BCN has reported a notable increase in camera sales for 2024

BCNranking collected the sales data from a majority of the Japanese stores. And there is really good news! BCN reports:

After losing a lot of sales during the COVID-19 pandemic, the camera market is recovering in the post-COVID era. December sales volume was 123.7% higher than the previous year, showing a booming performance. Unlike PCs and TVs, cameras generally increased year-on-year until around last summer. There were times in the early fall when sales fell significantly below the previous year’s level, but they regained momentum in November and December and significantly exceeded last year’s level. Compact cameras with built-in lenses showed particular growth. December sales volume was 132.7% higher than the previous year. Meanwhile, sales volume of interchangeable lens cameras, whose momentum has slowed due to rising unit prices, continued to fall below the previous year’s level since August, but in December it rose to 101.0%, slightly higher than the previous year.

Canon led the camera market overall in December with a 25.5% unit sales share. Sales volume increased significantly to 151.4% compared to the previous year. Fujifilm, in second place with a market share of 18.6%, maintained its good performance with a 107.3% increase compared to the previous year. Kenko Tokina, which rose to third place for the first time with a market share of 11.8%, also put up a strong performance with a 256.8% increase compared to the previous year. However, Kodak, with a market share of 10.4%, was affected and ended up below double digits at 89.7%. Sony, which remained in fifth place with a market share of 9.7%, also fell below the previous year to 92.4%.

As is often the case, we don’t receive detailed reports from markets like the US, China, or Europe, which is unfortunate. The key takeaway here is that Sony holds just a 9.7% market share. This is largely due to their absence from the growing affordable compact camera market, which is experiencing a boom right now. In contrast, companies like Kenko Tokina and Kodak had strong years, as both offer popular compact models

 

OM Digital announces the launch of a new OM camera and a new weatherproof bright lenses!

Om Digital CEO Shigemi Sugimoto wrote a letter that has been published on om-digitalsolutions.com. In it he teases the launch of two new products:

we plan to add a new camera to our lineup and bright, compact single-focal-length lenses with splash & dust-proof performance. Additionally, we are continuing to work hard to bring to market the long-awaited mid-range telephoto zoom lens on our lens roadmap by the end of this year

According to latest rumors the camera should be a vintage OM model. I have no info on the bright prime lenses yet, all we know is that a sort of 50-200mm PRO lens is on the roadmap.

 

This is the full letter:

A Happy New Year.

As we enter our fifth year of business, we are celebrating our achievements over the past four years since OM Digital Solutions Corporation split from Olympus Corporation. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of our customers, stakeholders, suppliers and employees for their continued patronage and support.

2021 was shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic as it changed lives and economies across the globe; creating concern and worry about starting a new company. Whilst transforming into a compact and highly mobile organization, with revamped processes to deliver a profitable business; we also launched our new brand OM SYSTEM. The result has been increases in consolidated revenue and profit for the past three fiscal periods, a trend we expect to continue for the current fiscal period concluding in March.

With an expansion into solution and services, our success has not been limited to the camera and audio markets. Built upon a solid foundation of imaging and optical technology production, we now provide solutions to industrial and academic fields; along with services in high-quality electronics manufacturing; both of which have led to stable profitable growth.

The vision of OM SYSTEM brand for camera and audio equipment is to provide enriching sound and imaging experiences that contribute to the experience of life outdoors for everyone across the world. As we look to the future of the camera business; we will provide more options for compact, lightweight, splash & dust-proof products to expand photographic horizons for our customers. With features like computational photography, our dust reduction system and powerful image stabilization, which have been highly regarded by professional photographers, will be available to both existing and new customers. ‘It’s in our nature.’ is the heartbeat of OM SYSTEM. We create cameras to facilitate a life of curiosity and joyful discovery, enabling you to explore nature’s beauty and, perhaps, uncover forgotten parts of your own being.

Shortly, we plan to add a new camera to our lineup and bright, compact single-focal-length lenses with splash & dust-proof performance. All created to meet the challenges of harsh outdoor environments to ensure that you enjoy not only landscape photography in the great outdoors, but also authentic photos of life every day. Additionally, we are continuing to work hard to bring to market the long-awaited mid-range telephoto zoom lens on our lens roadmap by the end of this year.

We look forward to delighting our customers again with these products and encourage you connect with us on social media or sign-up for our newsletters to keep up to date with these announcements.

Bringing joy, inspiration and excitement through our products drives each and every one of us, and we hope your year ahead will be filled with adventure.

–

My take:

I really like the fact that the CEO wrote a personal letter to explain OM Digital’s plans. We need this kind of direct communication to build trust in the company. What are your thoughts on this letter?

Yashica announced two new compact cameras for the GEN-Z photographers

As you probably already know, GEN-Z photographers are crazy about affordable fixed-lens compact cameras. That’s why Yashica has just announced two of them:

  • Yashica City 100 with 3x zoom
  • Yashica City 200 with 10x zoom, and both are available in black or white

More specs:

  • They both use the same (small) 13-megapixel Sony Type 1/3.06 sensor.
  • 100-3200 ISO
  • 4:3 ratio images
  • 4k60p
  • built-in mic
  • Af with subject detection
  • “Scene modes” with filter effects
  • for easy focusing on friends’ faces. There are a variety of scene modes and built-in filter effects on offer.

They will be available for reorder sometimes i February. UK price is £219.99 for the Yashica City 100 and £259.99 for the Yashica City 200.

Fujifilm cameras coming in 2025: Fixed lens GFX, X-E5, half frame model, Eterna cine camera and NO X-PRO5!

According to Fujirumors Fujifilm is set to announce at least four new cameras and announce NOT one camera in 2025 :)

  1. Fujifilm X-PRO5 (2026!)
    The NOT camera is the Fujifilm X-PRO5 wish is scheduled for a release in 2026 only! But it should be an exciting model sitting on a new generation platform (which mans new sensor, new Ai chip and so forth)
  2. GFX100RF (March 2025)
    The first camera of the year 2025 will te the medium format fixed lens camera: 100MP medium format fixed lens camera, 35mm f/4.0 pancake lens, zoom lever, aspect ratio dial, no IBIS.
  3. Fujifilm X-E5 (Summer 2025)
    There are no rumored specs yet
  4. FujiFilm Half frame camera
    No info yet about exact release date but it’s coming this year for sure. It will feature the famous Sony 20MP 1 inch sensor
  5. Fujifilm GFX Eterna
    Coming in 2025. it will be the first professional cine camera based on the 102 Megapixel Sony medium format sensor.

I don’t know if there will be another camera surprise in 2025, Fuji also announced four cameras in 2024 as they plan to do in 2025. The camera I personally find most exciting is the X-PRO5, coming in 2026! And what is your favorite?