Understanding and Solutions digital imaging market report

Press Release:

In anticipation of leading annual photo industry event, PMA08, taking place in a few weeks’ time, James Wells, Market Analyst with Understanding and Solutions, provides a round-up of market movements.

Digital camera market

(1) Digital Compact market witnessed positive growth last year, defying industry-wide expectations.

• US shipments grew 15% to 32.6m in 2007 and will fall back to 29.6m by 2011
• European shipments grew 6% to 38.4m units in 2007, falling back to 32.8m by 2011

(2) WiFi-enabled cameras represented less than 1% of total US and European camera shipments in 2007, expected to rise to 12% by 2011.

(3) Digital SLR market continued to witness strong growth in 2007.

• US shipments grew 33% to 2.3m units in 2007 and will reach 3.9m by 2011
• European shipments grew 46% to 3.2m units in 2007 and will reach 3.6m by 2011

(4) Shipments of cameraphones with higher megapixel counts began to impact in 2007.

• 17% (18m) of US cameraphone shipments were equal to or more than 3MP in 2007
• 25% (36m) of European cameraphone shipments were equal to or more than 3MP in 2007

Photofinishing market

(1) Digital print market continued to show strong growth in 2007, but was not enough to compensate for the fall in demand from analogue.

• US demand for prints from digital grew 20% to 17bn in 2007, accounting for 68% of total print demand that year. Overall print demand fell 3% however, due to falling demand for prints from film.  
• European demand for prints from digital grew 18% to 12.9bn in 2007, accounting for 72% of total print demand that year. However, overall demand for prints fell 7% to 17.8bn due to falling demand for prints from film (down 40%)

• Last year in Western Europe the Photo Speciality (photobooks & calendars) market grew 150% in value to €440m with the Photo Gifts market growing 40% to €90m

Photofinishing retail equipment market.

(1) Minilabs installed base continued to fall in 2007.

• US installed base fell 6% to 30,000 in 2007 and will fall to 24,000 by 2011
• Western European installed base dropped 6% to below 19,000 in 2007 and will fall to under 16,000 by 2011..

(2) Dry minilab technology is expected to increasingly replace existing wet chemical technology, with key multiples starting to test new solutions.

• US market expected to lead this change, with dry minilabs to account for 10% of new installs in 2008. Western Europe to reach 5%

(3) Instant kiosk market continues to grow across the US and Europe.

• US instant kiosk installed base grew 7% to 47,000 in 2007, and will reach 54,000 by 2011
• Western European instant kiosk installed base grew 35% to over 56,000 units in 2007 and will reach 80,000 by 2011