Every time a new camera is announced, I scroll to the bottom of the announcement where one of the most important bits of information tends to be hidden: the price. And, more often than not, the latest camera announcements more often than not seem to carry a rather hefty dose of sticker shock with them. Of course, sticker shock seems to be a near daily occurrence in 2025, where everything from the cost of housing to the price of eggs seems to be climbing. But every time a camera price tag sends me reeling, I wonder, is this just simple inflation or is the cost of cameras and lenses getting out of control?
Take the latest data from the Camera and Imaging Products Association, or CIPA, who recently published the numbers for 2024. The numbers of cameras shipped last year are the strongest since 2015, which is great news for camera companies and photographers both. Worldwide camera shipments are up by 10 percent of last year’s numbers. However, the cost of those same cameras is up by 15 percent.
