- Services
- Largest Advertising Companies
- Largest Law Firms
- Largest Insurance Companies
- Largest For Profit Education Companies
- Largest Lobbyist Companies
- Largest Consulting Firms
- Largest Photography Companies
- Largest Engineering Companies
- Largest Marketing Companies
- Largest Multi Level Marketing Companies
- Largest HR Companies
- Largest PR Firms
- Largest Warehousing Companies
- Largest Waste Management Companies
- Largest Janitorial Companies
- Largest Temp Agencies
- Largest Security Companies
- Largest Recruiting Firms
The world of photography has seen some dramatic changes in just a century. Photography companies have adapted quickly from black and white film to full-color film to digital cameras in nearly everyone’s pocket.
In this article, you’ll find a list of 15 of the largest photography companies in the world, ranked by each one’s annual revenue. While many of these companies manufacture cameras, some are photography equipment retailers or producers of photography equipment besides cameras.
15 Largest Photography Companies in the World
-
Canon USA. Tokyo, Japan
Estimated Revenue: $32.67 billion (2019)
Canon is a Japanese company that specializes in optical and imaging products such as cameras, lenses, medical equipment, and printers.
The company started in 1937 as Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory, a Japanese camera company. Now, it serves customers around the world and has over 180,000 employees.
The company has a U.S. branch headquartered in Huntington, New York, but its main headquarters are in Tokyo. The company’s estimated revenue listed here is for the company as a whole and all of its products.
-
Fujifilm Holdings America. Tokyo, Japan
Estimated Revenue: $21.91 billion (2019)
Fujifilm Corporation was founded in 1934 as a photographic film manufacturer. The company now has three branches of business: Imaging Solutions, Healthcare and Material Solutions, and Document Solutions.
The company’s offerings include digital cameras, binoculars, medical systems, photofinishing products, video equipment, and even biomaterials. Fujifilm’s American headquarters are in Valhalla, New York, and its main headquarters are in Tokyo, Japan, where the company began.
Fujifilm’s Imaging Solutions segment made $3.13 billion in revenue in 2019, while the company as a whole made $21.91 billion.
-
Sony Corporation of America (Sony Imaging Products Solutions, Inc.). Tokyo, Japan
Estimated Revenue: $9.85 billion (2020)
Sony may be best known for its televisions and PlayStation game consoles, but it also has a thriving digital imaging sensor business. Sony Imaging Products and Solutions makes $9.85 billion in revenue and is the largest manufacturer of digital sensors globally.
The company supplies DSLR camera sensors to Nikon, Fujifilm, and Panasonic and creates smartphone camera sensors.
Sony started in 1946 as Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation and now has over 100,000 employees around the world.
-
Nikon. Tokyo, Japan
Estimated Revenue: $6.68 billion (2019)
Nikon specializes in imaging products and optics. The company is best known for its DSLR and COOLPIX cameras, but it also makes equipment such as binoculars, rangefinders, microscopes, LCD scanners, and photography lights and software products.
As a part of the company’s focus on lenses, most of its DSLR camera lenses will attach to any of its camera bodies, making it easier for photographers to upgrade and switch out equipment.
Nikon was founded in 1917 and is a member of the Mitsubishi Group. The company has its U.S. headquarters in Melvill, New York, and employs over 20,000 people around the globe.
-
Kodak. Rochester, New York, U.S.A.
Estimated Revenue: $1.24 billion (2019)
George Eastman, the founder of Kodak, made his mark on America when he released the first commercial transparent roll film in 1889 and released the first amateur- and budget-friendly camera in 1900 with the Kodak Brownie.
The company continued to be at the forefront of innovation in photography and videography in the U.S., and even though Kodak no longer makes cameras, it still produces film, chemicals, and other still and motion photography supplies.
Kodak also produces printers and software and provides professional services for businesses.
-
Olympus. Tokyo, Japan
Estimated Revenue: $411.86 million (2020) (Imaging Division)
Olympus produces several different optical products, including endoscopes, surgical devices, microscopes, and cameras.
Its Imaging Division alone has an estimated revenue of $411.86 million in 2020. This department’s offerings include DSLR cameras, compact cameras, lenses, binoculars, and audio systems.
The company started in 1919 as a microscope and thermometer manufacturer, and it released its first camera, the Semi-Olympus I, in 1936.
-
BH Photo. New York, New York, U.S.A.
Estimated Revenue: $316.14 million (2020)
The BH in BH Photo stands for Blimie and Herman, the husband and wife who started the company as a film shop in 1973.
BH Photo is now a photo and video equipment retailer with only one brick-and-mortar store located in Manhattan, New York City. The company makes most of its sales over its website to both individual consumers and corporate customers.
The company is still family-owned and has over 1,500 employees. The store location also offers demonstrations of the equipment it sells.
-
Adorama. New York, New York, U.S.A.
Estimated Revenue: $105 million (2020)
Adorama Camera is a photo, video, computer, and audio equipment retailer. The company started in 1974 and has one physical store in New York City. It sells products on multiple websites, including Adorama, Sunny Sports, Leisure Pro, Scuba, and Printique.
In addition to photography and videography equipment, Adorama offers musical instruments, drones, and home electronics. The company also allows customers to rent equipment or purchase it used.
-
Polaroid. Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Estimated Revenue: $44 million (2020)
Polaroid is best known for its cameras that use instant film to print photos from the camera itself immediately. The company started in 1937 and hit its peak in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
In 2001, however, the company filed for bankruptcy and stopped making its cameras. In 2008, a group of Polaroid fans began what they called “The Impossible Project” in an attempt to bring back the Polaroid brand and products. They were successful, and now the company made an estimated revenue of $44 million in 2020.
Polaroid still produces its famous instant cameras and film and instant photo printers that can be used with smartphones.
-
Hasselblad. Gothenburg, Sweden
Estimated Revenue: $41 million (2020)
Founded in 1941, Hasselblad’s biggest claims to fame are being the first camera on the moon. Today, the company still makes digital medium format cameras and lenses and is one of the leading manufacturers of these products known for their high quality.
Hasselblad offers three main camera systems: the X System, the H System, and the V System. Customers can purchase accessories and supplies for each system. The company is headquartered in Sweden, where it began, but it also has locations in New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Copenhagen, Hamburg, and Shenzhen.
-
Panasonic Corporation of North America. Osaka, Japan
Estimated Revenue: $24.49 billion (2020)
Panasonic Corporation started in 1913 as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., a lightbulb socket manufacturer. It now sells various appliances, speaker systems, and electronics, including the Lumix digital cameras.
Customers can buy both DSLR and compact Lumix cameras, some of which feature Leica lenses.
Panasonic’s appliances division, which its cameras fall under, earned an estimated revenue of $24.49 billion in 2020.
-
Elinchrom. Renens, Switzerland
Estimated Revenue: $19 million (2020)
Founded in 1962, Elinchrom is known for its flash and lighting equipment. Just two years after Elinchrom started, it released its first portable flash unity at a photography exhibition in Germany.
Now, it’s known for its high-performing, portable light shaping tools, and power systems. Elinchrom has also partnered with Red Bull Photography to encourage photographers to use outdoor flash photography as they capture photos of stunning scenery and athletic stunts.
Elinchrom sells its products through authorized distributors and dealers all over the world.
-
Ricoh. Tokyo, Japan
Estimated Revenue: $18.96 million (2019)
Ricoh Imaging produces DSLR cameras, lenses, binoculars, rifle scopes, and CCTV optics, as well as projectors, printers, and document management software.
As of 2011, Ricoh owns the camera brand Pentax, which has a long history and has belonged to several companies over the years. Ricoh’s other camera offerings include compact, all-weather, and 360 cameras.
Ricoh is based in Tokyo and has a U.S. branch that employs 30,000 people across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America.
-
Ilford Photo. Knutsford, United Kingdom
Estimated Revenue: $5 million (2020)
Ilford Photo is best known for its black and white film photography products. Founded in 1879 as a dry plate manufacturing company, the organization expanded to roll film, infrared plates, cine film, Multigrade paper, and eventually cameras.
Now, Ilford sells black and white film, photographic paper, and film development chemicals and accessories.
Ilford Photo is a subsidiary of Harman Technology, which owns several photography brands.
-
Leica Camera. Wetzlar, Germany
Estimated Revenue: $4.87 million (2018)
Famous for its high quality, handcrafted lenses, Leica manufactures cameras and sport optics products such as binoculars, rangefinders, and rifle scopes.
The company was founded in 1914 by an optical engineer and produced the world’s first 35 mm camera. The portability and quality of this camera helped spur on photojournalism during the 20th century, and some of the world’s most famous photos from this time (the kissing couple in Times Square, for example) were taken on a Leica.
Now, Leica produces both DSLR and compact cameras and sells them online, through its retail partners, and in its 90 brick-and-mortar stores worldwide.
Find Fujifilm Holdings America Jobs Near Me
Find Sony Corporation of America Jobs Near Me
Find Panasonic Corporation of North America Jobs Near Me
- Services
- Largest Advertising Companies
- Largest Law Firms
- Largest Insurance Companies
- Largest For Profit Education Companies
- Largest Lobbyist Companies
- Largest Consulting Firms
- Largest Photography Companies
- Largest Engineering Companies
- Largest Marketing Companies
- Largest Multi Level Marketing Companies
- Largest HR Companies
- Largest PR Firms
- Largest Warehousing Companies
- Largest Waste Management Companies
- Largest Janitorial Companies
- Largest Temp Agencies
- Largest Security Companies
- Largest Recruiting Firms
Author
Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.
