A Look at What 2013 Was Like for the Photo Industry (Spoiler: Not Too Good)

Although there was plenty to be happy about for us photographers last year, 2013 was statistically a very bad year when it comes to camera sales. And now, thanks to an infographic and accompanying video put together by LensVid, we get to look back and find out exactly why that is.

After crunching the numbers published by CIPA (the Camera & Imaging Products Association), LensVid decided to make the information a bit more visually accessible. Using all sorts of charts and graphs — and including some interesting tidbits along the way — the infographic below (click here for full-size) gives us an overview comparison of the last four years in the photo industry:

Given the 40% decrease in cameras shipped and 20% decrease in lenses shipped in 2013, it’s safe to say the industry is not in a great place right now. The video gives two main (and somewhat obvious) reasons behind this: the improvement of camera phones and the global economic crisis’ impact on the industry. LensVids also points out the US market’s disinterest in mirrorless cameras, but that one’s an ‘anecdotal point.’

Overall, no matter how much the numbers are crunched or how many analysts give their insight on the status of the photography industry, one thing is clear: there is no one reason the photography industry has taken a downturn. As a caveat, there is also no single solution to reenergizing it.

We firmly believe that photography, as both an art form and a hobby, isn’t going to die anytime soon; as with everything in this world, it’s going through a cycle, albeit one of the worst we’ve seen. So while the doomsday numbers might get you down a bit, we suggest taking a stroll on the silver lining, because there’s a significantly brighter side to this coin.

(via LensVid)

Image credit: Infographic created and provided by LensVid