Canon, Nikon change the lens

Companies position cameras as an aspirational purchase while making it easy to click and share

In its recently released campaign for a new range of DSLRs (digital single lens reflex) Canon is going all out to highlight the camera's wi-fi capabilities. Capture the most important moments of your life, share instantly with friends and family, is the message; not how easy it is to point and shoot, or the special quality of the lens, as used to be the pitch a few years ago. Faced with the relentless onslaught of smartphones with high resolution cameras, companies believe that making it easy to click, load and share is one way to stay in the race. Both Canon and rival Nikon are doing that while positioning their cameras as aspirational products and focusing sharply on premium category buyers.

AN IMPERFECT PICTURE

• In 2010-11, point-and-shoot cameras accounted for 75 per cent of total sales; in 2015 it was 30 per cent and is expected to drop to 10-15 per cent by 2017: Assocham
• Shipments of digital still cameras worldwide have dropped by around 30 per cent: Camera and Imaging Products Association
• Canon and Nikon are betting on new technology, shoot-and-share features and brand loyalty to ride out the storm

The paradox today is that even as photographers mushroom by the dozens every hour, demand for cameras is on the slide. During 2010-11, 75 per cent of total camera sales in India were from point-and-shoot contraptions, the rest from SLRs. Four years later, the point-and-shoot market is fast disappearing; in 2015 it contributed just 30 per cent to total camera sales and is expected to drop to 10-15 per cent by 2017 according to a study by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham). "Smart phones are killing demand for point-and-shoot cameras," says D S Rawat, secretary general, Assocham.

Canon and Nikon however shrug off the doomsayers. "Compact camera might be reducing, but the overall industry still has a lot of scope," says Kazutada Kobayashi, president and CEO, Canon India. To realise the latent potential, companies believe they need to arm cameras with the latest technology and align their brands to local needs. Both brands are focusing on wedding photography, festivals and other occasions to communicate to a wider audience. Nikon India's managing director, Kazuo Ninomiya says, "With the adoption rate of digital cameras in Indian markets, we don't see a value-wise drop in camera market."

The problem is that mobile phones today come with 12-13 megapixels cameras and technology is pushing the boundaries every day. Rawat says, "Sales of digital cameras with heavy discounts have drastically dropped to mere 35 per cent in the last one year whereas the demand of smart phones has increased by over 100 per cent."

Clearly camera makers have to reinvent themselves and technology could play a big role here. "Technological advancements will surely take the industry by storm thus making our existing market share stronger," says Kobayashi. This would mean embedding features that let users shoot and share instantly apart from other innovations.

"Smartphones may have replaced some of the market, however, I don't think this segment is shrinking," says Kobayashi. The point he makes, as does Nikon's Ninomiya, is that smartphones may actually help the industry. Ninomiya believes that although smart phones have the potential to capture an image, "(they) will never be the perfect gear when given a choice. Customers are already lured to upgrade to cameras for better experience."

Camera companies expect that, as the pool of amateur photographers slips out of their grasp, they will lose in the short term, but gain in the long run as there will be a desire to upgrade to better cameras. "More people are now exposed to the joys of photography, DSLR today is not only for professionals but also for people who want to explore photography for pure passion of clicking," says Kobayashi.

Canon is developing wedding photography as a category and is launching a slew of special features for the purpose. Nikon is training its lens on festivals and pitching its brands via workshops and targeted ads for wildlife enthusiasts, wedding, fashion, travel, landscape photographers and such others. "Now consumers not only demand good camera functions, but crave for perfection in every shot," believes Ninomiya.

Both Canon and Nikon believe that their big advantage is the long association the brands have with photographers. This will come in handy when the companies expand their portfolio and venture into new segments. For instance, Canon is keen on expanding into the projector and surveillance camera domains. A diversified catalogue would help push growth, the company believes. "We have maintained a steady growth of 6 per cent for the last two years. In 2016, we are aiming to achieve a double digit growth, thus surpassing our own record," says Kobayashi.

Nikon's priority however will be to "build its reputation for unparalleled quality and reliability," says Ninomiya. This will help grab keen photographers and not just those indulging in a fleeting hobby. While the future seems to be still out of focus, the camera companies hope that the swelling crowds aiming and shooting with their smartphones will eventually work in their favour.