Camera Phones help push Traditional Camera Sales

Who said camera phone will replace traditional point and shoot digital cameras? A recent report from the IDC says that over 25% of camera phone users were inclined to buy a traditional digital camera because of their relationship with their camera phone. According to the report camera phone users are becoming more interested in digital photography and comfortable enough with the technology to purchase a regular digital camera for true keepsake images. This report refutes previous thoughts that camera phones were actually hurting the traditional digital camera market.

Camera phones outsell traditional digital cameras 4 to 1. But camera phones only take about 7.5 billion images per year while traditional digital cameras take over 40 billion images.

But here is a thought. Anyone who bought a camera phone thinking they didn’t need to get a normal digital camera may have soon discovered that the images from a camera phone really sucked and that is why they opted for a real camera. Everyone keeps talking about how big camera phones are going to be and how they will replace normal digital cameras but I have yet to see a great image from a camera phone. Sure I have a camera phone but I only use it when I need to ask my wife to help with important decisions. You know like what souvenir to buy her when on the road, “Honey do you want the cheap Eiffel tower model made in India or the I love Paris t-shirt printed in China?”