Sales of cameraphones soared by 200 percent in 2004 compared to the year before and are threatening to steal sales from vendors of standard digital cameras, according to a study released Thursday by market research firm Strategy Analytics.

The research firm said that 257 million cameraphones were sold in 2004, representing 38 percent of all handsets sold. By comparison, 84 million cameraphones were sold in 2003, comprising 16 percent of all mobile phone sales.

Most notably, cameraphones are starting to take sales away from the low-end of the digital camera market, the study found.

"The digital still camera market is running out of steam," Chris Ambrosio, director of Strategy Analytics' global wireless practice, said in a statement. "Cameraphones will eventually capture 15 percent of the low-end digital still camera market by 2010.

Nokia sold 18 percent of cameraphones in 2004 to be the market leader in that segment but Motorola was hot on its heals with a 17 percent market share, according to the study.

The study also predicted "pixel wars" in which higher resolution cameras will become increasingly available. In addition, the study predicted add-on storage capabilities will become standard on cameraphones.