What does this mean for the photo industry?
In the past couple of years, we have seen a lot of interesting things happen in the photography industry.
First, we saw Nikon stop selling parts to camera repair shops.
Forcing all repairs to go through Nikon’s own repair centers.
Then we saw a bunch of companies drop out of major trade shows like Photokina and PhotoPlus.
Companies are having their products copied and sold cheap, forcing other companies like Dynalite to close their doors.
More recently canon has started to remove camera stores as dealers which they state are too small. That they will be selling direct instead. Which means they will only sell direct and have box boxes stores as dealers. Yet they haven’t sent those cut-off letters to all small businesses. In fact, they sent one to Mack Camera and Video Service in New Jersey. A company that has been in business since 1938. Mack only purchased $150,000 of products from canon in 2019. But they spent a total of $500,000 with Canon between products, parts, and repairs. Is that considered small still?
It’s interesting to see so many changes in the photography industry in such a short period of time.
More interesting is seeing Sony step it up. They’re doing countless in-store events, working hard to do more with small businesses while at the same time still work with large businesses.
That’s likely the reason why Sony cameras are the top-selling brand right not. Not because they’re better than any other. But because they’re more in your face. They’re more engaging right now. They are more caring about photographers right now.
Any camera brand can take that spot. All you need to do is care, and have good marketing.
What does all of this mean for the photo industry?
What does it mean that PDN had to shut down some magazines, consolidate and go purely digital?
These changes are just the beginning of what could be coming.
I’d like to hear your thoughts on it. Comment below.
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