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New tech isn’t the only thing that has the list of best-selling cameras looking quite different from just a few years ago – trends for compact cameras and retro designs seem to have played a massive role in which cameras are coming out on top. A major retailer in Japan has just shared a year’s worth of best-selling cameras, and the list makes it clear that camera trends go well beyond the spec sheet.
Map Camera, a large retailer based in Japan where several major camera companies are headquartered, recently shared the list of best-selling cameras from the last fiscal year, between April 2025 through March 2026. And while the list contains several names that I expected to see, I wouldn’t have predicted how heavily the list is dominated by compact retro designs, nor that a brand outside of the three biggest names would take nearly half the top ten spots.
According to Map Camera, the best-selling cameras between April 2025 and March 2026 are:
I’m a Fujifilm shooter myself, but I was still surprised to see that’s the brand listed most on the list. I would have predicted the impossible-to-find-in-stock X100VI would be on the list alongside its mirrorless equivalent, the X-E5.
But the X Half had some mixed reactions at launch – it’s more affordable and retro, but doesn’t have RAW. The medium format GFX100RF is an excellent camera, but the price of medium format tends to make the genre a rarity among best seller lists. Yet, both of those cameras have been selling well in Japan.
Fujifilm’s most affordable – and most compact – current model takes the number one spot with the X-M5. The X-M5 doesn’t have Fujifilm’s best specs at 26.1MP with no viewfinder, but it’s small, affordable, and stylish, three things that have undoubtedly led to strong sales.
The X-E5 has fewer compromises than the X-M5 but is still rather compact – and it’s really the closest mirrorless to the viral X100VI compact camera. The X-T5 is Fujifilm’s retro SLR-inspired camera, and it has the weather-sealing and dual card slots that the X-E5 lacks. The X-T30 III likely makes the list for one of the same reasons as the X-M5 – it’s a more affordable but still capable option.
Nikon is also holding its own on the list. I’m not surprised that the Nikon Z5 II is the brand’s best-seller in Japan. The camera offers a full-frame sensor at a more affordable price point, and the low-light autofocus rating beats even pricier cameras.
The Nikon Zf also makes the list – which I find unsurprising because it’s one of the few retro-styled mirrorless cameras that offer a full-frame sensor. The Z5 II’s little sister, the Z50 II, also makes the list, along with the video-focused Nikon ZR.
The Sony A7 V is another camera that I would have predicted would hit the list – it’s been dominating Japan’s monthly ratings since its launch in December. The camera was only available for a few months out of the time period tracked by Map Camera – I suspect it may jump up a few spaces on the 2026 annual list.
Sony’s smaller full-frame camera, the A7C II puts a full-frame sensor inside and the rising trend for smaller camera systems. The Sony A7 IV, a longstanding favorite, also makes the list.
The Ricoh GR IV and older but longer-lensed GR IIIx is another camera duo that I would have expected to see on the list – but perhaps not so high up. The cameras pack APS-C sensors into a tiny design, and, like the X100VI, they are difficult to find in stock.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that Canon nearly missed the top ten entirely – unusual considering Canon has been the number one seller of interchangeable lens cameras for 23 years. I wouldn’t let the rankings worry Canon fans, though – Canon has been posting record camera sales lately, so Canons are still clearly a popular choice.
The Canon R6 Mark II was the best-selling Canon mirrorless for the retailer, and its replacement the R6 Mark III – whose recent launch means it didn’t have 12 months of sales like some other models – also ranks high on the list.
The R6 series’ big sister, the R5 Mark II, also slides onto the list at 19th place.
There's just one Micro Four Thirds camera on the list: The OM System OM-3, a capable camera that blends the retro and compact trends nicely.
Camera sales in Japan don’t always translate to other regions, but with many camera brands based in Japan, the region’s best-seller lists are ones that photographers tend to watch.
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