Sales numbers for UW gear manufacturers? How do they do their business?

I know we are a small exceptional niche group to the multi-billion dollar world of the camera manufacturers. Or, are we?

When a manufacturer decides to build a housing for a particular camera, how many do they build to satisfy demand? How many do they sell?

For,example Ikelite. Say they decide to,build a housing for the new Nikon D5. How many do we think they will sell worldwide? Do they build "some" and then warehouse them waiting for,orders? What about the mass priced mirror less cameras?

Sea and sea....how many of the new YS-D2 strobes will they build and expect to sell?

Hugyfoyt (forgive the spelling) is very small. How many do they build, sell, and warehouse?

Nikon...(just my gear of choice). They have "built" (outsourced) 3 housing for their UW cams and are now dumping their third. The Nikon SB-N10 strobe is the Sea and Sea YS-D2 in a white jacket. How many did,they buy and sell?

I'm just trying to get an idea of the size of the UW photography marketplace and try to understand how,they do,their business.

Where to get this info? Any input would be welcome?

No one really knows. I would imagine that production runs for housings like the D5 are numbered in 10's rather than 100's.

The US market for specialist (not point and shoot) underwater camera gear is "probably" no more than $10 million.

The numbers dont have to be spot on, just an idea. I'm just baffled that there is so little information on the state of the UW photo industry.

I'm not looking for secrets, just an idea of how big it is and how this many manufacturers compete with such a small eclectic sample of photographers

I thought I posted this, perhaps I was dreaming. None of the UW guys release detailed numbers. Ikelite is reported at sales between 5 and 10M per year with 200 or so employees by sites that look at registration of companies. The camera guys are easy to get numbers for, the housing guys are really secretive and since they are private they give up almost no info.

Bill

I've been a WetPixel member and UW photographer for 15 years. Recently I have switched to mirrorless, moving on from a Ikelite housing and strobes.

It just baffles me that there are so many camera, housing, and accessory vendors in what I believe it to be a really small market segment.

I guess the limited production is what causes some of them to charge $3-$5 K for a housing. I know, it has to be water and pressure proof, but that's a ton for a hard metal housing for ANYTHING!

Nikon recently offered UW housing, strobes, handles, cableing, etc. sourced from Sea and Sea. Neither Nikon OR Sea and Sea will acknowledge their coss-supply and that just irritates the heck out of me!

I'm anxious to see what it will do in clear water. Bloody Bay Wall, here I come!