Was the camera expensive in the 20th century?

In the early 20th century, cameras were expensive to produce because of the cost of lenses. Toward the end of WWII, cast lenses and cheaper chemicals for the development process opened the door to photography for the masses. As with nearly item, volume and competition brings the price down. Traditional cameras had reached their limit just at the right time - the introduction of digital cameras. Again, the high cost of the CCD/CMOS chip (just like lens mfg. previously) kept the price high until the industry met demand and it didnt cost $1,000 (US) for a 5 megapixel camera.