System and Box Camera Market in Dramatic Ascendance

The system and box camera market is undergoing a major resurgence. In the wake of the mass cancellations, postponements and scale-downs experienced throughout 2020, last year signalled a return to strength for sporting fixtures and live events. According to a new market report from Futuresource Consulting, total volume grew by 30% year-on-year in 2021, while market value rose to more than $200 million.

“It’s been a steady incline towards pre-pandemic levels for system and box camera vendors,” says Helen Matthews, Market Analyst, Futuresource Consulting. “From high-profile competitive events like the Tokyo Olympic games and the Beijing Winter Olympics, to live gigs and popular festivals such as Reading and Leeds in the UK, these are all significant motivators for businesses to upgrade their broadcasting equipment.”

New Innovations Drive the Market Forward

“Now the industry is out of the blocks again, the desire to enhance the viewing experience for audiences at home has been elevated. Broadcasters are looking for new ways to engage, as well as futureproof their content for archival purposes. And manufacturers are not disappointing them. The arrival of new large sensor products from Sony last year pushed growth even further, feeding the appetite for cinematic live multicamera productions.”

Box Cameras Steal a March on System Cameras

Box cameras, which are essentially compact system cameras without any on-shoulder functionality, outpaced system cameras in both volume and value growth. Futuresource attributes the success to their ease of integration with robotic heads. This makes them the preferred choice in remote production workflows, which have become increasingly sought after.

APAC Leads, but Europe and North America Gain Ground

Looking to the regions, APAC represented the largest market for system cameras last year. However, it lost volume share, as market recovery has come at a slower rate than other regions, with both Europe and North America experiencing phenomenal volume and value growth.

For more information on the new system and box camera market report from Futuresource Consulting, or to make a purchase, please contact ben.thrussell@futuresource-hq.com