CIPA releases 2022 outlook for camera gear
The Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has released its forecasts for cameras and related goods for the 2022 fiscal year.
Total shipments of digital cameras were 94.1% of those of the previous year, and the mainstay “interchangeable lens” type cameras were 100.8%. In 2021 (January to December cumulative), the total shipments of digital cameras were 8,361,521 units, 94.1% of the previous year. Although the market continued to expand significantly since such statistics started being kept in 1999, it decreased in 2009 for the first time due to the impact of the worldwide economic recession, decreased in 2011 due to the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the flooding in Thailand, and then continued to decrease.
Although camera demand started to increase in 2017, it has fallen below the previous year’s level for four consecutive years since 2018. Shipments of interchangeable-lens digital cameras, however, were 5,348,271 units, 100.8% of the previous year. Interchangeable lens digital cameras are high-value-added products consisting of SLR cameras and mirrorless cameras.
The shortage of semiconductor supply has affected many industries, said CIPA and this industry is no exception, but the results show there is still strong demand for digital cameras. Shipments of built-in lens cameras (non-interchangeable lens type) remained at 3,013,250 units, or 84.2% of the previous year. A comparison of digital camera “Shipments to Japan” and “Shipments to countries other than Japan” shows 89.2% and 94.9%, respectively, of the previous year. Although shipments of built-in lens type “to Japan” were 90.6% of the previous-year figure and exceeded “Shipments to countries other than Japan,” at 82.2%, the figure for interchangeable lens type “Shipments to Japan” was 86.4%, and there was a significant difference from “Shipments to countries other than Japan” of 102.1%. Interchangeable lenses, another mainstay product, were 105.8% of the previous year. Shipments of interchangeable lenses, another mainstay product in this industry, totaled 9,549,347, 105.8% of the previous year.
2022 Shipping Outlook
In 2022 (January to December cumulative), the total shipments of digital cameras will be 7,850,000 units, 93.9% of the previous year, including 1,090,000 units “to Japan,” at 94%, and 6,760,000 units “to countries other than Japan,” at 93.8%, according to CIPA. By category, 2,560,000 units for built-in lens digital cameras, which is 85.0% of the previous year, with 680,000 units “to Japan,” at 88.3%, and 1,880,000 units “to countries other than Japan,” at 83.9%, and 5,290,000 units for interchangeable-lens digital cameras, at 98.9%, with 410,000 units “to Japan,” at 105.1%, and 4,880,000 units “to countries other than Japan,” at 98.4%. 9,480,000 units for interchangeable lenses, which is 99.3% of the previous year, including 860,000 units “to Japan,” at 108.9%, and 8,620,000 units “to countries other than Japan,” at 98.4%. It was not easy to summarize the “outlook” in the midst of the prolonged COVID-19 disasters, but shipments of interchangeable lenses are expected to continue to grow at 1.8 times the scale of interchangeable-lens digital cameras and to stimulate the mark
