The Tug of War Between Sony and Canon For Best-Selling Camera Lenses

Not too long ago, we wrote a piece about how Sony dominated the July sales in Japan with its a7C II. Today, we are here to share another update with you. Sony, yet again, is the most popular choice in the camera lens domain. As per BCN Retail, mirrorless cameras show “double-digit” growth in sales volume and value, with Sony seeming to acquire almost half of the mirrorless sales volume at 49.7% as of July. This should not be surprising to read because, after Sony and Nikon ventured into mirrorless, Canon’s flagship mirrorless models are also making their way into the hands of professional photographers during the Olympics 2024. BCN further reports that mirrorless cameras represent over 95% of sales in the interchangeable lens camera market today.

But this article isn’t about mirrorless cameras, but rather the rankings of most sold camera lenses this year. As per Canon Rumors, who saw the report first on Digi Came-Info, the top-selling camera lenses list of July 2024 was released by Yodobashi Camera. However, this list is only limited to Yodobashi’s retail stores within the country. Here’s a look at the list:

• Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II
• Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
• Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II
• Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD (E-mount)
• Sony FE 20-70mm F4
• Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (E-mount)
• Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
• Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
• Sony FE 50mm F1.4 GM
• Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM

As one can see, of the 10 spots, eight went to Sony, two to Tamron, and the remaining two to Canon. The report also considers the duration of the data collection, which was between July 16 and 31. This was a little prior to the price hike set for August 1. Thus, one could remark that this would result from a last-minute purchase. Moreover, Canon Rumors also reveal that Canon’s ranking could be down in Japan due to stock problems, as the company “has been struggling with inventory and getting lenses” to its users for some time.

To cross-check this data against the rankings in America, we turned to Amazon to provide us a better picture of the current landscape. When we narrowed down our search to best-selling mirrorless lenses, we found the camera lens that was the most sold was Canon’s RF 50mm F1.8 STM Len, much to our surprise. The second and third spots were claimed by 58mm 0.43x Altura Photo Professional HD and Canon RF 35mm F1.8 is Macro STM, respectively. Sony only appeared at the 27th ranking in the list, with its Sony FE 90mm F2.8-22 Macro G OSS. However, when you look at Amazon’s best-seller list of newly released lenses in the mirrorless segment, Canon seems to reign again. The Canon RF 24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z secures the first spot, with the Nikon NIKKOR Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR and the Viltrox 40mm F2.5 Z mount coming in second and third, respectively. The reason for this could be that the American markets did not have the sales that the Yodobashi stores had in July.

From Yodobashi’s camera lenses list, one can witness the obvious purchase of zoom lenses over fixed focal lengths. In our previous reports, we mentioned how zoom lenses can be affordable options while ensuring better framing. However, the drawbacks are equally huge, with often one becoming careless in one’s approach to photography. Regarding fixed focal lengths, as seen in some of Amazon’s cases, one not only achieves a better-built lens but also a piece that will challenge you to create your identity as a photographer. Moreover, you don’t have to worry too much about the technical challenges.

Overall, the biggest takeaway is that the mirrorless segment is here to stay, whether you like it or not. Either we adapt to this or be swept under the tide of change.