As the year begins on a relatively good note, questions about the camera market begin to circulate on the internet. Over the years, reports of a decline in the camera market have been persistent, with very few feeling the need to switch from a smartphone to a dedicated camera. However, with younger users bored with what companies like Samsung and iPhone offer, there appears to be some hope for reviving the camera market. And now, a new report further explains how this can be achieved in 2025.
According to The Dempa Shimbun Daily (via Digi-Came Info), one of Japan’s leading newspapers about electronics, the digital camera market, particularly in Japan, will grow this year. This is because people have been taking more opportunities to travel since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has also resulted in the growth of the number of images shot today, but that number could also be due to the boom in phones. However, the newspaper adds that despite the smartphones, many users today feel the need for better photos, resulting in positive sales for digital cameras.
A similar trend was seen in 2010 when the camera market saw a sharp decline, but the recovery began a year later. The report also notes that GfK/NIQ Japan, a market research company, later revealed a steady expansion, with both compact and interchangeable lens cameras showing strong sales in 2012, especially higher-end models. If this was possible in 2010, there is hope that it will continue this year. Just last year, the sale of mirrorless cameras steadily increased to their DSLR counterparts. Furthermore, the report states that features such as superior autofocus and subject recognition are also helping to drive sales further. It’s not just men, the article adds, but also women who are now an option for a dedicated camera, thanks to better quality with AI chips.
The Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) also noticed how interchangeable lens cameras are becoming prominent choices. However, many would opt for those that have better video features, which can be used by content creators. In fact, seeing this trend, companies like Canon and Fujifilm are focused on creating equally video-centric cameras.
While high-end interchangeable lens cameras are gaining traction in the camera market, rising prices and the boom of vintage digital compact cameras are also shaping the market. For instance, a DSLR was named as one of the most purchased gear. There is also a second-hand camera market, making purchasing a high-end mirrorless camera at cost-effective prices easier than getting a new one.
The report also reveals how smartphones no longer serve the purpose they once used to. Sure, many professionals or photography enthusiasts are purchasing dedicated cameras, but boredom has set in with smartphone photography. It is limiting. It doesn’t let you be in the moment when you are looking at the world through the viewfinder. And, of course, no shutter button (which is news of an iPhone with a shutter button became prominent last year).
Despite a saturation in the camera market, there is no consumer satisfaction. For instance, the professionals complain about megapixels or lack of proper lenses and firmware updates, while the amateurs look for affordability. Then there is Gen Z, who wants retro aesthetics. Whether it is making images of one’s family or breathtaking landscapes in a foreign country, a dedicated digital camera is the need of the hour. So, now that it is quite clear, it is up to manufacturers to use this information to turn the odds in their favor. And as we said earlier, targeting a niche luxury market will only help so much.
