In 2024, the camera of the year is the drone

Aside from the global shutter on Sony A9 III And some great mirrorless options – Fujifilm X100 VI, Panasonic S9 and Canon EOS R5e It comes to my mind – 2024 was a boring year for cameras full of small tweaks and minor improvements. Except for DJI’s Neo. For $200, aerial photography is now within the reach of almost everyone.

DJI has a very good year, not so great

DJI released its product lineup this year with the Sword of Damocles hanging above its head: the US government was planning it ban Sales of the company’s products were halted by the end of 2024 due to potential spying concerns. It was only made last minute by DJI He got a reprieveThis is thanks in large part to pressure from public safety groups that rely heavily on their drones. It now has until the end of 2025 to prove that its products do not pose any danger.

The company’s list of camera gear for 2024 began with Avata 2an FPV drone that has improved almost everything from the popular original at a reduced price. Then DJI announced it Mini 4K for $299. We’ve seen it too Action 5 ProDJI’s best action camera yet, plus Air 3Sa highly capable drone equipped with a relatively large 1-inch camera sensor and Mic Mini, an affordable wireless microphone system.

However, its biggest launch was the Neo drone, announced in September. It took the idea of ​​a simple drone for the creators, who were the first to create it (and then shoot it down). Snap with pecsyWith the price reduced and the addition of artificial intelligence technology.

Neo is Ultra lightweight drone It can be driven without a license and is safe for people thanks to its covered propellers. It’s ready for beginners to use right out of the box without any training – just hold it in your hand and press a button, then it will fly and take cool programmed shots like ‘drones’.

Just because the Neo is accessible doesn’t mean it’s essential. If you want to try out the Neo manually, it supports DJI controllers and FPV goggles and can even fly using a smartphone. It can reach speeds of 18 mph or even faster in manual mode, and is highly maneuverable. With built-in AI features, it can track you while you walk or bike, making it a vlogger’s best friend. Finally, it can capture all your footage in 4K and 30p, with surprisingly good quality considering the price point.

The main sore point for me with the Neo is the buzz-like noise it generates, which can be deceiving in public places. Overall, though, it’s a very useful product at a great price that manages to capture the zeitgeist like no other camera product this year.

Canon and Fujifilm were the best of the rest

It was my favorite mirrorless camera this year Canon EOS R5 II. This isn’t because of any amazing new technology, but the fact that it’s an almost perfect hybrid camera.

That starts with the new 45-megapixel sensor, which offers a combination of speed and resolution that we’ve only seen in the Sony A1 or Nikon Z9 – both of which are much more expensive. It also has the company’s most advanced AI autofocus system. All of this allows for ultra-fast shooting speeds of up to 30fps in RAW mode. An advanced autofocus system makes blurry images rare even at these speeds. Meanwhile, 45MP images deliver exceptional detail and relatively high dynamic range, with accurate and pleasing colours.

At the same time, it offers amazing video capabilities, with 8K RAW shooting at up to 60fps and 4K 120p. As with photos, video quality is exceptional thanks to the new CLog 2 capture that allows for higher dynamic range. On top of all that, the EOS R5 II is just a fantastic camera to use, with near-perfect ergonomics.

Another camera I’ve really enjoyed using is the Fujifilm X100 VI compact camera. The camera has deserved the huge amount of press attention it has received this year, because its stripped-down nature, retro look, film simulation and superb handling bring the fun back to photography. At the same time, it’s a technological marvel with a high-resolution 40MP sensor, decently fast shooting speeds, stabilization and solid video specifications.

Finally, I think Panasonic’s S9 deserves credit for trying something new. It’s one of the smallest full-frame cameras I’ve ever seen, but it offers features like 6K video and in-body stabilization. But the main new trick is built-in LUT emulation, like Fujifilm’s X100 VI, but for video. This, combined with the large sensor, makes it an interesting camera.

What to expect in the camera world of 2025

Despite the potential US ban, DJI is likely to continue with its ambitious schedule to release the product in 2025. According to rumours, it is working on a foldable model called DJI Flip It will also likely launch a successor to the Mavic 3 Pro sometime next year, it recently reported FCC filings.. Aside from that, they tend to have a fast upgrade cadence for most of their drones and cameras, so we expect to see successors to the Action 5 Pro, Mini 4 Pro drone, and other models.

Elsewhere, an interesting rumor is that Fujifilm has released a one-inch screen, Half sensor A compact that would serve as a digital version of the popular Pentax 17 film camera and might also allow for dual (side-by-side) shots to be taken.

Otherwise, Sony is set to release an update to its popular A7 IV launched in 2021 with faster shooting speeds and other specifications to better align with the competition. It is very likely that Canon will launch a new camera in the same price category, the R6 III, with improved specifications as well. We could see a new Nikon Z5 III model with improved performance. Panasonic is scheduled to update its S1 and S1R models. Manufacturers may be jumping on the compact train, now that Fujifilm has proven it’s a viable category – something that will be good news for all photographers.