Canon IXUS 240 HS
Canon PowerShot SX240 HS
Nikon D800
Samsung DV300F
Olympus OM-D E-M5
Nikon Coolpix P510
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30
Nikon Coolpix S9300
Konica Minolta to Cut Back Digital-Camera Business
Konica Minolta Press Release 19/03/04
Konica Minolta to Cut Back on Digital-Camera Business Despite Growth
[Kyodo News International, Tokyo. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.]
Kyodo News International via NewsEdge Corporation : Mar. 18—TOKYO—Konica Minolta Holdings Inc. said Thursday it will cut back on its digital camera business despite continuing growth of the market in order to avoid the adverse effects of intensifying competition.
“While digital cameras are in a period of growth, price reduction and competition are accelerating,” Konica Minolta President Fumio Iwai said when he released his company’s medium-term business plan at a press conference.
Demand for digital cameras is expected to “peak next year,” Iwai added.
Konica Minolta has captured 8 percent to 9 percent of the global market for digital cameras.
The company’s market share will become “very small in single-digit figures” due to unexpectedly tough competition, Iwai said.
According to the business plan, Konica Minolta expects sales of 120 billion yen in the camera business in fiscal 2006, down about 18 percent from 146.2 billion yen projected for fiscal 2003 to March 31.
Digital camera shipments are forecast to level off in fiscal 2004 from the 3.1 million units forecast for fiscal 2003.
Canon IXUS 240 HS Review
Canon PowerShot SX240 HS Review
Nikon D800 Review
Samsung DV300F Review
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Review
Nikon Coolpix P510
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS
Fujifilm X-Pro1
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V
#1 Mad@TT
what the @{%&??????
Are they crazy or just plain stupid? If I understood this entirely they're scared of competition?!
or maybe I'm incredibly daft...
10:37 am - Saturday, March 20, 2004
#2 Ismael Ramos
Digital Cameras are the future. Sales for Digital cameras are increasing and the sales of film based cameras are decreasing.
This is the biggest mistake Konica-Minolta has made. The person or the persons involved in this decision should be fired inmediately. This decision will drive the Company down the drain until it disappear completely from the market.
Minolta has many film based SLR users that want to buy a Digital SLR body from Minolta as soon as it is available.
Does this statement means that Konica-Minolta accepts that cannot manufacture a camera that can compete in quality and price with a Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Fuji, Olympus, or Sigma?
I just hope they don't decide to cancel their plans of releasing a DSLR body due to this. Many loyal customers are waiting for it, including me.
2:59 pm - Sunday, March 21, 2004
#3 Andy McCraw
Mark,
Well done! I've been at photography for a number of years ( +/- 60 ) and find your site dead cool and informative. I'm also in the process of attempting to create my own site and yours works very well. If you have a moment, and I don't know how you would, could you let me know what software you used to set it up. Thanks again for your efforts,
Andy McCraw
2:07 pm - Thursday, March 25, 2004
#4 Ellen Cotton
I was considering purchasing the A2 later this year but....
now I wonder how well it will be supported by the company
in the future? An ill-timed and stupid announcement on Konica-Minolta part!
3:18 pm - Saturday, March 27, 2004