Sony published the detailed financial report. There are couple of info regarding the digital camera segment:
1) The expected operating income increase is partially offset by the negative impact of the Earthquake, which is anticipated to primarily affect components and compact digital cameras.
2) In the CPD segment, sales decreased due to lower sales of products such as components and compact digital cameras. This decrease was partially offset by higher sales of interchangeable single lens cameras.
My guess is that Sony NEX cameras were much more successful than they had expected. At least in Japan were we can see the exact sales (See BCNranking) we can notice that Sony NEX cameras are selling more than Panasonic and Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras. That’s a huge surprise if you do consider the lack of lenses for the E-mount system.
Source: http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/financial/fr/index.html
P.S.: You can see on Amazon that most cameras in the TOP 20 are compacts:
Amazon US rankings (Click here)
Amazon DE rankings (Click here)
Amazon UK rankings (Click here)
Amazon FR rankings (Click here)
Amazon IT rankings (Click here)
4 Responses
It’s hardly surprising for me. The type of people who would invest this much money buying interchangeable, compact cameras, surely prefer a biggest possible sensor on a compact body. Although lens choice is still limited for Nex, its bigger sensor has more potential and advantages than 4/3 system. It’s only the matter of time when we will see more lens from sony and other 3rd parties, if it’s not too long to wait for consumers. I decided to buy nex and not 4/3 for the very same reason.
Well, from what I’ve heard from one of Sony guys – in Poland (europe) sales of mirrorless cameras is inversely proportional to the amount of bodies released.
Sony got 2 bodies – rules the sales.
NX got 4 bodies – comes second.
m4/3 got… shitton of bodies – comes last.
Interesting, isn’t it? Big sensor and quality pictures seem to do their work. And this brings the question: How will Pentax and Nikon do on the market with their P&S-sized tiny sensors in coming mirrorless systems.
Yes’ it’s going to be very interesting. Hopefully the consumers win this time 🙂
I agree with the previous comments. I chose NEX because it had a better sensor than m4/3, I didn’t really mind about lenses because I knew they would eventually come out. But the wait is getting too long!
I think if they released some of the lenses people are asking for, sales would be even better