DRAM crisis: Canon warns of more expensive cameras

The DRAM crisis, triggered by immense demand for RAM, SSDs and semiconductors for AI data centers, has already led to some extreme price increases for products such as graphics cards, gaming consoles and laptops over the past twelve months, with even the Nintendo Switch 2 ($499 on Amazon) already becoming more expensive. Next year, the crisis is also expected to hit cameras.

Canon is now warning of this in a Q&A document published alongside the announcement of its financial results for the third quarter of 2026. According to the document, it is becoming increasingly difficult to source electronic components such as mainboards in sufficient quantities, while the costs of sensors and DRAM, which is used as buffer memory in cameras, continue to rise. Canon says it is using "every possible means" to procure enough components for its cameras, but this entails higher costs than usual.

These higher costs are to be passed on to customers through higher prices, although Canon intends to take into account the impact of price increases on sales volumes and thus on profit. In simple terms, Canon is therefore considering absorbing some of the higher production costs itself, but price increases of varying magnitude are to be expected next year in any case. It is also worth noting that Canon had previously assumed that costs would fall again in the second half of  2027, but now believes that costs will continue to rise throughout 2027.