British consumers snapped up 32% more digital SLRs in the three months to 30 June – compared to the same quarter last year – triggering a 37% rise in lens sales
Around 101,000 digital SLRs were sold from April-June 2007, generating £48m.
Though overall digital camera unit sales grew by 12% – including 11% more compact cameras – the total value of the market fell by 3%.
Lens sales increased by 37% in volume and 25% in value terms, when comparing April-June 2007 to the same three months last year.
Also booming are tripod sales which pulled in £2m in value over the quarter.
The figures, released by GfK Marketing Services, reveal a 19% rise in unit sales of compacts at ?Mass Merchandisers? – a market that includes supermarkets, department stores, mail order and internet sales.
However, 87% of digital SLR sales remain in other retail outlets.
?There are still many more compact cameras sold than DSLRs. However the DSLR sector has increased its share of the market and now represents about 8%,? said a GfK spokesman.
?Of course, this could increase further with the growing popularity and quality of some of the entry-level and mid-range models on offer,? he added.
Growth in first time DSLR users is seen as a ?positive? sign for the industry, as it means the ?user will firstly be looking to accessorise but will also remain a long term customer?, according to GfK.
Meanwhile, unit sales of photo frames were more than 12 times higher in June 2007, compared to the same month last year.
