Is there a new king of cameras? Sony continues its upward trajectory, taking half the overall market share of mirrorless cameras sold last month in Japan
(Image credit: Sony)
The latest sales data for mirrorless cameras are in from Japan, and for the second consecutive month, it's Sony on top of the pile with the largest market share – although this month it has increased its lead even further, doubling its market share over its nearest rival Canon.
According to BCN Rankings, which takes reported sales from around 40% of Japanese camera retailers – in July 2024 Sony commanded 49.7% of the mirrorless camera market versus Canon's 20.2%. Bringing up the rear is Nikon with 12.6%, and Fujifilm, Panasonic, OM, and others fighting it out for the remainder.
Sales for June 2024. Sony sales are in black, with Canon in red, and in Nikon yellow. (Image credit: BCN)
As ever, take these sales figures with a pinch of salt, as these numbers just cover the Japanese market, and from select camera stores – worldwide sales might be a very different story. Also, when it comes to camera sales across all product lines, then Canon's market share is usually still buoyed by its DSLR, compact, and cinema cameras.
However, according to this data, 95% of new cameras sold in Japan are mirrorless cameras, which offers a window into how the future of cameras might be shaping up – and based on Sony's current rampant domination, Canon should perhaps be concerned.
While Sony's market share increased 16.4% from last month, Canon's market share of sales dropped 5.5% from June.
Digging into the data, the top-selling camera is the Sony ZV-E10 which continues to enjoy huge success due to its low price but respectable features offering some solid value. The camera also seems to be riding a wave of interest in more compact cameras and cameras for content creation, especially focused on video.
Data suggests Canon might be struggling to strike a chord with buyers in the same way, its own quirky PowerShot V10 vlogging camera is nowhere to be seen on the top 50 list. However in the last month's data (June 2024), the Canon EOS R10 and EOS R50 were selling well, taking up third and fourth place on the list respectively.
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Of course, it is never too late to turn its fortunes around, but Canon needs to act fast as Sony continues to improve its ZV range with cameras like the latest ZV-E10 II. Although known to be more of a lumbering giant, can Canon keep up with the more agile Sony?
Gareth is a photographer based in London, working as a freelance photographer and videographer for the past several years, having the privilege to shoot for some household names. With work focusing on fashion, portrait and lifestyle content creation, he has developed a range of skills covering everything from editorial shoots to social media videos. Outside of work, he has a personal passion for travel and nature photography, with a devotion to sustainability and environmental causes.
