Replacement cameras are helping to drive the market. European consumers are already paying premium prices for replacement and additional cameras to obtain the brands and features that they desire, which is good news for camera manufacturers.

The most noticeable differences by country were in brand preferences and purchase locations, length of digital camera ownership, incidence of replacement and additional cameras, and the difference in average income between digital camera owners and non-owners.

“Our study confirms that Europeans are active digital photographers that capture photos frequently and store a high percentage of them,” commented Mette Eriksen, a Senior Consultant with InfoTrends/CAP Ventures. “However, consumer requirements vary significantly by demographics and by region. Vendors who wish to increase profits and sales volumes need to understand these differences and develop strategies to target the growing segments.”

The home is the most popular location for printing, and this is also the place where the largest number of photos are currently produced. Nevertheless, there are signs that this is beginning to change as retailers continue to increase consumer awareness through advertising, marketing, and low prices. At this time, 23% of digital camera owners report printing photos at retail, compared to 68% who said they print at home.

“Again, we’re seeing considerable differences by country when we look at printing practices,” said Eriksen. “For example, digital camera users in Italy and Spain were more than twice as likely as respondents from other countries to print at retail. What’s also striking is the relatively small percentage of images that are being printed across all regions. The industry as a whole must do more to encourage printing and increase the total number of photos printed.”

InfoTrends/CAP Ventures’ new report entitled 2005 Western European Digital Photography Survey: Digital Camera End User, Non User, and Photo Printing Analysis is based on a Web-based survey of 1,561 respondents. The survey was conducted throughout Western Europe in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. This 121-page study is accompanied by 3 main sets of tabulations covering all countries surveyed, and if required, further tabulations for each country surveyed. The survey covers digital cameras, camera phones, photo printing in the home and in outside locations, and long-term storage of digital images. Data includes segmentation by country, type of camera owned, length of digital camera ownership, and photographer type.

The report is available immediately to clients of InfoTrends/CAP Ventures’ Digital Photography Trends Europe Consulting Service. For more information on the report or to make a purchase, visit our online report store or contact Jason Russell at +44 (0)1582 400120 or Jason_russell@capv.com.

InfoTrends/CAP Ventures is the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions industries. We provide research, analysis, forecasts, and advice to help clients understand market trends, identify opportunities, and develop strategies to grow their businesses. Additional information about InfoTrends/CAP Ventures is available on the Web at www.infotrends-rgi.com.

CONTACT: Matt O'Keefe, InfoTrends tel. 781-616-2100, fax 781-616-2121, 97 Libbey Industrial Parkway, Weymouth, MA 02189, mokeefe@infotrends-rgi.com.