Canon Hong Kong zooms in on creators to drive growth

Cameras with vlogging functions are in demand, according to its CEO.

Canon Hong Kong is banking on content creators to snap up more customers as tech continues to blur the lines between smartphones and professional digital cameras, according to its newly appointed CEO.

“There is an increasing demand for video functions that facilitate content creation for social media,” CEO Gary Lee told Retail Asia.

“YouTubers and vloggers are seeking cameras with interchangeable lenses and accessories suitable for various scenarios such as travel and telephoto.”

Last month, the company launched the tiny Canon EOS R50 V, a vlogging-focused variant of the company's 24-megapixel APS-C mirrorless camera. Key features include a livestream button, a movie recording button on the camera front, and a tripod screw hole for vertical shooting.

Some content creators and general consumers prefer a compact solution with limited zoom but need strong autofocus and low-light performance, Lee pointed out. For this segment, Canon offers the PowerShot V1, which was announced alongside the R50 V and features eye detection autofocus, he added.

Lee expects consumer demand for new features to fuel digital camera sales, which grew 10% in 2024 to 8.49 million units, according to the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA). The Tokyo-based group expects unit sales to rise 1.1% to 8.58 million this year.

Hong Kong’s digital camera market is expected to generate $612m (US$78.9m) in sales this year, with units sold projected to hit 221,100 by 2029, according to German data portal Statista. Hong Kong's tech-savvy population has fueled a surge in demand for high-end digital cameras, making it a lucrative market for camera makers, it added.

“Nowadays, we take many more photos than we did before smartphones became popular,” Lee said. “Canon continuously launches new products with enhanced functions and features to meet the new demands of our customers.”

Canon Hong Kong is also zooming in on photography hobbyists by offering photography workshops or interest classes with different themes.

“We offer portrait photography in street or travel settings, especially with various lightings and sceneries,” Lee said. “We also offer some exclusive workshops, including how to capture the aurora borealis, meteor showers, and idol photoshoots at concerts.”
Canon is also working on other aspects of imaging, including printing.

“We are supporting our printing customers and digitalising their production lines to enable them to accept any job in any size and in a more cost-efficient and flexible manner,” Lee said.

Printing led Canon Global’s business segments with 2.5 million units sold in 2024, a 7.5% increase from a year earlier.
Canon Hong Kong aims to “achieve steady business growth” in 2025, its CEO said.

Last year, net income at Canon Global fell 39.5% to $8.66b (¥160b) from a year earlier. Sales increased 7.9% to $244b (¥4.5t), with growth across business segments including imaging, where digital cameras fall under.