• Polaroid and Pokémon have jointly announced a range of Pokémon-themed instant cameras and accessories
• Cameras include a version of the Polaroid Now Gen 3 styled after a Poké Ball, and versions of the Go Gen 3 styled after Pikachu and Sylveon
• All the releases, including Pokémon-styled film and accessories, will be limited edition

I’m on the record as being a huge Polaroid fan — but this latest unexpected collab from the brand has me wishing I’d waited a little longer before buying my Polaroid Go Gen 3.

Polaroid has teamed up with Pokémon to help celebrate 30 years of the pocket-monster mega-franchise (the first Pokémon games were released for the Game Boy in 1996) and has produced a range of limited-edition Pokémon-themed cameras and accessories.

As you probably agree from the images above, the most eye-catching of the bunch is the Pikachu-styled version of the Polaroid Go Gen 3, colored in the character’s iconic shade of electric yellow, complete with a yellow hand-strap in the lightning-bolt shade of Pikachu’s tail and a drawing of the little guy on the camera body.

There's also the Sylveon-styled version of the same camera, with a strap in the Fairy-type Pokémon’s colors of pink, white and blue. Alternatively, you could pick up a version of the larger Polaroid Now Gen 3, which takes full-size I-Type film, in the classic red, white and black colors of a Poké Ball. Although, in a small touch that I absolutely adore, all three cameras have Poké Ball-shaped shutter buttons.

If you, like me, already own your Polaroid cameras, there are still ways you can get in on the Pokémon fun. The collab also includes Polaroid Go and I-Type film in Pokémon styling, with frames themed after iconic monsters like Charmander, Clefairy and Squirtle in addition to Pikachu and Sylveon, and a Pokémon-themed camera strap. And — I just love these — you can also get a camera case and photo album for your Polaroid Go in the shape and style of a Poké Ball!

The special-edition Go Gen 3 versions in Pikachu and Sylveon styles can be picked up for $99.99 / £89.99 (around AU$140), while the Poké Ball-themed version of the Now Gen 3 starts at $139.99 / £129.99 (around AU$198).

Special editions of I-Type film will be priced at $22.99 USD / £21.99 (around AU$32) while the Go film will be $24.99 / £21.99 (around AU$35). Basically, a couple of dollars over regular Polaroid film.

The whole lot will be available for pre-order from Polaroid and the Pokémon Center in the US, UK and Canada from August 25, and will go on general sale from October 6. And it’s all going to be in limited quantities — so if you’re a die-hard Pokémon fan who wants to get in on the instant-photography fun, you might not want to wait!

DJI Mic Mini 2S: two-minute review

Until now, DJI's compact wireless mic lineup has had a clear budget option in the Mic Mini series and a clear flagship in the Mic series, with a gulf of features and price separating the two. The Mic Mini 2S changes things, and slots right into that gulf. It's not quite a flagship-killer, but with this release, DJI now has three tiers of small wireless mic — and this middle one is very appealing.

Much of the flagship DJI Mic 3's DNA has trickled down into the Mic Mini 2S: internal recording, 32-bit float support, AI-driven noise cancellation, adaptive gain modes, fast file transfers. These were all things that, until now, meant paying a premium. The Mini 2S borrows them wholesale, wraps them in the same pocket-sized transmitter and case as the standard Mic Mini 2, and undercuts the Mic 3 comfortably on price.

Audio quality is superb. Whether I was recording via the receiver connected to a camera or going wireless direct to an OsmoAudio device, the results were clean, full-bodied and detailed. An impressive feat for a supposedly budget offering.

Noise cancellation is another highlight. The new AI-assisted system handled everything I threw at it, from a droning desk fan to a chatter-filled pub garden, with a level of polish that puts some real distance between the Mini 2S and its S-less little sibling. It's not quite at the level of the class-leading Insta360 Mic Pro, but it's a comfortable step up from the standard Mic Mini 2's basic noise reduction.

Having tested both the Mic Mini 2 and Mic 3 extensively as well as the Mini 2S, I'd say the average creator might struggle to justify paying the Mic 3 premium now. Those with more demanding needs still have reasons to look past the Mini 2S, though: the Mic 3 offers more than double the onboard storage per transmitter, a touchscreen receiver display for on-the-fly monitoring, dual-file recording, onboard timecode, and more granular gain control — stuff which probably matters for professional productions.

For everyone else, the Mini 2S is the new sweet spot in DJI's range. It's a tiny mic that really punches above its weight.

DJI Mic Mini 2S: price and release date

• Released August 4 2026, priced from £59 / AU$99 to £183 / AU$328
• Sold in four separate bundles, plus individual transmitters, charging cases and cover sets
• Available globally — aside from in the US

The Mic Mini 2S launched globally on August 4 2026, not long after the Mic Mini 2's April 2026 arrival. I say "globally", but as with every other DJI product released recently, it isn't officially available in the US, with the company blaming ongoing regulatory hurdles.

The Mini 2S comes in a wide range of configurations. At the low end, a single transmitter (TX) costs £59 / AU$99, while receivers (RX) add to the cost. The core bundles are the DJI Mic Mini 2S (1 TX + 1 RX) and the DJI Mic Mini 2S (1 TX + 1 Mobile RX + Charging Case), both priced at £79 / AU$149. Stepping up, the DJI Mic Mini 2S (2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) costs £169 / AU$279, while the priciest option, at £183 / AU$328, has 2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case as well as a Mobile RX.

It's a big price jump over the Mic Mini 2, where equivalent bundles cost roughly half as much: £29 for a standalone transmitter and £89 for the full 2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case kit. It also puts the Mini 2S's 2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case at the same price as the entry-level Mic 3 bundle (£169 for 1 TX + 1 RX).

DJI Mic Mini 2S: specs

DJI Mic Mini 2S: Design

• Looks nearly identical to the Mic Mini 2
• Features swappable magnetic covers in range of colors
• Redesigned charging case now fits the 3.5mm cable

If you've seen the Mic Mini 2, you already know what the Mini 2S looks like. DJI has barely touched the exterior: the transmitters are the same size with the same interchangeable magnetic front covers (available in the same range of colors, from timeless black to a fetching shade of magenta). The receiver, too, is essentially unchanged, which means there's no onboard display to keep an eye on gain or adjust settings; you'll need to open up the Mimo app on your smartphone to do that.

The family resemblance is generally no bad thing. At just 0.4oz / 12g with a cover attached, I barely noticed the transmitter magnet-attached to my shirt, and I couldn't feel it at all when clipped to the peak of a baseball cap. The detachable clip still rotates through 360 degrees (in 90-degree increments) so the mic capsule can be aimed correctly whichever way you've mounted it, and the magnet option remains handy for thinner fabrics where a clip might snag.

There is one small but positive design change: DJI has found room for the 3.5mm cable inside the charging case (something the Mic Mini 2's case couldn't manage) which means the entire two-transmitter setup, cables, windshields and mounting options included, now fits in one pocketable case. With portability being a huge part of the appeal for a mic like this, it's a step in the right direction.

DJI Mic Mini 2S: Performance

• Offers internal recording with 14.5GB of storage space on transmitters
• Includes AI noise cancelling, improving on the Mic Mini 2's system
• Transmitter battery life roughly in line with Mic Mini 2's, and better than Mic 3's

The Mic Mini 2S's marquee upgrade over the Mic Mini 2 is internal recording, which I think is a huge deal. Every previous Mic Mini had to transmit to something — either a receiver, or an OsmoAudio device — to be of any use, but the Mini 2S transmitter can function just fine all on its own. With around 14.5GB of usable storage on each transmitter, it can store up to 28 hours of 24-bit recordings, or around 22 hours of 32-bit float recordings.

For those who aren't familiar, 32-bit float (which is available on the DJI Mic 3 but not the Mic Mini or Mini 2) doesn't inherently make your recordings sound better, but rather dramatically widens the available dynamic range. If levels unexpectedly spike or dip during a recording, 32-bit float gives you far more room to correct for that in post without clipping or losing detail. It's less about raw quality and more about insuring you're covered when recording in unpredictable environments.

Another upgrade over the Mic Mini 2 is 4TX + 1RX support, meaning you can record from four separate transmitters onto a single receiver. I'd say this is a much more situational addition: handy if you're recording podcasts, panel discussions or similar, but not something most solo creators will need day to day.

File transfers are roughly twice as fast as the Mic Mini 2's when pulling recordings off the transmitter via the charging case. If you're regularly transferring lengthy 32-bit float recordings, those saved minutes might add up — but again, it's a situational improvement.

Noise canceling is where I noticed the clearest real-world improvement over the Mic Mini 2. The Mini 2S's AI-assisted system does a better job than the older mic's more basic noise reduction: it very nearly eliminated a loud desk fan running in my office, and noticeably cut through background chatter when I tested it in a busy pub garden so that my and my wife's voices remained nice and clear. For context, I still rate the Insta360 Mic Pro as the best noise-canceling wireless mic I've tested, but it also costs considerably more than this.

Alongside noise canceling, the Mini 2S also gets DJI's adaptive gain features, Clipping Control and Loudness Balance (previously available on the DJI Mic 3 but not the Mic Mini 2). The former automatically pulls back gain to stop sudden loud moments from distorting, while the latter lifts quieter sounds to even out levels — useful if you're recording somewhere volume might swing unpredictably.

The Mic Mini 2S's audio quality is superb no matter how you use it. It supports quality up to 96kHz/24-bit with the receiver connected to a camera, or up to 48kHz/24-bit over a direct OsmoAudio connection, plus the aforementioned 32-bit float. Frankly, I don't think most people (myself definitely included) would be able to reliably pick a Mini 2S recording out from one made on the considerably pricier flagship Mic 3, which says a lot about how good this is for a supposedly budget microphone.

On the battery life front, things are roughly the same as they were on the Mic Mini 2: a transmitter can record for a round 11 hours on a full charge, while the receiver can keep going for around ten. With two transmitters, the receiver and a charging case, you can expect around 40 hours of combined use before needing to track down a power socket.

That's a bit worse than the Mic Mini 2 (which offers 11.5 hours, 10 hours and 48 hours across the transmitter, receiver and charging case), but much better than the Mic 3 (8 hours, 10 hours and 28 hours respectively).

Should I buy the DJI Mic Mini 2S?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

DJI Mic Mini 2S: also consider

How I tested the DJI Mic Mini 2S

• Two weeks of testing indoors and outdoors
• Connected to Panasonic Lumix GH6, iPhone 13, OnePlus Pad and DJI Osmo Action 6
• Also tested using internal recording without a receiver or camera

I was sent a review sample of the DJI Mic Mini 2S (2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) kit, and tested it for a couple of weeks, putting it through its paces in a range of indoor and outdoor conditions from quiet offices to windy walks and busy public spaces. I paired it with my Panasonic Lumix GH6 mirrorless camera, my iPhone 13, a OnePlus Pad tablet and the DJI Osmo Action 6 via OsmoAudio, testing both wireless transmission and manual connections. I also tested the Mini 2S's headline new feature directly, using the transmitter as a standalone recorder with no receiver or camera involved at all.

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

Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO: one-minute review

If you're searching for a high-quality and compact lens for your Sony or Nikon mirrorless camera, then the excellent value Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO is well worth considering.

Compared to Nikon and Sony's own alternatives, the Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 strikes a balance of premium design, compact size and reasonable pricing most compellingly of all.

For $299 / £279 (approximately AU$500), you get a wide-angle prime with bright f/2.8 aperture, rugged metal body that measures just 25.8mm in length, rubber-sealed mount, twin dials and a fabulous magnetic lens cap design.

Not only is the Viltrox lens around half the price of the Nikon alternative, but it packs more features, while Sony's closest alternative is a physically larger and pricier 24mm F2.8.

Viltrox's lens isn't perfect, mind you; optically it's not the sharpest lens I've used and the maximum f/2.8 aperture setting is prone to flare, which reduces contrast. Autofocus can be a little fussy too.

Those drawbacks aside, the Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO is another high-quality hit from the established Chinese lens manufacturer that deserves to live on your Sony or Nikon camera.

Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO: price and availability

• Available in Sony E and Nikon Z-mount versions
• It costs $299 / £279 (around AU$500), with a 10% discount at launch
• A magnetic lens cap and filter is supplied

The Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO full-frame lens launched for Sony E-mount and Nikon Z mount mirrorless cameras. It can also be used with either's APS-C cameras, with which it has an effective 39mm focal length. The lens costs $299 / £279 (not directly available in Australia), but I regularly see 10-15% discounts on the Viltrox site and at Amazon. At the time of writing, there's 10% off the 26mm lens.

Viltrox has another autofocus pancake lens, the 28mm f/4.5, which is just one third of the price. However, that lens is much more basic, and for a fair comparison on value, consider Nikon's own 26mm f/2.8 pancake lens, which has a slightly simpler design yet is almost double the price.

Sony's choices are much more varied — there are low-cost (and lower quality) options such as the 20mm F2.8, while premium options such as the 24mm F2.8 are pricier and physically much larger. TTArtisan sells a AF 27mm f/2.8 pancake lens that costs around $130 / £110 less, but I've not tested that lens.

So while the 26mm F2.8 EVO is hardly cheap for a Viltrox lens, it is still excellent value considering its quality and the available alternatives. I think it's an excellent quality to size and price ratio. For other primes, check out my best Sony lenses and best Nikon lenses guides.

Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO: specs

Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO: design

• Just 25.8mm in length and 6oz / 170g
• Metal components, rubber-sealed mount
• Clever magnetic lens hood

Lightweight, rugged and convenient, the Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO fits the bill for everyday photography.

It's clearly made from premium materials, with a metal barrel and rear mount with rubber seal to keep out moisture and dust.

And despite its compact dimensions, the lens fits an impressive number of controls, squeezing in focus and aperture control rings. Unsurprisingly, each ring is very narrow, and getting a secure grip on the focus ring is a little fiddly, but I certainly prefer having those shrunk-down controls rather than none at all.

The aperture ring is clicked with no option to de-click it for video use. Again, I'm not surprised about this given how small the lens is — there really is no spare space to fit this control.

Like all recent Viltrox lenses, the 26mm pancake features a USB-C port in its rear mount, through which firmware updates can be installed.

The simple optical construction comprises eight elements in six groups, and includes two aspherical elements. The front lens element is tiny. In fact, the 43mm filter thread isn't even built into the lens itself, but the supplied lens hood.

Said dual-purpose lens hood is suitably compact, but I found it didn't provide the sort of protection against lens flare that I would hope for (more on this in the performance section).

The lens hood has a neat trick up its sleeve mind you — it's magnetic. The supplied lens cap snaps onto the lens hood magnetically, doing away with the traditional pinch lock lens cap design. The hood screws onto the lens, but you can bypass the hood because the front of the lens is also magnetic.

Viltrox's neat magnetic system is a revelation, and I hope other lens manufacturers follow suit. It might not be suitable for all lens types mind you, say those with floating lens elements which use electromagnetism, such as Viltrox's own 85mm F1.4 Pro.

Close focusing goes down to 0.2m, which delivers a maximum 0.2x magnification. This is no close up lens, therefore, but I've certainly tested plenty of lenses with a lesser maximum magnification factor.

At launch, the 26mm lens is available in Sony E and Nikon Z-mount versions. There's no word yet on L-mount or X-mount versions (nor Canon RF, as per usual).

To truly appreciate the benefit of its compact dimensions and lightweight 6oz / 170g design, cameras such as the Sony A7C series and the Nikon Z f series are a good bet. And as a full-frame lens, you can also use it with APS-C cameras with a 1.5x crop factor, such as the Sony A6700 and Nikon Z50 II. It could be a fabulous option with the Lumix S9 or Sigma BF too, should an L-mount version land.

Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO: Performance

• Bright maximum f/2.8, but risk of strong lens flare at this setting
• Detail is impressively sharp for such a small lens
• Autofocus is decent, but I've used snappier lenses

Viltrox's smaller 28mm F4.5 lens wins for compact size and price, but for image quality, the 26mm F2.8 EVO is a step up.

True, it's not the sharpest lens I've ever used, but optical quality impresses, especially given how small and lightweight the lens is.

I regularly used the lens' maximum f/2.8 aperture setting, with which it's possible to get shallow depth of field and pleasant enough bokeh. There's no discernible drop in sharpness at this setting from the peak f/5.6 to f/8 settings, either.

However, lens flare is prominent at f/2.8 when shooting towards the sun and strong light sources, which massively reduces contrast. In some scenarios I rather liked the effect — it was at times characterful and dreamy. At other times, I wished the distortion was better controlled.

Vignetting (darker corners) is also visible at f/2.8, though nothing too dramatic, and remains even up to f/8. The worst of these lens distortions would be less noticeable when pairing the lens with an APS-C camera where the outer portion of the image is cropped out. Otherwise, using f/4 to f/11 aperture settings delivered impressively sharp images, generally free from severe lens distortion.

I tested the lens exclusively with a Nikon Z6 II camera. Not the latest mirrorless camera by any means (that'll be the Z6 III), but one with snappy autofocus and subject detection modes. Even still, I found myself fighting focus hunting more than usual when using the Viltrox lens, compared to a lens like, say, my Nikon 24-70mm F2.8 S.

I'll try the Viltrox 26mm lens with another camera when I get the chance, but so far I'm not fully impressed with its autofocus performance.

Should I buy the Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO

• Viltrox sent me the Z-mount version of the 26mm lens
• I paired it with my own full-frame Nikon Z6 II
• I regularly used the lens for a month, across a wide range of scenarios

I used the Z-mount version of the Viltrox AF 26mm F2.8 EVO lens with my own Nikon Z6 II full-frame mirrorless camera regularly over the course of one month. My main focus was real world use over technical studio-based tests, though I typically use lenses in scenarios that test their technical capabilities.

For example, I took the same photo in a sequence to see how quality compares using each of the lens' full aperture settings, starting at f/2.8 through to f/16. I checked for bokeh, lens distortion and sharpness at each setting, too.

I was particularly keen to check quality of the maximum f/2.8 aperture, and how the lens copes in strong daylight, especially with such a small lens hood supplied. I photographed landscapes, portraits and documentary-style moments.

First reviewed August 2026

• Trump levies huge tariffs on 'sensitive' drones, such as those heavier than 25kg
• Tariffs have also been applied to a range of other countries, such as the EU, UK, Japan, and Taiwan
• Trump says the tariffs will help strengthen national security while also bolstering the domestic drone market

President Trump has levied a new set of tariffs against imported drones and their components for national security reasons.

For ‘particularly sensitive’ drones, such as those over 25kg, those with docking stations, or those with thermal imaging capabilities, the tariffs are 100%.

“President Trump’s drone tariff program will protect the national security of the United States and its defense and defense-adjacent industrial base, supporting and creating American jobs,” the White House fact sheet said.

Strengthening US industry through national security

Drones below the 25kg threshold will still be subject to a 25% tariff, with drones imported from the European Union, Japan, Liechtenstein, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, and Taiwan subject to a 15% tariff. The United Kingdom has a lesser tariff of only 10%.

The intended consequence of these tariffs is to strengthen the US domestic drone construction industry and the wider domestic drone market.

Outside of outright upping the cost of drones in the US as vendors pass on the costs of drones to consumers, the tariffs will also likely increase the costs of an already constrained supply of specialized drones in the US market.

Many drones imported from abroad, particularly those from China, are used for specialized purposes such as search and rescue and power line inspection. As the US does not have the dedicated industries and resources to quickly begin manufacturing these drones, there will likely be a huge increase of demand for a very limited supply.

The new tariffs also close a loophole allowing Chinese parts to be assembled into a drone in the US. The fact sheet states that drones for commercial and US military purposes “rely on foreign sources for critical Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) components, which poses significant risks to U.S. national security and creates cybersecurity vulnerabilities.”

The tariffs are due to kick in on September 3 2026, giving the US drone market just 21 days to adjust or pay massively inflated import costs.

The 2026 solar eclipse has come and gone, and viewers across parts of Europe, where totality was visible for approximately two minutes before sunset, were treated to quite the show.

It was a different story for me, however. I was on a family break in the hours before the eclipse reached its 91% peak, where I was in the UK, and was entirely unprepared.

As a photographer in this kind of situation, normally I would be frantically fiddling with camera gear and searching for the best nearby location, but the stars didn't quite align to capture the experience on this occasion.

And despite a flood of spectacular eclipse images being shared online, and the fact that there won't be another eclipse this good in the UK in my lifetime, do you know what? I'm OK with how this eclipse played out for me.

Rather than getting bogged down with gear and camera settings and composition, I simply relaxed and enjoyed the spectacle with family. It was an otherworldly yet unencumbered experience, and I'll always remember that soft golden light over those few minutes, and the eclectic methods that people around us were using to watch the eclipse — from DIY pinhole cameras to colanders. It was a moment shared that brought communities together.

Sure, it might have been a different story if I were in northern Spain on an organized trip for eclipse totality, but to echo my former colleague Phil Berne's sentiments after the 2024 eclipse, I don't think any image I would have taken could do an ounce of justice to the real thing. Watching it, in community, was enough.

It still pains the photographer in me a little that the lead image in this article is of the marina where I watched the eclipse take place, along with the shadow of a colander projecting the sun's mostly eclipsed image onto a wall, both shot with my Pixel, rather than a perfectly composed, awe-inspiring eclipse photo.

However, I have gained more as a human being from making the eclipse a shared experience, and I'm still enjoying the best 2026 eclipse shots by the photographers and creatives who really went for it. You can vote below for your favorite from a selection of shots that stood out to us.

• This year's Perseid meteor shower is active up until August 24
• It peaked on August 12-13, but will be clearly visible in the Northern Hemisphere again tonight
• Head to a dark sky area and look up any time between 11pm and 5am

As if a total eclipse before sunset across parts of Europe wasn't enough, the Perseid meteor shower peaked on the same day, August 12 (with a rare six-planet alignment chucked in for good measure).

You'd think that as a professional photographer I would've had all the gear for the 2026 eclipse (which maxed at around 91% where I was in the UK), but I opted to simply enjoy it with my family and a colander. The Perseids on the other hand, were the celestial show that I got my gear out for.

Like the six planets, the conditions aligned for optimum photography of the Perseid meteor shower; a dark new moon and clear dark skies graced where I live during peak activity. It was warm enough to be out in shorts, too.

I set up my Google Pixel 8 Pro phone on one tripod and a Nikon Z6 II mirrorless camera with pro 24-70mm Ff/2.8 S on another side by side in my garden, and sat back with my son. And once our eyes had adjusted to the dark, the fun began within minutes.

How I photographed the Perseid meteor shower

For meteor photography, you absolutely need a method of keeping your camera completely still. I recommend a tripod support, though at a pinch you could prop your gear on a solid surface.

For my Pixel phone, I selected the Night Sight mode in the camera app. Once it had detected that the tripod-mounted device was completely still, the crescent moon on the photo icon changed to stars, indicating that the astrophotography mode had become available.

Hitting the photo icon on screen then starts a +4 minute timer on screen, at the end of which an optimized night sky image appears in the phone's gallery, together with one second-long timelapse video covering that entire sequence.

The alternative is standard the Night Sight mode, though to have any chance of a bright enough exposure, you'll need to manually increase the exposure time to the maximum possible six seconds. The astrophotography option yields much better quality results. For other devices besides the Pixel, check for equivalent photo modes.

Meanwhile, I set my Nikon lens to its widest 24mm focal length and an f/3.5 aperture, and set the Z6 II camera exposure settings manually to 20 seconds and ISO 3200. Any slower and the stars would start to streak (trail) rather than be distinct dots (the astrophotography rule of thumb for crisp stars is calculated as follows: focal length multiplied by shutter speed = 500 or less).

I usually shoot night sky photos in RAW format, and set the white balance to the tungsten setting for a rich blue color. I manually focus the lens to infinity and then dial it back a fraction.

Once the mirrorless gear was ready, I took the meteor photos with a self timer to avoid camera shake that occurs when pressing the shutter button by hand. The Z6 II can take up to nine consecutive images with the timer option, which in this scenario covered three minutes each time (given each photo is 20 seconds long). Alternatively, I could have locked the shutter button down with a remote release and the camera would run all night, which is what I do for star trail photography.

Smartphone vs mirrorless: which rig did I prefer?

Given the need for a tripod support, I didn't really feel that the phone was any more convenient than the bulkier mirrorless system, despite its simpler design.

Furthermore, the astrophotography mode remains illuminated on screen during the 4+ minute process of capturing a single image, which was somewhat of a distraction — you don't want a bright screen in sight when watching a meteor shower. Conversely, the Nikon camera's screen goes dark during each long exposure, which complimented the whole experience much better.

More importantly, I found that I couldn't rely on the Pixel's astrophotography mode auto editing. In almost all of the final photos, there were no visible meteors despite them clearly occurring during the four minute capture and being in frame, confirmed when I watched back the one-second timelapse video sequences (see below).

It seems as though for the most part, the Pixel device edits out meteors (and passing planes) in favor of a clean night sky image. It reminded me of my experience photographing the northern lights with a Pixel a couple of years back — I found the astrophotography mode over-edited.

The Nikon camera, meanwhile, faithfully recorded each meteor in frame during the 20-second-long exposures. And, with a little creative editing, I could composite multiple meteors from multiple photos into one (assuming from images with identical composition) to get a final image with multiple meteors. You can see some of my photos below.

Put simply, I preferred the handling of the mirrorless camera, and the faithfulness of the images it produces, over my experience using a Pixel phone.

The Perseids lowdown for tonight

The Perseids are active up until August 24, but your best best is getting out asap this week. Last night, August 12 into the early hours of August 13, was the peak, but you can expect to see plenty more meteors tonight and in the coming evenings.

During peak activity, you can expect around 50-100 visible Perseid meteors per hour under dark skies in the Northern Hemisphere. Pre-dawn hours are recommended, but I saw plenty at around midnight once I had settled down — you can try any time between 11pm and 5am local time.

You can follow my gear advice above but, honestly, just like with the solar eclipse, the Perseid meteor shower is arguably best enjoyed purely for the magical spectacle that is, without getting bogged down by gear.

I must've been sat with my son for over an hour in the warm weather, watching the night sky intently for where the next meteor would appear, delighting in each one, plus another hour by myself after he had gone inside to bed.

Some meteors appeared like faint white lines, others began as multi-color streaks and finished as blazing fireballs. Sods law the fiercest meteor I saw all night happened after I had packed up the camera gear to call it a night at around 2:30am. Trust me, it really was something.

I plan to head out again tonight to a nearby historic site with both cameras once more to get better framed shots including points of interest, but it's the Nikon that I'll be relying on.

Europe's 2026 solar eclipse has been and gone, leaving in its wake a flurry of once-in-a-generation images. I've picked out some of my favorites, which you can peruse below, but there's one shot that really outshone the rest for me.

Captured by a small camera crew in rural Spain, the photograph is of Olympic skateboarder Danny León jumping mid-air on a half-pipe as the moon eclipses the sun behind him. Since posting it on Instagram (see below), the image of the synchronized eclipse stunt has gone viral.

León hasn't yet disclosed the equipment used to photograph the epic shot, but has said that he'll share the backstory soon. All of the best images I've seen so far of the August 12th solar eclipse have been taken on mirrorless cameras, so I wouldn't be surprised if this is the same.

What I was surprised to hear was that the majority of TechRadar readers photographed yesterday's eclipse with just their smartphone's camera. Based on a poll of 825 people, close to 50% of respondents said they were planning to capture it with their phone.

Meanwhile, 30% said they wouldn't bother photographing it at all and instead planned to watch it with solar eclipse glasses, or, if you were like me, through a shadow made by a pinhole in a sheet of paper (my version of a DIY box projector or colander).

Of course I couldn't help but sneak a photo of it on my iPhone. Even though it isn't advised because of the potential damage it can do to the sensor, as long as you're only quickly snapping a pic, then you likely won't create dead pixels — it's more if you were to point it at the sun for a prolonged period of time.

If you didn't manage to capture the 2026 solar eclipse, enjoy this selection of some of my favorite shots of the major celestial event, and make sure to let me know which one is your favorite by voting in the poll below.

The Insta360 X5 has sat at the top of TechRadar's best 360 camera guide since its arrival in the spring of 2025, fending off strong challenges from the DJI Osmo 360 and the GoPro Max 2 along the way. Despite the competition, it's been the 360 camera to beat for well over a year.

Now in steps another model, this time from within Insta360 itself; the X6, which arrives as the company's tenth-anniversary flagship. On paper the X5's successor is a significant step up across almost every major spec: bigger sensors, faster frame rates, tougher waterproofing, longer battery life, and a set of pro-video tools the X5 doesn't have.

I've spent time testing both 360 cameras extensively — check out my Insta360 X6 review — and while the X6 isn't a wholesale reinvention of the formula, the upgrades it does bring are real and, in several cases, substantial. Here are the five biggest differences you need to know about if you're deciding between them, followed by my early verdict on which one deserves your money.

1. Insta360 X6 vs Insta360 X5: Sensors and image quality

• New 1/1.1-inch sensors on the X6, up from 1/1.28-inch on the X5
• X6 shoots 360 video at up to 8K/50fps, versus the X5's 8K/30fps ceiling
• 120MP 360 photos on the X6, versus 72MP on the X5

The headline hardware change between these two cameras is sensor size. The X5 introduced dual 1/1.28-inch sensors that were a big step up from the X4's, and the X6 goes further still with a new pair of 1/1.1-inch sensors. Insta360 says that's 33% more sensor area, and around four times the light intake per frame.

In practice, I'd say the difference this makes in good daylight conditions is real but subtle, and not as dramatic a jump as the X4-to-X5 upgrade was. Where the X6 really pulls ahead is in low light. The X5's PureVideo mode was already the best low-light performer in its category, but the X6 pushes noise reduction and detail retention further still, helped by 10-bit color depth now being supported across every shooting mode — including PureVideo, which wasn't the case on the X5.

The maximum frame rate and resolution have both gone up too. The X6 shoots 360 video at up to 8K/50fps, compared with the X5's 8K/30fps cap, giving smoother results at the top resolution. And 360 photo resolution has increased from 72MP on the X5 to 120MP on the X6.

None of this makes the X5's image quality suddenly look poor; it remains excellent for its generation. But if outright image quality, in any light, is your priority, the X6 is a genuine step forward rather than an incremental one.

• Sensors and image quality winner: Insta360 X6

2. Insta360 X6 vs Insta360 X5: Waterproofing and durability

• X6 waterproof to 20m as standard versus the X5's 15m
• Both reach 60m with their respective official dive cases
• X6's lenses 5x more scratch-resistant and cheaper to replace

Both cameras were already rugged by 360 camera standards, but the X6 pushes things further – and deeper. It's IP68-rated and waterproof to 20m without any additional housing, compared with the X5's 15m — a significant improvement if you regularly shoot unhoused underwater footage rather than reaching for a case every time. Both cameras reach 60m with their respective official dive cases, so we can call it even for serious diving use.

Lens durability has improved too. Insta360 says the X6's lenses are five times more scratch-resistant than the X5's, and cheaper to replace on top of that (from $26.99 US / £20.99 UK / AU$35.99 opposed to from $29.99 US / £29.99 UK / AU$54.99). I didn't manage to put either camera's lenses to a real scratch test during my reviews, but the X5's tool-based replacement system was already reliable and affordable, so this looks like a refinement of something that wasn't broken rather than a fix for something that was.

Body design plays into durability too, if less directly. The X6 is squatter and lower-profile than the X5's familiar candy-bar shape (DJI and GoPro rivals are squatter-still), which may make it a more comfortable, less obtrusive fit for helmet mounts or other body-worn setups, and slightly less exposed to knocks in the process.

For anyone whose priority is unhoused underwater shooting, or who's simply hard on their gear, the X6's improvements here feel quite meaningful.

• Waterproofing and durability winner: Insta360 X6

3. Insta360 X6 vs Insta360 X5: Battery life and storage

• X6 rated for 140 minutes at 8K/30fps, X5 at 93 minutes
• X6 showed no overheating in testing while the X5 shut down after 47 minutes
• X6 boasts 47GB of built-in storage, X5 has none

Battery capacity has slightly grown from 2,400mAh on the X5 to 2,600mAh on the X6, but the difference in real-world runtime is substantial. At identical recording settings of 8K/30fps, Insta360 rates the X5 for 93 minutes and the X6 for 140 minutes. I tested the X6 myself and recorded 136 minutes before the battery ran out, closely matching Insta360's claim and representing around a 50% improvement over the X5's figure.

Heat management tells an equally clear story. When I tested the X5, it shut down due to overheating after 47 minutes of continuous 8K/30fps recording at room temperature. The X6, by contrast, showed no overheating at all during my testing. Now, I won't say this'll always be the case, as real-world conditions change, but it does seem worth bearing in mind if you plan on recording for extended periods without a break.

Charging speed is a rare category where the X5 retains the edge: it fast-charges from empty to 80% in 20 minutes, compared with 24 minutes for the X6. It's a minor trade-off against everything else the X6 gains here, but worth knowing if quick top-ups between shoots matter to you.

Overall, the X6 offers a leap in both runtime and heat resilience, with only a slightly slower charge time to show for it.

On the storage front, both cameras carry a microSD card slot, but the X6 also comes with 60GB of built-in storage, 47GB of which is usable for videos and photos. It's a nice little bonus bit of space.

• Battery life and storage winner: Insta360 X6

4. Insta360 X6 vs Insta360 X5: Pro-friendly video features

• X6 supports 10-bit color across every shooting mode, including low light
• X6 is the first 360 camera with native in-camera Dolby Vision
• X6 offers native DaVinci Resolve compatibility (once Resolve 22 arrives)

Beyond the headline sensor and battery upgrades, the X6 introduces a step change for anyone editing footage seriously rather than just sharing clips straight from the app. The X5 supports the flat I-Log color profile for grading, but 10-bit color depth is limited to its standard shooting modes — it isn't available in the PureVideo low light mode. The X6 removes that restriction entirely: 10-bit color now carries across every shooting mode, low light included, giving colorists more to work with regardless of the conditions the footage was shot in.

The X6 is also the first 360 camera with native in-camera Dolby Vision, layering dynamic metadata onto footage frame by frame for wider highlight and shadow detail straight out of the camera. The X5 has nothing equivalent.

Another noteworthy addition for professional workflows is native DaVinci Resolve compatibility, a first for a 360 camera and something the X5 simply can't do (it does have a plugin for Adobe Premiere Pro, and you can expect the same for the X6). This requires Resolve 22, which wasn't available at the time of my testing, so I haven't been able to verify it firsthand yet — but if it works as promised, it should speed up the workflow of any Resolve user who currently has to bounce footage through Insta360 Studio before it's usable.

None of this will matter much if you mostly rely on the Insta360 app's auto-editing tools or straight-from-the-camera videos. But for creators who already work in Resolve, or who want to push their footage hard in post, the X6 offers tools the X5 simply doesn't have.

• Pro-friendly video features winner: Insta360 X6

5. Insta360 X6 vs Insta360 X5: Design and display

• X6 is squatter and lower-profile than the X5's candy-bar shape
• X6's 2.32-inch OLED screen is smaller in diagonal size than the X5's 2.5-inch display
• X6 supports an always-on display; the X5 doesn't

Insta360 has departed from its long-running candy-bar design with the X6, and the change is more than cosmetic. The squatter, lower-profile shape gives up a little of the X5's comfortable in-hand feel, but it's arguably better suited to being worn or mounted — on a helmet, say, or in any setup where the X5's longer body would stick out and catch on things more easily. Both weigh around 200g, though.

The screen tells a similar story of trade-offs rather than a straightforward upgrade. On paper, the X6's 2.32-inch OLED display is slightly smaller than the X5's 2.5-inch screen. But the X6's panel is squarer in shape, where the X5's is more elongated, and in practice I found the X6's screen more comfortable to view and to navigate via touch — menus and framing previews both feel like they have more room to breathe, despite the smaller diagonal measurement. The X6 also adds always-on support, letting you check status or framing without waking the display, which the X5 can't do.

The X6's screen additionally introduces a pressure-sensitive, haptic touch interface for certain functions, though in my testing this felt more like a novelty than a genuine improvement over the X5's straightforward touch controls.

Neither camera is dramatically better designed than the other. It's more a case of Insta360 optimizing for a different set of priorities with the X6, some of which will suit certain shooters better than others.

• Design and display winner: Insta360 X6

Insta360 X6 vs Insta360 X5: Early verdict

Five rounds, five wins for the X6 — though one of those, design and display, was close enough that "win" undersells how competitive the X5 remains.

The upgrades that matter most are the sensors, battery life and pro-video features. Better image quality in any light, and close to 50% more real-world runtime (with none of the overheating I experienced testing the X5), are big gains. What I can't yet fully compare are the software experiences, since I ran into lots of instability in the Insta360 app during X6 testing, and I want to see how it improves once the retail version arrives before judging it properly.

Price is another factor worth considering. The X6's Standard bundle costs $669.99 / £619 / AU$1,049.99, which is quite a step up from the X5's $549.99 / £519.99 / AU$929.99 launch price. And I suspect the X5 is about to get cheaper due to no longer being the company's flagship camera, so it could be a great choice for anyone looking for good all-round performance at a bargain price.

If you already own an X5, the upgrades the X6 brings are real but not so dramatic that you should trade it in right away. If you're buying a 360 camera for the first time, though, things are simpler: the X6 is the better camera, and worth the extra outlay if your budget stretches to it.

Insta360 X6: two-minute review

10 years after Insta360 launched its first 360 camera, the X6 arrives as the anniversary flagship — and it arrives in a much, much busier 360 camera market. This time, Insta360 is defending its home turf against a resurgent GoPro Max 2 and a highly capable debut from DJI in the Osmo 360. There's a feeling, then, that the X6 has to be something more than just an annual refresh.

For the most part, it delivers. The squat body houses a pair of larger 1/1.1-inch sensors, and while I wouldn't call the resulting jump in image quality dramatic when set directly against the X5's footage, its effect on where the X6 sits against the wider field is significant.

The GoPro Max 2 has owned daylight sharpness in this category since launch, and the Insta360 X5 has owned the night. The X6 is the first small 360 camera I've tested that doesn't ask you to pick one or the other — it's excellent in both conditions, which makes it, in my view, the best-performing 360 camera you can currently buy.

It's a similar story with durability. Waterproof to 20m without a case and 60m with one, the X6 comfortably out-swims both the Osmo 360 and the Max 2, and its lenses remain just as easy (and now cheaper) to replace if you scratch one . Battery life is another strong point: Insta360's 140-minute claim at 8K/30fps held up closely in my testing, with zero overheating during continuous filming.

Where things get messier is the software. The X6 introduces some exciting additions for serious creators, like 10-bit color across every shooting mode including low light, native Dolby Vision, and forthcoming native DaVinci Resolve support, but the mobile app I tested struggled badly, crashing repeatedly during editing and export. I'm hoping the launch app is a lot more robust. The desktop app fared much better, but lacks the AI auto-editing tools that make the mobile experience so appealing on paper.

All of this comes at a premium price, too: the X6 is comfortably the most expensive small 360 camera around. Whether that premium is worth paying will come down to how much you value best-in-class image quality and hardware.

I've also directly compared the Insta360 X6 and Insta360 X5 in real video recording scenarios — check out my early verdict.

Insta360 X6 specs

Insta360 X6: Price and availability

• Launched worldwide on August 12, 2026
• Standard bundle costs $699.99 / £619 / AU$1,049.99
• Essentials Bundle is $799.99 / £709 / AU$1,159.99

The Insta360 X6 launched on August 12, 2026, priced from $699.99 / £619 / AU$1,049.99 for the Standard bundle. This gets you the camera itself, a USB-C cable, a protective pouch, a lens cloth and a quick-start guide, but nothing else.

Also available is the Essentials Bundle, priced at $799.99 / £709 / AU$1,159.99. This adds a second Xtreme battery, a 114cm invisible selfie stick, a rubber lens cap, a fast-charge case and an extended warranty, and it might be a sensible starting point if you think you'll use those accessories.

It's quite a price jump over where the X5 launched ($549.99 / £519.99 / AU$929.99 for its own Standard bundle), and it also puts real distance between the X6 and rivals like the DJI Osmo 360 (priced from £409.99 / AU$759 at launch) and GoPro Max 2 ($499.99 / £449.99 / AU$849.95). The X6 is the priciest small 360 camera on the market.

One thing worth budgeting for regardless of which bundle you choose: while the X6 has 47GB of usable built-in storage, 8K footage eats through that fast (more on this in the Design section), so factor in a high-capacity microSD card if you don't already have a spare lying around.

• Price score: 3.5/5

Insta360 X6: Design

• IP68-rated and waterproof to 20m (60m with optional dive case)
• Replaceable lenses claimed to be 5x more scratch-resistant than X5's
• 2.32-inch OLED touchscreen with always-on support

The X6 weighs 6.9oz / 196g, and is noticeably squatter and squarer than its X4 and X5 predecessors, a change I'd put down to the need to accommodate the larger 1/1.1-inch sensors inside. That extra width also allows room for a wider screen (albeit one that's slightly smaller than the X5's): a 2.32-inch OLED display that supports an always-on mode, a step up from the screens on the last couple of Insta360 X cameras.

That screen also introduces a pressure-sensitive, haptic touch interface, requiring a firmer press to access certain options. It's a clever party trick, but in practice I didn't find it added much to the experience — it feels more like a gimmick for now than a true usability upgrade.

For mounting purposes, you get the same setup as the X5: a standard 1/4-inch tripod thread and Insta360's proprietary magnetic clip mount on the bottom. Between these and adapters for GoPro-style mounting fingers, you can securely bolt the X6 to pretty much anything. During testing, I used the supplied selfie stick for on-foot and cycling footage, and also tested the SmallRig Vehicle Suction Cup Support Kit for car-mounted shots, both of which worked brilliantly.

On the durability front, the X6 is IP68-rated and waterproof to 20m without any additional housing, rising to 60m with Insta360's official dive case (which costs a whopping $179.99 / £158.99 / AU$269.99). This comfortably outclasses the competition: the DJI Osmo 360 tops out at 10m (and DJI itself discourages underwater use, citing stitching issues), while the GoPro Max 2 manages just 5m. If unhoused underwater shooting matters to you, the X6 is the clear class leader.

Insta360 says the X6's lenses are five times more scratch-resistant than the X5's, and cheaper to replace, too. I didn't manage to scratch mine during testing — which speaks well of that durability claim — so I didn't get to experience the swap process, but the X6 offers the same easy-replacement design as the X5, with the replacement kit including all the tools you need to quickly remove the old lens, clean up any debris and attach a new one.

Alongside the usual microSD card slot, the X6 packs 47GB of usable built-in storage — enough for around 50 minutes of 8K/30fps footage, and a useful safety net if you forget a card or fill one up mid-session. Getting footage off the camera is quick, too: Wi-Fi 6.0 supports wireless transfers of up to 100MB/s, while wired USB 3.0 hits 450MB/s. Both speeds are worth having, because as I found out during testing, the X6's video files get enormous very quickly (more on that in the Performance section).

• Design score: 5/5

Insta360 X6: Performance

• Insta360 claims 140 minutes of 8K/30fps recording; I got 136 minutes in testing
• On-device AI Director auto-edits your day's footage overnight
• The mobile app was prone to crashing during testing, especially on older phones

The X6's 2600mAh Xtreme battery is rated for 140 minutes of continuous 8K/30fps recording, a claimed 51% improvement over the X5. I put that figure to the test, and got 136 minutes before the battery gave out, so Insta360's number holds up well in practice. I also didn't experience any overheating during that stretch, which is impressive given that I was testing through an unusually hot UK summer. Charging is fast, too: Insta360 claims 0 to 80% in 24 minutes with a fast charger, and I found those figures accurate.

Insta360 positions the X6 as "three cameras in one": a 360 camera, a single-lens action cam, and a subject-tracking gimbal-style vlogging camera. In practice, I gravitated almost entirely toward the 360 mode. The X6's size and shape make it a bit unwieldy for hardcore action-camera use compared to something like a GoPro Hero or Insta360's own Ace Pro 2, so I'd treat that mode as a useful fallback rather than a primary draw. The vlogging mode fares better: InstaFrame 2.0 does a genuinely good job of replicating a gimbal-mounted vlogging camera, keeping a chosen subject framed, horizon-levelled and stabilized regardless of how the X6 itself is positioned. You select your subject with a simple double-tap on the screen.

On the color and post-production side, the X6 supports the 10-bit I-Log flat profile, and — significantly for demanding creators — that 10-bit depth now carries across every shooting mode, including the PureVideo low-light mode, which wasn't the case on the X5. It's also the first 360 camera with native in-camera Dolby Vision. Perhaps the biggest software win here is native DaVinci Resolve compatibility, a first for a 360 camera — though this requires Resolve 22, which wasn't available at the time of testing, so I wasn't able to try it pre-launch. As a Resolve user myself, I'll be checking this out as soon as it lands.

The headline software feature is AI Director, an on-device auto-editing system clearly designed around a simple pitch: shoot footage throughout the day, plug the X6 in to charge overnight, and wake up to a finished (but still adjustable) vlog ready to watch in the app.

Unfortunately, my experience with the Insta360 app itself was rocky. I tested beta versions on both an iPhone 13 and a OnePlus Pad Android tablet, and on the iPhone the app struggled badly, crashing repeatedly during anything demanding — including simply exporting an edited video. This isn't a new problem in my experience reviewing Insta360 cameras, but it was pronounced here; Insta360's own reviewer notes suggest an iPhone 15 is the oldest model considered capable of running the app properly, which is a tough ask given that not everyone upgrades their phone every couple of years.

The app fared somewhat better on the OnePlus Pad, letting me test AI-assisted editing of individual clips, though longer clips took a while to process. Results were generally solid, if not something I'd say beats a hand-edited video. I wasn't able to test the app's other AI editing trick — stitching together multiple shorter clips automatically, complete with transitions and music — on either device: it crashed the iPhone app outright, and simply refused to let me add clips to the editor on Android.

One other app frustration: there's no way to switch between color profiles remotely. If you want to shoot in I-Log or Dolby Vision rather than the standard profile, you have to make that change on the camera itself, which is annoying if, say, the X6 is mounted on a pole on top of your car, as it was during part of my testing.

The desktop Insta360 Studio app, run on my M2 MacBook Air, offered a much more stable experience, though it lacks the AI auto-editing tools found on mobile. What it does offer is more precise manual editing on a larger screen, which I personally find easier to work with regardless of stability. I was able to trim, reframe and export finished clips directly from the X6 to my SSD without needing to move the original files off the camera first, which was a lifesaver given the next issue.

That issue is file size: 8K/30fps footage eats through roughly 1GB of storage per minute, so the X6's 47GB of built-in storage fills up fast, and I ran into storage problems fitting longer clips onto both my phone and my laptop. Factoring in the mobile app's instability — which I do expect to be much improved after launch — I found it far easier to manage and trim footage using the desktop app instead.

Audio is handled by a new 360-degree windproof mic array that "actively filters" wind noise, plus a dedicated hidden mic built specifically for motorcycle riders, designed to cut wind further and clarify engine sound — a niche inclusion, but I suppose a welcome one if it applies to you.

I tested the built-in wind filter, and it works, up to a point: noise was noticeably reduced compared with other modes, but not eliminated. For that, I'd recommend pairing the X6 with Insta360's Mic Pro, which I also tested alongside the camera — it essentially eliminates wind noise altogether, and offers the best noise-cancelling I've experienced from a small wireless mic.

• Performance score: 4/5

Insta360 X6: Image quality

• Dual 1/1.1-inch sensors, up from the X5's 1/1.28-inch pair
• 360 video now tops out at 8K/50fps
• 10-bit available across all video modes, including the PureVideo low-light mode

The X6's biggest hardware change is its new dual 1/1.1-inch square sensors, up from the 1/1.28-inch sensors in the X5; that's 33% more sensor area, and around four times the light intake per frame versus its predecessor. That upgrade also brings a higher frame-rate ceiling in 360 mode, with 8K now available at up to 50fps, versus the X5's 30fps cap. Photo resolution climbs too, topping out at 120MP for 360 shots and 42MP in flat mode.

In good lighting, the difference between X5 and X6 footage is there, but it's incremental rather than transformative. I do have to mention AdaptiveTone 2.0 though, which captures two exposures per frame for noticeably better handling of bright skies and high-contrast scenes than I've seen from Insta360 before. I would have previously said the GoPro Max 2 offered the best 360 image quality in good lighting, but now I think the X6 might have equalled or possibly even bettered it.

It's after dark that the X6 really separates itself from the pack, though. The PureVideo low-light mode was already a strength of the X5, but the combination of the larger sensors and 10-bit color now being supported across every shooting mode — including PureVideo itself — pushes noise levels down further still. Neither the DJI Osmo 360's SuperNight mode nor the GoPro Max 2's standard mode (which lacks a dedicated low-light option entirely) come close. I can comfortably say the X6 is the best 360 camera for low-light shooting currently available.

So that's daylight footage that rivals the sharpest in the category, and the best low-light performance by a mile. The X6 is the first small 360 camera I've tested that doesn't force you to accept a trade-off between the two. Where I'd previously have pointed daylight shooters toward the Max 2, and night owls toward the X5, the X6 simply offers the best all-round image quality on the market, in any light.

• Image quality score: 5/5

Insta360 X6: testing scorecard

Should I buy the Insta360 X6?

Buy it if...

You want the best 360 camera image quality around
The X6 delivers the sharpest, cleanest footage overall of any small 360 camera I've tested — no more choosing between daylight sharpness and low-light performance.

You need serious underwater durability
IP68-rated and waterproof to 20m without a case, or 60m with Insta360's official dive housing, the X6 comfortably out-swims both the DJI Osmo 360 and GoPro Max 2.

You're a demanding video creator
10-bit color across every shooting mode, native Dolby Vision, and forthcoming native DaVinci Resolve support make the X6 suited to serious post-production work.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget
At $699.99 / £619 / AU$1,049.99, the X6 is now the most expensive small 360 camera around, and by some margin. The DJI Osmo 360 and GoPro Max 2 both undercut it significantly.

You own an older phone
Insta360's guidance recommends an iPhone 15 or newer to get a stable experience from the mobile app. I found it crashed repeatedly on my iPhone 13, particularly when editing or exporting footage.

You want flawless software out of the box
Between the app's instability and its inability to switch color profiles remotely, the X6's hardware is currently running ahead of its software. This should improve post-launch, but it's worth going in with realistic expectations.

Also consider

How I tested the Insta360 X6

• I tested a full production unit (with beta firmware and software) for three weeks
• I shot day and night footage during a hot English summer
• I tested the X6 with and without Insta360's Mic Pro wireless microphone

I tested the Insta360 X6 for three weeks, shooting throughout an unusually hot English summer to see how it handled sustained use in warm conditions. I recorded both day and night footage across a range of situations, mounting the camera on the supplied selfie stick for on-foot and cycling shots, and on a SmallRig suction cup mount for car-mounted clips.

I tested audio both with the X6's built-in mics and paired with Insta360's Mic Pro wireless microphone, to compare the camera's own wind reduction against a dedicated external solution.

For editing, I reframed and trimmed footage using the Insta360 Studio desktop app before exporting for final edits and color grading in DaVinci Resolve.

• First reviewed August 2026

• A total solar eclipse can be seen today across select places in Europe
• To enjoy the spectacular celestial event you'll definitely need solar glasses
• And to photograph it, you'll want a solar filter to protect your gear

If you didn't already know it, there's a total solar eclipse today, August 12. Totality will occur in parts of Spain, Portugal, Greenland and Iceland, and a partial eclipse will be visible further afield across Europe, including the UK, and even as far as northern North America. If you're in any of those regions, it promises to be a truly unmissable spectacle.

A poll on the TechRadar WhatsApp channel showed that plenty of you are planning on photographing the 2026 eclipse (voting is still open, and you can vote below). That's great, and you should definitely go for it — but you should definitely also read our how to photograph a solar eclipse guide and, most importantly, taking precautionary measures to protect both your eyes and your gear.

You'll need solar glasses to protect your eyes while looking directly towards the Sun — with astronomical demand, good luck buying some at this late stage — but also a solar filter for your camera gear.

If you're in any doubt about the risks to camera kit, take this post by Lensrentals, as your warning. The risk to unprotected camera gear when you point it directly at the Sun, even for short periods, is clearly seen in the photos of damaged rental gear returned to Lensrentals following the 2017 solar eclipse in the US (and in the YouTube video below).

Photographing a solar eclipse — the risks to camera gear

Sensors were the most commonly damaged component, whether that was in a DSLR or mirrorless model. The intense light and heat generated as it was focused through the lens without a solar filter attached literally melted sensors — and you can see the permanent damage in the image above.

That's not all. Lensrentals shared photos of melted shutters, lens aperture blades (see the lead image), mirror damage in DSLRs, and even damage to a built-in ND filter system in one of its cinema cameras. All this damage is permanent, and repairs are costly.

You really don't want to take any shortcuts for today's solar eclipse. Protect yourself, and protect your gear! You can find further eclipse safety at the NASA site.

Will you be watching the solar eclipse? If you're photographing it, what gear will you be using? Make sure you vote in our poll below, and share your favorite shots with us at news@techradar.com — we'll feature your best images in our follow-up coverage.

• A total solar eclipse takes place on August 12, 2026
• It can be seen in its totality across select places in Europe, and in part as far afield as northern North America
• Read on to find out how and what to photograph, and be sure to pack your solar glasses!

A total solar eclipse is happening on August 12, with totality occurring in parts of Spain, Portugal, Greenland and Iceland; but even if you live further afield across Europe and even as far as northern North America, you will be able to see a partial eclipse.

The spectacular event, which occurs when the Sun disappears behind the Moon, happens every 18 months or so, with areas that experience totality falling into darkness during daylight hours.

However, only a small fraction of the Earth has a good view of each total eclipse, meaning it's effectively a once-in-a-lifetime event in any single place — North America experienced one in 2024, but won't again until 2044, in different parts of the continent.

Former TechRadar Phones Editor Philip Berne shared his experience of the total solar eclipse in 2024 and described it as a "silent, dazzling fury" that proved to be a tough photography challenge. For him, though, simply experiencing the event, photography aside, was magical.

Whether you plan to photograph the eclipse or simply take it in (wearing solar glasses essential to protect your eyes), the event is not to be missed. Below I'll outline key location and timing details about the 2026 total solar eclipse, and share my top tips for capturing this moment with your camera, whether that's a mirrorless, DSLR, or smartphone.

I'd love to hear from you too. Will you be watching the solar eclipse? If you're photographing it, what gear will you be using? Make sure you vote in our poll below, and share your favorite shots with us at news@techradar.com.

Total solar eclipse 2026: where and when

The totality of the 2026 solar eclipse will be visible from the northern half of Spain, the northeast corner of Portugal, eastern Greenland, and western Iceland.

Snæfellsjökull in Iceland will get the total eclipse for the longest period, at two minutes and 10 seconds, from 5:45pm, while at Gijón in Spain totality begins at 8:26pm and will last for one minute and 46 seconds. Barcelona and Madrid will enjoy a 99%+ eclipse at 8:29pm and 8:32pm respectively.

The sun will be 91% obscured for viewers in London at 7:13pm. Fairbanks, Alaska gets a maximum 37% eclipse at 8:27am AKDT, while Presque Isle, Maine will experience 28% at 1:50pm EDT.

Our sister site space.com has a more detailed breakdown of locations and times. For an even more detailed breakdown of the precise time and places to watch the total eclipse you can visit the European Space Agency website, or consult an interactive map at the Time and Date site.

Total solar eclipse 2026: how to photograph it

Pick your spot
Once you've researched if / when the eclipse is taking place where you are, you'll need to figure out a good place from which to observe it. Open areas with a wide, clear view of the sky are a safe bet. Better still, if the sun will be low in the sky during the eclipse where you are, consider including landmarks or points of interest in the shot during the eclipse phases. Bear in mind that the sun's position in the sky will move during the phases.

Gear essentials:
As for the best gear, there's no single right answer, because it all depends on the kind of image you're hoping for. A closeup of the sun requires a telephoto lens (around 500mm, or 20x zoom with a phone), whereas a shot that includes the landscape, other viewers, or points of interest for context works with a wider, standard optic. A DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual exposure control will give you the best chance of nailing the shot, but the best camera phones which also have these features can work too.

I'd advise using your camera's screen to compose the shot rather than a viewfinder — a tilt or articulating screen will make setup easier, as will a tripod support for eclipse sequences, freeing you up to enjoy the experience rather than getting bogged down with gear.

Protect your camera gear:
You'll also need dedicated accessories to protect your gear and get the best shots. A solar filter protects your camera sensor and ensures proper exposure. You'll need the filter for all the eclipse phases when the sun is visible, except the brief moment of totality.

Protect yourself:
Finally, before you settle down to basically look directly at the sun, you absolutely need to be wearing eclipse-approved solar glasses to safely experience the event.

For more detailed advice, check out our breakdown of how to photograph an eclipse, compiled for the previous 2024 event. It covers gear, camera settings and more.

Total solar eclipse 2026: what to photograph

The good folks at mpb.com have shared the following breakdown of the eclipse phases with us, together with photo ideas, and supplied images for this article.

First contact:
The Moon visually begins to overlap the Sun. Opt for a telephoto lens, and a suitable solar filter to capture the eclipse’s progression.

Partial phase:
The Moon gradually covers an increasing portion of the Sun. Use this moment to create a sequence of multiple images from the same frame, or to look for crescent-shaped shadows cast on the ground.

Baily’s Beads and diamond ring:
Just before totality, sunlight filters through the irregular lunar limb, creating small, bright points of light called Baily’s beads. When only one intense flash remains, this creates the 'diamond ring' effect for a very brief moment.

Second contact:
This marks the beginning of totality, when the Moon completely covers the Sun and the corona starts to become visible. It’s at this moment that you can remove the solar filter from your camera — but only for the period of totality.

Totality:
The solar corona appears and the environment changes in a matter of seconds. The light dims, the temperature may drop, and some bright stars may become visible.

Third contact:
This marks the end of totality, and Baily’s beads and the diamond ring may reappear. Replace your filter as soon as sunlight reappears.

Final partial phase and fourth contact:
The Moon continues to move until it no longer covers the Sun. Use this moment to complete your sequence.

Total solar eclipse 2026: share your experience

We'd love to see your solar eclipse photos. Share them with us at news@techradar.com, and vote in our poll below to let us know what camera gear you plan to use to photograph the event with. We'll share the results of the poll, and the best snaps, in the coming days.

This article was originally published in April 2024, following the total solar eclipse in the US. The experience in advice is relevant for those thinking about attempting to photograph the 2026 eclipse — which will be total in parts of Iceland, Spain and Portugal, and there will be major partial eclipse in the UK and other European countries — so we're sharing it again.

If you’ve never seen a total eclipse in person, whatever you’ve seen and what you imagine don’t come close. The best photos, the most stunning video, they won’t match the silent, dazzling fury of the real thing. Your phone or monitor won’t capture the infinite diamond brilliance of the Sun’s corona twinkling around the black Moon.

I set out to shoot the total eclipse with my three best camera phones and my Nikon DSLR, but I am thankful that I decided to enjoy the eclipse in the scant three minutes I was under its totality.

Before I talk tech, I’ll do my best to describe the total solar eclipse if you’ve never seen one in person. April 8, 2024 was my first total eclipse, and before that day I thought it would be my last.

After seeing the total solar eclipse live, I felt like I can’t live the rest of my life without seeing one again. I’ve never seen a photo that was equally compelling. Seeing the real eclipse in person, it was so gloriously beautiful that I was immediately sad that it was so fleeting.

Here's what a total solar eclipse really looks like

There is a bright flash in the instant before the Sun goes dark. The world gets colder suddenly, but the landscape is not pitch dark. Watching the eclipse from the shore of Lake Champlain in Burlington, Vermont, the view of Mount Marcy and the Adirondacks presented a panoramic sunset, with waning light surrounding me at the horizon on all sides, and the black eclipse at the center.

The Sun’s corona dazzles and flares with wisps of magic. You’ve never seen any light move in such a way. The contrast between the shockingly dark moon and the incredibly bright corona makes the halo seem brilliant and crisply present, as though the Sun is just beyond your grasp, and not seven light-minutes away.

The corona is bright, but not as bright as the face of the Sun. It reaches the limit of what my eyes could tolerate without causing pain. To see something so shockingly intense, after avoiding the painfully bright Sun for the previous hour, is a revelation. It feels like a gift being unwrapped in the sky above. It is a surprise and a joy, and I was not shocked to hear the crowd around me erupt into spontaneous applause.

I was awestruck. I forgot everything I was supposed to do at that moment. I’m now grateful that I decided at the last minute to drive all the way up to Burlington, where the clouds were wispy and few and the totality lasted more than three whole minutes. A good friend traveled farther to experience just over thirty seconds of totality in the Ozarks. Neither of us regrets taking our trip.

Ruining a solar eclipse with too much tech

Back to the tech. My plan was … too much. I brought a telescope, and a DSLR, and three phones, and even smart glasses on my face. I don’t know what I was thinking. The eclipse lasted three minutes. I barely had time to focus one camera, let alone try to shoot with five. My plans fell to pieces, and I gave up quickly. I got a few good shots, then I turned my attention to the sky and just allowed myself to soak it in.

Seeing the eclipse was more rewarding than the best photo I’ve seen of the eclipse.

Here’s the gear I brought to shoot the solar eclipse. I borrowed a Vaonis Hestia telescope, which uses your phone as the viewfinder. I used an iPhone 15 Pro Max to take photos and view the eclipse through that telescope, with a solar filter provided by Vaonis. Those photos turned out pretty good, but it isn’t the most powerful telescope. Plus, an eclipse is a very complicated scene for lighting, especially for a phone camera.

I also had a Google Pixel 8 Pro and a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. I already decided I was not going to try to take telephoto zoom shots of the eclipse with these phones. The 5X range is simply not enough to capture any detail, and the sensor for the longest lens is also the smallest, lowest-quality sensor on the phone. Better to take wide-angle photos.

I set up the Galaxy S24 Ultra to shoot a time-lapse (Samsung calls it Hyperlapse) video of the entire event. I was pretty disappointed with the results. The sun was too high in the sky for even the widest lens to capture the scene around me as well as the eclipse in progress. The camera had trouble balancing the incredibly bright partial eclipse with the surroundings, so it just looks like a sunny day until totality occurs. When the eclipse happens, the camera balances the light in a way that doesn’t present the sunset colors and the changing light in the way I remember it.

I attached a solar filter to the Google Pixel 8 Pro, hoping I would be able to see more of the partial eclipse as it happened. Nope, the filter cut out too much light for the phone to handle. I was barely able to see the Sun through the filter, let alone capture great shots.

At the last minute, I decided to also bring my Nikon D750 camera with a Nikon 80-400mm lens. I don’t have a solar filter for that huge lens, so I planned on shooting only the totality of the eclipse, when it is safe to look at the sun without glasses. I got some pretty good shots, but I was rushing around too much, juggling too many chores. I should have reduced the exposure levels, or used a manual mode to dial back the shutter speed. The photos were blurry and blown out, not very good.

In the end, I got a couple of good shots from the iPhone on the telescope. They were better than the shots my friends took with their phones, and they impressed the people I shared them with. From my own perfectionist standards, I was disappointed with my pics, but I wasn’t disappointed at all with the experience.

In fact, I’m happy that I didn’t try much harder to take great photos, because at the last minute I chose to sacrifice the pics and enjoy the eclipse. It was amazing. It was the greatest natural phenomena I’ve ever seen. For the next eclipse, I’ll bring only one camera, and only one easy plan, and if I screw it up then I won’t even care. The best photo I could get would pale in comparison to the totality of the real thing.

You might also like...

• I shot the eclipse with an iPhone 15 Pro Max, Google Pixel 8 Pro and a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – here's which one did best
• You took amazing smartphone eclipse photos, but reminded me why I didn't use Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's 100x Space Zoom
• How to photograph the total solar eclipse with your camera or smartphone

• The FCC wants to take 'military-grade' DJI drones off sale
• Numerous DJI models would be affected
• You can comment on the proposals until September 2

There's been a ban on new DJI drones and cameras in the US since last December, but now the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is making moves to retroactively take some models off shelves that were approved before the ban came into effect.

Specifically, the FCC wants to pull "military-grade" drones from stores (via PCMag), which apparently includes every model with LiDAR obstacle avoidance or thermal cameras. That would affect drones such as the DJI Air 3S, the DJI Avata 360, the DJI Mini 5 Pro, and the DJI Mavic 3T, for example.

Drones that weigh over 55 pounds (nearly 25 kilograms) will be included in the retroactive ban, as well models that use docking stations. The criteria laid out by the FCC is broad enough to cover a substantial number of drones in DJI's current range.

Now, if you've already bought one of these drones in the US, the FCC isn't going to come and take it off you. However, unless the regulator changes course, these models won't be available to buy in the US from September 2.

You can take action

DJI has already complained long and hard about the original ban, pointing out that its drones were blacklisted for security reasons without any actual security audit taking place. It's also taking a very dim view of the new proposals by the FCC.

"People could continue using DJI products they already own, but the same models in use today might no longer be available to purchase in the future," says DJI in a blog post. "This is a total reversal from the FCC's previous position, and it is U.S. operators that would bear the cost."

DJI argues that safety agencies, small businesses, and farmers in the US who rely on DJI equipment will be faced with more expensive and difficult upgrades in the future, and it's asking for the public's support while the FCC proposal is considered.

You can have your say during the public comment period up until September 2: head to the Drone Advocacy Alliance website to make your feelings known, and to explain to the FCC how you use drones and their capabilities for non-military purposes.

• DJI has launched the Mic Mini 2S, the latest addition to its wireless mic lineup
• It features internal recording, a first for the line, plus support for four simultaneous transmitters
• Prices start at £79 / AU$149 — but there's no confirmed US launch yet

DJI has unveiled the Mic Mini 2S, a new wireless microphone system that arrives just months after the launch of the Mic Mini 2 — and brings some significant upgrades to the table.

The Mic Mini 2S is the first mini wireless mic from DJI with internal recording capabilities, expanding on the recently launched Mic Mini 2 for creators who need to reliably capture every audio detail in a compact, flexible form. The company says it's designed to handle everything from solo shoots to on-the-street interviews, podcasts, and multi-person productions.

The DJI Mic Mini 2S is available to order today, priced from £79 / AU$149 for the single transmitter and receiver bundle, or from £79 / AU$149 for the equivalent mobile receiver kit (1 TX + 1 Mobile RX + Charging Case). The full two-transmitter bundle (2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) costs £169 / AU$279.

A range of accessories is also up for grabs, including the transmitter on its own (£59 / AU$99), the charging case (£29 / AU$79), and the magnetic front cover sets (£19 / AU$35 for the multi-color set, £35 / AU$69 for the Victo Ngai-designed Time Series set).

DJI says the Mic Mini 2S won't be launching in the US for now, with regulatory authorization still pending. That's become par for the course for the brand, which has essentially been banned from selling new products in the US since the end of last year.

Having reviewed the Mic Mini 2 back in April, I can say the jump to the 2S looks like a far bigger step-up than the minor bump from the original Mic Mini to the Mini 2 was. So without further ado, let's look at what's new.

DJI Mic Mini 2S: everything that's new

1. Internal recording
Upgrades-wise, this one's the headliner. The Mic Mini 2S transmitter packs 16GB of onboard storage, enabling it to record up to 28 hours of audio without the need for a receiver or connected camera. It supports both 24-bit and 32-bit float recording (the higher demands of the latter trimming storage to around 22 hours). It's a feature the Mic Mini 2 doesn't have at all, and one I mentioned as a notable gap when I reviewed it.

2. Four transmitters, not two
The Mic Mini 2's receiver tops out at two simultaneous transmitters. The 2S doubles that to four, opening it up to podcast interviews, small-panel discussions and multi-person shoots without the need for extra hardware. It also adds a new Quadraphonic recording mode alongside the existing Mono, Stereo and Safety Track options.

3. AI-powered noise canceling
DJI has swapped the Mic Mini 2's “active” noise cancellation for an NPU-driven AI system, still offered across two levels (Basic and Strong). DJI claims both levels now deliver clearer vocals with less distortion than their equivalents on the Mic Mini 2.

4. Fast file transfers
The 2S's charging case can pull recorded audio straight off the transmitters at up to 34MB/s, which DJI says is roughly twice the speed of the flagship Mic 3. A 30-minute 24-bit recording reportedly transfers in a zippy eight seconds.

5. A redesigned charging case
The Mic Mini 2S's case now has room for two transmitters, a receiver, the mobile receiver, and a 3.5mm audio cable all at once — a combination the Mic Mini 2's case couldn't accommodate. Invaluable if you like to keep as much kit in one place as possible.

It's not a total win across the board, though. Battery life dips slightly on paper, according to DJI's spec sheet: it's 11 hours for the 2S transmitter and 10 hours for the receiver, versus 11.5 and 10.5 hours respectively on the Mic Mini 2, with total charging-case runtime down from 48 hours to 40. That's presumably the trade-off for fitting in the internal recording hardware, and while it's a fairly minor one, it's worth noting if all-day battery life matters more to you than onboard storage.

Elsewhere, lots of other stuff carries over unchanged: it comes with the same three voice tone presets (Regular, Bright, Rich), the same 400m maximum transmission range with the standard receiver, and the same direct OsmoAudio connection — now extended to the new Osmo Pocket 4P as well, and working with the likes of the Osmo Pocket 4, Osmo 360, Osmo Nano and Osmo Action 6.

DJI had confirmed that the Mic Mini 2S was on the way when it unveiled the Mic Mini 2 back in April, so its arrival isn't a huge surprise — but the scale of the upgrade is more substantial than I was expecting for what is still positioned as an entry-level product. I've been sent a review sample by DJI, so look out for my full Mic Mini 2S review very soon.

GoBirding Vision Master: One-minute review

Bird-spotting scopes have remained stubbornly analog for a very long time: you point some glass at a distant feathered friend, squint, and hope you remembered your spotter's guide. The GoBirding Vision Master Smart AI Spotting Scope, or the APL-ETF-M1 to give it its slightly snappier model name, wants to drag that experience kicking and screaming into the smartphone era.

It does so by squeezing a 4K camera, on-device AI bird identification and smartphone-friendly connectivity into a 30x optical zoom scope. It's certainly an ambitious concept; and after spending a few weeks testing it, I came away impressed in some ways and frustrated in others.

The build quality is a positive: the scope feels solid rather than plasticky, and the design manages to be fairly discreet too. At 932g with the tripod mount attached, it's not a lightweight in absolute terms, but it's manageable enough for a session in the field. The front and eyepiece caps, though, have an annoying habit of working themselves loose when the scope is packed away in a bag — worth knowing if you're the sort who likes to keep your gear spotless.

The headline feature — AI bird identification — works, but with caveats. GoBirding claims the M1 can ID over 1,500 species offline, and over 10,000 when connected to the internet via your smartphone, and in practice it correctly called out everything from common cormorants and herring gulls to species I hadn't heard of, like the water pipit. It's less confident with distant or backlit subjects, though, and it drew a blank on a peregrine falcon I spotted, likely because the bird was too well camouflaged against its perch for the system to extract enough detail; you need a clean, in-focus shot for reliable results, and that's not always easy to get.

Which brings me to the scope's chief weakness: autofocus. It's sluggish, and for fast or skittish birds, I found myself reaching for manual focus. It's a similar story with the image stabilization; GoBirding recommends a tripod over handheld use, and having tried both, I heartily agree. Mounted up, footage steadies out nicely; handheld, especially at higher magnifications, it completely fails to remain level.

Image quality itself is a mixed bag. 4K/30fps video looks reasonably sharp at native zoom, but push into the digital range beyond 30x and detail falls off fast. Colors also tend toward the oversaturated — skies in particular can look implausibly turquoise — and the bokeh has an odd, angular quality unlike anything I've seen from a superzoom camera, more chain-link fence than creamy blur.

The companion app is spotty too. Second-screening — letting someone else see what you're viewing through the scope on their phone — works well, and is genuinely useful for shared birding trips. But other features feel unfinished: the app never once managed to log my location correctly, defaulting instead to a spot on the equator, and it doesn't automatically record the time or place of AI-identified sightings, which feels like a missed opportunity given how central data-logging is to the scope's appeal.

Pricing, like a skittish sparrow, remains something of a moving target. GoBirding has confirmed an official retail price of $999, with Kickstarter backers able to secure an Early Bird unit for significantly less depending on tier; there will also be an as-yet-unspecified Super Early Bird VIP discount available too. The Kickstarter campaign is expected to arrive around August 20, with shipping to follow in batches after that — but I should caution that all of this remains subject to change.

GoBirding Vision Master: Price and availability

• Official retail price set to be $999 (about £750 / AU$1,450)
• Kickstarter Early Bird pricing from $649 (about £490 / AU$940)
• Kickstarter campaign expected to launch around August 20, 2026

The M1 isn't on sale yet. GoBirding's Kickstarter campaign is expected to launch around August 20, 2026, offering backers an Early Bird price from $649 to $699 depending on tier. That's well below the $999 official retail price, which will apply once the M1 reaches general sale. A further Super Early Bird VIP discount has also been promised, though GoBirding hasn't yet specified the terms.

GoBirding hasn't published official GBP or AUD pricing, so the conversions above are calculated at current exchange rates rather than confirmed figures. Production is reportedly already underway, with shipping to begin shortly after the Kickstarter campaign wraps and orders are confirmed. There's no word yet on wider retail availability beyond that, however.

At $999, the M1 sits close in price to premium bridge cameras like the Nikon Coolpix P1100, but well below high-end AI optics like the Swarovski AX Visio. My gut feeling is that it's a rather steep price to pay for a scope that doesn't feel completely finished in terms of features and has some image-quality issues, but given that there's not really anything else like it on the market, it's hard to say what something like this should cost.

GoBirding Vision Master: Specs

GoBirding Vision Master: Design

• Solid, weatherproof IP65 build
• Tripod-ready straight out of the box
• Weighs around 32.8oz / 930g

Picking up the M1, the first thing I noticed was the heft-to-size ratio — it's a dense, reassuringly solid object, rather than something that feels hollow or plasticky. The forest-green and gunmetal-grey colorway feels like an appropriate choice for a birding tool, and should blend into foliage far better than a garish action-cam-orange scope would.

The controls are nicely tactile and have a rubbery finish, which suits outdoor use: there's a push-pull zoom joystick (which can be tilted left and right to manually focus), a dedicated AI recognition button, and separate stills/video capture controls, and they're all operable by feel alone, which is helpful when you're trying to keep your eyes on a parakeet rather than the top of the scope. The eyepiece itself houses a 1080p micro-OLED display, is angled nicely for extended viewing sessions, and can be twisted to adjust focus. As a glasses wearer, I found it comfortable and easy to get a nice sharp view.

A pull-out rubber flap protects the microSD slot and USB-C port. I found that I wasn't able to transfer videos and images over to my MacBook Air via USB (the scope didn't show up as an openable drive in Finder) so I had to pop out the card, put it in a card reader and do it that way. Also, my sample didn't come with a microSD card, so you may need to buy one if you don't already have one going spare.

A tripod mount is attached to the underside, and given how much GoBirding leans on tripod use for its stabilization claims (more on that in the Performance section below), it's good that they haven't made you buy one separately or hunt for a compatible adapter. The mount can be removed by loosening a nut if you want to slim things down a bit and shoot handheld, but I kept it attached the whole time I was testing.

In the box you get a drawstring storage bag, a microfiber cleaning cloth, and protective push-on rubber caps for both the front element and the eyepiece. The caps are a nice idea in theory, but in practice they had an irritating habit of working themselves loose while the scope was in my backpack.

GoBirding Vision Master: Performance

• AI recognition impresses more often than it disappoints
• Autofocus is the scope's biggest let-down
• Image quality is solid in good light, shakier elsewhere

The M1's AI bird identification is simple to use — you just tap the AI button to toggle on a red box indicator, then center the bird within the box until the name appears on-screen — and mostly delivers on its promise. GoBirding claims 1,500 species identifiable offline and over 10,000 via the companion app, and across my testing it correctly called out common species like cormorants, rock pigeons and herring gulls, alongside less familiar ones — the water pipit, Caspian gull and great black-backed gull all got flagged, the latter two of which I'd wrongly assumed were regular herring gulls. I also tested it on a batch of still photos, and it was accurate the vast majority of the time, with only the occasional misidentification.

It's not infallible, though. The system needs a clean, sharply-focused subject to work with, so extreme-range or backlit birds (reduced to little more than silhouettes) routinely trip it up. It also failed to recognize a peregrine falcon I spotted perched on a distant church tower, most likely due to both the range and because its plumage blended in too well with the stonework for the AI to extract meaningful detail.

Autofocus isn't a strong point. It's noticeably sluggish and inaccurate, and for anything fast-moving or skittish I found manual focus the faster and more reliable option. Combine that with image stabilization that GoBirding itself admits works best with a tripod, and handheld shooting at higher magnifications becomes frustrating. Mounted up, footage steadies out nicely, but when you're shooting freehand, especially at the long end of that zoom range, you'll struggle to keep it level. Even when using a tripod, I found it almost impossible to get steady footage at 120x zoom.

Image quality is a mixed bag, and here the small 1/2.7-inch CMOS sensor is a limiting factor throughout. In good light, 4K/30fps footage and 8MP stills at native zoom look reasonably crisp, but push into the digital zoom range beyond 30x and detail falls away quickly, as you'd expect from a sensor this size.

Colors also look oversaturated by default — skies in particular can be implausibly turquoise — and bokeh has an odd, angular character, more chain-link fence than the smooth, attractive background blur you'd get from a larger-sensor camera.

Should you buy the GoBirding Vision Master?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the GoBirding Vision Master

• Tested over several weeks in several locations including a country park, the seafront, and a local churchyard
• Shot in a range of light conditions during the UK summer
• Tested handheld and tripod-mounted

I spent several weeks testing a review sample of the GoBirding Vision Master supplied to me by the manufacturers, across a range of locations near my home, aiming to put its birding-specific features through their paces in the kind of everyday settings a typical user would actually experience.

A local country park with a birding hide, and my town's seafront gave me a good mix of woodland, marshland and open-water species to test the AI recognition on. A nearby churchyard, home to a resident family of peregrine falcons, gave me the chance to test the M1 against a truly challenging subject: a stealthy bird of prey that spends much of its time perched high and partially obscured.

Across all locations, I tested both handheld and tripod-mounted use. I used the on-device AI identification extensively in the field, and separately tested it against a batch of still photos to assess accuracy outside of live conditions.

All shooting was carried out during a hot, dry summer spell, so while I can vouch for the M1's performance in strong sunlight, I wasn't able to test its weatherproofing in wet or cold weather.

First reviewed July 2026

• AirPods with cameras are apparently still coming...
• ... but the next model, due in 2026, won't have them
• In truth, little is known about these new buds (which is how Apple likes it)

For some reason, Apple fans are clamoring for new AirPods with cameras built in, and we've been hearing plenty of rumors that they're on the way. But a new report suggests they won't actually be the next Apple earbuds we see.

According to stalwart Apple correspondent Mark Gurman (via his Power On newsletter), Apple has two AirPods models on the go.

The flagship ice-white buds we've been reporting on are set to have tiny AI cameras — and Gurman has now backed up rumors of their being slated for a 2027 release.

But some models are expected in 2026: Gurman mentions another pair of buds (with a lot less known about them) that are likely to come along the 2026 iPhones at the end of the year.

The coverage doesn't specify whether these are AirPods, AirPods Pro or even over-ears, but the latter seem unlikely, because the AirPods Max 2 are only a few months old.

Could it be a possible Beats release? TechRadar's Jacob Krol recently spent a few days at Apple's Beats HQ and pressed the highly successful Apple subsidiary brand on some much teased Beats headphones, spotted on various occasions at the World Cup recently, but the company remained tight-lipped on those.

For now, we'll have to wait and see.

Are cameras worth the wait?

Questions concerning whether AirPods with cameras would even work aside, Apple faces the question — given the recent backlash over glasses that see — over whether most buyers would even want that.

The point of the tech is, apparently, to let an AI assistant see what's going on around you. The hardware is part of a big AI push Apple is undergoing.

That's despite consumers' appetite for AI dropping as fast as companies' desperation for AI increases. I don't see many AirPods buyers opting for a new pair of earbuds without a genuine reason they'd be useful (and no, smarter Siri doesn't count), especially if their whole schtick is that they're always spying on you.

Often when we see a tech product delayed, it's because it's just not ready yet. But with the camera-toting AirPods, it's more likely that we're not ready yet... or maybe we just don't need them.

• New accessory for Luna Ultra synchronizes the camera with the user's head movement
• POV Head Tracker simplifies shooting hands-free first-person footage
• It costs $69.99 / £67.99 / AU$115.99

Do you ever shoot first-person-view (FPV) video content? Well, Insta360 has a new accessory that's designed to simplify the whole experience: the POV Head Tracker. And it might just tempt you to switch to the Luna Ultra.

The coin-sized 0.2oz / 6.4g device connects to the Luna Ultra compact vlogging camera over Bluetooth and, once paired, it synchronizes the camera with your head movement in real time, for what Insta360 says is "immersive POV footage".

It's designed to completely free up your hands, but goes one step further than a simple chest mount by synchronizing head and camera movement, so you shouldn't have to worry at all about composing the shot.

To me, the POV Head Tracker sounded like a dream accessory for shooting video solo — so I had to try it out for myself.

A game-changing accessory?

The IPX4-certified device measures just 1.0 x 1.0 x 0.5 inches and comes in a hardshell USB-C battery case along with an ear mount, strap, clip, adhesive mount and motion adapter. It has has a 7-hour battery life — enough for a full day of shooting.

Insta360 also sent me a neck mount that's designed to hold the Luna Ultra. With the camera slotted into the neck mount and the POV Head Tracker in the supplied ear mount — which is right ear-only — I gave the combo a spin to see if it delivers on its lofty promises.

Setup takes a few seconds, via a simple device calibration process: you look straight ahead for three seconds, then look straight down for three seconds. Done.

Once the devices are paired and calibrated, you control which way the camera points simply by where you look. Doing a hands-on product review? Look down at the product. Doing a travel vlog and the point of interest is off to the left? Look left. It really is that simple.

It really was like the camera was my second pair of eyes — and it's the biggest nod so far to Insta360 founder and CEO Liu Jingkang's 'photography robot' vision, which I spoke to both him and Insta360 about.

Is the POV Head Tracker perfect? I'm not so sure. I found the tracker strayed off sync a little, and that slight difference was highlighted when employing the Luna Ultra's tighter 3x telephoto camera rather than the ultra-wide.

I needed to recalibrate the device from time to time (which can also be done by looking straight ahead and then double-tapping the Luna Ultra's button that recenters the camera).

Still, that's where the camera's detachable LCD screen module came in handy — you can leave the camera on the neck strap over your chest, but view what the camera sees on the detached module, for example if you do need to recalibrate or zoom.

The Luna Ultra with POV Head Tracker felt like a camera setup from the future. A future where people walk around with discreet cameras strapped to their chests, recording what they're looking at. Whether you want that future or not is another matter; but for now Insta360's new accessory feels like a revolutionary device.

It's another form of camera intelligence akin to the Luna Ultra's subject-tracking skills which, when combined with the detachable module, is like having a cameraperson filming you. These smart features make life for solo creators so much simpler, and broaden the range of shots possible.

The POV Head Tracker costs $69.99 / £67.99 / AU$115.99 while the Luna Ultra Neck Mount costs $24.99 / £23.99 / AU$39.99.

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P: One-minute review

The Pocket 4P marks a big moment in DJI’s hugely popular series of compact vlogging cameras, being the first model with two lenses, even if Insta360 stole its thunder with the Luna Ultra, which it released in June.

I’ve already reviewed the single-lens Pocket 4, and it’s a brilliant handheld 4K camera. The ‘P’ version is largely identical but for its dual-lens array and a ‘refined’ 1-inch sensor that's equipped with LOFIC tech, plus a new D-Log 2 color profile.

For the most part, you can discover all you need to know about the Pocket 4P's design and performance in my Pocket 4 review. In this write-up, I'll focus on the new features of the bulkier model, and the real difference they make.

And I can say this right now: now that I’ve tried the Pocket 4P, it’ll be hard for me to return to single-lens models like the Pocket 4. That additional 3x telephoto lens unleashes a wide variety of shooting options to complement the highly capable ultra-wide main camera. On-the-go sequences with DJI's superb subject tracking in play, for example, can be particularly dynamic. It really is like having two cameras in one tiny device.

That being said, there is an inevitable design compromise: twin lenses make for a bulkier camera unit, with inexplicably no protective housing currently available, and a top-heavy design. If you already own a Pocket, and are wondering if the new Pocket 4P is worth it, or if it’s worth jumping ship from DJI to the Insta360 Luna Ultra, check out my Pocket 4 vs Luna Ultra article.

For me, the first-generation Luna Ultra is a compelling alternative with its 8K video and detachable module, but I can also tell that the Pocket 4P is a fourth-generation product — it feels more polished overall. It has neat accessories of its own, too, such as the magnetic fill light and remote module. As such, DJI's dual-lens Pocket 4P is now my top compact vlogging-camera pick.

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P: price and release date

• Announced on May 14 2026 at Cannes Film Festival, available from July 30
• Available in black or white versions, priced from £529 / AU$959. No US availability at launch
• Variety of bundles available, including a Vlog Combo kit for £605 / AU$1,099

Despite essentially having no competition in markets such as drones and, previously, gimbal vlogging cameras, DJI has always priced its products competitively. It usually undercuts rivals where actual alternatives exist, too, such as GoPro and Insta360 action cameras.

Insta360 outright said it wasn’t going to compete on price, but rather on features when speaking about its Luna Ultra, and that has turned out to be the case. Where the Luna Ultra starts at $770 / £650 / AU$1,230, the Pocket 4P comes in at £529 / AU$959 — though it's not available in the US at launch. Meanwhile, the single-lens Pocket 4 costs from £429 / AU$749.

Considering that the Pocket 4P has the extra camera with its own sensor, that price increase over the Pocket 4 feels completely justified, and in my book the Pocket 4P is excellent value, especially when you consider the quality of the 4K video footage it's able to produce.

The Pocket 4P is available in Black or White versions, and there are bundles available. The Vlog Combo, for example, includes the DJI Mic 2 Mini wireless mic, remote controller, fill light, tripod stand and tripod grip, and costs £605 / AU$1,099 — that's the bundle I'd go for.

• Price score: 5/5

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P: specs

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P: Design

• Dual 20mm f/2.0 and 60mm f/1.8 lenses
• Otherwise the same design as the Pocket 4, with rotating screen and gimbal-mounted camera
• USB-C charging and 107GB of internal storage in addition to micro SD

Save for the bulkier dual-camera system and a total weight of 8.1oz / 230g, the Pocket 4P’s design is identical to the Pocket 4; it’s extremely compact, features a 2-inch touchscreen which rotates 90 degrees between vertical and horizontal formats, and a customizable five-button array, with a joystick that controls gimbal movement or zoom.

The extra two buttons, revealed when the screen is rotated to horizontal, help speed up access to various settings. For example, the C button can be assigned for direct access to two custom profiles — handy if you regularly switch between, say, color settings such as D-Log and shooting modes such as slow motion.

It certainly pays dividends to spend time customizing the camera to suit how you use it, so that you’re not fussing with settings when you're out and about.

For me, the single-lens Pocket 4 feels perfectly balanced, and it’s notably smaller than Insta360’s Luna cameras. The 4P, however, somewhat sacrifices that advantage on the alter of dual-camera versatility — it’s a little top-heavy, and I found it more comfortable to use with a tripod grip and mini tripod attached. The Luna Ultra feels more balanced because its handle is bulkier (see the Pocket 4 / 4P / Luna Ultra comparison photos, below).

Gimbal movement still feels smooth, and the shots steady and smooth, despite the extra weight of the cameras.

At launch there's no hard-shell protective case for the Pocket 4P, as there is for the Pocket 3, nor a slimline gimbal protector, like you get with the Pocket 4. This means the bulkier camera module remains somewhat unprotected, which is something DJI needs to be rectify ASAP.

There are also no dedicated ND filter kits from DJI at launch, though I fully expect that situation to change very soon through third parties (it might even have done so by the time you read this).

As with the Pocket 4, there’s the fill-light accessory, which attaches magnetically to the gimbal’s arm and is powered by the camera, and which lets you choose between three brightness levels and three color temperatures.

The light won’t make much of a difference to your images in bright daylight, but in low light and for indoors, it’s game changing for vlogging. I found the warm setting at the medium brightness level was a sweet spot for the times I wanted to use the light.

Then there’s the tiny remote control, borrowed from the Osmo Mobile 8P. This easily connects to the Pocket 4P over Bluetooth, and can be used to remotely view and control the camera. It’s a neat answer to Insta360’s modular controller in its Luna cameras, though the DJI module doesn’t feature a built-in mic, as Insta360’s does.

For occasions when you're taking hands-free shots with the Pocket 4P rested on a surface or support, the remote controller is super-handy. The controls are slightly stripped back versus the camera’s control layout, but the key controls, such as touch subject-tracking, record, and gimbal movement / zoom are there.

• Design score: 4.5/5

DJI Osmo Pocket 4: Performance

• Improved subject tracking
• 107GB of built-in memory added
• Higher-capacity battery extends record times

A major feature in Pocket cameras is subject-tracking autofocus. You really don’t want to be messing around moving the gimbal manually with the joystick, which can be fiddly and jerky. Thankfully, subject tracking, the latest version of which DJI calls ‘ActiveTrack 7.0’, is super-reliable — you double-tap on the subject, and the camera does the rest. For me, it performs slightly better than Insta360 Luna’s tracking, even if it does at times feel like its ‘keeping up’ with fast-moving subjects rather than keeping them central.

Battery life is solid, though you will notice it drop quicker with certain modes, such as 4K 60fps video recording, hyperlapse, and slow-motion 240fps. The camera also gets pretty warm pretty quickly when using these modes, though I’ve not had it overheat and shut down during my testing.

With compact vlogging cameras such as the Pocket series, the battery is non-removable, so you are relying on that USB-C rechargeable internal unit. I found myself conscious of having to charge the camera on heavy use days — that’s life with a Pocket. There is, however, an optional battery grip available to extend shot life.

In addition to a microSD card slot, DJI includes a generous 107GB of built-in storage. That’s enough for a lot of 4K clips, even when utilizing the maximum 200Mbps bit rate.

Recording internally, you'll need to transfer files either over Wi-Fi or wired USB-C. Thankfully, there’s next-gen Wi-Fi 6 and USB 3.1 support on board, delivering fast transfer speeds and making for an efficient workflow on the move.

As with other Pockets, the 4P can get a little warm when you're using its more power-hungry features, such as 4K 60fps and hyperlapse. I've not had any overheating issues to the point where the camera shuts down, but I was aware of the camera warming up while holding it.

• Performance score: 5/5

DJI Osmo Pocket 4: Image and video quality

• 1-inch sensor ultra-wide camera, and a new 3x telephoto, up to 12x zoom
• D-Log2 profile with up 17EV dynamic range
• Low-light further boosts the improved 14 stops dynamic range

There is one minor difference between the Pocket 4P and Pocket 4’s ultra-wide 20mm f/2.0 camera: the ‘refined’ 1-inch sensor, which unleashes a new log color profile, D-Log 2.

DJI says the refined sensor features LOFIC tech — which in simple terms is like super HDR, only it works in real time, which differs to HDR. I first came across the term LOFIC when reviewing the Oppo Find X9 Ultra phone.

The fruit of LOFIC and D-Log 2 is an expanded 17 stops of dynamic range, while the regular Log profile has around 14 stops. D-Log 2 is only available with the ultra-wide camera because it’s linked to the sensor tech, whereas the new 3x telephoto camera uses a separate 1/1.28-inch sensor.

D-Log 2 also isn’t available in every shooting mode, such as Slow Motion 240fps, although like the Pocket 4, that 10x slo-mo is available in 4K, or up to 200fps when using the 3x telephoto camera.

I’ve shot the same clips in D-Log 2, D-Log and ‘Normal’ color profiles (all 10-bit) to make quality comparisons, especially regarding dynamic range, and to see how easy it is to grade the footage for a consistent look. I’ve also shot using some of the built-in color profiles, such as ‘NC film’ and ‘Movie’.

The level of detail that the Pocket 4P is able to hold, especially in D-Log 2, is majorly impressive, especially for such a small and affordable camera. For me, outright 4K image quality is where DJI has the edge over Insta360, and most leading smartphones.

Is D-Log2 enough reason to upgrade from the Pocket 4? Not for me, but there is a more compelling reason: the second camera. The 60mm f/1.8 telephoto optic is essentially a 3x portrait lens, with a pleasant shallow depth of field for upper-body vlogging and shooting closeup details. It’s limited to D-Log or Normal color profiles, but the overall quality is really, really nice, and the footage gives a totally different perspective to the ultra-wide camera's.

Where that 3x lens really shines is when it’s coupled with some of the Pocket 4P’s major features, such as active tracking. With the tighter perspective, creative camera movements tracking a subject on the move can look particularly dynamic, especially where there are other objects in the foreground.

The zoom capabilities are further extended — where the Pocket 4 was limited to a 2x lossless zoom and 4x digital zoom, the Pocket 4P again has the 2x lossless zoom with the ultra-wide lens, plus 6x lossless with the telephoto lens and up to a 12x digital zoom.

The quality of that 12x zoom is okay at a pinch, but if quality is your main concern, I wouldn’t go beyond the 6x setting.

I don’t like the way the heavier dual-camera setup impacts how the camera feels in the hand, but it’s a game-changing feature for this type of camera, and for me it now feels impossible to return to the single-lens format.

The Luna Ultra goes one step further for resolution, with 8K video recording. Personally, I’m happy with a camera that is limited to 4K recording, but whose quality at this resolution, especially regarding dynamic range and color, is more pleasing on the eye. That's the Pocket 4P.

• Image and video quality score: 5/5

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P: testing scorecard

Should I buy the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P: also consider

How I tested the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P

• DJI loaned me the Pocket 4P Vlog Combo kit for a couple of months ahead of the July 30 release
• I shot plenty of 4K footage with the various color profiles, and used the various accessories
• I compared it to the single-lens Pocket 4 and dual-lens Insta360 Luna Ultra

I used the DJI Pocket 4P for almost two months ahead of my review embargo, during which time I regularly shot 4K video using the 20mm and 60mm lenses, the various frame rates up to 240fps, and the range of color profiles, including the new D-Log2. I tried the various shooting modes too, such as hyperlapse, and took photos in the regular and SuperPhoto modes.

In the Vlog Combo kit was a DJI Mini 2 Mini, remote module and fill light, and I tested both those accessories. I generally recorded onto the camera's internal memory, transferred files through USB-C and checked transfer times, ran the camera battery down, and checked recharge times using the supplied USB-C cable.

During my review period I also had the Pocket 4, enabling me to assess the key differences between the single- and dual-lens models. I also had the rival Insta360 Luna Ultra, again allowing me to make direct comparisons.

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

Insta360 founder and CEO Liu Jingkang, aka 'JK', recently shared a potentially controversial post on Chinese social media platform Weibo, which translated reads:

“Our product vision is to build a ‘Cameraman’ — an intelligent photography robot capable of automatically composing shots and capturing moments like a professional photographer, allowing users to remain fully immersed in the present.

"Today, AI is rapidly evolving, we believe the Cameraman’s 'brain' is becoming increasingly capable, unlocking new possibilities for creative imaging.

"In the long term, the ideal end state for cameras is to progressively become imperceptible, even to ‘disappear,’ until recording no longer consumes effort and becomes a natural part of life.”

As a concerned photographer (and as a concerned human being) I wrote a response to that post, and asked Insta360 for comment.

JK provided me with a statement addressing my concerns and elaborating on his vision, and he and Insta360 also answered a number of specific questions I put to them about the company's potentially game-changing plans for its future cameras.

Below you'll find JK's response, followed by my interview with JK and an Insta360 spokesperson.

JK's response: I’ve always believed imaging serves three fundamental human needs: to record, to share, and to create.

AI will undoubtedly reshape parts of this industry, especially in sharing and commercial creation. But when it comes to recording our lives, I believe there is a line AI cannot cross. Technology can make tools easier to use, but it cannot replace the human qualities behind truly meaningful work — judgment, emotion, taste, and the creative energy that come from lived experience.

For me, a photo I take of my daughter’s smile is priceless not because of technical perfection, but because I was there. I felt that moment. AI can generate, enhance, and imitate, but it cannot experience life on our behalf.

Human beings are the measure of all things. You should not hand over experiences that ought to belong to you to algorithms and machines.

So when we talk about the future of the camera, we are not talking about replacing people. We are talking about building tools that help people capture life more freely, more naturally, and with less friction. The future is not about making machines more human — it is about helping humans be more present, more creative, and more themselves.

The interview

TC: What does this 'cameraman' look like? Is it one entity or multiple products?

JK: For us, the future cameraman is a product vision rather than a single device.

Insta360: The core idea is to create a camera that can automatically compose shots, capture key moments, and produce finished content for the user, so people can stay fully immersed in the moment without missing what matters.

When you’re traveling or watching a live event, you often end up holding up a phone the entire time and looking at the screen instead of the experience itself. Our long-term vision is for the camera to work more like a professional photographer: you stay present, and it helps take care of the filming for you.

We’re still exploring what the ideal form factor looks like, so in the near term there won’t be one final ultimate product. But we’re already bringing elements of that vision into existing products. For example, Luna Ultra's POV head tracker enables a more seamless, almost invisible shooting experience, and we see that as an important early form of the future cameraman.

TC: Are we to take it that the 'intelligent photography robot' will be fully automated and independent?

Insta360: First, it’s important to clarify that the future cameraman doesn’t mean a humanoid robot. It’s a product concept and a long-term vision for how cameras should evolve.

The idea is to free users from complicated operation so they can be truly present in the moment while still getting professional-looking results. In that sense, the camera starts to play more of the role of a photographer. Imagine a family outing where the system can automatically frame, capture, edit, and output content end-to-end, without someone constantly needing to manage the device.

That said, this isn’t about a camera acting independently without the user. It’s about highly intelligent operation under user direction, intent, and control. The camera should be able to automate far more of the process, including recording comprehensively when the user wants it to, but always within boundaries set by the user. Our goal is for the experience to feel effortless and natural — even to the point where the camera becomes almost imperceptible in everyday life.

TC: Can you describe the composing, shooting and editing functionalities?

Insta360: To build the future cameraman, a camera needs to do three things well: see, understand, and act.

First, it needs to see more of the world. That’s one reason 360 imaging matters so much to us. A traditional camera captures only a narrow frame, while a 360 camera captures the full scene. That gives both the user and the AI much more context, reduces the risk of missing important moments, and creates a stronger foundation for tracking, reframing, and scene understanding.

Second, it needs spatial intelligence. The camera has to understand depth, motion, orientation, and what’s happening in the environment — not just record pixels, but actually interpret the scene.

Third, it needs to act in real time. That means tracking subjects, stabilizing footage, composing shots, predicting movement, and eventually making smarter filming decisions automatically based on the user’s intent. If it can’t respond instantly, it doesn’t really behave like a cameraman.

JK: The cameraman sits at the intersection of sensing, on-device AI, and computational imaging. The goal is for the camera to stop being just a recording tool and start becoming an active creative partner.

TC: Could you unpack a specific future feature being explored that leads Insta360's camera to being an 'active creative partner'?

Insta360: When we talk about an ‘active creative partner,’ we mean an intelligent imaging solution that better understands the scene and helps users capture it more intelligently. In dynamic environments, it can keep up with subjects with less user intervention, so people can stay focused on the moment while the camera handles more of the technical work.

To support that vision, we’ve already built a strong technical foundation, including panoramic generation and a panoramic metric depth model. We’ve already open-sourced these technologies for the industry, and they have potential applications not only in 360 cameras, but in other products and fields as well.

TC: How is the 'cameraman' different from existing cameras and Insta360 models?

Insta360: Insta360 already has some of the foundational capabilities needed for the future cameraman. Features like AI stitching, FlowState stabilization, subject tracking, reframing, auto-editing, and on-device image processing are all part of the camera’s evolution toward more intelligent and autonomous capture. That said, today’s products are still early versions of what that fully realized experience could become.

We’ve spent years building deep expertise in 360 imaging, and that gives us a strong foundation in spatial intelligence. Compared with a traditional camera that records only a single frame, 360 imaging data provides a complete field of view and continuous spatial context. Combined with our work in spatial modeling and generative intelligence, that helps AI move from simply “seeing” the world toward actually understanding it.

That’s a key difference in how we think about the future of imaging. And going forward, we’ll continue investing in areas like panoramic depth estimation, world models, and autonomous follow systems.

TC: What's the timescale for this 'cameraman'?

Insta360: This is a long-term vision, and we expect to realize it through continuous product iteration over time. Rather than arriving all at once in a single product, we see it developing step by step as the underlying technologies mature and become ready for real-world use.

TC: Does this 'cameraman' record autonomously? If so, couldn't that be a privacy concern?

Insta360: This is one of the most important questions in the age of AI hardware. Our view is that future intelligent imaging devices should be able to automate recording much more deeply — even to the point of capturing everything the user wants preserved — but always under the user’s authorization and control.

The core idea behind cameraman is not uncontrolled, limitless recording. It’s about turning the camera from a manually operated tool into an intelligent companion that understands what the user wants to capture and helps do that more effectively. That may require environmental awareness and autonomous recording when the user explicitly enables them, but those capabilities should always be bounded by clear user intent, permissions, and controls.

In other words, autonomy is important, but user agency is essential. We believe that’s the right balance for the future of intelligent imaging.

TC: Does Insta360 envision the system ultimately replacing professional content creators, or is the vision aimed at consumers?

Insta360: No — this is not about replacing photographers, videographers, or creators. It is mainly about helping consumers capture moments more easily, with less friction and less fear of missing the shot.

For professionals, we see these capabilities as assistive tools, not substitutes for human creativity. Great photography and filmmaking still depend on judgment, storytelling, taste, and human connection. Our goal is to reduce technical friction in capture, not replace the creator behind the camera.

The right side of the line?

It remains to be seen just how autonomous Insta360 cameras could become, but Insta360's response somewhat allays my fears about where its camera tech could be heading. And I get the logic — the ease of use and streamlined workflow of Insta360's consumer cameras in particular, which include leading 360-degree and vlogging cameras, are integral to their success.

Cameras such as the Insta360 X5, and Insta360's companion app are already packed with smart tools that make 360-degree video content easier to capture and edit. So, thinking ahead, why make the process unnecessarily difficult for the sake of user agency, when an intelligent camera knows which direction to point in?

Why pour over lengthy 360-degree video clips to manually piece together an edit, when AI knows where the best action is happening and can suggest / make the edit for you?

It's this intersection of human creativity and automated AI tools where we might start to see more intelligent functions assisting users in shooting, editing and sharing, freeing them up to "be more present" as JK puts it, rather than being bogged down with camera operation. And if any company is in the position to advance this kind of intelligent camera tech, it's Insta360.

The analog resurgence has been one of the biggest tech trends of 2026 after making a slow comeback last year.

Whether you’ve made the switch from a smartwatch to a Casio or you’re taking a trip down memory lane with your old iPod, more users are reverting to analog devices to escape brain-rotting algorithms and indulge in nostalgia. The same goes for the best compact cameras — and Lola is one of the next emerging brands to embrace this simplicity.

In October 2024, Lola launched its flagship $109/ £79/ AU$159 camera, a compact device that leans into early Y2K digital photography but with smartphone connectivity features. The camera was a response to the rising lo-fi tech craze, gaining exponential traction among Gen-Z users, and I grew increasingly curious.

Retro tech has become quite a prominent theme in my life at the moment. Recently I ditched Spotify and spent some time with the Miko cassette player by Gadhouse, but coming across the Lola camera online unlocked memories of my childhood I’d completely forgotten about.

I haven’t used a digital camera for the best part of 15 years, so it was time for a reunion.

A tiny camera, but a big first impression

For the past few weeks, the Lola camera has lived inside my everyday bag, and I used it at every opportunity I could — but I will never forget how I felt when I first took it out of the box.

First of all, the camera is absolutely tiny with dimensions of 3.75" x 0.75" x 2.25" and a weight of 0.5lbs (approximately 225 grams). I can’t remember if that’s always been the standard size for a digital camera, but I felt like a giant holding it in my hands. That said, it’s a handy pocket-sized device with a simple design to go with it.

Just like your average point-and-shoot camera, Lola has a built-in flash, supports SD cards, and packs an array of 19 fun effects, as well as 9 scene modes including Party, Beach, Night, & Portrait. One of the biggest differences is its USB-C charging port, which also comes in handy for transferring images to your smartphone.

Lola has numerous editions of its digital camera, including a cute Betty Boop-themed version and one in a clear shell finish that lets you see the inner workings of the camera. I quite like the stripped-back standard silver version because it’s minimal, but can still turn heads.

Then it was time to put the pedal to the metal.

Classic, but with a twist

Overall, Lola is a camera that’s bound to satisfy casual users who want to revert to a compact smartphone alternative for snapping images and creating memories. It’s great for taking photos to fill up a scrapbook or for your next Instagram photo dump, but it’s not one for established photographers who want crisp results. If anything, it’s for those who want to embrace imperfection.

Going into it, I knew that it wasn’t going to give picture-perfect results like professional cameras, but I developed a quick admiration for it as a beginner-friendly device. While its 8MP resolution is low by modern standards, it’s more than enough in this case, producing clear-looking images with a soft lo-fi finish that looks more authentic than a retro smartphone app filter — particularly for outdoor shots.

I found taking photos outside much easier than taking photos indoors, and for the most part, the camera adapts very well to natural environments. In some cases, however, it can be quite sensitive to sunlight, resulting in harsh, overexposed spills in the images.

This can be fixed with a few minor tweaks in the settings, and they don’t require a lot of photography knowledge. All I did was bring the exposure down to -1, increase the ISO to 100, and enable the Daylight preset in the White Balance setting. You can see the difference it made in the images below.

While these amendments made a big difference, it does mean that some parts of your image will appear darker than others in order to balance out the harshness of the light. In the second image, you can see the footpath and trees are slightly darker, but the grass patch in the background isn’t as overexposed, so for me it’s not too much of a setback.

But another feature that caught my eye was Lola’s surprising x20 digital zoom, which goes further than you think. Of course, the further you zoom in, the more crunchy your image will turn out, but zooming roughly halfway to two-thirds in is great for spotlighting the finer details of architecture and infrastructure, or for framing subjects in an entirely different way.

Lola takes everything you loved about your 2006 digital camera and puts it back into a refreshed device, but this is the 2020s, and the company is fully aware of your social media-posting intentions. This is where the SD card adapter comes in handy.

One of the biggest pain points I found with digital cameras 15 years ago was the importing process, which usually required a laptop or computer to transfer your images, since smartphones weren't as advanced as they are now. Admittedly, I was probably just too lazy to do this.

With the Lola camera, all you have to do is insert the SD card into the adapter, which goes into your phone’s charging port. You can then select the images you want to import right from your camera roll, and they’re imported in seconds, making it a lot easier to share them with your friends. For me, this was the icing on the cake.

Digital photography is timeless

There’s a handful of elements with the Lola camera that could do with some improvement (mainly its sensitivity), but for a $100 digital camera I think it has solid value for casual users. But beyond that, reverting to a digital camera removed the obsession with the finer details, evoking a deeper appreciation for being in the moment.

Sure, you can add effects and filters on the camera, but you can’t fine-tune individual settings such as saturation, contrast, shadows, and highlights on the device itself. That way, you have no choice but to embrace the realness and humanity of capturing what's before you.

I recently attended a bridal fitting for one of my closest friends, and instead of using my phone, I captured everything with Lola (I haven’t shared the images for obvious reasons). Though these photos have since been imported to my iPhone gallery, they stand out differently because I know how they were taken, and I look back at them filled with the same feelings of excitement from that day.

Simple, effective, and raw at its core, I’m going forward with a new attitude to memory-making. For some reason, somehow you remember the joy of each moment more vividly.

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of attending the Sony World Photography Awards (SWPA) 2026. During the evening ceremony where this year's victors were announced, I met Will Burrard-Lucas, an award-winning wildlife photographer whose work I was already familiar with.

Burrard-Lucas took home another award that night, the SWPA 2026 wildlife and nature category, with a series of photos of a rhino, giraffe, elephants and more in Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve, captured with remotely-triggered Canon DSLRs. He filled in the blanks for me on how he created these photos — and you can read that interview in full.

He used his self-developed infrared camera 'traps', which can wirelessly connect to a pro-grade camera — Burrard Lucas actually recommends old DSLRs — and trigger the shutter when motion is detected, and which are available on his own website.

These sophisticated devices are called Camtraptions, and their automated function sounded much more appealing than my prior rudimentary setups for garden wildlife photography, which required a lot of involvement on my part that I didn't necessarily have the time or patience for.

And so, I cheekily requested to try out these Camtraptions devices for myself, and Burrard-Lucas happily obliged, sending me a full kit that I planned to test in my garden at home. Could I photograph next-level garden wildlife photos with this newfound setup? I'm here to share my experience.

What is a 'Camtraptions' camera trap sensor and how does it work?

Cameras that use infrared to detect motion and in turn take photos or videos, remotely capturing the action, are nothing new. Two popular examples are budget trail cams and bird feeder cams, and you're not short of choices for either type.

The problem with these convenient devices is the quality they produce; they tend to take JPEG photos just 2-3MB in size and HD video, using a tiny imaging sensor through a sub par lens. In short, they are highly convenient, but image quality is poor. These rugged devices are designed to be left on location for long periods for monitoring purposes — but no serious photographer would prize the quality of the photos they take.

For high-quality and intimate images of wildlife fit for photo contests, that you simply couldn't capture in person, a Camtraptions Passive Infrared (PIR) device with reliable remote capture, paired with a pro camera, could be the ticket.

Burrard-Lucas actually recommends old DSLRs when photographing wildlife remotely using his Camtraptions PIR devices, because he tends to leave the camera on location for months at a time, and these cameras represent a sensible cost to quality ratio. They also work reliably with flash.

There are plenty of great value secondhand options at leading retailers such as MPB (UK) and Adorama (US), but I already had my own Nikon D800 in mind — a 36MP full-frame model from 2012 that I hadn't used for over two years.

The Camtraptions device loaned to me uses infrared to detect motion and wirelessly trigger the camera using its built in transmitter. You simply connect a separate Camtraptions receiver unit to the camera and sync the pair on the same channel. There are detailed manuals on the Camtraptions site — the one I needed being a full 85 pages!

Camtraptions have been developed over years and the most recent is the V4, which is packed with handy features; near and far infrared range options, doors that can narrow the otherwise wide scan area to a focused spot, multiple frames per second triggering and so on.

Ultimately, I breathed new life into my otherwise out of action Nikon D800 and F-mount lenses, setting it up on location in my garden over warm, rainless summer months, in the hope of capturing garden wildlife photos otherwise not easily possible.

My first test — daytime bird photography

I started out with the simplest setup of all; my tripod-mounted Nikon DSLR with 70-200mm f/2.8 lens and the Camtraption device on another tripod. They were a few feet apart, both pointing at an old branch I had collected, which was baited with bird seed.

Because birds are fast moving creatures, I selected a 1/500sec shutter speed, f/9 aperture for sufficient depth of field with the full-frame sensor and 200mm focal length, and auto ISO with a maximum ISO 3200 sensitivity to cover daylight and dawn / dusk. I dialled in -0.7EV exposure compensation, and otherwise left the camera to calculate exposure with that -0.7EV latitude for keeping highlight detail on a bird's bright plumage in sunkissed scenes — better to brighten an image later than suffer highlight clipping.

I placed the setup in a spot of my wild garden that I know is already popular with birds, and I kid you not, a few hours later, having carried on with my day job writing camera articles like this, I returned to the camera to find dozens and dozens of perfectly composed shots of the common birds that frequent my garden — I've added some of my favorites, below, including some moodier shots at dusk.

Besides setting up the scene and the gear, I had no involvement, and came away with multiple keepers. This was too easy, so I gave myself a trickier challenge; nighttime garden wildlife.

My second experiment — nighttime with flash

Deer, foxes and badgers visit my rural garden from time to time, especially in the quiet and nighttime hours. My Birdfy Bird Bath Pro inadvertently recorded a deer munching on a bush in the background at first light one morning, while I recently saw a badger scuttle across my driveway as I pulled in late at night. However, I've never got even close to photographing these creatures.

The first challenge was one pretty much out of my control; knowing where to place the camera and Camtraptions gear. That's because there were no signs of regularly trodden trails, gaps in foliage or dug up routes underneath fencing where I could be confident of capturing the action. No, I had to hedge my bets, and our garden is wild and fairly open.

I opted for visualizing and composing the shot I wanted — a narrow opening between bamboo, where I hoped that wildlife would walk through — and added a little incentive of the culinary persuasion (badgers love peanut butter).

Next challenge was a technical one; lighting. Setting up the gear for the twilight and evening hours outside of bright daylight meant I needed to rely on flash. Flashguns can be purchased at the Camtraptions site, along with the compatible wireless receivers. (Camtraptions wireless receivers and transmitters effectively work in the same way as regular flash triggers from other brands, and are competitively priced.)

So, this nighttime version was more complex than my previous setup, adding two tripod-mounted flashguns each fitted with remote receivers, plus a remote transmitter to the camera which is already fitted with a receiver to accept the signal from the Camptraptions device. It's a chain of command: Camptraptions camera trap sensor transmits to camera which transmits to flash guns.

That's a lot of batteries, by the way, and I needed to splash out for additional ones before I could get started. Each wireless receiver / transmitter required 2x AAA batteries, the flashguns 4x AA batteries each, while the Camtraptions camera trap sensor took 6x AA batteries in a custom FZ casing (but which is compatible with various Sony FZ batteries). In total, I had 22 rechargeable batteries on the go.

Exposure is slightly more complicated, too. I set the camera to 1/200sec — the top speed I could use for synchronizing flash and camera, and the minimum I would want to freeze the action fully — the aperture to f/10, and ISO to Auto with a maximum ISO 3200 given the age of my camera and it's relative poor low light performance. If trying this type of setup out for yourself, do check your own camera's max flash sync speed.

Then in situ in the garden, I took the time to photograph a test subject (me) to ensure the flash power and camera exposure settings were nicely matched for punchy results with a little bit of background detail, as opposed to a fully black background. In this case, the ideal setting was a manual 1/32 strength for the front flash, and 1/64 strength for the rear flash.

I used a wider angle lens than my prior test — a 35mm f/1.4 optic — given I was hoping to photograph larger creatures, and I wanted a closeup wide-angle look that I've rarely achieved, rather than a distant telephoto position. I tweaked composition and so on and lined up the Camtraptions device with its doors narrowed in order to trigger the camera once a creature had walked into a specific part of the frame.

That's the beauty with remote trigger photography — you spend your efforts composing a beautiful shot by visualizing it ahead of time, helped by the Camtraptions camera trap sensor's fine-tuned range. The hard work is put in before, rather than reacting to a moment. Sure, I'd rather the rush of seeing an animal first hand and that feeling of pressing the shutter, but this new technique didn't feel so different — the rush comes later when you revisit the camera to see what you've photographed.

I eagerly returned to the camera after night one, hit the playback button and...a handful of wild rabbit photos appeared. Although I didn't manage to photograph any of the larger mammals that I had hoped for, the technical quality was there — good lighting and rich detail (see below).

That's not bad for my first night with an automated camera setup, and of course I tried again, especially since I could leave the camera gear in situ — it was no extra effort on my part.

I rechecked the battery life of the camera, flashguns and Camptraptions device (which were still full), walked into the Camtraption's infrared scan area to check all the devices were still communicating, and sure enough the camera fired off some shots with both flash guns, so all good on that front, and then left the devices for another night.

More rabbits. Not that I'm complaining. I was going to need patience, but when you have an automated setup like this, time is on your side. And at that rate, I estimated that battery life on the devices would be good for around a month.

I fiddled about with some bamboo cuttings to disguise the camera gear a little better, and with no rain forecast for the following couple of weeks I left the devices be. Of course, for wet weather I would need to protect the gear from the elements, even with rudimentary solutions such as clear plastic bags and cable ties (through which the flashguns would still work fine).

I haven't got the photo I hoped for yet, but I'm confident that I will. And if anything else, I've breathed new life into my old Nikon DSLR gear. The quality of the photos I already have is streets above a regular trail cam, and the basic costs of the setup is pretty reasonable. I might have just found my next photography obsession.

We'd love to hear from you

Burrard-Lucas' Camptraptions gear combined with DSLR camera gear and all the necessary supports and power sources is pretty pricey compared to a regular cheap trail cam, but you're getting reliable gear and professional results fit for a portfolio and, with the right environment and subject, potentially even contest worthy. In that respect, I think it's excellent value.

On that note, I'd love to hear from you — have you had any joy photographing garden wildlife photography? How did you get the pictures that you're happy with? You can share your experiences in the comments section.

• Canon registered three cameras with the wireless certification agency, indicating three more cameras will come soon
• Rumors suggest we’ll see an EOS R7 Mark II, an EOS R10 Mark II and an EOS R8 Mark II
• The EOS R8 Mark II may well be a retro-styled tribute to the analog AE-1, which turns 50 this year

The first half of 2026 was pretty dry for camera releases, but as we enter the second half of the year, manufacturers have been making up for lost time. Canon in particular looks like it’s going to have a busy back half of the year, with not one, not two, but three new EOS R mirrorless cameras setting the rumor mill alight.

It should be stressed that currently this is all unconfirmed — we don’t know that Canon is going to release anything. But Canon has registered three new cameras with the wireless certification agency, which is generally the point that you know that something is coming very soon. And reporting by the oft reliable Canon Rumors indicates that Canon is updating three of its most popular EOS R cameras, and one in particular looks like a very exciting prospect indeed.

And if that weren’t enough, we’re also potentially due a new PowerShot compact, with Canon looking to capitalize on the success of its phenomenally popular PowerShot G7 X Mark III compact. But we’ve more details on the mirrorless side of things, so let’s take a closer look at what could be coming…

Canon EOS R8 II — could it be the digital AE-1 we’re all hoping for?

Rumors indicate that Canon’s lightweight full-frame EOS R8 is likely to get a successor in mid-September. As that camera is now more than three years old, this is about the time we might expect an update to come along. However, the really exciting news is that the new version may be an entirely new prospect — a retro-styled Canon AE-1 throwback that fans have been begging the company to make for years.

There have been rumors for quite some time that Canon is working on a retro-styled digital camera, just like Nikon did with its Zf, and given that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the AE-1, a legendary film SLR beloved by amateur photographers for its streamlined controls and ease of use, it makes sense that this could be the year.

The rumored specs for the EOS R8 II are that it’ll use a 32.5MP full-frame sensor, 40fps burst shooting via the electronic shutter, in-body image stabilization, oversampled 4K video and two UHS-II SD card slots. Pretty much what you’d expect for a mid-range full-frame camera.

I’ll be interested to see if the retro styling is purely cosmetic — it might even be the case that Canon releases a ‘standard’ EOS R8 Mark II version as well as the retro-tinged variant — or if it has any bearing on how the camera operates. There’s nothing in the rumor mill to suggest this, but personally, I think it would be smart for Canon to dip its toe into film-style looks for images, similar to Fujifilm’s Film Simulations or Panasonic’s in-camera Real Time LUTs.

Yes, Canon has its ‘Picture Styles’, but let’s be honest: nobody uses them, and they don’t have the cool factor of Fujifilm’s Film Simulations. I’d love to see Canon throw its weight into some really crisp, dynamic, analog-style looks for shooters who want great-looking JPEGs straight out of camera. And come on — there will never be a better opportunity to debut them than in a digital AE-1!

Canon EOS R7 II — let’s see a stacked APS-C sensor!

Also on the rumored docket is an update to the Canon EOS R7, a mid-range APS-C mirrorless camera that arrived in 2022. The original EOS R7 was something of a speedster, with burst speeds of 15fps with the mechanical shutter and up to 30fps with the electronic. And if rumors are correct, Canon might be doubling down on this by giving the EOS R7 II a stacked sensor design.

This would be the first stacked APS-C sensor for Canon’s lineup — indeed, currently the only APS-C camera with a stacked sensor is the Fujifilm X-H2S. A stacked sensor design moves the circuitry to the rear for faster readout, enabling higher burst speeds, superior autofocus tracking and blackout-free viewfinder shooting.

Considering that the EOS R7 was already an impressively speedy shooter, a stacked sensor design would push a mark II to pretty impressive heights — we could see autofocus and speed-shooting performance on par with professional or serious enthusiast cameras. Rumors also indicate that the sensor resolution might be upped to 39MP, from 32.5MP on the original EOS R7.

Canon EOS R10 II — the new beginner mirrorless to beat?

Rumors also indicate that we’ll see an update to Canon’s popular beginner model, the EOS R10, in the form of the EOS R10 Mark II. Details are very thin on the ground for this one, beyond the fact that it is on its way and due in the latter half of 2026. This is also likely to be the first of the new models we see.

The Canon EOS R10 has been a huge seller for Canon since its release in 2022 alongside the EOS R7. It’s not the cheapest in the EOS R lineup, with both the EOS R50 and the EOS R100 coming in under its price, but it’s a pretty affordable camera, with a lightweight build, intelligent autofocus and reliably solid image quality.

Personally, I doubt the boat will be rocked much here. Were I a betting person, I’d say that we’d expect to see improvements in the subject-recognition autofocus, more sustained burst speeds with a deeper buffer (the original EOS R10 could shoot at 15fps, but not for very long), and perhaps a nudge-up of resolution from 24.2MP to 32.5MP, so as to better distinguish the EOS R10 from its cheaper siblings.

What do you make of Canon's rumored upcoming models? Have your say in the comments below.

Fancy taking to the skies? DJI is the brand you're probably looking at — it's the name behind almost all the best drones around right now. If you're new to the world of drones, figuring out your options is tricky. This article is here to guide you through your options. I'll run through the main DJI ranges and who they're aimed at, and then once you've narrowed things down you can hop to the relevant section to read our reviews for each model. Let's get started...

Note: You'll only be able to see product cards for the models currently available to buy in your region. Due to FCC issues, not all DJI drones are available in the US. Hit the More details button to read our main takeaways for each model, and for a link to the full review.

DJI range guide

DJI Mini
DJI's flagship compact drones, and the best-selling range for beginner pilots. These are all sub-250g models, which means they come with little-to-no flight restrictions, depending on where you fly.
• Check out the Mini lineup

DJI Air
A step up from the Mini series, aimed at enthusiasts. These drones fall into the next weight category up, which means they're sturdier and you'll be able to fly for longer, but you'll need your region's equivalent of a certificate of competency before you fly.
• Check out the DJI Air lineup

DJI Mavic
Top-tier consumer drones with industry-leading camera performance. These are another step up from the DJI Air range, and again you'll need a certificate of competency before you fly.
• Check out the DJI Mavic lineup

DJI Neo
The cheapest, smallest, lightest and simplest DJI drone. It comes with single-push take-off from your hand, designed for aerial selfies (this kind of drone is sometimes referred to as a selfie drone).
• Check out the DJI Neo lineup

DJI Avata
FPV (first person view) drones, designed to be used with goggles for immersive high-speed and responsive flight — legally you need a 'spotter' with you when flying drones through goggles.
• Check out the DJI Avata lineup

There are a few standalone options to be aware of. The Lito is a straightforward beginner drone at an extremely wallet-friendly price — it's a step down from the Mini range in both price and capabilities. The DJI Flip is another beginner drone with vlogger-friendly features. At the other end of the scale is the DJI Inspire range, aimed at professionals — the kind of thing that might be hired for productions.

DJI Mini drones

DJI Mavic drones

DJI Air drones

DJI Neo drones

DJI Avata drones

Outliers

In my work, my absolute favorite days are the ones where I just get to take pictures. I’m testing a new camera or a new film stock, and so I’ve got nothing on the agenda other than heading to some locations that are beautiful or interesting (or, ideally, both) and capturing images of them. At the end of the day I’m normally tired, sweaty, have new blisters on my feet — and feel fantastic.

But those days are quite rare. Often I’m consumed with other things, the nitty-gritty of writing, work, life-admin and everything else. Trying to be more efficient, for money and time reasons, means that I tend to do my photography in big infrequent chunks — and some research I’ve seen is making me reconsider that approach.

The benefits of a regular photography habit for mental health are well-documented. British photo retailer MPB, in announcing its partnership with mental-health charity Mind, points to a study in the peer-reviewed journal Health which finds that taking a photo every day provides tangible benefits in terms of mental well-being.

British photographer, broadcaster and passionate nature advocate Chris Packham is a huge believer in the power of photography to effect a positive mental change. ‘Photography has always been a conscious way of addressing chronic or specific mental health issues in my life,’ he says.

‘When I'm peering down the lens, I'm so engrossed in the objective, so intensely involved with the technical and creative process, that the rest of the world vanishes. It's just me and the photo. The exterior anxieties are relegated to oblivion, and I get maximal relief.’

‘For me, photography is a key part of a portfolio of tried and tested therapies which consistently enhance positive mental health outcomes.’

And it’s not just taking photos! Even the simple act of viewing them can have a positive effect. MPB also cites a 2024 survey undertaken by Fujifilm, in which 80% of respondents reported that viewing old photos brought them feelings of happiness and calm, and helped to reduce anxiety.

Building a daily habit

I'm grateful to MPB and Mind for making me think more mindfully about how I engage with photography. It's also worth noting that the retailer is putting its money where its mouth is, and donating £1 to Mind for every item bought or sold on its marketplace this August, working towards its goal of £50,000 a year for the charity.

The campaign has got me thinking that I’m missing out on the mindful benefits of a daily (or near-daily) picture-taking habit. When I’m using my camera, I’m not looking at my phone. I’m not even thinking about the cursed thing; it’s normally in my backpack. I think this could be of much greater mental benefit if I were doing it regularly for shorter sessions.

Our cameras editor Tim Coleman tried screen-free photography for a week and found it made him feel more immersed and connected with his shooting. Even when using a digital camera, it felt like a digital detox — something that people frequently say they want more of!

So if you, like me, tend to plan your photo-taking around long days that you only get to enjoy every so often — it might be worth thinking about ways you can incorporate a more frequent habit, too.

Bringing the camera on a walk to the station to capture details of your local community. Building a twenty-minute walk into your lunch break to see what sights unfold around you. It won’t just benefit your photography, but could also have a real, positive, tangible impact on your mental well-being.

• New Sony FX5 is the successor to the FX3 compact cinema camera
• A raft of upgrades include a new sensor, processor, battery and open gate recording
• Pricing starts at £4,700 / AU$7,849 and availability is from August

The industry's most popular compact cinema camera, the Sony FX3 from 2021, just got a huge upgrade. And having shot multiple productions with this very camera, I can tell you now that its successor, the new FX5, is going to be a big hit.

Last year I drafted in a pro filmmaker who I've worked with on many shoots to share the 5 upgrades he most wanted to see in a FX3 mark II, a camera that we now know is actually called the FX5, and almost every one of his wishes has been granted — and there are other improvements too.

Sony has finally included open gate video recording for the first time, meaning users can take advantage of the full height and width of the all-new 16.6MP stacked full-frame sensor's 3:2 aspect ratio, rather than being restricted to 16:9 or narrower like before.

That new sensor brings a welcome resolution increase from the FX3's 12MP, and open gate bumps up video resolution from 4K to 5K. Frame rates have been upped to 120fps in 5K and up to 240fps in 4K, too, so slow-motion recording is well catered for.

There's now internal 16-bit RAW recording, meaning no external monitor is needed for this high-quality format, plus a triple-base ISO, and A7R VI-grade in-body image stabilization.

In fact, every major feature has been upgraded from the FX3. We also get the same Bionz XR2 twin processor and AI chip as the new Sony A7R VI, which delivers enhanced subject-tracking autofocus, and what Sony says is better low-light performance.

The FX5's form factor is largely similar to the FX3, and at 750g it's only 35g heavier. There are still multiple on-body mounting points and custom buttons, but there's now a chunkier handgrip which houses Sony's latest and higher-capacity NP-SA100 battery, which was introduced in the A7R VI and increases battery life by approximately 30% for approximately 170 minutes of 5K recording.

The FX5 also inherits the same video-only UI as Sony's high-end cinema cameras, the Venice, Burano and FX6, and gets several design tweaks, including a multi-function dial as on the Venice, as well as a multi selector (joystick) and a tally lamp.

False color, waveform, vector and focus map video monitoring tools have all been added — which is a first for a Sony camera at this level — in addition to the existing histogram, zebra, and peaking tools.

Sounds amazing, so what's the catch?

It's not all good news, mind you. The FX5's dual card slots are still designed to take SD and Sony's exclusive CFexpress Type A cards, rather than Type B. A word of warning here: if you don't already own some Type A cards, they cost a bomb.

And on the note of cost, prices for the video-only FX5 start at £4,700 / AU$7,849. That's the body-only price, while the bundle with the new top handle costs £5,200 / AU$8,849 (available separately for £780 / AU$1,099). I'll update this page with US pricing once I have it.

I expect most folks ready to splash the cash on the FX5 will opt for the handle bundle, withwhich they will gain 32-bit float audio recording.

There's also a new 7.07m-dot tilt OLED viewfinder, which looks particularly neat, even if it costs £650 / AU$999 and can't be used at the same time as the top handle, despite having its own port alongside the hotshoe.

The camera and accessories will be available from August, with the option to (irreversibly) disable in-body image stabilization ahead of purchase.

Not all of the aforementioned FX5 features will be ready to go, either. Sony says the following will only be available after a V2 firmware update: 4K240p, 5K120p, vertical UI, screen-grab function and Open Gate in XAVC codec. The timing of this firmware update is TBC.

Still, I expect the Sony FX5 to become a mainstay across low-budget productions. It delivers all of the upgrades that FX3 users wanted and more, and I can't wait to test it out on set.

Insta360 is the major player in all-seeing 360-degree cameras and is no stranger to innovation, also incubating the first 360-degree drone in 2025, the Antigravity A1.

In another first, Insta360 recently released a dual-lens compact vlogging camera, the Luna Ultra, which is a Wall-E robot lookalike that shoots 8K video, with neat detachable remote screen and mic.

And if a recent post on Weibo by its founder and CEO Liu Jingkang, aka 'JK', is to be taken at face value, the company wants to lead us into a new era of camera altogether.

The Weibo post by JK was picked up by The New Camera and after translation reads:

“Our product vision is to build a ‘Cameraman’ — an intelligent photography robot capable of automatically composing shots and capturing moments like a professional photographer, allowing users to remain fully immersed in the present.

"Today, AI is rapidly evolving, we believe the Cameraman’s 'brain' is becoming increasingly capable, unlocking new possibilities for creative imaging.

"In the long term, the ideal end state for cameras is to progressively become imperceptible, even to ‘disappear,’ until recording no longer consumes effort and becomes a natural part of life.”

The Luna Ultra already resembles a robot and there's a POV head tracker accessory available that synchronizes the camera with your head movement to film where you are looking, somewhat automating its function.

Insta360 hopes fans further caricaturize the Luna Ultra's robot-like features through a design challenge contest with Bambu Lab, too. But as a photographer and, frankly, a human being, JK's post raises some serious questions for me.

Isn't photography a creative, human pursuit?

JK's post implies that his company's future camera gear could be autonomous photography 'robots' that can compose, shoot and edit photos and videos on the fly, with little to no human involvement.

It sounds like having your own intelligent cameraperson and editor — a portable 'photography robot' much more sophisticated than the recent Beni camera robot — that follows you and is able to capture the moment as you enjoy it and piece together the best parts into a reel, with the entire workflow reliant on AI.

This imagined future might actually sound better than the current reality, to be honest: one where people walk around camera in hand, filming themselves front and center, rather than being in the moment.

And certainly when you're dealing with 360-degree clips, an intelligent editor which can suggest where the action is at any moment and piece together the edit appropriately for you is a huge time saver.

For Insta360 gear specifically, JK's vision for autonomous, intelligent cameras kind of makes sense. But as a photographer and creative, I find the idea of a 'robot' doing the job for me somewhat life sucking. It's the latter part of JK's post, however, that concerns me more.

Is it really OK to record everything?

JK's post describes an 'end state for cameras' being progressively 'imperceptible' and 'a natural part of life'. In other words, roaming cameras that the public eventually gets used to, recording anything and everything. So what about consent?

Discreet camera tech is already causing privacy concerns, with a growing backlash to wearable cameras especially Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, after it was discovered that modders could disable the light which indicates that the glasses are recording, and a fix had to be put in place.

Cameras are already commonplace in public, especially tourist hotspots. But for the most they are controlled by people with a general sense of what is and what isn't ok to photograph or record. And when someone crosses the line, it's at least possible to request they stop filming. But in Insta360's imagined future? Autonomous robots filming everything sounds like a privacy nightmare.

I've asked Insta360 for comment and clarification on the post, specifically what exactly an intelligent photography robot looks like, and how the company will address any related privacy issues, and will report back if I get further information.

• Prototype drone spins its entire body up to 25 times per second to blur itself into near-invisibility
• Phantom Twist's single motor spins the whole airframe in one direction and its propeller in the other
• AI design pipeline tested 20,000 possible layouts to find the optimal configuration

Drones have a visibility problem. Whether they're filming guests at a wedding or hunting for candid shots of nesting birds, the moment a drone is noticed, it can change the behavior of whatever it's observing — wildlife scatters, people act differently, and you end up with iffy results.

A team of engineers at Illinois' Northwestern University may have found a way around that, and it has nothing to do with camouflage. Their prototype drone, dubbed "Phantom Twist," doesn't try to look like its surroundings. Instead, it spins itself into a blur so fast that the human eye simply can't keep up.

The drone rotates up to 25 times per second — well beyond what the eye can resolve into a distinct shape. The drone doesn't disappear outright, but becomes what the researchers describe as a faint, semi-transparent smudge that blends into the sky or landscape behind it. It's not invisibility in the sci-fi sense, but according to the team it's about ten times harder to spot than a conventional quadcopter.

You spin me right round

The trick lies in the design itself. A typical quadcopter has four rotors spinning while its main body stays completely still, which is exactly why you can still pick it out against the sky — the frame doesn't move, so your eye locks onto it. Phantom Twist ditches that setup entirely. It runs on a single motor and single propeller, with the propeller spinning one way and the rest of the drone's body spinning the opposite way. There's no stationary part left for your eye to latch onto.

Building something that flies stably while spinning that fast isn't a simple engineering job, though, so the team leaned on AI to do the heavy lifting. The process started with around 20,000 computer-generated drone layouts, each one checked for steady flight. From there, optimization algorithms repeatedly shuffled the position of the drone's key components — motor, propeller, circuit board, battery and counterweights — so they'd never overlap visually as the whole thing spun.

Every candidate design was then simulated spinning against 100 real-world photo backgrounds and scored using a model built to approximate human vision, with the 500 lowest-scoring designs pushed through further rounds of optimization before the final version was built.

The result spreads its components out at different heights and angles, so when it's in motion, everything blurs into a soft haze. It's clever stuff, and a reminder of how much of what we "see" comes down to how our eyes process motion over time rather than snapping a perfect still image.

It's worth being clear about what Phantom Twist is and isn't, though. This is a university research prototype, not a product with a release date or price tag, and it's still some way from ready for real-world deployment.

The propeller is audible even if the body isn't very visible. There's also no camera or imaging payload on the current build, which raises an obvious question for its stated wildlife-monitoring and infrastructure-inspection ambitions. It feels like a drone spinning 25 times a second would need some serious image stabilization or de-rotation trickery before it could shoot anything usable. The team hasn't detailed how (or whether) they plan to solve that yet.

There's an inevitable privacy angle to any drone that's harder to see, too, and it's not hard to imagine less charitable uses for the same principle down the line. For now, though, this remains a lab experiment funded by the National Science Foundation, aimed squarely at reducing wildlife disturbance rather than sneaking up on anyone — and there's no indication the spinning-body approach is heading toward consumer hardware anytime soon.

• The Valoi easy35 V2 is an at-home film scanner for digitizing 35mm film negatives
• It requires a digital camera, a 1:1 macro lens, and negative conversion software
• It's a compact, portable unit with a built-in light source

Shooting film is an expensive business, and I’m always on the lookout for ways to make it cheaper. As such, the Valoi easy35 v2 immediately caught my attention, with its promises to make the process of scanning film negatives at home into something, well, easy. Okay, I’m interested.

Paying to get negatives scanned and digitized is an ongoing cost that adds up over time — and since I live in a fairly small apartment in a city, a large flatbed film scanner isn’t a practical option for me. The Valoi easy35 V2, however, is a compact cube with about the same desk footprint as a large coffee mug. Even with its raft of accessories, it’s easy to store, easy to transport — and at $272 / £199 / AU$337, it’s cheaper than high-end scanners, too. Color me even more intrigued.

But before you get too excited, be aware that this is not a standalone film scanner. Portable self-contained film scanners do exist, like Kodak’s ultra-cheap Slide N Scan, but their quality is pretty poor. Instead, the Valoi Easy 35 V2 works by connecting to your high-resolution camera and your 1:1 macro lens. You do have a high-resolution camera and a 1:1 macro lens, right?

Indeed, this isn’t necessarily the super-simple, anyone-can-do-it film scanner that the word ‘easy’ in the name perhaps implies. But if you’ve got the kit and you scan a lot of film, it could save you money in the long run — and as I found when I tried it out, the process can get pretty addictive.

Valoi easy35 V2: In use

The Valoi easy35 V2 comes as a kit — as well as the cube-shaped scanning module itself, with its built-in light source, you also get a couple of extension tubes for ensuring your lens can operate at the correct focal distance, and some step-up adapters that allow you to connect lenses of various filter thread sizes to the 62mm-thread tubes. While the unit itself is smooth plastic, these accessories are all metal, and feel suitably premium as a result.

In terms of compatible lenses, the distance between your negative and the front of your lens needs to be less than 230mm. Valoi recommends that if you’re using a full-frame system, you’re best off with a lens with a focal range between 55mm and 105mm; for APS-C, it’s 40mm to 70mm; and for Micro Four Thirds, the makers recommend between 35mm and 60mm.

I was using a Fujifilm X-T5, since with its generous resolution of 40.2MP, it would easily offer enough pixels to make the scanning process worth the effort. I paired it with the TTArtisan 40mm F2.8 — an affordable manual focus macro lens that is Valoi’s budget recommendation for use with the scanner.

Fitting the parts together is simple enough — I only needed to use one adapter and extension tube, but depending on your lens, you may need to stack multiple. The unit itself has one-button operation; you simply turn it on to activate the light (it's battery-powered and recharges via USB-C). Negatives are loaded carefully into the holder at one side, fed through the scanner for your camera to snap, before emerging out of the other side. You'll need to ensure that the negative is correctly focused — it helps to use a nice clear shot with a well-captured subject, ideally a person. And then, you’re away.

That’s when I started to get addicted. See, I have a lot of negatives. Like, a lot, a lot. And once the Easy 35 V2 is in position and your lens and camera are set up correctly, the process of scanning is incredibly quick — feed, snap, feed, snap. You can scan entire rolls in minutes. I will say that on my first few attempts, a lot of my scans came in a little crooked and I couldn’t quite figure out what I was doing wrong — but fortunately I had enough latitude to crop and straighten without impacting the image too much.

Of course, once you’ve got those digitized negatives, you still need to convert them. You have a number of options — it brings me no pleasure to say this as I am on the record as an Adobe critic, but by far the quickest and best is pairing Lightroom Classic with the plugin Negative Lab Pro, the latter of which offers a free trial of 24 conversions and then costs a one-time price of $99. There are other options, but they tend to be either excessively complicated (Darktable) or a bit too rudimentary (Lomography’s free online tool).

Negative Lab Pro takes the RAWs of your digitized negs (oh, yes, you really should shoot in RAW) and automates the conversion process into a single click. Once this is done, it provides an editing panel, and you shouldn’t be afraid to get stuck in and make the final image look the way you want it, editing attributes like color temperature and tint to taste. If you don’t have the time or patience to tweak sliders, NLP offers a few presets for a quick spruce-up — I found that the ‘Kodak’ profile generally delivered pleasing results from Kodak negatives, naturally. You can see a few of my resulting scans below.

Valoi easy35 V2: Is it worth it?

I love this thing. I really love it. Setting it up was a pain — I had to get hold of some pretty specific gear, and lay it all out on my floor for want of a better working surface. It all feels a bit rustic and inelegant — for me, the camera and the box didn’t sit level when connected. I ended up wedging the spare film holder underneath to balance it, and was later amused when I watched a video on Valoi’s YouTube channel and they recommended doing exactly that.

However, the scanning process itself was unbelievably fluid, easy and even fun. I could have fed my negatives through this thing for hours. I still might! And having this setup on standby at home would mean I’d never have to pay to have negs scanned again, which is a mightily tempting thought.

I don’t think it's true to say that the Valoi Easy35 V2 makes scanning accessible to the masses. The masses don’t all own sharp macro lenses with the correct filter thread size (you should have heard the noise I made when I realised that the Fujifilm XF 30mm f2.8 R LM WR Macro wasn’t going to fit, even with all those step-up adapters). But for those who have the capacity, it makes negative scanning at home joyous and fun, and on that note I’m going to step away from my keyboard so that I can go scan some more.

With thanks to Wex Photo Video (UK) and Fujifilm who loaned some of the equipment used for this article.

Historically, the DJI brand has been all about drones. It remains an undisputed leader in that category, but in recent years its also solidified a name in compact cameras for content capture.

The two key ranges are the Osmo Action and the Osmo Pocket. The Action is DJI's classic action camera, with a rugged build designed to happily capture high-quality content no matter how much you bump, drop, submerge, freeze, or generally throw it about. The Pocket is a compact, image-stabilizing gimbal camera designed for vloggers. It can easily switch between vertical and horizontal shooting, and is set up to make selfie capture easy. There are also a couple of outliers: the Osmo 360 360-degree camera and the tiny, wearable Osmo Nano.

Most of these cams are leaders in their respective categories — this brand crops up in numerous best-of lists, including the best action camera, best 360 camera and best vlogging camera. If you're thinking of buying one but aren't quite sure of your options, or which to pick, you've come to the right place.

Our camera review team has tested every single one of the DJI cameras currently available to buy, and below you'll find a quick guide to the different models, plus summaries of our main testing takeaways, and links to read the full review for each (hit the More details button).

Note: You will only see cards for the products available to buy in your region. Due to FCC fun and games, not all new models are available in the US.

DJI Osmo Action

Osmo Actions are traditional action cameras — DJI's answer to a GoPro. They sport an all-in-one design, with all the hallmarks you'd expect from a good action cam: a robust, waterproof, compact design, front and back screens, mics, and features like time-lapse, slow-mo and (on newer models) subject tracking.

The current generation is the Osmo Action 6, but the Osmo Action 5 Pro (there's no not-Pro version, so treat this like a naming quirk) and the Osmo Action 4 are widely available too, including direct from DJI. It's also quite easy to get hold of an Osmo Action 3.

The specs and features differ slightly from model to model — you can see our review of each one by hitting the 'More details' button, and this DJI Osmo Action comparison page is useful for highlighting the differences.

You'll struggle to find either now, but the two previous models are the Action 2 and the original Osmo Action. The Action 2 was a particularly interesting swerve from DJI — it looked completely different from the rest of the range, with a modular build. For the third gen, DJI pivoted straight back to a more traditional all-in-one design, and that's what it's stuck with ever since.