shipment forecasts for 2010 concerning cameras and related goods by product-type. In 2009, the total shipments of digital cameras reached 105.9 million units, exceeding the performance in 2007 for the third consecutive year. Shipments broke through the 100 million unit mark for the first time since CIPA began compiling statistics in 2007.
Shipments in 2009 decreased 11.6 percent compared to 2008 when shipments exceeded 119 million units; shipments of cameras with built-in lenses (compact digital cameras) decreased 12.8 percent while shipments of digital SLR cameras (with interchangeable lenses) increased by 2.3 percent. Additionally, shipments of interchangeable lenses for SLR cameras reached 16.1 million units in 2009, representing and increase of 2.8 percent from the previous year, and exhibiting solid growth in categories with higher values.
The forecast for shipments of digital cameras in 2010 is 109.9 million units, representing a 3.8 percent increase over this past year. Shipments of digital cameras are forecasted to grow 3 percent, reaching 98.9 million units. Compact digital camera shipments are expected to increase by 3 percent while digital SLR shipments are expected to increase by 11.1 percent. Outside of Japan DSLR shipments are anticipated to grow 12.5 percent, to 9.9 million units. As the market for DSLR cameras continues to expand, the shipment of interchangeable lenses is forecasted to grow to 17.9 million units, an 11.2 percent increase.
PMA Monthly Printing and Camera Trends Report – November
PMA Marketing Research, Jackson, Mich., has released the PMA Monthly Printing and Camera Trends Report covering highlights and overviews through November 2009. According to the report, the volume of prints made from digital-still camera images increased by 1 percent and home printing grew by 3 percent. Statistics from the NPD Group Inc. showed that overall demand for digital cameras increased 2 percent in November. The PMA monthly printing and camera trends report, for the month of November, in PDF format, is available to members on the Marketing Research website.
PMA Data Watch: Instant cameras make up large portion of film camera sales
According to PMA Marketing Research, instant camera market share appears to be dropping at a lower rate than other film camera types. NPD Group, Inc. estimates one-third of film cameras sold in the first half of 2009 were instant cameras. Several new instant camera models were released in recent times and offset some of the decline in other types of film camera sales.
Instant cameras that were released recently include the Fujifilm Instax Mini 7S Instant Camera and the Instax Mini Instant Color Film. These cameras were introduced in the U.S. market this past September. Polaroid relaunched some of the most popular instant cameras in 2009 after the response to the demise of Polaroid instant film. Additional instant cameras from Polaroid will be released in mid-2010.
Over the past few years the share of film camera sales that are instant cameras has been growing. In 2005, instant cameras made up 14 percent share of film camera sales. The share has increased steadily each year since. By 2009 instant camera share more than doubled, increasing to 31 percent. The number of instant camera units, however, has been steadily declining as film camera sales continue to lose importance in the minds of consumers. The declines was steepest between 2003 and 2006 but has leveled off in the past few years.
PMA Data Watch: Photo publishing product prices remain consistent
Each quarter, PMA Marketing Research reviews a variety of online photo sites tracking the latest prices and other news related to photo publishing products to report in Newsline International. Spending on photo publishing products was estimated to hit about $1.2 billion in 2008 and was expected to grow only slightly (one percent) this past year. Photo publishing products are, however, affordable in relation to other gift products and retailers continue to promote them.
Calendars and greeting cards were greatly emphasized on the majority of the sites with the New Year in tow and Valentines Day rapidly approaching. Photo books remain prominent, as well. Shutterfly had a promotion to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation over this past holiday season and photo books and proceeds will be donated to the foundation throughout 2010. As usual, prices did not vary much among similar products across the sites that were surveyed. Numerous winter specials were taking place. Snapfish offered 40 percent off a variety of winter themed items. Shutterfly and Costco featured a New Years sale where photo books were 20 percent off. CVS was having a sale on all photo gift items.
Determining an average price for certain products has become increasingly difficult due to the wide variety of sizes and styles available. Sometimes changes in average prices reflect new and improved product offerings, or the addition or subtraction of a product. Average prices documented this quarter for photo books were pretty much the same as last quarter. Average prices for mugs and mousepads did not change either. The average price of photo canvases, posters and personalized photo calendars declined a little bit. Finally, greeting card prices varied slightly. Prices are listed for folded greeting cards and photo cards.
There are many photo sites on the market that were not part of the informal survey by PMA Marketing Research and new photo sites are constantly being created, so these averages do not necessarily represent the entire online custom photo gift market. Limited time sales prices were also not included in the average prices.
A more detailed report of custom product prices is available on the PMA Marketing Research website.
PMA Data Watch: Online print prices – how do they compare?
The average price of a basic 4-by-6 inch print based on the sites surveyed remained at 14 cents, just as it was in October. One site decreased the price while another increased it ever so slightly keeping the average consistent. Nine of the listed sites continue to offer standard prints below 10 cents per print. The average prices for 5-by-7 inch, 8-by-10 inch prints and 11-by-14 inch prints fell slightly this quarter. A few minor changes were implemented in the shipping category causing the average to slip by only one cent.
The New Year has many sites advertising print discounts and really encouraging printing all of the past year’s photos by purchasing prepaid print plans. Some sites were also offering limited time discounts on prints, especially for larger quantities, without the need to sign up for a particular plan. Larger prints specials appeared to be on special on several of the sites.
A more detailed report of January online print prices is available to members only on the Marketing Research website.
PMA Data Watch: A look at film usage and digital camera users
According to the 2009 PMA U.S. Consumer Photo Buying Report, 36 percent of U.S. households purchased film in 2008. On average, households purchased 4.3 rolls of film or one-time-use cameras. Twenty-nine percent of households processed film in 2008, with an average of 3.4 rolls of film or one-time-use cameras being processed. Not surprisingly, non-digital camera households purchase and process more film and one-time-use cameras.
In 2008, just 25 percent of digital camera households processed film or one-time-use cameras. This was a big drop from the 62 percent that did so in 2005. Film purchasing is also on the decline as only 31 percent of households purchased it in 2008. In 2005, this number was nearly double, at 56 percent. Forty-four percent of households that do not own digital cameras purchased film in 2008 and 35 percent of non-owner households processed film.
Seventy-two percent of digital camera owners still owned film cameras in 2005, but that number dropped to just 46 percent by 2008. As digital camera penetration increased between 2005 and 2008, so did broadband internet usage. In 2005, 57 percent of households had broadband internet, increasing to 77 percent by 2008. Households using dial-up internet dropped from 33 percent to 11 percent over this time period. Households having no internet service and households owning camcorders was relatively stable over the past few years.
