Compact camera sales dip 14.5%

[CSBC]

AP News

[sey]

Isn't it possible that the reason for the downturn is simply that the market is saturated with compacts. The initial awe and wonder is wearing off and people are finding that their compacts are doing more then enough for them. They don't need to upgrade every 3 months.
The few who do want to upgrade move on to DSLR's and that's what's keeping the DSLR market more or less stable, though it remains less then 10% of total digital sales.

[Bone_Idle]

It's because the 20% who were potential micro 4/3rds users have been hanging on for the Olympus E-P1!

I'm 82% convinced this is the case!

[sey]

[AndyTake2]

Bound to happen.

A saturation point of good quality machines had to be reached, and most people don't want to change every year or so like a mobile phone.

It's time for the compact manufacturers to take a look at the market to entice people back.
Number one on the list would be high quality low light capabilities. I use my Wife's exilim sometimes (6 mixels I think) but have been tempted by some of the offers available at the minute - good quality 12 Mixel machines for £60 or so, but I know they would be pants in low light, so I'll wait a year or so.

[Roy5051]

Quite agree. I have had several Canon compacts over the years and they all have the same failing - pictures inside, in lowish light, at parties say, are rubbish, and the built-in flashes are not powerful enough. Even racking the ISO up does not cure the problem. When I go to parties, I now take my old 35mm zoom compact and get great pictures. The flash on 35mm compacts seems to be much better than on digital compacts - is this true, or just in my imagination?

[Terrywoodenpic]

How many use their phones now in preference to a compact.
I think the move in that direction is real and permanent.