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Camera sales are continuing to fall off a cliff.


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clonk

 

The latest data from the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) shows them in a swoon befitting a Bollywood roadside Romeo. All four big camera brands â Sony, Fuji, Canon, and Nikon â are reposting rapid declines. And it is not just the point and shoot cameras whose sales are collapsing. We also see sales of higher-end DSLR cameras stall. And â wait for it â even mirrorless cameras, which were supposed to be a panacea for all that ails the camera business, are heading south.

 

Of course, by aggressively introducing newer and newer cameras with marginal improvements, companies like Fuji and Sony are finding that they might have created a headache. There is now a substantial aftermarket for casual photographers looking to save money on the companies" generation-old products. Even those who can afford to buy the big 60-100 megapixel cameras are pausing. After all, doing so also involves buying a beefier computer.

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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The article is on point.

 

The last few cameras I have purchased have been used DSLRs because of the price coupled with incremental, marginal improvements. Point and shoot camera sales charts look like an orange rolling off a table. DSLR sales have typically fallen by 15-20% in the last year, depending on which company has been reporting.

 

And so far, Canon and Nikon's mirrorless efforts have been met with a collective "meh" in terms of sales. I believe that they will come out with more compelling mirrorless product soon, and that this might hoist sales a bit, but don't expect them to light it up. When they have more choices of lens (both Canon and Nikon's new mirrorless bodies have new mounts, and therefore have far less lens, although you can adapt old lenses easily) and have bodies that offer more of what photographers want (two card slots would be nice), you might see an improvement on sales, but not a giant leap.

 

As for big 60-100MP cameras, no photographer I've spoken to has said, "Oh gee, I sure would love to have more megapixels!". Maybe fashion photographers might want that, but most photographers I interact with want greater low noise performance and greater dynamic range, and most also want touch screens that are easy to use, articulating screens, firmware updates that really matter (thank you, Fuji), eye-focus that really works, and other cool features. And sure, lighter cameras....to a point.

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The second half of the article does show lens sales which is an important profit factor for the camera companies. While camera sales have dropped significantly, lens sales have gone up and been relatively steady in comparison. The change in both Canon and Nikon mounts for their mirrorless offerings will mean bigger lens sales in the future - especially since they're not phasing out their current mounts anytime soon.

-Mike Martin

 

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The Big Picture Photography Forum on Music Player Network

 

The opinions I post here are my own and do not represent the company I work for.

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Maybe if the large manufacturers offer an interface similar to a phone (a beautiful looking touchscreen and many of the features you might find in a higher quality photography app for controlling the camera or finding focus), articulating screen, noticeably greater low noise capability, noticeably greater dynamic range, noticeably better focusing in low light, high quality eye-focus, AI features such as compositing, time-lapse with ramping, automatic focus stacking, blending or HDR, light field recording a la Lytro, simple mini-USB connectivity to an exterior power brick, and easy connectivity via cellular data or wifi (that's right....a camera with cellular data collectivity instead of a phone that happens to have a camera as one of its many features), people might be interested.

 

I want a camera like that. Don't you?

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Yeah, and I bet the smartphone cameras are going to be implementing a lot of those features as they are able, while the camera companies aren't focused on that sort of tech. I'd even bet there are some people inside those camera companies wanting to do some of those things, and the higher-ups are saying no.

 

I hope I'm wrong for the sake of those companies.

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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Interesting article, thanks for sharing, Joe! I'm looking forward to better and better smartphone cameras, though I don't think they'll replace standalone mirrorless or DSLR cameras in the next decade. I'm also happy about manufacturers churning out new models. Like it says in the part you quoted above, I'm a happy camper buying great used gear for half the price.
It's not a clone, it's a Suzuki.
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I purchased a Pentax 15-30mm f/2.8 lens used, and am going to purchase a Pentax K1 DSLR for that lens soon, also used. I purchased my Nikon D750 used as well. I love getting used stuff. Much of my music and camera equipment is used.
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