UK has embraced the Micro Four Thirds camera format, making up over 10% of interchangeable lens camera sales (by volume) in December 2009. According to figures from market research company GfK Retail and Technology, around 6,600 Micro Four Thirds cameras were sold in the UK, accounting for more than half of the system`s sales volumes in 11 major Western European countries.

The company`s Temax Western Europe fourth quarter 2009 sales figures show that interchangeable lens cameras contributed to around 9.4% of total sales volume in Europe, but approximately 31.2% of the total sales value. With Micro Four Thirds accounting for 3.2% of these volumes.

According to Japanese retail store BCN rankings, Micro Four Thirds made up 11.1% of total sales last year with four of them ranking under top 20 and three in the top 10 of the 2009 best sellers.

These figures reflect the global shipment numbers published by Japanese trade body Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) that show a similar trend in the global market for DSLRs. CIPA`s figures also show there has been a 25% increase in DSLR shipments compared to the same quarter of 2008, but only a 23% increase in value, following a 1.5% drop in average unit cost.