Printing Decreases for Digital Camera Users

A new report by InfoTrends/CAP Ventures has revealed that most digital camera owners never print out their photos, preferring to share them via email or the web instead. The number of photos taken has risen as digicams have become more popular, but the number of prints made is still the same as in film camera households.

So do you make lots of prints from your digital photos? Or is this study correct in saying that you take more pictures than ever before, but you don’t actually print them out? Leave your anecdotal evidence here…

InfoTrends/CAP Ventures Press Release 23/06/04

Consumer Digital Photo Printing Habits Detailed in New InfoTrends/CAP Ventures Study

(Weymouth, MA) June, 23 2004… A new consumer study from InfoTrends/CAP Ventures reveals clear skies as well as clouds on the horizon for the digital photo printing industry.

The short-term outlook for the photo print industry is good. Among the positive signs are that digital camera users who print photos are taking far more pictures than they ever did with film and printing far more “enlargements” (larger than 4” x 6” prints). In addition, these users expect their print volumes to increase in the future. On the other hand, excluding a few ultra-heavy users, the average photo print volumes and expenditures for digital camera users are currently no higher than film camera households. In addition, simple digital sharing through e-mail and other methods threatens to undermine the need for photo printing, unless vendors convince consumers that prints are an archival method as well as a sharing vehicle.

“Nearly half of all Internet users still don’t print digital photos at all,” says Kristy Holch, a Group Director at InfoTrends/CAP Ventures. “Consumer photo printing has not quite kept pace with the proliferation of digital cameras. Consumer comments reveal the causes, such as home printers that are low-quality or out of service, too many steps in the printing process, lack of time, or not enough interest in having a printed photo. These results indicate that improving ease-of-use would boost average print volume.”

In an effort to help the industry understand how to target each group, this study profiles heavy printers against those who do not print at all. For example, the heavy printer profile (those who print more than 20 photos per month) includes those who are affluent, technology-savvy, and/or place higher value on photo memories. Those without digital cameras are profiled as well, since they are responsible for over 15% of the total digital photos printed. 

Among Internet users who print digital photos, 90% print photos at home, but only 68% of total prints are produced at home. The remaining photos are printed at retail, at work, or online. Retailers are in a battle to get digital camera users to print photos as they always did – outside the home. Retail printing is gaining ground, but most consumers today still prefer the convenience of home printing whenever possible.

Vendors can better determine whether digital photography will result in a net gain or loss for their business with help from InfoTrends/CAP Ventures’ new survey report entitled 2004 Consumer Photo Printing End User Survey and Analysis. This 147-page study is available immediately and is accompanied by two sets of 165-page data tabulations. Results are based on an extensive survey of U.S. Internet users. The report details user habits in terms of picture-taking, photo sharing, printing, and storage. Coverage includes the purchase and use of consumables, printer types, photo uses, brand preferences, and perceptions about various print locations. Breakouts detail results by print location, print volume, demographics, and more.

About InfoTrends/CAP Ventures
InfoTrends/CAP Ventures is the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions industries. InfoTrends/CAP Ventures provides research, analysis, forecasts, and advice to help clients understand market trends, identify opportunities, and develop strategies to grow their businesses. Additional information about InfoTrends/CAP Ventures is available on the Web at www.infotrends-rgi.com.

Published: Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Reader Comments

1. I prefer to print stuff at a shop or online than at home. I only have an inkjet printer so there's no comparision between them!
   Mypixmania printed a few photos, as did spectraphoto.ie and I'm expecting those photos in the post any day now.
   I find that the photos I print out are ones other people want - pictures of family, friends or events. My own "arty" scenic ones I put online and haven't printed much. That may change when I decide to decorate the house soon!
   
   So, how often do I print stuff out? Well, there's well over 15,000 images at home but I've only printed photos on 3 or 4 occasions, that's about 200 photos probably.
   
   I blogged about my attempts at finding an online printing service in Ireland last week.

   Donncha O Caoimh at 01:55pm on Wednesday, June 23, 2004

2. I rarely print 4x6 or equivalent, and when I do- its usually for an older relative not online yet (to view my digipics).
   The prints I'd want myself would be 8x10 or larger of the rare photo that came out great. If photo printing places lowered their prices for these larger prints, I'd be all over it- but as it is, its rarely worth it.

   rama roberts at 03:57pm on Wednesday, June 23, 2004

3. I can't say I print any of my photos out all that often. When I graduated a while ago I printed out a bunch of those to send in thank you cards., Really my photos are more often printed for others than for myself. I think that most of my recent ofoto orders contain photos I was sending away to The Sun (the short story/photography magazine, not the tabloid). I did however, just get two 16x20 prints done for myself, just to see how they'd come out

   Mike at 06:27pm on Wednesday, June 23, 2004

4. I purchased my Canon IXUS 400 last November, and did a couple of pictures since then but didn´t print out anything. For viewing them yourself the computer screen is enough, and for sharing them I did upload them to my homepage and later to my weblog. I know many people who do it like that, upload the picture to a weblog or a personal web space at an ISP or hosting provider (these are really cheap these days) or by burning them on a CD-ROM or even a DVD.

   Adalbert at 07:25pm on Wednesday, June 23, 2004

5. I have an online photo gallery, so most of my pics go in there. I make prints once in a while. Friends kid's at baseball games, things like that. I usually print the best, then burn a cd with all of the images in case they want to use any of them. I have printed maybe 20 pictures or so in the last 6 months all told. Mostly 4x6, a couple of 8x10. But the 8x10's were scanned images of our wedding photos.

   Chester Bullock at 06:11pm on Thursday, June 24, 2004

6. I use http://www.fortofoto.com
   Good quality, nice prices and unlimited free storage. I can share my photos and if I need them I print them. Cool and easy.
   Hope it will help.

   Colambina at 04:30am on Tuesday, May 06, 2008