The Biggest Reason Why Canon Should Be Concerned About Losing Its Market Share to Sony
There's no mistaking that Sony has made significant gains in the interchangeable lens camera market over the last few years. And as they continue to innovate and fill out their lens lineup, they further bolster themselves as a brand worth serious consideration from a consumer's perspective.
Just a few of Sony's highly-touted features over the past several years include:
- In-body 5-axis stabilization (a7 II)
- 4K video recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning (a7s II)
- Back-illuminated sensors with excellent dynamic range (a7R II)
- Up to 20fps continuous burst speed (a9)
Unfortunately, Canon doesn't really have an answer for any of these the technologies listed above. But the way I see it, that's the least of their problems.
The number of people switching from Canon to Sony to gain one (or more) of Sony's unique features (as far as Canon photographers are concerned) is still relatively small. However, to get a better idea of where the market is heading, you can't focus on the high-end market. If you want to predict where the camera brands' market share will be in the future, you've got to train your eye on entry-level camera sales. And that's why Canon should be concerned.
For years, Canon's Rebel-series cameras have been the best-selling APS-C digital cameras on the market. Canon's current market share dominance can trace its roots back to the success of the original EOS Rebel, the first DSLR with a sub-$1,000.00 price tag, announced in 2003. Since then, Canon has introduced 17 Rebel-series cameras with each building on the success of the previous generation with a winning formula – an easy to use camera with sufficient features and a low cost, with minor updates regularly released. The recently announced EOS Rebel T7 is the epitome of this market strategy, with a new sensor being [practically] the only change from its predecessor.
Once a person buys a Rebel-series camera and develops as a photographer, stepping up to a slightly-higher-up model makes perfect sense as you get more/better features and the lens (or lenses) you already own will [likely] work with your next body (although EF-S lenses don't work on full-frame bodies).
Breaking Up is Hard to Do
Switching camera brands is a pain. Besides having to learn an entirely new system, with different controls/features/terminology, the sheer cost of changing out your entire set of lenses will be enough to keep many once-Rebel owners in the Canon camp. One advantage Sony has that makes switching a litte easier is the ability to use Canon lenses on their bodies with the use of adapters, but using adapters is less than ideal. Plus, there are so many adapters – each with their own specific benefits, drawbacks, limitations and compatibility considerations – that the average consumer may feel overwhelmed with the prospect of figuring it all out. "Is changing brands to get [a Sony feature] really worth it?"
Canon knows that changing brands involves a monumental decision. It's not like an incremental decision to buy the next-level-up DSLR; it's much more of a commitment. With so many past EOS Rebel-series camera owners now owning higher-end cameras with kits containing multiple EF (and EF-S) lenses, Canon isn't likely worried about the number of photographers jumping ship.
The Biggest Reason Why Canon Should Be Worried
As I've explained, Canon's dominance in the camera market is tied directly to its affordable APS-C sensor cameras, primarily the Rebel-series. But as much as Sony has made inroads in the full frame camera market with enticing technologies, I'd argue that the popularity of Sony's APS-C a-series cameras is a bigger indication of their market share growth potential.
Unfortunately, I don't have hard sales numbers to bear out my theory. However, what I do have is circumstantial evidence in the form of the number or reviews left for specific products at authorized retailers. I'm thinking that the ratio of customers who purchase a specific product to those who leave a review for the product they purchased is likely similar across brands.
With that in mind, let's take a look at some numbers which represent a current snapshot. For example, let's compare the Canon EOS Rebel T5i (announced Mar. 2013) to the Sony a6000 (announced Feb. 2014).
At Amazon
| Product | Reviews |
| Canon EOS Rebel T5i (Body Only) | 173 |
| Canon EOS Rebel T5i + EF-S 18-55 IS STM | 347 |
| Canon EOS Rebel T5i + EF-S 18-135mm IS STM | 136 |
| Total | 656 |
| Product | Reviews |
| Sony Alpha a6000 Body Only & 16-50mm Lens Kits (All Colors) | 1159 |
| Total | 1159 |
| Product | Reviews |
| Canon EOS Rebel T5i (Body Only) | 92 |
| Canon EOS Rebel T5i + EF-S 18-55 IS STM | 184 |
| Canon EOS Rebel T5i + EF-S 18-135mm IS STM | 122 |
| Total | 398 |
| Product | Reviews |
| Sony Alpha a6000 (Body Only, All Colors) | 279 |
| Sony Alpha a6000 with 16-50mm Lens (All Colors) | 511 |
| Total | 790 |
And yes, I realize that these numbers may not represent the whole picture, especially as the Canon EOS Rebel SL2 was announced alongside the Rebel T5i and likely stole a fair amount of sales from the top-of-the-line Rebel camera at the time. Also, both the Rebel T5i and the a6000 have been sold in various "kits" that include additional lenses and/or various accessories, and those reviews/sales remain unaccounted for. However, I still think the numbers may indicate a solid trend, especially considering that the Rebel T5i and Sony a6000 were designed for and marketed to a similar customer base. I compared a few of Sony's a-series APS-C cameras to Rebel-series cameras from the same approximate generation, and the review ratio shown above remained relatively constant. But with the Rebel line as fragmented as it is now, the overall big picture gets a bit harder to discern.
Keep in mind, the Canon Rebel T5i should have the upper hand in this comparison because a) it's been on the market for a little longer and b) it was offered in two kits with separate lenses and c) it had a long history of successful cameras behing it. However, the Sony APS-C camera has significantly more reviews – and by extension, likely more sales – than its closest Rebel-series competitor. If I were Canon, I'd be worried about these numbers, as they may provide compelling evidence that Sony's growth in the marketplace may accelerate in the not-so-distant future.
 |
|