The NPD Group reports that in 2005, 5-megapixel cameras captured a 37 percent unit share in the U.S, up from 20 percent in 2004, while unit share for 3-megapixel cameras dropped from almost 37.5 percent in 2004 to 13 percent in 2005.

This trend is echoed in other parts of the world, with some of the biggest shifts seen in Europe, Asia and Japan. According to The GfK Group, in Japan, which tends to be a more mature market, over 90 percent of digital camera units sell-through was 5-megapixels or greater in the fourth quarter of 2005, with 6- and 7-megapixel models on the rise.