Canon Wants to Achieve ‘Overwhelming Number One Share’ of Mirrorless Market by 2026
According to Canon’s 2024 corporate strategy, the Japanese camera behemoth has several goals for the next two years, not the least of which is to “achieve overwhelming number one share in mirrorless camera market.”
The strong language was used in a presentation at a corporate strategy conference from Go Tokura, Deputy Head of the Imaging Group, Senior Managing Executive Office, and one of four executives PetaPixel spoke to in person at the CP+ exhibition in Yokohama last month. Tokura says that Canon desires to “establish absolute position in mirrorless camera market” through a “full lineup of EOS R system” by extending to a video-oriented customer base and continually supporting professionals.
Canon already claims the top position in interchangeable lens mirrorless sales in the United States, but it’s far from an “overwhelming lead” since Sony is still the top selling full-frame mirrorless camera maker.
According to Tokura’s presentation, Canon wants to expand the role of imaging from just “shooting and viewing” to “experiencing and utilizing” and then grow its business in those areas. Specifically, Tokura wants to push its broadcasting division into ultra-high sensitivity cameras for “advanced surveillance,” its Cinema EOS division into remotely operated cameras, and its EOS R line into volumetric video and virtual reality.
The statement of this strategy has already been evident in Canon’s recent statements and product developments. It also links directly with another of Canon’s corporate goals for the next two years: expand its technology for use in 3D imaging.
Canon is the only camera company that is currently manufacturing products for volumetric and immersive video capture through a single camera and has been active in this space for the last several years. In 2021, it created the 5.2mm f/2.8 L Dual Fisheye lens for use on its EOS cameras which is made to capture content for virtual reality headsets; at the time, Canon called out the Oculus Quest 2 as the target use case.
A lot has changed in the last three years, and Canon knows it. Speaking to PetaPixel, the company admitted that its current imaging technology — its cameras and that dual fisheye lens included — weren’t capable of creating content that would be usable on the Apple Vision Pro, which is the current top-end of augmented and virtual reality technology when it comes to resolution.
“So we haven’t been able to do that to be commercially viable yet. But if you don’t mind, please look forward to whether we can do that or not,” Tokura explained to PetaPixel a few weeks ago, referring specifically to its ability to create a camera system that would make believable content for the Vision Pro.
“But technically, theoretically, we can do that. However, the problem is whether we can come up with the products that can be commercially viable and a price can be affordable enough for the customers to be able to buy them.”
The company said it had the goal to be able to reach this technological milestone then, and that has been reiterated. His words to PetaPixel resonate with Canon’s stated goals this week, as VR is clearly a major target. The growth of its camera division is linked with the anticipation that high-end virtual reality content will become more necessary very soon, and is likely tied to its goal of becoming the uncontested king of the mirrorless camera space — at least that is the impression Tokura’s corporate strategy presentation gives.
Tokura’s full presentation can be downloaded from Canon’s website.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
