Amateur Photography Increases In Britain

Press, Volume C, Issue 29504, 4 May 1961, Page 9

Amateur Photography Increases In Britain

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.)

LONDON, May 3. Britain is second only to the United States in camera ownership, and the gap is closing, according to Mr J Balmer, chairman of the Photographic Information Council. Camera ownership in Britain is estimated at 190 a 1000 of population, compared with 220 a 1000 in the United States, with Germany and Japan fourth. "British amateurs will spend more than £4sm this year on their hobby. Some £lsm of this will be spent on processing. "Amateur expenditure has increased by more than 50 per cent, in two years. The 1958 figure was £2Bm,” said Mr Balmer. “The American amateur takes about twice as many still photographs as his British counterpart and uses a higher proportion of colour film—about 40 per cent.— while in Britain the ratio is 20 per cent. “Some 12m persons now use cameras in Britain and sales total £l*2m a year. “The majority of cameras sold and in use are inexpensive models. Sales of still cameras priced at £5 are about 250.000 a year,” said Mr Balmer. “More than 25m pictures will be taken with flash bulbs this year, compared with 2 3 4 m in 1950. "Just as photography in general is an all year round hobby, the use of flash, contrary to popular opinion, is

not limited to the winter months. "Even more spectacular has been the growth of home movie enthusiasts. This year we have noticed tremendous interest in home movie making, particularly among women, and the recent introduction of less expensive equipment will bring home moyies within the reach of even a modest purse. “This steady upward trend in amateur photography is expected to continue as the standard of living increases,” said Mr Balmer.