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Digitimes Research: DSC model number drops sharply in 2013

Betty Shyu, DIGITIMES Research, Taipei

As demand for DSCs is waning, brand vendors are turning cautious about releasing new models. In 2013, the top-7 vendors released a total of only 81 DSC models, a sharp drop of over 40% from 2012. Fujifilm, which used to flood the market with multiple models, had a dramatic drop in the number of new models in 2013, while Nikon was the only vendor with an increase.

In November-December 2013, only two new DSC models were released: the Olympus Stylus 1 and Fujifilm XQ1. Both of them are mid-range/high-end models featuring high-end specifications such as large apertures in order to differentiate from smartphones cameras, according to Digitimes Research.

The Stylus 1 features a constant F2.8 maximum aperture and instead of the usual five-axis sensor-shift image stabilization technology, the stabilization mechanism is in the lens, the first time Olympus has ever adopted such a technology. Because of the new technology, the Stylus costs US$572.

The XQ1 has the smallest size among Fujifilm's high-end X series DSC models. It only has a width of 10cm and thickness of 3.33cm. The maximum aperture of the device's wide-angle lens is at F1.8. The device is priced at US$367.