InfoTrends Study Indicates Digital Cameras Will Dominate Pro Photography By 2010

Research and consulting firm InfoTrends, Weymouth, Mass., USA, released its multi-client study, "North American Professional Photography Market," in which it indicates that by the end of the decade, 90 percent of professional pictures will be taken with digital cameras, and less than 40 percent of professional photographers will still use film cameras. Pro photographers continue to purchase new digital cameras and backs as performance improves; however, falling prices are keeping overall camera revenue flat.

According to the study, there are over 131,000 professional photographers in North America, and they spend nearly million a year on cameras, lenses, printers, ink and media, software, and other accessories. Approximately 65 percent of these professional photographers use film cameras for some of their shoots, however, InfoTrends' estimates that 70 percent of all professional photos are taken with digital cameras.

Research for the study consisted of interviews with over 1,750 professional photographers, 200 commercial photography customers, and 1,200 consumers that have used professional photography services. All the market sizing and research findings are split by key segments, including commercial, editorial, portrait and wedding, fine art/nature, and school photography.