Professional video capture market to grow 2.7 percent in 2010

BOSTON, USA: The recovery in the professional and broadcast industry is confirmed by new research from the Media Production and Distribution research service offered by D.I.S. Consulting and Strategy Analytics.

According to the findings, published in “Video Capture Devices: Global Market Forecast,” global sales of professional camcorders, studio cameras, production monitors and switchers will increase this year by 2.7 percent to reach 207,000 units.

This represents a recovery after the recession of 2009, when sales fell by 8 percent. In terms of industry revenues, however, the video capture industry continues to suffer from price erosion. Revenues in 2010 are expected to be stable at $1.16 billion, the same as in 2009.

The video capture sector comprises professional camcorders, studio cameras, displays used in production and production switchers. The research finds that displays are the most important component, accounting for nearly a third of total revenues.

This report predicts that unit sales across the video capture sector will continue to grow over the next five years, reaching nearly 250,000 units by 2015. However, revenues will remain under pressure from price competition and are likely to fall slightly to one billion dollars in the same timeframe.

"As the coming five years unfold, a number of factors may mitigate our current forecast scenario,” said Douglas I. Sheer, Chief Analyst at D.I.S. Consulting. “Among them:

a) the potential for a switch of the film industry's use of film stock to an all-electronic production method utilizing professional video cameras and camcorders;
b) a substantial turnaround of the global economy; and
c) the infusion of greater budgets among the greatly expanded freelance class.”