Canon EOS R8 Mark II: Two-minute review

It might look like a Sony or Nikon, but I can assure you that the EOS R8 Mark II is a Canon camera. It's the realization of a long-rumored model that was expected to be a digital remake of the AE-1 analog SLR camera to mark that camera's its 50th anniversary, only those rumors proved unfounded, with Canon working in a "modern twist".

I can see the faint resemblance between the two cameras, and I like the EOS R8 Mark II's angular look, but I also think Canon has missed a trick by not going all-out retro here, in the way Nikon did with its Zf.

Design should have been the major selling point here, but instead we have a camera that blends in, and that's not a compliment. This makes it harder to forgive the dated elements of the camera that have been carried over from the original EOS R8.

That's not to say the EOS R8 Mark II isn't a decent upgrade from the EOS R8 — it adds in-body image stabilization that's rated up to 7.5EV to the 24MP full-frame sensor, plus an AF joystick (Canon calls it a multi-controller) which makes autofocus selection simpler.

Video specs are also improved, autofocus performance enhanced, and pre-capture appears for the first time in a Canon camera at this price point.

The EOS R8 Mark II is a better camera than the EOS R8, but it also carries the same LCD and EVF displays, and the same tiny battery and entry-level build quality. These dated elements only highlight how much better a camera the Nikon Z5 II is — and that camera from 2025 costs less.

Still, if you're a Canon fan and committed to its system, the EOS R8 Mark II is a solid upgrade of the EOS R8, and a sensible alternative to the pricier EOS R6 Mark III for users who don't need the premium design, superior battery life and various high-end features.

Canon EOS R8 Mark II: Price and release date

• Announced on September 16, 2026, priced from £1,729 (about $2,000 / AU$ 3,500)
• Available in 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM kit for £2,119 (about $2,400 / AU$4,300)
• Dedicated Extensions Grip (EC-G2) costs £89 (about $100 / AU$190)
• Goes on sale October 20

Canon is expected to sell the EOS R8 Mark II from October 20, with a body-only price of £1,729 (about $2,000 / AU$3,500), which rises to £2,119 (about $2,400 / AU$4,300) for the 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM kit (not to be confused with the pricier 24-105mm F4 L IS USM). Other bundles will be available, including one with an additional battery.

Canon also launched a grip for the EOS R8 Mark II, which costs £89 (about $100 / AU$190). It's a grip only, and doesn't feature a battery, but it does feature a hinge allowing direct access to the camera's battery door.

Canon EOS R8 Mark II specs

Canon EOS R8 Mark II: Design

• Major new look for an interchangeable-lens Canon camera
• Multi-controller and tally lamp added
• Single SD card slot relocated to a dedicated side access door
• Same LCD and EVF displays as the EOS R8
• Body not weather resistant

I've already covered the new look of the EOS R8 Mark II. Whether that fresh design is going to be worked into other Canon cameras or remain exclusive to the R8 series, or if an unadulterated retro mirrorless body is on the way, we'll have to wait and see. I asked a Canon spokesperson about the prospect of an all-out retro body, and they didn't rule it out.

I've included a side-by-side photo of the EOS R8 and and EOS R8 Mark II, below, and you can see the sharper lines, and the deeper and textured grip of the new model, which for me evoke the look of Sony bodies more than Canon heritage.

One welcome addition is Canon's multi-controller button, which can be used to select the autofocus point among other things, and is a much loved feature by users who like to control to how their camera autofocuses, included point selection.

I really appreciated the placement of the multi-controller alongside the AF-ON (autofocus) button, which are both within a slight move of your thumb where it naturally rests in the grip. As such, it was entirely possible to hold the camera and make autofocus point selection one-handed.

A tally lamp has been added to indicate when video recording is active, while the single SD card slot has been relocated to a dedicated door on the grip-side of the camera, whereas in the EOS R8 it was found behind the same door as the battery on the underside.

Sadly, Canon hasn't used the space saved in the battery compartment (and deeper handgrip) to fit in a larger-capacity battery. The EOS R8 Mark II uses the same battery as its predecessor — shot life was already a major weak point — and has an even lower battery life when the power-hungry image stabilization feature is active, being rated at 220 shots when using the viewfinder (or 340 shots with the LCD).

Nor has the quality of the body been improved — Canon notes that the EOS R8 Mark II's body materials are part aluminum alloy, part polycarbonate, and it's not weather resistant. The controls, and the build quality, really do feel entry-level.

The 3.0-inch 1.62m-dot vari-angle LCD and 0.39-inch 2.36m-dot EVF displays are unchanged from the EOS R8, and look fairly dated when you compare them to the Nikon Z5 II's displays.

Canon EOS R8 Mark II: Performance

• 24.2MP full-frame sensor now equipped with 7.5EV image stabilization
• Digic X processor unique to the camera, 40fps burst shooting
• 4K video up to 60fps, oversampled from 6K, plus 1080p up to 180fps

The addition of in-body image stabilization (IBIS) is the major upgrade offered by the EOS R8 Mark II, and its effectiveness is rated up to 7.5EV. This feature makes life simpler shooting handheld in many scenarios — whether that's for sharp images in low light or with telephoto lenses, creative long-exposure shots, or run-and-gun video.

The sensor that incorporates the IBIS is otherwise the same as the one in the EOS R8 — a full-frame 24.2MP CMOS unit which is a decent all-purpose sensor. Nothing too exciting in 2026, but dependable.

Maximum burst-shooting speeds are once again up to 40fps, using the electronic shutter. Not that there's a choice — if you didn't already know it, the EOS R8 Mark II, like its predecessor, doesn't have a mechanical shutter.

Canon has added Pre-Continuous Shooting (more widely known as pre-capture) to the EOS R8 Mark II. In short, the camera is able to continually buffer up to 0.5 seconds while the shutter is half pressed, before the user fully presses the button to take photos. In this case, you get up to 20 photos spanning the half-second before you start photos — it's a really useful feature for wildlife and action photography, for when your reactions aren't otherwise up to speed. The feature was introduced in the EOS R5 Mark II, and the EOS R8 Mark II is the first Canon at this price point to get it.

Video recording has been improved in several ways. First of all, 4K footage is oversampled from 6K, so it should look sharper. Secondly, 4K frame rates have been upped to 60fps, while 1080p goes up to 180fps — that's 6x slow motion. Thirdly, there's the aforementioned IBIS, which makes smooth handheld shooting all the more possible. And then there are additional color profiles to choose from, including 'filmtone' looks and other picture styles which can be added using the Canon EOS Utility app.

Canon has also added a new 'defocus' feature, which can add a creative blur effect (not aperture dependent), and alter the speed of focus transitions. I haven't had the time yet to test any of the EOS R8 Mark II's video features, but I will do for my upcoming in-depth review.

Dual Pixel CMOS AF II powers the camera's autofocus, which like before includes subject detection of people, animals and vehicles, but which Canon says offers an improved performance. For example, the camera's focus sensitivity in low light has been improved, being rated to -7.5EV.

‘Register People Priority’ is a neat addition — users can select specific people’s faces, storing up to 10 people for the camera to prioritize. It's a handy feature for scenarios like a wedding, where you might want to keep the bride and groom in sharp focus among a sea of faces.

Canon EOS R8 Mark II: also consider

How I tested the Canon EOS R8 Mark II

• I had a two hour hands-on session with the camera and kit lens
• I spent the time getting a feel for the camera, and took some sample photos
• Canon provided the EOS R8 and EOS R6 Mark III for comparisons

I've only used the EOS R8 Mark II for a couple of hours at Canon Europe's offices in London. During this time, I got a proper feel for the camera, and paired it with the 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM lens that the camera is available with in a kit.

Canon supplied me with the original EOS R8 and EOS R6 Mark III, so I was able to make direct comparisons between the three cameras, though only how they handle — I didn't have time to take like-for-like pictures.

I took a stroll in the outside space, and took various photos of birdlife, foliage and buildings. Look out for our in-depth review of the EOS R8 Mark II, coming soon.

• First reviewed: September 2026
• Read more about how we test

• Canon EOS R8 Mark II upgrades the original R8 with image stabilization
• It also features a new design 'inspired by Canon's heritage'
• Prices start at £1,729 / AU$2,529, on-sale date mid-October

The Canon EOS R8 Mark II is here, and it isn’t the digital remake of the 50-year-old AE-1 analog SLR camera that rumors had been suggesting — but it is a new design direction for the world’s leading camera manufacturer nonetheless.

Canon has historically stuck with a consistent design approach for its DSLR and mirrorless cameras, with sweeping curves and familiar controls. The EOS R8 Mark II, however, is "inspired by Canon’s heritage" with a "modern twist", so a Canon spokesperson told me, and it's unlike any other model before it — check out my first impressions.

I like the new angular look, but I think the company has unintentionally made a camera that looks just like those from its chief rivals Sony and Nikon, and I don't think we can call it retro.

Canon fans hoping for an old school EOS R mount model to rival the Nikon Zf will surely be disappointed. Could Canon's design department have pushed the boat out more? Perhaps, but there’s nothing to say it won’t go full retro-style in the future with another model.

Design is the major talking point, but there are plenty of other features worth highlighting in what is a solid upgrade of the original EOS R8.

Beyond the looks

Like the EOS R8 — which Canon told me will remain on the market — we also get a 24.2MP full-frame sensor, but this time it features in-body image stabilization that’s rated up to 7.5EV.

Continuous shooting is again up to 40fps using the electronic shutter — in fact, like the EOS R8 there’s no mechanical shutter at all — but pre-capture has been added for up to half a second before you fully press the shutter, which is handy for when your reactions aren’t up to speed, and a first for a Canon camera at this price point.

And — praise be — an AF joystick has been added (Canon calls it a multi-controller), and it's positioned next to an autofocus button, both of which are conveniently placed right next to where your thumb rests. I was easily able to use the camera and its autofocus one-handed with a 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM kit lens attached.

Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF II features, as does subject detection of people, animals and vehicles, plus Canon’s ‘Register People’ mode with the option to store up to 10 people for the camera to prioritize — handy for weddings, sporting events, and so on.

Video is still 4K, but now up to 60fps and oversampled from 6K, plus there's 180fps slow-motion recording in 1080p. There's a tally light to indicate when the camera is recording, while the SD memory card slot is now accessed through a side door, rather than underneath in the battery compartment.

Those are some of the major upgrades, but there's also plenty that's familiar. For example, the 3-inch 1.62m-dot vari-angle touchscreen and 2.36m-dot EVF are unchanged, and there’s the same battery too. In fact, with the power-hungry image stabilization feature in play, shot life is actually slightly lower than before — battery life is a major weak point of the EOS R8 Mark II.

The camera weighs 19.3oz / 546g with card and battery included, and the quality of the plastic body is decidedly entry-level once more — this isn’t a weather-sealed camera you’d thrash around like the tougher EOS R6 Mark III is, which is the near-perfect Canon camera that the EOS R8 Mark II sits below.

Overall, I think Canon has addressed the key areas for improvement from the EOS R8, adding in-body image stabilization into a body that feels better in the hand, even if the build quality and battery life position it well below the EOS R6 Mark III.

I must also mention the Nikon Z5 II from 2025, which is the obvious entry-level full-frame rival to the EOS R8 Mark II, and which is available for a slightly lower price. Nikon's camera has many similarities, but with a magnesium alloy chassis and weather-resistance it's clearly the tougher camera of the two, plus it has a superior LCD and EVF. If you're not already committed to Canon, the Z5 II looks to be the better of the two cameras.

The EOS R8 Mark II costs from £1,729 / AU$2,529 for the body only, or £2,119.99 / AU$2,859 with the 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM (don't confuse this lens with the pricier 24-105mm F4 L), and it feels like the sweet spot for users who want powerful features but are less concerned about build quality and shot life. I'll update this page with US and Australia pricing when I get them.

What do you make of the new EOS R8 Mark II, especially its new design? You can vote in the poll above, and leave your comments below.

Sony FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS / Sony FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS: One-minute review

I've only just had my hands on the Fujifilm XF 400mm F4.5 R OIS LM WR lens, photographing birds of prey in flight, but I can now reveal that I was also testing two rival super-telephoto Sony primes at the same time ahead of their launch; the FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS and FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS.

Both lenses sit within the focal length range of Sony's longest zoom lens — the 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS — but they sacrifice zoom versatility for a couple of real benefits: they have a slightly brighter maximum aperture, and they're significantly lighter.

In fact, Sony's new 400mm and 600mm primes are the lightest of their kind, weighing 994g / 995g respectively (35oz approx). It's the light weight that's their major appeal — plus the promise from Sony of superior MTF performance (the outright optical quality at the various lens settings) versus rivals, such as Nikon's 400mm f/4.5 VR S.

There's no shortage of super-telephoto lenses from Sony, but these primes are probably the best option for enthusiasts who know their focal length and want to prioritize quality over zoom versatility.

They're way more affordable options than Sony's high-end 400mm F2.8 and 600mm F4 pro primes, but they still boast the superior GM quality designation over comparable 'G' zooms such as the 200-600mm and 400-800mm, and are by no means cheap.

If you mainly photograph larger wildlife, then the 400mm lens is ideal, while the 600mm lens is better suited for smaller creatures. I took both lenses to my local wetland reserve and to a nearby deer park to really test them out over hours-long hiking and photography sessions, and I was able to get a feel for how they sit with a Sony camera – in my case the A7 V that Sony loaned to me for this review — and how each one performed. Let's dive in.

Sony FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS / Sony FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS: price and availability

• The 400mm F4.5 GM OSS costs $2,699 / £2,400 / AU$3,999, while the 600mm F6.3 costs $3,699 / £3,300 / AU$5,599
• Both come in a soft padded case with handle and shoulder strap, and with a lens hood

Before I get into the handling and performance of each lens, let's look at the pricing. In the UK the FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS costs $2,699 / £2,400 / AU$3,999, while the FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS costs $3,699 / £3,300 / AU$5,599.

Each lens comes in a soft padded case with handle and shoulder strap, so they can be securely carried separately to a bag. A lens hood is supplied, too.

To put that pricing into context, Fujifilm's new 400mm F4.5 lens (for APS-C with 600mm equivalent focal length) costs around the same, while the cost of Nikon's 400mm f/4.5 VR S has fallen by 15% since its 2022 launch, which takes it to the same price.

The 600mm lens is cheaper compared to Nikon's 600mm f/6.3, which originally cost about 50% more, but with price reductions is currently about 25% more.

Sony's professional FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS and FE 600mm F4 GM OSS are in another (five-figure) price and weight category altogether.

Though hardly cheap, considering the specs, and the fact that these are 'Grand Master' (GM) lenses — Sony's professional series — I think the pair are pretty decent value overall.

Sony FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS / Sony FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS: specs

Sony FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS / Sony FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS: design

• Lightest lenses of their kind at 994g (400mm) and 995g (600mm) respectively
• Weather resistant, with rubber sealed lens mount
• Removable tripod collar

Light weight is the major talking point here. Both the FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS and FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS weigh a fraction under 1,000g (about 35oz), making them the lightest of their kind. For the wildlife and sports photography that these lenses are designed for, the light weight makes long shoot days more manageable — and I should know, because I've used them both extensively.

Nikon's equivalent lenses are 1,160g and 1,360g respectively, while Sony's 400-800mm G lens weighs 87oz/2,475g — and Sony's high-end 400mm F2.8 and 600mm F4 primes are around 3x the weight of its new additions. There are other Sony zooms available; the pricier 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS weighs 65oz/ 1,840g, while the lower-end FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3G OSS weighs 75oz/2,115g. Canon has no comparable lenses.

As for size, the 400mm measures 242mm in length, and the 600mm 263mm in length — not the smallest of their kind, therefore, but definitely the lightest.

Despite the lightweight build, each lens is dust and moisture resistant, features a rubber ring to seal the lens mount, and includes Sony's Optical SteadyShot (OSS) — a key feature when shooting at such extreme focal lengths.

There are five switches, covering off focus mode, a focus range limiter, optical stabilization and the stabilization mode, a function ring, plus four focus hold buttons. The tripod collar ring hosts a (removable) tripod mount.

Like the rubberized function ring, the generous focus ring has pronounced ridging, which makes gripping and rotating it a cinch.

Both lenses support Sony's 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, the latter of which doubles the focal length, at the cost of maximum aperture. I preferred shooting without teleconverters, because aperture margins are amplified when shooting high-speed action with fast shutter speeds at such extreme focal lengths — every bit of additional brightness goes along way.

Compared to Sony's pricier primes, the maximum aperture of each lens is less bright, being f/4.5 and f/6.3 respectively. However, the maximum aperture is brighter than the 400-800mm's, which is f/6.3 at 400mm, and f/8 when zoomed in to 600mm.

Sony FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS / Sony FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS: Performance

• Snappy and quiet internal autofocus when paired with a recent Sony camera
• 11-blade aperture creates attractive, smooth bokeh
• Detail is very sharp, especially when subjects are relatively close

Both lenses feature a fairly complex optical construction, comprising extra-low dispersion elements to minimize chromatic aberration, Sony's Nano AR Coating II to reduce flare and ghosting, plus an 11-blade aperture for what Sony calls "gorgeous ball bokeh".

Twin XD linear motors drive those lens elements for fast, precise autofocus and tracking, being able to support tracking up to 120fps — which covers 4x slow-motion video recording.

With the appropriate bird, animal and insect detection in play for taking photos of birds, deer and dragonflies respectively, autofocus proved swift and reliable. Only for photos of large mammals using the maximum aperture, did I see the occasional softness,where focusing was slightly off from the creature's eyes.

I used the maximum aperture of each lens for the majority of the photos I took, and image quality is impressive — you can see for yourself in the gallery of some of my favorite shots below.

There's no particular sign of vignetting at the maximum aperture, while chromatic aberration is well controlled. Bokeh is smooth, too, while detail in subjects, provided they're not too far away and they're in focus, is crisp.

When depth of field is narrow and subjects are at some distance, images benefit from a little sharpening, but otherwise I'm really happy with the photos I took. The original images you see in the galleries are converted RAW files, which are largely unedited — I haven't applied any sharpening.

Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Sony FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS / Sony FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS

• Sony loaned me the FE 400mm F4.5 GM OSS and FE 600mm F6.3 GM OSS weeks ahead of their unveiling
• I received the lenses with a Sony A7 V body to test them
• I used the lenses in actual wildlife photography scenarios, and carried them over many hours

I was fortunate to receive both lenses from Sony, with an A7 V body, several weeks ahead of their announcement, and was able to give them a proper test in the scenarios that people would use them.

I went to a wetland reserve to photography birdlife and insects including dragonflies, and to a historic park that's habited with deer. On multiple occasions I carried both lenses and camera over the course of several hours, and used the gear in bright daylight, under light rain, and as daylight faded.

I mainly used the maximum aperture of each lens, but also stopped aperture down to make comparisons. I set the camera up specific to each scenario, with the appropriate subject detection autofocus.

First reviewed September 2026

• Instax Pal 2 unveiled with new design that sings Kodak Charmera
• It's more camera, mind you, and costs from $170 / £144.99 / AU$249
• There are two colorways at launch; black (with silver trim) or white

Instax has clearly taken note of the Kodak Charmera digital keychain camera's viral popularity and wants a piece of the action. Enter: the new Instax Pal 2. Its new look is a major departure from the original golf ball-like Instax Pal — so much so that this camera could have had an entirely new name — and is instead all retro vibes.

There's plenty going on in the tiny 1.5oz/ 41g body, mind you; twin displays (a top down 1-inch LCD screen, and a simple cutout optical viewfinder), a wind lever that adds an Instax frame around your photos, a film simulation dial with five picture styles (each with six unique effects), plus a slide out USB-C port for charging / connecting directing to a smartphone to upload your snaps.

Instax says there's enough built-in memory to store 100 photos — which are 10.7MP and captured through a tiny 1/3.06-inch sensor — plus a micro SD card slot. The digital-only camera is also equipped with Bluetooth for wireless smartphone connection and printing, with direct support for Instax Link printers (a new Wide Link 2 printer was announced at the same time as the camera).

Should toys be this expensive?

The Instax Pal 2 carries on from where the Fujifilm X half and Instax Mini Evo Cinema left off: it's majorly quirky and packed with charm. However, it feels like too much camera, with too high a price tag, to hit the sort of sales heights of the Charmera, or even the screen-less Camp Snap cameras.

The Instax Pal 2 is easy on the eye, but sadly less so on the wallet — it comes in at $170 / £149.99 / AU$249 (while the Charmera is a mere $35 / £35 / AU$55). You can choose from two colorways: black with silver trim (pictured), or white.

I'm yet to play with the Instax Pal 2, but I'm sure it'll put a smile on my face when I do. Even without testing it out, however, I get the feeling that it misses the point of these tiny toy cameras. So far, something a little less, that costs a whole lot less, has been the recipe for success.

Godox C100: two-minute review

Well, this is a new one. Godox caught everybody by surprise when it announced the C100, a slim, rectangular point-and-shoot camera built around a transparent rectangular screen that also functioned as the viewfinder… and it also worked as a light meter for film photography. What, many asked camera nerds, was going on here?

Having now used the Godox C100 for myself, it remains to me a borderline inexplicable release, two devices wrapped in one very unusual shell. I did not hate using it. But I did find myself returning again and again to niggling questions like, ‘Who is this for?’, ‘What is the point of this?’, and I still don’t think I can answer them.

The sleek, sci-fi design of the Godox C100 is what got a lot of people excited on the camera’s announcement, and let’s start there since it’s an excuse to be positive. This is a cool-looking object – there’s no denying that. While I was testing the C100, the design received admiring compliments from friends and strangers alike — a common refrain was that it looked like something out of Star Trek. The transparent screen/viewfinder is exciting to use, in concept at least, and it’s a fun camera to slip in and out of a pocket for quick grab-shots.

But you’ll have noted that I said ‘in concept’. Once you actually start using the thing — in my view, it doesn't quite work. There’s nowhere that’s comfortable to hold the camera and keep both the subject and the frame lines in view; you find your eyes flicking from one to the other like a hunting autofocus system. And besides, unless you hold the camera quite close to your eyes (which I did end up doing), from your perspective, the frame lines aren’t going to particularly correspond to what ends up being captured.

In terms of image quality, I thought the Godox C100 was more or less decent for a camera of its type. With a tiny 2MP sensor and fixed-focus plastic lens, it’s never going to produce jaw-dropping images, but its colors can be quite punchy and detail is okay-ish — even if dynamic range is quite poor. But I think Godox missed a trick by not adding image filters or film-style looks to give its images a bit more intrigue. Honestly, I found the shots it produced a bit boring, in stark contrast to the camera’s striking exterior. Video quality was also very poor, with pronounced rolling shutter and even some dropped frames.

And how about that light meter functionality? Well, it works, producing readings that were consistent with my dedicated light meter. But unlike my dedicated light meter, it won’t attach to an SLR’s hot shoe. And that has me again asking the question that was constantly rattling around my brain while testing the camera — who, exactly, is this for?

Godox C100 specs

Godox C100: Price and availability

• The Godox C100 comes at a starting price of $45 / £47 / about AU$64
• At this price, it’s cheaper than most cameras and most light meters
• It was announced in June 2026 and is available now

As mentioned, one of the main things that got a lot of people excited about the Godox C100 was its unique design — the other was its price. At an asking price of $45 / £47 (equivalent to about AU$64), the C100 is cheaper even than most 'cheap' compact cameras like the Camp Snap, and is also cheaper than pretty much any light meter I can think of. Furthermore, I've already seen discounts on the original asking price.

Godox C100: Design

• Slim design built around a transparent display with digital framing lines
• Very simple point-and-shoot operation
• Framing with the display/viewfinder is challenging — like trying to focus on two things at once

In a slim body not much bigger than a playing card, the Godox C100 houses a transparent plastic panel that functions as both viewfinder and screen all in one. Turn the camera on, and the display window is overlaid with mode information, battery level and framing lines.

The screen isn’t touch-sensitive – makes sense, since you wouldn’t want to be smudging it with fingerprints. A physical switch on the side allows you to toggle between photo, video and light meter modes, while a row of buttons beneath the screen switches between aspect ratios or adjusts light meter parameters. There’s no camera settings control to speak of — it’s a point-and-shoot situation.

It’s an odd camera to use. I like the lightness of it, the way it slips into a jacket pocket, and how easy it is to whip out and capture an image. I never got to the point where I found framing comfortable, mind you.

When I was capturing product images of the C100, my camera’s autofocus would frequently flick between the body of the camera and the view through the transparent window — and the human eye does the same thing. When you’re focusing on a subject through the window, you can’t really see the framing lines, and vice versa. Or at least, I couldn’t.

There’s no distance to hold the camera between yourself and subject that feels comfortable, no sweet spot; I actually caught myself holding the screen right up to my eye a few times, and must have looked ridiculous. In my view, the concept just doesn’t quite work.

Godox C100: Performance

• Image quality offers decent color rendition but poor dynamic range and detail
• Video is very poor, with rolling shutter and dropped frames
• The light meter functionality works, delivering readings consistent with dedicated light meters

I’ve tested a lot of cheap cameras with small sensors — particularly in recent years as they’ve become more popular — so I was bracing myself before I first took a look at my first few Godox C100 sample shots. The result? A long way from good… but not as bad as they could have been.

The colors in a lot of shots were punchier than I expected, vivid and nicely rendered. Detail is basically okay, though quickly gets smudgy if your subject is distant or if you look too close. Dynamic range, inevitably, is quite poor — images are easily blown out by bright sunlight, and shadows can quickly become murky and indistinct. It’s okay for what it is — but I think that adding some filters or looks for images à la the Camp Snap 2 or the RewindPix might have helped give the Godox C100 a bit more intrigue and make it more fun to use for longer.

As mentioned, the Godox C100 shoots video, but I’m hard-pressed to see why you would do so. I tested it with a few short walking-around clips, and my reward was jittery video with no stabilization, some pronounced rolling shutter ‘jello effect’, and even some dropped frames.

The light meter functionality works — I tested it alongside my TTArtisan Light Meter II and it gave me settings recommendations that lined up. Of course, this also highlighted some of the conceptual issues with having a light meter in this format. The TTArtisan Light Meter II, which is also quite cheap, has a cold shoe mount that allows it to be affixed directly to the top of an SLR film camera — the Godox C100 does not. Practically, this restricts its usefulness as a light meter to tripod-based shooting only — you’re not realistically going to be juggling the C100 in one hand and a film camera in the other.

If I mentally squint, I can construct a use-case scenario where the Godox C100 functions as both a light meter and a means of capturing a quick ‘record shot’ of a scene that’s going to be captured on film — similar to the way that pro photographers used to use Polaroids, back when Polaroids were somewhat cheap. Maybe that sounds like something that’d be useful to you. It’s not for me.

Should I buy the Godox C100?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Godox C100

• I tested the Godox C100 indoors and outdoors over several days of highly changeable weather in London
• I shot video across a long weekend trip to northeast England, plus my hometown
• I used the light meter mode to take readings and compared them to readings I had taken on a dedicated light meter from the same point

I was sent the Godox C100 shortly after its official release. I took it on several photo walks around different areas of London in varying light conditions, tried out the photograph and video modes and swapped between aspect ratio settings. I also compared the light meter readout to my TTArtisan Light Meter II to verify its accuracy.

• First reviewed September 2026

Camera technology has come on leaps and bounds throughout the 20th and 21st century, but one of the most important developments was the invention of the CMOS image sensor. This invention, dubbed the ‘camera-on-a-chip’, is the technology that allows everyone to carry high-resolution cameras around in their pockets.

But the history of the CMOS can be traced back to NASA’s desire to install small, low-powered cameras capable of capturing high-resolution imagery on interplanetary spacecraft.

Dr. Eric R. Fossum is the inventor of the camera-on-a-chip, and he has not only fathered an era of space-based photography, but also the many industries and technologies that revolve around the micro-cameras we know today.

The camera-on-a-chip has changed the world

Before the development of the CMOS image sensor, photography and videography often relied on photographic film, or the more advanced Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs). The Apollo 11 mission famously used purpose-built Hasselblad cameras - which were too heavy for the return trip to Earth - requiring the astronauts to transport just the film back for development. They’re still there to this day.

CCDs on the other hand were the precursor to Dr. Fossum’s camera-on-a-chip. They detected photons using individual pixels that fed an electrical charge to a single readout amplifier in a row-by-row configuration. These cameras improved significantly in reducing weight and capturing much more vivid imagery than their film-based counterparts, but suffered from high power-usage and heat generation.

CMOS image sensors improved further on the CCD design, giving each individual pixel its own local conversion circuit and amplifier allowing each pixel to be read simultaneously while significantly reducing the energy required per image taken and the heat generated by the camera.

CMOS image sensors are the basis upon which most modern cameras work - from the camera on your phone and in your doorbell, to the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems that power self-driving cars, and even the cameras still heading into space today.

I spoke to Dr. Fossum to understand how CMOS image sensors were developed and their impact on the world we know today.

• Eric, did you ever think that your invention - the CMOS-based image sensor - would have such an impact on society worldwide?

I thought it could become ubiquitous and thought it should become so, but my confidence that it would actually happen was low, due to all kinds of unknowns. I did not foresee at all the social-media application, nor its impact on society, nor its impact on citizen-newsgathering, nor its impact on social justice, whether to protect good actors in law enforcement or to identify bad actors in law enforcement. I also knew there could be impact on privacy and liberty, and I am uncomfortable with how that has evolved.

• I note that you worked at NASA's legendary JPL (Jet Propulsion Lab) at the time. We don't usually associate JPL with cutting-edge digital imaging. How did that happen? Was JPL essentially another Xerox PARC?

NASA and JPL is associated with cutting edge digital imaging, from its earliest activities in the robotic exploration of space. JPL engineers found ways to beam back images from distant places using digital imaging and data transmission. Eugene F. Lally at JPL in 1961 was probably the first advance the idea of a ‘mosaic’ image capture, where mosaic refers to an array of pixels. JPL developed many digital imaging technologies for scientific use in the harsh environment of space with high precision and reliable image capture across a larger range of wavelengths than consumer products. My job at JPL was created by JPL management to further grow JPL’s bench-depth in CCD technology.

• I am sure that you followed avidly the visual journey of Artemis II a few weeks ago: from the iconic photos to the videos that the crew and the entire team produced during that trip. Do you remember what your thoughts were when you first saw the wonderful pictures the crew delivered?

My initial thoughts focused on the impressive images, and I was pleased that humans have returned to the moon, at least into orbit for now. But it did occur to me that that it was also cool that NASA –invented image sensor technology, employed in a consumer smartphone (and digital camera), was used on the this NASA mission, further completing its promise to make cameras faster, cheaper and better.

• Your current research at Dartmouth centers heavily on the Quanta Image Sensor (QIS). Can you tell us more about what it is, how is it different from CMOS image sensors and why it is called Quanta (which I presume is the plural of Quantum).

In the CMOS QIS, due to its ultra-low readout noise, it is possible for the first time to discern individual photons via their generated photoelectrons, and to count with high accuracy the number of photoelectrons at each pixel, at room temperature, at low voltages, and without the use of avalanche gain. The CMOS QIS we developed at Dartmouth and later at the spin-off company Gigajot is, in essence, a CMOS image sensor that uses intra-pixel charge transfer (invented at JPL) and extremely low readout-node capacitance, to generate a large enough voltage signal from a single photoelectron to overcome background thermal noise in silicon.

The QIS concept, itself though, is technology agnostic, since it was about creating great images one photon at a time. Single-photon-avalanche photodiode (SPAD) technology has significantly advanced in the past 20+ years so that it is also becoming useful for image sensor implementation. A SPAD QIS has larger pixels and consumes much more power than the CMOS QIS, but offers time-tagging of pixel arrival far more accurate than CMOS QIS and is being produced as a foundry-process that is also easily integrated with CMOS circuits.

• How has the IEEE impacted your professional journey?

I have been a member of IEEE since I was a student and have since graduated to Life Fellow. Profession societies are very important for the dissemination of leading research among experts in the field, and IEEE is no exception. I have published many papers under the IEEE, in the sub-silos of Electron Devices and Solid-State Circuits, and have benefitted from IEEE meetings such as the International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) and International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC). IEEE was also a partner in the early days of what is now known at the International Image Sensor Workshop, that I and others founded in 1986.

• What is the future of consumer image sensors from your point of view given that mainstream smartphones regularly boasts sensors with hundreds of millions of pixels already and we've reached a plateau in terms of returns?

Certainly in the near term, image sensors and consumers have benefitted from 3D integration and stacked wafer devices. The on-chip integration of more advanced functions possibly including smart-image-sensor functions or edge offers new avenues for improving image capture and understanding right at the focal plane. This was something I dreamed of since the 1980’s when I was exploring, researching and writing about smart image sensors and focal-plane image processing, but it was too early in those days.

• What are your thoughts on PIS (Processing-in-sensor) which fuses compute, the image sensor and memory in one holistic system at the edge?

As mentioned, I have been thinking about this topic since I was a graduate student in the early 1980’s at Yale and then at Columbia University. I am not familiar with the acronym PIS (which might really be a poor choice!) but I do think it is very application dependent. Furthermore, there is a data communication and parallel processing problem where local pixel computing is easy, but global image computing, where different regions have to be analysed, is still difficult on the focal plane. This may result in avoiding the addition of extra power dissipation to the image sensor chip and instead partitioning the imaging system into two parts, local computing on the focal plane and regional or global computing off the focal plane.

• Today there are billions of cameras that capture the world in two dimensions, generating millions of Gigabytes worth of data. Have you ever been interested in exotic storage technologies (some of which use image sensors)?

I have not really worked much in exotic storage systems, although at Photobit, our spinoff from JPL, we worked with companies, from other startups to giants like AT&T Bell Labs, on readout of holographic optical memories. Although, at that time, we were just focused on the image sensor chip and high speed readout.

• Can you tell me about the significance of the IEEE Jun-Ichi Nishizawa Medal, and what this recognition means to you?

Gosh, who doesn’t like being recognised by your peers for your accomplishments? Still, it is a very humbling event and makes me reflect on the great people that I have had the chance to work with over the years. It has been such a privilege to work with these folks and take this journey together. As I always try to mention, the amazing CMOS image sensor technology we all use every day was made possible by the hard and innovative work of thousands of image sensor engineers around the globe.

• We're planning a special series towards the end of the year, looking at tools that thought leaders use in their everyday lives. Name one (either physical or software-based) that you consider to be critical to your daily work routine and why you chose it.

I think AI tools are great time-savers in finding and curating information, and I often learn much from their apparent knowledge, and sometimes from their insights. These days I use Co-Pilot a lot. But I am always concerned with whom, directly or indirectly, I am sharing information and ideas with. I think this is something we should all ponder and ask hard questions of the AI giants.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: Two-minute review

The Instax Mini 13 is the newest instant-print camera in Fujifilm’s long-standing lineup of budget, easy-to-use party snappers. These film cameras are a great way to capture memories at shindigs, weddings and the sort, and this latest model is no different.

Like most Instax mini cameras, the Instax Mini 13 has a 60mm f/12.7 optical-grade plastic lens, making it ideal for close-up snaps and selfies that require a fixed field of focus. It even has an additional close-up mode to give you a little extra control over the focal length.

These are all features already found in the Instax Mini 12, which we rate as the best instant camera for most people for its point-and-shoot simplicity — but the Instax Mini 13 does have a few small tricks up its sleeve to warrant it being the step up model in the range.

The biggest upgrade from its predecessor that was released in 2023 is the addition of a self-timer, which is normally found on more expensive models like the Instax Mini 99 that retails for more than double the price.

And while the self-timer is the most significant upgrade from the Instax Mini 12, there are other small differences, including a fresh, playful ribbed design with new pastel colors, and a small, rubber wedge that hangs on the strap for propping the camera up on a table.

If I were to sum up the Instax Mini 13 in three words, I'd say it's cheap, cheerful and charming, which is exactly what you want from a fun instant camera that's a piece of cake to use.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 review: price and release date

• Announced in March 2026
• Shipping began in Australia on March 31
• Released in the US and UK in late June
• Priced at $94 / £79 / AU$139

As noted in our Instax Mini 12 review, many of us camera nerds have come to expect a new Instax Mini instant camera every three years from the brand, so it was surprising that this model ended up having a staggered global rollout, without much fanfare. Aussies were the first to get their hands on the new camera on March 31, followed by the US and UK on June 25.

Even more surprising is the fact that those of us in the UK didn't see the same 15% price jump from the cost of the previous generation, with the Instax Mini 13 being priced at £79 — the same as the Instax Mini 12 at launch. Those in the US and Australia weren't as lucky, however, with the Instax Mini 13 seeing an 18% increase from the Instax Mini 12 to $94 and 16% to AU$139.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 review: specs

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 review: design

• A fun, ribbed design for added grip
• Five different color options to choose from
• Comes with a handy accessory on the strap for propping the camera up

The most striking update to the Instax Mini 13 is the rounded, ribbed design and five new pastel colorways, which have been called Candy Pink, Frost Blue (featured in this review), Clay White, Lagoon Green and Dreamy Purple.

Although the new design does bring a new poppy look to the camera, the trade-off is that it's a bit bulkier and heavier than the likes of the Instax Mini 12. If that's a problem, and you're more so after a slimmer and compact build, take a look at our Instax Mini 99 review instead.

That model also has a built-in tripod thread at the bottom of the camera to help with taking group shots, which is one of the reasons why it's the more expensive, premium model. But the Instax Mini 13 brings a thoughtful budget accessory to help you stabilize shots: a rubber wedge attached to the strap that you can use to adjust the angle of the camera when placed on a surface.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: performance

• Incredibly easy to use — just point-and-shoot and print
• Best for taking short-range images, like selfies
• For optimum results, make sure to hold the camera about 30cm away

The biggest selling point of the Instax Mini 13 is the fact that it's so straightforward and easy to use. Simply load up Instax’s credit card-sized Mini Film pack of 10, spin the lens dial to turn it on, and you’re all set to go.

With a shutter speed range between 1/2 a second and 1/250 a second, and a film sensitivity rating of ISO 800, it's best used in well-lit spaces, as you'll run the risk of overexposing a shot if you were to shoot in direct, bright sunlight.

At night, the constant-firing flash will automatically adjust itself to different light levels on its own, but it's important to keep in mind the distance of your subject. As mentioned earlier, it's best to use it for close-up shots to get the best quality images. And the optimum range for the flash is the same, with a distance of 30cm to two metres being the most effective.

To make selfies ever easier to capture, the Instax Mini 13 has a self-timer that works brilliantly to stabilize any photograph by reducing the chances of blurring from pressing the shutter button. You simply have to spin the dial that's fitted around the shutter button to activate it. One rotation sets the timer at two seconds, which you can tell is on by the blinking light, while holding it down activates the 10 second timer.

My only gripe is that the self-timer doesn't give you a countdown light for when it's about to take the picture (say, the blinking light speeding up). Yes, I know I can simply count the seconds down myself from pressing the button, but when you're already trying to frame yourself in the small mirror that can easily be forgotten to do.

Should I buy the Fujifilm Instax Mini 13?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 review: also consider

How I tested the Fujifilm Instax Mini 13

• I took the Instax Mini 13 to several events over the course of two months
• Experimented with holding the camera at different distances to determine the best for image quality
• Printed 20 Instax Mini prints, which were scanned into the Instax UP! app

Being an instant camera fan, I knew the best places to bring the Instax Mini 13 to. From a friend's 30th birthday party to a Harry Styles concert, I snapped away to see how it performed in different lighting environments.

I went through two packs of Instax Mini film — the classic white border type and the Instax Mini Rainbow edition that prints out different colors. Unfortunately, the Pastel Galaxy film that was launched alongside the Instax Mini 13 wasn't available to test.

To show off some of the sample pictures I snapped over the two months that I tested the camera for, I scanned the prints onto my phone using the Instax UP! app.

• First reviewed: September 2026
• Read more about how we test

• FCC's "military-grade" foreign drone ban definition includes everyday tech like thermal cameras and LiDAR
• 98.6% of respondent's comments oppose the proposed rule
• Even Skydio, a US-based drone maker that stands to benefit, won't fully endorse it

We've reported before on how the US Federal Communications Commission wants to ban the import and sale of certain "military-grade" drones, most of them Chinese, on national security grounds. The public comment period on that proposal has now closed — and the response leaves the FCC looking massively out of touch.

An analysis by Pilot Institute of all 3,824 readable filings in FCC docket 26-189 found that 98.6% of commenters oppose the rule as written. Of those, 77% reject it outright, while another 21% say they support the underlying security goal but think the FCC has drawn the rule badly. A paltry 16 filings, or just 0.4%, backed the proposal as it stands.

When you look at the economic question specifically, the gap is even starker. The FCC's own tentative conclusion was that the financial impact of a ban would be "minor and contained." Of the 1,701 filings that addressed that point directly, 1,686 described severe harm. Only one filing agreed with the Commission.

So what counts as "military-grade" under this proposal? According to the FCC, it's any drone with a thermal camera or LiDAR sensor, or one that can dock itself, spray liquid, carry out swarm maneuvers, or weighs 55lbs or more at take-off. If your drone ticks any of those boxes then, in the FCC's eyes, it's a potential weapon.

Military or mainstream?

This definition is where the rule starts to smell a lot like overreach. LiDAR sensors aren't exotic military hardware in 2026 — they're standard features that drones like DJI's Mini 5 Pro and Air 3S use for obstacle avoidance. These aren't military drones – they're flying cameras ordinary people use to shoot their cousin's wedding, check their roof for damage or locate a missing hiker. LiDAR is so mainstream that it's built into recent iPhones.

The 55lb, spraying and self-docking criteria are easier to wave away, since few people (outside of agricultural purposes) fly drones that tick those boxes. But the thermal and LiDAR clauses sweep up exactly the kind of consumer and prosumer drones that are widely used for photography, content creation, professional inspection and search and rescue.

That gap between the FCC's stated goals and its extremely wide-ranging definition seems to be what the respondents have picked up on. The opposition here spans public safety agencies, farmers, mapping firms, energy companies and hobbyists, all of whom are essentially telling the Commission the same thing: this rule doesn't properly distinguish between a "surveillance platform" and the little camera drone I use for work or fun.

Perhaps the clearest signal that the rule is too restrictive, though, comes from a company with every commercial incentive to cheer it on. Skydio, the US-based drone maker that has lobbied hard for restrictions on its Chinese competitors, didn't file in support of the rule as written. Instead, it asked for a "calibrated" approach with a "reasonable transition period". So, even a company positioned to be one of the biggest winners in the event of a Chinese drone ban still isn't willing to back the FCC's version of it.

Whether this near-unanimous pushback changes the ban's scope remains to be seen. Legal challenges already look likely, with DJI and others arguing that the FCC lacks the statutory authority to impose a blanket, origin-based ban in the first place. But regardless of how this story ends, the comment record makes one thing clear: the government's idea of what constitutes "military-grade" is not shared by the public.

Potensic Atom 3: One-minute review

Many have tried and failed to produce drones to rival DJI's, but the Potensic Atom 3 is a DJI drone alternative that's actually worth considering — and not just on paper, but in actual flight conditions.

The folding quadcopter impresses with level 5 wind resistance and a 10% bigger battery than its predecessor, the Atom 2, making for robust flight performance even in tricky conditions. It's gargantuan RC PTD 2 touchscreen controller (in the pricier bundle) feels top-drawer, too.

Its 3-axis gimbal camera isn't half-bad, either — being equipped with a 1/1.3-inch sensor and offering 4K video up to 60fps in standard, HDR or Log profiles, slow-motion recording, and up to 50MP stills in RAW and JPEG.

The larger sensor, higher 4K video frame rates and bitrates, plus improved battery life and transmission range are all meaningful upgrades on the Atom 2, and make the Atom 3 a compelling DJI Mini rival, especially given Potensic's competitive pricing.

Despite a few handling issues (which I'll get into below), the Atom 3 could have pinched top spot in our beginner drones guide... six months ago. The bad news for Potensic is that the DJI Lito X1 is now in the picture, raising the bar for any would-be challengers.

For practically the same money, the Lito X1 is the slightly more polished drone overall — and it features object sensing, which the Atom 3 lacks, delivering this incredibly useful feature at a new-low price point (compared to DJI's Mini 5 Pro). Ultimately, the Lito X1 gives consumers so much for the money that the fight here feels unfair.

Would I still recommend the Atom 3? Absolutely. It's way better than the Ruko U11Mini 4K, which we recently tested, and the next best thing for consumers who don't want, or can't buy, a DJI drone (US pricing is displayed on the Potensic website, suggesting it could become available there, unlike new DJI products, but currently Potensic is locked out of the US too). Ultimately, Potensic's best drone yet is a highly capable beginner option — but it remains one big step behind the DJI competition.

Potensic Atom 3: Price and availability

• Priced from $429.99 / £339.99
• Touchscreen RC3 controller bundle costs $424.99 / £499
• Available now direct from Potensic and via Amazon; not available in Australia at launch

The Potensic Atom 3 is available now directly through Potensic's website and via Amazon in the UK. There's US pricing on the Potensic site, but the company told me the Atom 3 is not available there, while it's yet to hit stores in Australia.

Pricing varies considerably depending on the region and the bundle. In the UK, the base package costs £339.99, with the price rising to £579.99 for the Fly More Combo with RC PTD 2 bundle (which I tested), which includes two additional batteries, a charging hub, case, and the touchscreen RC PTD 2 controller in place of the standard smartphone-based remote.

US pricing starts at $429.99, while the Fly More Combo, which includes the standard smartphone-based remote, costs $549.99. At the time of writing only two of the five bundles have pricing — none of which include bundles with the touchscreen RC PTD 2 controller. However, despite pricing being on the Potensic site, the drone is not available there "due to FCC regulations", Potensic told me, and that "our team is actively working on the relevant certification to make it available in the future".

At the time of writing, the Potensic Atom 3 is not available in Australia, but Potensic does have a dedicated Australia website which is the best place to check for future availability.

DJI's Lito X1 is the Atom 3's obvious rival, and it costs from £359 at Amazon UK, so just a little extra money gets you that drone's massively useful object-sensing feature. However, like other DJI drones, the Lito X1 is not available to buy in the US.

• Price score: 4/5

Potensic Atom 3: Specs

Potensic Atom 3: Design and build quality

• Folding mini design, weighing under 249g
• USB-C charging and MicroSD card slot, but no internal storage
• Optional touchscreen RC PTD 2 controller is huge

The Atom 3's hard-plastic design is strikingly similar to recent models in DJI's Mini and Lito series of sub-250g folding quadcopter drones. It's a familiar formula — the drone folds down to a coat pocket-able size and, like most beginner models, weighs under 249g. Sub-250g drones are exempt from the strictest drone registration requirements in most regions, including the UK and US.

At the rear of the drone is a USB-C slot for charging the device directly, and for transferring images from the inserted microSD card. The card slot is also at the rear — there's no internal storage.

I was able to transfer files directly onto a MacBook Pro via that USB-C wired connection, but when I tried connecting the memory card directly my computer was unable to read it. Another option for file transfer is to download the desired files through the Potensic app, which is a reliable albeit slower process.

A clip-on cover ably protects the camera and gimbal mechanism when the drone isn't in use, and this is locked in place with a rear clip by stretching an elasticated band that connects the two (see above).

The Fly More Combo (with RC PTD 2 remote controller), which Potensic supplied for this review, comes with a padded zipped case that holds the drone, the charging hub with its two additional batteries, and the sizable controller. The case is notably larger than the one for the equivalent DJI Mini 4K bundle.

The touchscreen controller feels high-quality; the screen is huge, detailed, and provides a 1080p feed up to 60fps, with Potensic's latest PixSync 5.0 video transmission system boosting the range from 10km to up to 16km, and reducing latency to 150ms. In short, the on-screen feed is smooth and immersive beyond distances that you'll ever realistically fly over.

I found certain movements of the controller's joysticks a little jerky, which spoiled some of my footage, but with practice I was able to find the sweet spots of those controls for smoother moves.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Potensic Atom 3: Features and flight performance

• Battery life quoted at up to 40 minutes; the drone typically lasted around 20 minutes in real-world testing
• No object sensing, just the usual downward-facing sensors for landing and takeoff
• Decent selection of flight and tracking moves, but some have frustrating restrictions

Potensic quotes a battery life of 40 minutes for the Atom 3, which is an improvement over the Atom 2, thanks to a 10% (approx) higher-capacity 2,590mAh unit, and on paper, this performance beats the comparable DJI; however, I didn't get close to this in real-world use.

The best battery performance I got during testing was more like 25 minutes on a calm day, while in windy coastal conditions I rarely, if ever, got more than 20 minutes. The drone's level 5 wind-resistance rating (19-24mph) seems fair, though — I used the Atom 3 in such conditions, and I found flight to be impressively stable and smooth, even if headwinds further drained the battery as I fought to bring the drone home when power was low.

When battery life drops to 10%, the drone automatically initiates landing (avoiding it simply dropping from the sky), so that's something to bear in mind, especially if you're flying over risky areas such as bodies of water.

The Atom 3 has downward-facing sensors for takeoff and landing, with the useful Return to Home feature, but there are no front-, side- or rear-facing sensors, like you get with pricier drones equipped with omni-directional object sensing.

Six months ago I wouldn't have expected any more from a drone at this price point, but DJI has since brought object sensing to the much more affordable Lito X1. If Potensic is to go up a level, adding this incredibly useful feature is the logical next step for the Atom series.

Return to Home (RTH) worked flawlessly, with the drone automatically updating its position at takeoff — there's also an on-screen guide indicating where the RTH position is in relation to where the drone is in the air. It's possible to update the RTH position mid-flight, say if you move to a different location during flight and want it to land at your new location.

For regular flight, there are three speeds to choose from, with the Sport Mode being the quickest at 16m/s (horizontal), 5m/s ascent and 4m/s descent. It's not the quickest drone around, but it's zippy enough for beginner use.

I really did miss object sensing, given that I regularly fly in object-packed areas to capture dynamic footage, so I needed to be extra cautious about where I flew the drone. It is possible to get smooth and stable-looking footage, though, after much practice to get a feel for the controller's joysticks.

There's a good selection of DJI-style 'QuickShot' flight moves, which perform an automated move using a selected subject as the reference point. To do this, you drag a box over the subject using the controller's touchscreen (or your smartphone's screen if using the basic controller). There are seven automated moves in all, including pull-away, rocket and boomerang.

I was happy to see three tracking modes too: Follow, Parallel and Spotlight, each of which keep your subject in the center of the frame as they move. 'Follow' tracks your moving subject from behind (though remember there's no object sensing), while 'Parallel' does the same but from the side. 'Spotlight' simply keeps the subject central as they move around the frame.

The tracking modes are hamstrung by several frustrating limitations, while the omission of object sensing further limits where you can fly. For example, to initiate Follow, the angle of the camera needs to be pointed down a certain degree — in other words the drone needs to be quite high up.

For me, the most dynamic 'follow' footage would be from a lower angle. It's possible to override the limit in the app's menu, which requires checking the option to say that propellor guards are installed (whether in reality they are or are not). Even with the options selected to free up the drone for tracking from a lower altitude, I regularly found that the drone reset itself, reimposing the restriction.

I also found that the tracking functions gave up altogether in less-open areas, when the GNSS (GPS/ GLOSNASS / Galileo / BeiDou) signal was weak. One example was trying to get tracking video of myself biking in my local woods — the drone kept stopping just a second or so into sequences. I had no such issues in the same scenario when testing the DJI Mini 5 Pro (which also has omni-directional object sensing).

Those flight moves are great to have, but adding object sensing, and addressing the other limitations, would make them way more useful for dynamic footage.

• Flight performance score: 3.5/5

Potensic Atom 3: Image and video quality

• 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor, 4K video up to 60fps
• Wider 24mm f/2.8 lens (vs 26mm f/1.8 lens of the Atom 2)
• RAW stills and flat P-Log video color profile provide editing latitude

Video and photo quality are an upgrade from the older Atom 2, with the Atom 3's camera using a larger 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor that's comparable to those in the DJI Mini 4 Pro / Lito X1, rather than the Atom 2's 1/2-inch sensor. There's also a slight change to the lens — it's a wider 24mm f/2.8, where the Atom 2 uses a 26mm lens with brighter f/1.8 aperture, which somewhat counters the sensor-based advantage the Atom 3 has.

4K video recording up to 60fps can be done the easy way or the hands-on way, using the standard or detail-rich HDR profiles for ready-to-go footage, or the flat P-Log profile, which holds more detail in highlight and shadow areas, but which requires editing to taste later.

I tried all three profiles at 30fps and 60fps, and then took P-log footage to Adobe Premiere Pro for editing and compared the footage. There are incremental image quality gains when using P-Log, but on the whole I found myself happy with the quality of HDR footage, saving myself the editing hassle.

In addition to 4K video, there's slow-motion capture up to 7x, but only in 1080p HD resolution. Meanwhile, stills are reasonable: 12.5MP as standard, or 50MP in the '8K' mode, with JPEG and RAW formats available.

Where photo quality impresses is in how much tonal depth is retained, although images benefit from a little sharpening afterwards. Another option for further increasing shadow and highlight detail is the 'bracket' mode, which combines multiple photos at different brightness values into one with a wider range of tones, but the standard mode already does a good job.

Interval and burst shooting modes are also included, while a panorama mode combines multiple images into one ultra-wide perspective that covers 180 degrees, with the drone automatically capturing multiple frames one after the other.

I'd say image quality is just about on par with the DJI Lito X1 / Mini 4 Pro, and it's clearly a cut above the recent Ruko model.

• Image and video quality score: 4.5/5

Potensic Atom 3: Testing scorecard

Should you buy the Potensic Atom 3?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Potensic Atom 3: also consider

How I tested the Potensic Atom 3

• I tested the Atom 3 in a range of conditions — in daylight and at dusk, and in both calm and windy weather
• I shot video at every available resolution and frame rate combination, and still photos in all modes
• I assessed battery life and wind resistance over several flights in various conditions

Potensic sent me the Atom 3 Fly More Combo kit with the RC PTD 2 touchscreen controller. The kit included the drone, battery hub with three batteries, controller, ND filter pack, spare propellors and a USB-C to USB-C charging cable.

I conducted multiple flights in daylight and in low light at dawn / dusk, and in both calm and particularly windy coastal conditions. I tried the various flight settings and modes, and regularly ran the three batteries down, making notes of real flight times and flight stability.

I took the same video sequences in the various color modes; standard, HDR and P-Log, and at 30fps, 60fps and 6x slow motion, and compared the 4K footage. I also tried the various photo modes, including RAW & JPEG capture, panorama and 8K (48MP) modes. I edited photos in Adobe Camera Raw and videos in Premiere Pro.

• First reviewed: September 2026
• Read more about how we test

Insta360 Luna Pro: Two-minute review

I'll be honest: my first reaction to the Insta360 Luna Pro wasn't really about the camera itself — more its price tag. At $599.99/£599.99/AU$859.99, it sits close enough to the flagship Luna Ultra model (at least in the USA and UK) that I've been wondering whether Insta360 has left itself room for a proper budget option in this range. The Pro doesn't offer a significant saving over the Ultra, which I suspect will drive many buyers into opting for the latter simply because it features a second lens for a similar price.

That's not a knock on the Luna Pro itself, though, because it handles its actual job — smooth, hands-free footage you don't have to think about — with real aplomb. Popping the touchscreen module free from the body and using it as a standalone remote is a neat trick, and it's just as handy here as it was on the Ultra. Tracking is another standout feature for me: click the joystick once, or tap a subject on screen, and the Luna Pro locks on and stays locked on, whether I was walking, gesturing or just generally being difficult to follow. But all that is also available on the Luna Ultra.

I did come away with a couple of gripes concerning the Pro (both of which, incidently, one could also level at the Ultra). The little wire tripod tucked into the handle is more fiddly than useful once you're off a flat surface. Battery life also isn't quite what Insta360 claims — you can expect closer to 90 minutes than the quoted 240 (for 1080p) if you're shooting 8K with the screen switched on.

Photos are also an afterthought here — they're soft and low on contrast, and in most cases a smartphone will do a better job. Video is a much stronger story, particularly once you dip below the headline 8K resolution into the more practical 4K modes, and vertical shooters will get unexpected bragging rights over owners of the Ultra thanks to the Pro's sharper 9:16 footage. The fact that the Pro has just the one lens does affect things, of course: push the digital zoom past 2x and the drop-off in detail becomes obvious immediately.

So where does that leave the Luna Pro? As a piece of hardware, it's a likeable and very capable little camera that does almost everything I wanted it to. As a purchase decision, it's a trickier sell than Insta360 probably intended, sitting just a little too close to its more versatile sibling for comfort.

Insta360 Luna Pro: Price and release date

• Launched on September 10, 2026, priced at $599.99 / £599.99 / AU$859.99
• Only one bundle available at launch
• Costs $170 / £50 / AU$370 less than the flagship Luna Ultra

At $599.99 / £599.99 / AU$859.99, the Luna Pro undercuts Insta360's flagship Luna Ultra ($769.99 / £649 / AU$1,229.99) by a relatively modest margin, especially in the UK, where the difference works out to less than £50, or $170 in the US. That's a narrower gap than I was expecting, given the Pro features only one lens while the Ultra has two, and it puts the newer camera in a slightly awkward position; it's not quite the budget-friendly alternative you might expect a single-lens model to be (like the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 is).

Insta360 Luna Pro specs

Insta360 Luna Pro: Design

• Effectively a single-lens version of the Luna Ultra
• Clever detachable touchscreen module, complete with its own built-in mic
• A rubber cap replaces the Ultra's bulky protective case

Strip away the second lens and the Luna Pro is basically the Luna Ultra all over again. The dimensions and weight between the two cameras are barely different (the Pro is about half an inch shorter and 20g lighter than its dual-lens sibling), so if you've read my colleague Tim Coleman's take on the Ultra's design, most of the same applies here too: the Pro, like the Ultra, has a stick-like, gimbal-topped body that sits comfortably in the hand, with the option to extend the included handle for a more secure grip.

Its signature design feature is unchanged, too: the entire touchscreen-and-controls module pops free, working as a standalone remote with a 20m range and its own built-in microphone. It's just as useful here for solo shooting as it is on the Ultra.

One design compromise that did stand out to me during my time with the camera is the thin wire tripod that extends from the handle base — another thing carried over from the Ultra. On a genuinely flat surface, like a tabletop, it holds the Luna Pro upright well enough, but it offers little stability on uneven ground, and it's fiddly to pull out in the first place. Thankfully there's a standard tripod thread on the base too, so a proper mini tripod is only ever a few twists away.

The included protective case is also more basic than the Ultra's: it's just a rubber cap over the lens and gimbal, which trades some protection for a slimmer profile and much easier removal and replacement.

Insta360 Luna Pro: Performance

• Dual-chip setup (4nm flagship chip plus dedicated imaging chip)
• Sticky, reliable subject tracking, and smooth stabilization whether shooting horizon-level or FPV-style
• Video up to 8K 30fps or 4K 120fps in 16:9 mode, 4K 30fps in 9:16

The Insta360 Luna Pro pairs the same 1-inch sensor and 20mm-equivalent f/1.8 lens found on the Ultra's main camera with a leaner dual-chip setup — a 4nm flagship chip and a dedicated imaging chip. The Ultra has three chips.

On paper that sounds like a step down, but in practice I rarely found the Luna Pro underpowered or sluggish. Subject tracking is a particular highlight: a single joystick click will pick out people and animals automatically, or you can tap a subject on the touchscreen and even adjust its position within the frame, which is useful if you don't want it to be dead center. It's sticky and dependable throughout. Stabilization is equally impressive, delivering smooth, level footage on the move, with the option to switch to a more dynamic FPV-style movement if you want it.

Insta360 rates the 1,550mAh battery at 240 minutes, but that figure is sneakily based on 1080p 24fps recording with the screen and Wi-Fi both switched off, which isn't how most people will use this camera. Shooting 8K at 30fps with the screen active, a much more realistic scenario, drained the battery in around 90 minutes during testing. That's still a respectable battery life in my book, so I'm not sure why Insta360 saw fit to base its claims on an underpowered setting.

The camera runs a little warm under sustained use of its more demanding modes like 4K120fps and 8K30fps in particular, but during my testing, it took more than 75 minutes of continuous 8K recording before it shut itself down. What I'd consider normal use never triggered any overheating issues.

The four microphones (three on the main body, one on the detachable module) handle audio reasonably well, and 32-bit recording is on offer for anyone editing seriously. Still, anyone prioritizing audio quality should consider buying an Insta360 Mic Air or Mic Pro, both of which pair directly and add proper wind protection and noise cancellation.

Moving on to image quality, and photos are the camera's weak point: detail and contrast are both underwhelming, and it's not a device worth buying for stills alone. Frankly, in most cases you'd be better off using your smartphone for snaps than pulling out the Pro.

Video is a different story: footage looks clean and sharp in good lighting, across Standard, Dolby Vision and I-Log color profiles, though the 120Mbps maximum bitrate (shared with the Ultra) seems quite modest. 8K is the headline spec, of course, but I think 4K is a much more practical everyday choice thanks to its smaller files, greater range of frame rate options (up to 120fps), and the fact it still offers plenty of detail.

Slow motion goes up to 4x at 4K (120fps) or 8x in 1080p (240fps) and, surprisingly, vertical shooters get a genuine edge over the Ultra here: 4K30fps in 9:16 (built from 6K oversampling) versus the Ultra's ceiling of just 3K. One thing to note about vertical footage though: while the Ultra can hit 60fps in that mode, the Pro tops out at 30fps.

The digital zoom is the clearest trade-off for losing that second lens, and the Pro lacks the reach of its pricier cousin. Up to 2x magnification, Insta360's "lossless zoom" claim holds up in practice, but push it further and the digital crop shows, with softer detail and muddier edges.

Should I buy the Insta360 Luna Pro?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Insta360 Luna Pro: also consider

How I tested the Insta360 Luna Pro

• Insta360 sent me the Luna Pro's basic box bundle ahead of launch
• I shot footage and photos at all available resolutions, and tested the slow motion and PureVideo special shooting modes
• I tested battery life and thermal management by running the camera continuously

I was sent a Luna Pro sample ahead of the launch day, allowing me time to test the Luna Pro over a few days. I shot a mix of horizontal, vertical and slow motion video across its available resolutions and color profiles, and put its subject tracking and stabilization through everyday use. I also took photos in and outdoors, in both JPEG and DNG format. I ran the camera's battery down twice to test its battery life, and tested its thermal performance too, to see how real-world use compares to Insta360's claims.

• First reviewed: September 2026
• Read more about how we test

Looking for the perfect compact everyday shooter for travel or street photography? The brand-new OM System PEN could be a fantastic option for you. Preorders are now open for this affordable new rangefinder-style camera ahead of an October 1st release date, and several retailers have already updated their sites with listings.

Probably the best option for preorder today is over at Adorama, where you can get yourself a free wrist strap alongside both the body-only and kit-lens options. The strap in question is a black Clever Supply Skinny Wrist Strap worth $54, so it's definitely a nice little freebie that should complement your new camera nicely.

[Update 09/11] It looks like B&H Photo is also throwing in the same free strap with preorders now. I believe people who have already preordered through this retailer should receive one too!

If you're in the UK (or USA but would prefer to order a camera elsewhere), I've attached a roundup of other options below. Major retailers like B&H Photo, Wex Video Photo, and Park Cameras are all stocking the camera today, so there should (hopefully) be plenty of stock available for early adopters.

Note that the OM System Pen starts at $999.99 / £849 for the body, with additional kit lens options. The lens kit, meanwhile, with the new M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 III, is just an additional $100 / £100, which could be a better value option if you're new to the system, and looks like a particularly good option for travel photography. Not only is this kit a bargain, but the lens is also weather-sealed (unlike previous iterations).

Where to buy the OM System PEN

What's new with the PEN?

• 2.36-million-dot OLED EVF
• IPX1-rated dust-and-splash resistance
• BLS-7 battery with USB-C charging

Much of the PEN's spec sheet will seem familiar to fans of the brand. As with most releases from OM System, the PEN is essentially re-using a lot of pre-existing tech in a new body at a lower price. However, its combination of a retro compact body, built-in viewfinder, image stabilization, weather resistance and accessible price makes it an attractive entry-level mirrorless camera, particularly for smartphone users.

Unlike the previous Olympus EP-7, the PEN now features a 2.36-million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder as well as IPX1-rated dust-and-splash resistance. Internally, you're still getting the familiar 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds sensor with 5-axis image stabilisation rated to 5.5EV, but the 121-point phase-detection autofocus with subject detection is a key upgrade.

Other upgrades include OM System's latest computational photography features, namely Live ND, new color profiles, and two Cinema picture modes aimed at 4K video. Like the higher-end OM-3, the PEN is designed from the ground up for JPEG customization thanks to a new color/monochrome switch which provides quick access to film-inspired looks.

Finally, it's worth mentioning that the PEN debuts a new BLS-7 battery, rated for an impressive 410 shots per charge, as well as support for USB-C charging - another massive boon for travel photography.

Is the PEN worth preordering?

We haven't fully reviewed the OM System PEN yet, but my initial impression of the camera is positive. It's 'nothing new', so to speak, but the rock-bottom price that the brand is aiming for has the potential to make this one a crowd favorite.

For one, I don't think any other brand is offering a package quite like this for $1,000. With inflation and various tariffs, we've become accustomed to spiralling costs, so it's refreshing to see a brand-new camera with a viewfinder, weather sealing, and a stylish design for this price.

Perhaps the closest competitor to the OM System PEN is the Fujifilm X-M5 - one of our favorite entry-level cameras here at TechRadar. Both cameras share a stunning rangefinder-style design and enticing price point, but the PEN looks like the better choice for photographers, in my opinion. The X-M5 has far superior video specs, but it lacks image stabilization, a viewfinder, and weather sealing.

With such features, the PEN looks like a very, very compelling budget option compared to the likes of the Fujifilm X-E5. That's another one of our favorite rangefinder-style bodies, but it comes in at an eye-watering $1,799 / £1,399 for the body-only. In comparison, the PEN is a more entry-level body, but it's definitely a good option if you're happy with 20MP.

• First new 'PEN' digital rangefinder with the OM System name unveiled
• It costs from $999.99 / £849 / AU$1,499
• New 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Mark III kit lens launched alongside the camera

Olympus fans, the day has finally come — OM System has relaunched the Olympus PEN series, and put its name on it, with the new OM System PEN.

The new PEN carries the torch of the iconic Olympus PEN-F, with a classic and compact retro form factor and a low-cost plastic body to keep costs down (rather than aluminum). I must say it looks every part the travel and everyday mirrorless camera, with an equally and surprisingly attractive entry-level price point more in line with the PEN E-P7's.

Whereas the (slightly pricier) five star-rated EM-5 Mark II has a viewfinder bump (which also looks great in my opinion), the OM System PEN is a rangefinder-style mirrorless camera, with the same 2.36m-dot OLED viewfinder that sits flush in the body instead.

And the specs are just as attractive as the IPX1-rated dust- and splash-proof body: the same 20.4MP micro four thirds sensor with 5-axis image stabilization rated up to 5.5EV, 121-point phase detection autofocus with subject detection AF for people and animals, plus a host of computational photography modes that are an absolute blast to play with — my OM-3 review paints a picture of how fun modes such as Live ND can be.

OM System has also added various color profiles, including two 'Cinema' picture modes designed for 4K video recording, and once again included a color/monochrome switch on the camera's front which packs numerous film-inspired looks.

The camera uses OM System's BLS-7 battery, which delivers a generous 410 shots on a full charge, while USB-C charging further enhances its travel-friendly credentials.

When you consider the retro IPX1-rated body, built-in viewfinder, and stabilized sensor, the PEN feels like exceptionally good value, even if it features a dated micro four thirds sensor which is smaller than APS-C and full-frame, and adds very little that is actually new.

For me, however, the format has always delivered a compelling mix of quality, power and features, and is an easy recommendation for people stepping up from a smartphone, who will find the computational modes addictively fun and familiar.

It was the PEN series that we have been waiting for OM System to refresh since it acquired the Olympus name, and now that day has come the new compact mirrorless model does not disappoint.

Pricing-wise, the new PEN becomes OM System's entry-level model — $999.99 / £849 / AU$1,499 bags you the camera body, in silver or black, or for an extra $100 / £100 / AU$300 the kit with the new mark III version of the 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, which was launched alongside the camera, with both due to go on sale from October 1.

I can't wait to get my hands-on the camera — if it's anything like the previous OM System cameras I've reviewed, it'll be a lot of fun to test. For me, the OM System PEN looks like a serious best beginner mirrorless camera of the year contender.

• US senators call on Army to answer questions over disbanding of futuristic drone battalion
• Letter to General LaNeve raises concerns over US commitment to NATO allies and Ukraine
• Drones are changing the face of the battlefield, and the US could miss out on important lessons and innovations

A group of bipartisan US senators is questioning why the US Army has decided to shut down a cutting edge drone battalion that was set up to understand the shifting battlefield dynamics in Ukraine.

The 3rd battalion of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment was founded in November 2025 by former chief of staff for the US Army Gen. Randy George. But less than a year later, acting chief of staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve announced plans to disband the battalion as part of a ‘back to basics’ approach.

But there are concerns the decision could harm the US military's warfighting capacity, and its ability to learn from a rapidly evolving battlefield technology.

Senators question decision to disband drone battalion

The letter, signed by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Sen. Thom Tillis, Sen. Angus S. King, Jr., and Rep. Michael R. Turner, requests that Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll and General LaNeve provide the data and analysis behind the decision to disband the drone battalion, and also questions “if this decision was based on Department of Defense leadership guidance or was an Army-internal decision.”

“We have deep concerns that eliminating this specialized drone unit will limit our ability to learn from allies, particularly the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and hinder our efforts to modernize drone warfare at the speed necessary to compete on the modern battlefield. This specialized unit was a prudent response in a moment when the character of warfare is changing faster than a conventional formation’s ability to adapt,” the letter states.

The letter also points out that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and US coordination with the Armed Forces of Ukraine provided the basis for the new battalion, providing a “prudent response in a moment when the character of warfare is changing faster than a conventional formation’s ability to adapt.”

Additionally, disbanding the unit “hurts our ability to acquire the critical knowledge and skills that can be gained from working with and learning from Ukrainian soldiers.”

“We respectfully request the Army brief us on how it intends to continue learning lessons on drone warfare from Ukraine in the absence of the Unmanned Assault Battalion. We request this briefing to occur no later than September 21st, 2026,” the letter concludes.

Why are drones changing the battlefield?

The conditions on the frontlines of Ukraine, often compared to the trench warfare of the Great War, have spawned a boom of specializations in drone technology.

From reconnaissance and electronic warfare to logistics and CASEVAC, drones are now essential to Ukraine’s war effort.

Numerous innovations in drone technology are keeping Ukraine in the fight. Autonomous drones capable of hunting and destroying Russian Shahed drones have been used to great effect, and supply lines across open ground are being bolstered by ground robots capable of lugging 210 kilograms cross-country.

But not all drone innovations are in Ukraine’s favor. Ukraine’s military intelligence recently warned that Russia is developing new drones designed to cut electricity cables to cause power cuts through the winter months.

So there is a valid level of concern over the disbanding of the US drone battalion. If the US army has no way to deploy or test systems within a dedicated drone unit, it may miss out on vital lessons that could shape future conflicts.

• Sony unveils the FE 8-14mm F3.5 G lens
• It's the company's first fisheye lens, covering a 180-degree field of view
• It costs $1,600 / £1,500 / AU$2,299

Sony has unveiled its first-ever fisheye lens, the FE 8-14mm F3.5 G, which becomes the widest-angle lens in the company's burgeoning lens range — and I've had my hands on it ahead of the announcement.

I'll admit, it caught me off guard to realize that Sony didn't have a fisheye lens for its mirrorless cameras until now — after all, there are a huge number of Sony lenses already available — but the 8-14mm will no doubt appeal to fans of the distorted, ultra-wide perspective.

Popular for astrophotography, urban landscapes, sports such as skateboarding, and hiphop music videos, fisheye lenses are the widest-angle lenses available, and now there's finally one available with the Sony name on it.

The compact optic is designed for full-frame cameras, and has a maximum f/3.5 aperture across its 8-14mm zoom range. It certainly feels the part; it's dust and moisture resistant, includes a zoom lock, clicked / de-clicked aperture ring, focus switch, and a rear filter holder (which is handy, as the lens doesn't accepted threaded filters because of the bulbous front lens element).

Zoom and focusing are internal, which usefully means that the lens barrel doesn't extend when zooming, while close focusing is just 0.15m, with a 0.22x maximum magnification — you'll often want to make the most of the minimum focus distance to emphasize subjects in the frame.

At its widest 8mm focal length the lens covers a full 180-degree field of view, meaning that much of the built-in lens hood is in the frame — these files need processing to remove the pronounced vignetting. Zoom in to 14mm, however, and the hood is out of the shot completely.

I've never really got on with fisheye lenses — the ultra-wide and distorted perspective isn't one I particularly like or feel that I can utilize — whereas I prefer ultra-wide rectilinear lenses (which correct that distortion for straight lines).

However, I'm challenging myself and giving Sony's first fisheye lens a proper go. It's early days in my testing of the the FE 8-14mm F3.5 G lens, and I look forward to sharing my review soon.

The lens is part of Sony's 'G' range of enthusiast-level lenses, and is priced at $1,600 / £1,500 / AU$2,299.

The annual Labor Day sales are traditionally more associated with grills than with price cuts on the latest cameras, but between you and me, it's often a great time to consider upgrading. Specialist retailers like Adorama and B&H Photo usually have great discounts around federal holidays, and this week is no exception, with several of our favorite models on sale.

• Check out today's sales at Adorama and B&H Photo

I've been scanning through the retail events today, and I've found some great deals on models like the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, the Nikon Z5 II, and the Sony A7R V — all of which are highly rated here at TechRadar. In some cases, we're even seeing record-low prices (or at least the best prices since most of the big brands hiked their prices).

Just below, you can see a list of 16 deals that I've picked out as particularly good value buys. I've started with Canon models, but you'll also find Nikon and Sony, as well as some great prices on OM System's latest models.

Where applicable, I've made sure to point out the various record-low prices — or some context around the various price hikes that have hit cameras recently.

Today's best Labor Day camera deals

Kodak PixPro AZ653: two-Minute Review

If you thought bridge cameras (aka superzoom cameras) were a thing of the past, you’re probably not alone. This area of the photography market hasn’t received too much attention over the past few years, especially now that the lower end of the mirrorless camera arena has some solid options, providing decent specs at a reasonable price.

However, the main selling point of bridges camera has always been the expansive zoom range, something the Kodak PixPro AZ653 has in absolute abundance. The 24-1560mm equivalent zoom lens will cover just about every subject you could possibly hope to encounter, from everyday street scenes to distant wildlife. My favorite lens is my 70-200mm f/2.8 'trinity' zoom, but after having such a long zoom range at my fingertips, it has been tough to go back to a mere 2.8x zoom, even if that lens' wider aperture and quality are streets above for quality.

If you’re after a lightweight camera to take with you on your travels, and you don’t know exactly what photographic opportunities you’re likely to come across, the AZ653 is a petite option that will cover every base.

Autofocus is smooth, if not the fastest you can find on a camera at this price point. It certainly won’t be able to keep up with the fastest animal subjects, so if you’re looking for a wildlife camera, you might be better off with an interchangeable lens model that uses high-end phase detection AF. For slower animals at a distance, however, the massive focal range positions the AZ653 as a good, budget-friendly safari camera.

Image quality, meanwhile, is impressive for a bridge camera, especially one with such a small sensor. The limited area of the chip does place limitations on what the camera can achieve, because of the tiny photo sites, but in good light at least, images are sharp and detailed, even if they do suffer from extreme color noise.

Handling, meanwhile, is decidedly DSLR-like, which is a good thing if you’re used to a larger camera body. It’s comfortable to hold and to operate single-handed, while all of the controls are logically placed. Having a manual control ring on the lens is a huge bonus too, giving the AZ653 a premium edge and a professional look to boot.

It might not be an image quality match for a pro-level mirrorless camera, nor is it going to outgun even the entry-level interchangeable lens offerings from Canon or Nikon, but the Kodak AZ653 is a powerful bridge camera that goes easy on the shoulder and on the bank balance.

Kodak PixPro AZ653: Price and release date

• $449 / £349 / AU$ 750.99
• Available worldwide now
• Limited availability/ backorder lists current in the UK

The AZ653 is designed largely for entry-level users who aren’t ready to invest in an interchangeable lens system, or photographers looking to minimize their kit. The camera is available globally, priced affordably at $449 / £349 / AU$ 750.99.

This makes it significantly cheaper than buying a mirrorless camera with a comparable specification and adding a super telephoto lens. For example, a Canon EOS R100 and RF800mm F11 STM telephoto prime lens would set you back a combined price of approximately $1228 / £1359 / AU$ 2000.

It also costs around 7x less than the Sony RX10 V — a premium bridge camera launched this year, which is superior in most regards except for its lesser zoom range.

• Price score: 4/5

Kodak AZ653: Specs

Kodak PixPro AZ653: design

• Small and lightweight body made possible by the small sensor format
• Reasonable build quality, though mostly plastic
• Fixed 3-inch LCD makes composing shots difficult

Bridge cameras are, by definition, designed to bring together the size and weight benefits of a compact camera with the superior handling characteristics of a DSLR or mirrorless model. By bridging this gap, cameras like the AZ653 are able to offer a generally unrivalled balance of portability and versatility. At least, that’s the objective.

Of course, this was far more of an obvious benefit before the advent of the mirrorless revolution. The difference in size and weight between a Bridge camera and a DSLR such as the Nikon D850 was far more pronounced than between the AZ653 and an entry-level mirrorless model like the Canon EOS R100 or Nikon Z30. Even higher-end cameras like the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, Nikon Z50 II, Sony a7C II, or Fujifilm X-T5 with a standard zoom lens have a comparable footprint.

That last part is important, though. The lens on the AZ653 is anything but standard. As soon as you take the vast zoom range into account, the projected weight differences diverge dramatically. I say projected since the exact dimensions of a mirrorless equivalent to the 65x zoom can only be estimated – no such lens exists.

The EFL (Effective Focal Length) 24-1560mm F2.9-6.7 optic is only possible because of the smaller 1/2.3in sensor at the heart of the camera, and if you were to try and build a similar lens with an image circle big enough to cover an APS-C or full-frame sensor, it would be more like a telescope than a photography optic.

The Kodak AZ653 is well-proportioned and very comfortable to hold. The deep handgrip is reassuring and allowed a firm grip even with my large-ish hands. Despite the body’s small size, there is ample room for around three fingers on the lower part of the grip at one time, while the forefinger sits precisely over the shutter button.

The zoom control surrounds the shutter release and operates with minimal travel, allowing rapid activation of the power zoom. A nice touch is the ability to zoom using the control ring on the lens instead, which is a far more intuitive action for photographers who have committed two-handed camera work to muscle memory. The downside is an artificially long zoom travel; it takes multiple twists of the ring to zoom from the widest focal length to the longest.

The feel of the zoom indicates it's an electronic fly-by-wire system, where the ring isn’t physically connected to anything mechanical, but merely acts as a switch that drives a motor to move the lens elements.

With an optical system this long, the operation is slow and at times, a little stuttery – the zoom stops halfway through its journey and there’s an obvious pause while the onboard computer recalculates where it should be placing the elements. This proved frustrating during my testing, and resulted in multiple missed shots.

Manual focus was a little more successful when using the ring, and I could make relatively precise adjustments. You can access this by moving the position of a switch on the lens barrel, which is another nod to the DSLR influence and adds to the professional experience. The magnified preview image is low-resolution, however, and isn’t especially useful.

The camera features a PASM mode (exposure) dial on the top plate, next to the power button. This provides access to the usual array of control modes, including full Manual and Auto, along with several creative shooting positions, including Scene modes, a Wireless mode for remote operation and file sharing, Movie Mode, Face Beautifier mode for in-camera retouching, and a Custom setting position.

The dial itself is too easily moved in my opinion. In several cases, I’d switched mode without realising, either because I’d nudged the dial with my finger or while getting the camera in and out of my bag, which again meant some missed shots.

The build quality is actually quite good. It is largely made from plastic, but this feels reinforced and not significantly inferior to many recent mid-range mirrorless cameras. I wouldn’t necessarily trust its resistance to rain and dust as such, but the outer shell doesn’t give the impression of cheapness, while the rubberised grip and viewfinder surround lend a more premium edge.

• Design score: 3.5/5

Kodak PixPro AZ653: performance

• The power zoom system is slow, especially when using the lens control ring
• The camera is not as quick to boot up and shut down as comparably priced mirrorless models
• Focus speed itself is quite snappy

With such a long zoom range, there’s always a risk of sluggish autofocus performance. This is often purely because of the additional glass elements needed to provide such a great magnification, making it a more demanding task for the autofocus motors. That being said, the actual dimensions of the optical system are much smaller than the effective image results – the lens is a physical 4.3mm to 279.5mm unit.

As such, the elements are quickly moved into position once the camera has found the correct focus distance, with minimal delay. It’s not quite as smooth as the stepper motors or ultrasonic drives found in many top-level mirrorless optics, nor is it as quiet, but it puts in a respectable performance for the price.

The limiting factor is going to be the autofocus system in the camera itself. Unlike the majority of mirrorless cameras, which use phase-detection AF, the AZ653 shares the slower contrast detection system found in many compact cameras, smartphones and older interchangeable lens bodies.

Without dwelling for too long on the technical specifics, phase-detection autofocus uses specialized sensors to measure the focus position of the lens by looking at how front- or back-focused the light projected through it is. Meanwhile, the AZ653’s contrast-detection AF merely looks for edges of objects in the frame to estimate how far it has to move the lens to get the maximum contrast.

As such, contrast detection has a tendency to hunt, moving the lens elements back and forth to test the correct placement. As expected, this slows down reaction times and isn’t suitable for rapid sports and animal subjects.

The EVF is small but fairly detailed. All of the relevant camera settings are displayed, and it is sharp enough to judge focus with ease. The LCD, on the other hand, is underwhelming. It makes use of only 460K dots, which isn’t enough to accurately assess the quality of captured images.

All files look smudged, not helped by the matte texture of the screen itself. The non-glossy surface makes it easier to preview images in bright light, but critical sharpness is almost impossible to check with any sense of confidence.

• Performance score: 3.5/5

Kodak PixPro AZ653: Image quality

• Surprising quality in good lighting
• Mushy JPEGs even at low ISO settings
• Limited to Full HD (1080p) video - no 4K or greater

Image quality is quite surprising. In good light, RAW format files from the AZ653 are rich in detail, and the lens is able to deliver crisp results. Having the RAW capability is a huge bonus and can honestly be considered a staple feature of an enthusiast camera now that many smartphones come equipped with their own RAW mode.

Kodak has been smart not to overstretch the sensor with resolution. The 20 million pixels are more than enough for everyday uses, and by keeping pixel count lower than most APS-C and Micro 4/3 cameras, the AZ653 is able to maintain a workable level of noise control and a reasonable dynamic range.

Sure, highlights clip more easily than when shooting the same scene on both the AZ653 and an APS-C model like the 26MP Fujifilm X100VI, but the performance is better than many larger-sensor cameras of last decade.

In-camera JPEG shooting is a different matter, and the quality is far less impressive. Default noise reduction is too aggressive and fine detail is rapidly obliterated, creating a smudged look common to compact cameras. Color noise reduction itself isn’t especially effective either, leaving behind too many colored blotches.

When shooting RAW, I was able to increase the ISO to about 800 before grain became a major problem which is, once again, impressive. My advice would be to increase the sensitivity of the AZ653 rather than to brighten underexposed RAW files — unlike many of the more ISO-invariant cameras we see today — this should produce a better balance of image texture and noise pattern.

Regarding lens quality, sharpness does drop off towards the long end of the zoom range. The slightly blurred results reminded me of shots taken with a budget Tamron 70-300mm DSLR lens I used to own back in the day – fine detail just isn’t present, almost as if your shots were taken through a greasy window. Files are usable on Instagram, but won’t be suitable for prints.

• Image quality score: 3/5

Testing Scorecard

Should I buy the Kodak PixPro AZ653?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider

How I tested the Kodak PixPro AZ653

• I spent around two and a half weeks with the AZ653
• Images were taken in both good light and low-light conditions, shooting in JPEG mode and RAW
• Most images were shot handheld to test the usability at longer focal lengths

I spent several weeks shooting with the PixPro AZ653, taking in multiple different lighting conditions. I shot in both JPEG and RAW formats to see how differently the built-in processing algorithms might process the images to my own RAW workflow.

Since one of the reasons to buy a bridge camera is for weight saving, I decided to shoot mainly handheld, as this would be how many users would experience the camera. I wanted to thoroughly check the ease with which someone might capture sharp images at the longer focal lengths.

I mainly used Aperture Priority (A) and Manual (M) modes for both creative freedom and to test the auto exposure systems.

To explore the noise performance, I shot with the camera at each ISO setting, from 100 through to 3200, using a tripod to ensure any drop in sharpness was not due to camera shake at the lower sensitivities. I also worked through the focal range, capturing the same scenes from the widest to the longest zoom settings.

First reviewed: September 2026

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 shortlisted entries were announced last week, and one contender in particular caught the eye — a photo of a swift in flight as an aeroplane looms overhead, shot by 16-year-old photographer Jack Crockford, from the UK.

'Great shot!' chimed a few people in the 500 or so comments on TechRadar's Facebook post, which also received almost 25k reactions. The majority of the comments, however, focused on the camera gear element of the headline (not the photo itself or the age of the photographer), which pinpointed that the photo was captured with a 10-year-old Nikon DSLR.

In case you were wondering, the camera in question is the enthusiast-level Nikon D500 (APS-C), and Crockford paired it with the Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR telephoto zoom lens to get the shot.

Cue the age old photography debate I've read time and again in my 15+ years writing about camera gear — is it the gear, or the photographer, that gets a great photo?

The correct answer, of course, is that there's no simple, single answer — it depends on the context and subject being photographed — and that the end result is the work of both tool and creator. For Crockford, however, gear certainly empowered him to get his WPOTY award contender.

Sometimes, gear really does matter

I'm all for celebrating the photographer, and rightly so. The craft and dedication (and, sometimes, a dash of fortune) required to create an image that stands out is undeniable, and deserves appreciation.

I see it in myself — I have a better eye for a photo now than I did at the start of my career, and I'm still improving (emphasis on having an eye for it to begin with).

But to those that simply said in the comments section; "it’s not about the camera", or "photography was never about the equipment", and “it’s the singer, not the song", I say you'll need more than luck to get a photo like the image in question — a distant bird in flight.

Skill alone doesn't reach 600mm, a lens does. Nor is your iPhone bagging you that shot. You need telephoto reach, and decent autofocus helps.

Technically speaking, enthusiast-level and pro-level mirrorless cameras are the most advanced cameras today for wildlife photography, thanks to dedicated subject tracking modes (which, in many models, includes bird detection autofocus), and faster-than-ever burst shooting. You are more likely to get a technically sound image with modern camera gear.

Many of the comments defended DSLRs, but the point of the article was never to attack the format, which in the current market has essentially been replaced by mirrorless, but to highlight how popular (and capable) these systems are still.

DSLRs are still seemingly the camera of choice for wildlife photographers — if the shortlisted entries for WPOTY 2026 are anything to go by. I still rock my Nikon D800 which precedes Crockford's camera, and its age doesn't stop if from taking good photos.

You don't need the latest gear to get the (wildlife) shot, but it does help. But for the incredible shortlisted entries in WPOTY 2026, it took skill and gear to get the shot. There is a gear bottom line required to stand a chance.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 winners will be unveiled in October, and you can see the winning images in the flesh when the exhibition begins in October at London's Natural History Museum, UK — you can grab tickets here.

Contrary to what you might think, the best-selling cameras of the past couple of years haven't been made by Canon, or Nikon, or Sony, or Fujifilm. They haven't been professional mirrorless models costing thousands of dollars. They have, in fact, been a pair of ultra-cheap point-and-shoot compacts from the oldest name in photography – Kodak.

Yes, the Kodak PixPro FZ55 and PixPro FZ45 have been selling like absolutely gangbusters throughout 2025 and 2026. Simple, streamlined and in my opinion quite cutely designed, these little point-and-shoots give you genuine optical zoom lenses – 4x in the case of the FZ45, and 5x for the FZ55 (pictured above) – and 16MP stills for ridiculously low prices. And this Labor Day weekend, one of those prices is more ridiculous than ever, as you can grab the Kodak PixPro FZ45 at Amazon for $89.99 — that's 31% off the original asking price of $129.99.

There's a number of reasons why these little compacts have proven so popular — and it's not just that they're so cheap. Kodak is one of the most recognizable names in photography, with its roots dating back to the early years of the medium. So, while cheap compacts have been a thing forever, the trust in the Kodak name has definitely been a factor for casual buyers, as our Cameras Editor Tim Coleman has discussed in his piece looking more closely at the PixPro success story.

Today's best Kodak PixPro FZ45 deal

Younger generations have also been embracing the look of lo-fi digital compacts, enjoying them both for their Y2K nostalgia factor and the fact that they offer a tangibly different imaging experience to using a smartphone. The cute, attractive design of the PixPro FZ45 certainly doesn't hurt either — it's available in a range of colorways, from austere black to hot pink.

As far as I'm concerned, anything that gets more people into photography is a good thing — and a price cut on the already very cheap Kodak PixPro FZ45 is very welcome indeed in this regard.

Granted, the PixPro FZ45 is not going to produce brilliant imagery — your average smartphone will produce better-looking images thanks to smart processing. But for digital compact enthusiasts, brilliant imagery isn't the point — people are embracing the look produced by these cameras, warts and all. So, if you've been itching to jump in and embrace the cheap compact camera craze, this Labor Day weekend is the ideal time to start.

Not in the US? You can find the best Kodak PixPro camera deals via the links below.

Shop more of today's best Labor Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Appliances: up to $1,200 at Samsung
• Best Buy: 60% off appliances, TVs, laptops & more
• Casper: up to 30% off mattresses
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• DreamCloud: up to 60% off mattresses, 66% off bundles
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lowe's: $1,000 off appliances, patio & tools
• Nectar: up to 50% off mattresses, deals from $349
• Saatva: up to $625 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off 4K, QLED & OLED TVs
• Target: 45% off clothing, tech & furniture
• Walmart: 58% off back-to-school, furniture, & clothing

Two of the biggest names in 360 cameras have just launched new flagships within weeks of each other, and it's clear that DJI's Osmo 360 II and Insta360's X6 are both aiming squarely at the same buyer.

I've reviewed both cameras individually, and on paper it looks like a tight contest. The Osmo 360 II arrives just a year after the original Osmo 360, fixing its biggest weaknesses while pushing image quality forward with the first native 8K/60fps 360 video on the market. Insta360 is no newcomer to this though: the X6 lands ten years after Insta360's first 360 model, and my review of a few weeks ago called it the best 360 camera on the market, with excellent image quality day and night.

If anything can knock the X6 off its perch, it's the Osmo 360 II. I've put both cameras through matched side-by-side testing — with the same settings and conditions — to find out which 5-star model is best in which area. Here's what I found.

1. DJI Osmo 360 II vs Insta360 X6: Price and value

• Osmo 360 II: Standard Combo £509 / AU$921; Adventure Combo £639 / AU$1,096 (not launching in the US)
• Insta360 X6: Standard bundle $699.99 / £619.99 / AU$1,049.99; Essentials Bundle $799.99 / £709 / AU$1,159.99
• The Osmo 360 II undercuts the X6's entry price by over £100

The Osmo 360 II's Standard Combo costs £509 / AU$921, and includes the camera, one battery, a silicone lens cover, a neoprene case and a USB-C cable. The pricier Adventure Combo adds two extra batteries (three in total), a triple-battery charging case and a 1.2m selfie stick for £639 / AU$1,096. It isn't launching in the US for now, with DJI's regulatory authorization still pending.

The Insta360 X6 starts at $699.99 / £619.99 / AU$1,049.99 for its Standard bundle, which gets you the camera, battery, USB-C cable, protective pouch and lens cloth. Step up to the $799.99 / £709 / AU$1,159.99 Essentials Bundle and you add a second battery, a 114cm invisible selfie stick, a lens cap, a fast-charge case and an extended warranty.

Compare the two Adventure/Essentials bundles directly and the value gap narrows a little, since both throw in similar extras. But even then, the Osmo 360 II remains cheaper at every tier – if, of course, you live in a country where you can actually buy it.

• Price and value winner: DJI Osmo 360 II (unless you're a US resident)

2. DJI Osmo 360 II vs Insta360 X6: Video quality

• Both cameras claim 14.5 stops of dynamic range
• In daylight the Osmo 360 II shoots 8K at up to 60fps versus the X6's 50fps
• X6 comes with PureVideo for 8K/30fps low light shooting, while the Osmo 360 II offers SuperNight 2.0 with 8K/60fps shooting

I shot matched daytime and nighttime footage on both cameras using a dual-camera mount rigged up to my car, exporting everything at matched settings (10-bit, 100Mbps for daytime and 160Mbps for the nighttime comparison) to keep things as fair as possible.

In daylight, using each camera's default Standard color profile and preset Dewarp reframing, the X6's footage is the cleaner, sharper and less distorted of the two. But the Osmo 360 II holds onto noticeably more detail in bright skies, where the X6's footage blows out around the sun.

Applying DJI Studio's noise reduction on export closes some of the gap for the Osmo 360 II, even in daylight, though pushing the bitrate up to 160Mbps made no further difference. Even with noise reduction applied, I'd still call the X6's daytime footage the more visually appealing of the two overall.

After dark, it's a closer contest. The X6 still has a bit more punch to its low-light footage, though it casts a slightly greener, yellower tint by default that's easy enough to correct in post. Insta360's PureVideo mode caps out at 30fps, while the Osmo 360 II's SuperNight 2.0 goes up to 60fps — worth factoring in if you're shooting motion after dark, sports especially. Both cameras are reliable low-light performers, but I'd give the X6 the edge here too, just.

• Video quality winner: Insta360 X6

3. DJI Osmo 360 II vs Insta360 X6: Waterproofing and durability

• X6 waterproof to 20m case-free, versus the Osmo 360 II's 10m
• Both cameras are IP68 rated against water and dust ingress
• Both now offer user-replaceable lenses

The X6 wins on raw waterproofing, being rated to a depth of 20m case-free, versus the Osmo 360 II's 10m. DJI has a dive case of its own on the way, extending the Osmo 360 II to 50m once it launches alongside the camera in a couple of weeks, while Insta360's own case takes the X6 to 60m. That at least means neither camera is left behind for serious underwater use, if you're willing to buy the accessory.

Durability tells a similar story of both manufacturers addressing old weaknesses. The Osmo 360 II's lenses now use a tougher optical coating and are user-replaceable via a cheap kit — a direct fix for one of the original Osmo 360's main flaws. The X6's lenses are also user-replaceable, continuing the system Insta360 introduced with the X5.

• Waterproofing and durability winner: Insta360 X6

4. DJI Osmo 360 II vs Insta360 X6: Battery, storage and thermal management

• X6 has a bigger battery (2,600mAh vs 2,150mAh)
• Both cameras can overheat when recording at their most demanding settings
• The Osmo 360 II has more than double the built-in storage of the X6

The X6 has the bigger battery, and it makes a difference: DJI rates the Osmo 360 II for up to 100 minutes of 8K/30fps recording, while Insta360 claims 140 minutes for the X6 at the same settings, and having tested both I can say those figures are largely accurate.

I ran both cameras through an overheating test side by side in the same room, at a mild 22°C, each set to its own maximum 8K frame rate (60fps for the Osmo 360 II, 50fps for the X6), 10-bit Standard color with Adaptive Tone active. The Osmo 360 II shut itself down to cool off after around 34 minutes; the X6 lasted about 40. Not a dramatic gap, but a gap nonetheless.

Storage flips the script, though. Both cameras have a microSD slot, but the Osmo 360 II offers 105GB of additional built-in space while the X6 has 47GB — which is only sufficient for 30 minutes of 8K/50fps footage.

• Battery, storage and overheating winner: Insta360 X6 (but the Osmo 360 II's storage win is a consolation prize)

5. DJI Osmo 360 II vs Insta360 X6: Apps and ecosystem

• Both cameras have mobile and desktop companion apps
• Insta360 Studio supports ProRes export; DJI Studio doesn't, yet
• Both ecosystems now support 24-bit audio with their respective mic systems

Neither camera has a clear edge here. The DJI Studio desktop offers excellent subject tracking and a really impressive 64x slow motion mode, and I'd rate it the better desktop experience of the two, but the DJI Mimo mobile app's AI-assisted auto-editing tools left me unimpressed. On mobile, Insta360's app has historically had the edge, though I've found it to be unstable and crash-prone on my ageing iPhone, so you'll need a newer model to get the best out of it.

There is one interesting software difference on the desktop side: Insta360 Studio supports ProRes export, which DJI's desktop app doesn't yet offer — a real consideration if you're using a 360 camera for professional work, or want to in the future.

Both companies also now offer wireless microphones (DJI's Mic series and Insta360's own equivalents) that connect directly for 24-bit audio, so neither has a key advantage there either, although DJI's Mic range is significantly larger.

• Design and display winner: Tie

DJI Osmo 360 II vs Insta360 X6: Early verdict

Four rounds go to the X6, one goes to the Osmo 360 II, and one is a tie — but I think the margins tell a more complex tale than the overall score here. The X6 wins on image quality, waterproofing and battery life, but never by a giant margin, and the Osmo 360 II wins back some ground on price, storage and dynamic range in bright conditions.

Whether that adds up to the Osmo 360 II being the better buy overall depends heavily on what you value most. If outright image quality matters above all else, the X6 remains the camera to beat. If you want DJI's frame-rate advantage, extra built-in storage, and to spend significantly less getting them, the Osmo 360 II makes a serious case for itself.

I want to spend more time with both cameras across a wider range of real-world conditions before calling an outright winner — so consider this early verdict just that: early. But, for now, I'd say the Insta360 X6 is still the king of 360 cameras.

• GoPro CEO Nick Woodman has released a statement following concern around the company's "merger" with Starman
• He provides assurances that the company is committed to making consumer cameras
• But there are no concrete commitments – and a disclaimer list that's longer than the statement itself

GoPro has been in the spotlight over the past couple of days following the announcement of its "merger" with Starman Optical Inc, a private optical photonics company that few of us had heard of before two days ago.

The announcement caused a heap of speculation among GoPro enthusiasts, much of it negative. Consumer cameras were barely mentioned, with GoPro's output being described as "industry-leading imaging solutions featuring innovative, advanced optics, market-defining technology and an associated IP portfolio."

A quote from GoPro CEO Nick Woodman described GoPro's ambitions following the merger to be to grow across "commercial and defense markets as a leading American imaging and optical solutions company, addressing important areas of national security related to cameras, optics and AI infrastructure".

For a lot of people — myself included — alarm bells started ringing. It sounded a lot like GoPro would be pivoting away from consumer cameras. This backlash has clearly reached Woodman, as he has released a follow-up statement. In a letter addressed directly to the "GoPro community, fans and customers", he provides assurances that the company is still wholeheartedly committed to making cameras, and that there are no plans for this to change.

"Making amazing cameras for all of you is our core DNA and reason for being and that will never change!" Woodman says.

He describes how GoPro's improved financial situation following Starman's wiping of its debts will allow the company to "innovate, invent and advance the future of consumer and professional content creation". He acknowledges that GoPro is going to become a more "diversified" company, but that this should improve its financial situation and allow it to keep on making and releasing cameras.

And he finishes with one more assurance that GoPro is going to keep on making "the world’s highest-performance cameras and building the products, services and innovations that help you capture life’s most exciting moments. "It’s what we were founded to do and it’s what we will always do", says Woodman.

An uncertain future

Reading Woodman's full letter, there are a couple of things that immediately jump out. One is that he stops short of making any concrete commitments — nary a hint of "we plan to release [X] number of cameras by [X] date" or anything similar. Another is that the list of disclaimers at the bottom is twice as long as Woodman's actual statement. In the disclaimers, we are unambiguously reminded that "forward-looking statements" are subject to "risks, uncertainties, and assumptions", and that material outcomes in reality may differ.

As evidence to support GoPro's commitment to image-making, Woodman points out that the company has accrued more than 2500 patents over the last 24 years. Which is very commendable, but the discerning reader will likely point out that these patents were all made before GoPro was bought up by a defense-focused AI optics company. As such, they don't do much to address the substance of people's concerns.

So, while it is nice to see Woodman saying something directly to GoPro customers following the alarmingly vague statement that was made to announce the merger, I wouldn't fully relax just yet. Ultimately, the real test of GoPro's commitment to cameras is going to come over the next few years as we see what the company releases.

I’ll lay my cards on the table and admit that I wasn’t very familiar with Hohem before I arrived at IFA Berlin 2026. But interestingly, the Chinese tech company has revealed one of the most innovative products at the conference so far, in my view, with the Eyepic 2-in-1 Pocket Gimbal Camera.

This product, Hohem told me, is a real “first” — not only because it’s the company’s first actual camera, but because it’s what Hohem describes as “the world’s first 2-in-1 pocket gimbal camera”.

What sets this model apart from other compact video cameras? I got the chance to watch a demo and speak with Hohem about the Eyepic 2-in-1, and learn about its tech specs, features, and design quirks. Here’s everything you need to know.

It’s all about versatility

Hohem told me that the Eyepic is targeted at a more casual, everyday user or vlogger, rather than those looking to take professional-grade video. Even so, its capabilities are commendable.

It offers native 4K vertical video capture at up to 60fps, which is ideal for users who want to film a TikTok or Instagram Reel, for instance. But a Hohem representative showed me that by merely rotating the on-board 2.51-inch touchscreen, the camera will reorient, enabling you to seamlessly switch to capturing landscape video instead.

But it gets even better.

As I watched, the Hohem demonstrator swiftly removed the camera unit from the device, revealing that the Eyepic is capable of fully hands-free shooting. He attached the unit to a lanyard on his neck to film a video, and I can see this being incredibly useful for creators who are on the move. The camera unit is magnetic, so it could really be attached to all sorts of accessories, be that a tripod, a fridge…you name it.

What’s more, the camera is highly waterproof, and Hohem told me it can even withstand being around 10m (32.8ft) underwater if, say, you want to take a video while swimming or diving. I was also interested to find that when the camera is detached, the gimbal retracts and locks, and a user can view a 1080p live preview of the action on the Eyepic’s touchscreen.

From what I saw in the demo, it appeared that the Eyepic was more than able to capture smooth, high-res video in a flexible, versatile manner, and this could really help it stand out from top-tier rivals like DJI and Insta360. It can also capture video in slow motion, although Hohem said that this will likely be at a lower resolution, potentially around 1080p.

While Hohem wouldn’t reveal the Eyepic’s price just yet (trust me, I tried), I was told that the model is expected to launch around the time that CES 2027 kicks off, which is early 2027.

IFA, Berlin's huge annual tech expo, is where some of the biggest tech firms unveil their latest innovations — and this year is one of the strongest we've seen in a long time for interesting new releases.

IFA is a great place to find fascinating new gadgets and devices, ranging from next-gen AR glasses to self-driving personal mobility vehicles, and from weird new kitchen appliances to armies of humanoid robots.

We've chosen the top products from those that were nominated for our IFA 2026 'Best in Show' awards to produce this list of our 25 winners, based on how innovative they are, how well they serve their intended use, and the degree to which we think they'll influence their area of the tech market.

There were many more products that we really liked, of course, but we had to be ruthless — here are our top picks from IFA 2026.

Anker Soundcore Sleep Earbuds 4 Pro

The best technology delivers real-world benefits, and what could be more beneficial than a good night's sleep? The Soundcore Sleep Earbuds 4 Pro use in-ear PPG optical sensors to monitor your heartrate, which is more accurate than other optical tracking methods thanks to the rich capillaries and stable position of your ear canal. That monitoring delivers data to the smart-screen, phone-free SleepHub charging case.

The Sleep Earbuds Pro feature passive isolation as well as 30dB active noise cancelling, and the case-based snore monitoring system detects and masks the sound of your partner snoring using its built-in sounds. Despite the addition of multiple new components the housing is thinner than previous generations, and even more comfortable for side sleepers.

Anker's BioSync dynamic audio system monitors relaxation in real time, dynamically adjusting the audio content and structure to help you find the most effective sleep sounds. Sleep earbuds are something that can truly improve your health and happiness by improving your sleep, and these look like a really smart upgrade.

Agibot A3

Agibot is doing some amazing things with humanoid robots, and the full-sized Agibot A3 combines multiple capabilities in a lightweight, extremely dynamic model: if you're assembling a robot dance troupe or planning a big exhibition, the A3's the bot to buy.

The A3 weighs just 55kg, has a power-to-weight ratio of 0.218kW/kg, and delivers up to 12kW of instant peak power, enabling it to somersault. Its battery runs for up to 10 hours and is hot-swappable in seconds, so it's great for applications where it needs to last all day. It'll happily fit in an SUV for travel, too.

In addition to voice and app control, the A3 delivers industry-first touch sensing that adds physical interaction to its controls. It also has a 360-degree multi-array mic system for accurate voice recognition, even in noisy environments.

One of the most exciting features of the A3 is its large-scale swarm co-ordination, which uses precise UWB positioning to enable performances by up to 100 individual robots. That makes it possible to create very complex, high-impact performances for big events, as well as enabling multiple units to work smartly in environments such as factories or warehouses. The awareness and the uptime make this a great new approach to robotics.

Hypershell X Ultra S

The Hypershell X Ultra S exoskeleton helped mountaineer Adriana Brownlee in -30C temperatures on Mount Everest, supported athlete Aurélien Fontenoy's 4,037km Route 66 journey while recovering from injury, and is currently being trialed by search and rescue organizations worldwide.

Before Hypershell, exoskeletons cost $100,000 and above; the same capabilities are now available to consumers for less than $2,000, in a device weighing under 2kg.

The X Ultra S is an end-to-end AI motion-control system that uses an AI model to transform raw sensor data directly into motor torque, enabling faster response, smoother adaptation, and more natural human-machine synchronization.

There are 12 active modes, including walking, cycling and running, and a new Gentle Assist mode for older adults and users with short or shuffling strides. Fitness Mode adds resistance, turning a walk into a workout.

But it's the price that won us over here — this could be a game changer for getting people with limited mobility out and doing more things that they love, from hiking to just visiting the local stores.

JMGO IRIS Ultra Max

The IRIS Ultra Max is one of the world’s first true 4K 120Hz flagship smart projectors, delivering native 4K (rather than pixel-shifted) at 120Hz from input to output, all from its very compact case.

The Ultra Max's dual iris system has 6+9 blades, the highest count in its class, which promises to improve stray light suppression by 11.34% for a more accurate picture, while delivering class-leading contrast, with a quoted ration of 10,000:1. The MALC 6.0 Triple-Laser Engine delivers an impressive 6,500 ISO lumens of brightness, making it more visible in more lighting conditions, and with a promised ability to recreate 110% of the BT.2020 color space, with an astounding color accuracy of delta-E of 0.7, meaning it's truly capable of pro-level color range and accuracy.

The IRIS Ultra Max also introduces an industry-first 3-in-1 Optical System that integrates 0.88–1.7:1 Optical Zoom, Four-Way Lens Shift (V ±130%, H ±53%), and an AI-Powered Gimbal (360° H, 150° V) into a unified projection architecture. This makes it more more flexible than traditional projectors to positioning, because it has so many different options for correcting its picture. It gives small home theater setups top-tier performance without compromise.

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P

Designed for vloggers and movie-makers alike, the Osmo Pocket 4P is the world’s first dual-lens pocket gimbal camera. It delivers cinema-grade imaging in a pocket-friendly form, and features DJI's Academy Award-winning Ronin stabilization.

The main lens is a wide-angle 20mm equivalent with an f/2.0 aperture, and a new 1-inch CMOS sensor that offers 17 stops of dynamic range and over one billion colors via DJI's new 10-bit D-Log 2 color profile.

That's supplemented with a 60mm medium-tele portrait lens, which gives you 3x optical zoom and up to 12x digital zoom. Its f/1.8 aperture is particularly good for creating bokeh effects by compressing the background and pulling it closer to the subject.

The Osmo Pocket 4P also features the latest version of DJI's ActiveTrack, which uses AI algorithms to maintain tracking lock at up to 12x zoom. It can actively track up to eight people, framing groups and centering anyone new who steps into the field of view.

RayNeo GT Max AR Glasses

The RayNeo GT Max AR Glasses are the world's first AR glasses to support Dolby Vision playback as part of creating a virtual cinema experience. They deliver up to 1,200 nits of perceived brightness, a 120Hz refresh rate, and real-time SDR to HDR conversion for super-clear images, too. Their optical system is 29% thinner and lighter than traditional designs, and delivers an industry-leading 59-degree field of view.

One of our favorite features is the adjustable virtual screen sizes, with a choice of 227 inches, 267 inches or 307 inches. That's clever: the tighter size is ideal for spreadsheets and productivity apps if you're using them as a display for a phone or laptop, while the larger sizes deliver immersive gaming and video.

Steady, Pinned and Follow modes enable you to anchor the screen or have it move with you, and 3DoF spatial tracking maintains the screen position without straining your eyes, and keeps subtitles, taskbars and image edges within the viewing area as you move. These look like the most advanced way to take a screen with you everywhere, and they could be indispensable for long flights.

TCL P80 Ultra

If you spend as much time on your phone as we do, you'll be blown away by the screen of the TCL P80 Ultra. It's the first phone to integrate NXTPAPER eye-comfort technology, with a 1.5K sharp AMOLED display for reflection-free reading even in bright sunlight, and a button that instantly turns your P80 Ultra into an e-reader with paper-like viewing.

The P80 Ultra has nano-etched anti-glare glass, eliminating surface reflections without reducing brightness. It also features circular polarized light technology, which changes the light output to more closely replicate the characteristics of natural light, and flicker-free dimming.

The camera's pretty special too. It's a 50MP 3x periscope telephoto lens with a 50MP 1/1.56-inch large-format sensor, capturing more light per pixel than smaller sensors and enabling 6x lossless zoom. Image stabilization eliminates motion blur in photos and video, and TCL's MuseFilm filters promise cinematic-quality images. But it's the groundbreaking display that really won us over — a lot of people will find it much kinder on the eyes.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14x Gen 2

Lenovo's ultra-light laptop makes even ultraportables look positively porky: at just 2.18lbs / 990g and just 12.9mm thick it's one of the lightest and thinnest laptops around, making it ideal for business travelers and students alike — especially if you opt for the backlit keyboard, which is really helpful in dimly lit rooms and airplanes.

Lenovo has somehow managed to give the ThinkBook 14x the super-thin treatment without sacrificing connectivity, so in addition to its Wi-Fi 7 it features two 10Gbps USB-C ports, two 5Gbps USB-A ports and an HDMI 2.1 port, so there's no need to haul a hub around with you. It also has a spare M.2 slot that enables you to expand its storage, which makes this a solid long-term investment.

The ThinkBook 14x Gen 2 is also one of the most customizable ultraportables, powered by Intel Core 7 (Series 3) processors and with display options including vivid OLED and touchscreen LCD. It's good-looking too, with a choice of metallic finishes including Luna Gray, Celestial White, Mystic Violet and Veil Blue.

EarFun Wave Pro X

EarFun's headphones consistently deliver premium performance without the premium price tag, and the Wave Pro X are the brand's best yet. They feature a patented dual-driver system that places a 40mm diamond-like carbon driver and a 10mm liquid crystal polymer driver on a precisely aligned axis, creating a more natural and detailed sound than you typically get from multi-driver designs.

The Wave Pro X feature an 8-mic AI system that continuously optimizes the hybrid ANC system, even in wired AUX mode, and the Qualcomm QCC3095 chipset delivers Bluetooth 6.0, aptX Lossless, LDAC, USB Audio and Auracast. Add AI translation and up to 90 hours of battery life to the mix and you've got a truly excellent pair of headphones — EarFun has been working on these for a long time, and even delayed them in order to get the tuning just right.

Urevo CyberPad 3

The CyberPad 3 is a home/office treadmill that's designed differently to traditional models. Its WalkFree Adaptive Speed Control uses pressure sensors built into the running board, which detect your stepping motion to automatically start and stop operation; when you're walking or running it takes data from the motor to calculate speed adjustments in real time.

Its multi-user support is smart too, capturing raw weight and stride-rate data to generate a structured user profile that's directly linked to the speed-control algorithm.

The support structure is made from Q235 steel with a side frame of die-cast aluminum, and it utilizes a redesigned transmission path to deliver an exceptionally compact construction: the ultra-slim body is under 11cm thick. Despite its small size it features a 15% incline-lift mechanism and a 42cm running belt, with its size based on analysis of human shoulder widths.

Plaud One

Plaud One is a wearable AI companion that combines three key features that are usually separate: wearable conversation capture, context that builds across day-to-day conversations, and AI that can analyze data and take appropriate action. It can capture online meetings, and face-to-face discussions and phone calls, and it has built-in eSIM and 4G LTE for phone-free operation.

What makes Plaud One different is that it understands context. Instead of treating each recording as a standalone transcript, it can retain context across multiple discussions — so a conversation from one meeting can be connected to a later conversation or call.

That understanding enables the Plaud Agent to help you take action, identifying next steps and completing tasks across tools such as Gmail, Google Calendar, Notion, and Slack.

Minisforum MS-S1 Max-P495

The MS-S1 Max-P495 delivers large-model AI computing from an exceptionally small footprint with a very high specification. It combines AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 with up to 192GB of unified memory to run 128B+ LLMs locally, delivering up to 126 TOPS, and its unified memory architecture eliminates VRAM bottlenecks while also reducing latency.

That power is cooled by a high-performance thermal solution featuring a copper base, six heat pipes, dual fans and phase-change cooling, and it's encased in a fully scalable design, with a slide-out chassis for easy upgrading and a rack-ready form factor.

With 4x PCIe expansion, dual 10Gb Ethernet, dual 40Gbps USB4 v2, Wi-Fi 7, and a built-in 320W PSU, the MS-S1 Max-P495 delivers future-proof power for desktop systems and scalable AI clusters alike — it's a mind-blowing beast made to meet a new kind of research and development need.

XPPen Magic Pro 13

XPPen's Magic Pro 13 is a mobile drawing pad designed for creative pros, featuring an industry-first hardware-level drawing display mode that delivers low latency, native color output and higher bandwidth video transmission over a simple one-cable connection, giving you a paper-like experience with 16K pressure sensitivity and cursor hover support.

It's the first drawing pad in its category to come with dual-USB support, enabling you to benefit from a high-speed data connection while charging your Magic Pro 13.

The Magic Pro 13 features the new Shelf digital asset management system and XPPen's Canvas software, designed to deliver a simple and intuitive sketching experience for capturing ideas when inspiration strikes. And for creatives on the move it offers two thermal management modes, balancing performance and energy efficiency based on different creative scenarios.

Strutt ev1c

Strutt's ev1c reimagines the power chair with three major advancements: Strutt's evSense sensing array, a quad-drive drivetrain, and a modular, connected design.

eVSense uses two LiDARs, 10 time-of-flight sensors, six ultrasonics and two cameras to create 3D maps in real time, powering the Co-Pilot collision avoidance for people, pets, and edges, and the Auto-Pilot, which enables you to select on-screen destinations, or use LLM-powered voice commands such as "Take me to the kitchen" — basically it's a self-driving personal mobility vehicle.

The drivetrain features four-wheel independent suspension, ABS, active steering, and an integrated electronic stability program (ESP), safely managing 13-degree slopes, cobblestones and rough terrain without slippage or tipping. And when it's time to travel, it breaks down into five modules for easy trunk storage. It looks like a genuine move forward for this kind of mobility device.

xTool M2 Color Craft Laser

The xTool M2 is the first desktop machine to combine full-color CMYK printing, laser engraving and laser cutting into one enclosed Class 1 system, delivering a full print-then-cut workflow. Simply print your full-color design onto a piece of wood, leather or acrylic, and the xTool M2 Color Craft Laser cuts or engraves the exact contour with camera-guided precision. And there's a built-in air-assist pump, an industry first for a semiconductor laser, that keeps cut edges clean by reducing carbonization and yellowing.

Having these three capabilities in a single device is a huge power-up: instead of having to print on one machine and engrave or cut on another, you can turn your raw idea into a finished, professional-looking product in a single operation. It's ideal for stickers, labels, signage, personalized gifts, and small-batch products — you could start a whole business with this one device. And because it's an enclosed system, it's also very safe.

Perlegear AX1 Smart Adaptive Mount

The Perlegear AX1 Smart Adaptive Mount answers an interesting question: what if your TV mount was as smart as your TV? The AX1 is an AI-powered, motorized TV mount that can automatically adjust the height of your TV to different viewing positions, so for example you might have it low for solo TV watching, but raised for watching sports with friends, or for following an on-screen fitness app or motion-based game.

The AX1 is controllable via gesture commands, its mobile app, via remote control, or via Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri. It can distinguish between single- and multi-person viewing, with the latter calculating the best screen height for the group, and it's capable of moving a 200-pound / 90kg TV up to 15.7 inches / 400mm vertically, with real-time obstacle detection that stops and reverses the move if the path is blocked.

Speediance Gym Monster 3

The brilliantly named Gym Monster 3 delivers serious strength training for home workouts, combining the experience of a Smith machine, barbell, dumbbells, cable machine, rowing machine, pulley system, and squat rack into one streamlined setup with up to 200lbs / 90kg of intelligent digital resistance.

Twin 800W direct-drive motors deliver smooth, consistent resistance through every rep, and it's adjustable in one-pound / 0.45kg increments, so you can progress at your own pace, rather than make big jumps you might not be ready for.

The Gym Monster 3 is controlled via a clever Bluetooth Ring Control that enables you to make adjustments without stepping away or breaking your flow, and it features four dedicated training modes: Standard, Chain, Eccentric, and Fixed Speed. It also features a built-in AI coach that can guide you from your first session onwards.

Midea GreenApex Dishwasher

The humble dishwasher hasn't changed much since Josephine Cochrane's 1886 invention went electric in the late 1920s and gained spray arms in the 1950s. But the Midea GreenApex is very different from traditional grease-busters. It's a dual heat-pump system that uses a single coordinated heat pump platform to deliver washing, rapid drying, and dry storage in a single appliance.

The GreenApex is 50% more energy efficient than conventional dishwashers, delivers 30-minute rapid drying and 168 hours of dry storage without continued system operation, and offers gentle heat-pump drying at around 45°C, so you don't need to worry about high temperatures damaging more delicate items. It feels like a major leap forward for an appliance type that doesn't often have the phrase 'cutting-edge' associated with it.

Reolink OMVI 2i Ultra

The Reolink OMVI 2i Ultra Security Camera features an innovative, decoupled dual-lens tracking system in which the individual lenses operate fully independently of one another. Unlike in other dual-lens or hybrid zoom security cameras, the two lenses here are not mechanically linked, so the fixed 130-degree 4K wide-angle lens never moves, while the telephoto camera is free to rotate anywhere, including to cover areas outside the field of view of the main lens.

This means that when the 4K camera's on-device AI spots a person, vehicle or animal, it triggers the pan-tilt camera to lock onto and follow that subject even after they exit the wide camera's field of view — but you don't lose any recording from the wide camera's view during that time.

You can also use the wide-angle view to redirect the pan-tilt camera to a particular location by simply tapping that point in the live camera view, or have the wide camera and the pan-tilt camera monitoring two distinct locations, such as your driveway and a side gate.

Navimow H510 Pro

The Navimow H510 Pro features four key innovations: precise edge finishing, zero-turn steering, adaptive mowing intelligence, and 3D modelling.

Rather than edging with a trimmer line, which can be noisy and cause minor damage, the H510 Pro has an extendable robot arm that performs zero-gap edging quietly and safely — it's the most interesting and smart version of this technology that we've seen.

The all-wheel-drive system protects your turf too, with a zero-steering system that avoids dragging the wheels across the grass during lateral turns. And the Adaptive Mowing Intelligence feature analyzes grass growth patterns to determine the optimal mowing frequency, using the 1/3 cutting rule to preserve lawn health.

With 3D terrain modeling rather than the industry-standard 2D, and a sensor array including infrared as well as LiDAR and vision for low-light reliability, and triple-sensor avoidance to protect wildlife, the H510 is a smart solution for even the most challenging lawns.

DJI Romo 2 Series

The Romo 2 Series is a robot vacuum that won't be defeated by obstacles such as deep rugs, sliding door tracks and other barriers. That's because it has robotic legs that can step over obstacles as high as 4cm, and double-step thresholds up to an impressive 8.5cm.

It also features a built-in LiDAR-guided ultra-wide-swing robotic arm to extend the mop's reach, and its powerful suction system features an automatically lowering plate that forms a semi-seal on carpet for better extraction of dust and allergens.

The Romo 2 Series also benefits from the tech of DJI's flagship drones, with a Structured Light-Speckle projector and dual fish-eye vision sensors for full 3D depth perception. It can detect items such as cables and training pads as thin as 2mm, and its AI can distinguish between debris and liquid, as well as deal with transparent obstacles such as glass doors and mirrors.

Acer Vero 16

With so many laptops sacrificing easy maintenance and repairability for super-skinny styling, the Acer Vero 16 is a breath of fresh air. While it doesn't skimp on style or power — it's highly portable, delivers up to 180 platform TOPS with an Intel Core Ultra X9 processor 388H, and can be configured with a stunning 16-inch 3K OLED display — it's made with longevity in mind.

A tool-free latch provides easy access to the Vero's innards, and the battery and SSD are replaceable, while the system is designed to support the next two generations of processors if you want to upgrade. Fully 70% of the chassis consists of a blend of PCR (post-consumer recycled) and bio-based oyster shell material, and it meets US military standards for toughness. This is a laptop that's built to last, in a way that's rare to see — and very welcome.

Asus ProArt GR1X

The Asus ProArt GR1X is tiny, measuring just 150 x 150 x 51mm. But there's nothing small about its specification. Designed for advanced content creation and local AI workflows, it delivers data center-class compute inside a mini PC, removing the need to run LLMs remotely while eliminating cloud latency, cost, and IP protection concerns for pro creators.

The ProArt GR1X features the groundbreaking Nvidia RTX Spark 'superchip', which means you get a 20-core Grace CPU and a 6,144-core Blackwell GPU, delivering up to one petaflop of FP4 AI inference performance. With up to 128GB of LPDDR5X unified memory at 9,400MHz, it enables you to run up to 120B-parameter LLMs locally, and render entire 3D scenes on-device in Windows 11.

That kind of power demands highly efficient cooling, and Asus has developed an advanced precision-cooling system that delivers 1.6x more efficient thermal coverage than standard compact systems. Asus also solved the challenge of metal-enclosure signal attenuation by embedding the Wi-Fi 7 antennas behind a glass-like signal-transparent material. It's quite the design coup, and an impressive showcase for Nvidia's new elite chip.

EcoFlow STREAM 5000 / STREAM AC 5000

The EcoFlow Stream series is a plug-and-play modular system for residential solar energy generation and storage that's designed to be renter- and apartment-friendly. It can add battery storage and smart power-management to existing solar PV installations, as well as being employed to create a new home system from scratch.

The Stream Series features EcoFlow's Oasis 3.0 home energy management system, which understands dynamic energy tariffs, keeps an eye on the weather forecast, and continuously analyzes your home energy needs to optimize generation, storage and consumption.

That means you can give the EcoBot AI agent instructions such as "I need my car charged by 7am tomorrow at the lowest possible cost" and it will implement the necessary steps, or have your energy schedules reconfigured automatically when you have visitors or other instances of increased demand.

From October the EcoFlow Stream series will also get a new feature: Local Mode, which gives you uninterrupted operation and local app control even if there are cloud or connectivity outages. It's a very powerful (no pun intended) system that's been designed with the real world in mind.

Tapo D260

The Tapo D260 wired/wireless security camera is a video doorbell that delivers all the benefits of high-spec security without the potential downsides: it stores facial recognition data locally to protect privacy, and no features are locked behind a subscription. It's advanced, yet totally cost-free once you buy it.

It has 4K resolution, a wide 180-degree field of view to cover the entire doorway, and delivers sharp detail in subjects up to 30 feet away.

The D260 features multiple intelligent detection and recognition features, including radar as well as the obligatory infrared motion sensor. These enable it to discount false alerts from things such as moving branches or passing headlights, while on-device AI can recognize people, packages, vehicles, and animals.

If you wish, you can opt in to build a library of family and friends using facial recognition, and there's even a voice changer to disguise your voice when speaking to unfamiliar callers. In a world where people are sick of subscriptions, this offers a great security upgrade without the monthly fee.

• Fujifilm unveils XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR telephoto prime lens
• It's equivalent 609mm focal length is ideal for bird photography
• The lens is weather-sealed, weighs 1.2kg and costs $3,200 / £2,499 / AU$4,949

Fujifilm camera gear is better known for its retro looks than its wildlife and sports photography prowess, but the company is looking to close the gap with Sony, Canon and Nikon through the launch of a new super telephoto prime lens — the new XF 400mm F4.5 R OIS LM WR lens.

It's designed for the Fujifilm X series of crop-sensor (APS-C) cameras, such as the X-T5 and X-H2S, and has an equivalent focal length of 609mm and bright maximum aperture that make it a prime candidate for bird photography.

I had a special hands-on session with the lens ahead of its September 4 announcement, pairing it with Fujifilm's speediest mirrorless camera, the X-H2S, to photograph birds of prey in the grounds of a stately home in the UK. Could the camera and lens surprise me? You bet!

About the Fujifilm XF 400mm F4.5 R OIS LM WR lens

The new 400mm F4.5 lens isn't actually the longest in Fujifilm's XF range — that accolade goes to the 500mm F5.6 R LM OIS WR (equivalent 762mm focal length). However, it's arguably the one that Fujifilm bird photographers have been waiting for, and it's compatible with the company's 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters which can extend that reach (at the cost of reduced maximum aperture).

Fujifilm had both lenses at the event it was hosting for the 400mm lens hands-on, and the design of the two optics is strikingly similar, as hinted by the nomenclature. 'R' denotes an aperture ring is present, 'LM' that autofocus is powered by a linear motor, OIS that they're optically stabilized (the 400mm is rated at providing 5.5EV of stabiliztion) and 'WR' tells us that the lenses are weather resistant.

Boy, did I need that weather resistance — there was incessant, light, sideways rain for much of the photography experience, and the 400mm stood up to the task just fine (better than the birds did).

It's also equipped with a focus limiter with Full or 7m to infinity options — using the latter improved my hit ratio of in-focus shots of the birds in flight, because it removes the minimum 2.75m focus distance up to 7m from the range the linear motors scan for.

The lenses are similar in size and in weight too, but by weighing 1,245g and measuring 240mm in length, the 400mm F4.5 is slightly smaller and lighter — impressively so for a lens of this focal length and maximum aperture.

It also comes with a tripod collar, a loop to securely attach a strap, plus a mighty lens hood — all features I'd hope for in a serious super-telephoto prime.

The shooting experience

I'll be the first to admit it, but I struggled getting a single usable photo at the start of the session. Changing a few camera and lens settings helped; using the focus limiter, selecting a wide autofocus area and the bird detection autofocus mode, and then shutter priority (set to a minimum 1/1250sec) with auto ISO.

The bottom line is that tracking birds in flight requires true skill, real understanding of the subject (and a slice of luck), especially if you're new to it. This proved to be one of the toughest photography tests, and for the first 30 minutes I had nothing to show for my efforts.

We switched to some portraits of the birds which gave me the chance to get close up, and to take comparison shots at the various aperture settings (which proved to me how sharp the lens is even at its maximum f/4.5 aperture). Then I suggested to the Walks with Hawks group hosting the session that we started the birds off from a longer distance, giving more room in the frame to begin with as the birds took to flight towards us, making them easier to track.

This new approach made the task much more manageable, and yielded plenty of keepers that I'm really happy with. The lens's autofocus was essentially silent and lighting fast, and the camera's autofocus tracked the subject and, provided I kept the bird in the frame, gave me an impressively high hit rate (see the originals of some of my favorites below, which can easily be cropped tighter).

Fujifilm for wildlife, then?

Incidentally, I also had some high-end full-frame Sony gear, including a super-telephoto zoom with the same focal length as the Fujifilm, and I used it later on that day in my local nature reserve. For me, that setup still felt snappier than Fujifilm.

As things stand, Fujifilm remains a couple of paces behind regarding autofocus performance. Emphasis on as things stand — the camera I was using is a few years old, and the entire range is built on a processor and autofocus system introduced in the X-T5 in 2022. Even back then, autofocus performance was perceived as a weakness.

We can expect the next generation Fujifilm processor soon, presumably through the rumored X-T6, which could result in speedier cameras and refined autofocus performance.

Even until then, Fujifilm is better at wildlife photography than the comments sections make out. And it just future proofed the genre with this incredibly good 400mm F4.5 lens, available from the end of September for $3,200 / £2,499 (Australia price TBC).

2025 was a major year for new 360 cameras. Insta360 maintained its dominance with the X5 (since upgraded with the X6), DJI entered the picture with the Osmo 360, and GoPro finally upgraded its original Max after years of delays with the Max 2.

In our in-depth review, we said GoPro's 8K second-gen model was 'worth the wait', and it's now available for a new low price that further sweetens the deal over Labor Day. You can grab the GoPro Max 2 at Amazon for $299 — that's a full 40% off the original (already reasonable) $499.99 asking price.

Compare that deal to the current prices of rival models available in the US, which include the Osmo 360 and Insta360 X5 and X6, and the Max 2 is easily the best value 360 camera that we've tested and recommend. If you're starting from scratch, the Max 2 Accessory Bundle at Adorama for $369.99 is an even better bet, adding a 1.2m extension rod, memory card and second battery.

Today's best GoPro Max 2 deal

We're in turbulent times for 360 cameras; DJI is banned from releasing new models in the US (including this week's Osmo 360 II), Insta360's prices keep going up as seen with the recent X6, while GoPro's financial decline was seemingly arrested this week after it 'merged' with an obscure brand that manufactures America's AI infrastructure — but who knows what'll happen with the action cam giant next.

A price cut for GoPro's latest 360 camera is, therefore, some light relief. After all, the Max 2 shoots some of the best-looking 8K 360 footage in daylight, offers versatile mounting options, plus tool-free lens replacements for a cost-effective fix should the bulbous lenses get damaged in the line of action.

Sure, the Max 2 is prone to overheating and its image quality suffers a little in low light, but overall it remains a superb 360 camera, and is now available for an unbeatable price. If you want the best bang for your buck, look no further than the above Max 2 deals.

Not in the US? You can find the best GoPro Max 2 deals via the links below.

Shop more of today's best Labor Day sales

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DJI has upgraded its original 360 camera, the Osmo 360, in typically swift fashion with the second-gen Osmo 360 II, which arrives almost exactly one year later in September 2026.

The Osmo 360 was a majorly impressive product considering it was DJI's first stab at a new market otherwise dominated by Insta360, and it stood shoulder to shoulder in 2025 with the Insta360 X5 and GoPro Max 2.

There was one major drawback versus its rivals, however (of which the X5 has since been updated with the Insta360 X6); where Insta360 and GoPro's cameras featured replaceable lenses for a cost-effective fix in the event of damage, the Osmo 360's were fixed.

It comes as no surprise, therefore, that DJI has remedied the situation by introducing a replaceable lens design in the Osmo 360 II. Predictably, there are other tasty upgrades worth knowing about, too, and I will cover them all in this article, which also gives a fuller picture of the best 360 cameras now available.

1. DJI Osmo 360 II vs DJI Osmo 360: design

• The Osmo 360 II's lenses can be replaced
• Both cameras waterproof up to 10m and weigh 6.5oz / 183g

If recording action sports in 360 degrees is your thing, then the Osmo 360 II is the better pick over the Osmo 360; its lenses can be removed, should they ever get damaged, and replaced with new ones. This is, of course, a much more cost-effective fix than buying an entirely new camera.

Not only can the lenses be replaced, but DJI says that the surface of the lenses has a tougher 'Ultra-Hard' optical coating that's more able to withstand scratches. Again, this is a practical-use case win — the lenses in 360 cameras are bulbous and at high risk of scratches and knocks.

Besides the replaceable lens design, the squat, 6.5oz/183g cameras, each with 10m waterproofing, otherwise look and feel largely the same.

• Design winner: DJI Osmo 360 II

2. DJI Osmo 360 II vs DJI Osmo 360: Performance

• The Osmo 360 II's battery has a 10% capacity increase
• Despite the same 10m waterproofing, the 360 II shoots better underwater footage

Both cameras are waterproof up to 10m, but DJI actively discouraged actually using the original model underwater to shoot video. It seemed that at the processor level, it wasn't able to produce decent-looking 360 footage.

That situation has changed with the Osmo 360 II, with DJI encouraging its use for water-based video. We don't know the specifics, but presumably DJI has fixed any software/metering/stitching issues with the original, and the Osmo 360 II can now be used for recording underwater, rather than simply being waterproof.

If you're ever likely to shoot underwater 360 footage, then there's only one winner here: the Osmo 360 II. Other performance improvements include a higher-capacity battery — a 2,150mAh unit compared to 1,950mAh — and those batteries are interchangeable between cameras.

• Performance winner: DJI Osmo 360 II

3. DJI Osmo 360 II vs DJI Osmo 360: Image quality

• Same 1/1.1-inch sensors and f/1.9 lens
• Osmo 360 II ups 8K frame rates to 60fps, improves slow motion recoring, and shoots HDR photos
• Dynamic range has been upped one stop to 14.5EV
• Timelapse mode upped from 8K to 16K

Besides the major improvement in the quality of underwater footage, the Osmo 360 II is a modest upgrade regarding image quality. The boost in dynamic range from 13.5EV to 14.5EV stands out, while 8K frame rates have been upped from 50fps to 60fps for smoother motion. The maximum resolution for the 360-degree timelapse mode has been doubled to 16K, too.

Photo resolution remains the same at up to 120MP, but the latest model adds HDR capture to the mix. Ultimately, despite DJI touting a 'major leap' in 360 image quality, for land-based recording, there's not much to choose between the two cameras.

• Image quality winner: DJI Osmo 360 II

4. DJI Osmo 360 II vs DJI Osmo 360: price and availability

• Osmo 360 II Standard Combo costs £509 / AU$921, while the Adventure Combo costs £639 / AU$1,096
• The original Osmo 360 was £409.99 / AU$759, but its price has come down further a year later
• No US availability for the Osmo 360 II, but the Osmo 360 can be had for $549.99

With those new features comes a price hike. DJI has upped the price of the Osmo 360 II significantly compared to the original — it'll cost around 25% more when it's launched on September 15. It's also not available in the US.

Meanwhile, the Osmo 360 has come down in price since its launch and in some regions can be had for almost half the price of its successor. It's also available in the US, albeit for a higher relative price compared to other regions.

GoPro's Max 2 can be found for less than either DJI model, while Insta360's X6 is the priciest pick of the lot, by some margin.

• Price winner: DJI Osmo 360

DJI Osmo 360 II vs DJI Osmo 360: Early verdict

The Osmo 360 II is a minor update that addresses two major weak points of the Osmo 360; it introduces a replaceable lens design and improves the quality of underwater footage. These improvements alone will be worth it for those shooting underwater and action sports, but they result in a significant markup in price, especially since the Osmo 360 has also come down in price.

The GoPro Max 2 also costs much less than the latest DJI model, but the Osmo 360 II remains much cheaper than the Insta360 X6 and is, arguably, the most compelling of all 360 camera options (unless you're in the US where it's not available).

Ultimately, DJI has swiftly added the polish and durability needed to its original 360 camera with the Osmo 360 II, and it's a top option in this market.

For further details about each model, to check out our in-depth reviews, linked in the introduction.

DJI Osmo 360 II: two-minute review

Just a year after launching its debut 360 camera, the Osmo 360, DJI has delivered a sequel that addresses pretty much every complaint I had with the original — without asking you to pay through the nose for the privilege.

The Osmo 360 II looks and feels almost identical to its predecessor: same dimensions, same weight, same general shape. But DJI has used that 12-month gap wisely, fixing the two biggest issues I had with the original Osmo 360 in one swift update.

First, the lenses. They're now built with a tougher optical coating, and — far more importantly — they're user-replaceable if you crack or scratch one. For anyone using this camera to capture action sports, that alone might be worth the modest price increase.

Second, DJI's approach to underwater shooting has changed. The waterproof rating hasn't budged from 10m, but where DJI once actively discouraged submersion with the original Osmo 360, it now positions the Osmo 360 II as a viable sub-aqua option for snorkelers and scuba divers.

On the imaging side, the headline feature is native 8K video at 60fps — a first for any 360 camera, edging out even the freshly-launched Insta360 X6 (which tops out at 8K/50fps). Dynamic range, slow motion, timelapse resolution and SuperNight low-light performance have all improved too, though the underlying sensor appears to be physically the same as before, suggesting these are largely processing-driven gains rather than a major hardware leap.

Performance is solid across the board: battery life is roughly on par with the original, storage remains a generous 105GB built-in, and DJI's Mimo and Studio apps are dependable if unspectacular.

Is this a transformative upgrade? Not quite — image quality is a slight rather than dramatic step forward. But DJI has plugged the gaps that mattered, kept what already worked, and done it all while keeping this camera's price significantly below that of the Insta360 X6.

Against the GoPro Max 2, the Osmo 360 II's low-light performance is a clear win too. Right now, my instinct is that there's very little to separate the Osmo 360 II and the X6 on image quality alone — I'll be testing the two head-to-head in more depth soon to see which comes out on top overall — but as an all-rounder at this price, the Osmo 360 II is a seriously compelling 360 camera.

DJI Osmo 360 II specs

DJI Osmo 360 II: Price and availability

• Launches on September 15 2026, roughly a year after the original DJI Osmo 360
• Standard Combo costs £509 / AU$921, up from the original's £409.99 / AU$759
• The Adventure Combo (£639 / AU$1,096) throws in useful extras

The DJI Osmo 360 II arrives around 13 months after its predecessor, and it's more expensive: the Standard Combo will set you back £509 / AU$921, compared with £409.99 / AU$759 for the original Osmo 360 at launch. That's a pretty big jump, but it doesn't stop the Osmo 360 II being significantly more affordable than its biggest rival.

That rival is the Insta360 X6, which starts at £619.99 / AU$1,049.99 for its own Standard bundle. Not that the Osmo 360 II is the budget option in this category, though: the GoPro Max 2, now available for as little as £269.99 / AU$849.95, undercuts DJI comfortably if outright affordability is your main concern.

If you can stretch to it, the pricier Adventure Combo (£639 / AU$1,096) is worth consideration. It throws in two extra batteries (three in total), a charging case that holds three batteries at once, plus a 1.2m selfie stick — accessories that anyone shooting for extended periods will likely want anyway, and which would cost more bought separately.

As with several other recent DJI launches, the Osmo 360 II won't be arriving in the US for now, with the company's application for regulatory authorization still pending. American buyers will need to look elsewhere (or import through a third party) in the meantime.

• Price score: 4.5/5

DJI Osmo 360 II: Design

• Same 61 x 36.3 x 81mm dimensions and 183g weight as the original
• Lenses are now tougher and user-replaceable if damaged
• Still 10m waterproof case-free, but DJI now encourages underwater use

Hold the Osmo 360 II next to its predecessor and there's very little physical difference. DJI has kept the same 61 x 36.3 x 81mm body and 183g weight, and the overall silhouette — a squat, screen-fronted block with two bulging lenses, one on either side — is unchanged. The screen, connectivity options and mounting hardware, including the 1/4-inch tripod thread and DJI's own magnetic quick-release mount, all carry over unaltered from the original too.

The main changes here are on the lenses themselves. DJI says the Osmo 360 II's lenses use a tougher optical coating that better resists scratches, and if you do manage to crack or damage one, it's now a user-replaceable part via DJI's own lens replacement kit (£35 / AU$50 — and if you prefer, there's also the option of taking or sending it to an authorized repair spot to get someone else to fix it). It sounds like a modest tweak on paper, but it's the biggest change DJI has made this generation from a peace-of-mind perspective, particularly for anyone shooting the kind of high-impact action footage where dinging the lenses is a real risk.

DJI hasn't increased the Osmo 360 II's case-free waterproof rating, which remains at 10m (half of the 20m offered by the Insta360 X6). What has changed is the company's own confidence in the camera underwater: where DJI previously discouraged underwater capture on the original Osmo 360, it now positions the Osmo 360 II as a viable option for snorkelers and scuba divers working within that 10m limit.

• Design score: 4.5/5

DJI Osmo 360 II: Performance

• Battery capacity increased slightly, and format stays interchangeable across the Osmo range
• DJI's claimed 100 minutes of 8K/30fps recording held up in testing
• Extended 8K/60fps recording can cause overheating

DJI has nudged the Osmo 360 II's battery capacity up from 1950mAh to 2150mAh, but real-world battery life is roughly on a par with the original. The batteries themselves remain interchangeable across both Osmo 360 generations and recent Osmo Action-series cameras, so anyone already invested in DJI's action camera ecosystem can use batteries across their various devices.

DJI claims you get 100 minutes of continuous 8K/30fps recording on a full charge. In my testing, I used 25% of the battery to capture 25 minutes of 8K/30fps footage, which backs up DJI's figure almost exactly.

Push the Osmo 360 II to its most demanding setting, 8K at 60fps, and a warning prompt appears letting you know that overheating is a possibility. How long you actually get before that happens depends on ambient conditions, with airflow and temperature both playing a part, but in my testing indoors at room temperature, with no fan or breeze to help cool the camera, it lasted around 19 minutes before shutting itself down to cool off. If you're planning extended 8K/60fps sessions, especially somewhere warm, it's worth considering that limitation.

Storage carries over unchanged from the original Osmo 360, with a generous 105GB of usable built-in space, plus a microSD card slot if you need more.

Already own a DJI Mic? There's a good chance it'll connect wirelessly to the Osmo 360 II for 24-bit audio, as part of DJI's OsmoAudio ecosystem. If you don't, the camera's four built-in microphones do a decent job of capturing usable sound on their own.

Editing and reframing your 360 footage means going through one of DJI's two companion apps: the mobile DJI Mimo app, or desktop-based DJI Studio. I tested both, and found them solid and dependable overall, if not spectacular. Mimo's AI-assisted auto-editing tools left me distinctly unimpressed, so if you were hoping to shoot all day and wake up to a finished edit, temper your expectations — but for anyone willing to manually cut, reframe and tweak their own clips, both apps get the job done without drama. DJI Studio stood out in particular for its excellent subject tracking and the impressive 64x slow-motion mode, which uses interpolation to smooth out footage.

• Performance score: 4/5

DJI Osmo 360 II: Image quality

• First 360 camera offering native 8K/60fps video recording
• SuperNight low-light mode now runs at up to 60fps
• 120MP still photos with HDR

The Osmo 360 II is the first 360 camera on the market to offer native 8K video at 60fps — even the just-released Insta360 X6 tops out at 8K/50fps. That's not the only imaging upgrade either: DJI has added a stop of extra dynamic range, bumped slow-motion up to 4K/240fps (from 4K/100fps), pushed timelapse resolution to 16K/30fps (from 4K/30fps), and introduced HDR support for the 120MP photo mode. Edit your footage in DJI Studio and you can also access up to 64x slow-motion via frame interpolation.

Then there's SuperNight 2.0, DJI's low-light shooting mode. I wasn't blown away by the original Osmo 360's version of SuperNight — it was decent, no more — but here the results look significantly cleaner and sharper, and you can now record at up to 60fps rather than being capped at 30fps. There is one catch: you still can't shoot in D-Log M with SuperNight 2.0 active, so you're restricted to the standard color profile (Adaptive Tone remains available, however).

Interestingly, the image sensor itself appears to be physically identical to the one in the original Osmo 360, which suggests that all of the above gains have come via processing and software refinement rather than new hardware. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean these image quality improvements are evolutionary rather than the product of some new imaging leap.

All the usual 360-camera fundamentals — stabilization, stitching, selfie stick removal and flare handling — are brilliantly handled here. It's a slick camera that can capture good-looking footage while requiring very little effort from the user.

Taken as a whole, image quality is excellent, if perhaps not a huge leap over the original — more a slight but real improvement on what was already a very good setup built around a large, capable sensor. For the sample video embedded in this review, I shot footage using the default Standard color profile, D-Log M (graded afterward using DJI's own LUT plus some manual color tweaks), and SuperNight 2.0, all recorded at 10-bit. Everything was reframed in DJI Studio on my Mac, then edited in DaVinci Resolve.

Video is, understandably, still noticeably sharper, more detailed and more impactful in daylight, but shoot with a bit of care and it's absolutely possible to capture excellent after-dark footage too.

Photos are perfectly fine too, though I've never considered still photography much of a draw on a 360 camera personally — it feels like a secondary feature here rather than a primary selling point.

• Image quality score: 5/5

DJI Osmo 360 II: testing scorecard

Should I buy the DJI Osmo 360 II?

Buy it if...

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How I tested the DJI Osmo 360 II

• I tested the DJI Osmo 360 II Adventure Combo ahead of its official release
• I shot video across a long weekend trip to northeast England, plus my hometown
• I used the included 1.2m selfie stick and a car mount, in daylight and at night

I was sent a DJI Osmo 360 II Adventure Combo a few days ahead of its official release for testing. I put the camera through its paces on a long weekend trip to the northeast of England, as well as around my Kent coast hometown, mounting it on the included 1.2m selfie stick for on-foot shooting and attaching it to my car for vehicle-mounted footage. I tested it across a range of lighting conditions, from strong daylight to full nighttime darkness, and also shot a handful of 120MP stills alongside my video testing. I also tested both DJI's desktop and mobile companion apps, using them to reframe footage and photos.

• First reviewed September 2026