Is the camera market saturated?

Na Horuk · 06-11-2015, 07:10 AM

I'm just wondering. A local store here has the following cameras in stock: K-50, K-S1, K-S2, K-3, K-3II. In various colours and bundles. And also the Q lineup, 645Z, and some (Ricoh) compacts, but these are a separate market.
Is that too many cameras for the Pentax lineup? Will they manage to sell all of them? Especially if you add Canon, Nikon, Sony cameras.. there are just so many different models, with similar functions and price ranges. Is the DSLR camera market getting saturated? Would it make more sense to just sell two models - one for beginners and one for pros? It just seems the whole market is on steroids, new models coming out all the time, but will they sell?

alamo5000 · 06-11-2015, 07:14 AM

The market is semi saturated but the real problem is a lack of jobs and a crappy economy.

AquaDome · 06-11-2015, 07:23 AM

The bean-counters at Ricoh know what they are doing.

**jatrax** · 06-11-2015, 07:25 AM - **1 Like**

People like choices.
Too many choices causes buyer paralysis

Not enough models or shelf space indicates a brand that is weak or not determined to be a player
Too many models confuses buyers and indicates a brand with no focus or left over stock that is not selling

Not enough information confuses people and they do not buy
Too much information confuses people and they do not buy

Getting it right is not easy.

normhead · 06-11-2015, 07:37 AM - **1 Like**

Personally, I have a K20D, two K-5s, a K-01 and a K-3 an Optoo W90, 5 film 35mm SLRS, one MF camera, a Sigma DP2. My house is camera saturated. As for the market, if everyone were like me, the manufacturers wouldn't sell another camera for a couple of years.

skyoftexas · 06-11-2015, 07:39 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by alamo5000

The market is semi saturated but the real problem is a lack of jobs and a crappy economy.

Hmmm. Guess we are reading/hearing two different news reports.

ChristianRock · 06-11-2015, 07:45 AM

Well the K-50 and K-3 that they have is just discontinued items stock, so once that sells what they'll offer K-S1, K-S2 and K-3II, plus the Q7/Q-S1. Which is a nice compact lineup but it will have one more camera added by the end of the year

You can't factor in discontinued models.

indy · 06-11-2015, 07:57 AM

Human beings are like crows- we like to collect bits a pieces of shiny things to deposit in our nests. New cameras are shiny even if the finish is flat black.

**maxfield_photo** · 06-11-2015, 07:57 AM - **1 Like**

The entire photo industry is over saturated. Product life cycles are getting shorter and shorter, and there are fewer true innovations and fewer things to improve upon. Look at Canon, they've got the Rebel T4i, the T5i (the T4i with a mode dial that spins 360), and the T6i in their current lineup (or at least still in distribution channels). How many entry level bodies does a company need?

Camera companies try to "keep up with the Jones's", but what that leads to is over saturation. All the while the market is being eroded by smart phones, and photographers can't make a living because some college freshman fine arts major is willing to give away her images (oversaturated by the way) taken on her T5i just to see them published. The industry is in a bad way. If every camera manufacturer made an agreement with each other that they would abide by a two year life cycle on all of their product lines, things might improve, but that's never going to happen.

At least we have a full frame coming; something new.

sumitkar1971 · 06-11-2015, 08:03 AM

I love the choices and my K-3 but I'm curious where you live that has a camera store that carries that expansive Pentax product line - I can't find anything close from the Pentax lineup in my camera stores and I live in Dallas.TX

Winder · 06-11-2015, 08:05 AM

Originally posted by Na Horuk

new models coming out all the time, but will they sell?

The camera makers obviously don't know or they would not be throwing so many models on the market. Sony was throwing 3-4 different model on the market at a time trying to figure out what people wanted. It looks like they have figured things out an are now down to just a couple. Fuji is probably cutting the XE line to thin it down to 3 models.

Its how companies get feedback on what the market wants. A market is supply driven.

johnmflores · 06-11-2015, 08:08 AM

I don't know about the industry but I'm pretty sure that my camera cabinet is over-saturated.

alamo5000 · 06-11-2015, 08:24 AM

Originally posted by skyoftexas

Hmmm. Guess we are reading/hearing two different news reports.

Probably so. I can't help the willfully ignorant or those who believe their own propaganda.

derekkite · 06-11-2015, 08:42 AM

Originally posted by johnmflores

i don't know about the industry but i'm pretty sure that my camera cabinet is over-saturated.

never!

disconnekt · 06-11-2015, 08:43 AM

Canon & Nikon have way too many camera's out there, especially their APSC cameras.

06-11-2015, 07:10 AM	#1
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Is the camera market saturated? I'm just wondering. A local store here has the following cameras in stock: K-50, K-S1, K-S2, K-3, K-3II. In various colours and bundles. And also the Q lineup, 645Z, and some (Ricoh) compacts, but these are a separate market. Is that too many cameras for the Pentax lineup? Will they manage to sell all of them? Especially if you add Canon, Nikon, Sony cameras.. there are just so many different models, with similar functions and price ranges. Is the DSLR camera market getting saturated? Would it make more sense to just sell two models - one for beginners and one for pros? It just seems the whole market is on steroids, new models coming out all the time, but will they sell?

06-11-2015, 08:03 AM	#10
sumitkar1971 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 100	Camera market saturated? I love the choices and my K-3 but I'm curious where you live that has a camera store that carries that expansive Pentax product line - I can't find anything close from the Pentax lineup in my camera stores and I live in Dallas.TX

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06-11-2015, 07:14 AM	#2
alamo5000 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2,962	The market is semi saturated but the real problem is a lack of jobs and a crappy economy.

06-11-2015, 07:23 AM	#3
AquaDome Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: New Carlisle, IN Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,475	The bean-counters at Ricoh know what they are doing.

06-11-2015, 07:25 AM - 1 Like	#4
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	People like choices. Too many choices causes buyer paralysis Not enough models or shelf space indicates a brand that is weak or not determined to be a player Too many models confuses buyers and indicates a brand with no focus or left over stock that is not selling Not enough information confuses people and they do not buy Too much information confuses people and they do not buy Getting it right is not easy.

06-11-2015, 07:37 AM - 1 Like	#5
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Personally, I have a K20D, two K-5s, a K-01 and a K-3 an Optoo W90, 5 film 35mm SLRS, one MF camera, a Sigma DP2. My house is camera saturated. As for the market, if everyone were like me, the manufacturers wouldn't sell another camera for a couple of years.

06-11-2015, 07:39 AM - 1 Like	#6
skyoftexas Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: United States Posts: 156	Originally posted by alamo5000 The market is semi saturated but the real problem is a lack of jobs and a crappy economy. Hmmm. Guess we are reading/hearing two different news reports.

06-11-2015, 07:45 AM	#7
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	Well the K-50 and K-3 that they have is just discontinued items stock, so once that sells what they'll offer K-S1, K-S2 and K-3II, plus the Q7/Q-S1. Which is a nice compact lineup but it will have one more camera added by the end of the year You can't factor in discontinued models.

06-11-2015, 07:57 AM	#8
indy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana Photos: Gallery Posts: 274	Human beings are like crows- we like to collect bits a pieces of shiny things to deposit in our nests. New cameras are shiny even if the finish is flat black.

06-11-2015, 07:57 AM - 1 Like	#9
maxfield_photo Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,216	The entire photo industry is over saturated. Product life cycles are getting shorter and shorter, and there are fewer true innovations and fewer things to improve upon. Look at Canon, they've got the Rebel T4i, the T5i (the T4i with a mode dial that spins 360), and the T6i in their current lineup (or at least still in distribution channels). How many entry level bodies does a company need? Camera companies try to "keep up with the Jones's", but what that leads to is over saturation. All the while the market is being eroded by smart phones, and photographers can't make a living because some college freshman fine arts major is willing to give away her images (oversaturated by the way) taken on her T5i just to see them published. The industry is in a bad way. If every camera manufacturer made an agreement with each other that they would abide by a two year life cycle on all of their product lines, things might improve, but that's never going to happen. At least we have a full frame coming; something new.

06-11-2015, 08:05 AM	#11
Winder Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 6,617	Originally posted by Na Horuk new models coming out all the time, but will they sell? The camera makers obviously don't know or they would not be throwing so many models on the market. Sony was throwing 3-4 different model on the market at a time trying to figure out what people wanted. It looks like they have figured things out an are now down to just a couple. Fuji is probably cutting the XE line to thin it down to 3 models. Its how companies get feedback on what the market wants. A market is supply driven.

06-11-2015, 08:08 AM	#12
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	I don't know about the industry but I'm pretty sure that my camera cabinet is over-saturated.

06-11-2015, 08:24 AM	#13
alamo5000 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2,962	Originally posted by skyoftexas Hmmm. Guess we are reading/hearing two different news reports. Probably so. I can't help the willfully ignorant or those who believe their own propaganda.

06-11-2015, 08:42 AM	#14
derekkite Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Nelson B.C. Posts: 3,782	Originally posted by johnmflores i don't know about the industry but i'm pretty sure that my camera cabinet is over-saturated. never!

06-11-2015, 08:43 AM	#15
disconnekt Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: SoCal/I.E. Photos: Albums Posts: 1,699	Canon & Nikon have way too many camera's out there, especially their APSC cameras.