Sony Digital SLR Is Third-Best Seller, Takes Share From Canon
By Kyoko Suzuki
Aug. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Sony Corp., the world's second- biggest
consumer electronics maker, took more than a fifth of Japan's digital
single-lens reflex camera market in its debut month, claiming third
place after Canon Inc. and Nikon Corp., a market researcher said.
Sony, which began selling its ``alpha DSLR-A100'' on July 21, had a
21.6 percent share in the month and a 19 percent share in the three
weeks to Aug. 20, compared with the Tokyo-based company's target for
10 percent of the global market this year, according to data compiled
by BCN.
Sony's model can shoot photos at 10.2 megapixels and sells for about
$900 without a lens and $1,000 with one. The camera is compatible
with older lenses made by Konica Minolta Holdings Inc., from which
Sony acquired the SLR business this year.
Single-lens reflex cameras have become the most profitable part of
the digital camera market, as price competition has driven margins
lower for compact cameras. The models have interchangeable lenses and
appeal to professionals and hobbyists.
Canon's market share fell to 33.3 percent in July from 51.6 percent
in the previous month. Nikon's dropped to 27.4 percent, from 32.6
percent, partly because the dominant camera makers did not have new
models. Canon's ``EOS Kiss Digital N,'' was the best-seller in July,
and Nikon's ``D70s'' came in third. Both models were introduced in
the first half of 2005.
Growing Rivalry
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., which entered the fastest growing
part of the digital camera market a day after rival Sony, had a 0.8
percent share in July, and 0.9 percent in August. The company's 7.5
megapixel ``LUMIX DMC-L1'' models are sold for about $2,000 with a
Leica lens.
Matsushita, the world's biggest consumer electronics maker, plans to
sell about 50,000 units in the eight months or so to March 31, or the
end of the Osaka-based company's fiscal year. The maker of Panasonic
brand electronics allied with Olympus Corp. to jointly develop
digital SLRs in January 2005.
Digital camera shipments are forecast to rise to 67.3 million units
in 2006, up 4 percent from last year, according to the Camera &
Imaging Products Association. Digital SLR shipments are expected to
lead the gain, with a 23 percent increase from a year earlier, and
reach 4.7 million units.
Japan Digital SLR Market Share by Unit Sales
Vendor July June
==========================================
Canon 33.3% 51.6%
Nikon 27.4% 32.6%
Sony 21.6% 2.3%
Pentax 14.0% 7.6%
Olympus 2.8% 4.8%
Matsushita 0.8% 0.1%
-June sales for Sony and Matsushita reflect advance orders.
Source : BCN Ranking
To contact the reporters on this story: Kyoko Suzuki in Tokyo at
ksuzuki3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Last Updated: August 23, 2006 23:42 ED
Winsor
Long Beach, California, USA
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