NPD INTELECT Sees Digital Imaging Going
Mainstream; Digital Still Cameras and Digital
Camcorders Hit Sales, Share Milestones
March 1, 2000
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.--(BUSINESS
WIRE)--Feb. 29, 2000 via NewsEdge Corporation
-
Digital imaging technology went mainstream in
1999, illustrated by sharp U.S. sales increases in
the digital still camera and digital camcorder
categories. According to leading marketing
information provider NPD INTELECT, digital still
cameras posted $1 billion in sales in 1999. Digital
camcorders entered the marketplace and, in 18
months' time, captured almost 6% of the overall
camcorder market, up from nearly nil in 1998.
Considering the relatively recent introduction of
digital imaging products to the marketplace,
digital cameras and digital camcorders have
emerged as serious contenders in consumer
electronics and photography. Portable Digital Still
Cameras Top $1 Billion in Sales
The digital still camera market reached
$1,004,381,000 in 1999, an increase of 63% over
1998. The category posted unit sales of more
than 1.8 million units. Digital still camera dollar
sales comprised 36% of the total camera market
in 1999, up from 26% in 1998.
As in 1998, Sony took the top spot in sales for
the category in 1999, claiming 47% dollar share,
up from 42% in 1998. Olympus was next with
17% dollar share of digital still cameras in 1999.
(Editors, see list of top digital imaging brands on
p.3.)
Neil Portnoy of NPD INTELECT observed that
Polaroid's November and December introduction
of products at lower price points made Polaroid
the first manufacturer to have success in
marketing digital still cameras in the mass
merchant channel. "I expect the growth of digital
camera sales to continue as price points
stabilize. In addition, manufacturers' promotion
of new digital technology positively impacts
other photography categories, including 35 mm
and APS. It is interesting to note, with all the
talk about digital cameras, sales of 35 mm SLR
cameras grew 25% in 1999 over 1998," Portnoy
said.
Data collected in a 1999 NPD Online Research
study indicate that increased use, both
professional and personal, of digital still cameras
may lead to new opportunities for providing or
supporting digital imaging products and services.
In particular, growing commercial use of digital
still cameras could mean increased demand for
higher priced, higher quality, and more
technologically advanced products for advanced
commercial applications. The survey of Web
users who own digital still cameras determined
that half of respondents use their digital still
cameras for both business and pleasure. Among
online digital still camera owners who use their
cameras for both business and personal
applications, 61% use their digital cameras four
hours per week or more. Respondents' most
frequent use of their digital images is sharing
photos via e-mail.
Digital Camcorders Came From Nowhere; Claimed
Significant Share of Camcorder Market
According to NPD INTELECT's 1999 year-end
data, digital camcorder sales topped $532 million,
a significant leap from 1998's dollar sales of
$93.2 million. Unit sales topped 524,000 units in
1999. Digital camcorder dollar sales comprised
5.8% of the total camcorder market in 1999,
compared to 0.1% in 1998.
In the digital camcorder market, Sony took the
lead in 1999 sales, claiming 67.5% dollar share in
1999. JVC was next with 22.2% dollar share.
Price and performance drove digital camcorder
sales in 1999, according to NPD INTELECT
analyst Tom Edwards. Digital camcorders' unique
features add to their value when compared to
standard camcorders. "Optical zoom, digital
electronic zoom, image stabilization and LCD
viewing screens are among the product features
that set digital camcorders apart from their
traditional 'point-and-shoot' camcorder
counterparts. The 1999 sales growth in the
digital camcorder category is part of a larger
digitization phenomenon that includes High
Definition Digital Television, Direct Broadcast
Satellite Receivers, DVDs, CDs and other
advanced digital products," Edwards said. *T
Top Five Digital Imaging Brands By Dollar Share,
1999 (Based on U.S. Sales Data) Portable Digital
1999 Dollar Digital Camcorder 1999 Dollar Still
Camera Brand Share (%) Brand Share (%) Sony
47.2 Sony 67.5 Olympus 17.3 JVC 22.2 Kodak
13.1 Canon 4.8 Nikon 7.4 Panasonic 4.5 Polaroid
3.1 Sharp 1.0 Top Five Digital Imaging Brands By
Dollar Share, 1998 (Based on U.S. Sales Data)
Portable Digital 1998 Dollar Digital Camcorder
1998 Dollar Still Camera Brand Share (%) Brand
Share (%) Sony 42.3 Sony 48.7 Olympus 19.3
JVC 34.2 Kodak 19.1 Canon 12.5 Nikon 3.5
Panasonic 4.4 Fuji 2.0 Sharp 0.1 *T About NPD
INTELECT
NPD INTELECT Market Tracking is a leading
provider of sales tracking services for
manufacturers and retailers of consumer
electronics, home appliances, information
technology and imaging products. A joint venture
of two leading marketing information providers,
The NPD Group, Inc. and GfK AG, NPD INTELECT
offers subscribers data rich and
convergence-ready information with global
reach. Data are collected from comprehensive
panels representing each industry's key
distribution channels around the world. The
company's clients include most of the
manufacturers and retailers in each industry NPD
INTELECT tracks. About the NPD Online Research
Study
The NPD Online Research survey, conducted in
October 1999, sampled 22,429 Web users,
providing a profile of early adopters of digital still
camera technology. To purchase the NPD Digital
Camera Study, contact Neil Portnoy at (516)
625-4105, or by e-mail at
neil_portnoy@npd.com.
npd.com
CONTACT: Leslie Singer, 516/625-2302 |
leslie_singer@npd.com | Sarah Mulvehill,
516/625-2374 | sarah_mulvehill@npd.com |
