Today Only 5% of Picture Taking Devices Are Digital Cameras, With Even More Bearish Outlook

Interesting graphs by the organizers of Photokina who recently ventured to Japan for a sales pitch, as reported by DC.watch. They had bad news for established camera makers. Not only is the digital imaging market transforming itself at an astonishing speed. Never have more pictures been taken, but never have fewer digital cameras been used:

While smartphones and the more modestly priced feature phones are the most popular cameras these days, the popularity of dedicated digital cameras decreases at an alarming rate. More and more people take less and less pictures with a digital camera:

Less and less digital cameras are used for more and more pictures taken...
Less and less digital cameras are used for more and more pictures taken…

Multipurpose photographic devices are outselling pure photographic devices by far. Especially compact cameras are trashed. The only silver lining are sales of high-end cameras with interchangeable lenses:

Yet there's hope for high-end cameras.
Yet there’s hope for high-end cameras.

In 2014 nearly twice as many image taking devices will be sold as in 2009 — but only nearly half as many digital cameras as five years ago. And the stats don’t yet even include Google Glass and the likes.

The future’s all about convergence devices. The classic photographer as we know him or her is a dying breed. Tomorrow‘s photographer is a multitasking hybrid who’s never off the grid — that’s also the reason why the good old camera will never, never ever be wiped off the face of the earth.

(via 4/3 Rumors)