AGFA to enter the Digital Camera Age (DC-735)

AGFA, the giant and well respected German camera film manufacturer is about to enter the digital age. According to the press release, AGFA has an 83% brand awareness and is a well respected brand. As for manufacturing and marketing, it will outsource and licensed to the playa group, the same manufacturer for Polaroid Digital Cameras.

One such camera is the new 7 megapixel AGFA DC-735. Interestingly, it seems to have the same body as the existing 5 megapixel Polaroid M536 which is also manufactured and marketed by Plawa.

Here what they say in the press release:

"The digital camera specialist plawa has been granted an exclusive license for AGFAPHOTO digital cameras effective today, when the agreement came into force. The license was granted by Cologne-based AgfaPhoto Holding GmbH. Agfa has been one of the most prominent names in the
photography industry for over a century. According to a digital camera survey conducted by Stern magazine in 2004, Agfa has an 83 percent brand awareness, making it the second best known camera brand.

AgfaPhoto Holding CEO Dr. Frank Nellissen noted the following: “In plawa we’ve found a licensee that has the product and marketing acumen in this key product sector that is needed for success in this aggressive and fast moving market. The AGFAPHOTO brand is all about providing photo retailers with quality cameras at good prices. plawa has decades of marketing and manufacturing experience with cameras and is a known quantity in the industry, making them the perfect partner for us”.

“Market success will be decided in the high volume price segment ranging from 99 to 199 euros for five to ten megapixel digital cameras. We will be launching a line of cameras with features of varying scope in September. We will also be unveiling the first AGFAPHOTO digital cameras
for partners and industry professionals at photokina in Cologne,” noted Michael Roessler, CEO of plawafeinwerktechnik GmbH & Co. KG.
plawa hopes to gain a five percent market share in the medium term on the basis of outstanding products, the robust AGFAPHOTO brand and an enticing warranty and technical support package. plawa will be marketing AGFAPHOTO digital cameras in Germany, while the other European markets will be serviced by distributors. When it comes to product development, plawa has extensive experience with leading Asian production and technology partners such as Flextronics, which is already on board as the partner for the new product line. "