Canon holds top share of Global Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera market for 19th Consecutive Year

MELVILLE, NY, March 28, 2022 – Canon Inc. announced today that the company’s interchangeable-lens digital cameras (digital SLR and mirrorless cameras) have maintained the No. 1 share of the global market for 19 consecutive years1 from 2003 to 2021.

Canon develops the key imaging system components featured in its EOS series of digital interchangeable-lens cameras — including CMOS image sensors, image processors and interchangeable lenses—under the core notion of, “Speed, Comfort and High Image Quality.” Amassing together a wide-ranging product lineup—from high-performance flagship models that are go-to tools for professionals to entry-level models that allow users to enjoy high-image-quality shooting with easy operation, as well as a wide variety of RF and EF series lenses that make possible a broad spectrum of creative expression—Canon continues to support the diverse needs of customers.

During the dawn of digital SLR cameras, Canon introduced its breakthrough EOS Kiss Digital in Japan (EOS Digital Rebel or EOS 300D in other regions) in September 2003. This groundbreaking camera, which was competitively priced and featured a compact, lightweight design, captured the top share of the global market and set the stage for growth in the digital SLR market. Since that time, Canon has continued to launch a range of revolutionary products, including the professional-model EOS-1D series and the EOS 5D series, which paved the way for digital SLR video recording. Launched in October 2018, the EOS R System was born from Canon’s desire to construct the ideal lens mount and maximize the appeal of its new RF lenses. Canon has since continued to expand the range of imaging creativity and new possibilities for visual expression, including the release of the EOS R5—the first Canon camera to feature 8K video recording2—in July 2020.

In 2021, Canon announced the EOS R3 full-frame mirrorless camera (released in November 2021) featuring the high performance and reliability demanded by professional and enthusiast users, alongside eight new RF lenses3. While further expanding its lineup through such new launches as the EOS VR System, Canon managed to secure the No. 1 share of the global market for the 19th consecutive year.

Canon will continue to enhance its diverse imaging technologies based on its core optical technology while further strengthening and expanding the EOS series of cameras and RF and EF series of lenses, opening up new avenues of image capture to meet the needs of increasingly diverse users and to promote the spread of photo and video culture.

Canon gaining market share in mirrorless camera sales. Will surpass Sony eventually

Canon Inc. is gaining market share in mirrorless camera sales, both in Japan and worldwide, according the the latest BCN report. Nikon is falling further behind.

Japanese article machine translated from BCN’s report :

As of April, the decline in mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras was greater than that of the interchangeable lens type as a whole, and the number of units sold was 19.7% year-on-year, a decrease of more than 80%. However, it recovered rapidly after July. In September, the number of units sold was 97.8% compared to the same month of the previous year, and the amount was 90.3%, approaching the same level as the previous year. In reaction to the last-minute purchase before the tax increase that occurred in September last year, the number of interchangeable lenses as a whole increased temporarily to 52.1% and the amount of money was 56.3%. In such an environment, full-size mirrorless cameras are doing very well.

The positive environment for cameras, such as the Go To Travel Campaign, has been set up, and new full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras are being released one after another. Canon will release the EOS RP in April, the R5 in July, and the R6 in August. Nikon released the Z5 in August, and Panasonic released the LUMIX S5 in September. After October, Sony will release the α7C and α7S III, and Nikon will release the Z6II and Z7II. Consumers’ choices are expanding all at once, and the camera market is returning to its bustling atmosphere.

The manufacturer share has also changed. Until the summer of 2018, Sony maintained a nearly 100% share of the market. Nikon and Canon entered the market one after another in the fall of 2018. Panasonic entered the market in February 2019 and Sigma entered the market in October, and the full-size mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera market was launched in earnest. However, the structure in which Sony maintains a market share of 50% or more has not changed, and the situation of one-strong vs. others has continued.

This year, sales of new products introduced by Canon in particular increased, and the share of sales volume was 34.7%. It is just behind Sony, which has fallen to 43.9%. Nikon’s flagship product has not yet been released, and the momentum is the same as before. With the introduction of a low-priced model, Panasonic has finally gained a presence despite its single-digit share of 5.8%. Sigma, which temporarily overtook Nikon, has only one model in its lineup, so it has been overtaken by Panasonic and is content with 2.6%.