Konica Minolta helps increase popularity of digital SLRs in Japan

Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Inc., Tokyo, Japan, has made a good start with its first popular digital SLR Alpha Sweet D that hit the shelves of local Japanese dealers on Aug. 19, reports Photo Trade Express.

"We don't pointlessly want larger quantity, but steadily pursue the target of a 10 percent share on the domestic DSLR market," says an exec of KM Marketing, the domestic sales arm of the camera maker. Including the initial shipment of 7,000 to 8,000 units, the marketing arm shipped slightly more than 10,000 units during August and it now focuses on replacing what has sold out of retailers.

"We shipped more than 5,000 units in September, holding a two-digit share of the segment," says the exec.

Canon Inc., Tokyo, Japan, leads the DSLR market in Japan and sells via about 2,000 retail outlets on the domestic market including specialty dealers and large-scale appliance/consumer electronics stores. Nikon Corp., Tokyo, Japan, supplies DSLRs to some 1,500 stores focusing on popular DSLR models. Konica Minolta started late in the DSLR game and sells through some 1,000 retail outlets, mostly photo specialty dealers though some willing large-scale appliance/consumer electronics stores also handle the popular Konica Minolta DSLR model.

While overall share of the Sweet D is around 10 percent, it is well over 20 percent at many shops that sell the model, reaching the third position after Canon and Nikon. An increasing number of photo dealers that handle the Sweet D are now selling the camera in a kit with a lens or two made by independent maker to avoid price competition with large-scale stores.

"The KM DSLR is characterized by its image stabilization system built in the body that works regardless of the lens," comments a Tokyo dealer, continuing, "Customers may enjoy many lenses at reasonable costs."

KM Marketing also handles Sigma lenses besides KM original lenses to supplement its lens lineup while it is now ready to supply high-grade, expensive lenses of its own, reports the journal.