CIPA: The DSLR Made a Bit of a Comeback

Last Updated on 07/07/2026 by Chris Gampat

The Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has always been a beacon for the photo world’s knowledge on sales. The agency’s numbers have helped one to understand trends, and how those trends can affect our future. As part of the May data results, CIPA has revealed where we are headed, and it appears, things have started to cool down for the camera world. Amazingly, DSLR sales took a fascinating turn.

According to charts, May has come in a bit softer than April, and even lower than May of last year. The interchangeable lens camera (ILC) numbers have dropped shipments by about three-quarters from April, and now stand at 77% as of May 2025. Lens shipments have also fallen to 82% of April’s numbers and 89% of May 2025.

However, if you zoom out a bit, and look at the same five months in 2025, you get the following:

• DSLRs numbers are down, at 32% in units and 39% in shipped value.
• Mirrorless cameras have risen in number, at 2% in units and 9% in value. This suggests that buyers are looking at expensive cameras.
• Compact cameras are still standing out with a 22% increase in units and 29% in value. However, the number compared to May 2025 showcases a slight decline.
• Lenses for smaller sensors have seen a 5% increase in units and 12% in value, while 35mm or larger sensor lenses are down by 1% in units but still up 3% in value.
• The lens-to-body ratio has also seen a rise of 1.55%, from 1.5% a year ago.

As usual, compact cameras continue to be the most different this time again. Compact camera products hit at over 100% of April’s output, and 123.5% of May 2025’s numbers. This is despite the overall camera shipment falling. Cameras such as Fujifilm X100VI and Ricoh GR IV are still hard to find, and manufacturers are trying their best to increase production.

Mirrorless cameras have seen a drop, too, since May 2025, at about 78%, but the value is still the same at 101% since last year. The gap between the units and shipment revenue showcases an average selling price. This includes cameras such as a7R VI that sits at the higher end of the market.

Overall, DSLRs have continued to see a decline, with shipments now being at 68.1% since last year’s total. However, May was a bright spot, as the shipments reached about 97% of the previous month. The spike is similar to one reported in February, suggesting that clearance sales or regional demands may shift the trajectory of the cameras.

At the moment, the shipments for 2026 are projected to be between 6.29 and 6.89 million units, which is slightly on the lower side than last month’s projection. If the current pace continues, then 2026 will fall behind 2025. However, Black Friday and end-of-year holiday shipments can turn the needle around. May only showcases which categories are shrinking and growing rather than an industrial collapse.