In spite of feeling love a somewhat composed year for leading digicam manufacturers, 2024 served up some honest treats. Highlights included the Canon EOS R5 Designate II, which we awarded digicam product of the year as a consequence of its like a flash 45MP stacked fat-frame sensor and modern in-digicam enhancing, such as its 400% upscale purpose that will perhaps well additionally end the megapixel inch for honest.
We additionally loved making an are trying out the Fujifilm X100VI in Japan. This dear top class compact digicam on the opposite hand attracted huge pre-hiss numbers and is accrued on backorder the correct half of a year later. It in actual fact is a satisfaction to shoot with.
DJI all over over again had a busy year with recent drones, action cameras, vlogging cameras and accessories. It as a consequence scooped TechRadar’s digicam mark of the year – that’s two years in a row. Various honorable mentions depart to Nikon for its better-than-anticipated five-neatly-known particular person Z6 III and Insta360 for doubling down on dominance within the pocketable video digicam keep, especially with its X4 360-degree digicam.
Moreover hardware, different digicam headlines included Nikon procuring RED Digital Cameras to straight away change into a sizable player within the cinema enterprise, a circulate that manner thrilling possibilities for its genuine mirrorless cameras going forward. Could additionally we look fruit as early as 2025? AI continues to dominate tech headlines, nonetheless its implementation into digicam hardware remains restrained. And the in vogue-or-backyard level-and-shoot digital digicam has enjoyed a comeback, in particular with younger audiences – for which we can thank TikTok.
So how does this previous year space us up for 2025? As you would build a question to of, there are a lot of rumors already circulating about what’s to advance over the subsequent 12 months, and we might perhaps perhaps well make some trained predictions too. Right here, in reverse hiss, are the 12 most thrilling cameras we’re staring at for to search for in 2025.
The 12 most thrilling cameras of 2025
12. Nikon Z5 II
- Likelihood rating: 4/5
- Pleasure rating: 3/5
Nikon has a actual and moderately-priced mirrorless digicam lineup now, as a consequence of a string of most in vogue releases. We wouldn’t build a question to of a Z8 or Z9 successor any time rapidly, and as the Z6 III became Nikon’s ideal unencumber in 2024, a brand recent model in that collection is unlikely for 2025. For fat-frame Nikon cameras then, that leaves us with the dated Z5 and the Z7 II with probably successors. Nonetheless, many followers judge the Z8 has build to bed the need for a Z7 III and judge that line is tiresome, which leaves the Z5 II as the perhaps candidate for 2025.
We corrupt the genuine Nikon Z5 as one of the crucial correct low-fee fat-frame mirrorless cameras – it continually drops to around $1,000 / £800 within the sales – nonetheless the entry-stage model is practically five years dilapidated now and due an update. Cementing that belief, The Sleek Digicam speculates a mark II version might perhaps perhaps well additionally advance as rapidly as Q1 of 2025, for as tiny as $1,200 / £1,000. It’ll devour to be that designate or lower given the older Z6 II, which is from the pricier collection up, has dropped to the $1,500 / £1,350 mark.
We judge a Z5 II will search for plenty love the lately launched APS-C layout Nikon Z50 II, nonetheless with a 24MP fat-frame sensor. If it be priced aggressively, as Nikon tends to attain, it might perhaps perhaps perhaps well additionally make our ideal beginner mirrorless digicam procuring manual. Nikon’s acquisition of RED Digital Cameras additionally leaves us questioning if we are going to look any inform fruit in its cameras, doubtlessly thru firmware updates or a more cinema-centered model, extra special love the Sony FX30 or Canon EOS C80. Now that will perhaps well shake issues up a tiny bit.
11. GoPro Max 2
- Likelihood rating: 3/5
- Pleasure rating: 3/5
It’s three years on the ride for the Max 2 in our most thrilling cameras for the impending year checklist, nonetheless GoPro assures us that 2025 in actual fact, in actual fact is the year that its extra special anticipated 360-degree digicam will hit the shelves.
All each person is aware of is that it’s been five years for the reason that long-established, and in that time, Insta360 has strengthened its grip on this market, culminating in 2024’s X4 – a five-neatly-known particular person-rated 8K 360-degree digicam that can double up as an action digicam and more.
If GoPro became to launch the Max 2, can it even compete with Insta360? We’re no longer obvious. It’ll completely devour to make significant enhancements over the long-established Max to attain so, and in that case, we would be in for a treat on epic of a Max 2 must be GoPro’s first 8K digicam.
For 360-degree digicam followers, it’s an otherwise Insta360 keep, that manner we can ideal hope that the market chief sees the devour to outdo itself within the absence of any honest opponents – competitors from the minnows Kandao and Ricoh are less compelling packages total. Attain on GoPro, don’t allow us to down.
As unsure as the Max 2 has change into, we can continually rely on GoPro to launch a brand recent version of its flagship action digicam. Seek recordsdata from a GoPro Hero 14 Sunless to materialize in September 2025.
10. DJI Flip
- Likelihood rating: 5/5
- Pleasure rating: 3/5
DJI infrequently ever sits accrued, nonetheless the drone big appeared busier than ever as 2024 drew to a shut. Seemingly it’s miles the looming US ban for its drones, nonetheless a spate of rumors suggests we are going to look all or any of the next rapidly; a DJI Mini 5 Pro, which is in a position to probably change into the correct sub-250g drone; a DJI Mavic 4 Pro, replacing the correct triple-digicam drone; and an all-recent DJI Flip.
The Flip would be a unfamiliar addition to DJI’s vary of drones if the rumors are appropriate. It appears love a pocketable, sub-250g HoverAir X1 Pro-vogue folding drone, with its propellors encased in guards, and featuring a lot of the Mini 4 Pro tech. That makes it an inviting mix of the DJI Neo and DJI Mini 4 Pro, though it be no longer completely obvious who it be for.
Propellor guards are generally ragged in beginner and selfie drones, enabling flight shut to folks and indoors. Appropriate how the rumored Flip will straddle DJI’s selfie and customary drones remains to be viewed, nonetheless we might perhaps perhaps well additionally no longer devour to lend a hand long to gain out if the rumors of a Q1 launch show camouflage apt.
9. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
- Likelihood rating: 5/5
- Pleasure rating: 3/5
It hasn’t been launched but, nonetheless there just isn’t any longer plenty that we don’t know relating to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Samsung‘s upcoming flagship phone that will lift the torch from its predecessor as one of the crucial ideal digicam phones.
Rumors counsel the most in vogue flagship will drop around January 22 and can fee bigger than the S24 Ultra, which started at $1,199.Ninety nine / £1,249 / AU$1,949 for a 256GB storage and 8GB RAM version. This might perhaps occasionally make it a dear handset. As for its digicam, we devour read leaks suggesting that three of its four rear cameras might perhaps be the the same, while the extensive digicam might perhaps perhaps well additionally salvage a sizable upgrade.
To recap, the S24 Ultra boasts a 200MP foremost digicam with 24mm f/1.7 lens and 1/1.3-breeze sensor, a 12MP ultra-extensive digicam with 13mm f/2.2 lens and 1/2.55-breeze sensor, a 50MP ‘periscope’ digicam with 5x optical zoom – that’s a 111mm f/3.4 lens and 1/2.52-breeze sensor, and sooner or later a 10MP telephoto digicam with 3x optical zoom (a 67mm f/2.4 lens with 1/3.52-breeze).
Basically the most credible rumors counsel that the correct substitute will probably be to the ultra-extensive digicam, seeing a soar in decision to 50MP. That enchancment would make the S25 Ultra’s extensive-perspective abilities rival the iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max. Various than that, and never like the remainder of the phone’s specs, there just isn’t any longer plenty each person is aware of relating to the S25 Ultra’s cameras. We couldn’t devour too long to lend a hand to gain out, though.
8. Panasonic Lumix S1H II
- Likelihood rating: 4/5
- Pleasure rating: 4/5
Going off most in vogue history, we can build a question to of a pair of most in vogue Panasonic cameras in 2025, in spite of every little thing, 2024 introduced us the fabulous Lumix GH7 and the Lumix S9, while the previous year we were handled to the Lumix G9 II and Lumix S5 II. What we did no longer look in those previous two years became a excessive-end fat-frame digicam, and that is precisely what rumors are pointing towards, specifically a Lumix S1H successor.
Observe has it that a Lumix S1H II will probably be launched within the principle quarter of 2025, giving filmmakers a lot of reasons to salvage inflamed, especially if Panasonic implements extra special of its most in vogue tech in an S1H-vogue pro physique. As well to doubtlessly gaining the half detect autofocus debuted within the S5 II, plus presumably the aptitude for in-digicam 32-bit waft audio love the Lumix GH7, some thrilling specs are being touted.
The Sleek Digicam thinks the S1H II will feature a somewhat low-decision 22.5MP fat-frame sensor optimized for video train, with 6K open gate video and a triple native ISO – we saw that feature for the principle time within the Canon EOS C400 / EOS C80. There might perhaps perhaps well additionally additionally be a DR boost with as much as 17-stops dynamic vary using an Arri Log C4 profile, plus ProRes RAW / RAW HQ inside of recording. If these ingredients show camouflage appropriate, a would-be Lumix S1H II will boast the correct video image quality of any Lumix mirrorless digicam, supported by twin followers for limitless file times. This might perhaps perhaps perhaps well be the digicam that units the bar for video creatives at its designate level.
7. iPhone 17 Pro / Pro Max
- Likelihood rating: 5/5
- Pleasure rating: 4/5
We’re a ways off an iPhone 17 / 17 Pro / 17 Pro Max launch if Apple‘s reliable September calendar is one thing else to circulate by, nonetheless that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from whirring into action already.
Chief among those iPhone 17 rumors is that the 5x optical zoom telephoto digicam within the 17 Pro and Pro Max will look a bump in decision from 12MP to 48MP. Likewise, the entrance digicam will soar up from 12MP, nonetheless to 24MP. These every seem love shimmering predictions and would make for a actual upgrade, nonetheless there might perhaps be additionally a evil rumor.
One supply claims that iPhone 17 objects might perhaps be the first iPhones with a mechanical aperture, a feature from precise cameras designed to substitute how extra special gentle enters the digicam and impacts the depth of topic. Most phones utilize computational trickery to blur backgrounds on your portraits, nonetheless a mechanical aperture is the particular deal.
That rumor would tally with the iPhone 16’s stand-out Digicam Control button (don’t name it a button). Pair the administration’s tactile response for digicam changes with a lens whose aperture can routinely be changed, and that will perhaps well make fairly the mix for enthusiast photographers who’re ragged to these controls on their sizable cameras. By some ability perhaps perhaps we already feel more inflamed by the digicam upgrades within the subsequent spherical of iPhones than Samsungs.
6. Ricoh GR IV
- Likelihood rating: 3/5
- Pleasure rating: 4/5
We anticipated the Ricoh GR IV in closing year’s shortlist nonetheless, sadly, the rumors became out to be wrong. All that materialized became a arena of interest version of the most in vogue model – the GR III HDF / GR IIIx HDF – that became the same excluding for a highlight diffusion filter. Level-headed, rumors are ramping up for a fourth-gen model and this model might perhaps perhaps perhaps devour a lot of photography fanatics inflamed.
The Ricoh GR collection has been around for years, boasting stand-out image quality as a consequence of a gargantuan APS-C sensor and interesting fixed lens, all packed precise into a in actual fact pocketable compact physique. It be one of our favourite top class compact cameras and the GR IIIx persuaded this author to splash out on it instead of the most in vogue iPhone. Nonetheless, for all it delivers, the GR III collection is extra special from wonderful and might perhaps perhaps well additionally additionally be without problems improved. We have written relating to the five upgrades we would prefer to search for within the GR IV, together with a built-in flash and better autofocus.
There are few GR IV rumored specs to circulate off, nonetheless we’re hoping it proves to be a precise upgrade fairly than a refined model – in spite of every little thing, the genuine GR III is around five years dilapidated now. The Ricoh GR III / GR IIIx is probably one of the crucial few excessive-quality objects closing within the sub $1,000 / £1,000 designate mark, we apt hope that a effectively improved GR IV is apt all around the corner. It might perhaps perhaps perhaps well additionally tempt a pair of a ways from the love of the Fujifilm X100VI.
5. Fujifilm X-E5
- Likelihood rating: 4/5
- Pleasure rating: 4/5
The Fujifilm X-E4 became launched in February 2021, but it became 2024 that proved to be its bumper year. That is on epic of pairing it with Fujifilm‘s XF 27mm f/2.8 pancake lens creates a viable more than a couple of to the trending Fujifilm X100-collection of top class compacts – the most in vogue two objects of which proved in particular arduous to purchase after going viral on TikTok. When shoppers couldn’t salvage the X100V or X100VI, they became to the X-E4 instead and it became sold out all the arrangement thru ingredients of 2023 and heaps of 2024. You’ll probably be gratified to hear that rumors counsel a successor, the X-E5, is en route.
Fujifilm Rumors says we can build a question to of the X-E5 around July 2025. As for its specs, there just isn’t any longer extra special word but, so we have to make trained guesses. We build a question to of the aptitude X-E5 to sit down down above the recent X-M5 and inherit extra special of its ingredients from 2024’s X-T50. That manner a compact physique that’s more rugged than the X-M5’s, alongside with Fujifilm’s increased-decision 40MP APS-C sensor and X-Trans Processor 5 engine. There might perhaps be the argument that the X-E4 already does the job of a would-be X-E5 as an day after day lightweight digicam to doc existence, nonetheless it no doubt appears as though Fujifilm thinks there might perhaps be existence within the X-E collection but. Pricing will probably be key; we hope it couldn’t surpass the $1,100 / £1,000 mark.
4. Canon EOS R6 Designate III
- Likelihood rating: 4/5
- Pleasure rating: 4/5
It be ‘positively’ coming in Q1 of 2025 hiss famed Canon leakers, and while we don’t know if that timeline is honest, the sentiment is assurance that Canon is following up its long-established EOS R6 Designate II with a third-generation model, presumably called the EOS R6 Designate III. Cameras don’t appear to be continually introduced at expos anymore, nonetheless the EOS R6 Designate III will probably be unveiled at or around CP+ in Japan, which is taking tell from February 27 to March 2.
The first rumors about a probably EOS R6 Designate III’s specs counsel it would be a modest update of the EOS R6 Designate II, with a bigger EVF and a completely recent OLED touchscreen for Canon. With twin-axis flip-out and rotate movements, love the show camouflage within the Sony A9 III, you might perhaps perhaps perhaps additionally manipulate it to any perspective for easy viewing at excessive and low angles whether or no longer taking pictures in portrait or landscape layout.
It’ll potentially devour identical photo specs, with a fat-frame 24MP sensor and in-physique image stabilization rated as much as eight.5 stops, albeit doubtlessly with a DIGIC Accelerator processor corresponding to the EOS R5 Designate II, which can additionally up burst taking pictures efficiency. It might perhaps perhaps perhaps well additionally devour the the same autofocus system as the pricier EOS R5 II, which has some fairly refined topic and sport precedence modes, moreover to the in-digicam neural network noise reduction and upscale image enhancing that majorly impressed us.
There might perhaps perhaps well additionally additionally be improved 6K video and unhurried ride 4K 120fps recording, plus Canon’s Cinema RAW Light codec. If these rumors are all on the money, the sum of those ingredients is a effectively refined all-rounder that will depart toe-to-toe with the Nikon Z6 III.
3. Fujifilm GFX100 RF
- Likelihood rating: 4/5
- Pleasure rating: 5/5
2025 might perhaps be the year that Fujifilm goes sizable, with two completely recent medium-layout cameras. One is already confirmed: the GFX Eterna, slated for 2025, will probably be Fujifilm’s first-ever dedicated cinema digicam. This might perhaps perhaps perhaps well profit from of the the same 102MP sensor as the flagship GFX100 II, nonetheless with a dedicated produce for filmmaking.
Curiously, there might perhaps be one other GFX digicam within the works, the Fujifilm GFX100 RF. We’re in actual fact fascinated about this one on epic of, if rumors are appropriate, this would perhaps also very neatly be a medium-layout model with a difficult and like a flash 35mm (effective) lens, corresponding to the long-established X100VI. What in actual fact grabbed our attention is its rumored size, acknowledged to be corresponding to the X100VI / X-Pro 3 (sadly no rumors of a successor for the latter). That is gargantuan spectacular given how extra special bigger the sensor is than the APS-C one ragged in Fujifilm X-collection cameras.
There are too many gaps within the rumored specs to diagram any conclusions. Nonetheless, further shrimp print counsel that a GFX100 RF would additionally be Fujifilm’s most inexpensive within the layout, so this would perhaps also probably utilize the 102MP sensor existing within the GFX100S II nonetheless is unlikely to feature in-physique image stabilization. The risk of a top class compact digicam with a medium-layout sensor is huge though, and this is a rumor we’re keeping our witness on.
2. A Pentax SLR film digicam
- Likelihood rating: 2/5
- Pleasure rating: 5/5
In 2024, Pentax delivered its first digicam for the Pentax Film Mission, merely named the Pentax 17. It became an incredibly easy-to-utilize and charming half-frame film digicam that sooner or later obtained us over and became one of 2024’s highlights. In step with Pentax, which is a fairly open ebook about what’s to advance, the subsequent film digicam we can build a question to of is a precise SLR.
The risk that one other Pentax film digicam will probably be delivered is moderately excessive; it be apt that we don’t build a question to of the 2nd digicam on this venture to advance any time rapidly. Pentax’s Film Mission became introduced in 2022, and the principle digicam got right here two years later. It would be a significant surprise if Pentax’s recent SLR film digicam is delivered in 2025, though, consider that, we hope to be proven spoiled.
Within the venture’s early days, Pentax Product Planner Takeo Suzuki acknowledged, “First, we are going to invent a compact film digicam. Then, while reviewing a vary of applied sciences, we are going to circulate on to invent a excessive-end compact model, an SLR model, and sooner or later (and hopefully), a completely mechanical SLR digicam”. That inexpensive compact film digicam with a actual guarantee became certainly the recent Pentax 17. What is going to advance subsequent we don’t know. nonetheless the completely mechanical SLR will probably be very thrilling for extreme photographers.
1. Sony A7 V
- Likelihood rating: 4/5
- Pleasure rating: 5/5
In spite of the most in vogue A1 II flagship, Sony‘s digicam department has had one of its quietest years in memory. We’re staring at for 2025 to be plenty busier, and that will perhaps well additionally starting up with the rumored Sony A7 V. The fat-frame mirrorless digicam became our favourite all-rounder for years nonetheless became bettered by the Canon EOS R6 Designate II and, more lately, the even-better Nikon Z6 III. It be about time for Sony to wrestle motivate with an update of the A7 IV – and we’re staring at for honest issues should an improved successor advance to be.
One manner Sony can devour on the A7 IV is merely by borrowing existing tech from more moderen objects, such as the A7R V, ZV-E1, and A1 II, then rounding them up into an A7 V. We would hope for better dealing with. The identical physique as the A1 II / A9 III might perhaps perhaps well additionally very neatly be out of the request nonetheless the A7R V produce, which features a four-axis touchscreen, is distinctly that you just might perhaps perhaps well be additionally factor in for this designate level.
We are in a position to additionally build a question to of Sony’s AI chipset for improved topic monitoring autofocus, and one of the crucial AI-smarts of the ZV-E1, together with auto framing for video. The A7 IV’s video specs search for a tiny bit dated now, so we judge the main enhancements will advance there. Otherwise, the A7 IV already boasts a 33MP sensor, which beats Canon and Nikon’s more moderen competitors for photography, so there might perhaps be doubtlessly less that desires to be done for photographers.
One other risk for 2025 is a brand recent A7R VI with a excessive-decision 100MP sensor that’s never been viewed earlier than in a particular person fat-frame digicam. The A7R V already boasts rival-beating detail as a consequence of its 61MP sensor, and Sony might perhaps perhaps well additionally double down on its advantage. If we were making a bet folks, we would build our chips all in on Sony having a stellar year.
