Digital Camera Sales Drop. Smartphones to Blame? Perhaps
According
to Reuters, as reported in the New York Times, compact digital camera sales are
down by an incredible 40 percent. Some of better known brands such as
Panasonic, Olympus and Fujiflim -- are actually losing money on their
camera divisions. And the bad news continues. Sales for
mirrorless cameras, which are mid-tier cameras halfway between compact
point-and-shoots and mirrored DSLRS, are also so,so, making up
only 10.5 percent of interchangeable lens camera sales in the US (and
11.2 percent in Europe): this despite doing quite well in Japan, where they
make up 36 percent of ILC sales. We have bee saying that the end of the traditional camera is near but we are always surprised at the rate of change. As we have said many times prior to this announcement, the big cameras are really only to show off. We still believe that the "serious photographer, so to speak will ultimately embrace the mirrorless micro four thirds system as the new high end. Technology marches on and there's nothing anyone can do about it. We believe that "real photography" is actually dead and buried. It's just too easy to take a mediocre photo these days and as for the great ones they are so rare that we always wonder why anyone would bother making "photographs" at all. Why photograph, what does it all mean?
Perhaps taking up real good cooking is much better at least you can eat the results of your creativity.