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CIPA: Big comeback for compact cameras in 2025
Well, CIPA just announced the 2025 full-year data, which confirms the trend we’ve been talking about for a while now: compact cameras are making a big comeback, especially in Asia.
Brief CIPA Primer
The Camera & Imaging Products Association is responsible for setting many of the camera standards, testing procedures, and camera specifications that the big brands must follow (e.g., where the battery life ratings come from, etc.).
The Japanese camera makers report raw shipment data to CIPA, and CIPA reports the results. While this doesn’t include China, South Korea, and a few other makers, it is one of the best looks we can get at the camera market, and it is most relevant to lenses as well.
The breakdown of camera types and regions is the best market data we can find.
Interchangeable Lens Cameras
DSLRs continued to slide throughout 2025, and the category is now a rounding error at this point. The few that are shipped are mostly low-end shelf fillers, and 6 thousand units were shipped at an average export value of 44,000 yen (~$283).
Mirrorless cameras shipped 6.311 million units at an average value of 110,000 yen (~$712).
The takeaway is that the small number of DSLRs that are shipped are mostly low-end models, while the rest of the market, as it has been for a while now, is completely mirrorless.
Interestingly, the average cost per mirrorless camera actually went down this year. Shipments went up 12.5 percent over 2024 levels, but only 3.4 percent in total value. Maybe a combination of Japanese manufacturers eating some of that tariff expense plus a general increase in pricing competition.
So, the interchangeable lens segment grew – that’s a positive trend for our industry – with total shipments increasing 5.9 percent to 7 million cameras vs. 2024.
Compact (Fixed-Lens) Cameras
We personally call this segment compact cameras, but that’s a misnomer, as some of these cameras are not compact. Sure, some are – like Canon’s popular G7 X Mark III – but some cameras in this segment are so popular that a new model release means months-long waiting periods. Fujifilm’s X100 series is a fixed-lens camera with huge popularity that’s not compact.
The compact segment has a great 2025 with a 48.9 percent increase in the value of shipments, as well as a 29.6 percent increase in shipments. Japanese manufacturers are shipping more cameras and increasing their average prices. We have been saying this for years – this segment has huge money-making potential – hopefully, they will create some new products instead of “limited editions” of cameras that are nearly six years old.
The average cost per compact camera is lower – 62,000 yen (~$400) – but that’s not a bad thing considering what some mirrorless cameras cost.
To be honest, a lot of that’s due to just a few models, while most of those sales come from low-cost, gadget-like cameras. Case in point: Japan’s best-selling compact camera, the Kodak FZ55, retails for under $200.
China
For interchangeable lens cameras, a category that’s particularly important to Japanese camera makers, China remains number one. Almost 2 million mirrorless cameras shipped out from China in 2025. It’s also been a good performer worldwide, showing strong growth in unit sales, up 15.9%, and value, up 4.8%, from 2024.
It’s been a weak performer for compact cameras, but that category has exploded in China too, 50% more units and 67.2% more value in 2025 than in 2024. But the average camera sold in China was worth 74,000 yen, suggesting that finally, high-end fixed lens cameras are starting to take off in China. Which makes sense – if you go to AliExpress, you’ll see thousands of super low-cost compact cameras flooding the market. Trust us, they don’t need more of those.
Americas
The Americas, primarily made up of the U.S. but also North, Central, and South America, remain the largest DSLR camera market in the world. Maybe it’s all those Amazon resellers. Mirrorless cameras also performed well in the Americas, 16.1% more units and 2.1% more value in 2025 than in 2024.
Compacts performed well in the Americas, too, which is their largest market, with 25.6% unit growth and healthy 40.7% value growth. That means more expensive compacts are arriving in this market than last year.
Japan
Japan consumes more cameras per capita than anywhere else in the world. And they managed to achieve nearly as many compacts as the Americas, too – 525,000 to 590,000. It’s clear how popular fixed lens cameras are in this country. Unit growth was 19.7%, with an enormous 62.7% value growth for compacts.
The interchangeable lens market wasn’t quite as good – both types of cameras saw fewer units shipped than last year, with the combined market decreasing 17.8% in units and 13.6% in value. I’m sure the Japanese manufacturers are paying close attention to this market.
Europe
The European market is in third place, and it’s doing quite well for both interchangeable and compact cameras. Unlike everywhere else, interchangeable lens cameras saw flat unit and value growth – mostly due to an enormous decrease in DSLR shipments. Mirrorless cameras did see an increase, too – 14.8% unit growth and 4.2% value growth. I bet they’re happy with these numbers. The compact market saw good growth too – 24.8% more units and 36.4% more value.
Final Thoughts
It’s clear compacts are back, and they’re starting to contribute to the bottom line for these huge Japanese manufacturers. With unit values increasing, we may see some serious prosumer fixed lens cameras arrive in the near future – not just more ‘limited edition’ versions of cameras released nearly six years ago. Not just Fujifilm, I hope Canon gives us something good here too.
Richard @ CanonNews
Richard has been using Canon cameras since the 1990s, with his first being the now legendary EOS-3. Since then, Richard has continued to use Canon cameras and now focuses mostly on infrared photography. Richard is the founder and editor of CanonNews since 2017, and has worked as a writer on CanonRumors and other websites in the past.
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