Forget the usual big camera brands – these are the ones you should be watching – and why

A recent Nikkei Industry Map report has highlighted the leading digital camera brands in Japan, according to sales and shipments. Canon remains at the top, capturing nearly half the market, while Sony holds the second position, although its share has decreased slightly. Fujifilm has recently moved up from fourth place to third, marking the first time since 2019 that this occurred.

Nikkei's report focuses on Japanese camera brands, leaving out major international brands like Leica and Hasselblad, which are not owned by Japanese companies.

The analysis extends beyond the 'big' camera brands to identify other notable companies, such as Panasonic, Ricoh, and OM Digital Solutions. Panasonic holds the fifth spot, with unit sales increasing by 54% to 430,000 in the last year. Ricoh, now in sixth place, has tripled its unit sales to 210,000, primarily due to the success of its GR models, which frequently appear in Japan's best-selling camera lists.

OM Digital Solutions, trailing in seventh place, experienced a decline from 160,000 unit sales to 150,000 over the same year.

Interestingly, Sigma, despite being a Japanese company, is not included in the Nikkei report, as it remains privately owned. The data for the entire 2026 year has not been released yet, but the current trends seem stable and may not drastically change, even if other camera manufacturers introduce new models. This report provides insight into the current state of Japan's camera market and sheds light on the less prominent brands that are still contributing to its growth.