PMA: Digital Print, Camera Sales Growth Strong

By Greg Scoblete -- TWICE, 10/2/2006

Jackson, Mich. – Digital photographers are translating pixels to prints in greater numbers, according to the latest statistics from the Photo Marketing Association (PMA).

The total volume of digital prints grew 65 percent through the year ending June 2006, according to PMA.

Retail printing now accounts for 44.3 percent of the printing volume, up from 40.3 percent from the year before, while home printing accounts for 43.2 percent, down from 47.9 percent in 2005. Retail figures include prints that are ordered online and picked up in store.

Online photo sites have also edged up, from 8.9 percent in 2005 to 11 percent through July 2006. Online ordering is also witnessing the fastest growth rate of any printing method at 168 percent, followed by retail mini-labs (84 percent), home printing (49 percent) and in-store kiosks (30 percent).

Digital camera sales are also brisk. According to data from the NPD Group released by PMA, the category is up 18 percent in units and 9 percent in dollars through July versus the same period in 2005. The fastest growing segment is 6-megapixel cameras, which grew a whopping 456 percent through July of this year and account for 26 percent of all cameras sold.

Models under 6-megapixels are witnessing price erosion, NPD figures show, with 5-megapixel units dropping 9 percent in dollars, 4-megapixel cameras dropping 62 percent and 3-megapixel models sliding 88 percent versus the same period last year.