Digital camera sales are up, and Fujifilm just leapfrogged Nikon here's what the numbers tell us

Date:
Fri, 21 Aug 2026 13:45:52 +0000

Description:
A new Nikkei report is encouraging reading for the camera industry, particularly Canon and Nikon here's what we can learn from the data.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Nikkei Inc's 2025 report is in, and it shows a growth in global camera shipments Canon extends its lead at
the top, while Fujifilm leapfrogs Nikon to #3 Fujifilm shipments have more than doubled since 2023 The global shipment numbers for digital cameras sold in 2025 are in from Nikkei Inc (see boxout) and they make for encouraging reading for the industry as a whole. But the news is particularly good if you're a fan of Canon or Fujifilm . What is Nikkei? Nikkei Inc is Japans premier financial media group and the countrys equivalent to the Wall Street Journal or Financial Times . Its annual Major Products and Services Share survey is a definitive industry report tracking global market share across dozens of tech and manufacturing sectors including digital cameras. These estimates are considered the gold standard for global accuracy, and its digital cameras data provides breakdowns by brand. The biggest growth in shipments since the dawn of the smartphone was led by Canon once more, which tops the table with 4.5 million units (a huge increase of approximately one million more units year-on-year), while Sony maintained second place with
2.42 million shipments, following a much smaller increase. It's a change in rankings, however, that catches the eye Fujifilm leapfrogged Nikon to complete the top three; while Nikon's shipments saw a small dip, Fujifilm's grew significantly to surpass one million units, shipping 1.16 million versus 740,000 the year before (and 430,000 units the year before that). Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

Panasonic also enjoyed a major leap in shipments for 2025 to keep hold of position #5, while Ricoh Imaging stole sixth from OM Digital, thanks to the launch of its flagship premium compact, the GR IV .

You'll notice there's no mention of Leica or Hasselblad. That's because the numbers are for Japanese camera manufacturers only, which do in fact make up the vast majority of global digital camera sales. You may like Nikon and Fujifilm have been awfully quiet in 2026 here's what I expect to happen next Today's best Fujifilm cameras The best camera for photography

I've listed the data for the last three years, below, but what can we can learn from the numbers? The camera shipments data The brands are listed below in order of camera shipments (and market share), with the year-on-year change in market share for 2025 in bold. You can find this data compiled at Mirrorless Rumors . Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
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Canon 4.5 million units (45.7%, +2.5% ) Sony 2.42 million units (24.6%, -3.9% ) Fujifilm 1.16 million units (11.8%, +2.8% ) Nikon 880,000 units (8.9%, -2.8% ) Panasonic 430,000 units (4.4%, +1% ) Ricoh Imaging 210,000 units (2.1%, +1.3% ) OM Digital 150,000 units (1.5%, -0.4% )

2024 ranking What to read next I've been testing cameras for over 15 years here are my 5 personal favorites for 2026 so far Panasonic Lumix L10 vs Fujifilm X100VI: which premium compact camera is best for you? The best mirrorless cameras, based on in-depth testing

Canon 3,53 million units (43.2%) Sony 2.33 million units (28.5%) Nikon 960,000 units (11.7%) Fujifilm 740,000 units (9.0%) Panasonic 280,000 units (3.4%) OM Digital 160,000 units (1.9%) Ricoh Imaging 70,000 units (0.8%)

2023 ranking

Canon 3.34 million units (46.5%) Sony 2 million units (27.9%) Nikon
810,000 units (11.3%) Fujifilm 430,000 units (6.0%) Panasonic 260,000 units (3.6%) OM Digital 180,000 units (2.5%) Ricoh Imaging 60,000 units (0.8%) What the data tells us (and what it doesn't) To start with, it's important to understand that the numbers are for shipments only, and do not indicate revenue. Some brands specialize in pricey high-end gear, others cover a broader spectrum, meaning revenue rankings could be different.

For shipments, however, Canon remains the #1 camera brand, enjoying a huge growth in shipments for 2025. It covers more categories than any rival; DSLR, mirrorless and compacts, and has options for all budgets and experience levels, from the PowerShot V1 to the EOS R100 and EOS 5D Mark IV . Sony, meanwhile, has maintained its position in second place.

When we get to the rest, the numbers can be skewed somewhat year-on-year
given the smaller numbers, based on busier or quieter product cycles. For example, Ricoh saw a big bump in shipments in 2025 with the launch of the GR IV , whereas it had no flagship new products the previous two years.

Nikon actually had a decent year, with its TechRadar award-winning Z5 II . Even still, it has plateaued somewhat in recent years, now with a shift in focus to cinema gear following its acquisition of RED which may have acted as a potential shipments handbrake in the immediate.

There's no denying Fujifilm's impressive growth, however. Its numbers go beyond individual models, and point to an overarching demand for retro gear, sparked by the success of its own X100 series, especially the X100VI from
2024 . Going from 430,000 units in 2023, to 740,000 in 2024 and 1.16 million in 2025 is remarkable, especially with global component shortages and delays to stock (and those numbers do not take into account Instax). The X-E5, one
of Fujifilm's more recent efforts (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman) Will the retro boom, which is also seen in Fujifilm's mirrorless cameras such as the X-E5 , continue? 2026 has been a pretty quiet year so far for new
products in fact, no new Fujifilm or Nikon models so far so I'm not so
sure.

As a longtime Nikon fan, I'm a little worried. Its last new camera was the Zr from September 2025, and the Z5 II before that in April. It has seemingly abandoned beginner cameras and its Coolpix brand, too. Sony has arguably had the strongest year so far with the new A7R VI , FX5 , and the revival of its popular bridge camera series with the new RX10 V, so I expect it to only extend its lead above Fujifilm.

What do you make of the shipment numbers? Which camera brand do you shoot with? Make sure you vote in our poll and have your say below. Follow
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