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However, the firm - which released its first camera in 1987 - insists the move does not suggest it is pulling out of camera production. In a statement, issued exclusively to Amateur Photographer this evening, Casio Electronics Co Ltd announced a 'restructuring of its direct distribution of digital cameras within the UK retail market'.
The statement added: 'Given the decline of the compact digital camera market, combined with ever more demanding trading conditions, it has been decided that future business is best served through the limiting of distribution through a select number of retailers.
'Casio will continue to manufacture new and innovative products, to be sold across the world into its many markets, which remain unaffected by the UK subsidiaries change in Exilim distribution strategy.'
Casio plans to open two new dedicated stores in the coming weeks, one in London's Covent Garden next month. A Casio spokesman told Amateur Photographer: 'They [cameras] are still being manufactured. They will still be sold in the UK.'
Casio has not yet indicated which other shops will stock its cameras. Casio's first camera, the VS101 digital model, was released in November 1987. In March 1995 Casio announced the first digital camera with a TFT-LCD screen, the QV-10. In 2008, Casio revealed its '60-frames-per-second' Exilim Pro EX-F1, telling us it was well placed to compete against digital SLRs for market share.