Digital Photography: Global Markets

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Report Excerpt

INTRODUCTION

Just 20 years ago very few people understood the opportunity for digital photography, and even fewer people could have foreseen the impact that digital photography would have on related markets. Even fewer would have predicted the rise of the microstock photography market and the proliferation and growth in Internet photo sharing sites. While the impact on the photo processing market could have been predicted, most were surprised by how rapidly digital photography has displaced film. When digital cameras were introduced, the concept of customizing merchandise with personal photographs was in its infancy. A few firms offered customized products to customers who mailed in photographs. The market at that time was constrained by cumbersome and lengthy processes.

Today, the digital photography market—inclusive of cameras, lenses, printers and complementary products—is an industry valued at more than $68 billion. Photography services account for several hundred billion more in revenues and the opportunities for providing these services digitally have become big business.

This analysis of the digital photography market will provide the reader with an understanding of the primary products in the market—namely cameras and lenses; the products to print digital photographs—printers and kiosks; and complementary products closely tied to digital photography—inclusive of storage cards, digital photo frames, and photo editing software.