Camera Kitamura has announced its 10 best-selling cameras of July – and just a single Nikon model made the cut: the Nikon Z50 II, in the penultimate place.
The compact, entry-level APS-C mirrorless camera combines a modest 20.9MP CMOS sensor with the same powerful Expeed 7 image processor found in the flagship Nikon Z9.
In the same list Sony and Canon models occupied most of the positions, including the Sony A7C II (first), A7 IV (third), Canon EOS R6 Mark II (fourth), Sony A7 V (sixth) and Canon EOS R50 (tenth).
These results reflect an ongoing trend of Canon and Sony models dominating the Japanese bestseller charts, which might make you think that Nikon cameras simply aren’t up to scratch these days.
But bestseller lists such as Camera Kitamura’s – or those from Map Camera and Yodobashi Camera – don’t paint the full picture. They tell us which models sold the most units, but they don’t tell us why.
And it’s not because Sony and Canon cameras are inherently better; there’s a fundamental difference in the companies’ business strategies.
In 2019, Nikon began restructuring its Imaging Products Business as the DSLR market continued to shrink, with the company focusing on cutting costs and building a more sustainable business model.
Its 2021 medium-term management plan targeted a ¥63 billion (approximately $476 million / £350 million / AU$664 million) reduction in business costs.
The company also made clear that it wanted to focus more heavily on professional and enthusiast photographers, rather than chasing sheer unit sales across the entire camera market.
This is important when looking at bestseller charts. These lists are typically dominated by relatively affordable consumer and prosumer models, because they appeal to a much broader audience than expensive professional cameras.
- Sony A7C II
- Sony A6700 + 18-135mm
- Sony A7 IV
- Canon EOS R10 + RF-S 18-150mm
- Canon EOS R6 Mark II
- Sony A7 V
- Fujifilm X-M5 + XC 15-45mm
- Sony ZV-E10 II + 16-50mm PZ
- Nikon Z50 II + Z DX 16-50mm + Z DX 50-250mm
- Canon EOS R50 + RF-S 18-45mm + RF-S 55-210mm
Nikon still makes more affordable mirrorless cameras – the Z50 II’s ninth-place finish proves that – but its lineup also includes high-end models such as the Nikon Z8 and flagship Z9, which are aimed at a very different audience.
And this strategy has produced some major successes. Rather than trying to win the unit-sales race at all costs by releasing a new budget camera every time Sony upgraded its A6000 range or Canon released a lower-end EOS model, Nikon has built a reputation around higher-end cameras.
This has, however, resulted in Nikon dropping out of the "big three" for the first time ever, as Fujifilm has now usurped it for third place in terms of Japanese market share.
Still, just because Canon and Sony dominate bestseller headlines, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Nikon’s cameras are inferior. In fact, bestseller lists can be a pretty poor way of judging which camera is best for you.
Ultimately, you’ll need to do your due diligence on whatever camera you consider buying. To help with this, we’ve created tried-and-tested reviews of the best Sony cameras, the best Nikon cameras and the best Canon cameras.
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