DSLR Sales

Joseph Tainter · Mar 4, 2009

Herb Chong sent a group of us a report showing that year-on-year DSLR sales in the U.S. are down 92%. Source: Mitsubishi UFJ Securities. Figures elsewhere are:

Japan -37%
Eurpope - 23.3%
Asia -23.3%
Other regions +40%

I wonder if this clarifies some recent developments:

--Pentax has reverted to their old pattern of supplying new gear to Europe before the U.S. and Australia.

--The 645D will not be sold in the U.S.

--The DA 30 and the 1.4x TC are off the roadmap.

--No new high-end DSLR for now.

Joe

Glen from Canada · Mar 4, 2009

Somebody must be doing well out there. Do you have any idea who the "other regions" are that report a positive 40% increase?
--
K20D
DA17-70 F4

artphoto · Mar 4, 2009

These are some telling numbers

Anyway....i think Pentax (and other players for that matter) should position themselves to be in the right spot when the economy will bounce back in the USA.And that means developping new DSLRs + a few interesting lenses and accessories.
--
artphoto

Alfisti · Mar 4, 2009

92%??? i seriously doubt it.

Joseph Tainter said:
Herb Chong sent a group of us a report showing that year-on-year DSLR
sales in the U.S. are down 92%. --

***********************************************
Please visit my gallery at http://www.pbase.com/alfisti
Pentax Lens examples at http://www.pbase.com/alfisti/images_by_lens
Updated January '09

bjmano · Mar 4, 2009

If the numbers are accurate, one must wonder, is Pentax "going down" or is it just the world economy that is "going down"?

If even vaguely accurate, I agree with what you said. It would be wise for Pentax to hold back on releasing these products. As soon as the economy starts back up again, Bam!, Pentax release the whole chain of products (including a camera

).

Joseph Tainter said:
Herb Chong sent a group of us a report showing that year-on-year DSLR
sales in the U.S. are down 92%. Source: Mitsubishi UFJ Securities.
Figures elsewhere are:

Japan -37%
Eurpope - 23.3%
Asia -23.3%
Other regions +40%

I wonder if this clarifies some recent developments:

--Pentax has reverted to their old pattern of supplying new gear to
Europe before the U.S. and Australia.

--The 645D will not be sold in the U.S.

--The DA 30 and the 1.4x TC are off the roadmap.

--No new high-end DSLR for now.

Joe

--
benjamin - bjmano

Zebooka · Mar 4, 2009

I prefer now to close my ears and continue shooting with my K10D. It's a nice camera and I can wait...

Lets wait until summer and cross fingers.

--
Taiga, Siberia, Russia

I'm photo-journalist
My web site - http://www.zebooka.com

JohnCPentax · Mar 4, 2009

Sensational.....but not very accurate. Certain market data shows the DSLR sales are one of the few Consumer Electronics catagories showing growth.
--
John C.

007peter · Mar 4, 2009

JohnCPentax said:
Sensational.....but not very accurate. Certain market data shows the
DSLR sales are one of the few Consumer Electronics catagories showing
growth.

Actually, I belive the stat to be correct. While dslr was a growing market during much of 2008, most of the "growing" reported were made before the Big October 2008 market meltdown. Since the market melt down, no one did another market research to reveal the current trend. It wouldn't surprise me that the dslr sales has tanked, as did the big screen plasma & lcd tv, and the car sales.

Unlike cameras, Car sales are reported on monthly basis, so we have an accurate idea what we can expect. While car sales isn't an indication of camera's market condition, it is a good reflection of consumer confidence. With the consumer confidence at an all time low, it wouldn't surprise me if the report is correct.

jamesm007 · Mar 4, 2009

I also find it a little hard to believe. The prices vendors are asking tells me they are selling. The K20 was going fast and cheap for the holidays to make money in quantity; now the price is up a bit. However Pentax has come back with the instant rebate and extended warranty to help in truly hard times no doubt but I dont think that bad. I would believe that number if it where growth down 92% compared to some 12 month period.

I believe from my inside source Erik of Adrays that profits are slim, its hard to impossible for B&M stores but they are selling. Seems to be new members here and on the other Pentax forum with the K2000, K200 and K20. Lots of people including me bought the Pentax K20. Total sales down 92% for the USA, maybe for Samsung dSLRs but not others.

--
jamesm007,
http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z77/jamesm700/
WSSA member 266PX

Jonson PL · Mar 5, 2009

Maybe this will teach people that you don't need the latest, greatest. They will get to learn their cameras, and try and get the full potential out of them. Maybe it will create better photographers.

Still on my K10 and learning new things after 1 ½ year use. (But then it was my first DSLR)

--
kind regards
Sune

Trusted Reviews : ”K20 most powerful semi-pro DSLR in the world'”

janneman02 · Mar 5, 2009

Joseph Tainter said:
Herb Chong sent a group of us a report showing that year-on-year DSLR
sales in the U.S. are down 92%. Source: Mitsubishi UFJ Securities.

wow -92 %

Joseph Tainter said:
Figures elsewhere are:
Japan -37%
Eurpope - 23.3%
Asia -23.3%
Other regions +40%

Homm , other regions +40%....
Maybe a typo, either -40 or +4.

But more likely, someone opended the first "ice and mortar" photography store in Anatarctica.
Or other regions = internet.

And another thing: sales in numbers or in money generated?

Joseph Tainter said:
I wonder if this clarifies some recent developments:

Developments could be incidents....

Joseph Tainter said:
--Pentax has reverted to their old pattern of supplying new gear to
Europe before the U.S. and Australia.

No, I don't think so. If you look at geographics, Australia is not part of one of the regions mentioned, therefore must be "other region"

Joseph Tainter said:
--The 645D will not be sold in the U.S.

No, they just want to try in Jaan to see how it goes I think.

Joseph Tainter said:
--The DA 30 and the 1.4x TC are off the roadmap.

Could be but then I think the demand for these two is higher than that for the DA super tele.

Besides, look at your kit, the number and value of your glass selection probably is much higher than that of your camera bodies....

I think lens sales and developments must be seen as something completely different.

Joseph Tainter said:
--No new high-end DSLR for now.

That was to be expected.

Joseph Tainter said:
Joe

--

Joseph Tainter said:
The difference between genius and LBA is that genius has its
limits.

Janneman ( adaptation of the Kings quote from Albert Einstein)

Joachim Haagen Boe · Mar 5, 2009

janneman02 said:
janneman02 said:

Figures elsewhere are:
Japan -37%
Eurpope - 23.3%
Asia -23.3%
Other regions +40%

Click to expand...

Homm , other regions +40%....
Maybe a typo, either -40 or +4.
But more likely, someone opended the first "ice and mortar"
photography store in Anatarctica.
Or other regions = internet.

Or Other regions = Africa + Australia (Aussie might be part of Asia though). Im not very knowledgable about the Afrian economy, a +40% might not be that many units in that market...

--
All The Best,
Joachim
http://album.haagen.name/
http://photo.haagen.name/

Cideway · Mar 5, 2009

Well looking at the regions listed, i would say that other is Oceania, Canada, Central and South America and Africa.
--
Chris.

http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/chriside

GMT +9.5

Pentax SLR talk FAQ
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=23161072

janneman02 · Mar 5, 2009

Cideway said:
Well looking at the regions listed, i would say that other is
Oceania, Canada, Central and South America and Africa.

Antarctica. If you open a shop there you'd increase sales there with huge numbers

Cideway said:
--
Chris.

http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/chriside

GMT +9.5

Pentax SLR talk FAQ
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=23161072

--

Cideway said:
The difference between genius and LBA is that genius has its
limits.

Janneman ( adaptation of the Kings quote from Albert Einstein)

grgi · Mar 5, 2009

Joseph Tainter said:
Joseph Tainter wrote:
--The DA 30 and the 1.4x TC are off the roadmap.

What a pity. I would have bought both since these are the only lenses that are missing in my collection (says the LBA addict)

grgi

JensR · Mar 5, 2009

Hi Alfisti!

Alfisti said:
92%??? i seriously doubt it.

Me, too. Maybe down to 92% (-8%)?

An unquoted source making the round being retold so long until "everyone" believes it as fact. Seen before, but still somewhat worrying.

BTW, my personal dSLR camera purchases have declined by 100% after I bought my second DS. And that's the truth!

Cheers
Jens

--

'Well, 'Zooming with your feet' is usually a stupid thing as zoom rings are designed for hands.' (Me, 2006)
My Homepage: http://www.JensRoesner.de

ropen · Mar 5, 2009

Another one in the long line of b.s. reports without any proof or verifiable source because obviously "you must subscribe" to see if this paper really exist or is a joke (it can be both, though). Patented by trolldle and this herb guy who are so above us mere mortals ...

And allegedly issued by the same financial institutions that were so highly knowledgeable that are now nearly all bankrupt.

Radu

distudio · Mar 5, 2009

ropen said:
Another one in the long line of b.s. reports without any proof or
verifiable source because obviously "you must subscribe" to see if
this paper really exist or is a joke (it can be both, though).
Patented by trolldle and this herb guy who are so above us mere
mortals ...

Yeah right.

CIPA January digital camera statistics
March 3, 2009

"North American shipments fell 43.7% YoY and 38.1% MoM to 760,000 units, down markedly for the third straight month and falling to only slightly more than 10% of the level in October 2008."

--
Rob

ropen · Mar 5, 2009

distudio said:
ropen said:

Another one in the long line of b.s. reports without any proof or
verifiable source because obviously "you must subscribe" to see if
this paper really exist or is a joke (it can be both, though).
Patented by trolldle and this herb guy who are so above us mere
mortals ...

Click to expand...

Yeah right.

CIPA January digital camera statistics
March 3, 2009

"North American shipments fell 43.7% YoY and 38.1% MoM to 760,000
units, down markedly for the third straight month and falling to only
slightly more than 10% of the level in October 2008."

--
Rob

You may want to read more carefully the o.p. says "sales" and you say "shipments". Now I know that for some people one unit "shipped" equals one sold (hence a huge market share and all) but in fact for many "big fish" such as Sony it just means most of the time another camera in a store. So it's logical that they cut back new shipments in the hope they'll reduce existing stock.

Radu

justin23 · Mar 5, 2009

It wouldn't surprise me if Australia was in other. Apparently some of the data out in our economy is positive, so while our economy has slowed a little retail sales figures are still good.

There is a threat of losing jobs, but the sudden 4% cut to interest rates over the last 6 months has meant people have a lot more money to spend in Australia. I know many asking why is a recession bad, i've never had so much disposable income.

Unemployment i believe is still under 5% when that gets worse we may find people spend less and save more.

I just wish the exchange rate was better. thats curbed my LBA for now.

--
Justin
--------------------------------------------------------
Photobucket
http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/justin-23/

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