Canon from Japan with only English and Japanese
Bought a Canon in Japan or from a grey importer, and Menu → Setup → Language shows only English and Japanese? Nothing is broken. The camera simply has firmware for the Japanese market. The same model sold in Europe or the US has many more languages — and on supported models we can add them over USB.
Why cameras from Japan have so few languages
Canon sells each camera with firmware for the market it’s meant for. A camera made for Japan usually offers just English and Japanese. Grey importers resell these cameras all over the world, so buyers in the UK, Germany, Israel or the US open the menu and find two languages. It’s a firmware setting — the screen, the camera and the translations aren’t faulty.
How to check your Language menu
Go to Menu → Setup (the wrench icon) → Language and count the entries. If your G7 X Mark III or SX740 HS from Japan shows only two, you have the Japanese-market list. While you’re in the Setup menu, note the firmware version, the exact model name and where you bought the camera. That’s everything we need for the free check.
The models we see most often
PowerShot G7 X Mark III, SX740 HS, EOS M50 Mark II, EOS M200 and EOS RP come up all the time, and on the Sony side the α7 IV and ZV-E10. Every supported model has its own page listing exactly which languages you’ll get — between 25 and 32, depending on the model. Can’t find yours? Use “Is my camera supported?” and we’ll check.
How we add the missing languages
Once we’ve confirmed your model and firmware, you connect the camera by USB to a Windows 10/11 PC or a Mac with macOS 12 or later and run MenuLang Unlock. It adds the languages the same model has when it’s sold in Europe or the US — no hardware changes, nothing to copy onto the memory card. Most setups take under 15 minutes, and you buy credits first, then run the Windows EXE.
Frequently asked questions
Is a menu with only English and Japanese a fault?+
No. It’s normal for cameras made for the Japanese market and for many grey imports. The camera works exactly as it should — it just offers fewer menu languages than the same model sold in Europe or the US.
Will a factory reset bring more languages back?+
No. A reset clears your own settings but leaves the language list as it is, because the list comes from the firmware.
Can I get Hebrew on a G7 X Mark III from Japan?+
Yes — the G7 X Mark III is one of the models that can show Hebrew. Send us the firmware version and where you bought it, and we’ll confirm before you pay.
Related cameras
Related guides
Buying a Grey-Import Canon? Check the Menu Languages
A grey import saves money — until you open Menu → Setup → Language and find only English and Japanese. Here’s how to check before you buy, and what you can do if the camera is already yours.
→Regional Canon Firmware: Why the Menu Has Fewer Languages
Every Canon ships with firmware for the market it’s sold in. That firmware decides which menu languages you see, and sometimes which video system ( or ) you can pick. If your camera came from Japan, the short Language menu is usually the first thing you notice.
→USB Setup for Adding Menu Languages — Windows & Mac
The whole setup runs from your own computer over USB. You need a cable that carries data, a Windows 10/11 PC, and a minute to close the apps that like to grab the camera.
→Tell us your camera model — we'll check for free whether we can add your language
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