Digital camera sales thrive in Asia’s post-crisis economy : GFK

Hong Kong and Korea are the earliest adopters of new digital camera technology, including the 'mirrorless' camera with changeable lens, according to a study carried out by GFK between June 2009 and June 2010. These two countries are Asia’s largest digital camera markets, while Vietnam and the Philippines are the expanding the fastest.

All markets surveyed, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, registered positive growth. The market value of the industry grew 11 per cent compared to the previous year.

SLR cameras accounted for 11 per cent of total sales volume in the first quarter of the year, rising to 13 per cent in the second quarter. Hong Kong’s sales volume in this category was the highest across the region at 17 per cent in the last two quarters of this year.  

Compact cameras without changeable lenses remain the most popular category. In Vietnam and the Philippines, increasing demand has clocked 26 and 27 per cent growth in units over the last year, compared to mature markets’ one and two per cent growth.

“Compact cameras without changeable lenses with 14 or more megapixel now account for 14 per cent of all sales units across the region, thanks also to the aggressive price drops in this year’s product launches.” Jasmine Lim, regional account director for Consumer Electronics and Imaging at GFK Asia.

The average price paid for a camera is around US$332, up from US$320 last year, as Asian consumers are shifting towards buying higher-end models, Lim said. “Our reports show that growth of the camera industry has been driven by the increasing demand for cameras with changeable lenses in both the compact and SLR segments,” she said.

At the current rate, Lim said, “We expect demand for cameras to remain strong in the region, increasing by over 10 per cent in overall sales value in 2010, with the SLR and compact segments as key drivers for growth across the region.”