Canon Warns Camera Prices Could Rise in 2027 if Memory Costs Remain High

Rising memory prices are putting pressure on the camera industry, and Canon says photographers and filmmakers could face higher equipment prices next year if component costs remain elevated.

During its latest earnings call, Canon told investors that it no longer expects memory prices to decline in 2027. The company has already secured the memory components it needs for 2026, but expects to pay more for the same components next year. As a result, Canon may increasingly rely on price increases to offset higher manufacturing costs.

Canon is the latest camera manufacturer to raise concerns about the effects of the ongoing memory shortage, which has been driven in part by growing demand from the artificial intelligence industry.

Canon No Longer Expects Memory Prices to Fall in 2027

Canon had previously expressed concerns about rising memory costs during an earlier earnings call. At the time, the company expected prices to begin easing in the second half of 2027.

However, according to the company’s Q3 earnings Q&A summary, that outlook has changed. Canon no longer expects memory component prices to decline next year and anticipates paying more to secure its supply.

The company says it has already secured its memory requirements for 2026. For 2027, however, its strategy will increasingly involve offsetting higher component costs through product price increases.

This approach is not entirely new. Canon told investors in July that it had already raised prices on some products in response to higher costs, including memory components. The company has not disclosed which products or markets were affected, and it continues to weigh the potential impact of additional price increases on sales.

AI Demand Continues to Pressure Memory Supply

The continued high costs of memory components may lead to higher prices for Canon cameras in 2027.

For photographers and filmmakers, rising memory costs extend beyond memory cards and computer RAM. Modern digital cameras rely on fast memory to support demanding features such as high-speed continuous shooting, pre-capture, and the processing required for subject detection and tracking.

As AI infrastructure expands, camera manufacturers are also competing with data centers and other technology sectors for limited memory supplies. The resulting pressure on component prices could affect manufacturing costs across the imaging industry.

Canon’s strategy of securing its memory requirements in advance may help protect production in the short term. However, if elevated prices persist, the company may have little choice but to pass some of those additional costs on to customers to protect its margins.

Camera Buyers Could Face Higher Prices in 2027

Canon’s full-year financial report, expected early next year, should provide another important indication of how the company expects memory costs to affect its business in 2027. It may also offer more insight into how much of the increased expense Canon intends to pass on to customers.

As one of the largest companies in the imaging market, Canon’s pricing decisions could also influence how other camera manufacturers respond to rising component costs.

Hopefully, memory prices will begin to stabilize before manufacturers are forced to make further adjustments. However, with AI data centers continuing to drive demand and supply pressures showing little sign of easing, 2027 could be another challenging year for camera buyers.