Digital sales passed their ‘peak’

Digital camera sales peaked in Japan in 2004 – though sales of digital SLRs continue to grow ? reports the Photo Marketing Association (PMA).

Claiming to have based its report on an article published in Japanese publication ?Photo Market?, PMA?s marketing research analyst Emily Fassanella wrote: ?In 2005 sales dropped slightly to 8.4m. It is just one more indicator that the increases in the years leading up to 2003 are over.?

She adds: ?The nation was one of the quickest to adopt the new technology and digital cameras are now present in the majority of households.?

However, sales of digital SLRs continue to rise. And – PMA points out – not all sales trends in Japan translate to other countries. For instance, in 2005 women became the ?majority of digital camera purchasers? in the US, but in Japan, ?men have consistently accounted for 78% of buyers?, according to PMA which drew on figures released by the Camera & Imaging Products Association.