Worldwide Digicam Shipments Up 24% In 2007

By Greg Scoblete -- TWICE, 4/1/2008

Framingham, Mass. — Digital camera vendors shipped 131 million units to dealers around the world in 2007, according to the research firm IDC.

The category grew 24 percent for the year, a stronger growth rate than in 2006, when unit shipments grew by 15 percent, IDC reported.

Digital SLR shipments grew 41 percent to 7.5 million units.

Canon was the global leader in both point-and-shoots and digital SLRs, with a 17 percent and 43 percent share in those markets, respectively. Counting both categories, Canon claimed the No. 1 spot, with 18.8 percent of the worldwide market.

According to IDC, Samsung was the “big winner” for the year, thanks to success in Western and Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific. The firm placed fourth in overall unit shipments (point-and-shoot and d-SLR combined), with 9 percent of the market, behind second-place Sony (with 16 percent) and Kodak (with 9.6 percent).

In digital SLRs, Nikon edged closer to Canon, claiming second place, with 40 percent of the market, followed by Sony (6.4 percent), Olympus (5.6 percent) and Pentax (3.6 percent). Nikon gained the most ground, with d-SLR shipments growing 71 percent from 2006 to 2007. Nikon did claim the No. 1 slot for d-SLR shipments in Japan, IDC said.

In point-and-shoots, Canon was followed by Sony, with 16.5 percent of the market, Kodak (10.2 percent), Samsung (9.5 percent) and Olympus (8.5 percent).