Hewlett-Packard has announced a price reduction in HP digital cameras since digital cameras are being tipped as the next `must-have` technology for consumers and businesses alike, according to recent IDC research*.
Their affordability, technological development, and ease in which photographs can be printed at minimum costs or distributed electronically via e-mail or over the Web is resulting in explosive growth in digital imaging.
"It`s a technology whose time has come - and some would say, much faster than what was first expected,` says Ashley Flinders, brand manager, imaging and printing solutions, Hewlett-Packard South Africa.
"Digital technology has been happening at an incredible pace. Digital camera functionality today matches that of conventional SLR cameras, and complementary technologies such as high resolution full colour printers, scanners, storage devices and paper have advanced in line with them." Today, most digital cameras do not even have to download images to a PC before being printed. The use of infrared links or Bluetooth means users can print shots directly to the printer from the camera.
According to IDC, the global research company, the rapid adoption of these digital devices will fundamentally alter the way consumers and businesses print their images in the future. It forecasts that the 9.1 billion images produced digitally in the US last year will leap to nearly 30-billion within four years.
"When a technology achieves such a growth rate - more than 26% compound - the price of technology starts dropping rapidly, and that is precisely what is happening currently with HP products," says Flinders.
"HP is reducing the pricing on midrange and high end digital cameras to bring product to the consumer."
The HP Photosmart 618 and HP Photosmart 912 are two-megapixel (2MP) optical zoom digital cameras that deliver both the quality and functionality of full-featured film cameras. They have been designed with the photo enthusiast in mind.
The HP Photosmart 912 has the control, performance and flexibility of an SLR camera, and is now available at R7495.00. The HP Photosmart 618 digital camera is ideal for experienced photographers and PC technologists, offering automatic functionality as well as manual control in a portable, point-and-shoot camera. It now retails at R4 999.00.
The entry-level HP Photosmart 215 and HP Photosmart 315 are 1.3 MP and 2.1 MP cameras respectively and retail for R2 495.00 and R3 495.00
Together with the price alignment of its entry-level point-and-shoot digital cameras, HP is also announcing price reductions on its digital photography product bundles. The HP Photosmart 215 camera and HP Deskjet 950, the HP Photosmart 315 camera and HP Photosmart P1000 printer and HP Photosmart 618 camera and HP Photosmart P100 printer are available with up to 15% end-user discount.
"These announcements highlight our vision of digital photography, which is based on the collective ability of digital photography products, cameras, printers, scanners, CD writers and photo media to work together to give customers positive experiences in capturing, sharing and storing their images (memories),"says Flinders.
With the increase in the volume of images captured comes a surge in print volume. According to IDC, consumers will dominate the photofinishing landscape, accounting for 11.4 billion images printed in 2005. By comparison, businesses will account for 4.2 billion images printed in 2005.
"But it`s no longer a case of having to print a whole roll of film. Digital technology means you can preview your shots and print only those that you want to. Alternatively you can just store them all digitally.
"We see the internet serving as a backbone to this new digital age. Users can transfer images effortlessly across the web with prints produced on demand by the recipient rather than the sender producing mass prints and then distributing them," concludes Flinders.
* The Impact of Digital Image Capture on the U.S. Photofinishing Industry, 2000-2005 (IDC #B2923
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Hewlett-Packard Company - a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services for business and home - is focused on capitalising on the opportunities of the Internet and the proliferation of electronic services.
HP has 85,400 employees worldwide and had total revenue from continuing operations of $42.4 billion in its 1999 fiscal year. Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.