The latest tally of cameras and lenses coming out of the world’s camera capital is here – and the numbers from the first half of 2026 highlight some key insights into the camera industry and lens trends.

Japan's Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has released the numbers for June 2026, along with insight into the first half of the year. But along with camera trends, CIPA also tracks lens data.

While worldwide camera shipments for the first half of 2026 showed a slight growth of 100.5 percent compared to the same time last year, lenses showed a slight decline of 99.4 percent for the first half of the year.

Month-to-month, lenses for all tracked categories showed a decline, with June’s shipment numbers at 87.2 percent of the same time frame last year.

But comparing the lens data from the first half of 2026 to the camera data from the same time frame highlights some interesting insight.

Camera brands sold about 1.02 million interchangeable lens cameras with a full-frame sensor or higher in the first half of the year. During that same time frame, brands shipped 2.18 million lenses for those sensors. That means full-frame photographers bought an average of 2.12 lenses for every camera body.

Photographers using crop-sensor cameras tend to buy far fewer lenses for each camera body. In the first half of the year, brands sold about 2.1 million crop sensor interchangeable lens cameras and about 2.7 million crop sensor lenses. That’s a ratio of about 1.28 lenses for every camera sold.

The numbers hint that full-frame photographers tend to buy nearly twice as many lenses – about 1.66 times as many – as creators working with crop sensor systems.

The data, however, only includes CIPA member companies from Japan. That list includes third-party optics brands like Tamron and Sigma, but doesn’t tally third-party optic makers from other countries. Of course, as a six-month span of data, the insight also doesn’t factor in photographers with a pre-existing stash of lenses either.

The crop sensor category likely includes a larger percentage of beginners who only purchase a kit lens with the camera, without adding another lens to swap.

Photographers using full-frame sensors – or larger, such as medium format – tend to include more professionals and serious hobbyists than the crop sensor category, which tends to have lower prices and cameras that cater to beginners.

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Camera sales have slowed for the third time in 2026, according to the latest numbers from the Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA). June’s worldwide camera shipments were 94.2 percent of the same month last year.

The latest numbers collected from Japan’s camera makers show a six-month decline in shipments for every category except for compact cameras and crop-sensor interchangeable lens cameras.

The numbers from June show the third decline in camera shipments for the year, though total camera shipments overall for the first half of the year sit just above the break-even point at 100.5 percent of the numbers from the first half of 2025.

While the total camera shipments for the first half of 2026 sit slightly above last year's numbers, the type of cameras that are shipping has shifted. Only two categories show growth for the first half of the year.

The compact camera trend has continued to boost growth in the fixed-lens camera category. For the first half of 2026, fixed-lens cameras have shipped 116.2 percent of last year’s numbers. The June numbers for fixed-lens cameras, however, show a slight decline from the same time last year at 94.2 percent of June 2025 numbers.

The point-and-shoot camera has seen a steady revival in recent years, driven in part by digital minimalists wanting to take photos without a phone and an increasing trend for smaller cameras. However, compact camera sales are only about 42 percent of the sales for mirrorless cameras for the first half of 2026, leaving mirrorless as the dominant category.

While both DSLRs (72.8 percent) and mirrorless cameras (98.1 percent) show a drop in numbers for the first half of 2026, there’s one interchangeable lens format still posting slight growth for the year: crop-sensor cameras.

In the first six months of the year, interchangeable lens cameras with sensors smaller than full frame – such as APS-C and Micro Four Thirds – grew slightly at 102.8 percent of the same time frame last year. The crop sensor category traditionally sells more cameras than the full-frame and larger category, as it tends to be home to many budget-friendly cameras and beginner cameras.

While camera shipments have slowed in three out of the six months of data for 2026 so far, 2025 was the best year for the industry since 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the slowdown in some categories, the overall numbers for the first half of 2026 are still well ahead of 2024’s numbers, with 4.35 million cameras shipped so far compared to 3.78 million in the first half of 2024.

CIPA data only includes sales from camera companies in Japan – but with major camera companies like Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, Panasonic, Ricoh and OM System based in the region, the data is often a good indicator of the camera industry's health.

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Camera shipments from Japan dropped across every category in May 2026, including the trendy compact camera.

According to the numbers from the Camera and Imaging Products Association for May 2026 – the latest data available – camera shipments have declined across every category, including compact cameras, mirrorless cameras, and DSLRs. The total camera shipments for May were just 79 percent of the previous month's numbers, bringing the total to 751,208 cameras shipped.

While monthly dips in camera numbers alone aren’t a cause for alarm, the latest report is the second time in 2026 that numbers have dropped below 2025 levels in a year where CIPA has predicted a slowdown for interchangeable lens cameras. The latest numbers overall are only slightly higher than the same time in 2024, which saw 743,244 shipments.

CIPA’s 2026 prediction anticipates the popular fixed lens camera category to continue to grow, but the trendy category dropped in the latest numbers as well. Fixed lens cameras – which include compact cameras and bridge cameras – shipped 89.1 percent of the previous month's numbers. Comparing the data to the same month in 2025, the category saw only a slight decline at 99.4 percent.

The compact camera category, however, continues to show growth in production in the latest numbers, with production at 100.5 percent of the previous month and 123.5 percent of the same time last year. A number of the most popular compact cameras, such as the Fujiifilm X100VI and Ricoh GR IV, remain difficult to find in stock. The latest numbers show that camera makers are still trying to catch up to demand by increasing production.

Interchangeable lens camera shipments dropped to 75.5 percent of the previous month’s numbers and 76.9 percent of the same month last year.

While mirrorless cameras were at 78.3 of May 2025 numbers, mirrorless cameras as a whole have shown growth for 2026. In the first five months of the year, mirrorless cameras are 102.4 percent of last year's numbers, while DSLRs are 68.1 percent of last year’s data so far.

While the total number of mirrorless bodies shipped dropped, the value of those cameras remained nearly even with the same time last year. While mirrorless numbers are 78.3 percent of the same time last year, the cost of those mirrorless bodies is at 100.6 percent, suggesting that the retail price of those bodies has increased. A number of the newest cameras in 2026 are more high-end models, like the recent launch of the Sony A7R VI.

At the same time, the trendy compact camera shows a smaller difference between the change in numbers shipped and the value of those cameras, as camera brands shipped 99.4 percent of the previous month's compact camera numbers, but the value of those cameras sat at 97.5.

Interestingly, DSLR shipments for May 2026 were higher than the category's average for the year at 96.6 percent compared to the previous month, a blip in the data that follows a spike in DSLR numbers from February.

While May shows a dip in camera numbers across every category, looking at the year as a whole offers more insight than the monthly data, which can be influenced by seasons, sales, and geopolitical tensions. Camera shipments overall are at 104.1 percent for the first five months of the year, with compact cameras at 121.5 percent, mirrorless at 102.4 percent, and DSLRs at 68.1 percent.

CIPA’s data for lenses shows a similar dip for May 2026 at 81.6 percent of the previous month’s numbers and 88.9 percent compared to the same month last year. Lenses in 2026 so far, however, are showing a slight growth at 102.2 percent of the same time frame last year.

CIPA numbers are usually one of the key indicators of the health of the camera industry. CIPA data only includes shipments from participating brands located in Japan, but that list includes several major camera brands, including Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, OM System, Panasonic, Ricoh, and Sony.

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Point-and-shoots aren’t the only photo gear rebounding after a steep drop-off in 2019 – according to the latest numbers from Japan, interchangeable lens shipments are at the highest in more than five years for the first four months of the year.

The insight comes from the Camera Imaging Products Association, an organization tracking camera data from Japanese camera brands including Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, OM System, and Panasonic, as well as lens makers like Sigma, Tamron, and Zeiss. Tokina also joined the list of CIPA members this year.

According to CIPA, in the first four months of 2026, these brands shipped more than 3.2 million interchangeable lenses. Looking back across the same January to April timeframe, that’s the best numbers that lenses have had since 2019, when 4.4 million lenses were shipped in that same four-month span.

That echoes the rebound of the camera industry, as 2025 was the best year for digital camera shipments since 2019, and the numbers have continued to climb in 2026, outside of a slight dip in February.

The combination of COVID-19 shutdowns and supply chain struggles amid the growth of the smartphone camera had a severe impact on the camera industry, and while 2026’s numbers are the highest in more than five years, the latest lens numbers are still more than a million less than in 2019.

In the first four months of 2026, brands have shipped around 3.2 million interchangeable lenses, a 106.3 percent change from the same time frame last year. At the same time, brands shipped about 2.08 interchangeable-lens bodies, suggesting there are still a healthy number of photographers shooting with more than a kit lens.

Lenses meant for cameras with sensors smaller than full frame see the highest numbers for 2026 so far – echoing camera trends, as the smaller sensor category is the entry-level and more budget-friendly option that tends to attract a higher number of users. In the first four months of the year, those crop sensor format lenses numbered more than 1.8 million, a 111.6 percent change from the same time last year in shipments.

Lenses for full-frame cameras (and larger formats, including medium format) numbered around 1.4 million, which is only a slight change from the same time frame last year, at a 100.2 percent change.

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Compact cameras have been one of the fastest-growing camera categories, but the latest data from Japan hints at another unusual trend: Cameras with smaller sensors are growing while gear with full-frame or larger sensors is on the decline.

The insight comes from the Camera and Imaging Products Association, or CIPA, a group that monitors the health of the camera industry, tracking several key Japanese brands, including Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, OM System, and Panasonic.

The latest data on camera production and shipments, covering April 2026, says that camera shipments overall are at 120 percent of the same time last year, marking additional growth in a year when CIPA has predicted a potential decline. Compact cameras showed the largest four-month growth at 129.9 percent, with mirrorless also showing growth at 111.1 percent.

But CIPA has recently started tracking camera shipments by sensor size and, compared to the same time last year, interchangeable lens cameras with full frame sensors or larger showed a decline in the first four months of 2026, with the category sitting at 88.7 percent of last year’s numbers.

Swappable lens cameras with smaller sensors, meanwhile, have increased in the first four months of the year, posting a 116.5 percent change in shipments.

Mirrorless and DSLRs with smaller sensors have long been the more popular category, as the category is more budget-friendly and tends to reach more hobbyists and casual users. In April alone, CIPA member companies shipped 480,746 cameras with smaller sensors compared to 223,260 cameras with full-frame and larger sensors.

Importantly, CIPA’s data divided by sensor type is only for interchangeable lens cameras, so the data isn’t being skewed by the compact camera category that tends to have smaller sensor sizes.

But while the sensor size data doesn’t include compact cameras, I wonder if the trend is still having a trickle-down effect. The rise of the compact camera’s popularity comes with a rise in prices – CIPA data suggests that the price for compact cameras shipped in the first four months of 2026 is 124.8 percent of last year’s numbers.

The increase in compact camera prices means that, in some cases, a beginner APS-C mirrorless is sometimes more affordable than some of the trendy compact cameras. And with a pancake lens, these cameras may be larger than a point-and-shoot, but are still highly portable.

I’m still a bit surprised that the larger sensor category seems to be slowing down, however. New full-frame cameras like the Sony A7 V have been leading sales lists from several retailers over the past few months, so it’s clear there’s still a lot of demand for more pro-oriented gear.

Another oddity in the latest CIPA data could potentially suggest that the worst of the DSLR decline is over. DSLR shipments are 105.6 percent of the numbers from April 2025. DSLR shipments have still declined in the first four months of the year at 69 percent of the previous year's numbers, but it’s the second month in a row that has shown some slight growth for the aging interchangeable lens technology.

Those DSLR numbers, however, could be skewed by unusually large shipments to Europe, which posted a 280 percent change in DSLR shipments in April compared to March.

When CIPA made its predictions for 2026, the organization predicted a slowdown, so the overall growth in numbers is likely a welcome highlight for photographers and camera-makers alike.

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Compact cameras have been one of the fastest growing categories in the camera industry, but new data shows that the category has been struggling is showing massive growth: DSLRs.

According to the Camera and Imaging Products Association or CIPA, camera shipments for March – the latest data available – were 9.4 percent higher than the same month last year and 18.1 percent higher than February’s numbers.

DSLR numbers are up

But perhaps the most surprising change in the monthly report is for DSLRs. While DSLR numbers have been steadily declining over mirrorless numbers, the March DSLR shipments are 204.4 percent compared to February’s numbers, along with a 198.7 percent change in production.

While the month-to-month change for the DSLR category is steep, those numbers are still just 80.4 percent of the March 2025 count. Still, February’s numbers were 38.3 percent of the same month the previous year, so the change is a significant jump.

Breaking down the numbers by destination hints at a potential reason for the jump in DSLRs. In the shipments to the Americas, the DSLR category was 406.7 percent compared to the previous month’s numbers and 139.3 percent compared to the same month in 2025. Shipments to The Americas across all camera categories were 156.3 percent compared to the previous month and 118.8 percent compared to the same time last year.

That uptick could be tied to the Supreme Court’s February ruling that invalidated some of the Trump Administration tariffs. Those tariffs were quickly replaced with another executive order, but that effectively changed the tariff rate on Japanese goods from 15 percent to 10 percent. DSLRs tend to be more affordable than mirrorless, making those import fees more challenging to pass along to the customer in camera price increases.

If that is in fact the cause of the unusual uptick, I suspect the increase in DSLR numbers may be a short-lived one.

Camera shipments are up overall

Japanese industry association CIPA is predicting a slight slowdown for the industry in 2026, which made February’s slight dip at 99.7 percent compared to the previous year unsurprising, but March numbers have returned to growth. Worldwide shipments are 109.4 percent of the same time frame last year and 118.1 percent of the previous month’s.

While compact cameras have been posting the highest growth numbers for several months, DSLRs took that honor for March. Compact camera shipments are 119.5 percent of the same time last year and 125.2 percent in the month-to-month numbers.

Mirrorless cameras showed the smallest percentage of growth at 109.8 percent compared to the same time last year and 109.5 percent month-to-month, but the mirrorless category remains the most popular. Camera brands from Japan shipped 444,380 mirrorless bodies in March, compared to 215,430 compact cameras and 54,688 DLSRs.

For lenses, CIPA says that worldwide shipments are 116.2 percent compared to the previous month and 104.8 percent compared to the same time last year. Like with cameras, the highest month-to-month growth was for The Americas at 139.1, but shipments to China were a close second at 138.6 percent.

The monthly data from CIPA hints at trends across the camera industry. However, the CIPA data only includes participating Japanese brands. That includes major brands like Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, OM System, Panasonic, and Ricoh, but excludes brands like Leica, Kodak, and GoPro, for example.

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The Japanese Camera and Imaging Products Association predicted a slowdown in sales of cameras for 2026 – and that prediction is starting to show in the latest numbers. In the February 2026 CIPA numbers, worldwide camera shipments were 99.7 percent of the same time last year.

The February 2026 camera shipments are 97.2 percent of January’s numbers. Comparing the same month to the same time last year is often a better comparison that eliminates factors like seasonal sales, and those numbers look a bit better at 99.7 percent, indicating a very slight decline as major Japanese camera brands shipped 604,822 cameras in February.

Breaking those numbers down by category, cameras with built-in lenses – which includes the trendy compact camera category as well as bridge cameras – rose compared to February 2025 at 117.1 percent.

Cameras with interchangeable lenses, however, were 94.1 percent of the previous year’s numbers. The culprit? DSLRs, which are down to just 38.3 percent of last year’s numbers for the same month.

Mirrorless cameras saw a slight bump at 104.1 percent compared to last February. Lenses saw a slight decline with 98.1 worldwide shipments compared to February 2025.

Despite the minor drop in February, however, 2026 numbers overall are beating last year’s data so far. Adding January and February together, overall camera shipments were 107.2 percent of the same time last year, including a 110 percent change for mirrorless and 125.8 percent for compact cameras.

CIPA is predicting far slower growth for the camera market in 2026 than in 2025, with compact cameras predicted to grow at a slower rate and mirrorless cameras predicted to decline about 2.6 percent.

While that’s disappointing after 2025 was the best year for the camera industry in more than five years, CIPA seems to think the camera market will continue to stabilize – but that 2026 won’t have the same double-digit growth as last year, and as the month-by-month data starts to trickle out, the organization's 2026 predictions don’t seem far off. While there’s a slight decline, the organization overall expects stabilization rather than rapid growth or decline for this year.

The resurgence of compact cameras, the trend for retro cameras, and the growth of vlogging cameras for social media likely all played a role in helping stabilize the market last year. This year, camera companies are already facing rising costs for memory, as AI creates a demand for digital storage that’s creating a shortage for both consumers buying things like memory cards and external hard drives, and tech companies themselves.

The numbers follow a healthy January, which boasted a 115.6 percent jump from January 2025 numbers, but a 75.3 percent change in the month-to-month numbers from December’s holiday shopping heyday.

The CIPA data only tracks participating member companies in Japan, but that list includes a majority of major camera brands, including Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, OM System, Panasonic, Sigma, and Tamron. Brands that are based outside of Japan, such as Leica, Kodak, and the growing number of Chinese lens brands, aren’t included in those numbers.

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Compact cameras are growing faster than expected, with January shipments vastly outpacing DSLRs as the latest industry data shows.

The Japanese Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) released its global shipment data for January 2026, tracking sales from major Japanese manufacturers.

According to the industry body's January 2026 global shipment report, Japanese manufacturers shipped 168,847 fixed-lens compact cameras worldwide, compared to just 35,055 DSLRs.

That means almost five times as many compact cameras were shipped as DSLRs, highlighting how quickly the once-dominant category is shrinking.

DSLR decline is compact cameras' win

• DSLRs: 35,055 units shipped (-36% YoY, -45% in value)
• Compact cameras: 168,847 units shipped (+36% YoY, +34% in value)

The data shows compact camera growth almost perfectly mirroring the decline of DSLR shipments, highlighting the continuing shift in the entry-level camera market.

The compact camera category is expected to continue expanding. CIPA predicts that 2.77 million fixed-lens cameras will ship in 2026, representing roughly 13.6% growth over 2025.

With January shipments already up 36% year-on-year, 2026 has started with strong momentum compared to CIPA's annual forecast growth.

This reinforces the idea that compact resurgence is not just a short-term spike driven by trends (like social media, retro-style cameras, small travel cameras, and smartphone fatigue).

Mirrorless is stable & lens growth uneven

• Mirrorless cameras: 418,488 units shipped (+16% YoY, 12% in value)

Mirrorless cameras continue to expand, but growth is now at a steadier, more mature pace.

With fewer radical innovations and longer product cycles, most enthusiasts have already made the switch from DSLRs, so growth now comes mainly from late adopters, upgrades by existing users, and professional photographers expanding their kits.

• APS-C / smaller sensor lenses: +10% units, +9% in value
• Full-frame lenses: +4% units, -5% in value

The shift highlights how camera and lens demand is maturing differently across systems.

APS-C and smaller sensor systems are gaining momentum, reflecting growing interest in compact and mid-tier mirrorless setups.

Full-frame lenses, on the other hand, are stabilizing, as many enthusiasts and professionals already own the glass they need.

APS-C systems continue to attract new users while full-frame reaches saturation.

The camera market in Jan 2026 – CIPA takeaways

1. DSLRs are shrinking – Only 35,055 units shipped globally in January, making them increasingly niche

2. Compact cameras are surging – With 168,847 units shipped, they outsold DSLRs by nearly 5-to-1

3. Mirrorless remains the core market – Early-year growth (+16%) contrasts with CIPA's modest predicted decline for the full year

4. Lens trends matter – APS-C lenses continue to grow, full-frame optics are flattening and the lens-to-body production ratio has dipped slightly from 1.62 in 2025 to 1.59 in 2026

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2025 proved to be the best year for camera sales in more than five years, but experts are predicting a more modest year for 2026 – including a slowdown for the mirrorless market.

The Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA), the same group that tracks data for camera sales from key Japanese brands, predicts that camera sales overall will see only a modest 1.6 percent increase in 2026. But, CIPA predicts that mirrorless is in for a slight decline in 2026 as compact cameras continue to grow.

Overall, CIPA predicts around 9.59 million cameras will ship in 2026, which is 101.6 percent of the 2025 numbers. While that’s an overall growth in numbers, it’s a slower growth than the previous year, as 2025 saw an 11.2 percent uptick from 2024.

The numbers look rather different when looking at the 2026 predictions by camera type. CIPA expects fewer mirrorless cameras to ship in 2026 at around 6.82 million bodies, which is a 2.6 percent drop from 2025’s 7 million units. Lenses are expected to fare a bit better but still decline by .9 percent at 10.51 million shipments.

The numbers swing a different way, however, for cameras with built-in lenses, a category that includes compact cameras and bridge cameras. CIPA predicts 2.77 million fixed lens cameras will ship in 2026, which is a 13.6 percent increase compared to 2025’s 2.44 million cameras.

While that’s a noticeable increase, it’s also a slower rate of growth, as 2025 saw a 29.6 percent uptick in shipments for the compact camera category.

The predicted 2.6 percent decline in mirrorless is small and still far outperforms the compact camera category. But in 2025, the gap between compact camera sales and mirrorless sales narrowed, and CIPA expects more of the same for 2026.

The predictions come from surveys completed by CIPA and presented during CP+ in Japan. Like the weather forecast, the camera forecast is not a sure thing. But it’s interesting to see what the organization known for tallying all the camera sales data predicts for 2026. CIPA doesn’t seem to think 2026 will be another year for double-digit growth, but expects the market to continue to stabilize.

Compact cameras have been trending up for the past few years, making a resurgence after being nearly obliterated by the smartphone. The trend can be traced to a number of different potential causes, including viral compact cameras on social media, a resurgence in retro tech in general, and perhaps even digital minimalism shifting away from smartphone photography.

CIPA only tracks data from its member companies in Japan, but that’s an extensive list that includes camera giants like Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, OM System, Panasonic, Sigma, and Tamron. Camera brands outside of Japan – such as Leica and Kodak – aren’t among the numbers tracked.

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The camera sales numbers for 2025 are in – and the latest numbers from the Japanese Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) hint at what’s trendy and what’s not. Sales data suggest that mirrorless has continued to grow as DSLRs shrink, but bodies with smaller sensors are outselling full-frame.

According to CIPA data for 2025, out of more than 9.4 million cameras shipped worldwide, around 6.3 million of those were mirrorless cameras, while DSLR shipments fell to just over 690,900. That’s a 112.5 percent change for mirrorless, while DSLR shipments were just 69.3 percent of 2024 numbers.

But, CIPA also started tracking a new statistic for 2025: Sales for full frame compares to smaller sensors on interchangeable lens cameras. In 2025, brands shipped more bodies with APS-C and Micro Four Thirds sensors, with more than 4.45 million. Bodies with full-frame or larger sensors (such as medium format) shipped around 2.54 million.

While many photographers praise the advantages of larger sensors, mirrorless bodies with smaller sensors tend to sit at a more entry-level price point, so it’s the format that tends to fit in more budgets. Cameras with smaller sensors also tend to be smaller and the crop factor gives telephoto lenses more reach ( and conversely, wide-angle lenses less width).

Breaking down the CIPA numbers by region also highlights a few other interesting numbers. While DSLRs have dropped significantly in the past several years as mirrorless has grown, DSLRs are far more prevalent in the Americas and Europe than in Japan and China. In the Americas, DSLR numbers shifted by 86.9 percent of the previous year, and in Europe, by 61.7 percent.

Less than 14,500 DSLRs were sent to Japan, around 47.3 percent of last year's numbers, and just over 28,250 in China, which is 33.1 percent of last year’s numbers.

For lenses, CIPA members shipped more than 10.6 million optics worldwide, a 102.8 percent change from 2024. As with the sensor data, lenses made for smaller sensors sold more than full-frame, though the gap between the two is narrower than with camera bodies.

For sensors smaller than full frame, around 5.82 million lenses were shipped worldwide. For full-frame and larger optics, those numbers were more than 4.77 million. That hints that more crop sensor photographers are likely to stick with their kit lens compared to full frame, which jives with the more advanced users larger sensor cameras are targeted towards.

The 2025 CIPA numbers also showed growth in compact cameras, but the category remains a fraction of the point-and-shoot’s peak in 2010.

CIPA data tends to highlight key trends in the photography industry. CIPA numbers are only for the organization’s member companies in Japan, a list that includes Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, OM System, and Panasonic. That doesn’t include major camera companies based outside of Japan, such as Leica, nor does it track third-party lenses made in China or South Korea.

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Viral trends have suggested the revival of the compact camera – but now there are numbers to hint just how far the tiny camera format has come. The Japanese Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) says around 9.4 million cameras were shipped worldwide in 2025, and 2.4 million of those cameras were point-and-shoots with fixed lenses.

That’s the highest number of shipments for compact cameras that the organization has reported since 2021. But while the numbers indicate the compact camera is having a revival, 2025 shipments from Japan are just a fraction of the category’s peak.

In 2010, more than 108.5 million compact cameras were shipped worldwide. The 2025 numbers are just 2.24 percent of the year considered the compact camera’s heyday.

While the 2025 CIPA numbers are just a fraction of the industry’s success fifteen years ago, the numbers illustrate a continued recovery since the dramatic drop across all categories in 2020, which is widely blamed on the COVID-19 pandemic. While the 2025 numbers for cameras across all categories have not exceeded 2019’s 15.2 million worldwide shipments, 2025’s 9.4 million shipments are the highest numbers since 2020.

CIPA puts all fixed lens cameras in the same category, which means that those fixed lens cameras include a wide variety, from point-and-shoots like the Canon G7 X Mark III to bridge cameras like the Nikon Coolpix P1100 to the high-end Sony RX1R III. CIPA only tracks numbers from its members, and while that includes Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, Ricoh, OM System, and Panasonic, it doesn’t include camera companies outside of Japan, such as Leica and Kodak.

Along with tracking camera shipments, CIPA also monitors the price, in yen, of those cameras. The fixed lens camera category in 2025 shipped ¥151.459,698,000, which is about $971 million / £710 million / AU$1.38 billion / CA$1.33 billion.

Compared to the compact camera’s biggest year on record, and that’s 13.3 percent of the 2010 shipment values in yen. With the number of shipments at just 2.24 percent, that suggests a price increase over the last fifteen years. That could be from inflation and demand, but that increase could also be due to the fact that many compact cameras in 2025 lean more towards high-end features, whereas in 2010, budget point-and-shoots were still popular before smartphone photography really took off.

The 2025 numbers come alongside the December tally, where fixed-lens camera shipments were 90 percent of the previous month but up 141.2 percent over December 2024.

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The latest camera sales statistics indicate that 2025 is on track to be the best year for camera manufacturers in more than five years – but the latest data suggests DSLRs are declining almost as fast as compact cameras are climbing.

The Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) shared the latest numbers for November 2025. The data puts worldwide camera shipments for the first 11 months of 2025 overall at more than 8.6 million, which is 110% of the same time frame in the previous year.

That puts 2025 on track to be the best year for camera companies since COVID-19, if December follows the same pattern.

But looking at the camera shipments broken down by type uncovers some more insight into the state of the photography industry. In November alone, compact camera shipments were 144.2% of the same month last year. Meanwhile, DSLR shipments declined to 51.7% of the November 2024 numbers.

That puts the growth of compact cameras in November less than 10 percentage points behind the decline of DSLR shipments.

The growth of compact cameras as the DSLR declines is a recurring trend in the data for 2025, as in the previous month, brands shipped five times more compact cameras than DSLRs.

While compact cameras are growing at a rate similar to how quickly DSLRs are declining, mirrorless remains the reigning champ out of the different camera forecasts.

In the first 11 months of 2025, brands shipped more than 5.76 million mirrorless cameras, a 110.7% change from the previous year. Meanwhile, in the same time period, cameras with built-in lenses sat at 2.21 million, and DSLRs can’t even be numbered in the millions at 638,749.

Looking at November only, shipments for both interchangeable lens and built-in lens cameras dropped compared to October. But that tracks with the previous year’s month-to-month pattern.

Looking at November 2025 compared to November 2024 rather than compared to October 2025, the numbers are up. Worldwide, total camera shipments are 104.1% of the same month last year, built-in lens cameras 144.2% and mirrorless 101.7%.

Combining mirrorless with DSLR, however, the number for interchangeable lens cameras dropped a bit compared to November 2024 at 93.5%.

For lenses, the first 11 months of 2025 are at about 101.9% of the same time last year for worldwide shipments. Lenses for full frame and larger have declined slightly at 96.4%, with lenses for cameras with sensors smaller than full frame at 106.9%.

While the numbers indicate 2025 is likely to be the best year for cameras since 2019, the 8.61 million shipments for the first 11 months of 2025 are still significantly behind the 14.16 million for the same time period in 2019.

CIPA takes about a month to tally the numbers, which means in early February the organization should have the year-end data for 2025 as a whole. The organization tracks only member companies, but that list includes key camera manufacturers like Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, OM System, Panasonic, Ricoh, Sigma and Sony.

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Lately, it seems as if there have been a number of unusually exciting lens announcements – and it turns out, I’m not alone in my thoughts, as the latest data shows a spike in Japanese lens sales. The lens category growing the most? Optics mode for crop sensor cameras.

CIPA data for October – which was shared at the start of December – indicates that interchangeable lens shipments from Japan were 105.6% of the previous month and about 103.9% compared to the same month last year.

That tracks with the increase in camera sales that CIPA also reported. However, the category that’s seeing the biggest growth in 2025 so far is lenses made for cameras smaller than full frame – in other words, APS-C and Micro Four Thirds lenses.

Comparing shipments for the first ten months of 2025, lenses for crop sensor cameras are at 108.7% of last year’s numbers, while lenses for full frame and larger sit at 96.0% of last year’s numbers so far.

It’s not unusual for brands to ship more crop sensor lenses than full-frame, as the smaller format is typically the more affordable option – and crop-sensor body shipments also tend to outpace full-frame. So far this year, CIPA-participating brands have shipped around 4.48 million lenses for crop sensor cameras and just under 3.65 million for full-frame cameras.

Looking at the charts compared to last year, lenses as a whole are about 102.6% of 2024’s numbers so far. Outside of a steep drop in August, 2025’s numbers so far have beaten out 2024’s numbers nearly every month.

While multiple regions had declining shipments in August, shipments to the Americas had the steepest drop that month, which makes me wonder just how much tariffs made an impact.

This year has brought a number of exciting lens choices to crop-sensor cameras (exactly what we were hoping for back in January!). There’s the Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC, for starters, a lens that brings prime-level brightness, but wrapped in a compact zoom lens. For Micro Four Thirds, there’s the new OM System 50-200mm f/2.8 IS Pro that brings an exceptionally bright aperture to a telephoto zoom.

That’s not to say that 2025 hasn’t been an excellent year for full-frame lenses, with optics like the Sigma 200mm f/2, not to mention the growing number of zooms with an f/2 aperture like the Sony 28-70mm f/2 GM that began shipping in December 2024.

All-in-one zoom lenses are also seeming to become even more prevalent, alongside f/2.8 workhorses that are more compact by shrinking down the zoom range a bit.

There are still two months left of data to collect, as CIPA tracking takes about two months before sharing the results, but the latest numbers have me excited to see what’s in store for 2026.

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The CIPA trend of 2025 seems to be the growth of compact camera as DSLR shipments rapidly decline – and according to the latest numbers from Japan's Camera and Imaging Products Association, camera brands are now shipping 5x more compact cameras than DSLRs.

The mirrorless camera category remains the dominant form, shipping more than 669,000 mirrorless bodies worldwide in October alone, according to the latest CIPA data. But, the worldwide shipments for compact cameras in October numbered more than 288,000, while DSLR shipments continued to decline with just over 56,500 shipments for that month.

That means camera brands have shipped more than five times as many compact cameras as DSLRs in October alone. While compact camera numbers have been increasing and DSLR numbers decreasing all year, October shows an unusually large difference. Taking the total shipments for the first ten months of 2025, compact camera shipments are only around 3.3 times the number of DSLRs.

The decline of DSLRs is hardly surprising as key camera brands shift focus to mirrorless, but it comes at a time when compact cameras have made a surprising comeback, thanks in part to the category’s newfound viral fame and the slowed progress on smartphone cameras.

Looking at the total number of cameras shipped regardless of category still shows an overall growth, with October sitting at 119.1% of September’s numbers and 112.6% of the same month last year.

Both mirrorless and compact camera categories continue to show growth, looking at both production and shipment numbers. Cameras with built-in lenses, which include compact cameras and bridge cameras, are 160% of the same month last year in worldwide shipments and 137.2% when tallying production rather than shipments.

For mirrorless, production numbers for October 2025 are 105% of the same month last year, with similar numbers looking at shipments at 105.8%. Totaling the first ten months of the year, 2025 is showing 111.8% of last year’s numbers in shipments so far, and 11.3 in production for mirrorless.

Looking at sensor size, the production of full-frame or larger cameras had the most growth at 112.7% compared to the previous month’s numbers, where smaller sensor cameras sat at 106%. Smaller sensor interchangeable lens cameras – which tend to be the more affordable options – remain the highest number produced at 420,454 in October alone, compared to 264,115 interchangeable lens cameras with full-frame or larger sensors.

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Three-quarters of the way through 2025, camera sales remain on track to have their best year since 2019. But, while compact cameras have been a key industry trend throughout the year, the mirrorless camera category is also showing growth, according to the latest numbers from the Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA).

The numbers for September indicate that camera shipments overall for the first 9 months of the year are 110.5% of the previous year’s data. Cameras with built-in lenses – in other words, compacts and bridge cameras – are the category with the most growth so far for 2025, with shipments at 122.4% of the previous year’s numbers.

But while compacts have shown the biggest jump from the previous year percentage-wise, mirrorless remains the category with the most shipments, sending out more than 4.5 million bodies compared to the fixed lens category’s 1.67 million for the first 9 months of 2025.

Mirrorless numbers aren’t growing quite as fast as compact cameras, though, hitting 112.8% of last year’s numbers for the first 9 months of the year.

Comparing the numbers month-by-month, however, mirrorless cameras saw the biggest jump in September. Total camera shipments saw a 124.1% increase from August, with built-in lens cameras at 110.7% and interchangeable lens cameras at 129.1% of the previous month’s data.

The category that’s not showing growth in 2025 is, unsurprisingly, the DSLR. Production is 75.1% of last year’s numbers for the first 9 months of the year and 74.4% for shipments. Looking at just September, DSLR shipments were 104.7% of the previous month but just 66.9% compared to the same month last year.

Currently, DSLR shipments are about 527,000 – which is about 10.4% of the total shipments for interchangeable lens cameras for the year so far.

Total worldwide shipments for all cameras through September 2025 are at 6.74 million. The last time numbers were that high by September was in 2019, when sales were more than 11.2 million – numbers illustrating that, while camera sales are up, shipments still aren’t near pre-COVID numbers.

CIPA has only recently started tracking shipments by sensor size, a statistic that may prove interesting in the future once there’s a previous year’s data to compare to. In September alone, interchangeable lens cameras with a sensor smaller than full frame shipped more than 411,000 bodies. The pricier full-frame or higher cameras shipped over 235,000 that month.

CIPA data doesn’t include every single camera shipped, but tracks the production and shipments of participating companies, a list that includes Canon, OM System, Ricoh, Sigma, Fujifilm, Nikon, Panasonic and Sony, among others.

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Camera sales are continuing to show steady growth, according to the latest numbers from the Camera and Imaging Product Association (CIPA)’s latest data. But while both interchangeable lens cameras and fixed lens cameras are seeing more shipments in 2025 than the year before, the data suggests compact cameras are seeing the biggest increase in price.

CIPA tracks production and shipment of cameras using two key statistics: the number of cameras shipped and the value of those cameras in Japanese yen. Data hints that 2025 could be the best year for camera sales since 2019, with the first half of the year showing 116.6 percent growth.

CIPA’s numbers for August – the latest data available – indicate a continuation of that trend, with global shipments for January through August for all digital still cameras at 111.8% of the same time frame last year. That’s nearly 5.9 million digital still cameras shipped worldwide.

While the data shows growth for both interchangeable lens cameras and the trendy compact camera, the fixed lens category shows the highest increase in price metrics. In the first eight months of 2025, worldwide shipments in yen for cameras with a built-in lens are at 145.9% compared to the same time period last year. The number of compact cameras shipped, however, sits at 122.8% compared to last year.

So far this year, just under ¥93.5 billion worth of cameras with built-in lenses have shipped worldwide, which is about $623 million / £462 million / AU$941 million. Divvy that up by the 1,469,734 fixed lens cameras shipped, and the average value for those cameras is about $424 / £313 / AU$640. That’s compared to a $357 / £265 / AU$539 average from the same time period last year.

Cameras with interchangeable lenses are also showing growth for 2025, but not quite as high. Worldwide shipments of cameras with interchangeable lenses are at 108.5% of last year’s numbers so far. Interchangeable lens cameras still far outsell compact cameras, with more than 4.4 million shipped in the first eight months of 2025.

The value of those camera shipments, however, hasn’t increased as much, at 101.3% of the previous year’s numbers when tracking shipments by yen instead of the number shipped. Mirrorless cameras sit at 114.5% in number shipped compared to last year, but 103.5 when tracking the value.

DSLR shipments continue to slow at 75.4% in number shipped and 70.1% in value shipped, indicating the price is dropping faster than the number of cameras being shipped.

While 2025 is trending upwards for camera sales, August was a slower month, sitting at 79.1% of total cameras shipped compared to July. Compared to August of 2025, however, that number sits at 91.4%. Broken down by category, cameras with built-in lenses are at 125% and interchangeable lens cameras at 83.2% of August 2024 numbers.

CIPA has also recently started tracking shipment numbers by sensor size. While the relative newness of this tracking means there’s no 2024 data to compare to, the August 2025 data indicates that shipments of interchangeable cameras with sensors less than full-frame were at 84% of the previous month, where full-frame and larger were at 69.7% of the previous month in cameras shipped worldwide.

So far in 2025, the number of smaller sensor interchangeable lens cameras shipped is about one million units higher than those with full-frame or higher sensors.

CIPA data tracks only member companies, but that list includes some of the biggest players in the camera industry, including Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, OM System, Panasonic, Ricoh, Sigma and Sony.

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Halfway through 2025, the camera industry is poised to have its best year since 2019 according to the latest data from the Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA). The increased numbers in cameras shipped for the first half of the year are driven largely by mirrorless and compact cameras.

In the newly released data for June, the total number of cameras shipped worldwide for the first half of 2025 sits at 116.6% of shipments for the same time period last year.

Digging back through the CIPA archives, the 4.3 million cameras shipped in the first half of 2025 beat the first half numbers for the last few years, up until 2019, when 7.3 million cameras shipped during the first half of the year.

Of those shipments in the first half of 2025, around 75.6% were interchangeable lens cameras, a category that includes both mirrorless and DSLRs, while around 24.4% were fixed-lens cameras, a category that includes compact cameras and bridge cameras.

The numbers show continued growth for the compact camera, a category that surged in popularity in part due to social media trends, with shipments at 120.1% of the shipments from the first half of 2024.

The first half of 2025 saw 1.05 million compact cameras shipped; the last time numbers were that high was in 2021, when 1.5 million compact cameras shipped during the first half of the year.

While trends have pushed compact camera numbers up, the 1.05 million compact cameras shipped in the first half of 2025 is still a far cry from the compact camera’s heyday.

In the first half of 2010, 49.95 million compact cameras shipped worldwide. At the time, compact cameras made up 90% of the cameras shipped, with interchangeable lens cameras at 5.39 million.

As the smartphone became more photo-capable those numbers have gradually flipped, with the interchangeable lens category shipping far more than compacts.

While the 2025 numbers are a far cry from the glory days of compacts, the numbers indicate a resurgence in sales for the smaller camera format, as compact camera shipments sit at the highest number since 2021, at least for the first half of the year.

Mirrorless remains the most-shipped category for the first half of 2025, responsible for around 2.9 million shipments, a number that is 122.5% of the previous year’s first six months. By value, however, the amount is 112% of last year’s numbers.

On the flipside, DSLRs continue to decline at 352,773 shipped during the first half of 2025, a number that is 78.5% of the same time period last year.

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Compact cameras have surged in popularity, but the latest sales numbers from the Japanese Camera and Imaging Products Association suggest a different trend: mirrorless cameras. In the first five months of 2025, compact camera shipments worldwide were 116.9 percent of the same time frame last year, while mirrorless camera numbers changed 122.3 percent over the same time period.

The increase in mirrorless camera shipments hints that mirrorless is seeing a growth in camera sales. Mirrorless cameras’ interchangeable lenses and large sensors prevented the category from the extreme fallout that compact cameras experienced as smartphone cameras advanced. While compact camera sales dropped then resurged in recent years, mirrorless has slowly climbed over DSLRs and then stayed there, shipping 619,682 cameras worldwide in May compared to 221,265 compact cameras and 71,049 DSLRs.

There could be a number of different reasons for the growth in mirrorless shipments in 2025. More people could be picking up the photography hobby (or career) in general, or perhaps the latest mirrorless advancements have encouraged more photographers to upgrade their current systems.

Trends influence sales, as we’ve seen compact cameras skyrocket in CIPA data. Another possibility is that the compact camera trend, which has been growing for a few years now, has given newbies the photography bug, and those who bought compact cameras a few years ago are migrating to more advanced systems.

The most popular compact cameras are also hard to find in stock. Another potential factor is that the compact trend has driven up prices, making many compact mirrorless kits more affordable than the trendiest compacts like the Fujifilm X100VI. A mirrorless camera isn’t exactly pocketable, but give one a pancake lens and many can easily tuck it into a small bag.

Another interesting trend from the CIPA data is that mirrorless cameras with sensors that are smaller than full frame are 121.1 percent of the previous month's numbers, while full frame sensors and larger sensors dropped slightly to 96.6 percent of the previous month’s shipping numbers. CIPA has only recently started tracking cameras by sensor size, which means there’s no data from 2024 to compare those numbers too, but, month over month, smaller sensor cameras appear to be growing.

The growth in smaller sensor cameras could point back to trends. Micro Four Thirds and APS-C cameras tend to be smaller than full-frame cameras (although this isn’t always the case). That means smaller sensor mirrorless tends to make excellent compact camera alternatives. Smaller sensors also tend to be more affordable than full-frame models.

Looking at the CIPA numbers broken down by region, the May numbers indicate an increase in shipments to the Americas compared to April, when new reciprocal tariffs were announced in the US. Digital camera shipment totals in April were 157,315, only 85.8 percent of the previous month’s numbers. The May data, however, shows shipments of 201,122, a 127.8 percent change from April. May’s shipments to the Americas still show growth over May 2024, at 115.5 percent of the same month last year.

CIPA statistics only track data from member companies, a list that includes Canon, Fujifilm, Sigma, Sony, Nikon, OM System, Panasonic, and Ricoh.

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Compact cameras have been showing a resurgence in popularity – and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. The latest numbers from Japan's Camera and Imaging Products Association hint that the compact camera trend is still going strong. But the numbers also offer the first concrete look at how tariffs may be impacting camera availability.

The CIPA data for April 2025 shows that cameras with built-in lenses shipped 116.6 percent more than the same time frame the previous year and 108.3 percent compared to the previous month. For the first four months of 2025, compact camera shipments are up 111.2 percent over 2024’s first few months.

But that upward trend starts to change when looking at those numbers separated by region. Camera shipments overall to the Americas were 85.8 percent of the previous month, although still up 15.2 percent compared to April 2024.

In all the categories, the shipment numbers compared to the previous month for the Americas have dropped in every category except for mirrorless cameras, which remained steady at 101.3 percent.

Compact camera shipments to the Americas were just 67.4 percent compared to the previous month, although up 107.2 percent compared to the same time frame last year.

DSLRs were just 65.5 percent of the previous month’s numbers, but that rate nearly matches the worldwide decline in DSLR shipments at 66.7 percent compared to the previous month and 61.7 percent compared to the same month last year.

The CIPA report contains only numbers, without speculating on the cause of those changes, and includes both North and South America in one category. But I suspect the reduced shipments to the Americas are heavily influenced by the new reciprocal tariffs in the US, which went into effect on April 5.

While the original reciprocal rate varied by country, the rate was temporarily paused at 10 percent on April 10, excluding China. Tariffs increased the cost of import taxes on cameras by 145 percent on goods from China, a rate that has since been temporarily reduced to 30 percent.

Another set of CIPA numbers that will be interesting to see play out is the number of cameras separated by sensor size, a statistic that the organization has only recently started tracking. The shipments of full-frame or larger cameras were up by 159.7 percent compared to the previous month, and cameras with sensors smaller than full frame were also up, but by 116.9. As a new part of CIPA tracking, numbers compared to the previous year aren’t available. Those numbers include only interchangeable lens cameras, not fixed lens compacts.

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Compact cameras have surged in both popularity and price – and the latest numbers from the Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) indicate that the trend isn’t slowing down.

The organization recently published the numbers on the camera industry’s shipments for March 2025, and they reflect a continuing increase in compact camera sales.

The worldwide shipments for cameras with built-in lenses increased by about 115% in the first 3 months of 2025 when compared to the previous year. At the same time, the cost of those cameras shipped increased by 135%.

The higher increase in the value of those cameras than the number shipped suggests that either prices are increasing, or brands are shipping more high-end options compared to the previous year.

While the number of compacts shipped has increased, the shipments of interchangeable lens cameras have increased slightly compared to 2024 numbers. Through March 2025, the shipment for interchangeable lens cameras was 108.7% of the 2024 numbers.

The number of mirrorless cameras shipped increased by 112.9% during that same period, as DSLR shipments declined at 88.8%. The increase for mirrorless cameras models perfectly matches the decline in DSLRs, suggesting that the drop in DSLR sales is simply more creators opting for the newer mirrorless format.

Looking at the month-to-month data, camera shipments increased across the board, with the total for all camera categories increasing by 107.6% compared to the previous month and 106.1% compared to that same month last year.

For the first 3 months of the year, the total camera shipments increased by 110.2% compared to 2024.

CIPA has recently started breaking down those numbers by sensor size. The shipments for cameras with full frame sensors or larger remained nearly steady, at 100.5% compared to the previous month. The shipments for cameras with a sensor size that’s less than full frame increased slightly more, at 104.2% of the previous month’s data.

With CIPA's sensor size data being fairly young, there are no comparison figures to see how those numbers fare against the previous year – but it will be interesting to see how that statistic plays out in the future.

The CIPA report will also be interesting to watch as the numbers for April come in, as the new US tariffs began on April 09.

In March, the shipment to the Americas increased by 117.9%. The highest increase in cameras shipped to the region was for cameras with built-in lenses, which jumped by 148.3%.

The Trump Administration announced the plans for reciprocal tariffs in February, which may have prompted companies to increase shipments and stock ahead of the tariff going into effect.

The CIPA report only includes data from participating companies, but those numbers include several of the major camera brands, including Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, OM System, Panasonic and Ricoh.

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Some camera trends are short-lived, but the newest data from the Camera and Imaging Product Association (CIPA) suggests the compact camera trend isn’t going anywhere soon. The numbers from January 2025, published last week, show that cameras with built-in lenses shot up in value over the same time period the previous year, while overall camera shipments also increased but at a slower rate.

According to CIPA, the number of shipped cameras with built-in lenses – which includes compact cameras and bridge-style zooms – increased by about 11.3% when compared to January 2024. But, at the same time, the value of those cameras shot up by 50.2%.

Comparing the number of cameras shipped to the change in the value, which is tracked in yen, gives an indication that the prices of those cameras increased. Prices can go up due to a number of different factors, however, from actual price increases to a shift towards consumers buying more pricey high-end models.

When compared to December 2024, the January 2025 numbers are only 77.5% of the number shipped and 90% in the value of those fixed lens cameras. However, seasonal sales can skew the numbers from month to month – particularly around the holidays, which can make the comparison to the same month the previous year a clearer picture.

Looking at how the data breaks down by region hints towards which areas are driving those trends. In the Americas, built-in lens cameras were about 94.3% of the same time last year for shipments, but a positive 134.7% when gauging the value of those cameras rather than the number shipped. The numbers in Europe show a different story from fixed lens cameras, with the number shipped at 95.7% and the value at just 102.7%.

While the category for cameras with built-in lenses showed the biggest difference between the number shipped and the value of those cameras, cameras overall also showed a jump. Worldwide, the number of cameras shipped increased by 6.7% compared to January 2024, with the value up by about 13%.

Looking at just shipments, mirrorless camera pricing stayed the same with the number shipped and the value of those shipped cameras both at 110%. However, looking at how the numbers break down by the cameras produced, rather than just shipped, those numbers are 97.1% of the January 2024 numbers and 107.1% of the value.

While the January numbers are now available, CIPA recently predicted slow growth for the camera market in 2025 with a forecast of 101% of 2024 numbers for the overall number of cameras shipped across all categories. Built-in lens cameras are predicted to grow slightly faster, with a 101.9% of 2024 numbers predicted.

While the January 2025 CIPA data suggests compact cameras are continuing to trend, month-to-month data doesn’t always offer a picture as clear as the year-to-year data, as months can be influenced by seasonal sales and new product launches. The 2024 cumulative data suggests the camera industry has hit its highest numbers since 2019.

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In 2025, the camera market will continue to grow, but at a slowed pace compared to the previous year, the latest forecast from the Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) suggests. During the CP+ photography show, CIPA shared its predictions for 2025, offering a conservative one percent uptick in the number of digital cameras shipped worldwide. But, at the same time, CIPA shared an in-depth look at the 2024 data, including a chart that shows the average cost of compact cameras surprisingly surpassing the price of interchangeable lens cameras.

The presentation by CIPA group chair Sato Kazu first analyzed the latest available data, then shared the predicted numbers for the 2025 market during the CP+ show in Japan last week. While camera shipments as a whole are expected to remain about the same with a predicted one percent growth for 2025, cameras with built-in lenses are predicted to sit at 101.9% of the previous year’s numbers. Interchangeable lens cameras have a more conservative 100.9% prediction, while the lenses used with those cameras are also expected to grow, at around 102.4%.

While CIPA predicts minor growth for 2025, the group predicted a decrease for 2024, estimating camera sales to be at 96% of the 2023 numbers. But, now that the actual numbers are in, CIPA noted how far off those 2024 predictions were, with a 110% growth overall rather than the predicted decline.

The average shipping cost of cameras has also been on a steady uptick over the last 12 years, CIPA shared, excluding a drop in 2020. Kazu noted that this increasing cost is largely due to higher-end cameras making up more of the market share, as consumers look for cameras that offer features that smartphones do not.

While the cost of cameras overall has steadily increased, the cost of mirrorless cameras seemed to peak in 2022, declining slightly in 2023 and remaining fairly stable in 2024. Instead, the cost of cameras with built in lenses started increasing at a bunch faster rate beginning in 2021.

In 2024, the average cost of a camera with a built-in lens actually surpassed the cost of interchangeable lens cameras. That average cost still sits far below the average cost of a mirrorless camera, however, which means the cost of those fixed lens cameras only outpaces the cost of interchangeable lenses when taking the lowering cost of DSLRs into account.

I suspect the jump is due to the popularity of high-end compact cameras like the Fujifilm X100VI, Leica D-Lux-8, and aging Canon G7X series driving up compact prices. But, Kazu notes that there’s also an increasing trend for video features, which means popular compact vlogging cameras like the Sony ZV series or the DJI Pocket series could also be contributing to the trend.

The camera industry has been on the upswing since a dip in 2020 as the market recovered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. But, CIPA data shows that the role of DSLRs and mirrorless cameras flip-flopped around 2019, with the graph for mirrorless sales continuing to pull away from DSLR sales since. It’s only when averaging the cost of all types of interchangeable lens cameras together that the cost of compact cameras surpasses the category, with the average cost of a mirrorless camera still more than twice as high as the compact camera.

While mirrorless cameras remain the highest cost, interchangeable lens cameras made up about 39 percent of the cameras shipped worldwide in 2024. Kazu noted that mirrorless cameras are a pillar for the industry supporting the market.

The presentation during CP+ also highlighted some demographics not typically part of the monthly CIPA reports. Kazu broke down the demographics by age and gender for camera buyers in Japan, numbers which suggest those under 40 could be a driving factor in the unexpected 2024 growth.

While Gen Z’s move to bring back compact cameras made headlines, the younger generation makes up more of the mirrorless sales than the fixed lens cameras, at least in Japan. The number of people under age 30 buying interchangeable lens cameras jumped from 7% of the total sales to 18%, while those aged 30 to 39 also jumped significantly from 18% to 29%. That puts those under the age of 40 as responsible for 47% of the interchangeable lens camera sales in Japan last year.

The younger demographic also jumped when looking at fixed lens cameras, with those under 30 jumping from 4% to 15% in 2024, and ages 30-39 moving from 14% to 21%.

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CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) has released the annual camera and lens production and shipment performance table for January to December 2024. The data includes production and total shipment data for the year, so let's take a look at the total shipment data as well.

Looking at the total worldwide shipments, we can see that digital cameras shipped a total of about 8.49 million units. Interchangeable lens cameras shipped about 6.6 million units. And lenses shipped about 10.31 million units.

DSLR shipments were up 18,000 units over October and up 20.1% over November 2023, but down 17% cumulatively for the year. Mirrorless shipments were down over 90,000 units from October, but up 31% over November 2023 and up 16% cumulatively for the year.

Global shipments of digital cameras, including mirrorless single-lens cameras are expected to recover to their highest level in 9 years in 2024. The driving force behind this epic return is thought to be down to Gen Z, specifically from Chinese social media users who have turned to cameras rather than smartphones.

Young people are turning to higher performance devices to get their best side for social media, and in turn making these cameras trend again. According to a report in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, manufacturers are aiming to tap into the Gen Z social media market by equipping their cameras with features that meet the demand for social media.

CIPA has also predicted the continued rise of the compact camera, with many attributing this rise solely to the ”trendy” Fuji X100VI model – though the halo effect reaches vastly further than that.

One user on Nikon Rumors commented, “Nope compacts are in heavy demand now. Prices on eBay are ridiculous and this segment has become the new vinyl. Suddenly everything old is new again. Camera makers should take note. Sony stupidly appears to have abandoned cameras like the RX100 and RX10 series.”

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The point-and-shoot camera has been the subject of more death predictions than a Shakespearean soothsayer. Keyboard warriors felt certain that the capabilities of the smartphone camera spelled out a certain death threat for point-and-shoot cameras. Yet, it’s nearly 2025 and the cameras that everyone wants but no one can find in stock have one thing in common: they are all compact cameras.

Thanks to viral TikTok status, the Fujifilm X100VI is selling for more used than the list price of the brand new compact. Similarly, Leica’s newest compact camera, the Leica D-Lux 8 is hard to find. But if the limited availability of a 2024 launch is unsurprising, what about the limited stock of the 2019 Ricoh GR III, the sudden demand for the now five-year-old Canon G7 X III, or the sudden increase in cost on 20-year-old compacts on eBay?

Clearly, the fortune tellers predicting the death of the compact camera missed this. The lack of stock in the compact camera market makes one thing clear: Camera brands were ill-prepared for a compact comeback.

Compact cameras are now outselling DSLRs

DSLR sales have unsurprisingly declined as manufacturers switch their focus to mirrorless. But what’s more surprising is that the number of fixed lens compact cameras has now jumped to outpace DSLR sales.

The Cameras and Imaging Product Association, a Japanese organization that tracks worldwide camera sales, started showing more compact sales than DSLRs earlier this year.

The latest numbers, however show that compact cameras sales aren’t doing quite as well as they were in 2022. The CIPA numbers for September, the latest available data, show compacts under the end-of-year holiday blip for the same month in 2022.

Why are compact cameras out of stock? Many brands quit focusing on them

As the industry predicted the downfall of the compact camera and sales declined, brands shifted their focus towards mirrorless. That shift left relatively few announcements in the point-and-shoot space, with most of the newly announced compacts focusing on cramming larger sensors inside a small camera for a definitive advantage over smartphone cameras.

But as compacts unexpectedly reincarnateed, many brands were unable to meet the new demand. Perhaps the best example of this is the Fujifilm X100VI, a retro-styled compact that, after TikTok fame launched with such limited stock that resellers took to selling the coveted camera on eBay for double the list price.

The X100 series is far from alone in the inability to meet demand, however. The Ricoh GR III, a camera launched in 2019, is listed as temporarily out of stock at multiple US retailers. The Leica D-Lux 8, which surprisingly has a list price only slightly higher than the X100VI, is also similarly hard to find. Even the Canon G7 X III, which is now five years old, went out of stock after unexpected TikTok fame.

Despite growth, compact numbers are far from the heyday

One of the factors driving the trend towards the point-and-shoots revival is the experience of using a dedicated camera. The ability to take a photo and remain in the moment without being distracted by smartphone notifications remains a complelling reason to use a dedicated camera. Gen Z’s new obsession with using crappy compacts from 20 years ago could also very well be playing a role in the sale of new models as well, as those early digital cameras aren’t exactly known for being built to last several decades.

Whatever the reason behind the growth, the blip in sales remains well behind the point-and-shoot’s heyday. CIPA data for 2008 lists the number of cameras with built-in lenses shipped worldwide from Japan at more than 110 million for the full year. In the first nine months of 2024, built-in lens cameras shipped just over 1.37 million. While compact sales have risen in recent years, the numbers are still far from the genres peak.

That leads to the key question: Is the increase in compact camera sales enough for brands to divert resources to keeping the category alive? Or will the point-and-shoot continue to see relatively few launches?

The camera rumors point to a few potential new compacts, though the predictions remain heavily mirrorless focused. The numbers likely aren’t enough to bring back a huge compact revival across every major brand, but hopefully the trends are enough to keep a few compacts alive for both general consumers and photographers who want to pack light.

Browse our guide to the best compact cameras, the best cameras for Instagram, or the best travel cameras.

Signalling the end of Summer and beginning of Autumn, the latest camera and lens sales data for September 2024 has been released by Japanese camera and lens manufacturers' trade body, Camera Imaging Products Association (CIPA).

With Black Friday and Christmas looming, it’s no surprise that the latest CIPA numbers show the highest shipments of the calendar year so far across all categories, however, cumulatively DSLR units are down 21% compared to 2023.

CIPA reports that the quantity of total shipment of digital stills cameras (DSCs) worldwide for September 2024 stands at 832,874, up from 831,098 in 2023.

September is typically when sales start to ramp up in the lead up to the upcoming holiday season pushing the stats as high as they can get all year.

August figures showed that despite a slight dip compared to July, they are up in terms of both volume (5.4%) and value (14.3%) compared to the year-to-date figures for the same period last year.

August had the highest shipments of the year to date for DSLRs, despite being 20% down from 2023, and in September that percentage crept up another 1%.

CIPA has predicted 5.89m interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs), 1.52m compacts and 9.57m lenses for calendar 2024. Based on 2023 shipping patterns, ILC’s could potentially come in at 6.3-6.4m units, which is higher at the low end than Nikon Rumors predicted last month but lower at the high end.

Mirrorless cameras are up 14% since 2023, compacts are up 7%, full-frame lenses bigger are up 3% and smaller-format lenses are up 8%.

If sales trends run like similar years recorded by CIPA we will continue to see sales increase in the month of October, apart from possibly DSLRs, only to drop dramatically again in November, presumably when everyone has bought all their more expensive Christmas presents, or taken advantage of the pre-holiday sales.

These figures only represent shipments of cameras and lenses originating in Japan. However, as CIPA represents the main Japanese industry players (Canon, Cosina, Fujifilm, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Sigma, Sony, Tamron, Tokina, Ricoh and Zeiss) it's by far the vast majority of the traditional enthusiast camera market.

Take a look at our guides to the best mirrorless cameras, and the best compact cameras. We've also go guides to the best Fujifilm cameras, and the best retro cameras.

Why not grab yourself a deal and check out the best Black Friday camera deals

Japanese camera and lens maker trade body Camera Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has released its export figures for July, showing that 2024 camera and lens shipments to date are exceeding those from the past couple of years. And with over  half the year gone, this year promises to be significantly healthier than the preceding couple of years, should this trend continue. 

In fact, the figures for the month of July showed the strongest monthly worldwide shipments of both cameras and lenses so far, with the figures showing steady month-upon-month increases throughout the year, aside from a slight dip for June. With July 2024 showing an 8% increase over July 2023, the market is looking very healthy indeed. 

The figures show that 801,240 cameras were shipped in July 2024, compared to 741,743 in July 2023, and 725,994 for the same month in 2022. Of these, 630,128 were interchangeable lens cameras (that's mirrorless cameras and DSLRs combined) in 2024 compared with 592,646 (2023) and 556,176 (2022). 

Meanwhile, shipments of compact cameras totalled 171,112 for July 2024 – a massive 14% rise year on year. So that's more proof of the resurgence of these fixed-lens cameras. 

Delving a little deeper into CIPA's convoluted tables of stats, it's no great surprise to see that mirrorless camera sales are the main drivers in camera sales, no doubt buoyed by the recent launches of the Nikon Z6 III and Canon EOS R5 II, with a 12.9% increase over the same time last year. And equally unsurprisingly, DSLR sales continue to decline, with a near-25% decrease compared to 2023 – as the choice of DSLRs in the market continues to shrink.

Lens shipments are also showing an increase compared to the preceding years, with the July figures showing a total of 898,637 (2024), 866,038 (2023), and 862,336 (2022) lenses shipped. 

These figures only represent shipments of cameras and lenses originating in Japan – but then again, as the CIPA represents the main Japanese industry players (Canon, Cosina, Fujifilm, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Sigma, Sony, Tamron, Tokina, Ricoh and Zeiss) it's by far the vast majority of the traditional enthusiast camera market.

If the trend follows that of previous years, we would expect to see shipments continue to increase until the peak in September-October, before tailing off for the last couple of months of the year.

Take a look at our guides to the best mirrorless cameras, and the best compact cameras. 

We've also go guides to the best Fujifilm cameras, and the best retro cameras. 

Japan's Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has released its July figures, reporting the highest shipments of the calendar year so far for DSLRs, mirrorless and compact cameras, along with lenses for cameras with smaller than 35mm sensors. 

Now the bad news. 

While total camera units shipped in July were 801,240, up from 741,734 in 2023 and 725,944 in 2022, the report reveals that DSLR units are down 38% compared to the same period in 2023.

CIPA has predicted shipments of 5.89 million interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs), 1.52 million compacts and 9.57 million lenses for the entire calendar year. Based on 2023’s shipping patterns, Nikon Rumors predicts that ILCs could potentially come in at 5.9-6.5 million units. 

According to the site, body and lens sales peaked in 2012 during the camera boom at 20.16 million and 30.4 million respectively, and have steadily fallen in the years since as other technologies, especially the best camera phones, have seen huge advancements. In 2023, 6 million DSLR and mirrorless camera bodies and 9.6 million lenses were sold. 

This comes as BCN Retail reported that the Sony ZV-E10 took the top three spots in the best-selling bodies in Japan for July, only to be knocked off those same spots by the Canon EOS R10 and EOS R50 in August.

Chinese lens manufacturing has taken an upward swing in recent years, as consumers begin to discover that they are actually worth using, and are often cheaper than their Japanese counterparts. Crucially, CIPA does not report shipments for these increasingly popular lenses – nor does it report the recordbreaking sales of instant cameras, for that matter. 

We reported back in March, after the release of that month's CIPA figures, that compact cameras had seen 7% growth in sales and a 41% growth value year on year, fuelled by the popularity of all-in-one vlogging cameras and the astounding success of the Fujifilm X100VI premium compact.

CIPA reports have long been considered an important barometer for assessing the industry's overall wellbeing. Its members include major Japanese manufacturers like Canon, OM Digital Solutions, Ricoh and Sony. The current CIPA president, Hiroyuki Ikegami, is from Nikon, and the vice president, Masato Yamamoto, is from Fujifilm.

Take a look at our guides to the best cameras for vlogging, the best DSLR, and the best Sony cameras.

A journalist for a data gathering website has asked if digital cameras are a "dying breed".

Felix Richter writes: "Ever since smartphone cameras have become as good or better than most mass-market point-and-shoot cameras, many people don't see the point in carrying an extra device, and rightly so."

Richter references a data chart from Statista Consumer Insights that shows the global decline of digital camera ownership over the last few years, stating that "it's probably not a stretch to assume that usage has declined by even more than that."

He adds: "A look at global camera sales shows an industry in disarray, as more than 30 years of growth have been wiped out over the past decade."

In a chart of 1,000 to 10,000 respondents aged 18-64 years old, surveyed in 2018 / 2019 and 2023 / 2024 in the United States, digital camera ownership fell from almost 60% of people to just over 30%. 

In the UK, the same figure fell from over 60% to just under 40%. 

Smartphones have changed the camera game, offering a level of convenience that is not possible with larger, bulkier cameras. The quality of the cameras is now so good that you even have photographers like Rankin endorsing Honor phones. 

The new iPhone 16 range, set to be released on September 09, has updates almost entirely devoted to improving the camera and photo-taking abilities. 

"Over the past few years, smartphone cameras in general have improved significantly,” adds Richter. "So much so in fact, that most people no longer see the need to carry or buy a dedicated camera."

Richter described the effects of this smartphone surge as "devastating", a statement supported by Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) data that shows camera shipments dropping by 94% between 2010 and 2023.

Citing fixed lens cameras in specific, which were once the backbone of camera sales, CIPA data shows that in 2023 just 1.7 million cameras were shipped – down from almost 109 million in 2010, "wiping out decades of growth" according to Richter. 

"The steep decline was mainly driven by a drop-off in shipments of digital cameras with built-in lenses, the type that casual photographers used to rely on prior to the rise of smartphone photography."

Still, like anything, trends come and go, and come back again. Just look at what's happening with film cameras right now. 

The latest industry figures from CIPA reveal that more cameras were shipped between January and May 2024 than during the same periods in 2022, and 2023. While we're unlikely to hit the highs of the 2010s again, digital cameras probably aren't quite the dying breed that Richter might think.

Take a look at our guides to the best camera phones, the best film cameras, and the best DSLRs.

In a rare snippet of positive news, Japan’s Camera Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has released its latest industry figures, revealing that more cameras were shipped between January and May 2024 than during the same periods in 2022 and 2023.

The figures show that 2.3 million interchangeable lens cameras (ILC) have been shipped from Japan so far this year up until the end of May, an 9.8% increase over the same period in 2023, and a whopping 11.9% increase compared to 2022. 

On top of this significant swell in shipping numbers, average unit prices have also started to rise. 

Things appear to be on the up, as earlier this week we reported that, incredibly, the increasing use of smartphones is actually driving the digital photography market.

CIPA reports have long been considered an important barometer for assessing the industry's overall well-being. Its members include Canon, OM Digital Solutions, Ricoh, and Sony. The current CIPA president, Hiroyuki Ikegami, is from Nikon, and the vice president, Masato Yamamoto, is from Fujifilm.

Unsurprisingly, Asia is dominating the market in both terms of value and units shipped by Japanese manufacturers, and in absolute terms, the largest ILC market is China, followed by the Americas.

Also to be predicted, the ILC data shows that sales of DSLRs have declined and mirrorless cameras now make up 83.75% of the ILC shipments by volume, and 92.9% by value. The graphs released also show that sales tend to peak between the months of September and November.

The total value of ILC sales increased 28.6% year on year, to ¥251.8B (US$1.6B, £1.6M), which was helped by the weak Yen increasing the value of overseas sales. Interestingly, the value of fixed–lens cameras soared to ¥37.6B ($233M, £1.8M) , an increase of 34.7%. 

There is high demand for the latest generation of digital cameras such as the Fujifilm X100VI and Nikon Z6 III,  which could mean the industry is looking at its strongest upcoming sales years for some time.

Take a look at our guides to the best mirrorless cameras, and the best compact cameras. 

We've also go guides to the best Fujifilm cameras, and the best retro cameras. 

The Camera and Imaging Products Association in Japan (CIPA) has released its data for March 2024, and it would seem that things are on the up for both interchangeable lens cameras and also compact cameras. 

Between January and March this year compact cameras have seen 7 percent growth in units and a 41 percent growth value year on year - fuelled by the popularity of newer all-in-one vlogging cameras, and the incredible success of the Fujifilm X100VI premium compact.

Compact cameras with their built-in lenses can be perfect as a second camera for DSLR and mirrorless camera owners who want to travel light on occasion. While they may lack a little in fancy features or image quality, they are small enough to slip into a jacket pocket or a handbag. If you’re thinking about going back to basics check out our guide to the best compact cameras.

Shipping numbers are down this year from 21 million units shipped in 2011 compared to the 392,000 units shipped (so far) this year. “Even though this segment is on life support, it’s not dead yet,” reported Canon Rumors. 

As for interchangeable lens system cameras, it would appear that DSLRs are still retaining a modicum of popularity despite very reduced volumes. Unsurprisingly CIPA also found that mirrorless cameras are continuing to gain popularity with a 28 percent increase in units and a 33 percent increase in sales year on year.

America and China are leading the demand with 24 percent and 17 percent of the overall market share respectively. 

CIPA has predicted 5.89 million ILCs, 1.52 million compact cameras and 9.57 million lenses will be shipped from Japan in 2024. However, based on the ship patterns of the first three months and 2023 patterns, Nikon Rumors believes 2024 shipments might be substantially higher. 

Check out our guide to the best compact cameras here, where the Fujifilm X100VI comes out on top. Similarly take a look at our favorite DSLRs and the best mirrorless cameras.

The Japanese Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has announced its outlook forecast on the 'shipment by product-type concerning cameras and related goods for 2024' and expects a decrease compared to 2023.

CIPA's reports provide an interesting insight into the digital camera market, looking at market trends among the best mirrorless and DSLR cameras. The 2023 annual report was released earlier this month, showing the market declined in Europe and the US but increased dramatically in Asia, with a significant increase in China. It also showed an overall decrease in digital camera and lens shipments globally, a decline that CIPA expects to continue.  

CIPA states, "Total digital camera shipments in 2024 (from January to December cumulative) are expected to be 7.41 million units, which is 96.0% of the previous year, including 860,000 units or 94.5% to Japan, and 6.55 million units or 96.2% to countries other than Japan".

This has also been broken down further by the category of digital cameras. Shipments of interchangeable-lens digital cameras (DSLRs and mirrorless cameras) are expected to be 98.2% of the previous year, and fixed-lens are expected to be 88.4%.

With so many new cameras scheduled or rumored to launch in 2024, especially compact cameras, it is a surprise that the forecast shows a decline in overall digital camera shipments globally. The freshly announced Fujifilm X100VI and a rumored successor to the Ricoh GR III, will certainly be trying to bump up the data of fixed-lens digital cameras. Likewise, the long-awaited Canon EOS R1's anticipated release will undoubtedly boost interchangeable-lens cameras.

CIPA's outlook also predicts lenses for interchangeable-lens cameras are to remain almost stable in 2024, with volumes expected to be at 99.3% of where they were last year.

CIPA summarises the report by stating, "As the market experienced a slowdown slightly toward the end of 2023, this outlook is less than bullish. However, digital cameras are items closely connected to 'outdoor demands' and 'outing demands'. In association with the current trend of breaking away from the COVID-19 pandemic, further growth is expected".

In a somewhat contradictory summarisation, CIPA states that they expect growth in the market despite a decrease in global shipments. It is unclear if this means long-term future growth or an increase in shipments after the dip at the end of 2023, but overall the digital camera market is in a healthy state.

2024 is set to become an exciting year for photographic equipment, with new releases scheduled for most major manufacturers. You can get hands-on with the latest equipment they have to offer at The Photography and Video Show 2024 at the NEC in Birmingham, UK. Tickets for the show are available now.

CIPA (Japan's Camera and Imaging Products Association) has released its full 2023 report, analyzing the spending and shipping of digital cameras worldwide and it makes for some very interesting reading that may suggest the future of the digital camera market. 

The Japanese industry association's report analyzes the data of digital camera sales by Japanese manufacturers across the global market, this takes into account all digital cameras including the best mirrorless cameras, DSLR cameras, and compact cameras. 

By looking at the report from CIPA, the first notable point of interest is the global shipment value of digital cameras in 2023 increased by 5% on 2022, the third consecutive year that there has been a positive increase. 

The total spend equated to 714.3 billion yen, equivalent to just shy of $5 billion  or just under £4 billion. The increase in the spending total does not necessarily mean a high volume of units being sold, as the average unit price has also increased to a new high of 90,000 yen ($615 / £481).

Mirrorless cameras continue to drive market growth accounting for 80% of the total market, expanding the gap between mirrorless and DSLR further. The number of units shipped increased by 19% to 4.83 million units, with the total combined sales jumping 11% to 580.4 billion yen ( $4 billion / £3 billion).

The data also shows an increase in the value of fixed-lens compact cameras by 9% being exported – despite another marked drop in the actual number. The fixed lens premium compact is one being considered by many more photographer - offering a smaller portable camera that still boasts superb image quality. I use a Fujifilm X100F as an everyday carry, due to its small form and ease of use for spontaneous shooting, so I can attest to the advantages of fixed-lens cameras. 

Where the data starts to get really interesting, and where it can have a very significant effect on the photography world, is how the total spend is broken down into regions. China had the largest increase by a staggering 25% to 179.9 billion yen ($1.25 billion / £1 billion). We have known for some time that China has been a growing market, but the data gathered in 2023 shows to what extent - a huge one!

The Chinese market favors buying from Chinese companies and its lens and camera manufacturers have been increasing the quality and advancing the technology. Despite this, imports from Japan have risen dramatically.

Japan is another region that shows increased sales by 4% while Europe and the US both show a decrease of 7% and 1% respectively. While the eastern market continues to grow exponentially, the western market in Europe and the US falls flat.

It has been reported that Chinese consumers are buying more affordable cameras, and vlogging cameras so it will be interesting to see how the manufacturers react to the demand of a now very large portion of the market. Will we see the return of more entry-level mirrorless cameras? Perhaps more variations of fixed-lens cameras? Or cameras with increased vlogging features? Time will tell, but I imagine an upcoming shift in line with this increased Chinese influence.

Did the annual Black Friday rush in November capsize camera shipments in October?

CIPA (the Camera & Imaging Products Association) has released its latest report, providing an overview of digital camera sales and shipments over the past year in comparison with the previous two. Shipments of both interchangeable and lens-integrated cameras were plotted on a graph showing how the market reacted in 2023. 

The health of the digital camera market had been recovering for most of the year, after being decimated during the pandemic. However, CIPA's results show that a major dip in October / November has significantly skewed what would have been an improved and steady year. Could this be an effect of the ever-increasing popularity of Black Friday, and people holding out for better deals? Or were camera manufacturers under so much demand that shipments stalled? 

In April and May 2023, shipments of interchangeable lens cameras were greatly increased over the same period in previous years, before steadying to corresponding levels from June to October. October / November, however, saw a significant decrease. 

This may be a result of Black Friday, a commercial promotion at the end of November aimed at providing the best deals before the holiday season. The dip in shipments could be due to people holding off buying cameras in October and waiting for the perfect Black Friday deal at the end of November. It will be interesting to see the data for December, to see if there was an influx of shipments over the extended Black Friday and Cyber Monday period.

On the other hand, another possibility for the decline is the lack of new releases towards the end of the year. The last major launch was the Fujifilm GFX 100 II in September, and that isn't exactly your everyday consumer camera!

The data shows that fixed (integrated) lens camera shipments appear to have been a lot lower in 2023 than in 2022 and 2021, although they were consistent throughout the year. Fixed-lens models, particularly some of the best compact cameras, have been growing in popularity in recent years, so much so that they have exceeded expectations – and cameras like the Fujifilm X100V are still hard to get. I expect this data to increase over 2024, as fixed lens cameras such as the successors to the X100V and Ricoh GR III are rumored.

Among interchangeable lens cameras, the 86,575 DSLRs shipped were vastly overshadowed by the 415,342 mirrorless cameras. The figures show that DSLR shipments are down a whopping 50%, seeing the fastest growth for mirrorless cameras so far, as the drawn-out death of the DSLR continues.

It is useful to get an insight into how the camera market is behaving, as it provides a gauge of the health of the medium – and to show recovery during a global cost of living crisis is encouraging. With many camera manufacturers rumored to be releasing new models in 2024, I can envision market growth, especially with many of these rumored releases being new flagship models. However, an increase in sales may also mean an increase in shipping times! 

Get the scoop on what's coming next with the latest camera rumors, and see our guides to the best mirrorless cameras and the best DSLRs for what's hot right now.

A recent report by from CIPA, Japan's Camera and Imaging Products Association, shows a 3.8% decrease in camera unit shipments from Japan when comparing October 2022 and October 2023. In the previous year, Japan exported a total of 831,031 units of digital cameras (including fixed lens and interchangeable lens models), falling to 799,184 in 2023. Despite declining unit numbers, the industry experienced a slight increase of 102.4% in terms of overall value, indicating a shift in consumer preferences towards high-value products.

Over the last few years, we’ve seen a big difference in the cost of digital cameras. It seems we’ve said goodbye to the days of affordable, beginner DSLR systems and hello to more expensive, more advanced entry-level mirrorless cameras. Top-of-the-range flagship cameras usually cost more than $4,000/£3,500/AU$6,000 but according to these stats, that isn’t putting photographers off buying them. 

Check out the best professional cameras as we round up the most advanced DSLRs and mirrorless cameras from Canon, Nikon, Sony and more

The report shared by DigiCame.info shows that through the summer, and into October, camera shipments to Japan remained relatively stable. This year's figures closely mirror the results of the previous year. However, one of the most notable changes was the type of camera being bought; we saw a 65% drop in the number of fixed lens cameras (such as the Sony ZV-1F) shipped, and an 8.7% increase of interchangeable lens cameras.

Breaking down the interchangeable lens camera category, digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras showed a sharp decline of 58.2%, with only 101,865 units shipped, while mirrorless cameras marked an impressive 129.8% increase, accounting for 542,647 units. This trend follows what we have known for a while – DSLRs are on their way out as more and more people make the move to mirrorless camera systems.

The October 2023 CIPA report is unsurprising. With so few camera manufacturers still making DSLRs (Canon and Pentax seem to be the only ones), there’s no way DSLR shipments could ever compete with shipments of mirrorless cameras. Consumer preferences are reshaping the digital camera landscape and it is clear that the biggest players in the industry are evolving to suit market demands.

See which we think are the best mirrorless cameras that are driving the adoption.

AI technology is advancing at incomprehensible speeds and whether for better or worse, it has captivated the world. The Japanese Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has just released a statement in regards to how AI is used in digital cameras and how it hopes to combat fake imagery. 

While the rapid evolution of sophisticated generative AI technology has completely transformed the way in which we retouch and edit photos, AI image generators have enabled anybody to create realistic-looking images that are hard to distinguish from ones taken on a camera so there has been growing demand for in-camera tech that authenticates an image. 

The ever-advancing world of AI leaves us with a dual landscape where positive advancements and potential risks generate a certain level of expectations and concerns. While many are buying into the accessibility and ease of AI-powered tools (for example the release of Adobe Firefly’s generative AI tool has made my editing workflow so much easier), there is a lot of talk about how AI is being used to create fake images that are getting passed off as genuine. 

• Have a go at creating a realistic photo using one of the best AI image generators - just make sure you don't pass it off as real!

CIPA recognizes that AI technologies are already integrated into various features, such as subject recognition and shooting scene analysis which contribute to a more efficient and effective final image. Just last week we posted about how Sony and Associated Press have paired up to develop an in-camera authenticator that validates the realness of an image by creating a “birth certificate” at the time of capture - a feature that is becoming increasingly more in demand. 

This surge in AI integration into image processing raises important ethical considerations and the worry is photographers and in particular photojournalists may soon find themselves grappling with ambiguity as to whether their photo is a faithful representation of an event of whether it has undergone AI processing. With the global rise of fake images and videos as a pressing social issue, the development of AI technology to distinguish between genuine and manipulated visual content in order to ensure trust in an image or video is of great importance. 

Recognizing the transformative potential of AI in shaping the future of digital cameras, CIPA, representing a majority of the world's digital camera manufacturers, acknowledges the necessity for responsible actions to address the potential risks associated with AI integration. CIPA is committed to maximizing the benefits of AI technology while simultaneously addressing the ethical concerns it introduces.

To fulfill this responsibility, CIPA is set to actively promote studies aimed at ensuring transparency in the use of AI technology in cameras. Additionally, the organization will focus on researching technical and institutional mechanisms to guarantee the authenticity of images captured with cameras. By taking these proactive measures, CIPA aims to instill confidence in the users of digital cameras and contribute to the responsible development and use of AI technologies in the field of photography.

Ever since the pandemic torpedoed the camera market we've been bombarded with headline after headline about the collapse of the industry. But what if we told you that, "in fact, the camera market has recovered"? 

That's according to a report from Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, one of Japan's leading daily business newspapers. And what's responsible for this recovery? Entry-level cameras. 

• Just getting started? These are the best cameras for beginners

"Sales of cameras in general have been growing since 2021, and the driving force is introductory models that even beginners can use," says the report, citing data from industry body CIPA – the Camera and Imaging Products Association.

"The shipment value of digital cameras in the January-June period increased 12.6% year-on-year to approximately 313.7 billion yen [around $2.2 billion / £1.7 billion / AU$3.4 billion]. Mirrorless cameras are steadily increasing in terms of shipment value and volume."

Clearly we're not talking about recovery to the levels of the industry's peak, in 2012, where 20.16 million cameras were sold (CIPA currently estimates that around 5.72 million cameras will be sold in 2023). However, 12.6% growth over the past year is certainly a remarkable recovery. But is it down to entry-level cameras alone?

Obviously there are other key factors. While the supply chain and manufacturing issues persist, disruptions are less severe than they were a year ago. And of course, people aren't locked in their homes hiding from the pandemic any more. So not only are they travelling again, they are also making purchases to support their travels – including camera equipment. 

A lot of people developed an interest in photography and videography during the various lockdowns, many of whom were using the smartphones they already owned, so it makes some sense that they would then 'graduate' to beginner camera systems. 

"The increase in opportunities for consumers to go out against the background of the [COVID de-escalation] is a tailwind for the camera market," continued the report. "Manufacturers have introduced models that are easy to handle even for beginners." 

However, the real boom seems to have been in vlogging and video-oriented cameras – which in many ways have become the 'entry-level cameras' of this generation.

Indeed, a CIPA representative "expects the camera for vlogging to become an introductory machine that will broaden [the market]". And Hironobu Shimoyama, of Japanese electronics giant Yodobashi Camera, concurred that "demand for video recording is increasing significantly." 

Either way, the key takeaway is that the camera industry is officially rebounding from the crippling effects of the pandemic. The question is, is this just a levelling of the market, or will this shift in what is considered an entry-level camera result in an all-new opportunity for growth? 

You might be interested in the best student cameras, the best budget DSLRs, and even the best drones for beginners.

Yes, we know – people have been saying "DSLRs are dead" for years. And yet, DSLRs are still alive. However, a slow painful death is a death nonetheless – and right now DSLRs are on life support, particularly in Japan.

There's still a place for the best DSLRs – just ask my colleague Mike Harris, who just bought a DSLR instead of a mirrorless camera. But sales data doesn't lie: less and less people are buying cameras, period, and less than ever are buying DSLRs, with sales crashing by 60.8% in the East year-on-year. To put that in perspective, only 2,689 DSLRs were sold in Japan in June. Just let that sink in for a minute.   

• The DSLR vs mirrorless cameras debate rages on

Things are only moderately better on a worldwide scale, where DSLR sales "only" dropped by 23.4% in June 2023 compared to 2022. Again, for context, that's a total of 94,609 DSLRs sold for the month. According to CIPA, that compares to a total of 671,384 cameras sold overall in June – 432,642 of which were mirrorless and 144,133 were integrated lens cameras. 

This means that compact cameras are selling over a third more units than DSLRs. Which, when you think about how smartphones have pretty much decimated the compact segment, is a pretty startling statistic.

It's not all doom and gloom, though. While overall camera sales were down about 2% worldwide, in the Americas they were up 5.9% – and in China sales are skyrocketing, up by 24.3%. CIPA estimates that around 5.72 million cameras will be sold in 2023. 

Obviously the camera market is never going to recover to the heady heights of 2012, where sales hit an astonishing 20.16 million cameras. But any growth is welcome – particularly given the ongoing component shortages. Sadly for DSLRs, though, it really does seem like the only way is down. 

The DSLR still has its place. The best budget DSLRs are ideal for students and beginners, and DSLRs are still some of the best cameras for professionals. Still, the best mirrorless cameras offer performance that's pretty hard to beat. 

There has been some serious concern in recent years over the declining number of camera sales. Clearly, a significant factor has been the rise to dominance of camera phones. However, promising statistics between May 2022 and May 2023 show an 11% increase in digital camera exports from Japan – and a lot of that positive activity in interchangeable lens cameras.

Since the start of 2023, there has been a gradual increase in the shipment of digital cameras from just 262,228 units shipped in January compared to 548,242 units in May 2023 representing a 117% increase. Interchangeable lens cameras (DSLRs and mirrorless cameras) are the main reason for the increase which is no surprise considering the release of the Fujifilm X-T5 in November 2022 (which took a while to actually ship), the Panasonic Lumix S5 Mark II in January 2023 and the Canon EOS R8 and EOS R50 in February 2023. 

• These are the best mirrorless and compact cameras you can buy right now from Nikon, Canon, Sony and more.

Results from CIPA (Camera and Imaging Product Association) show a rise in integrated lens cameras (those with lenses built-in) in the last two months, but it is only keeping pace with last year's pre-summer rise and is still behind 2021. With Sony releasing not one, but two vlogging-focussed cameras (the ZV-E1 and the ZV-1 II) within the space of a few months, plus Canon’s first vlogging-centric camera (the Powershot V10 in early May) we are seeing a shift to people buying a dedicated camera for vlogging and filmmaking rather than just relying on phones. 

CIPA, we should point out, is a Japanese trade association, so the figures give a good idea of what's going on but miss out a lot of devices too.

Perhaps the reason for the steady increase in camera shipment is partly due to the fact people have more need for them now – during 2021 and 2022, many camera brands were still struggling with the repercussions of the pandemic. There was a worldwide parts shortage leading to delays for many new cameras releases such as the Nikon Z8 and Canon EOS R6 Mark II.

Even if digital camera shipments continue to increase throughout 2023, based on previous years' results we can expect there to be a drop in shipments as November and December approach. While people may have spare cash to spend on new camera equipment through Spring and Summer, the Christmas sales period is often slow for actual camera sales while more affordable kit such as the Fujifilm Instax series and camera accessories generally sell better than professional cameras and ethe best camera for beginners.

These stats are still a long way behind the number of cameras being shipped over a decade ago – in 2010 for example 121 million units were sold according to LensVid – but the uptick, especially in the quality products, shows hope at the end of a period of uncertainty for many camera manufacturers.

Read about compact cameras are making a comeback while DSLR sales continue to decline

The latest figures from the Camera & Imaging Products Association in Japan (CIPA) have been released for the month of April 2023, and it seems that compact cameras with built-in lenses are much more popular than we thought.

Is it due to the rise of Sony's new vlogging cameras like the Sony ZV-1 II and Sony ZV-E1? The good news is that we seem to be clawing out of the pandemic peril of supply shortages and economic uncertainty, but influencer culture might be about to bury what's left of traditional DSLRs. 

• See our picks of the best compact cameras

It's not until you dig into the hidden numbers and statistics of the latest April 2023 data sheet released by CIPA that the silent uprising of compact cameras becomes clear, and the numbers speak for themselves. 

The graph below might show that compact cameras ("Built-in Lens DSCs" as CIPA calls them) seem to be pretty steady with the previous years, which is true, but the latest data proves that they are actually outselling DSLRs.

The CIPA's Statistical Classification of Camera-related Items PDF sheet specifies that when it refers to Built-in Lens Cameras as a term, these are "almost exclusively compact digital cameras". So it's safe to assume that we can class built-in lens cameras exclusively as compact cameras by this definition. 

In 2021, CIPA data sheets reported that 3,013,250 cameras with built-in lenses were shipped worldwide between January and December, and this number fell to 2,084,865 in the following year. The number of compact cameras shipped worldwide to date in 2023 (from January to April) came to a total of 511,296 units. 

However, take a look at the number of cameras with built-in lenses that were shipped between January and April 2021 (1,014,118) compared with the same period for 2022 (579,736) and 2023 (511,296). Now compare this with the number of DSLR shipments from the same months in 2021 (840,625), 2022 (652,437) and 2023 (344,049), and you'll not only notice a decline, but that compacts have caught up and now overtaken. 

We've put together an infographic below for more stats and figures from CIPA's report that support and contextualize this emerging data trend. 

The data and figures from the recent CIPA report make a lot of sense, actually, given that DSLR cameras in recent months have either been discontinued, replaced by a more expensive mirrorless successor, or are no longer being manufactured at all for various reasons that certainly include the global parts shortage. 

So why are compact cameras becoming so popular?

As with most statistical data, it's essential to take these findings with a pinch of salt. And, as we endure the ongoing cost of living crisis, many brands and manufacturers are now embracing and tapping into the refurbished and secondhand markets, with an uptake in consumers purchasing used cameras over brand-new ones. 

Camera gear specialist MPB reported last year that 30% of consumers could no longer afford to buy cameras in "new" condition. Those who can afford to buy a brand-new camera, however, are usually looking at higher-end product releases, as well as the latest gear that other photographers and videographers are raving about. 

This TikTok user @tbatphoto noticed that the Sony RX100 Mark VII is perfect for photographing concerts from the crowd, as the design is subtle and inconspicuous enough to make it past security without being confiscated. With over 3.5 million views, a lot of people caught on to this, and also took note of the expensive price of the compact camera – to which the original TikToker responded: 

This further supports the theory that consumers are coming to realize that secondhand camera equipment is the way to go, especially for college students who might be on a much tighter budget. A more cost-friendly alternative to the Sony RX100 VII, however, is the Sony ZV-1 vlogging camera, as well as the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III, both under US$1,000. 

A lot of popular YouTubers, vloggers, and filmmakers are now opting for compact cameras due to their lightweight and slim design, making them ultra travel-friendly without compromising on quality, with the ability to shoot 4K video. 

Therefore, it's plausible to predict that this consistent rise in compact camera sales is directly linked to social media influencing and people wanting to own the same cameras used and recommended by content creators and influencers. Some of the best cameras for Instagram are considered to be pocket-sized compacts or even smartphones that boast high-resolution camera units, beating out DSLRs. 

What this data tells us isn't exactly that DSLRs are doomed, or even that mirrorless cameras are the future, but more so that the current camera market (at least for new and branded equipment) is becoming tailored to a new generation of user-friendly point-and-shoot cameras for everyday use, and reflective of the persuasive influencer culture with vlogging style compact cameras at the trend peak. 

You might also be interested in the best DSLR cameras, plus the best mirrorless cameras, as well as the best cameras for TikTok videos.

The CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) is a Japanese industry body that publishes regular statistics about camera production and shipments. With all the big names taking part, from Canon to Nikon and Zeiss to Sigma, it’s a treasure trove of data for anyone involved in the business. 

So what does its latest set of figures tell us about where the market is heading right now? Well, in one sense it’s good news. Figures were up across the board this June, compared to the same month last year. Notably, total production of digital still cameras was up 148%, and total shipments worldwide increased by 132%. 

The full story, however, is less positive. 

Sales rise, but not by much

For one thing, the figures for June 2021 are slightly down month-on-month, with total production of digital cameras dipping to 96.3% of May's, and total shipments worldwide only 95% what they were in the previous month.

And, for another, comparisons with the previous year aren’t exactly impressive given what a disastrous time 2020 was for camera production and sales, in the wake of the global pandemic. 

So while the market has recovered from that major low point, it hasn’t recovered much. And that has companies like Canon worried for the future.

Recovery in doubt

In a recent Q&A for investors, Canon was surprisingly forthright about the continuing slump in sales: 

"Although the Canon EOS R5 / Canon EOS R6 is doing well, we do not expect the camera market to recover significantly. Therefore, we do not anticipate that the number of units sold will increase steadily in the future and return to previous levels. Which is why we'll be focusing on high-quality cameras for high-quality amateurs, and professionals who shoot video as a hobby." 

To Canon’s credit, it's not blaming this all on COVID-19. It does, however, predict that even if the impact of the pandemic lessons, the shrunken camera market will not recover significantly, due to the popularity of smartphones.

Another factor in recent months, of course, has been the impact of the global semiconductor shortage. Even if that’s solved, though, the company doesn’t believe it will make a big difference. “We do not anticipate that the number of cameras sold will increase steadily in the future," it states starkly, "and we will focus on maintaining our current market share and market size."

A cultural shift

Essentially, then, both the CIPA data and Canon's Q&A are making official what we’ve all been feeling in our bones. The best camera phones are now so immensely capable that they’ve become the go-to purchase for most people wanting to take photographs – particularly as everyone needs a phone anyway. Which means that makers of traditional cameras are fighting for an increasingly smaller share of the market.

That’s potentially bad news for investors, unless the companies involved can successfully diversify. Hopefully it will prove good news for lovers of DSLRs, mirrorless cameras and compact cameras, though, in the medium term at least, as brands boost innovation and focus on customer needs in order to maintain and increase their share of the pie. Here’s hoping, anyway…

Read more: 

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The latest CIPA camera sales figures are pretty flat for the period January to May 2021. These figures are well down on those from 2019, but still up on the 2020 figures, when the world went into pandemic shutdown.

But it’s too easy to assume these figures reflect a decline in demand for cameras, where they actually show how many have been sold. In other words, the numbers reflect not just demand but supply.

Are camera sales down just because we can’t buy them?

We’ve reported many times on stock and availability issues for new camera gear:

• Sony confirms 8 cameras affected by production problems; suspends orders (December 08, 2020)

• Fujifilm GFX 100s delayed! "Pre-orders exceed expectations" (February 03, 2021)

• No more budget Huawei phones due to chip shortage? (May 07, 2021)

• Fujifilm X-S10 falls foul of global component shortage (May 19, 2021)

• Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 macro lens delayed (June 13)

• Sony postpones this week’s camera announcement (July 5)

• Canon apologizes because it can’t make enough of these 5 lenses (July 7)

It seems that no matter how many years these companies have been making camera gear, they still don’t seem able to predict how many people might want to buy them and whether they will be able to make enough of them in time.

Of course, the global pandemic has messed with everyone’s plans, from individuals through to giant corporations. It may be impossible to predict how chip shortages, production hold-ups or global shipping logistics will impact camera supply, so undoubtedly many companies have been hit by circumstances out of their control.

Either way, the bottom line appears to be that camera makers are officially launching cameras they haven’t yet made in sufficient numbers to meet demand. The more lust-worthy the camera, the harder it seems to get. For example:

Fujifilm GFX 100s availability (at the time of writing) – expected Feb 2021:

B&H: "New Item - Released In Limited Qty."
Adorama: "Coming soon"
Amazon US: "In stock soon"
WEX: "Pre-order"
Park Cameras: "Pre-order"
Amazon UK: Not listed

Sony A1 – expected March 2021:

B&H: In stock!
Adorama: "On backorder"
Amazon US: "Currently unavailable" (one available used)
WEX: "Pre-order"
Park Cameras: "Pre-order"
Amazon UK: Not listed

Are camera makers becoming kickstarters?

We’ve moved away from the situation where you can buy a camera the moment it’s announced. You can order/pre-order one in anticipation of some future on-sale date, but you can very rarely get one right away.

In fact future launch dates have become part of the whole product launch cycle, which now looks something like this:

1) Official hints: something is coming

2) Development announcement: the product is still months away

3) Official launch: full specs and pricing, though the on-sale date may still be weeks away

4) Onsale date: but you may need to wait many more weeks or months before ’supply issues’ are resolved

5) Actual availability: NOW you can buy one, though you may still have to play ‘chase the stock’ as you do the rounds of Internet resellers

The bad news for camera makers is the delay to actual sales revenue. The good news is the increased and repeated press coverage for individual products over an extended period of time and the steady accumulation of pent-up demand and pre-orders. In fact you might say it's an advantage to know how many people want a product before you actually get down to making it.

This has parallels with kickstarter projects, where the kickstarter doesn’t have to work out production volumes (or indeed pay for production) until it sees how many people have paid up front.

Of course, we trust our camera makers not to take such an approach on purpose; however, as end users, we end up in a similar situation of lusting after (and perhaps committing to buying) products we can’t have for a long time to come.

When will we get back to normal?

That’s hard to say. The world may never quite return to its pre-pandemic ‘normal’ as individuals and corporations alike have had the chance to reset their expectations and work patterns. Hopefully, the manufacturing and supply situation will look very different this time next year. On the other hand, we may also be seeing a new approach to marketing from camera makers that’s here for good.

In the meantime, don't assume that camera sales are down because nobody wants them any more. Maybe they want them all right, but they just can't get them.

Read more:

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CIPA reports an upturn in camera sales from January to April 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. The figures are still well below those of 2019, but considering we’ve had a worldwide pandemic and the economic uncertainty and stock supply issues that went with it, this latest news is encouraging.

The Japanese trade organization CIPA summarizes its reports into charts showing sales of interchangeable lens cameras (DSLR and mirrorless) and compact fixed-lens cameras, as well as a combined chart for both.

Overall camera sales are up on last year

The January 2021 figure of 636,863 units is lower than the 2020 figure of 804,646, but the February figures are almost identical and in March and April the 2021 figures are well clear of those recorded in 2020. However, it’s worth taking a closer look at the compact and interchangeable lens markets separately because the trend is not the same.

Interchangeable lens cameras are fuelling growth

In January and February, CIPA’s figures show that DSLR and mirrorless camera sales were slightly below those in 2020, but in March and April they show a big recovery, getting almost half way back to the levels we saw in 2021. Of course, two month’s data is not much of a basis for extrapolation, but the signs are certainly encouraging.

Compact camera sales remain flat

Where DSLR and mirrorless camera sales are showing signs of a recovery, the sales of compact fixed-lens cameras remains at 2020 levels and well below those in 2019. This could be part of a broader move away from this t type of camera as users switch from point and shoot compacts to smartphones or upgrade from compact cameras to mirrorless models.

Oh, and the DSLR isn’t dead!

CIPA’s raw data goes into more detail about camera types, and we learn that DSLRs are not dead sin the water after all. From January to April 2021, some 823,462 DSLRs were shipped worldwide, as opposed to 1,041,845 mirrorless cameras. Mirrorless cameras have certainly taken the lead, but DSLR sales remain stronger than many might have imagined.

Read more:

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The CIPA January 2020 report is out, and it doesn't paint a very flattering picture of the state of the camera market. CIPA reports on the sales of Interchangeable Lens DSC (Digital Still Cameras), Built-in Lens DSC and total DSC, releasing a report each month that compares sales to the previous year.

Interchangeable Lens DSC includes enthusiast and professional cameras, measuring the sales of anything from the Nikon D3500 to the Canon EOS Ra. In January 2019, Interchangeable Lens DSC sales scraped 546,188. However, in January 2020 these have fallen by around 100,000 to just 446,330. 

• Read more: Best mirrorless camera

CIPA's report of the sales of Built-in Lens DSC tells a similar story. This statistic will cover cameras such as the compact camera Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II and the bridge camera Nikon P950, where the lenses aren't removable. Built-in Lens DSC sales have fallen from January 2019's 455,210 to January 2020's 358,316.

Altogether, overall DSC sales have fallen by almost 200,000 when comparing January of this year to last year. However, the one small silver lining that camera manufacturers might be able to find is that the drop isn't as dramatic as the one from January 2018 to January 2019, which clocked in at a painful deficit of 339,094.

So what could be causing camera sales to bottom out like this? There are likely to be multiple factors. Compact cameras have famously struggled ever since the advent of the camera phone. However, it's interesting that interchangeable lens cameras are also experiencing difficulty. We're dubious that camera phones could pose any serious threat to the likes of the Nikon D850 or Sony A9 – or even more beginner-focused cameras such as the Canon EOS 2000D / Canon Rebel T7.

What could instead be happening is a consumer reaction to the market being oversaturated with choice. Cameras are very expensive pieces of equipment – with even the cheapest options guaranteed to burn a £200 / $200 hole in your pocket. Not everyone is able to constantly upgrade, especially when the most impressive technological advances have already been made and they feel that they're only going to get a bit more megapixel bang for their buck.

In the same vein, it would be interesting to know how the second-hand camera market is performing. With camera technology being as impressive as it is, perhaps consumers are happier buying a Fujifilm X-T3 secondhand, rather than instantly pre-ordering a Fujifilm X-T4.

This CIPA report isn't a particularly positive beginning to the year, but unfortunately there are indications that it could only get worse. With global concern about coronavirus growing, there have been multiple reports of factories closing due to supply shortages. It remains to be seen how this will affect cameras and lenses reaching consumers.

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CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association in Japan) has published its June report and we recommend shielding your eyes if you're squeamish, because the results aren't pretty. Sales of digital cameras have dropped by almost 1,000,000 in the month of June in just two years, almost halving the amount of units sold from 2017 to 2019. 

If this decrease had been spread out over ten years or so, it would still be significant. However, the speed at which sales are falling begs the question - when will the market level out? And what will the fallout from such dramatic decreases in sales be?

It's not just digital cameras that have been affected. While sales of interchangeable lenses held pretty steady last year, even selling over 16,000 more units in June 2018 than June 2017, they've taken a significant nosedive this year. Selling over 340,000 less units year-on-year, it appears as if even interchangeable lenses aren't safe from this fiscal apocalypse. 

• Read more: Best camera: which digital camera should you buy?

So what exactly has caused this? There could be a variety of reasons, but one of the most influential is likely the rise of smartphone photography. The average consumer who used to choose between an entry-level DSLR or a compact camera now has no reason to invest in either when their iPhone has a Portrait mode that, to their eye, perfectly simulates a professional photo. This has transformed digital cameras from something almost every household might own (or aspire to own), to a niche product used by mostly enthusiasts and professionals. 

With such dramatic shifts to the digital camera market, who knows how camera companies are going to adjust. Will they diversify, like Canon with its printers? Or perhaps they'll turn their attention to pushing boundaries and innovating their products, just like Fujifilm appears to be doing. Maybe a shrinking market will be good for the consumer, forcing companies to strive for higher levels of excellence to attract customers.

Either way, keep a look out for some potentially interesting moves from your favorite brand. And if you have some spare change, perhaps consider donating to a camera company of your choice... 

Read more:

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It may seem like a broken record at this point, but the problem is that the scratches and skipping are getting worse – much worse. According to the latest reports, the camera industry has gone from decline to freefall, with 34.7% fewer camera systems shipping in February 2019 than February 2018.

That's according to international industry body CIPA, the Camera & Imaging Products Association. In its latest CIPA Report, publishing statistical data from February 2019, it found that shipments of interchangeable lens cameras was down to just 521,217 – over a quarter of a million fewer cameras than were shipped (798,014) in the same period last year. 

The "bigger" picture isn't much better. The total number of cameras shipped (including fixed lens systems) was 935,148, just 69.7% of the number shipped (1,340,995) in February 2018. 

Canon made headlines in January when its CEO, Fujio Mitarai, prognosticated that that camera market could shrink by 50% in just 2 years. The reason, he said, was that smartphones were cannibalizing sales.

"People usually shoot with smartphones," said Mitarai. "The digital camera market will keep falling for about two years, but professional and [advanced] amateurs use about 5 to 6 million units. Finally [the market] will hit the bottom."

Last month, Fujifilm's Toshihisa Iida's response was emphatic. "Totally, totally disagree," said the General Manager of Fujifilm's Optical Device and Electronic Imaging Products Division. "We really just cannot believe that projection of Canon's."

Last month, however, the annual LensVid report noted that the camera market has collapsed 84% since 2010. Whether you feel that Canon is being too pessimistic, or Fujifilm is being too optimistic, these reports don't lie – and they paint a troubling picture.

While the best camera phones keep getting better and better, the camera-buying public isn't reacting the same way to technological developments in the traditional camera world. If shipments have slumped by over a third despite Canon, Nikon, Sony and Olympus putting out new product, Mitarai might actually end up being an optimist with his prediction. 

Read more:

Smartphones could halve camera market in two years, Canon warns
Camera market to halve in 2 years? "Totally, totally disagree," says Fujifilm
Camera market has collapsed 84% since 2010
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The Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has published its camera shipment report for September, and year-on-year shipments have continued to decline. 

The latest graphs show September 2018 shipments of 1,732,128, which is down significantly from September 2017 shipments of 2,301,700.

For interchangeable lens cameras specifically, September 2018's shipments (931,319) were only 88% of September 2017 (1,057,145), which in turn were 95% of September 2016 (1,114,114).

While shipments of mirrorless cameras are eating into DSLRs' numbers, the overall shipments are still shrinking – and with advanced phones like the Nokia PureView 9, with its five Zeiss lenses, that pattern is likely to accelerate. 

The question is, with October being the big month for the Canon EOS R and Nikon Z7, can the big two full-frame mirrorless bodies prompt a pickup in shipments? Indeed, will the industry-wide shift to mirrorless help turn the tide, or is the rise in the camera phone to blame? 

Unfortunately CIPA's research poses more questions than answers them.

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