Despite feeling like a relatively quiet year for leading camera brands, 2024 served up some real treats. Highlights included the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, which we awarded camera product of the year thanks to its speedy 45MP stacked full-frame sensor and innovative in-camera editing, such as its 400% upscale function that could end the megapixel race for good.
We also loved testing the Fujifilm X100VI in Japan. This pricey premium compact camera nonetheless attracted huge pre-order numbers and is still on backorder the best part of a year later. It really is a delight to shoot with.
DJI once again had a busy year with new drones, action cameras, vlogging cameras and accessories. It consequently scooped TechRadar’s camera brand of the year – that’s two years in a row. Other honorable mentions go to Nikon for its better-than-expected five-star Z6 III and Insta360 for doubling down on dominance in the pocketable video camera space, especially with its X4 360-degree camera.
Besides hardware, other camera headlines included Nikon purchasing RED Digital Cameras to instantly become a big player in the cinema industry, a move that means exciting prospects for its professional mirrorless cameras going forward. Could we see fruit as early as 2025? AI continues to dominate tech headlines, but its implementation into camera hardware remains restrained. And the humble point-and-shoot digital camera has enjoyed a comeback, particularly with young audiences – for which we can thank TikTok.
So how does this past year set us up for 2025? As you’d expect, there are plenty of rumors already circulating about what’s to come over the next 12 months, and we can make some educated predictions too. Here, in reverse order, are the 12 most exciting cameras we’re expecting to see in 2025.
The 12 most exciting cameras of 2025
12. Nikon Z5 II
- Likelihood rating: 4/5
- Excitement rating: 3/5
Nikon has a solid and reasonably-priced mirrorless camera lineup now, thanks to a string of recent releases. We wouldn’t expect a Z8 or Z9 successor any time soon, and as the Z6 III was Nikon’s best release in 2024, a new model in that series is unlikely for 2025. For full-frame Nikon cameras then, that leaves us with the dated Z5 and the Z7 II with potential successors. However, many fans think the Z8 has put to bed the need for a Z7 III and think that line is dead, which leaves the Z5 II as the most likely candidate for 2025.
We rank the original Nikon Z5 as one of the best cheap full-frame mirrorless cameras – it regularly drops to around $1,000 / £800 in the sales – but the entry-level model is almost five years old now and due an update. Cementing that belief, The New Camera speculates a mark II version could arrive as soon as Q1 of 2025, for as little as $1,200 / £1,000. It’ll need to be that price or lower given the older Z6 II, which is from the pricier series up, has dropped to the $1,500 / £1,350 mark.
We think a Z5 II will look a lot like the recently launched APS-C format Nikon Z50 II, but with a 24MP full-frame sensor. If it’s priced aggressively, as Nikon tends to do, it could make our best beginner mirrorless camera buying guide. Nikon’s acquisition of RED Digital Cameras also leaves us wondering if we’ll see any direct fruit in its cameras, potentially through firmware updates or a more cinema-focused model, much like the Sony FX30 or Canon EOS C80. Now that would shake things up a bit.
11. GoPro Max 2
- Likelihood rating: 3/5
- Excitement rating: 3/5
It’s three years on the spin for the Max 2 in our most exciting cameras for the coming year list, but GoPro assures us that 2025 really, really is the year that its much anticipated 360-degree camera will hit the shelves.
All we know is that it’s been five years since the original, and in that time, Insta360 has strengthened its grip on this market, culminating in 2024’s X4 – a five-star-rated 8K 360-degree camera that can double up as an action camera and more.
If GoPro was to launch the Max 2, can it even compete with Insta360? We’re not sure. It’ll certainly have to make meaningful improvements over the original Max to do so, and in that case, we could be in for a treat because a Max 2 will need to be GoPro’s first 8K camera.
For 360-degree camera fans, it’s an otherwise Insta360 space, meaning we can only hope that the market leader sees the need to outdo itself in the absence of any real competition – rivals from the minnows Kandao and Ricoh are less compelling packages overall. Come on GoPro, don’t let us down.
As uncertain as the Max 2 has become, we can usually rely on GoPro to launch a new version of its flagship action camera. Expect a GoPro Hero 14 Black to materialize in September 2025.
10. DJI Flip
- Likelihood rating: 5/5
- Excitement rating: 3/5
DJI rarely sits still, but the drone giant seemed busier than ever as 2024 drew to a close. Perhaps it is the looming US ban for its drones, but a spate of rumors suggests we’ll see any or all of the following soon; a DJI Mini 5 Pro, which will likely become the best sub-250g drone; a DJI Mavic 4 Pro, replacing the best triple-camera drone; and an all-new DJI Flip.
The Flip would be a curious addition to DJI’s range of drones if the rumors are true. It looks like a pocketable, sub-250g HoverAir X1 Pro-style folding drone, with its propellors encased in guards, and featuring a lot of the Mini 4 Pro tech. That makes it an intriguing mix of the DJI Neo and DJI Mini 4 Pro, though it’s not entirely clear who it’s for.
Propellor guards are typically used in beginner and selfie drones, enabling flight close to people and indoors. Just how the rumored Flip will straddle DJI’s selfie and regular drones remains to be seen, but we may not have to wait long to find out if the rumors of a Q1 launch prove correct.
9. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
- Likelihood rating: 5/5
- Excitement rating: 3/5
It hasn’t been launched yet, but there’s not a lot that we don’t know about the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Samsung’s upcoming flagship phone that will carry the torch from its predecessor as one of the best camera phones.
Rumors suggest the latest flagship will drop around January 22 and could cost more than the S24 Ultra, which started at $1,199.99 / £1,249 / AU$1,949 for a 256GB storage and 8GB RAM version. This would make it a pricey handset. As for its camera, we’ve read leaks suggesting that three of its four rear cameras will be the same, while the wide camera could get a big upgrade.
To recap, the S24 Ultra boasts a 200MP main camera with 24mm f/1.7 lens and 1/1.3-inch sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide camera with 13mm f/2.2 lens and 1/2.55-inch sensor, a 50MP ‘periscope’ camera with 5x optical zoom – that’s a 111mm f/3.4 lens and 1/2.52-inch sensor, and finally a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom (a 67mm f/2.4 lens with 1/3.52-inch).
The most credible rumors suggest that the only change will be to the ultra-wide camera, seeing a jump in resolution to 50MP. That improvement would make the S25 Ultra’s wide-angle skills rival the iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max. Other than that, and in contrast to the rest of the phone’s specs, there’s not a lot we know about the S25 Ultra’s cameras. We won’t have too long to wait to find out, though.
8. Panasonic Lumix S1H II
- Likelihood rating: 4/5
- Excitement rating: 4/5
Going off recent history, we can expect a couple of new Panasonic cameras in 2025, after all, 2024 brought us the superb Lumix GH7 and the Lumix S9, while the previous year we were treated to the Lumix G9 II and Lumix S5 II. What we didn’t see in those previous two years was a high-end full-frame camera, and that’s exactly what rumors are pointing towards, specifically a Lumix S1H successor.
Word has it that a Lumix S1H II will be launched in the first quarter of 2025, giving filmmakers plenty of reasons to get excited, especially if Panasonic implements much of its recent tech in an S1H-style pro body. As well as potentially gaining the phase detect autofocus debuted in the S5 II, plus presumably the potential for in-camera 32-bit float audio like the Lumix GH7, some exciting specs are being touted.
The New Camera thinks the S1H II will feature a relatively low-resolution 22.5MP full-frame sensor optimized for video content, with 6K open gate video and a triple native ISO – we saw that feature for the first time in the Canon EOS C400 / EOS C80. There could also be a DR boost with up to 17-stops dynamic range using an Arri Log C4 profile, plus ProRes RAW / RAW HQ internal recording. If these features prove true, a would-be Lumix S1H II will boast the best video image quality of any Lumix mirrorless camera, supported by dual fans for unlimited record times. This could be the camera that sets the bar for video creatives at its price point.
7. iPhone 17 Pro / Pro Max
- Likelihood rating: 5/5
- Excitement rating: 4/5
We’re a ways off an iPhone 17 / 17 Pro / 17 Pro Max launch if Apple’s reliable September calendar is anything to go by, but that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from whirring into action already.
Chief among those iPhone 17 rumors is that the 5x optical zoom telephoto camera in the 17 Pro and Pro Max will see a bump in resolution from 12MP to 48MP. Likewise, the front camera will jump up from 12MP, but to 24MP. These both seem like sensible predictions and would make for a solid upgrade, but there’s also a surprising rumor.
One source claims that iPhone 17 models will be the first iPhones with a mechanical aperture, a feature from proper cameras designed to change how much light enters the camera and affects the depth of field. Most phones use computational trickery to blur backgrounds in your portraits, but a mechanical aperture is the real deal.
That rumor would tally with the iPhone 16’s stand-out Camera Control button (don’t call it a button). Pair the control’s tactile response for camera adjustments with a lens whose aperture can mechanically be changed, and that would make quite the combination for enthusiast photographers who are used to these controls on their big cameras. Somehow we already feel more excited by the camera upgrades in the next round of iPhones than Samsungs.
6. Ricoh GR IV
- Likelihood rating: 3/5
- Excitement rating: 4/5
We anticipated the Ricoh GR IV in last year’s shortlist but, sadly, the rumors turned out to be false. All that materialized was a niche version of the current model – the GR III HDF / GR IIIx HDF – that was identical except for a highlight diffusion filter. Still, rumors are ramping up for a fourth-gen model and this model will have plenty of photography enthusiasts excited.
The Ricoh GR series has been around for years, boasting stand-out image quality thanks to a large APS-C sensor and sharp fixed lens, all packed into a truly pocketable compact body. It’s one of our favorite premium compact cameras and the GR IIIx persuaded this writer to splash out on it instead of the latest iPhone. However, for all it delivers, the GR III series is far from perfect and can be easily improved. We’ve written about the five upgrades we’d like to see in the GR IV, including a built-in flash and better autofocus.
There are few GR IV rumored specs to go off, but we’re hoping it proves to be a proper upgrade rather than a refined model – after all, the original GR III is around five years old now. The Ricoh GR III / GR IIIx is one of the few high-quality models remaining in the sub $1,000 / £1,000 price mark, we just hope that a properly improved GR IV is just around the corner. It could tempt a few away from the like of the Fujifilm X100VI.
5. Fujifilm X-E5
- Likelihood rating: 4/5
- Excitement rating: 4/5
The Fujifilm X-E4 was launched in February 2021, yet it was 2024 that proved to be its bumper year. That’s because pairing it with Fujifilm’s XF 27mm f/2.8 pancake lens creates a viable alternative to the trending Fujifilm X100-series of premium compacts – the latest two models of which proved particularly hard to buy after going viral on TikTok. When shoppers couldn’t get the X100V or X100VI, they turned to the X-E4 instead and it was sold out throughout parts of 2023 and much of 2024. You’ll be pleased to hear that rumors suggest a successor, the X-E5, is en route.
Fujifilm Rumors says we can expect the X-E5 around July 2025. As for its specs, there’s not much word yet, so we have to make educated guesses. We expect the potential X-E5 to sit above the new X-M5 and inherit much of its features from 2024’s X-T50. That means a compact body that’s more rugged than the X-M5’s, together with Fujifilm’s higher-resolution 40MP APS-C sensor and X-Trans Processor 5 engine. There’s the argument that the X-E4 already does the job of a would-be X-E5 as an everyday lightweight camera to document life, but it seems as though Fujifilm thinks there’s life in the X-E series yet. Pricing will be key; we hope it won’t surpass the $1,100 / £1,000 mark.
4. Canon EOS R6 Mark III
- Likelihood rating: 4/5
- Excitement rating: 4/5
It’s ‘definitely’ coming in Q1 of 2025 say prominent Canon leakers, and while we don’t know if that timeline is accurate, the sentiment is assurance that Canon is following up its popular EOS R6 Mark II with a third-generation model, presumably called the EOS R6 Mark III. Cameras aren’t usually announced at expos anymore, but the EOS R6 Mark III could be unveiled at or around CP+ in Japan, which is taking place from February 27 to March 2.
The first rumors about a potential EOS R6 Mark III’s specs suggest it’ll be a modest update of the EOS R6 Mark II, with a better EVF and a completely new OLED touchscreen for Canon. With dual-axis flip-out and rotate movements, like the screen in the Sony A9 III, you’ll be able to manipulate it to any angle for easy viewing at high and low angles whether shooting in portrait or landscape format.
It’ll probably have similar photo specs, with a full-frame 24MP sensor and in-body image stabilization rated up to 8.5 stops, albeit potentially with a DIGIC Accelerator processor akin to the EOS R5 Mark II, which could up burst shooting performance. It might also have the same autofocus system as the pricier EOS R5 II, which has some pretty sophisticated subject and sport priority modes, as well as the in-camera neural network noise reduction and upscale image editing that majorly impressed us.
There could also be improved 6K video and slow motion 4K 120fps recording, plus Canon’s Cinema RAW Light codec. If these rumors are all on the money, the sum of those parts is a nicely refined all-rounder that will go toe-to-toe with the Nikon Z6 III.
3. Fujifilm GFX100 RF
- Likelihood rating: 4/5
- Excitement rating: 5/5
2025 could be the year that Fujifilm goes big, with two completely new medium-format cameras. One is already confirmed: the GFX Eterna, slated for 2025, will be Fujifilm’s first-ever dedicated cinema camera. It will utilize the same 102MP sensor as the flagship GFX100 II, but with a dedicated design for filmmaking.
Apparently, there’s another GFX camera in the works, the Fujifilm GFX100 RF. We’re really excited about this one because, if rumors are true, it will be a medium-format model with a fixed 35mm (effective) lens, similar to the popular X100VI. What really grabbed our attention is its rumored size, said to be similar to the X100VI / X-Pro 3 (sadly no rumors of a successor for the latter). That’s super impressive given how much bigger the sensor is than the APS-C one used in Fujifilm X-series cameras.
There are too many gaps in the rumored specs to draw any conclusions. However, further details suggest that a GFX100 RF would also be Fujifilm’s most affordable in the format, so it will likely use the 102MP sensor found in the GFX100S II but is unlikely to feature in-body image stabilization. The prospect of a premium compact camera with a medium-format sensor is huge though, and this is a rumor we’re keeping our eye on.
2. A Pentax SLR film camera
- Likelihood rating: 2/5
- Excitement rating: 5/5
In 2024, Pentax delivered its first camera for the Pentax Film Project, simply named the Pentax 17. It was a surprisingly easy-to-use and charming half-frame film camera that eventually won us over and was one of 2024’s highlights. According to Pentax, which is a fairly open book about what’s to come, the next film camera we can expect is a proper SLR.
The probability that another Pentax film camera will be delivered is pretty high; it’s just that we don’t expect the second camera in this project to come any time soon. Pentax’s Film Project was announced in 2022, and the first camera came two years later. It would be a major surprise if Pentax’s new SLR film camera is delivered in 2025, although, of course, we hope to be proven wrong.
In the project’s early days, Pentax Product Planner Takeo Suzuki said, “First, we’ll develop a compact film camera. Then, while reviewing a range of technologies, we’ll move on to develop a high-end compact model, an SLR model, and finally (and hopefully), a fully mechanical SLR camera”. That affordable compact film camera with a solid warranty was indeed the new Pentax 17. What will come next we don’t know. but the fully mechanical SLR could be very exciting for serious photographers.
1. Sony A7 V
- Likelihood rating: 4/5
- Excitement rating: 5/5
Despite the recent A1 II flagship, Sony’s camera department has had one of its quietest years in memory. We’re expecting 2025 to be a lot busier, and that could begin with the rumored Sony A7 V. The full-frame mirrorless camera was our favorite all-rounder for years but was bettered by the Canon EOS R6 Mark II and, more recently, the even-better Nikon Z6 III. It’s about time for Sony to fight back with an update of the A7 IV – and we’re expecting good things should an improved successor come to be.
One way Sony can build on the A7 IV is simply by borrowing existing tech from newer models, such as the A7R V, ZV-E1, and A1 II, then rounding them up into an A7 V. We’d hope for better handling. The same body as the A1 II / A9 III might be out of the question but the A7R V design, which includes a four-axis touchscreen, is distinctly possible for this price point.
We can also expect Sony’s AI chipset for improved subject tracking autofocus, and some of the AI-smarts of the ZV-E1, including auto framing for video. The A7 IV’s video specs look a little dated now, so we think the main improvements will come there. Otherwise, the A7 IV already boasts a 33MP sensor, which beats Canon and Nikon’s newer rivals for photography, so there’s potentially less that needs to be done for photographers.
Another possibility for 2025 is a new A7R VI with a high-resolution 100MP sensor that’s never been seen before in a consumer full-frame camera. The A7R V already boasts rival-beating detail thanks to its 61MP sensor, and Sony could double down on its advantage. If we were betting people, we’d put our chips all in on Sony having a stellar year.
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