Meanwhile, sales of Wi-Fi-enabled cameras, both fixed-lens and interchangeable, shot up 195% compared to October 2011.

‘A key trend is that fixed-lens cameras are declining in volume, affected by high home penetration on one side and smartphone business on the other, which also means consumers are reluctant to spend on low-end products,’ said a spokesperson for GfK Retail and Technology UK, which compiled the data.

‘Long zoom and high feature products, and Wi-Fi in particular, have seen exceptional growth in the past few months due to photokina 2012 in September.

‘Additionally, there were increases for accessories, driven by the growth of changeable-lens cameras which are creating a platform for additional tripods, flashes, bags and further accessories.

‘Photo sales at Christmas are expected to do well because of new product ranges and manufacturers.’