Sony challenges as camera world champion

April 20, 2011: Sony has narrowed the gap on Canon as the world’s top camera maker according to researcher IDC and Bloomberg Japan.

Sony improved market share from 16.9 to 17.9 percent from 2009 to 2010, while Nikon moved from 11.1 percent to a 12.6 percent share.

Canon held its market share at 19 percent, which is identical to its Australian market share. (See separate story.)

Worldwide camera sales jumped 10 percent to 141 million units last year, helped by the introduction of new models and economic growth in markets such as China, according to Bloomberg.

‘Sony’s and Samsung’s launching new mirror-less digital cameras helped them obtain more market share,’ Masahiko Ishino, an analyst at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co told Bloomberg.

Canon has so far chosen not to enter the mirrorless interchangeable category. Nonetheless it held 44.5 percent of the interchangeable/DSLR market last year.

Nikon followed with 29.8 percent, and Sony held 11.9 percent, according to the data.