The third-party lens market is a highly competitive one with an increasing number of names in recent years. But long-standing optics maker Tamron says it now leads the third-party lens market with a share of approximately 60%.
The data comes from Tamron’s integrated report, an annual document that looks at the company’s achievements and future goals.
In the report, Tamron notes that it now holds a “leading market share of approximately 60%” for third-party interchangeable lenses.
That number, however, does include the lenses that Tamron manufactures for first-party brands. Lenses that carry the Tamron name make up 59% of the company’s numbers for 2025, with lenses produced for other brands sitting at 41%.
While the figure includes both Tamron-branded lenses and those that it manufactures but carry another name, the statistic is an unusual glimpse into the standings in the highly competitive third-party lens market.
Both Tamron and Sigma have long been a key part of the segment, but recent years have brought an increasing number of optics from lens makers based in China.
Part of Tamron’s success comes from doubling the number of lenses launched each year. As recently as 2023, Tamron was launching around 5 lenses a year, but Tamron has “more than 10 new products scheduled for 2026.”
The report also says that Tamron’s goal of “establishing a four-mount lineup, including Canon RF Mount” remains. Tamron’s first RF-mount lens arrived in 2024, and the company is now up to three RF-supported lenses – all for APS-C sensors.
Tamron attributes part of its success to what it calls “user-centric designs”.
“We set ourselves apart from manufacturers’ genuine products by combining a design philosophy focused on practicality with product planning that achieves both compactness and lightness alongside high performance,” the report says.
“We have gained support through user-centric designs, such as the standardization of filter diameters.”
Tamron is also attributing its growth to an approach to manufacturing that now stretches across three countries, including a new Vietnam plant opened last year.
With facilities now in Japan, China and Vietnam, Tamron says it has also been able to adjust the volume of each plant to help offset some higher tariff costs.
But Tamron’s growth comes as the company expects a “shrinking digital camera market.” The company’s plan includes retaining and growing its core lens business, but says lenses are also a stable “cash cow” in which to grow its other avenues – which also include surveillance lenses, lenses for car cameras and healthcare devices.
Tamron plans to continue growing its core photography business, but at a slower rate than other segments in order to create more stable revenue where interchangeable lenses make up two-thirds of the company’s profits rather than three-quarters.
The English language report was published on July 27, following a Japanese version published one month prior. The report comes amid the news that Sony has proposed buying all shares in Tamron.
Tamron has confirmed that an offer was made, but has not shared any decision or further insight on the matter. But the potential of Sony having full ownership makes the insight on Tamron’s 60% share in third-party optics – with 41% of that chunk being lenses manufactured for other companies – all the more interesting.
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