To reduce production costs, Canon says it plans to fully automate its camera production.
Robotic production lines may be operational in three years, and may offset further outsourcing of factory work to countries with lower labor costs such as China.
Marker researcher InfoTrends expects interchangeable lens cameras to account for more than 50 percent of total U.S. digital camera market revenue by 2016.
The firm’s latest study will explore “what drives photo activity among owners of DILCs, and which services and products they use and anticipate using in the future.”
More information on the 2012 U.S. Interchangeable Lens Camera Market is here.
http://www.infotrends.com/public/Content/Multiclients/DILC2012.html
“The connected experience is the future of imaging,” says market researcher InfoTrends. “The consumer electronics industry is promoting connected experiences connecting devices like TVs, set top boxes, game consoles, mobile phones, PCs, and tablets with personal and commercial content as well as services. If digital cameras do not integrate with this ecosystem, they run the risk of being left out of the equation.”
Consumers will expect connectivity in future electronic devices, the firm adds. “Digital camera vendors must satisfy this expectation or risk losing a customer.”
WiFi connectivity is beginning to show up as a standard feature and optional accessory in a handful of point & shoot and interchangeable lens cameras, Infotrends notes. “Vendors need to increase the velocity of these introductions and make 2012 the Year of the Connected Camera. Camera vendors can no longer continue solely down the path of standalone digital cameras. All vendors should have at least one WiFi enabled point & shoot or ILC model in their line-up, and move towards offering WiFi as a standard feature.”
InfoTrends’ North America Consumer Digital Camera Forecast: 2011-2017 examines the number of shipments, revenue, installed base, market trends, market drivers, and barriers for point & shoot cameras and digital interchangeable lenses for North America and the U.S. over the forecasted period.
Consumer demand for WiFi capabilities in cameras continues to increase, reports Market Insight: In the first quarter of 2012, 7.9 percent rated Wi-Fi as “very desirable.” That’s not much, but it’s more than the 5.5–7.4 percent during the previous four quarters.
Strangely, the desire seems brand-specific: for example, of the shoppers who expressed a strong preference for Fujifilm, 17.1% wanted WiFi.
“As built-in cameras on mobile devices popularize wireless instant photo sharing, consumer expectations for similar capabilities on their dedicated digital cameras continue to increase,” the firm concludes. It sampled more than 59,000 camera shoppers visiting its MyProductAdvisor.com site.
How can other industries use photography? Robert Mathewson, CEO of Geedra, explains how he is bringing smart photography to the construction business, and what intelligent imaging can do for the photography industry.
The full interview is available for free download here.
BCC Research claims the photography market should reach $82.5 billion by 2016.
The global digital photography market was valued at $65.6 billion in 2010, and $68.4 billion in 2011, BCC Research adds. The 2016 prediction reflects a 3.8 percent compound annual growth rate.
Cameras and lenses account for the bulk of the photography market, the firm reports, representing 55 percent of global sales. This market segment was valued at $37.6 billion in 2011, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8 percent, reaching $49.8 billion in 2016.
The photo print industry is struggling to maintain growth, BVV concludes:. In 2016, the segment is expected to slide in sales, decreasing to $24.7 billion, down from $25 billion in 2011.
However, “Photography services account for several hundred billion more in revenues and the opportunities for providing these services digitally have become big business.”
New research sheds light on how today’s connected generation of photographers choose devices and methods for taking, enhancing and sharing photos.
For the 6Sight Social Imaging Survey Report, 1,065 North American photo-taking consumers were surveyed to learn how this these photographers chooses their products and services, what drives their decisions, and in what direction their choices are trending.
Join us as report author Hans Hartman shares what he found about social imaging, and how it can impact your photography business.
The Imaging Executive podcasts are available for free download here.
The 49-page 6Sight Social Imaging Survey Report is available from the PMA Store for $799. The report includes an analysis of significant differences within gender (male/female), age (under/above 35), household type (with/without children), between North Americans and Europeans and, where appropriate, between various device users.
Sponsors of the 6Sight Social Imaging survey include Ecce Terram.
6Sight Social Imaging Survey
Social imaging is exploding. Today’s “connected generation of photo takers” shoot, enhance and share more photos than six months ago, according to the 6Sight Social Imaging Survey Report. In addition, today’s photographers make pragmatic decisions about which devices, apps or services they could best use for various imaging tasks. They are open for using newer alternatives such as smartphones, apps or social network sites, but at the same time they don’t shy away from using more traditional devices, software, or sharing methods if these better suit their needs, the survey found. The survey was conducted among 1,065 North American photo-taking consumers, 76 percent of whom own smartphones and 90 percent own digital cameras. For comparison, an additional analysis was conducted among 440 Europeans.
“With the proliferation of camera-equipped and internet-enabled devices, as well as the fast growing array of often free photo sites, apps and software, people have more choices than ever before for taking, enhancing or sharing photos,” says Joe Byrd, president and co-founder, 6Sight. “We wanted to learn how this connected generation of photo takers makes these choices, what drives their decisions, and in what direction their choices are trending.”
The survey and report will be featured at the 6Sight Future of Imaging Conference, Tuesday, June 26th, where report author Hans Hartman will provide an overview.
The survey found most people use several devices for taking photos. Nearly 60 percent of the survey’s digital camera owners who take at least one photo a month with that device also own a smartphone with which they take at least one photo a month. The respondents use smartphones most frequently to take photos: 91 percent of smartphone owners take at least one photo a month with their smartphones, compared to 80 percent of the digital camera owners who do so with their cameras. But the survey found digital cameras are used more for taking a larger number of photos: Digital camera users take more than two times as many photos than smartphone users do.
The survey respondents enhance or alter on the average 25 percent of their photos prior to saving or sharing them. No matter the popularity of photo enhancement smartphone apps like Instagram or Path, there is no support for the notion people are shifting photo enhancement from the computer to smartphones or tablets. More than 80 percent of the respondents still use their computer most to alter or enhance photos. In fact, the computer is also the device that has seen the biggest increase in use for photo enhancement.
If there is the beginning of a shift from computer to smartphone and tablets, it is for sharing photos. The survey’s respondents overwhelmingly share more photos than six months ago from their smartphones or tablets, no matter whether this is through texting/emailing or through uploading to photo sharing or social network sites. Although they also share more photos than in the past from their computers by uploading their photos to photo sharing or social network sites, they have started to use computers less for sharing photos through email or texting. Those who share more photos do so primarily because software, hardware or web services have made it easier to share photos. Those who share fewer photos give personal rather than technology reasons, such as less time available for taking photos or fewer occasions for sharing them.
When people share photos in-person, they most often do so by sharing photos from their devices’ screens (computer screens, followed by smartphone and camera LCD screens), topping “analog” methods such as photo prints and photo albums, and the traditional “living room screen,” i.e. television.
The 49-page 6Sight Social Imaging Survey Report is available from the PMA Store for $799 for single-user version and $1,999 company-wide site license. The report includes an analysis of significant differences within gender (male/female), age (under/above 35), household type (with/without children), between North Americans and Europeans and, where appropriate, between various device users.
Sponsors of the 6Sight Social Imaging survey include Ecce Terram. For more information, contact hans@hanshartman.com.
About the 6Sight Future of Imaging Conference
6Sight®’s series of executive conferences focus on the impact the imaging industry and its technologies have on society, and the revenue possibilities they enable. The conference, being held as part of CE Week presented by CEA on June 25-26, 2012 in NY, NY, brings together technologists, marketers, futurists, artists, industry and financial analysts, educators, high-volume users, and members of the media. The participants preview breakthrough technologies, forecast innovative uses, and spark new ideas and alliances that benefit current and potential customers, participating companies, and the imaging industry as a whole. The program emphasizes interactivity, rich media presentations, and high-level networking among participants.
InfoTrends, Weymouth, Mass., is predicting online photofinishing will continue to grow through 2015, even as consumers embrace mobile devices and other means of sharing and viewing their photos. Of this growth, custom photo gifts and merchandise will account for more than 80 percent of total net-to-mail photofinishing revenue by 2015, according to InfoTrends U.S Online Photo Services Forecast: 2010-2015 report.
In addition to traditional basic products, such as photo cards, books, and calendars, the report said new products such as home décor items (i.e., canvas and fine art prints, posters, photo panels, children’s wall decorations) will emerge.
Twenty-two percent of consumers are searching for information on mirrorless compact interchangeable lens cameras, reports online market research site Sortable.
That compares to 36 percent of consumers searching for either standard point and shoot compact cameras, and SLRs.
Sortable notes that as Canon has yet to enter the mirrorless market, and Nikon has just entered it, “this emerging trend gives Sony, Panasonic and Olympus the opportunity to take brand share.”
On the other hand, the Waterloo, Ontario-based purchasing site has also found that 33 percent of its users prefer Canon over other brands, favored by 33 percent. Nikon earned a 26 percent vote; Sony, 15 percent; Panasonic, 7; Fujifilm, 5; Olympus, 4; and Pentax, 3 percent. Other manufactures make up the final 7 percent.
The site’s study surveyed more than 275,000 people over a six month period.
Sortable’s partner site Snapsort allows people to analyze, compare, and recommend digital camera options.
The latest issue of PMA Magazine – Connecting the Imaging Communities is live and online in an all-new interactive version. Top features include the renovation of Paul’s Photo and a look at the new 6Sight Social Imaging Report. Connections Newsline – Top news for the industry’s leading information source Member Advantage – PMA resources save [...]
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