On the other hand, the professional camera (digital single lens reflex – DSLR) segment will increase by up to 10% to 26,000 units, Canon Romania estimates.
“The DSC market will stand at 80,000 to 90,000 units this year, down 25% to 30% on 2014, and total sales of DSLRs will reach about 26,000 units, an increase of 10% at most,” Laurentiu Tarloiu, channel manager B2C with the local subsidiary of Japan’s Canon, one of the leading photo and video equipment manufacturers in the world, told ZF.
The entire photo camera market in Romania was estimated at fewer than 200,000 units in 2014, a decline of 20% to 25% on 2013.
Sales reached 15,000 compact cameras and 5,000 professional cameras in the first quarter and will be flat in the second and third quarters of the year, only to increase in the fourth quarter because of the Black Friday and winter holiday season.
“The compact camera segment remains affected by the emergence of smartphones. The segment saw a 33% decline in the first quarter of the year compared with the year-ago quarter. The DSLR segment, on the other hand, is on the rise, not by much, just 1.2% to 1.4% but still an encouraging percentage, after the DSLR market fell by 10% last year,” Tarloiu said.
The DSLR market rose by more than 20% in value in January-March 2015.
“Sales in Romania are mostly low-end, with more than 60% of the sales made in the 1,300 – 2,000 lei (about EUR290 to EUR450) bracket, but mid-range products (over RON3,000) are catching up slowly.”
Canon accounted for some 34% of the DSLR market in volume and more than 40% in value in the first quarter. Its main rival in Romania, as everywhere in the world is fellow Japanese manufacturer Nikon.
“We are aiming for a 35% market share in volume and 50% in value on the DSLR segment,” Tarloiu said.
Canon Romania’s share of the compact camera market stood at 15% to 16% in volume and 17% in 18% in value in the first quarter.
The company launched the EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R entry-mid level DSLR cameras in Romania on Wednesday.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)