However, some of the most recognized camera brands include:Canon. Canon's history began in 1933 with the establishment of Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory in Japan. ... Nikon. Nikon's history dates back to July 25, 1917, when it was founded as Nippon Kogaku K.K. ... Sony. ... Fujifilm. ... Panasonic. ... Leica. ... Pentax. ... Ricoh.