At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the Sony a7 V topped Map Camera’s monthly sales charts for December, the new mid-range full-frame mirrorless camera’s debut month.
The Sony a7 V released in Japan on December 19, and Map Camera calls it “a huge success.”
“The sales figures were simply amazing!” Map Camera explains. “It even sold more units than the Fujifilm cameras that took second to fifth place combined.”
Somewhat unusually for such a popular new camera, Map Camera actually had sufficient stock on launch to satisfy preorders, which began on December 2. “All units have been delivered to those who preorder before the release date,” Map Camera says. However, Map Camera says the camera is now on backorder as it lacks units to answer new demand.
As Map Camera notes, photographers have been eagerly awaiting the new Sony a7 V. Its predecessor, the somewhat sluggish a7 IV, arrived in late 2021, so the a7 V has been a long time coming. It features a new stacked 33-megapixel sensor and brand-new image processor, delivering significantly improved speed and performance. It’s an excellent camera, finishing just behind the Canon EOS R6 Mark III in PetaPixel‘s Camera of the Year Awards voting and earning an “Official Selection.”
The camera’s “overwhelming number one ranking” in Map Camera’s December sales charts demonstrates just how badly photographers wanted this new model, the retailer, one of the largest in Japan, says.
Nearly as dominant as Sony’s first-place ranking with the a7 V is Fujifilm’s performance from second through fifth place. Map Camera says these four Fujifilm cameras were far above the rest of the top 10, and if not for the a7 V’s arrival, would have been the big news of the month.
The Fujifilm X-T30 III, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T5 all sold very well in December, which is good news, as broadly speaking, Fujifilm has struggled to produce enough cameras to meet demand, per Map Camera.
The OM System OM-3 made a surprising reappearance on the list pin sixth place. As Map Camera notes, the OM-3 debuted in first place when it launched in March 2025, but then fell off the rankings. This is the first time the camera has returned to the top 10 since March. It was thanks in large part to a manufacturer’s cashback campaign, and the camera actually sold out.
The Nikon Z5 II followed in seventh, and then the Ricoh GR IV in eighth. The GR IV has been almost perpetually sold out since its release. If Ricoh Pentax could make more cameras, the GR IV would undoubtedly be higher on the list, perhaps much higher. Likewise, the GR IIIx in 10th place is also nearly constantly sold out.
The final camera on the list is the Sony a7C II in ninth place.
Map Camera also shares its used digital camera sales rankings each month, and the most popular used model in December was the venerable Canon EOS R6 Mark II. With the new R6 III on the scene, frugal photographers are seeking even bigger savings on the older, but still great, R6 II. The rest of the sales rankings plus more analysis is available in Map Camera’s complete breakdown.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
