Canon and Sony have been competing for a long time. While one is a giant in the DSLR segment, the other has been owning the mirrorless segment. However, despite Canon having the largest sales (thanks to 3.34 million units sold in 2023 alone), Sony is not too far behind. The company sold 2 million units in 2023, but in the mirrorless market, they are still a highly trusted brand. It now appears that will be a thing of the past in some time. Because Canon surpassed Sony in sales.
Canon Wins This Time
According to BCN Ranking, Canon topped the October 2024 sales with 30.5%. This is the first time in the past five months that the company has surpassed Sony. The last time they did so was in May 2024. As per the image below, the data for the October 2024 results was collated after checking the actual sales from retailers and online stories. Furthermore, this is the case in Japan alone.
This has been possible because the Canon EOS R50 and R10 both managed to stand out amidst the crowd. The Canon EOS R50 has performed well not only in Japan but also in Europe. As per our review, the R50 is quite good: “At $680 for the body only, the camera is Canon’s most affordable option. Yet, it still packs in some of the biggest reasons for choosing Canon over other brands, including Dual Pixel autofocus capable of detecting human and animal eyes and various subjects like bikes, cars, and airplanes.” Although we wished it didn’t have an older sensor design, it is a good option for beginners. Similarly, the R10 is a great model and has consecutively been on several lists for some time now.
As seen above, Sony is right behind at 30%, and the marginal distance does not seem too huge at this point. However, it can be a matter of concern, especially when Sony’s Vlog cameras, which have been around for a while, manage to come second.
Here is a look at other camera placements:
| Company | Camera | September 2024 Ranking | October 2024 Ranking |
| Canon | EOS R50 | 1 | 1 |
| Sony | Vlogcam ZV E10 II | 2 | 2 |
| Canon | EOS R10 | 5 | 3 |
| Sony | Vlogcam ZV E10 | 3 | 4 |
| Sony | a6400 | 4 | 5 |
| Nikon | Z fc | 7 | 6 |
| Panasnic | Panasonic | 6 | 7 |
| Nikon | Z 30 | 16 | 8 |
| OM System | Olympus PEN EP-7 | 8 | 9 |
| Sony | a7c II | 9 | 10 |
Yet again, Fujifilm seems to have been dropped from the list, which is surprising since the company’s X100VI is a rage. It could be that the company is unable to compete with other brands due to a shortage of supply.
However, it must also be mentioned that since the launch of EOS R5 Mk II and soon the EOS R1, things have gradually looked up for the company. That’s because people are investing in it, especially Canon loyalists. Furthermore, the highly anticipated Sony A1 II lacks a new sensor, which makes it a challenge for people to switch, despite its AI chip for enhanced autofocus. The Nikon Z9, in the latter department, has been good after various updates.
While a 0.5% increase in sales may not seem like much, it can indicate that users’ perspectives are shifting. Other factors such as sales efforts, marketing strategy, or word of mouth may also play a pivotal role. However, we do wonder: if Canon really does surpass Sony in the mirrorless market in terms of sales numbers, then the company will certainly reach a market share that no other company can beat. That will be something to keep an eye out for.