Poor Canon DSLR Sales

[A1000]

http://www.reuters.com/article/business ... IP20090111" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dusty]

The economy has a lot to do with it, but I'm sure that the proliferation of high MP point and shoot compacts doesn't help.

It used to be, it you wanted really good photos, you had little choice than to buy and learn to use a SLR. That gave you a decent sized format, good glass and lots of options.

Now, pop down $200 or less, get 8 - 10 MP, 4-12x zoom, and no need to worry about anything technical, like doing RAW conversions. Compare that to a decent DSLR, where you're paying $400+ to get into it, and you kit lens gives you typically 3x zoom. Then to use it, you have to learn something, if you want to get the most out of your investment. Which doesn't make sense, since you're printing it out on your 4x6 HP photo printer, anyway.

Dusty

[rogprov]

It used to be, it you wanted really good photos, you had little choice than to buy and learn to use a SLR. That gave you a decent sized format, good glass and lots of options.

In my youth it was Leica or Contax rangefinder cameras top of the heap ...

[Dusty]

Wrongo, DSLR sales are booming! You missed the major part of my first reply as well as my CIPA report link.

Now take the time read the short CIPA report I linked above and you will see the growth rates between slr type and fixed lens type digital cameras. With a 47% increase in lens sales last year DSLR sales are doing spectacular. If you take a look at the growth rates you will see the dSLR growth rate is running higher than non-dSLR models.

The DSLR gold rush is officially here...straight from the report:

"2) Interchangeable Lenses for SLR Cameras
The total shipment of interchangeable lenses for SLR cameras in 2007 based on volume
was approximately 12.51 million units, up 43.0% from the previous year, a significant
increase coinciding with the strong growth in SLR cameras with interchangeable lenses.
In 2008, owing to continued vigorous growth in sales of digital SLR cameras with
interchangeable lenses, growth in shipments of interchangeable lenses is expected to
continue and forecast to reach approximately 14.67 million units, representing a
year-on-year increase of 2.15 million units or 17.2%."

http://www.cipa.jp/english/pdf/press080129_e.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

DSLR sales are booming to say the least!

-Sonolta

PS..Many of us here including DK have sold a ton of prints and stock with non-DSLR digital cameras. With many subjects I can make sweet 18 and 24 inch prints and Alamy size files with pNs cameras and that's a far cry from 4x6...Not to mention the fact that I have been doing raw conversions on the $1300 5MP 7HI files for the past 6 years!

Several points- I didn't miss your point about DLSRs and compacts. I was giving a reply to the original post, which partly concurs with your point, but also expands upon it.

For several hours now, I've been unable to reach your link. A traceroute done seems to indicate a routing problem in Japan. I would like to read the article. Until I do, or see something else that states DSLRs are up, I'd like to note that just because lens sales are up, doesn't mean that the camera bodies themselves are selling well.

It's quite possible that we're seeing several factors: One could be that the price/performance plateau has been reached, where people aren't upgrading their DSLRs because they feel the few extra MPs aren't worth the money, and are sinking their economy-limited cash into lenses instead. It could also be that people didn't load up on lenses when they first bought their systems because they weren't sure they would stay with that system. I know several people who have switched form Canon to Nikon, decided to dump Olympus for Canon, etc. How many on this forum had a different system before they came to Sony?

Of course, Canon blames some loss of sales on the economy, and to that my original post is right on. If you want a good camera, and don't have much cash to spend, by a mid range P&S for $200, and be satisfied. It appears from the article quote that the sales they're talking about is 2007, with a prediction for '08.

I know that great quality CAN come out of P&S cameras, just as they could from an old Instamatic. However, I wouldn't buy one for pro work, except as a backup/undercover camera. I remember when I would get stopped w/ my film SLRs at concerts, but could get by with a good rangefinder.

As the economy continues to sink, we'll see sales slow on DSLRs simply because the ability to get into a system with the same apparent capabilities of a P&S is so much more.

Dusty

[A1000]

The original post refers to what Canon said in 2009. The other links are outdated; one is one year old. So the original post is correct.

http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/11012009/325/ca ... -2009.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsN ... 12?rpc=611" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[A1000]

Sonolta, your press release is one year old.

[A1000]

Sonolta, these are outdated estimates. The original post covers actual sales figures - the latest.

[A1000]

it's still missing the holiday sales that the first post covers.

[A1000]

The holiday season is most important; your statistics are missing it. The economy is turning sour.

[A1000]

So Canon experts are wrong and you are right?

Trends are changing fast In this changing economy; you can't go on one year average; the recession is very fresh.

[youpii]

Ok guys, please calm down and wait until the end of the month for the 2009 CIPA analysis

[Greg Beetham]

Hmm...according to the footnote on the Jan-Nov 2008 list, there was an increase in the number of participating camera companies over those involved in the Jan-Dec 2007 list. What would be interesting to know is, exactly what camera companies are in each list.
Greg

[rsar]

Hi,
Does someone has any idea about how is A900 doing in shipment, or any means to infer the slice in CIPA's 2008/2010 outlook (or any other forecast)
Any advice is welcome, I'm evaluating the development of some software targeting that audience/equipment only/mostly.
Thanks,

rsar.-