According to Japan’s Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA), sales of interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras are soaring and shipments are breaking records. This upswing is being directly attributed to an increase in international tourism.
Nikkei Asia reports that global camera shipments show that mirrorless cameras saw a year-over-year increase of $17 billion in the first half of 2023, a 20% increase.
For the third year running, that is a record high. This is excellent news for the industry, which in 2020 experienced one of the worst sales stretches ever seen in the camera business.
This growth appears to be primarily being driven by China, where sales rose by a staggering 44% on their own. With a 30% increase, Japan lagged closely behind. The sales increase was 9% in Europe. There was no specific mention of the US or Canada. For camera manufacturers, China remains a sizable market that cannot be disregarded.
Nikkei Asia links the increase to a report from the The United Nations World Tourism Organization reports that, in the first quarter of 2023, the number of international travelers more than doubled compared to the prior year to reach about 235 million, or 80% of all travelers during the same period in 2019 prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They seem to be packing a brand-new mirrorless camera as they make the decision to travel outside of their home nations. In connection with that, it seems like the typical consumer isn’t currently happy with their smartphone’s camera. Sales of smartphones are declining, down 11% in the first half of the year, for the second year in a row, as standalone camera sales rise.
According to the Japanese publication, cameras now have significantly improved features that aren’t being imitated by smartphones. In a related development, Samsung’s significant 2023 launch featured two new folding smartphones, but neither of them made significant advancements to the camera systems.
Perhaps because standalone cameras are becoming simpler to use and the quality difference is becoming more apparent to consumers, they are starting to notice it and gravitate toward them.
Despite these positive figures, the market has not yet fully recovered from the pandemic. In the spring of 2019, manufacturers shipped up to nearly a quarter million more units per month globally, according to historical shipping data. However, a year-over-year recovery is a positive sign for camera manufacturers.
The entire camera market continues to be driven by interchangeable lens cameras. Sales of fixed-lens cameras are still growing, but for the third year running, fewer cameras are being shipped. More proof suggests that fixed-lens cameras, like Sony’s ZV-1 Mark II, are no longer generally in demand if camera manufacturers want to move product.
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Source: petapixel
