In 2024, the camera of the year was the drone

Except for the global shutter Sony’s A9 III and other cooling methods without glass – the Fujifilm X100 VI, Panasonic S9 and Canon EOS R5 II come to mind – 2024 was a wild year for cameras full of small tweaks and minor changes. Except for DJI’s Neo. For $200, aerial photography is now available to almost everyone.

DJI is having a good, not-so-good year

DJI released its list this year with the sword of Damocles hanging over its head: the US government is preparing ban to sell the company’s products by the end of 2024 due to fears of potential spies. It was at the last minute that DJI he found reliefthank you very much for supporting the civil defense forces that rely heavily on its drones. It now has until the end of 2025 to prove that its assets are not at risk.

The list of camera equipment companies for 2024 started with Open 2FPV drone that changed almost everything from the original version at a low price. DJI then announced $299 Mini 4K. We saw it too Action 5 ProDJI’s best camera to date, along with to 3sa powerful drone with a large 1-inch sensor camera and Mic Mini, an inexpensive wireless system.

Its biggest launch, however, was the Neo drone, which was announced in September. It took the idea of ​​a simple drone to developers, the first to pioneer it (and then it was taken down). Download with Pixyand lower costs and increase AI technology.

Neo is a very light drone which can be operated without a license and is safe for people due to its covered propellers. It is ready to use for beginners right out of the box without learning – just put it in your hand and press a button, and then it flies and takes beautiful pictures like “dronies”.

Just because the Neo is affordable doesn’t mean it’s essential, however. If you want to fly the Neo manually, it supports DJI controllers, FPV goggles and can be flown using a smartphone. It can hit speeds up to 18 MPH or faster in manual mode, and is highly adaptable. Thanks to the built-in AI feature, it can follow you while walking or cycling, making it a vlogger’s best friend. Finally, it can record all your photos at 4K 30p, which is surprisingly good considering the price.

My biggest gripe with the Neo is the banshee noise it makes, which can be annoying in public spaces. Overall, it’s a great product at a great price and managed to capture the zeitgeist like no other camera this year.

Canon and Fujifilm were the best of the rest

My favorite mirrorless camera this year was Canon’s EOS R5 II. This is not because of the new technology, but because it is a very good hybrid camera.

This starts with a new 45-megapixel sensor that offers the speed and resolution we’ve seen on Sony’s A1 or Nikon Z9 – both at a much higher price. It also has the industry’s most advanced AI autofocus system. All that allows for super fast shooting up to 30fps in RAW mode. Its advanced AF system makes blurry photos a rarity even at those speeds. At the same time, the 45-megapixel images provide detailed and high-quality images, with accurate, interesting colors.

At the same time, it offers amazing video capabilities, with 8K RAW shooting at up to 60fps and 4K 120p. As with the photos, the videos are amazing thanks to the new CLog 2 recording that allows for the highest quality. Beyond that, the EOS R5 II is a great camera to use, with excellent ergonomics.

Another camera I used was Fujifilm’s X100 VI compact. The camera deserves a lot of press coverage this year, because its classic look, classic design, video experiments and great control bring joy to photography. At the same time, it is a technical marvel with a high-quality 40-megapixel sensor, fast shooting speed, stabilization and solid video.

In conclusion, I think Panasonic’s S9 deserves a shout out for trying something new. It’s one of the smallest full-frame cameras I’ve ever seen, yet it delivers 6K video quality and is compact in body. But the big new trick is the LUT approximation – 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 in 2025

Although it may be banned in the US, DJI is expected to continue its production schedule in 2025. According to rumors, it is working on a foldable model called DJI Flip and should also release a successor to the Mavic 3 Pro sometime next year, according to recent reports FCC photos. After all, it tends to quickly upgrade its drones and cameras, so expect to see successors to the Action 5 Pro cam, Mini 4 Pro drone and other models.

Elsewhere, one interesting rumor has Fujifilm releasing a one-inch, half sensor a compact that can act as a digital version of the famous Pentax 17 video camera and can allow diptych pictures (side by side).

Otherwise, Sony has to release an update of its popular A7 IV launched in 2021 with a higher shooting speed and more to better match the competition. Canon is about to release a new camera in the same price range, the R6 III, with the same specs. We can see the new version of Nikon Z5 III with better performance. And Panasonic should refresh its S1 and S1R models. Manufacturers can jump on the bandwagon, as Fujifilm has proven to be a good team – which would be good news for all photographers.