So far this year, Sony is leading the sales race in Japan for interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras, while Canon is dominating the charts for DSLR cameras.
The BCN Rankings comprise sales data from 21 of the largest retailers in Japan, including Amazon and Bic Camera, to name just a couple. While the data doesn’t include every single sale in Japan, and Japanese consumer behavior does not always reflect global demand, the BCN Rankings provide a very good look at camera industry performance, as well as technology sales at large.
As reported by Digicame-Info, BCN’s half-year manufacturer rankings include 107 total categories, 86 of which involve hardware. In the photo space, digital camera sales break down into digital cameras with built-in lenses, DSLRs, mirrorless ILCs, digital video cameras, and action cameras, while BCN also looks at interchangeable lens sales, tripods/monopods, and camera bags.
Kodak Alaris Japan took the top spot for built-in lens cameras for the year’s first half, earning a 28.3% market share. This lines up with a report in May, when PetaPixel wrote that Kodak cameras with decade-old technology were selling like hotcakes in Japan. All-in-one cameras, in general, are hot right now, with cameras like the Fujifilm X100VI, Ricoh GR III, and Leica D-Lux 8 selling out.
As for DSLR cameras, which are significantly less popular than they were even just a few years ago, Canon is a dominant force. Of all the DSLR cameras sold in Japan in 2024 by retailers within the BCN network, 73.5% are made by Canon.
Sony is leading the mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (MILC) category, although its lead is nothing like Canon’s in the DSLR segment. Sony has 36% of the MILC sales so far in 2024.
For digital video cameras, DJI has the top spot (45.2%), while GoPro leads all action camera manufacturers with a 40.2% market share.
Regarding lens sales in 2024, Sigma is doing the best so far, capturing 18.2% of the Japanese market. Sigma benefits not just by making lenses for a wide variety of camera systems, but by producing fantastic lenses. Sigma has been on a roll for years, releasing great lens after great lens.
The photography industry at large has been performing well recently, having recently hit a three-year high.
Image credits: Sony, Canon, and Sigma. Header photo created using an asset licensed via Depositphotos.