DSLR camera sales in the UK.

according to Photo Marketing Association (PMA), sales figures show that unit sales of DSLRs have soared by 350,000 units since 2004.

By the end of 2008 PMA projects that the number of DSLR cameras sold to total around 400,000. Just four years ago the figure for sales stood at around 50,000.

While DSLR cameras sales have been rapidly increasing, when this is compared to regular point and shoot cameras, there has been a corresponding decline in digital compact sales, according to PMA's UK director Nigel McNaught. PMA told us that this year will witness 'the first decline in overall value of the digital camera market for many years'.

They added that while it may only be a small decline, perhaps less than 1%. But it does show that the steady price erosion of average digital camera values over the years, an erosion which is no longer capable of being offset by the higher priced and valued DSLR sales, as has happened in previous years.

In total, overall annual unit sales of digital cameras in the UK remains fairly constant at around 6.5m units, this according to the photo trade body, which compares favorable to previous years growth rates.

The total value of the UK's digital camera market is over £900m.