Digital SLR sales soared 32.5% in value during the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2007.

Consumers snapped up 15% more DSLRs in first quarter of 2008, according to analysts at GfK Marketing. The figures for March reveal a 21% rise in volume sales compared to same month the year before.

Commenting on the figures a GfK spokesman said: ?I think this will be the pattern in DSLR for the year and, as such, the sales value goes some way to rescue the overall market value, with the total market up 6.8% in value for the quarter, which is a very positive situation.?

Meanwhile, soaring sales propped up the digital compact camera market in the first quarter of 2008 despite a 13% fall in average price compared to the same period the year before.

?It is only the huge number of volume sales that keeps the value from dropping lower,? added GfK.

Consumers snapped up 13% more digital compacts from January-March 2008 compared to 2007.

Figures for March show a 15% increase in volume on the same month in 2007.

The average price of a digital compact has fallen 13% to £109 and the total value of the compact market has dropped by 1%.

Picture: Model shown for illustration purposes only