«

Posted without comment:

<http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/news/Budget_cameras_escape_death_by_smartphone__news_31 1552.html>

UK sales of compact cameras at the bottom end of the market have
dodged the impact of the smartphone revolution, say analysts.

Sales of fixed lens compacts, priced GBP 50 and under, shot up 26% in
volume and 29% in value in 2011, according to GfK Retail and
Technology UK Ltd.

They bucked the trend of a declining compact market which showed an
overall drop of 13% in value and 9% in volume last year.

In total, compact sales in the UK fell from 5.4m in 2010, to 4.9m
units in 2011.

Speaking to Amateur Photographer, GfK account director Richard Gregory
says the figures fly in face of a widely held belief that all compact
cameras are doomed as the cameraphone market escalates.

He believes many consumers may have been tempted into the lowest end
of the compact category by price cuts, or a desire for better picture
quality, having first enjoyed taking pictures using a smartphone.

Demand for superzoom cameras (10x optical zoom and above) are also
fairing better than mid-range models.

UK consumers snapped up 54% more superzoom compacts last year - a rise
of 26% in revenue terms.

END QUOTE

<http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/news/Budget_cameras_escape_death_by_smartphone__news_31 1552.html>