Over a Quarter of Photos are Taken by Smartphones

It's not a bold statement to say that the era of the point-and-shoot camera seems to be reaching the end. If not the end, then it's reaching a point of transition where things are going to change significantly. They're going to have to if there's any hope for entry-level cameras.

According to a recent survey by NPD Group, over a quarter of pictures are taken using smartphones. It's a total of 27% - an increase from just 17% last year. Meanwhile, sales of entry-level point-and-shoots have dropped 17%, showing a clear consumer disinterest.

Though those numbers seem dire, things are looking up for the rest of the photography market. Point-and-shoot cameras with a 10x optical zoom or higher are up 16% and interchangeable lens camera sales are up 12% with an average price of $863.