Canon UK Press Release

IDC names Canon number one in European digital camera market for third consecutive year

· International Data Corporation (IDC) annual research positions Canon in first place for Western European digital camera sales in 2004
· 58% annual growth recorded for Western European digital camera market in 2004
· Canon supports predicted 2005 D-SLR market growth with launch of the EOS 350D

Figures released by analyst house IDC confirm that Canon, leader in photographic and imaging technology, is the market leader in Western European digital camera sales for the third consecutive year.

Canon increased its leadership position in 2004 to claim a 16.8% share of the entire Western European digital camera market, which saw total shipments across all brands exceed 25 million units . With sales of 4.2 million units of digital SLR (D-SLR) and compact digital cameras in 2004, Canon has achieved an increase of over 66.6% on equivalent sales in 2003. 

According to IDC research, 38.4 million (24.4%) of all households in Western Europe own a digital camera. This trend looks set to continue with household penetration rates expected to increase further in 2005.

Paul Withington, Research Manager, European Peripherals at IDC said, “2004 saw another boom year for the Western European digital camera market, which experienced a growth rate of 58% on 2003 – and for the third year running Canon was the overall leader in the market. The D-SLR segment is certainly the fastest growing segment, increasing over 200% on 2003 giving a market size of over 733 thousand units. The market really took off at the end of 2003, with product introductions hitting price points never before seen in the segment. This had the effect of dramatically expanding the market in 2004, allowing amateurs to use camera technologies previously only accessible to professional photographers.”

Mogens Jensen, Head of Consumer Imaging Canon Europe, said, “We are delighted to have retained the number one position for the third year running and look forward to continuing to drive growth in the European digital camera market.  Canon currently has the leading performance camera in every D-SLR segment in terms of speed and resolution, and will continue to set standards through the development of cutting-edge technologies. The recently launched EOS 350D brings professional photographic technologies to the hands of consumers and is expected to be the single most important camera driving growth in the D-SLR market in the next year.”

Withington concluded, “IDC anticipates that 2005 will show another year of growth, to be fuelled on two fronts. Further penetration into European households will boost the entry level market, while early adopters will upgrade their cameras in the mid to high end of the market – taking advantage of advances in resolution and optical zoom capabilities.”

The IDC Worldwide Image Forecast for 2004 – 2008 predicts that the future of digital camera shipments will remain buoyant for 2005, with the quantity of digital camera images captured, shared and received worldwide expected to grow by an average of 35% by 2008. Despite the forecasted proliferation of camera phones, digital cameras are expected to be the largest generator of digital images.

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