If you don't know me, my name is Nikita and I'm a Senior Reviews Writer, testing the best drones and the best cameras. This year, I've tested 12 of these nifty gadgets so far — from keychain cameras like the Kodak Charmera and black-and-white snappers like the Leica Q3 Monochrom, to speedy mirrorless beasts like the Canon EOS R6 Mark III and aerial wonders like the DJI Avata 360.

After a somewhat slow start to the year, we've been spoiled thanks to new launches from the likes of Leica, and DJI coming out with a range of drones and gimbal cameras. Now that we're well into July, I thought I'd round up my top five cameras and drones of 2026 so far. Has there been a camera or drone that's been a standout for you? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

5. Kodak Charmera

Just a no-frills, fun keychain camera
My rating: ★★★★☆

When I was putting this list together, I knew the Kodak Charmera was going to be included. If there's one thing 2026 has shown us already it's that cameras can be whimsical and just pure fun — and the Charmera proves it. You may have seen this nifty little keychain camera on TikTok or Instagram. It went viral earlier this year for its compact form factor and oh-so little asking price, and if you need a no-frills camera for a night out, this is the one to get.

Though the camera is fitted with a 1.6MP 1/4-inch CMOS sensor that doesn't take award-winning images, the Charmera is all about fun. The charm lies in its lo-fi images that remind me of the photos in my family's photo albums. What makes the Charmera unique is its extremely portable body — clip it on to your keys or your bag and you're good to go.

What I love most about the Charmera is its ease of use. Your 5-year-old niece who's just getting to grips with using her hands will be able to use it, as will your 60-year-old uncle who just wants to immortalize memories without caring much about image quality. Pass it around a table at a pub, or add it to the camera gear that's going to be at your wedding — the Charmera is for everyone.

Read my full Kodak Charmera review.

4. DJI Osmo Pocket 4P

DJI's best gimbal camera just got better
My rating: Not scored yet

The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P is perhaps one of the industry's worst kept secrets. Rumors have been circulating for months, so when the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 dropped, people wondered why it didn't have two dual lenses — and then the Osmo Pocket 4P dropped. Well, you can't buy it yet, but it's out there. I've held it; I've recorded footage on it in Malta; and I can tell you that it's very real. I can also tell you that this gimbal camera might give the Insta360 Luna Ultra a run for its money.

But my lips are sealed due to embargoes and restrictions, and all I can really tell you about the Osmo Pocket 4P is this: it features D-Log2 support and a whopping 17 stops of dynamic range, and it comes in black and white. It's also got two lenses, one of which is a 60mm medium-telephoto.

I've spent a fair amount of time using the Osmo Pocket 4P, and it didn't take long for it to become one of my favorite cameras of 2026 so far. And why wouldn't it be? It builds on the success of the base Osmo Pocket 4 (which received a 5/5 rating from Senior Reviews Editor, Peter Wolinski). If you haven't bought the base model, I think it's worth waiting for the Osmo Pocket 4P. Trust me, I've been gobsmacked by it, and I'm sure you will be too.

Read my first impressions of the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P.

3. Canon EOS R6 Mark III

Good becomes great
My rating: ★★★★½

The Canon EOS R6 Mark III succeeded the second-gen model in November 2025, but I tested the camera in 2026, so it counts! Good became great as Canon introduced substantial upgrades to its predecessor to deliver one of the best mid-range cameras. Having taken over 6,000 photos on the EOS R6 Mark III, I've been extremely impressed with its capabilities. The camera packs a 32.5MP full frame sensor that captures plenty of detail and gives you some room for making crops in post-production, too.

Combine that beautiful sensor with 40fps burst shooting and best-in-class autofocus, and you've got yourself a powerful camera for sports, wildlife, portraits, landscapes, you name it. As someone who loves photographing birds and animals, I appreciated the EOS R6 Mark III's ability to quickly lock on to subjects and capture stunning images. Canon's vaunted color science is the cherry on top of the cake.

And it's a delicious cake topped with many, many cherries. 7K Open Gate video and 4K/120fps video capabilities make the EOS R6 Mark III a competent hybrid camera. The addition of CFExpress support means the camera can accommodate 7K RAW files and sustain its rapid 40fps drive.

Read my full Canon EOS R6 Mark III review.

2. Leica SL3-P

Finally taking the fight to Canon and Sony
My rating: ★★★★½

Leica’s a legacy brand and though it has always made excellent (albeit very expensive) cameras, it’s always struggled to compete with heavy hitters like Sony and Canon, in my opinion — until now. The Leica SL3-P is one of the finest mirrorless cameras I’ve ever tested, and certainly the best of 2026 so far. What makes the SL3-P a standout is its sublime handling, superb build quality (you'd expect nothing less at this price), and imaging prowess.

I was seriously impressed with its 40fps high-speed drive and best-in-class autofocus that ensures you never miss an action shot — and as a wildlife photographer, I love it. Throw in a 44MP sensor, 8K Open Gate video, strong dynamic range performance, and sublime handling, and you’ve got yourself a winner. Well done, Leica.

The SL3-P makes Leica a serious alternative to Canon and Sony, and if you think, "Nope, Leicas are way too expensive," you'd be wrong. Sony's flagship A1 II and Canon's EOS R5 Mark II bodies cost almost the same. I don't think Leica's price tag should scare you any longer — especially when you're getting a ridiculously sharp sensor.

Read my full Leica SL3-P review.

1. DJI Avata 360

DJI claims its stake as the king of the skies
My rating: ★★★★½

When the Antigravity A1, the world's first 360° drone came out last year, I thought to myself, "This is an excellent drone; I wonder what DJI's answer is going to be." And DJI's answer was simple: the Avata 360 did everything the Antigravity A1 does but better, and at a much lower price. It undercut its primary rival, and DJI delivered a 360° drone that doesn't give you much to complain about.

I absolutely adore the Avata 360, and as someone who has spent nearly a thousand hours flying, testing, writing and reading about drones, it's one of the best today, period. Fitted with twin lenses that capture every angle in 8K at 60fps without any stitching lines, and 120MP hi-res stills, the Avata 360 is a formidable content creation tool.

Exceptional build quality, dual ways to fly (FPV and with a standard controller), user-friendly software for editing, you name it: the Avata 360 does it all. Out of all the cameras and drones I've tested this year so far, this is the one I come back to time and again. DJI, despite facing a ban on its drones and enhanced scrutiny in the U.S., shows no signs of stopping with its Avata 360, Lito X1 and Lito 1 quadcopters, and I can't wait to see what else the Chinese giant has up its sleeve going forward.

Read my full DJI Avata 360 review.

There's more where that came from...

There are, of course, other cameras I've tested that haven't made the list, but they still deserve a shoutout. The first honorable mention that springs to my mind is the Fujifilm Instax mini Evo Cinema, a hybrid instant camera that redefines everything we know about instant cameras.

It's one of a kind: it lets you shoot photos and print directly from your smartphone, and you can record video clips up to 15 seconds long, choose a frame, and print on Instax film with a QR code that plays said video on a smartphone. It's fun and it's different, and it earned a 4.5-star rating from me.

Then there's the Fujifilm Instax mini 13, which takes things back to basics. It's an analog instant cameras that simply shoots and prints photos within 90 seconds. Image and print quality is great, with retro colors that remind us all why we fell in love with instant photography in the first place.

I also tested the Potensic Atom 3, a powerful DJI alternative that, for the first time on a Potensic drone, introduces 4K/60fps video and RAW images. At an affordable price tag, the Atom 3 packs up to 50 minutes of flight time and accurate AI subject tracking.

But that's all from me (for now). I hope you've enjoyed reading about my favorite cameras and drones of 2026 so far just as much as I've enjoyed writing about them. And like I said, do let me know in the comments what's been your favorite release this year!

More from Tom's Guide

• The best tech of 2026 (so far): 26 products we've actually tested, rated and loved
• I’ve spent over 900 hours testing all the best drones: here are my top picks
• The best cameras in 2026

As a reviews writer at Tom's Guide, I test the best mirrorless cameras, and last year alone, I reviewed nearly 30 cameras! And I'm showing no signs of stopping this year. For the last two weeks, I've been putting the Canon EOS R6 Mark III through its paces, and now that I've finished testing it, I can confirm that it's a phenomenal mid-range shooter.

Once I'd finished testing the EOS R6 Mark III, I took a look at how many photos I'd taken on it — and there were 6,569 stills for me to sift through. Many of them were throwaways or part of burst sequences (of which I only edited and finalized a few). I've been thoroughly impressed and delighted with the photos I've taken, so I thought I'd share my favorites with you. So please, enjoy!

Wildlife

Some of my favorite subjects to photograph are animals and birds, and the Canon EOS R6 Mark III is adept at wildlife photography. What I love about the EOS R6 Mark III is its rapid autofocus system featuring no fewer than a whopping 6,097 selectable points. In my testing, I found the EOS R6 Mark III was quick to lock onto the subjects I was photographing. It didn't falter even once.

All the images in the gallery above were captured with the AF set to Auto, and the camera was quick to recognize the subjects as birds, so it switched to Animal Detection.

When I wanted to capture birds in flight or in action, I took full advantage of the camera's 40fps sequential shooting or high-speed drive. The EOS R6 Mark III is capable of capturing 330 JPEGs and 150 RAW images with its electronic shutter. 40fps drive ensures you never miss a moment of action, and 0.5 seconds of pre-burst capture records 20 frames when you half-press the shutter button.

As soon as I spotted the two pairs of moorhens fighting with each other, I pointed the camera in their direction, and it locked onto them. I then fired off a burst (while 'Kung Fu Fighting' by Carl Douglas played in my head) and captured hundreds of images of the birds attacking one another with their feet and beaks. You can see a few of the sequential images in the gallery above.

Portraits

Alongside being a fast camera, the Canon EOS R6 Mark III is great for portraits, whether those are taken indoors or outdoors. The 32.5MP CMOS sensor captures plenty of detail, and there's enough room for making tight crops in post-production. Human subject detection and tracking is fantastic, and if the camera can't detect any eyes, it automatically and seamlessly switches to face and body detection, so the EOS R6 Mark III is very reliable.

There are a few in-camera filters to play with too, such as Vivid, Warm, Cool, and Monochrome, to name a few. The black and white color profile is adept at capturing dramatic portraits. I took a couple of photos of my colleagues in the Monochrome filter, as you can see above. Also, thanks to up to 8.5-stops of in-body image stabilization (IBIS), you can confidently shoot at slow shutter speeds when lighting isn't adequate.

The portraits I captured outdoors turned out just as lovely, even when the lighting was unpredictable and uncontrollable (unlike in a controlled studio environment). I adore the photos of my partner in the gallery above. The colors have come out beautifully, and I love the different shades of gray in the first slide.

Landscapes

The Canon EOS R6 Mark III is truly a jack of all trades, and if you pair it with a wide-angle lens, like the Canon RF 14mm f/1.4 L VCM, you've got a winning combination for landscape photography. You can capture a lot of the scene, as I did in the photos above.

Another feature that makes the EOS R6 Mark III an outstanding landscape snapper is its excellent dynamic range. The camera excels at retaining both shadow and highlight detail. This gives you more wiggle room in post-production as you can lift the shadows to reveal detail, and recover highlights by pulling them down. The result is a balanced image where highlights don't appear blown out, and dark areas remain noise-free.

The EOS R6 Mark III is fully weather-sealed too, and it's protected against dust and moisture, so you can shoot confidently in changing environmental conditions. As someone who lives in the U.K., where it can start raining out of nowhere, you have no idea what a boon this is.

Details

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a massive fan of macro photography, but I've enjoyed capturing close-ups with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. Well, the photos in the gallery above aren't exactly macros or close close-ups, but they're shots I've used to test the camera's ability to capture the finer details.

Thanks to the camera's 32.5MP CMOS full-frame sensor, the images are packed with detail, intricate textures, crisp edges, and fine gradations. As I mentioned earlier, you can crop a fair amount too to really highlight your subject — as I did with the photos of the bees on the flowers. The soft pastel shades of the flowers look gorgeous, too.

To sum up...

There's a lot more I can say about the camera, which is what my full, in-depth Canon EOS R6 Mark III review is there for, of course. For $2,799 at Adorama / £2,799 at London Camera Exchange, you're getting a camera that pulls out all the stops. 7K Open Gate video, CFExpress Type-B support, a 32.5MP sensor for beautiful photos, advanced autofocus, 8.5-stops of IBIS, and Canon's vaunted color science — all of these come together to deliver a powerful mid-range package.

Testing the EOS R6 Mark III has been a lot of fun, and if you're on the hunt for a camera that doesn't compromise on image quality and doesn't break the bank, few are better than this. Have you tried the EOS R6 Mark III yet, or would you like to? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

More from Tom's Guide

• I’ve taken over 6,000 photos on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III — and this feature-packed camera is nothing short of a mid-range masterpiece
• I tested the Canon EOS R5 Mark II to photograph wildlife — and this one feature has changed how I take photos forever
• ‘Few wildlife cameras come close to this’: why the OM System OM-1 Mark II is perfect for photographing birds in flight and other animals

On paper, the EOS R6 Mark III sounds like a standout choice for practically any genre of photography. In practice, it’s even more impressive. It’s responsive, dependable, and it delivers sharp, vibrant images. And even though the price has crept up and the camera’s overheating limitations may be frustrating for some, these shortcomings do little to overshadow what is otherwise a well-rounded camera in its class.

To find out whether you should buy it, and how I got on during the two weeks I spent with it, read my full Canon EOS R6 Mark III review.

Canon EOS R6 Mark III review: Specs

Canon EOS R6 Mark III review: Price & availability

The Canon EOS R6 Mark III, as its name suggests, is the third iteration of the EOS R6 and the third model in the lineup — and there’s a fourth, if you count the Canon EOS R6 V. The EOS R6 Mark III succeeds the three-year-old EOS R6 Mark II and is a little pricier than its predecessor ($300 precisely).

Its body is available for $2,799 at Adorama / £2,799 at London Camera Exchange. There are two kits available too: one with the RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM lens for $3,149 / £3,149, and another with the RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM lens for $4,049 / £3,899.

Given this price and the camera’s features, the EOS R6 Mark III finds itself competing against the likes of the Sony A7 V ($2,899) and the Fujifilm X-H2S ($2,499), with both cameras boasting fast high-speed drives: 30fps and 40fps respectively.

Canon EOS R6 Mark III review: Design

If you put the Canon EOS R6 Mark III next to its predecessor, you’d hardly be able to differentiate between the two. The EOS R6 Mark III features an almost identical physical body design, sculpted grip, and control layout. But if something ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and the EOS R6 Mark III is wonderful to handle.

Its protruding grip is spacious enough to wrap your fingers around and even use the camera one-handed comfortably — if you’ve got medium-sized hands like I do, at least. Dimensions remain fairly identical too, with the EOS R6 Mark III measuring 5.44 x 3.87 x 3.48 inches and weighs 1.54lbs with battery and memory cards. It doesn’t feel bulky or too heavy to carry around my neck or in my backpack.

The camera’s overall handling will naturally be affected by the lens you’re using. I tested the Canon RF 28-70mm F2L USM and the Canon RF 14mm F1.4L VCM lenses with it, and the former on its own weighs nearly 3.2lbs. The kit, then, weighs approximately 4.7lbs which sounds like a lot, but thanks to great weight distribution and the EOS R6 Mark III’s sculpted grip, I didn’t find it too unwieldy to handle.

Viewfinder

The EOS R6 Mark III’s 0.5-inch OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF) is spacious and comfortable to look through, and it’s plenty bright too. It has a resolution of approximately 3.69 million dots so you get a sharp, detailed and life-like representation of the scene you’re capturing, and this, in turn, helps you accurately frame and capture your subject.

This is the same resolution as the Sony A7 V and the Panasonic Lumix G9II ($1,899), but it’s a little lower than the similarly priced OM System OM-1 Mark II’s 5.76 million dots ($2,399). If you want a higher-res EVF, you’ll have to splurge on the likes of the Sony A1 II ($6,499) or the Sony A7R VI ($4,499), both of which pack 9.44 million dots each in their EVFs.

One thing I love about the EOS R6 Mark III’s viewfinder is its 120Hz refresh rate — which is the same as the OM System OM-1 Mark II and the pricier Canon EOS R5 Mark II ($4,299). The fast refresh rate ensures subjects you’re tracking remain free of motion blur, and the camera delivers smooth and realistic motion — great for fast-paced wildlife or sports photography.

It’s important to note that the EOS R6 Mark III doesn’t feature blackout-free shooting. That means in the EVF you get short bits of black screens between shots. They’re hardly noticeable by the naked eye, especially when shooting at 40fps, although this will obviously be an issue for sports or wildlife photographers, but those people should be looking at a high speed blackout-free camera like the Sony A1 II or A7R VI instead. Or, if you can sacrifice sensor real estate, the OM System OM-1 Mark II.

Monitor

The EOS R6 Mark III’s rear panel houses the 3-inch TFT LCD touchscreen which has a resolution of approximately 1.6 million dots. This is the same resolution as that on the OM System OM-1 Mark II and the Fujifilm X-H2S. It’s a little lower than on the Sony A7 V (2.09M) and the Canon EOS R5 Mark II (2.1M), but it’s still bright enough that I haven’t had trouble reading the screen even in direct sunlight.

In my testing, I found the EOS R6 Mark III’s touchscreen highly responsive as all of my taps and swipes were registered instantly. The vari-angle mechanism also meant that I could shoot at awkward angles with ease, like when I wanted to take a low-angle photo of a duck loafing on the ground, or of birds flying right overhead.

Ports

Canon hasn’t spared any expense when it comes to the EOS R6 Mark III’s ports, and the camera features better connectivity when compared to its predecessor. You’ll find the battery compartment on the bottom plate, and this houses an upgraded LP-E6P battery pack. Located next to this is a standard tripod mount thread.

All other ports are located on the camera’s left-hand edge, and they’re protected by dust- and water-resistant covers. The biggest upgrade, in terms of connectivity, is the presence of a full-size HDMI Type-A port on the EOS R6 Mark III (versus Micro HDMI Type-D on the EOS R6 Mark II). Next to the HDMI port is a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 for charging, data transfer, and 4K/60fps UVC live-streaming functionality (a first for an EOS body). And as this is a hybrid stills and video camera, there are two 3.5mm jacks for a mic as well as headphones, and a 2.5mm remote control terminal.

Two memory card slots are located on the EOS R6 Mark III’s right-hand edge. While the EOS R6 Mark II featured dual UHS-II SD card slots, its successor has one SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-II card slot and one CFExpress Type-B slot, supporting up to 8TB. The latter is there to match the camera’s higher resolution, accommodate 7K RAW files, and sustain the 40fps drive.

Weather-sealing

The EOS R6 Mark III features virtually identical weather-sealing to the EOS R6 Mark II — which means it’s resistant against sand, dust, moisture and rain. You should be able to use the camera in challenging conditions comfortably. I’ve tested it in light rain and haven’t had to worry about water getting inside or damaging the monitor.

Canon EOS R6 Mark III review: Controls

As I alluded to earlier, the Canon EOS R6 Mark III’s control layout is fairly similar to that of its predecessor’s. Though it’s cheaper, I’ve found the EOS R6 Mark III as easy to use (and get to grips with) as the pricier EOS R5 Mark II. All the buttons and dials are well-placed and within easy reach. There’s also a Lock switch located between the On and Off button which prevents accidental settings changes.

Many of the EOS R6 Mark III’s buttons are customizable via the settings menu. For those who photograph different genres, there are three Custom Shooting Modes — C1, C2 and C3 — located on the mode dial. You can tailor settings, such as autofocus modes, button layouts, and exposure parameters, and save entire custom setups to these.

I also like how thoughtfully-placed the customizable buttons are. For instance, the Rate button located in the top-left corner of the rear panel can be fully customized, and I found it easy to press with my left thumb. There’s a Multi-Function (M-Fn) button near the shutter button on the top plate which I customized to swap between drive modes.

The EOS R6 Mark III’s menu system is, as per, a joy to use. I’ve always enjoyed how well-designed Canon’s color-coded menus are, with everything easily understandable even by those who may be picking up a Canon for the first time.

Canon EOS R6 Mark III review: Autofocus

The EOS R6 Mark III utilizes Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF II autofocus system to detect and lock on to humans, animals/birds, and vehicles. The EOS R6 Mark III features no fewer than 6,097 selectable points, which is a hell of a lot more than the Sony A7 V’s 759 points and the Fujifilm X-H2S’s 425 points.

Regardless of the subject I was photographing, I found the EOS R6 Mark III quick to focus. Similar to the Sony A1 II and Canon EOS R5 Mark II, the EOS R6 Mark III features Auto subject-detection, so when that’s selected, the camera automatically switches between human, animal and vehicle detection.

I found this extremely useful when going from photographing birds at the park to my partner, and then randomly jumping to a bicycle. Not once did the EOS R6 Mark III fail to detect the subject. If you want the camera to do even more thinking for you, you can toggle AI Focus, which is an intelligent autofocus setting that automatically changes between One Shot (for still subjects) and Servo (for tracking motion). This is handy for when you’re photographing birds and they suddenly fly away, as an example.

The photos in the gallery above were taken with the EOS R6 Mark III’s autofocus set to human detection. I love that the camera automatically switches between Eye, Face, Head and Body detection, thanks to its deep learning AF system. It searches for the eyes first and if it can’t find one, it seamlessly switches to finding other body parts. I appreciated not having to swap between these detection settings every time.

Indoors, in a photo studio with bright lights, the camera was quick to lock onto my colleague’s eyes, as you can see in the first slide. Outdoors, I was impressed by the EOS R6 Mark III detecting and locking onto the person holding the umbrella, even though you can’t see their face and their body is obscured by the bridge’s railings. Similarly, it was quick to focus on my partner, too.

Animal/bird detection works just as well if not better. The EOS R6 Mark III quickly locked onto the swan in the first slide in the gallery above, and I could see on the monitor that it was focusing on the eyes — even though they aren’t that obvious. In the second shot, even though the moorhen chick was far away and small, the EOS R6 Mark III didn’t struggle to find it, and likewise, it was adept at focusing on the group of ducklings huddled together in the third shot.

I’ve enjoyed using the EOS R6 Mark III’s focus joystick too, as the omission of which I always miss when testing cameras like the Leica Q3 43 ($7,380). I’ve used it extensively to quickly reset focus points, and even used it to focus on a specific subject in a crowded area, like in the photo of the pigeon drinking water (above).

Canon EOS R6 Mark III review: Stabilization

Depending on the lens you use with it, the Canon EOS R6 Mark III is capable of delivering up to 8.5-stops of in-body image stabilization (IBIS). This means that you can shoot at slow shutter speeds handheld and in low-light conditions without worrying about blur from camera shake.

The RF 28-70mm F2L USM lens I tested doesn’t feature any stabilization (bizarre, I know) so for the two photos above, I relied entirely on the EOS R6 Mark III’s IBIS. The first image was shot at 1 second and the second at 2 seconds. As you can see, the first shot is clear and stable while the second has been impacted by camera shake — and I expected that, given the weight of the lens. But this is great as it shows the camera’s stabilization works excellently.

I then took a few photos at varying shutter speeds with the RF 14mm F1.4L VCM which, again, doesn’t feature an image stabilizer. But because the lens is much lighter than the RF 28-70mm F2L USM, my hands didn’t feel as unstable and I was able to shoot at even slower shutter speeds. The image above was captured at 4 seconds!

Canon EOS R6 Mark III review: Image quality

I’m yet to test a mirrorless camera from Canon that doesn’t produce stunning images. The EOS R6 Mark III is an imaging powerhouse, packing a 32.5MP full frame CMOS sensor. Boasting Canon’s vaunted color science, color reproduction is faithful and true to life, and different shades and hues look beautiful. You can see a few sample images in the gallery above. All the colors are well-balanced with none appearing oversaturated or light on contrast.

While the EOS R6 Mark III doesn’t feature a sensor as high-res as, say, the Canon EOS R5 Mark II with its 45MP Stacked CMOS or the Sony A7R VI with its 66.8MP Stacked CMOS, you still get enough resolution to create crops.

The first image in the gallery above is an extreme crop of the second, and the third of the fourth. That’s as far as I could crop in without losing detail. In the portrait of the pigeon, you can still make out its individual neck feathers, and you can still see the different skin texture in the photo of my partner.

Like many other cameras from Fujifilm and Sony, the EOS R6 Mark III comes with built-in picture styles and filters, such as Vivid, Monochrome, Cool, Warm, and so on. In the gallery above, the first photo was taken with Vivid, the second with Cool, and the third and fourth in Monochrome.

I love how the greens pop and look bright in the first shot, and the green water in the second shot appears muted and cinematic. Meanwhile, the shadows look deep and highlights look bright (but not too bright) in the grayscale images, making the Monochrome filter great for portraits.

High-speed drive

The EOS R6 Mark III utilizes Canon’s DIGIC X processor for 40fps sequential shooting with the electronic shutter, and the camera captures 330 JPEGs and 150 RAW images in this mode. Having 40fps drive at your disposal means you can capture every single moment of action, which makes the EOS R6 Mark III a strong choice for wildlife and sports. If you want an even higher drive, the OM System OM-1 Mark II boasts 120fps blackout-free sequential shooting, but you’d be sacrificing resolution for that.

I found 40fps to be more than sufficient for capturing birds in action, as you can see in the gallery above. With the camera set to High-speed Continuous Shooting+ via the Drive quick menu, I was able to photograph the pigeon landing on the stump, and the crow frantically hopping about with a berry in its mouth. The electronic shutter also has a shutter speed of 30s to 1/16,000s, giving you plenty of speed to capture blur-free images.

Thanks to the 40fps burst and best-in-class autofocus, I was able to capture a series of photos featuring two pairs of moorhens fighting with each other, and you can see four shots of that in the gallery above. I was limited by the RF 28-70mm F2L USM’s longest focal length which prevented me from getting really close-up shots, so imagine what you could do with a telephoto lens, like the RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM ($2,249).

Similar to many other high-speed Canon cameras, the EOS R6 Mark III supports pre-burst capture up to 0.5 seconds, and unlike its predecessor, you don’t need to enable the RAW Burst mode to do so. The EOS R6 Mark III records 20 frames when you half-press the shutter button and these are saved to your memory card when the button is fully pressed — handy for never missing a split-second moment.

ISO performance

The EOS R6 Mark III boasts good high ISO performance. It has a base ISO of 100 and it tops out at 102,400, just like the Sony A1 II, the Sony A7R VI, and the Canon EOS R5 Mark II. To see how it fared, I put the EOS R6 Mark III through an extreme ISO test indoors.

Images come out as you’d expect at ISO6400 so I’ll shift focus to high ISO values instead. The images above were shot at 12,800: the first is a JPEG export of the CR3 RAW file, and the second is the straight-out-of-camera (SOOC) JPEG. As you can see, the EOS R6 Mark III’s in-camera noise reduction has done well to reduce the noise or grain in the SOOC JPEG. There’s no loss in sharpness either as the legends on the scale are still discernible.

I then upped the ISO to 25,600. There’s a lot of noise in the JPEG export of the CR3 file (first slide above) but once again, the camera has done well to smoothing it out in the SOOC JPEG (second slide above). The blue background does appear a bit grainy but it’s far from ruinous. Again, there’s no drop in sharpness. This was also the case with the EOS R5 Mark II and the A1 II.

Finally, ISO 51,200, which is the limit I’d recommend pushing the EOS R6 Mark II — as a last resort, that is. As you can see in the SOOC JPEG (second slide above), the plant in the background has lost the sharpness around its leaves and it doesn’t look as detailed anymore. It has a watercolor effect which we’ve seen on micro four-thirds cameras, like the OM System OM-1 Mark II.

Dynamic range

The EOS R6 Mark III offers up to 14+ stops of dynamic range at base ISO100, so in theory, you can make extensive adjustments in post without negatively impacting image quality. To test this, I took a couple of photos outdoors and lifted the shadows and reduced the highlights in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

In the backlit photo of my partner above (the original of which you saw earlier), the camera’s done a great job of maintaining highlight detail while also exposing for the comparatively dim unlit face.

The EOS R6 Mark III keeps shadows relatively noise-free too. In the gallery above, I reduced the highlights and lifted the shadows and doing so revealed many leaves that I couldn’t see in the first unedited shot.

Canon EOS R6 Mark III review: Video

The Canon EOS R6 Mark III doesn’t skimp on video either. It’s a powerful hybrid camera capable of recording 7K/30fps Open Gate video where it utilizes its entire uncropped sensor and resolution, as well as 7K/60fps RAW video. The presence of a full-size port means you can shoot 7K RAW ProRes via HDMI too. Naturally, you can record 4K video at 120fps too. You can see a sample video, shot in 4K at 60fps, above. The video looks smooth and plenty of detail has been captured. The colors look lovely, too.

Alongside these resolutions and framerates, the EOS R6 Mark III is capable of recording in Canon Log 2 and Canon Log 3, where the latter captures a wide dynamic range of up to 13.3+ stops. C-Log is usually reserved for Canon’s Cinema lineup, so it’s good to see it on the EOS R6 Mark III as well as the EOS R5 Mark II mirrorless cameras too.

While the EOS R6 Mark III boasts solid video specs, it doesn’t feature a built-in cooling fan or system, so it can get very hot, and in turn, it doesn’t last very long. Canon says that the camera can record 7K/60fps RAW for only 23 minutes at 73°F / 23°C. This isn’t great news for hybrid shooters, but this is why the Canon EOS R6 V exists. The EOS R6 Mark III’s video-first sibling features an active cooling fan and airflow vents to prevent shutdowns caused by overheating (and it even packs the same 32.5MP sensor).

Canon EOS R6 Mark III review: Battery life

Like I said before, the Canon EOS R6 Mark III introduces and utilizes a new and upgraded LP-E6P battery pack. It’s also compatible with LP-E6NH and LP-E6N packs but not with the original LP-E6. The EOS R6 Mark III is CIPA-rated for 620 shots when using the LCD monitor or 390 shots when using the EVF.

Of course, CIPA-ratings are generally conservative as they’re determined using strict and usually single-shot testing parameters, so more often than not, your camera will last you longer in the field. In my testing, I took nearly 2,500 photos before charging the camera. Your mileage will heavily depend on your shooting settings and modes.

For the purposes of comparison, we’ll use the 620-shot LCD CIPA-rating. This is slightly lower than the Sony A7R VI’s 670-shot, the Sony A7 V’s 750-shot, and the Fujifilm X-H2S’ 720-shot battery life. The EOS R6 Mark III upstages the OM System OM-1 Mark II, though, which is rated for 520 shots. But like I said, the EOS R6 Mark III has lasted me comfortably for a full day’s worth of shooting, so you should get by just fine.

As for video, while the EOS R6 Mark III is capable of shooting 7K/30fps RAW and Open Gate, it’s worth noting that it doesn’t feature an active built-in fan or cooling system, so it has a tendency to overheat, as it did in my testing after about 20 minutes. It’s disappointing that the EOS R6 Mark III doesn’t cope well once it gets too hot (sounds like me during a heatwave), but like I said, that’s one of the reasons why the EOS R6 V, the lineup’s video-first camera, exists.

Canon EOS R6 Mark III review: Verdict

Canon’s EOS R6 lineup hasn’t failed to impress us so far. The EOS R6 Mark III delivers a genuinely well-rounded shooting experience. It feels at home capturing wildlife, sports, landscapes, studio portraits, travel, what-have-you. The combination of a sharp 32.5MP CMOS sensor, class-leading autofocus and stabilization, and 40fps burst shooting make the EOS R6 Mark III a remarkable creative tool. Throw Canon’s beautiful color science, intuitive controls and ergonomics into the mix and you’ve got a camera that’s easy to enjoy.

There are a few caveats, though. While the camera boasts 7K video capabilities, videographers will likely run into the camera’s thermal limits sooner than they’d like. Some rivals offer longer battery lives too.

But these compromises feel relatively minor when weighed against everything the EOS R6 Mark III offers. For photographers seeking a fast, versatile and dependable camera, this is one of the strongest options available today — and a worthy successor to the EOS R6 Mark II.

The Pro-200S is quick to print, and the resulting prints are high-quality and nothing short of stunning. Whether you’re printing to sell, exhibit, or for personal use, this printer gives you very little to complain about. While Wi-Fi connectivity could be easier to set up, and the yield isn’t the highest, these are minor drawbacks in the grand scheme of things. Neither should stop you from getting the Pro-200S.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Canon PIXMA Pro-200S review.

Canon PIXMA Pro-200S review: Specs

Canon PIXMA Pro-200S review: Price & availability

For photo printers and prosumers, the Canon PIXMA Pro-200S is an excellent choice — and it’s well-worth the investment if you want gallery-style prints to sell. The Pro-200S retails for $647 / £459 at Amazon. If that sounds like a lot, it’s worth keeping an eye out during sales events, like Black Friday, as we’ve seen the printer drop to $429 / £367 in the past.

The Pro-200S is cheaper than its direct competitor, the Epson SureColor P700 ($849) which is also a 13-inch A3+ printer. While there are even cheaper photo printers available, like the Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 ($329) and the Canon PIXMA G620 ($356), the Pro-200S is the better choice if you want best-in-class A3+ size prints and peerless quality.

Canon PIXMA Pro-200S review: Design

The Canon PIXMA Pro-200S is a hefty boy, and given that it’s an A3+ printer, it takes up quite a bit of space. The printer measures 25.2 x 15 x 7.9 inches and weighs 32lbs, so it’s best suited to staying put in one place. It sports an all-black design with subtle branding, so it fits right into most office and home spaces.

This is a print-only printer so unlike multifunction ones, like the Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II ($702), it can’t scan or make copies. The Pro-200S features a rear automatic document feeder (ADF) which can, as the name suggests, automatically feed either 100 A4/A5/B5 sheets or 50 A3/B4 sheets.

You have the option to manually feed sheets as well, one at a time. The manual sheet feeder is ideal for thicker fine art media or creating banners up to 39 inches long and 13 inches wide.The Pro-200S packs a front-feeding tray too which can be used for printing directly onto white-faced CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays.

Build quality is sublime as the Pro-200S features a metal chassis build, and there are no hollow-sounding parts, so you’re getting great value for money here. Just as sublime are the Pro-200S’ controls and buttons. The physical navigation, home and back buttons are located around the 3-inch color LCD screen which can be used to check ink levels, among other things. You’ll find the print and power buttons next to the front tray. All of them give good tactile feedback when pressed, and I found them to be highly responsive in my testing.

Canon PIXMA Pro-200S review: Setup

It’s extremely straightforward to set up the Canon PIXMA Pro-200S. The first thing you need to do is remove the orange tape on the printer’s body and inside the paper trays. Once that’s done, you need to plug it into mains and turn it on by pressing the power button. It takes about a minute or two for the printer to come to life from a completely powered-down state — and a few seconds when it’s waking up from its sleep state.

After that, all you need to do is follow the on-screen instructions which are self-explanatory and easy to understand. You’ll then need to install the print head and the ink tanks. The ink tank placements are color-coded so simply pop them in until you hear clicks. If you’re struggling, refer to the included physical manual or Canon’s helpful online guide.

Loading the paper into the rear ADF is easy to do as well. The Pro-200S features automatic skew correction to ensure the fed paper is absolutely straight, which prevents misprinting (and wastage of paper). When you’ve loaded the paper and selected ‘OK’ on the screen, the printer will perform an alignment check which takes a couple of minutes, depending on the paper size.

Once you’re done setting up the printer, you can get printing, and there are two ways to do so: wired or wirelessly. You can plug in an Ethernet cable or a USB-B to USB-A cable into the back — the USB-A side would go into your laptop. You’ll then be able to print directly.

If you want to print wirelessly, you’ll need to download the Pro-200S dedicated driver onto your Windows or macOS machine. Follow the on-screen instructions to hook up the printer to your Wi-Fi. Once that’s done, the Pro-200S will synchronize with the Wi-Fi network, enabling you to print from any device that’s connected to the same network.

While it doesn’t take long to get the Wi-Fi hooked up, I do wish the process was easier. For instance, the Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II requires you to punch in the Wi-Fi password on its touchscreen — no software required.

Canon PIXMA Pro-200S review: Print speeds

Any printer’s print speeds will naturally depend on the complexity of the image, and the number of colors involved. Keeping that in mind, the Canon PIXMA Pro-200S takes neither too long nor too little to produce prints. As this is a photo printer, I put it through its paces by printing a number of photos on four different kinds of paper of varying sizes.

I kicked things off with printing on A3 Pro Luster paper, in standard quality, and it took the Pro-200S one minute and 14 seconds to produce a color print. This dropped to one minute and 10 seconds when producing a mono print. I was impressed with how quickly the Pro-200S printed a packed image of flowers that I’d taken on the Leica SL3-S. Printing at the highest quality took a little longer, with a color print taking three minutes and 40 seconds — still not bad, and the quality was exceptional, which I’ll discuss shortly.

The next thing I did was print on A3+ Premium Matte paper. The Pro-200S produced a color print in one minute and 58 seconds, and a monoprint in a minute and 57 seconds. Both these prints were borderless, and perhaps the printer would be even quicker to produce bordered prints. Printing on A4 MP-101 matte paper didn’t take very long either, with a colored print taking 58 seconds and mono print 38 seconds — almost four times faster than the category average of four minutes.

I love that the Pro-200S isn’t just for large format printing. The printer can accommodate smaller prints too, all the way down to 4 x 6-inch. Canon provided me with a pack of 4 x 6 PP-201 Glossy II paper for testing purposes, so I printed out a few photos I’d captured. It took the Pro-200S 40 seconds to produce a color print and 39 seconds to produce a mono print.

The Pro-200S produces small prints quicker than the Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 which, in our testing, took a minute and 27 seconds to do the same. The Pro-200S performs much better than the category average of one minute and 56 seconds.

Canon PIXMA Pro-200S review: Print quality

As an inkjet printer, the Canon PIXMA Pro-200S utilizes eight dye-based Chroma Life 100+ inks and runs on CLI-65 cartridges. Because the printer utilizes eight inks, it delivers a wide color gamut and extensive tonal range, so prints turn out beautiful and detailed. Additionally, according to Canon, Chroma Life 100+ inks create prints that are resistant to fading for over 100 years when stored in an album.

Print quality is sublime, especially on glossy or luster paper, in both standard and high quality modes. I especially like how vivid shades of greens turn out, as well as the bright blues that feel textured. My favorite print is the one of an Icelandic waterfall, where the water gushing down looks highly detailed. If I look closely, I can see the individual water droplets. The printer performed phenomenally here.

Color printing on matte paper is good but not as beautiful as on glossy paper. To me, the same photo of the waterfall lacks depth ever-so slightly, and appears flat. For glossy color prints, the Pro-200S is second to none, and it suffices for matte prints too.

Printing in black and white is another area where the Pro-200S dominates. The Pro-200S did well to produce rich, deep and inky blacks with plenty of detail, and the overall tonal range is simply excellent, as I noticed in the photo of the man standing outside a theatre. The shadows and highlights are balanced well, and the image looks just like it did when I edited and prepared it for printing.

Small prints look lovely too, and I appreciate the ability to make bordered or borderless prints as the former frames the images well. The Pro-200S’ ability to produce small prints is fantastic for those who want to make postcard-like prints for selling, or for personal use.

Canon PIXMA Pro-200S review: Ink cost & yield

The Canon PIXMA Pro-200S comes with a set of eight ink tanks, 12.6ml each, to get you started — but they won’t last you very long. Canon says that you’ll be able to create just 139 A3+ mono prints with these, or 860 4 x 6-inch mono photos. While that isn’t a lot, the Pro-200S’ running costs aren’t that high.

Each CLI-65 ink tank costs $15, and a set of eight tanks will set you back approximately $120, which isn’t too bad — and certainly not as expensive as the Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II’s cartridges and toner. These are similar costs to the inks used by the Epson Expression Photo XP-8800.

As with other Canon printers, you can sign up for Auto-Ink Delivery when buying the Pro-200S directly from Canon, or even after you’ve bought it. When your printer is running low on ink, it automatically notifies the company who then ships out ink without you having to place an order manually.

Canon PIXMA Pro-200S review: Verdict

It really wasn’t difficult to rate the Canon PIXMA Pro-200S so highly. Once I saw the print quality, I was floored. Designed for photographers and creative professionals, the Pro-200S delivers exceptional print quality across a range of sizes — from postcard to gallery-worthy A3+ prints. Thanks to the printer’s eight-color dye-based ink system, colors appear vibrant, and blacks are deep and rich.

There are a couple of drawbacks preventing a perfect score, such as the complicated wireless setup, and low ink yields for heavy users. But these issues are relatively minor considering the overall experience.

At the end of the day, the Pro-200S stands out as one of the best photo printers in its class, offering professional-quality results that will have falling in love over and over again with your own work.

What makes the MF753Cdw II an outstanding choice in a crowded market are its rapid print, scan and copy speeds. The printer is outfitted with a larger paper output tray, and if you want to increase the input capacity, you can buy an additional accessory for around $250. Oh, and the printer’s got a customizable and responsive touchscreen too.

To find out if this is the best all-in-one printer for you, read my full Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II review.

This printer goes by two different names: Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II in the U.S., and i-SENSYS MF754Cdw II everywhere else. For the purpose of this review and your convenience, I’ll refer to it as Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II, its American name.

Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II review: Specs

Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II review: Price & availability

The Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II is a solid mid-range printer, and it retails for $702 at Amazon U.S. We’ve seen it drop to $499 in the past though, so it’s good to keep an eye out during sales events. Outside of the U.S., the printer goes by i-SENSYS MF754Cdw II, and is available for £539 at Amazon U.K. Similar to the States, the printer can be bought for around £390 during sales events.

This printer is available in white only. As a 4-in-1 laser printer that can print, scan, copy and fax, the MF753Cdw II finds itself competing with the likes of the Brother MFC-L8930CDW ($899), the Brother MFC-L2750DW XL ($689), and the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw ($859). It’s ideal for small office owners and those who work from home.

Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II review: Design

The Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II sports an all-white design with black accents, and it fits right into a professional office space. It doesn’t look too loud so it doesn’t draw eyeballs to your desk. It’s big but not too large, measuring 18.2 x 16.8 x 17 inches. It’s a little heavy, though, weighing 48.5lbs so it’s best for it to stay put in one spot.

As a multifunction printer, the MF753Cdw II can scan, fax, print and copy, and it’s well-equipped to do so. It features a 50-sheet Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) on top with a glass scanner located underneath it. There’s a main paper in-tray at the bottom which can hold up 250 sheets, and an out-tray which can accommodate 150 prints in the middle. If you want even more print storage — say, 550 sheets of letter or A4 paper — you can grab the Canon PF-K1 Optional Cassette for $284.

Located on the right-hand side is a 5-inch color LCD touchscreen that can be tilted vertically to optimize the viewing angle. It can be customized too, to display functions and settings you use the most. There’s a power button located under the screen to switch off the MF753Cdw II or wake it from sleep (takes about seven seconds).

Overall, the MF753Cdw II is designed well, and the settings on the touchscreen feel accessible and easy to understand. Additionally, the build quality feels solid too, and you can rest assured that you’re getting bang for your buck here.

Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II review: Setup

Setting up the Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II couldn’t be easier. It takes about 14 seconds for it to warm up from a powered-off state, or seven seconds when waking from sleep mode.

When using it for the first time, all you need to do is plug the printer into the mains and follow the on-screen instructions. It took me just a few minutes to get the printer up and running. Fitting or replacing the ink cartridges is fairly straightforward too, as all you need to do is open the tray, align the cartridge with the color-coded slot (Black, Cyan, Magenta, or Yellow), and press down firmly until it clicks into place.

There are two ways to use the MF753Cdw II: wired or wirelessly. You’ll find ports for Ethernet and fax modem cables at the rear, and a USB-A port on the front. You can use the front USB-A port to print directly from USB sticks too, which is quite handy and doesn’t require any settings to be changed.

To print wirelessly, you’ll need to use the touchscreen to enable Wi-Fi and input your network’s password. Once that’s done, you’ll see the printer pop up in your computer’s (or phone’s) settings. You may need to download the printer’s driver from the Canon website if your laptop doesn’t automatically detect it. I found this easy to do, and Canon happily provides a QR code on the printer’s touchscreen that you can scan with your phone to access the Quick Start guide, if you’re in a pickle.

If you’re in a literal jam when paper gets stuck in any of the trays, the touchscreen will show you step-by-step instructions to remove the blockage too. I encountered paper jam only once in my testing, and I found the on-screen instructions super easy to follow.

Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II review: Print speeds

The Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II’s print speeds are extremely impressive. If it’s rapid printing you’re after, this is the printer for you. I put it through its paces by printing a variety of documents. It took the MF753Cdw II 11.31 seconds to print a five-page text document — or 26.5 pages per minute (ppm). That’s really quick, and the MF753Cdw II bests the likes of the Brother MFC-L2750DW XL and its 18.5 ppm.

I then printed a two-side text document, which took 9.55 seconds, and the MF753Cdw II managed to print a 10-page text document onto five double-sided sheets in 30.13 seconds. These are the fastest printing times of our most recently reviewed laser printers.

The MF753Cdw II is capable of printing mixed documents rapidly too. I put this to the test by printing a six-page mixed PDF consisting of text and color graphics, such as charts and graphs. It took the printer 18.74 seconds to do so, or 19.21 ppm. The Brother MFC-L2750DW XL, on the other hand, can do only 11 ppm, making the MF753Cdw II the better choice.

Laser printers are better suited to printing documents and inkjet printers are best for photo printing. Even so, the MF753Cdw II is capable of printing decent color prints. I printed an 8 x 10 hi-res image, taken on a Leica SL3-S, on Canon Photo Paper Glossy II. In 7.06 seconds, the print was ready. I’ll get into print quality shortly to discuss what the print looked like — but as speediness goes, the MF753Cdw II doesn’t give you much to complain about.

Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II review: Copy & scan speeds

The Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II boasts best-in-class copy and scan speeds. In my testing, it took 6.86 seconds for a black-and-white copy and 8.6 seconds for a color copy. It’s faster than the Brother MFC-L2750DW XL which takes 8.4 seconds to make a copy.

Scanning is just as quick. I inserted a USB-A stick into the front port and chose that as the save destination. A color scan took 6.22 seconds while a black-and-white scan took exactly six seconds. Again, it’s faster than the Brother MFC-L2750DW XL which takes 8.4 seconds to scan a monochrome document, and a snail’s pace 38.4 seconds for color scanning in JPEG format.

Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II review: Print & copy quality

The Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II makes attractive prints and copies, both color and black and white. The text-only documents I printed came out with sufficient contrast, and looked just as they did on my screen. I found the text easy to read, and none of it was misaligned on any of the prints.

Graphic prints were fairly attractive too, as the colors appeared natural and the different hues and tones appeared well-balanced. The colors didn’t appear oversaturated or heavily edited. I didn’t notice any bleeding either.

I was very surprised by the quality of the glossy photo print. As I mentioned earlier, inkjet printers are better suited to photo printing. Still, the MF753Cdw II’s photo quality is respectable. The print packed plenty of detail, such as the flowers’ stigma and the patterns in the petals. Greens appeared vivid while pinks appeared bright — albeit slightly more saturated than I’d have preferred. But again, this isn’t a photo-first printer. You may want to consider the Canon PIXMA TR8620 ($199) or the Canon PIXMA Pro-200S ($647) if you want a photo printer.

Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II review: Ink cost & yield

The Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II’s box comes bundled with four starter toner cartridges, and Canon claims that these can last you 1,100 color pages or 2,100 monochrome prints. This should be enough to get you started.

It’s important to note that it isn’t cheap to run the MF753Cdw II. The printer’s 069 cartridges cost $142 each, which is quite a bit. For four cartridges, you’re looking at an expenditure of $568 — or 51 cents per color page and 27 cents per mono print. The Brother MFC-L2750DW XL offers lower printing costs, approximately 3.75 cents per page.

If you don’t want to buy the cartridges manually every time you’re about to run out, Canon offers an Auto Replenishment Service which you can sign up for at checkout. An order is automatically placed with Canon when your printer is running low on toner. You can do so after you’ve bought the printer, too.

Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II review: Verdict

The Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw II is an exceptional all-in-one laser printer designed for small offices. You can print, copy, scan and fax — and speedily too. The MF753Cdw II delivers blazing-fast output speeds across the board, and the resulting text prints are sharp while color graphics are bright and detailed.

Beyond raw performance, the MF753Cdw II provides a seamless user experience. Setup is ridiculously easy, and the 5-inch customizable touchscreen makes navigation a breeze. The all-white design, though unremarkable, fits right into any workspace — but its 48.5lbs footprint means you’ll need to find a fixed spot for it.

While some people may find the high cost of replacement cartridges a tough pill to swallow, I don’t think that should put you off from getting the MF753Cdw II. If it’s a robust, reliable workhouse you’re after, few laser printers are better than the MF753Cdw II.

Canon has expanded its V-series lineup of video-first cameras with the new EOS R6 V, while the Sony A7R VI succeeds the four-years-old A7R V. Sony's offering sounds like the ultimate hybrid that builds on its predecessor's success, while Canon's latest camera looks like it could be the best mirrorless camera for video.

Needless to say, I'm excited and thrilled. As someone who reviews cameras for a living and loves photographing her surroundings, I'm intrigued by both cameras. But is there one I'm excited about more than the other? Well, that's what we're here to find out.

A quick rundown of specs

Who are the Canon EOS R6 V and Sony A7R VI for?

Both the Canon EOS R6 V and the Sony A7R VI have different target audiences — but with some overlap. The A7R VI sets a new gold standard for high-resolution full frame cameras with its 66.8MP sensor and 30fps RAW burst capabilities, which make it great for all genres of photography, including wildlife, sports, and portrait. It also features 8K/30fps video so it sounds like a fantastic all-rounder.

Bolstering the A7R VI's position as a powerful hybrid camera is its OLED viewfinder with a 120fps refresh rate and 9.44M-dot resolution. You also get a 3.2-inch 4-axis LCD monitor with a 2.1M-dot resolution. Oh, and 8.5-stops of in-body image stabilization (IBIS) which means you can shoot at very slow shutter speeds and still walk away with a usable photo.

And what about the EOS R6 V? It's the second R-V body Canon has introduced, and it joins the excellent Canon EOS R50 V. The 'V' version of the EOS R6 is also the fourth EOS R6 body in existence — and as the 'V' suggests, it's a video-first take on Canon's hybrid camera. There's no viewfinder so you must rely on the camera's 3-inch vari-angle screen and its 1.62M-dot resolution. The EOS R6 V offers 7K/60fps RAW and 7K/30fps Open Gate video capabilities, both of which make it ideal for content creation.

In addition to that, you get 40fps continuous shooting which is... surprising, and something I wasn't really expecting in a video-first camera. While this camera sounds like it would be peerless for video, I'm sure it will be ideal for capturing photos of birds in flight too with its 32.5MP CMOS sensor and best-in-class Dual Pixel CMOS II autofocus system. And did I mention it packs up to 8.5-stops of IBIS, just like the A7R VI? Yep, it's almost got it all.

The one I'm most excited for (and why)

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued by the Canon EOS R6 V. It features the same 32.5MP sensor as the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. As a video-first iteration of the series, it packs an active cooling fan — which you'll most certainly need if you're shooting 7K/30fps Open Gate... or even 4K/60fps, really, especially outdoors.

With the EOS R6 Mark III and its predecessors, battery life while recording video was always a sticking point, but this time around, Canon's going for the "best battery life" crown. The company claims the EOS R6 V can record for two hours or more as long as the built-in fan is toggled on, the overheat limit is set to high, and the camera's on a tripod.

While all of this sounds great (and I'm looking forward to test the camera for my full review), the EOS R6 V isn't the one I'm most excited about — it's the Sony A7R VI. The A7R VI packs a newly developed 66.8MP sensor and enables you to shoot RAW photos at 30fps. This will certainly be a boon for wildlife photographers such as myself.

I loved the Sony A1 II when I tested it and it's the one camera I've thought about buying myself time and again. I captured some of my best photos on it, and being able to make extreme crops was a walk in the park thanks to the 50MP resolution. But 66.8MP sounds even better, and the sensor's stacked nature delivers faster readout speeds and minimizes rolling shutter distortion. Then you've got the new BIONZ XR2 processor for 30fps blackout-free bursts, so you don't lose track of your subject because of, well, black screens between shots.

The A7R VI also borrows Auto subject detection mode from the A1 II, so you don't need to manually change the subject you're photographing — handy for anyone who captures a variety of subject. I loved this on the A1 II as I photograph birds, animals and (occasionally) humans and I can't wait to see how it holds up on the A7R VI.

A new trick up its sleeve

In addition to all the goodies the Sony A7R VI offers, it also features a new battery pack: the 2,670mAh NP-SA100. Sony says that with this battery pack, the A7R VI is CIPA-rated for 600 shots with the viewfinder or 710 shots with the monitor. Its predecessor, the A7R V, is CIPA-rated for 440 shots, so Sony's made some strides.

CIPA testing is done under strict conditions and the number is often conservative, so it'll be interesting to see how the battery holds up in real-world use.

I think it's going to be interesting to see how both the A7R VI and the Canon EOS R6 V perform in practice as, in theory, they both sound great in their own right. I'm obviously not pitting both cameras against one another. That would be unfair as they have different target audiences (and there's quite a bit of a price difference). Needless to say, though, it's an exciting time for photographers and camera enthusiasts. I can't wait to get my hands on both cameras and put them through their paces!

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the Sony A1 II for 2 weeks — and its autofocus results blew my mind
• I just tested the Canon EOS R5 Mark II to photograph wildlife — and this one feature has changed how I take photos forever
• ‘Few wildlife cameras come close to this’: why the OM System OM-1 Mark II is perfect for photographing birds in flight and other animals

The hype around them is just too much for manufacturers and retailers, making it impossible for the average person to buy one at retail value. But, they're not the only game in town. Older cameras like the Panasonic GX1 and GX85 are well-known, reasonably priced cameras that produce great images. And they're easy enough to find, so I got one of each… for less than half the cost of a Fujifilm X100VI.

Though Lumix shooters are well aware of these two pocket rockets, Gen Z photographers aren't clamoring for them like they are the Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A. I believe they should.

Smaller sensors need love too

The bigger the sensor, the better the image quality. You get better low-light performance and less noise thanks to larger and more sensitive photosites (the analog light sensors that become digital pixels). You get a shallower depth of field, and there's less crop as the sensor size goes up — 35mm full-frame sensors don't have any crop because thanks to the legacy of 35mm film, it sets the standard. But, despite what YouTubers say, bigger isn't always better.

The advantage of a smaller sensor is a smaller camera body. That's why the three aforementioned Fuji, Canon and Ricoh point-and-shoot compacts all feature APS-C sensors instead of full-frame sensors. At roughly 2/3 the size of a full-frame sensor, APS-C sensors are small, but they're not the smallest.

The Micro Four Thirds format is twice as small as full-frame, with a 4:3 aspect ratio, hence the name. This system used by Olympus and Panasonic has produced some of the smallest digital cameras to date, like the legendary Panasonic Lumix GM1 (an absolute powerhouse of a compact camera). While the size and sensor help it stand out, it's the choice of lenses on such a small body that makes it so sought-after.

M43 compacts give you options

The point-and-shoot experience is simultaneously freeing and limiting. The fixed lenses on these cameras are great and allow you to keep your kit small when going on a shoot. The Fujifilm X100VI has a 23mm lens, which gives a field of view equivalent to a 35mm lens on a full frame camera — a classic all-purpose field of view. You can't go wrong with it. After a while, though, the convenience becomes a setback. If you want to shoot landscape, portraits, or sports photography, you're out of luck. That's not an issue with an interchangeable lens compact camera like the GX85 and GX1.

On a trip home to South Texas a few years back, I brought my recently purchased Lumix GX85 and the kit lens it came with. This cheap, plastic 12-32mm, f/3.5-5.6 lens turned out to be all I needed. I snapped a ton of great images of my family, and I got to see the city I once lived in and knew so well in a whole new light with this dinky little lens. And due to the collapsible design of the lens, the entire kit was still small enough to fit in my Wandrd D1 crossbody sling. When I want to travel light but am unsure of what I'll be shooting, this lens is a no brainer.

Another lens I've grown to love is the Lumix 14mm f/2.5 pancake lens that came bundled with my used Lumix GX1. This stubby lens is a community favorite because of its small size and unique 28mm equivalent shooting experience that’s great for street photography. The wider aperture, while not incredible for low-light shooting, is fine for most dusk and indoor shots — the built-in flash on the camera is a lifesaver here.

But if you want options and you're on a budget, spare a thought to the Lumix 14-140mm f/4-5.8 lens. Since this ends up being a 28-280mm equivalent lens, it's great for sports photography, street, landscapes, and portraits all at once. It's the biggest lens I own, and it's even bigger when I max out the focal length. Though it looks ridiculous on a smaller body like the GX1, it's worth the additional size and weight. I've taken it to several MLS matches, where I've captured my Rapids up-close as if I was standing on the sidelines. Most sports venues won't let you bring a telephoto lens inside, but if you can, this is the one.

You don’t get that versatility with a fixed-lens compact.

Access to Leica glass

Panasonic and Leica have a longstanding partnership that goes back to the early days of digital photography, when the two brands worked on the Lecia Digilux 1. Since then, Leica has been making glass for Panasonic in formats like Four Thirds, Micro Four Thirds, and L-Mount — the latter is a partnership between the two and Sigma to create full-frame L-Mount lenses. That means Micro Four Thirds shooters are spoiled for choice when it comes to quality lenses.

One of those lenses is my all-time favorite, the Leica Summilux 25mm f/1.4 lens. This 50mm equivalent lens is my go-to when shooting at night or indoors. It's a must-have for concert photography, which is where I've taken some personal favorite shots. Despite having to shoot manual because of loud and slow focus, this is also my top choice for shooting video due to the superior image quality. It's basically glued on to my Lumix GH5 these days, which I use any time I'm headed out the door on the weekends.

A lens I got recently and have been using a lot is the Leica 45mm f.2.8. It's a prime macro lens great for shooting detail up-close, though I've mostly used it to scan 35mm film at home. That said, it has a lot of potential as a portrait lens since it offers a field of view equivalent to 90mm on full frame. If you're shooting product photography or videography, this is one lens you need in your kit for close-up shots and b-roll.

Get more value for your money

The Micro Four Thirds system is alive and well — the Lumix GH7 is a heck of a video camera with the option for Arric LogC3. But the M43 cameras and lenses I've mentioned have been around for a while. You can pick them up for relatively cheap on the used market.

The Lumix GX1 goes for about $200, while the Lumix GX85 tends to fetch a higher price of roughly $400-500. I got lucky when I purchased mine, finding it a local used camera shop for $350. It came bundled with the kit lens, charger, three batteries, and a half-cage. All in, that’s $700 max for my two cameras — less than half the asking price of a new (if you can find one) Fujifilm X100VI ($1,799).

Lenses aren't expensive, either. The trusty Lumix G 14mm pancake lens goes for about $120-$200, and the 12-32mm kit lens sells for $125-$175. The Leica lenses are a bit pricier used, but it's nothing outrageous. My favorite Leica Summilux 25mm is in the neighborhood of $300-$400. Seeing as how this lens has made me many times what it costs through client work, I don't regret purchasing it.

Leave the hype to the influencers

The compact point-and-shoots that everyone is hyped about are great cameras. They're not so good that they're worth paying way above retail value or waiting years until they become available. Let the influencers do that. If you care more about creating images than the status of owning one of these cameras, then there are other options out there.

Micro Four Thirds are near and dear to my heart because they offer a ton of value for not a lot of money. Their compact size, modern features, and lens selection make them more viable for just about any type of shooting you're planning to do. And you don't have to wait years to get one.

More from Tom's Guide

• Seven years later, the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is still TikTok’s favorite compact camera — here’s how it holds up in 2026
• I swapped out my modern mirrorless for this 20-year-old DSLR and I've never felt more creative
• I bought this 5-year-old Fujifilm and it proves newer isn't always better

Recently, we've seen this with the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III which first came out in 2019 but has since exploded on TikTok and received cult-like status. The demand for decade-old cameras that are near-impossible to buy new has skyrocketed since, and it has claimed another victim: the Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HS A. In fact, this camera originally came out in 2016 but ever since Kendall Jenner was spotted using it, it became so popular that Canon decided to re-release it in 2025 with an "A" at the end of its name.

Well, I'm here to "de-influence" you, which is another TikTok trend where people talk you out of buying either overpriced or overhyped products. Look, the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HS A is a good camera — I've even taken some of my best pics on a compact on it so far — but is it worth nearly $400 when there are so many other value-for-money options available? Let's find out.

What's good about it?

The Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A (as it's known in the U.S.) or the IXUS 285 HS A (as it's known in other parts of the world) features a 20.2MP 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor and it can record FHD/30fps video. It's extremely easy to use thanks to its well-placed buttons and straightforward menu system, and it packs a few creative modes which make it a versatile snapper. One of its biggest selling points is its 12x optical zoom which lets you zoom in to subjects without losing much image quality and sharpness to digital processing.

I've tested many compact cameras and not all of them boast sharp image quality — but the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A does. You can see a few sample photos in the gallery above, and these are some of the best photos I've taken on a compact camera yet. Canon's color science has always been excellent and it has rarely given me much to complain about. As you can see in the gallery, the reds are popping while the greens are vivid. There's a good amount of contrast in the images too and the images look neither too dark nor too bright.

One of my favorite features is the Hybrid Auto mode which records a short video clip when you press the shutter button, so it shows the lead-up to the image. You can see what this looks like in the video above. This is a great feature to have for those who like to share behind-the-scenes footage on their social media accounts, or even those who just like capturing candid moments. It's like a live photo on a smartphone but better.

Okay, sounds great, so what's wrong?

There are... a few things up with the Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A. It isn't the strongest camera when it comes to battery life, as it's CIPA-rated for just 180 shots. This means that if you're taking the camera to a day-long festival, for instance, it won't necessarily last a full day of capturing stills or recording video. In my testing, the camera lasted me just over 190 photos, which isn't great.

That isn't even my biggest issue with the camera, though. The PowerShot Elph 360 HS A is fitted a USB-B port for data transfer, which means it doesn't feature in-camera charging. To charge the camera, you need to remove the battery pack and insert it into the included external charger — which uses a proprietary cable, so it isn't like you can use a USB-C cable to charge it either. My issue with this is that the camera originally came out in 2016, and for that time period, the USB-B port was fine, but for 2026? It's a no-go.

Then you've got the lackluster build quality. It feels plasticky and fragile, especially the sliding cover that protects the battery pack and the microSD card. It honestly feels like it could snap into two if you used just a bit of excessive force. Oh, and speaking of, Canon has replaced the SD card on the 2016 version with a microSD card. It isn't a massive drawback, but SD cards are simply faster and are better for heat dissipation.

What are my options?

All of this for a camera that costs $379 / £379 is simply not good enough, in my opinion. But there are other options out there, and you've come to the right place if you want a compact camera that's powerful and doesn't break the bank.

More from Tom's Guide

• Kendall Jenner and Dua Lipa made this 10-year-old Canon compact go viral so I tested it to find out if it’s worth the hype — here’s how it went
• Seven years later, the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is still TikTok’s favorite compact camera — here’s how it holds up in 2026
• I took 200 photos on the Leica Leitzphone and the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL to see which is better — and it’s not even close

But is it worth the premium? The PowerShot Elph 360 HS A has some significant drawbacks, such as the lackluster build quality, poor battery life, and an old-fashioned USB-B port which means there’s no in-camera charging.

To find out if this is the best camera for you, read my full Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 A review.

Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HS A review: Specs

Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HS A review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 2025 refresh of a 2016 compact camera with a 20.2MP 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor
• Who is it for? Anyone who wants an easy-to-use portable camera
• How much does it cost? The Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HA S is available for $379 / £369
• What do we like? The image quality, handy 12x optical zoom, ease of use, portability, and built-in flash
• What don’t we like? The lack of in-camera charging, poor build quality and battery life, and the asking price

Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HS A review: Price & availability

First things first, this Canon compact goes by two different names. In the Americas, it is known as the Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A, while in the U.K., Europe and Australia, it’s sold as the Canon IXUS 285 HS A. The “A” in the name doesn’t stand for anything, but it denotes that this camera is a 2025 refresh of the original 2016 model. If that sounds familiar, it’s because the original Elph 360 HS / IXUS 285 HS went viral recently thanks to Kendall Jenner and Dua Lipa, so chances are you’ve seen it on TikTok or in paparazzi photos.

To make this review easier to read, I’ll be referring to this camera as the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A throughout. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about the pricing. The PowerShot Elph 360 HS A is available for $379 at Adorama U.S. / £369 at Amazon U.K. That’s a lot of dough for a compact camera, and it’s one of the most expensive compacts I’ve tested so far.

The PowerShot Elph 360 HS A is priced similarly to the Panasonic Lumix ZS99 ($499), and is more expensive than the likes of the Pentax WG-1000 ($196) and the Kodak PIXPRO WPZ2 ($179). But hey, at least it’s cheaper than the atrociously priced Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III ($879). While the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A is a decent compact camera, is it worth spending that many doubloons on it? Let’s find out.

Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HS A review: Design & build quality

Compact cameras, as their name implies, are compact and portable, and the Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A is no different. It’s smaller than your average smartphone — certainly smaller than my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL — and can easily slide into even your jeans’ front pocket. The PowerShot Elph 360 HS A measures 3.92 x 2.28 x 0.89 inches and weighs 5.15oz, so you barely notice it in your pocket or handbag.

Even though the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A is small, I didn’t have any problems using it with one or both hands. The light weight also means that my hand didn’t hurt after long periods of holding up the camera — when shooting video, for example.

The PowerShot Elph 360 HS A comes in either black or silver, and I tested the black model which looks nice and certainly looks like a premium product. The design also brings back a lot of childhood memories for me, as many of the compact cameras my family and I owned looked very similar to the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A.

My only issue with the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A’s otherwise premium design is the lackluster build quality. The camera is made entirely of plastic which feels low quality, and sounds hollow when you tap it. The covering on top, which protects the USB-B and micro HDMI ports, feels very plasticky and I wish Canon had used a rubber flap instead. It’s also frustrating to open as you have to use a fair bit of force.

In a similar vein, the plastic sliding cover protecting the battery pack feels just as plasticky, if not more. It feels fragile too, like it could snap easily without too much force. If you want a camera that feels more well-built, I’d recommend either the Panasonic Lumix ZS99 or even the cheaper Pentax WG-1000. The WG-1000 is even shockproof and can withstand falls up to 6.5 feet.

Ports

You’ll find just two ports on the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A, and both are located on the top plate (when the camera is sitting upright). There’s a micro HDMI output and a USB type-B port for data transfer. This feels obsolete, as most cameras now feature a USB-C port, which is more up-to-date and offers much higher data transfer speeds.

Monitor

The PowerShot Elph 360 HS A is fitted with a 3-inch fixed TFT LCD monitor with a resolution of approximately 416,000 dots. It’s nearly double that of the Pentax WG-1000 (230K dots) but is much lower-res than the Panasonic Lumix ZS99’s (1.84M dots). The PowerShot Elph 360 HS A’s monitor is bright enough to see in most lighting conditions, even in bright sunlight. It can help you frame your shots better and change settings accurately.

Unlike the Lumix ZS99, the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A’s monitor is fixed which means it can’t be flipped or tilted, limiting shooting capabilities from awkward angles. For instance, the Lumix ZS99’s monitor can be flipped up 180º to become a selfie screen. But it isn’t uncommon for compact cameras to have immovable screens, as this is something I’ve seen on other compacts I’ve tested, like the Kodak PIXPRO WPZ2 and the Kodak PIXPRO FZ45 ($99).

Weather-sealing

The PowerShot Elph 360 HS A is not weather-sealed. It isn’t protected against water, dust or falls. I’d be careful using the camera in the rain as there are no protective coverings over the ports. It’s worth getting the Pentax WG-1000 if weather-sealing is important to you, as that camera is fully weatherproof.

Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HS A review: Controls

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use compact camera, the Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A is perfect for you. Its straightforward control scheme, well-laid out buttons and easy-to-read menu system makes it a compact camera fit for everyone, regardless of your photography expertise level.

Most of the buttons are exactly like the ones you’ll find on the majority of compact cameras, but alongside being able to swap between stills and video, Canon has added a Creative Shot mode. Pressing the shutter button with this mode enabled captures six photos and a few different filters and effects are applied to your images.

For instance, in the series of images in the gallery above, the camera has applied different color profiles to each shot, and has created crops in different aspect ratios as well. While I believe that this can give you some creative freedom, I can’t see myself using it much if I owned the camera. I suppose these photos would be good for social media, but having spoken to a few of my friends about this feature, none of them seemed too convinced, and they felt it was a gimmick.

You’ve also got a Hybrid Auto shooting mode which records a short video clip before the shutter button is pressed to capture a still, creating a behind-the-scenes video akin to B-roll, ideal for your Instagram feed or TikTok. This feature alone has me convinced that the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A was designed for TikTokers and social media users. It’s really nice seeing the lead-up to the image. The photo above is the result…

…and above is the video leading to the image. I had fun using this feature, and I’m sure social media users who like sharing behind-the-scenes footage with their followers or friends.

Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HS A review: Lens

The Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A is fitted with a 20.2MP 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor with a focal length of 4.5-54mm (25-300 mm full frame equivalent). This focal range is great for group photos, landscapes, portraits, street and travel photography. The f/3.6-f/7 aperture is adjusted automatically by the camera, and so is the shutter speed (15s to 1/2000s). ISO range is limited to 80-3200, which is what I expected from a sensor this size.

You get a 12x optical zoom, a 24x ZoomPlus, a 4x digital zoom, and a 48x combined zoom. The 12x optical zoom is handy as it enables you to magnify subjects and capture high-res images. This is better than a digital zoom which enlarges a portion of an image using software, which results in some pixelation and lower-res images.

Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HS A review: Image quality

The Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A captures 20.2MP images that are ideal for sharing on social media and making small prints for your physical photo album or scrapbook. The resulting images have a vintage, retro aesthetic and charm to them which reminds me of the photo albums my family compiled when I was growing up. So while image quality isn’t the best and the most highly detailed, it would be unfair to mark a compact camera down for not being able to go toe-to-toe with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.

Image quality, by compact camera standards, is great, and you can see samples in the gallery above. These images were taken on sunny and overcast days, and even those taken in cloudy conditions have turned out well, with colors that capture the moodiness of the scenes. Colors appear true-to-life, and I especially love the photos of the flowers and holly. The reds pop very well against the vivid greens, and the yellows appear beautiful too.

Most of the images are sharp as well, especially the one of the holly and the reflection of the building in a puddle, as the edges of the subjects are well-defined and distinguishable. These might actually be the best photos I’ve taken on a compact camera so far!

As I mentioned earlier, the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A’s 12x optical zoom is extremely handy, and is one of the most compelling reasons to buy this camera. Take a look at the two images in the gallery above. The first was shot with the camera fully zoomed out, and the second was taken with the 12x optical zoom. As you can see in the second photo, plenty of detail has been captured and the image has turned out great. There isn’t much loss in sharpness either, as the patterns in the bricks and the details in the window pane have been retained.

You will, however, notice that there’s some chromatic aberration in the second photo, with purple color fringing along the right-hand edge of the building. This is due to the camera’s optics not dispersing light properly so different wavelengths of the same light hit the sensor in different places — it’s an undesirable characteristic often reflective of cheaper optics. It doesn’t ruin the image, but it’s important to note that it is prevalent.

Alongside a handy 12x zoom, you also get a macro mode which reduces the minimum focusing distance to just 1cm. In theory, this can help you get detailed shots of the finer details, such as the patterns on flower petals. In my testing, though, I found the macro mode to be hit-or-miss. The first two images in the gallery above are sharp and in-focus, and you can make out plenty of detail in the white flowers.

The third image, on the other hand, is all over the place. I couldn’t get the camera to focus on the dark berries no matter how hard I tried, and regardless of how far I placed the lens from the fruits. Instead, the camera ended up focusing on the bunch of berries in the top-right corner. At first I put it down to the wind blowing and displacing the berries, but even after I held the berries’ branch with my hand, I still couldn’t get the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A to focus on them, which is quite disappointing.

On the plus side, the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A packs good autofocus for human beings, and it utilizes Canon’s TTL AiAF system with Single, Continuous, Servo AF/AE and Tracking AF modes. The camera also features human and animal subject detection, and in my testing, I found human face detection to be very reliable.

In the gallery above, the camera was quick to lock on to mine and my partner’s face in the first shot, and her face in the second shot. Even though these images were taken at different times of the day with different lighting — one after dark and one in the daytime — the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A’s autofocus never felt sluggish.

Animal detection works well too, as the camera was quick to lock on to the common wood pigeon and European robin in the gallery above. Even when the birds were obscured by the branches, the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A did not struggle to focus on the subjects.

Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HS A review: Video

Alongside shooting stills, the Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A can shoot FHD video at 30fps too, making it a versatile hybrid compact camera. It’s the same resolution and frame rate you’ll find on the Pentax WG-1000, but the Panasonic Lumix TZ99 should be your port of call if you want a 4K shooter.

You can see a compilation of clips shot in FHD/30fps above. While you don’t have a lot of room for cropping and the video isn’t as high-res as 4K, it’s still good and doesn’t look too choppy, at 30fps. You also get 4-axis Intelligent IS, which is digital image stabilization, which helps negate some choppiness from camera shake.

The PowerShot Elph 360 HS A features a built-in mic too which is good enough for recording ambient sounds. I love how clear the European robin’s song sounds in the video above. Although, it’s worth noting that the camera also records the sound of it zooming in and out so I’d avoid doing so when you’re recording video as it can be unpleasant and jarring.

Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HS A review: Battery life

The Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A utilizes a removable and rechargeable Lithium-ion NB-11LH battery pack. One of my biggest gripes with the camera is that you can’t charge the camera directly. It’s because the camera still features a mini USB-B port which, in my opinion, feels a bit old-fashioned. This means that you need to remove the battery pack, slide it into the included external charger, and plug it into a power port.

I’m really surprised that Canon has decided to retain the USB-B port and not replace it with a USB-C port. Why refresh a 2016 model and not fit it with up-to-date technology, given that even keychain cameras like the Kodak Charmera ($29) now feature in-camera charging? I can understand Canon wanting to make the camera readily available since the 2016 model went viral, but why not update it with useful features?

My rant aside, the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A is CIPA-rated for 180 shots or 265 shots when using the camera in Eco mode. This is shorter than the Panasonic Lumix ZS99’s 380-shot and the Pentax WG-1000’s 380-shot CIPA ratings. But of course, CIPA tests are conducted under very strict conditions, and the rating is usually conservative, especially compared to real-world usage.

In my testing, I was able to take just over 190 photos between charges, while using the camera’s monitor to view my images every now and then. This isn’t great, and it means that you might run out of charge before the end of, say, your day-long music festival.

Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HS A review: Verdict

As compact cameras go, the Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / IXUS 285 HS A is a decent choice. The images it captures have a retro aesthetic to them which is fit for today’s social media age, and the colors are bright and vivid. The autofocus works well, and the handy 12x optical zoom lets you zoom in without losing too much sharpness. You can also record FHD/30fps video, and I particularly like the Hybrid Auto mode which captures a short clip of the lead-up to the still you’re capturing.

But with underwhelming battery life and plasticky build quality that feels subpar, and the lack of in-camera charging, the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A falls just behind other compact camera offerings from the likes of Pentax and Panasonic. Given that the camera costs nearly $400, I feel like your money would be spent better elsewhere.

If money isn’t an object and you want a compact camera that’s extremely easy to use, then the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A could be perfect for you. After all, if Kendall Jenner (who isn’t a professional photographer, as far as I know) can use the camera, I suppose anyone can.

Aside from humorous and inspirational content, TikTok is also responsible for popularizing products we thought would fade into oblivion as the years went by. Retro cameras are very popular on TikTok, with Gen Z going gaga over the likes of the Kodak Charmera and the Camp Snap CS-8. And you'll never guess what TikTokers' favorite compact camera is — it's the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III. Yes, the one that came out all the way back in 2019.

But why is the PowerShot G7 X Mark III still so popular, seven years after its launch? That's the question on everyone's mind — well, on mine, at least. Looks like I might finally have the answer to that, now that I've spent a week testing this camera. If you're wondering whether it's worth the hype in 2026, here's what I've learnt, and here's everything you need to know.

A quick rundown

• What is it? The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is the third iteration of Canon's popular compact camera, and it packs a 20.1MP CMOS sensor, and is capable of recording 4K/30p video. You get a 4.2x optical zoom to get stuck into the detail, and the camera is easily portable, thanks to its small size, making it great for travel snaps.
• Who is it for? TikTokers, apparently. I jest! The PowerShot G7 X Mark III is for anyone who wants a compact camera, really, and doesn't want to spend more money on a mirrorless camera or DSLR.
• How much does it cost? It's on the pricey side of things. The PowerShot G7 X Mark III retails for $879 / £1,035, or you can buy the 30th Anniversary Graphite Edition for $1,299 / £859.
• Is it available to buy? Well, it depends. In many places, such as the U.S., the PowerShot G7 X Mark III is either on backorder or out of stock, and you can blame the camera's TikTok popularity for that. The 30th Anniversary Edition is available but limited, so I'd recommend grabbing it ASAP.

What are the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III's specs like?

Explaining the TikTok phenomenon

When I picked up the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III for the first time, I wondered, "Why does TikTok love this camera, specifically?" After all, there are many other competent compact cameras out there. You've got the Pentax WG-1000 and the Kodak PIXPRO C1 — both great, both much cheaper than the PowerShot G7 X Mark III. But then I realized, there's no point in trying to find much logic here as with most trends on TikTok, that's all they are: trends. This video alone has nearly 400,000 likes!

But the PowerShot G7 X Mark III has reached legendary status, given how popular it is seven years since it was first introduced. It's like a cult classic movie nowadays. If there's one thing Gen Z and Gen Alpha love, it's the sweet spot that lies somewhere between professional quality and nostalgic, lo-fi aesthetics. And that's really what the PowerShot G7 X Mark III is catering to: its 20.1MP sensor is enough to capture good images while teetering on the image quality being just lo-fi enough.

Professional, high-end bodies can often reveal too much detail, such as the many pores in your face, and make everything look like a production. The PowerShot G7 X Mark III, then, strikes a balance between good-quality images and video and the candid vibe, and instead feels like a cool, chill, low-key camera. As a millennial who is mostly confounded by Gen Z-isms, that's what I'm guessing they want (but feel free to disagree with me in the comments).

A joy to handle

As is the nature of compact cameras, the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III feels wonderful to handle. Its buttons and dials are thoughtfully laid out, and everything is signposted clearly, so even if you aren't familiar with cameras, you should have no trouble getting to grips with it. I'm guessing the ease of use is one of the reasons why this camera is loved by TikTokers. I've always liked Canon's menu system as well, as it's detailed but easy to understand, with most settings being fairly self-explanatory.

The PowerShot G7 X Mark III is an excellent choice for those who want to photograph their travels, as it measures 4.13 x 2.4 x 1.63 inches and weighs 10.7oz, so it doesn't take up much space in your pocket or handbag, and it doesn't weigh you down either.

Another advantage of owning the PowerShot G7 X Mark III (or any compact camera) is that you can take it with you to music festivals and concerts. In the U.K., where I'm based, concert-goers aren't allowed to bring cameras with interchangeable lenses into venues, but that rule doesn't apply to the PowerShot G7 X Mark III as it features a fixed lens. I've personally seen many people with this camera (or similar) at gigs I've been to, so it's a safe choice for live music lovers.

One button to rule them all

Somewhere along the line during my testing period, I think I cracked the code re: why the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is so popular amongst "influencers" and TikTokers. The answer lies in its Q/Set button, located next to the monitor. This button gives you access to Color Profiles, Background Blur Degree, Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, and color tones, all of which pop up on the screen, and the changes are displayed in real-time.

I think this is a fantastic addition to the camera, and will surely appeal to many users. Since you can adjust the brightness and contrast, and apply filters while shooting, you can tailor the shot to look exactly the way you want it to. After that, it's a simple matter of using the camera's built-in WiFi and Bluetooth to transfer the images to your phone, and share them straight to social media — no need for post-production or hours spent color grading (unless you aren't bound by time, of course).

One-touch real-time editing is a boon for social media, where it's a race to see who breaks the news first, or who reveals a new product first. I myself had a lot of fun playing around with it during testing. I do wish, though, that you could save your own custom color profiles to the camera, akin to saving custom film recipes on my Fujifilm X-T50.

The image quality surprised me

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III packs a 1-inch Stacked CMOS sensor, capable of capturing 20.1MP images. That's not a lot of megapixels, so you don't have much room for making extreme crops, but it's enough for sharing your photos on Instagram, Facebook (though I'm not sure how many Gen Zers use it) and TikTok. Alongside this, you get a 4.2x optical zoom (which means you can zoom in without the quality being negatively impacted), and an 8.4x digital zoom.

Optically zooming in is great, but once you push past it and venture into "ZoomPlus" territory, image quality suffers, as the camera begins to digitally crop rather than optically magnifying the scene. But it's still good to have for those who want to get stuck in the detail. In addition to shooting stills, the PowerShot G7X Mark III records 4K/30fps video, which is more than enough resolution for social media sharing.

Having tested many Canon cameras in my time, one thing I've always loved is Canon's color science. Colors are reproduced faithfully and appear true to life — what you see with your eyes is what the camera will replicate (with 99% accuracy, I'd say). This applies to the PowerShot G7 X Mark III as well, and you can see a few sample images in the gallery above.

In the first shot, I love the popping oranges and neon colors, which add life to an otherwise dull scene (it was an overcast day in Bath, U.K., as most days are). In the second photo of the flowers, I upped the saturation in-camera via the Q/Set button, and I adore the vivid greens which add depth and character to the white flowers.

I also have to give credit to the PowerShot G7 X Mark III's contrast-detection autofocus system. I've seen users talking about it being frustrating to use on online forums like Reddit, but I didn't have any issues with it. The camera does a respectable job of tracking and keeping locked onto faces/subjects you've tapped on via the touchscreen.

You can see sample images in the gallery above. I found the camera was fairly quick to lock onto the swans as well as my partner. This autofocus system isn't as advanced as Canon's Dual Pixel CMOS AF/AF II which you find on cameras like the Canon EOS R50 V, but you usually get that in the brand's DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, not compacts.

I won't lie, the PowerShot G7 X Mark III's image quality actually surprised me. The photos I've taken are packed full of detail, especially the ones of the swans. For instance, in the first shot, you can clearly make out the individual feathers and kinks in the swan's coat. Even its webbed feet are highly detailed, and you can see water droplets on them too.

Is it the best option in 2026? Well...

Though the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is a good camera that takes very lovely photos, I don't think it's the best way of spending your hard-earned money — unless you already own it, of course. But buying it secondhand or pre-loved? I'd consider other options. Seven years is a long time, and technology has come a long way since then.

Canon's own PowerShot line has developed a fair bit, with cameras like the Canon PowerShot V1 ($899) boasting amazing autofocus and 4K/60fps recording capabilities. Budget options, like the Canon PowerShot V10 ($429), are fairly competent too. Then you've got competition from other brands like Sony and Fujifilm, with the Sony ZV-1F ($499) and the Fujifilm X-M5 ($799) providing affordable vlogging solutions. Heck, for a price lower than the PowerShot G7 X Mark III, the Fuji X-M5 features interchangeable lenses, making it more versatile.

For serious content creation, all of the aforementioned cameras are arguably better than the PowerShot G7 X Mark III. I'd even add the Canon EOS R50 V ($699) to that list. And yet, the PowerShot G7 X Mark III reigns supreme. In fact, it's so popular that most places have it on backorder. Sound familiar? It's what happened with the Fujifilm X100VI ($1,599) when it exploded on TikTok.

My best guess is that TikTok content creators aren't looking for the most pixels. After all, you don't need 4K/60fps footage as TikTok downsizes it anyway. They probably want a compact camera that requires minimum effort to make something look great, and that's fair enough — that one-touch in-camera editing is a blessing.

As a professional reviews writer and someone whose job it is to scrutinize tech to figure out whether it's worth the money, I struggle to understand why the PowerShot G7 X Mark III is as popular as it is. But as a photographer and consumer, I can kinda see why: it's easy to use, it's very compact, it takes nice photos, and it can record 4K/30p video. It really depends on the lens you view the situation through.

What do you think? Is there any other tech that's popular but you don't understand why and would like me to check out? Let me know in the comments below!

More from Tom's Guide

• Best cameras in 2026
• 'Always be prepared for anything’: here are my 7 expert tips for amazing wildlife photography
• This camera’s ‘killer feature’ finally solved my biggest frustration with film photography — and I'd recommend it over a high-end vintage camera any day

You know what's a great hobby that I, personally, vouch for? Photography. It's a wonderful hobby that involves learning new skills and technical knowledge, as well as going outdoors, spending time in the natural elements. Photography can be very rewarding too — take it from someone who has been doing it since she was a child. Nothing beats the feeling when you grab a shot of, say, a bird, that you've been vying for for a long time.

I love photography as a hobby and it's also part of my job as senior reviews writer here at Tom's Guide, which means I test the best cameras. If you want to take up photography as a hobby in 2026 but don't know which camera to get, I've got you covered.

Budget pick

Currently ranking as our top pick for best budget mirrorless camera, the Canon EOS R100 is a superb all-purpose camera. Whether you want to capture pet portraits, family group photos, or landscapes, this camera can do it all — and without burning a hole in your pocket too. It's the next step up from smartphone photography, thanks to its straightforward control scheme and compact and lightweight design.

Featuring a 24.1MP sensor, the EOS R100 captures lovely-looking stills which are perfect for sharing on social media. What makes this camera ideal for beginners is the 'Display Level' section of the menu which offers a Guided Menu display option, Interactive Mode guide, and a pop-up Feature guide. All of these help you find your way around the camera, and learn how to use different shooting modes. The EOS R100 teaches you photography, basically!

The EOS R100 is an interchangeable lens camera (ILC) which means you can swap its lenses. It's compatible with Canon's RF-S (APS-C) and RF (full frame) lenses, giving you the freedom to experiment with different focal lengths, apertures and more. For a beginner camera, this is a great feature to have, as you can always invest in more advanced lenses down the line.

For those who want to capture videos of their family, friends, pets and travels, the EOS R100 is up to the challenge as it can record 4K/25fps video too. It's the ultimate, beginner-friendly all-purpose camera, which is why I recommend it to every smartphone user looking to build on their photography skills.

Check out more sample images and videos in our Canon EOS R100 review.

Video work

If you want a camera specifically designed for videography, and one that doesn't break the bank, I've got a great recommendation for you: the Fujifilm X-M5. Similar to the Canon EOS R100, you can mount different lenses on to the X-M5, giving you more versatility and freedom. It's an excellent video and/or vlogging camera, thanks to its ability to record 6.2K/30fps footage. This resolution gives you some headroom to crop to 4K while maintaining a high resolution.

The X-M5 records 10-bit video, which means it’s capable of capturing a wide color gamut with a total of 1.07 billion individual hues. Fuji's color science is breathtaking so you know you're getting your money's worth. It's a versatile camera as it can shoot detailed, colorful 26.1MP stills too. Autofocus works well in both video and stills, as the camera is quick to lock onto animals and humans.

What makes the X-M5 an absolute steal (in addition to its solid video and photo capabilities) is its compact size, making it a lovely travel companion, and dedicated film simulation dial. Film simulations are, essentially, filters which you can apply to videos and photos, and there are many different ones to choose from. These help you produce usable footage without the need for post-production — something beginners will definitely appreciate.

For videography, the X-M5 boasts good audio performance too, thanks to a wind filter and three internal directional mics. You can choose to record surround sound, front or back priority, or front and back priority. The camera captures environmental, ambient sounds as well as human voices well, negating the need to buy an external mic right off the bat.

Check out more sample images and videos in my Fujifilm X-M5 review.

Vlogging on a budget

The best cameras can help elevate your content creation, and you don't necessarily need to spend thousands on one. If you're planning on picking up a camera specifically for vlogging (perhaps that's your New Year's resolution!), it's worth checking out the Sony ZV-1F, which currently ranks as our best cheap vlogging camera.

Sony's beginner-friendly vlogging camera is extremely compact and portable, and easy to use. Firstly, it takes nice photos with its 20.1MP sensor, and there are a few color profiles/filters for you to play around with. It shoots great 4K/30fps footage and can shoot in S-Log 3 to capture a wider dynamic range for more freedom in post-production.

The ZV-1F's prowess lies in its vlogging-specific features, which make it easy to create content. One of these is Product Showcase, where the ZV-1F automatically focuses on the subject close to the camera and blurs the background. This is a great tool for product reviews, for instance, where you want to put the object of your choice front and centre.

There are many other vlogging features to be enjoyed, such as the built-in three-capsule mic with a windscreen for clear audio, Background Defocus for quick transitions, and more. If there's one camera you need to kick off your vlogging career, it's none other than the ZV-1F.

Check out more sample images and videos in my Sony ZV-1F review.

Wildlife

My favorite non-human subjects to photograph are birds and animals. I love wildlife photography, so I'm always on the lookout for a camera that will help me achieve lovely shots. Thing is, proper wildlife cameras can be really expensive for many reasons, such as high-speed burst shooting, rapid autofocus, etc. Telephoto lenses designed to capture close-up shots of animals can easily cost you over ten grand.

But wildlife photography doesn't need to be an expensive hobby, and for that reason, I recommend the Nikon Coolpix P1100, a bridge camera featuring a 125x zoom with an effective optical focal range of 24-3000mm (and 6000mm with 4x digital zoom). Though its body is bulky (similar to DSLRs) and the ISO tops out at 6400 which means low-light performance isn't the best, this is still a fantastic camera to get for bird watching... and moon photography too!

The Coolpix P1100's biggest selling point is its long-reaching zoom, which helps you get up close and personal with animals without actually disturbing their peace. The modest 16MP sensor captures plenty of detail with great color reproduction. There's a dedicated Bird Watching mode which toggles the continuous 7fps drive, so you can keep the shutter button pressed and the camera will capture seven frames. This is handy for capturing birds (or animals) in motion/action.

The Coolpix P1100 handles well too, thanks to the chunky, ergonomic grip, as well as the well-placed controls. Speaking of, the Coolpix P1100 is very straightforward to control, so if you're a beginner, you should have no problem getting to grips with the camera's buttons and dials. If you don't want to spend thousands and thousands on a mirrorless camera and telephoto lens for wildlife photography, the Coolpix P1100 is the one to get.

Check out more sample images and videos in my Nikon Coolpix P1100 review.

Aerial

Photography doesn't need to be restricted to just staying on the ground, of course. If you're interested in aerial photography, it's worth investing in one of the best drones — and many doesn't cost thousands. For beginner pilots, the DJI Neo 2 is the ideal choice. The Neo 2 is extremely easy to fly, either via a smartphone, controller or even hands-free via the buttons on its body and Gesture Control.

It's packed with powerful imaging tech too. For stills, you get a 12MP sensor which captures detailed shots, especially in bright conditions, and for video, you get smooth, stable 4K/60fps footage. But what makes the Neo 2 a downright incredible mini drone is its omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, which means it can either brake in front of or bypass obstacles — an invaluable safety feature for all pilots.

The Neo 2 is a wonderful selfie drone too. It features an array of QuickShot Intelligent Flight modes, where the drone takes photos or videos before returning to its takeoff position. These include Follow, Circle, Rocket, SelfieShot, and more, and they're great for hands-free shooting either solo or with other people.

If you want a drone that's easy to fly, is fit for beginners, allows you to capture stunning aerial footage via manual control, and one that's built extremely well, the Neo 2 should be your port of call. It'll help you take your first steps into the vast world of drone videography and may even convince you to spend more on an advanced quadcopter in the future!

Check out more sample images and videos in my DJI Neo 2 review.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best cameras in 2025
• This $1,100 camera beats out $10,000 super telephoto lenses for wildlife photography, and I've taken some of my best photos yet
• I ditched my Google Pixel 7 Pro for the new Fujifilm X-M5 — here's why I won't be going back

2024 was a great year for photography gear, but it can be argued that 2025 has been even better, something I didn't think was possible. Major releases from Sony, Canon, Fujifilm, Leica and so on, have proven that gear continues to evolve, making photography more accessible and better than it ever has been.

Do you know how many cameras I've tested this year? Just under 30. Because I test so many cameras, it's all-too-easy for me to forget the stunning photos I've taken as part of the process. I've become a better photographer this year, so as I did last year, I've rounded up the best photos I've taken. Welcome to my Photography Wrapped 2025.

Every camera I've tested this year

• Sony A1 II : $6,998 / £5,900 @ Amazon
• Sony ZV-1F : $599 / £499 @ Amazon
• Sony A7 V : $2,898 @ Adorama / £2,799 @ Clifton Cameras
• Canon EOS R5 Mark II : $4,399 / £3,321 @ Amazon
• Canon PowerShot V1 : $1,029 / £959 @ Amazon
• Canon EOS R50 V : $949 / £732 @ Amazon
• Fujifilm GFX100RF : $5,599 @ Adorama / £4,699 @ Clifton Cameras
• Fujifilm X half : $849 / £699 @ Amazon
• Fujifilm X-T30 III : $999 / £829 @ Amazon
• Panasonic Lumix GH7 : $1,999 / £1,599 @ Amazon
• Leica M11-D : $10,055 @ Adorama / £7,899 @ Clifton Cameras
• Leica Q3 43 : $7,380 @ Adorama / £5,890 @ Clifton Cameras
• Leica SL3 : $5,665 @ B&H / £4,489 @ Clifton Cameras
• Nikon Coolpix P1100 : $1,049 / £880 @ Amazon
• Sigma BF : $2,199 @ B&H / £1,969 @ WEX
• Novocolor Swiss+Go 35mm : £39 @ Amazon
• Camp Snap Screen-Free : $69 @ Walmart / £65 @ Oliver Bonas
• Camp Snap CS-8 : $149 / £152 @ Camp Snap
• Pentax 17 : $496 @ Best Buy / £489 @ Clifton Cameras
• Kodak Ektar H35 : $59 / £61 @ Amazon
• Kodak PIXPRO C1 : $119 / £79 @ Amazon
• Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo : $409 @ Best Buy / £319 @ WEX
• Fujifilm Instax mini 41 : $116 @ B&H / £94 @ Amazon
• Fujifilm Instax mini LiPlay+ : $199 @ Walmart / £189 @ Amazon
• Lomography Lomo’Instant Automat : $149 @ Amazon / £100 @ Selfridges
• Lomography Diana Instant Square
• Lomography Lomo'Instant Wide Glass
• Hori Piranha Plant Cam : $39 @ Walmart / £39 @ Amazon

My best shots on digital cameras

I absolutely adore animals and birds, so I love photographing wildlife whenever I can — and this year, there was no better camera to do that with than the Sony A1 II. It didn't take long for the A1 II to become one of my favorite cameras, and that's thanks to its plethora of pro-level specs packed into a body that handles sublimely.

A 50.1MP sensor means you can crop right in, 8.5-stops of IBIS ensure you can shoot at slow shutter speeds, and the high-res 9.4-million-dot viewfinder with a maximum 240fps refresh rate means you never miss the action. Its ridiculously fast autofocus system and 30fps blackout-free burst shooting make it the best mirrorless camera for any high-speed photography.

Speaking of high-speed cameras, I also tested the Canon EOS R5 Mark II this year, and I was amazed at just how easy this pro-shooter was to use straight out of the box. It shares a few characteristics with the aforementioned A1 II: 30fps burst shooting, 8.5-stops of IBIS, intelligent autofocus, and more.

But its stacked 45MP sensor (whose stacked nature enables speedier readouts to minimize rolling shutter distortions) and in-camera 180MP upscaling make it a formidable full frame camera — and the best that came out in 2025. Whether it's sports, wildlife, portrait, studio or landscape photography, the EOS R5 Mark II is up to the challenge.

2025 was also the year I finally got the hype behind Leica cameras, having tested my fair share here at Tom's Guide. The Leica M11-D was one of the most challenging cameras I'd tested, due to its lack of autofocus and rangefinder nature, and I believe it made me a better photographer. Pinpoint precision while focusing enables you to get stuck in the detail, while the 60MP sensor captures images that are bursting with life.

Other Leicas I tested this year were the Leica Q3 43 and the Leica SL3, both formidable mirrorless snappers. The former is all about pin-sharp precision, and the camera utilizes Leica's most advanced autofocus system, as well as a 60.3MP sensor that makes any mundane scene look beautiful. The SL3, on the other hand, is the meeting point of power and luxury, boasting 5-stops of IBIS and 8K/30fps video capabilities too.

But if I could afford it, which Leica would I buy? It has to be the Q3 43 — simply because it's compact and looks sleek! Let me know in the comments at the end about which one you'd buy.

When the year started, I attended the Photography & Video Show in London, U.K., and I had the chance to go hands-on with some fantastic cameras — and the Sigma BF was one of them. I was so excited to get the camera in for review, and it did not disappoint. Carved out of a single aluminum ingot, the BF oozes luxury and minimalism.

But don't write it off as just a statement piece. It captures lovely 24.6MP images and can even record 6K/30P video! The BF is a joy to use, and that's down to its minimalist interface and straightforward controls. It was one of my top 10 cameras of 2025, hands down.

This year wasn't all about mirrorless cameras, of course. I got to try a bridge camera, which bridge the gap between compact cameras and DSLRs, and are primarily designed for astro- and wildlife photography. I am the Nikon Coolpix P1100's target audience, and I thoroughly enjoyed utilizing its dedicated Bird Watching mode to capture swans, pigeons and robins.

Why did I love it so much? Because the camera's 4.3-539mm focal length equated to 24-3000mm on a full frame camera through a whopping 125x optical zoom, which allows you to zoom right in and capture detailed photos of animals without disturbing them. It's wonderful, really.

Although I didn't review it this year, I did buy myself a Fujifilm X-T50, and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. I've always loved the X-T50 and its powerful 40.2MP sensor, beautiful color science, film simulation recipes, and reliable autofocus, all packed into a very compact body.

But I didn't realize just how much I loved it until I took it with me to Iceland. I could wax poetic about the X-T50 all day, but I'll let you scroll through the images and let my photos do the talking for me.

My best shots on film cameras

Although I predominantly shoot on digital/mirrorless cameras, I love a good film camera too, such as the Novocolor Swiss+Go 35mm, and I often test them for work. I tested many this year, and each had something unique to offer. But the one thing that remained consistent throughout was that lovely, retro-style, vintage aesthetic that makes film photos appear timeless.

I also tested half-frame film cameras, such as the Kodak Ektar H35 and the Pentax 17, and I love these nifty devices. They essentially double the shot count by printing two photos on one frame. Film cameras are never about perfect; they're more about living in the moment as you can't see the photos you've taken until you get them developed.

My best shots on instant cameras

In a similar vein to how film cameras are about living in the moment, so are instant cameras. Alongside testing mirrorless and film ones, I test instant ones too. I'm a 90s kid who grew up with photo albums and getting images printed, so I love physical prints — and instant cameras are perfect for that. The photos are rarely perfect, but it's hard to beat the sense of nostalgia they carry.

2025 has been a superb year for my photography and I don't doubt 2026 will be the same — or better, even. I can't wait to get my hands on more mirrorless, instant and film cameras, and capture more photos of birds and portraits of my beautiful partner and family.

And there you have it. Thanks for tuning into my Photography Wrapped. I wish you all restful holidays, and I'll see you next year.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best mirrorless cameras in 2025
• Best cheap cameras in 2025
• I reviewed every drone that came out in 2025: these are the best photos and videos I’ve taken

The Canon MegaTank Pixma G3290 ($249) is an entry-level ink tank printer that offers basic features and very low ink costs. It is outfitted with four ink tanks, comes with four bottles of ink and has a flat-bed scanner for copying and scanning.

The duplexer enables two-sided printing, but otherwise this Canon foregoes additional features such as a second paper tray, a USB thumb drive port or an automatic document feeder.

Yet this printer remains versatile and easy to print from despite its frugal design. You can connect to this MegaTank via the USB port, wireless, and Wi-Fi Direct. Mobile devices can use the Canon Print app to perform print, scanning and copy functions.

In our tests, the MegaTank G3290 turned in consistent speeds and image quality. It's no speed demon, but neither does it have an Achilles' heel. The Pixma G3290 can copy documents up to 8.5 x 11.7 inches, make borderless prints up to letter size, and has a duty cycle of up to 3,000 pages per month.

For delivering that level of reliable workhorse performance with such low ink costs, this Canon is one of the best printers you can buy if you're on a budget. In this Canon MegaTank Pixma G3290 review I'll show you why.

Canon MegaTank Pixma G3290 review: Design

The G3290 has a 2.7-inch LCD touchscreen on its control panel, which can be angled upward roughly 45 degrees. There are physical buttons for home, back, monochrome copy/scan and color copy/scan, as well as a stop button. The LCD offers four scene selections: standard, work, study and lifestyle (pattern papers, e.g.).

The LCD responded well to input in our testing, but menu navigation wasn't always ideal. For example, using the LCD to change paper size required scrolling past many sizes I will never use, and some I don't even know. Locating my preferred print sizes was made less intuitive because they were identified by multiple names, such as KG/4"x6" (10x15). However, after using 4 x 6-inch paper, this paper size setting showed up at the top of the menu list.

The paper tray can hold up to 100 sheets of paper or 20 sheets of photo paper. The paper tray is at the back of the unit; you raise a support and load paper vertically. This adds a few inches in height and depth to the printer. The G3290 measures 16.4 x 14.3 x 7 inches closed up for shipping, and measures 16.4 x 21.9 x 10.6 inches with the output tray and input support extended. This MegaTank model weighs 14.2 pounds.

The black ink tank is to the left of the control panel. The three color ink tanks are to the right. Windows into the ink tanks allow you to see the ink levels.

Canon MegaTank Pixma G3290 review: Print speed

The MegaTank Pixma G3290 was consistent in our speed tests. Neither blisteringly fast nor agonizingly slow, the G3290 tended to perform at roughly average speeds. It printed our five-page text document in 32.8 seconds, or 9.2 pages per minute (ppm). This was faster than the similarly outfitted Epson EcoTank ET-2850, at 8.7 ppm, though slightly slower than the category average of 9.8 ppm for the ink tank models we've tested.

The G3290 printed two-sided text documents quickly at 7.2 ppm, which was the fastest duplexer speed amongst recently tested ink tank models. This was a little faster than the Epson ET-2850, at 6.5 ppm, and significantly faster than the category average duplex speed of 5.5 ppm.

The Canon G3290 printed our six-page PDF of mixed text and color graphics in 2 minutes and 42 seconds, or 2.2 ppm. The Epson ET-2850 was faster, at 2.7 ppm, and ink tank models in general have averaged 3 ppm.

Using its duplexer, the G3290 printed the same color PDF at 1.9 ppm, which is the slowest time for recently tested ink tank printers—but not by much. The Epson ET-2850 made the same two-sided print at 2.4 ppm; the category average is 2.5 ppm.

The G3290 took 4 minutes and 12 seconds to make a high-resolution 8 x 10-inch glossy photo print. This was only 10 seconds slower than the category average. The Epson ET-2850 was significantly slower, taking just over 6 minutes to make the same print.

Canon MegaTank Pixma G3290 review: Copy and scan speed

The MegaTank G3290 made copies at roughly average speeds. It took 27.5 seconds to make a color copy, compared to the category average of 25.3 seconds. Similarly, black-and-white copies took 12.5 seconds on average to produce, compared to the average of 11.4 seconds for ink tank models.

The G3290 was relatively quick to scan in color, but slower than average at scanning and saving in grayscale or black-and-white (see the Software section for more details). Making a 600 dpi scan to JPEG format was quick, taking 1 minute and 5 seconds. The category average, by contrast, was slower, at 1 minute and 23 seconds.

Scanning in black-and-white at 300 dpi to PDF format took 21.8 seconds. The average for ink tank models is a much quicker 14.4 seconds.

Canon MegaTank Pixma G3290 review: Print quality

The MegaTank G3290 makes attractive text document prints. Letterforms look fairly sharp and sleek. The text looked sufficiently dark, though not quite the darkest we've seen. Some duplex prints had a top line of slightly misaligned text.

Graphics prints were similarly attractive. Colors looked natural and adequately saturated. Details in graphics were reproduced well. The quality on duplex prints was comparable. However, there was some very slight banding in some flat areas, and some black boxes with white text printed with a slightly different background shade than the surrounding area, which had matched in single-sided prints.

Glossy photos printed with well saturated colors and plenty of details. Dark shadow areas retained fine details rather than get blocked up, skin tones looked natural, and images had a warm appearance overall.

Copy quality was good overall. Copies of magazine pages were reproduced with sharp-looking text. Copies of a laser print of a text document, however, had letterforms that looked a little thick, having lost their sleekness. Reproductions of graphics were very attractive and retained the colors and details in the original.

In particular, copies of photographic prints were impressive. Most copies of professional photo prints looked nearly as sharp as the original, and were faithful to the color tint and saturation. Only one photo print copy looked subpar, losing some mid tones, which gave the photo a slightly unnatural and flattened appearance.

Scans of photographs and documents were faithful to the originals. Photo scans looked attractive, with well saturated colors that looked natural and warm overall. Scans also retained fine details in dark shadow areas.

Canon MegaTank Pixma G3290 review: Ink cost and yield

The MegaTank G3290 delivers bargain ink costs of just 0.4 cents per text page, which is the category average. On color pages, however, this printer offers drastic savings of 0.9 cents per color page—significantly lower than the category average of 1.9 cents.

A bottle of the pigment-based black ink costs $21.99. The three dye-based color inks cost $13.99 each. The bottles of ink last an estimated 6,000 text pages or 7,700 color pages.

Canon MegaTank Pixma G3290 review: Setup and software

Packing material was minimal, and I quickly had this MegaTank out of the box and ready to set up. The printed setup guide instructs you to plug in the printer and to follow the instructions on the LCD.

After installing the two printheads (black and color), the LCD's on-screen animation depicted how to unlatch the cover of the carriage in order to install the printheads. But, I did not find the animation totally clear; it took some tinkering to figure it out. Then, I poured the inks into their respective well, which was easy. The LCD said it would take about seven minutes for the printer to complete the setup process. Thereafter, screen displayed a URL for setting up the printer with a computer or smart phone. From the web page, I downloaded the software to my Windows 10 PC. It's called Canon Print, but it also offers scanning functionality.

Putting the G3290 on my network was simple. I used the WPS method, which took a few menu steps on the control panel LCD and a press of the WPS button on my router.

Basic copy and scan functions can be performed from the control panel of the G3290, using the dedicated buttons and LCD menu. When my original photo matched the loaded paper, all went well. But, when I tried copying a 5 x 7-inch photo print to 4 x 6-inch photo paper, I did not get a print with the entire image shrunken to fit. The LCD had not offered a choice to fit the entire image or crop; the G3290 simply cropped the image. It did offer an on-screen preview, however. In addition, you can scan multiple photos at one time. The LCD had a tendency to say that the G3290 had failed to correct a slanted photo or document, however, even when I had placed it snuggly in the upper corner, as instructed.

The scanning software in Windows 10 is basic. I did not find a way to customize settings on my PC and set up shortcuts for various document types. As a result, I had to make these selections with each scan. The LCD, however, does offer a little customization; there are four "scenes" to choose from: standard, work, study, and lifestyle. Standard has on-screen buttons for print, copy and scan. Work has buttons for standard copy, two-sided copy, and save to computer. Lifestyle offers three print functions: wallpaper-like patterns, templates, and print from cloud.

Canon Print software asks you to set the type of the original before scanning, either document or photo. But you can't select color or black-and-white scanning—you make this choice when saving the scan, in color, grayscale, or true black-and-white. When scanning from the G3290's control panel, pressing the "black" copy/scan button produced a grayscale JPG or PDF file.

The latest version of the Canon Print iOS app requires iOS 16. However, you can still use a previous version of the app with an older device, such as my iPhone 7, which runs iOS 15. Using the Canon Print app you can print, scan, store to the cloud, and make a smartphone copy (as opposed to scanning on the flatbed). This last feature I am typically skeptical of, but the app did a good job in my testing. Using the flatbed scanner, the G3290 made a copy of a magazine page that was attractive, but had areas where text was distorted because the slightly wrinkled page did not press firmly down on the glass (the scanner lid is lightweight). However, using the Canon Print app, the resulting copy had text in these same areas that was less blurred than in the flatbed copy. In both cases, graphics looked attractive and colorful, and text was moderately, but not razor-, sharp.

The MegaTank G3290 starts up in 12 seconds, which is a few seconds faster than the category average.

Canon MegaTank Pixma G3290 review: Verdict

The Canon MegaTank Pixma G3290 offers a fair number of features for a bargain price, making it a good choice for those who need an all-in-one printer without a lot of frills.

This ink tank model performs consistently well, delivers very low ink costs, and includes a duplexer. The G3290 creates high-quality prints, copies and scans. Although the included software is basic, solid performance and high image quality make this MegaTank model worth a serious look, especially for students and folks on a budget.

No, neither of these are aimed at photographers — they're purely for vloggers and videography enthusiasts looking for easy-to-use cameras. And you know what? It's a hella smart move from Canon.

I'm not a videographer or a vlogger, and I hate hearing my voice played back to me. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't thoroughly enjoy testing both of these cameras... especially the EOS R50 V.

It's basically a baby Cinema EOS camera (Canon's, well, lineup of professional cine cameras) which sets it apart from the other cameras part of Canon's EOS R System mirrorless lineup.

The EOS R50 V is like the EOS R50 if the latter didn't have a viewfinder and had very video-specific features — that's what the "V" stands for, of course.

The reason I think that the EOS R50 V is Canon's smartest decision of the year (so far) is simple: it's stripped back, it's cheap, and it's perfect for beginners/enthusiasts who mostly shoot in auto and want to dabble in manual shooting, and will eventually upgrade to a better, faster camera.

You don't know how to drive stick shift?

In my Canon EOS R50 V review, I repeatedly say that this camera is for those who want to step up their videography game, and primarily for those coming from a smartphone.

It's like riding a bike with training wheels on or driving a fully automatic car, so if you don't know how to drive stick shift (which you should), you'll be just fine using the EOS R50 V.

That's because most of the camera's default video modes don't require you to adjust shutter speed, ISO or exposure.

There are three customizable ones for those who dare (and you should definitely experiment with them) but for spur-of-the-moment vlogging, you can put the camera into, say, Cinema View mode and record 4K/24P video in 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio for a film-like look. Yes, it really is that easy.

The EOS R50 V's video specs are great too — 4K/60fps or 30fps oversampled from 6K, FHD/120fps slow-mo, C-Log 3 for capturing a wide dynamic range, you name it. 4:2:2 10-bit video also means the camera is capable of capturing up to 1.07 billion individual hues which is fantastic. For a camera aimed at beginners, the EOS R50 V really doesn't disappoint.

Wait... can I not take photos with the EOS R50 V?!

The Canon EOS R50 V, like I said, is a video-first camera but it's still a camera, and you can take photos with its 24.2MP CMOS sensor. There's a dial on the top plate which lets you swap between eight different modes... and only one of them is for stills, which isn't a bad thing at all.

Then it's a matter of choosing either auto settings adjustment or manual where you can adjust the shutter speed et al.

And the photos the EOS R50 V takes are actually quite good. It's packed with Canon's best-in-class autofocus with Auto subject detection and accurate color science that makes colors pop, as you can see in the gallery above. The camera accurately tracks and focuses on birds, animals, humans, vehicles, what-have-you, in both stills and video.

Locked into one system... forever

Okay, not forever but the thing with buying a budget camera from one brand is that you will eventually want to upgrade, and once you've accumulated a couple lenses for a particular mount, you'll want to upgrade to a camera from the same brand. That rings extra true in the Canon EOS R50 V's case.

Yes, it's a great camera for beginners but it's borderline useless for serious shooters. No in-body image stabilization, limited native RF-S lenses, and a kit lens with a maximum f/4 aperture (not great for low light).

Eventually, the day will come when you get bored of the EOS R50 V and want to upgrade to, say, the Canon EOS R6 Mark II or the EOS R5 Mark II — the natural course of things — and if you've already dropped a couple grand on glass, at least you won't have to buy new lenses every time. Same mount, see? Well, you can use RF-S lenses on full frame cameras as long as you're okay with the crop.

That's why the EOS R50 V might be the smartest camera Canon has made so far. Not for its autofocus as the EOS R5 Mark II takes the cake. Not for its electronic shutter as the EOS R8 outclasses it with its 40fps. And not for its RF-S lenses as they're thin on the ground. But for being so cheap that you can barely resist it.

Pricing the EOS R50 V's body at just $699 / £729 is a Big Brain Move. It's cheaper than the Sony ZV-E10 II ($999), the Fujifilm X-M5 ($799) and the Nikon Z 30 ($709). Canon has basically undercut its major competitors, and as someone who is well-versed with its cameras, boy does Canon know how to make 'em.

Even if you're locked into the EOS R System forever, trust me, that's not a bad way to live.

More from Tom's Guide

• I just tested the Canon EOS R50 V — and it’s the perfect video camera for enthusiasts who want to become professionals
• I ditched my Google Pixel for Canon's latest compact vlogging camera — and I'm blown away by the results
• Best mirrorless cameras in 2025

Thanks to its intuitive and straightforward control scheme, the EOS R50 V is extremely easy to use. It captures lovely 4K/60fps footage and comes with a dedicated Cinema View mode for creating film-like videos. Not just that, it takes good, detailed 24.2MP stills too. The EOS R50 V is also very lightweight and compact, making it the ideal camera to travel with. And the best part? It costs just $699 for the body.

To find out if this is the right video camera for you, read my full Canon EOS R50 V review.

Canon EOS R50 V review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? It’s like the Canon EOS R50… but specifically for video. It’s the first entry in Canon’s EOS V series
• Who is it for? For enthusiasts who want a mirrorless, video-specific camera that’s also compact and portable
• How much does it cost? The Canon EOS R50 V’s body costs $699 / £729
• What do we like? The dual video recording buttons, smooth 4K/60fps footage, good stills performance, fantastic autofocus, and lightweight and compact body
• What don’t we like? There’s no IBIS and native RF-S lenses are limited

Canon EOS R50 V review: Specs

Canon EOS R50 V review: Price & availability

The Canon EOS R50 V was launched in March 2025 alongside the Canon PowerShot V1. It’s the spiritual successor to the Canon EOS R50 and is aimed at those who want a video-first EOS R System camera. Its body retails for $699 / £729 at Amazon, making it cheaper than the PowerShot V1 ($899) but slightly pricier than the EOS R50 ($679).

Canon also launched a new video-centric lens to accompany the EOS R50 V: the RF-S 14-30mm F4-6.3 IS STM PTZ. With the lens, the camera costs $849 / £959 which is great value for money. There’s also a plethora of RF (full frame native) mount lenses that the camera is compatible with, providing shooters with more flexibility, but you’ll need to calculate the extra reach due to the APS-C crop factor. RF-S lenses (APS-C native) are relatively thin on the ground, though.

As an ILC (interchangeable lens camera), the EOS R50 V finds itself competing against the likes of the Sony ZV-E10 II ($999), the Fujifilm X-M5 ($799) and the Nikon Z 30 ($709). It offers an inexpensive way for beginners or enthusiasts to step into the world of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras.

Canon EOS R50 V review: Design

Although it’s the Canon EOS R50’s sibling, the Canon EOS R50 V sports a different, more compact design. Measuring 4.69 x 2.9 x 1.77 inches, the EOS R50 V is slightly longer but thinner and shorter than the EOS R50. Both cameras are near-identical in weight too. The EOS R50 V is a little lighter at 13.05oz, which means you can easily carry it in your pocket or bag without feeling weighed down.

The EOS R50 V is, of course, shorter than the EOS R50 because of the obvious absence of a viewfinder and built-in flash which is fine because this is a video-first camera. Even though it’s made entirely of plastic, it doesn’t feel or look cheap. It’s great to handle too, thanks to good weight distribution and a slightly protruding sculpted grip on the right.

There are also two tripod threads on the EOS R50 V: one on the bottom plate and another along the camera’s right edge. The latter is especially handy if you want to shoot vertical video while the camera is mounted on a small tripod or grip without a rotating head — and it’s something that’s missing from the likes of the Sony ZV-E10 II and the Fujifilm X-M5.

Ports

Ports on the EOS R50 V are as you’d expect from a video camera in this price range. These are all housed on the camera’s left edge and include: 3.5mm headphones and mic jacks, a USB-C port for charging and data transfer, and a micro-HDMI for external monitor/recorder hookup. The headphones port is a new inclusion as it was missing from the EOS R50, and it enables you to monitor sound levels while you shoot.

On the bottom plate, you’ll find the battery compartment which houses the LP-E17 battery pack, the same as the one found in the Canon PowerShot V1. Located next to it is a slot for a SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-II memory card.

Monitor

The EOS R50 V is fitted with a 3-inch fully articulating LCD touchscreen that has a resolution of 1.04 million dots, similar to the Fujifilm X-M5 and the Sony ZV-E10 II. In my testing, the touchscreen was highly responsive and easy to read. Accessing the quick settings Q menu or changing settings on the fly was extremely easy.

In most lighting conditions, I could read the monitor easily too, and even monitor sound levels. The monitor’s tilt and turn mechanism was extremely handy when taking selfies, shooting at low angles close to the ground or at awkward angles overhead.

As this is a video-centric camera, there is no viewfinder. If you want a camera that you can also use for photography, a viewfinder is essential, so I’d recommend the Canon EOS R50 or the Lumix G97 ($849).

Weather-sealing

The EOS R50 V is not weather-sealed so you’ll need to be wary when shooting in the rain or in dusty environments. Again, this is par for the course in cameras at this price, and you’ll need to spend upwards of $1,700 on a camera like the Fujifilm X-T5 or Lumix GH7 ($2,199).

Canon EOS R50 V review: Controls

What I said about the Canon PowerShot V1’s control scheme applies to the Canon EOS R50 V too. The EOS R50 V sports an extremely straightforward and intuitive control scheme, so much so that I was shooting within a minute of unboxing the camera and setting it up.

The main dial on the top plate lets you swap between eight shooting modes (one for stills) and the C1, C2 and C3 modes are fully customizable. I found it extremely easy to assign different shooting settings, such as video resolution, focus modes and color profiles, to each. A new addition to this dial is the Slow & Fast (S&F) mode which lets you shoot slow motion and timelapse footage straight out of camera with no editing required to achieve the effects. This isn’t something I’d naturally reach for but it’s good to see that Canon has taken every kind of videographer into consideration.

I also really like the dual recording buttons which no other Canon EOS R System camera has. There’s one on the top plate near the dial and another in the bottom left corner on the front, under the lens, which I found easy to reach when shooting with my non-dominant left hand. Overall, the EOS R50 V is a joy to use, and its straightforward controls make it suitable for those just stepping into the world of mirrorless cameras.

Canon EOS R50 V review: Autofocus

I have always been highly impressed by Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF II autofocus system, which the Canon EOS R50 V utilizes. It’s the same AF system also found in the (much) pricier Canon EOS R6 Mark II ($1,999) and in the Canon PowerShot V1. It utilizes deep learning technology for high-speed subject detection, and the EOS R50 V can quickly detect animals’, birds’ and humans’ eyes and faces, and vehicles too — and it works like a charm.

The EOS R50 V uses 651 automatic focus points and 4,503 manually selectable points for stills, and this drops to 527 automatic and 3,713 manual points for video. Both are far better than the Fujifilm X-M5 (425 phase-detection points and 117 contrast-detection), the Nikon Z 30 (209 points) and the Sony ZV-E10 II (759 phase-detection).

The camera quickly locked onto my partner’s face in the first photo above, and it had no issues detecting my friends’ faces (second and third photos above) even in an environment with tricky lighting and lots of objects in frame (often partially obscuring faces).

Similar to the Canon EOS R5 Mark II ($4,299), the EOS R50 V features Auto subject detection which you can toggle via the Q menu. This negates the need to swap between the subject you want the camera to focus on. Swapping from photographing a bike to a bird one after the other presented zero issues. This is something missing from both the X-M5 and the ZV-E10 II, and I wish both Fujifilm and Sony would rectify this as it takes a step out of the photography process.

Autofocus in video works just as well if not better, as you can see in the video above. The camera was quick to lock on to my face every time I entered the frame.

Similarly, the EOS R50 V reliably locked on to the duck and then on the flock of ducks as I panned to them. Overall, the camera’s a winner when it comes to its autofocus capabilities, and would suit nearly every genre of videography and photography.

Canon EOS R50 V review: Stabilization

Similar to the Canon EOS R50, the Canon EOS R50 V does not feature in-body image stabilization (IBIS), which isn’t uncommon at this price point. For context, the Fujifilm X-M5, the Nikon Z 30 and the Sony ZV-E10 II don’t feature IBIS either.

Instead, the EOS R50 V utilizes Movie Digital IS for video, while almost all (except the niche ‘VR’ virtual reality versions) of Canon’s APS-C native RF-S lenses feature optical stabilization.

No IBIS means you are reliant on lenses for true, uncropped stabilization (digital IS crops your image to align frames and effectively stabilize footage). This limits the choice you will have when branching out to other lenses — primes, for example — as while most RF-S lenses have IS, there aren’t very many of them. There are a decent number of Canon’s full frame RF lenses with IS, but many of the affordable prime lenses don’t have stabilization. It’s a little limiting.

No IBIS will also affect how low you can drop shutter speeds for photography, as IS lenses typically offer less stabilization than sensor-shift IBIS, although this isn’t a stills camera, so the main issue here is about the stabilization of video.

The kit lens compounds this issue, as indeed does Canon’s whole RF-S lens lineup. There isn’t one single constant aperture zoom lens, with many of the lenses (including the kit lens) topping out a maximum aperture of f/4. There are no primes either, except the VR lenses which are a niche product.

Without a constant maximum aperture, your lens will be hampered at longer focal lengths by being restricted to narrower apertures, meaning less light and cinematic bokeh effects. In short, you’re going to want to switch away from RF-S lenses, as they’re not very good, and your choice will be limited even when you do.

Anyway, on to the good bit now. Movie Digital IS has two levels: On and Enhanced. Both of these incur heavy crops, but you’ll still be outputting at 4K, so it isn’t a huge issue if you have a suitable wide angle lens (like the kit lens) to maintain a wider field of view. You won’t be able to shoot at 4K/60fps with Movie Digital IS, though, which is more of an issue if not using an IS lens.

In the compilation above (shot in 4K/30P), you can see the difference between Movie Digital IS Off, On and Enhanced — and the lens’ IS was also enabled. In the first clip, camera shake is very visible, as you’d expect, but this is negated in the second clip and by the third clip, it’s a thing of the past. I have naturally shaky hands so I highly appreciate the camera not making that apparent.

Canon EOS R50 V review: Video performance

The Canon EOS R50 V’s video specs are similar to that of the Canon PowerShot V1 — at a lower price. The camera is capable of shooting 4K video at 60fps (with a crop), 4K at 30fps (without a crop), and out-of-camera slow-mo (or time lapse) at FullHD/120fps with its dedicated Slow & Fast mode.

While these specs are great, the Fujifilm X-M5 offers 6K video, so it might be worth spending an additional $100 if that matters to you. If you shoot in 6K, you’ll be able to crop right into the frame or oversample the 4K output, ultimately providing you with more flexibility in post-production. But (there’s always a but) the EOS R50 V already captures 4K footage oversampled from 6K — so dealer’s choice.

Without incurring a crop, you can shoot 4K video at 30fps. I used the camera on a day out with my friends at Bubble Planet in London, U.K., and you can see sample footage above. The footage is smooth and the colors are popping. Also, because the camera is so compact, I was able to slip it into my trousers’ pocket and pull it out as needed without many hiccups.

4K/60fps video is, of course, one of the camera’s biggest selling points, and you can see sample footage above. The colors look stunning and you can even see the tiny details in the flowers. The EOS R50 V’s autofocus works well, again, keeping the seagull in focus as it takes off. I love how crystal clear the footage is. Keep in mind, though, that shooting in 4K/60fps incurs a 1.4x crop and, as I mentioned earlier, you lose out on stabilization too if you aren’t using an IS-enabled lens.

Canon has also added Cinema View Mode to the EOS R50 V, which can be found on some Cinema EOS cameras. Basically, it records video in a 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio — often used in films — and drops the frame rate down to 24P to achieve a cinematic look. You can see sample footage above, which I love the look of.

This could be a game changer for enthusiast videographers, as you can always use Color Profiles and filters, allowing for more creative possibilities.

Similar to the PowerShot V1, the X-M5, the ZV-E10 II, the EOS R50 V can shoot 4:2:2 10-bit video, making it capable of capturing a total of 1.07 billion individual hues. Shooting in C-Log 3 is an option too, which captures a wider dynamic range than SDR, although requires color grading in post-production. You can see what unedited C-Log 3 footage looks like above.

Canon EOS R50 V review: Audio quality

The Canon EOS R50 V has a decent built-in microphone which should suffice when shooting on-the-fly, but I’d recommend grabbing one of the best microphones to give your audio a professional feel.

The dual channel 48 KHz 24/16-bit stereo microphone performed decently in my testing — although it didn’t blow me away — as you can hear in the clip above. It does sound slightly echo-y though, even though my home office isn’t.

Canon EOS R50 V review: Image quality

The Canon EOS R50 V is a video-first camera so I’ll keep this section short and sweet. The camera’s 24.2MP CMOS sensor captures lovely stills with a good amount of detail. Its resolution is more than the PowerShot V1’s 22MP sensor but less than the Sony ZV-E10 II’s and the Fujifilm X-M5’s 26MP sensors.

Still, I’ve been pleased with the images I’ve captured, which you can see in the gallery above. Canon’s fantastic color science is at display here as the colors appear vibrant and true to life. The kit lens’ 14-30mm focal range gives a wide field of view that captures a lot of the scene, making the EOS R50 V great for landscapes and street photography.

Its 15fps electronic and 12fps mechanical shutters are faster than the ZV-E10 II’s 11fps shutter and should suffice for moderately fast-paced action. If you want a faster camera, the X-M5 has a 30fps shutter which should be better for photographing sports or wildlife.

ISO performance

The EOS R50 V has an ISO range of 100-51,200 which should suffice in most shooting conditions. As with other cameras I test at Tom’s Guide, I put the EOS R50 V through an indoors ISO test — bear in mind that this is an extreme test and you’re unlikely to be shooting at ISO25600 in most real-world scenarios.

Photos taken at ISO6400 turn out fine with barely any grain visible, but it’s at ISO12,800 that things start to get noisy. The first photo in the gallery above is a JPEG export of the CR3 RAW file, while the second is the straight-out-of-camera (SOOC) JPEG.

The EOS R50 V’s DIGIX X processor has eliminated some grain but a lot of it still remains in the second photo, as you can see in the bobblehead’s chin and the wooden desk. There’s also a general loss in sharpness from the smoothing of noise suppression, visible in the art print in the background where the greens and blues look muddled together. There’s also a loss in sharpness around the bobblehead’s chin.

It only gets noisier from here, as noise at ISO25,600 completely ruins the JPEG export of the CR3 file (first photo above). Even in the SOOC JPEG (second photo above), the noise is very clear and ruinous. A lot of sharpness has been lost in the art print as well as the bobblehead’s hands. I’d only recommend shooting at such high sensitivity only as a last resort where there’s no other way out.

Canon EOS R50 V review: Battery life

When it comes to stills, the Canon EOS R50 V has a CIPA rating of 480 shots which sounds like a lot but, alas, it pales in comparison to the Sony ZV-E10 II which is rated for 610 stills. However, it performs better than the Fujifilm X-M5 and the Nikon Z 30, both of which are CIPA-rated for 330 stills.

Real-life results always differ from CIPA ratings as those are done under strict conditions. In my testing, on a single charge, I was able to snap nearly 600 photos while shooting indoors and outdoors, with regular settings tweaks and playback.

Canon doesn’t specify the CIPA rating for video which is what matters more considering this is a video-first camera. I left the camera recording 4K/30fps video indoors to try and drain the battery, and kept regularly checking for signs of overheating. I was able to get approximately 60 minutes of footage with three very brief periods of overheating at the 20-minute, 32-minute and 48-minute mark. Good news is that you can charge the camera while using it, unlike the X-M5, so you can shoot long form video.

Canon EOS R50 V review: Verdict

The Canon EOS R50 V is a great stepping stone for those who want to dip their toes into the ocean of mirrorless cameras — especially video-specific mirrorless cameras. Canon has packed the EOS R50 V with its quick and reliable autofocus with Auto subject detection and accurate color science.

As a video-first camera, the EOS R50 V sports two recording buttons for easy access. It’s capable of recording smooth 4K/60fps and modes like Cinema View and C-Log 3 give shooters more flexibility. Not just that, but the camera is great for capturing stills too with its 24.2MP sensor. But since the camera costs just $699, you’re missing out on in-body image stabilization, which may be an issue if you want to experiment with non-IS lenses (and given the restrictive nature of Canon APS-C native, RF-S lenses, you probably will want to before long).

Overall, though, I’d recommend the EOS R50 V to anyone who wants to step up their videography. And since you can change lenses, you get more flexibility as opposed to the fixed-lens Canon PowerShot V1. The EOS R50 V is a compact but powerful camera that’s been a pleasure to use.

If it's a high-speed camera with a solid burst rate, I always put it through its paces by photographing animals and birds — and if you're on the lookout for a camera that can withstand anything, the Canon EOS R5 Mark II is the one for you.

However, there's no sugarcoating it: the EOS R5 Mark II is an expensive camera. Its body alone costs $4,299 / £3,799, and I haven't seen it get a major price drop... until today.

Right now, you can save $500 at Amazon U.S. or £238 at Amazon U.K.. If you're a pro photographer and are looking to upgrade, I'd snap (pun fully intended) this deal up immediately.

The EOS R5 Mark II is capable of withstanding anything you throw at it. Fully weather-sealed and protected against dust and rain, you can use it in virtually any environmental setting — indoors and outdoors. It's sublime to handle thanks to the sculpted grip, and it never feels too bulky to carry around your neck.

But of course, the EOS R5 Mark II's prowess lies in its imaging capabilities. Featuring a 45MP Stacked CMOS sensor which enables speedier readouts to minimize rolling shutter distortions, it takes stunning photos with beautiful color science. 45 megapixels also give you room for extreme cropping.

Canon has also perfected the EOS R5 Mark II's autofocus system. With auto subject detection, the camera quickly locks on to animals, birds, humans, vehicles, you name it.

In my testing, the camera took mere milliseconds to focus on the subject regardless of how many times I switched between, say, humans and vehicles. It even locked on to a slightly obscured squirrel which even my own eyes could not see!

A picture is worth a thousand words, of course, so you can browse through the sample gallery above and see just how gorgeous they are.

The EOS R5 Mark II has a stacked feature set and you can read all about it in my full review. Its in-camera upscaling (powered by AI) for images shot as JPEG/HEIF is a highlight.

It enhances resolution by 4x, extrapolating the image’s EXIF data, creating stills up to 180MP from the original 45MP image. You can upscale either one image or a series of burst shots, and it's one feature that can revolutionize how you photograph subjects.

The EOS R5 Mark II is our pick for the best full frame mirrorless camera for a plethora of reasons. It's super straightforward to use with a well-laid out control scheme, its autofocus system gives you little to complain about, and it takes ridiculously good photos.

If I were you, I'd save $500 at Amazon U.S. or £238 at Amazon U.K. right now — that's the lowest I've seen the camera drop to!

Naturally, it will take a lot of convincing to make someone ditch their smartphone for photography, videography and vlogging. I’ve tested many cameras that come close, but I believe it’s the Canon PowerShot V1 that gives compelling reasons to forego my Google Pixel 7 Pro.

The PowerShot V1 is Canon's answer to Sony's vlogging cameras, as it tries to take on the Sony ZV-E10 II, and you know what? It comes out on top. While you can't change its lens, the PowerShot V1 is fitted with a versatile 16-50mm wide-angle lens that captures a lot of the scene, and its vlogging-specific features make it a force to reckon with. I ditched my Pixel 7 Pro for it, and here's why I don't regret it.

In my influencer era

The Canon PowerShot V1's prowess lies in its many, many vlogging-specific features, and one of these is Product Demo. You might be familiar with its under a different name used by Fujifilm (Product Priority) and Sony (Product Showcase). It basically focuses on the subject closest to the lens while effectively blurring the background — a great tool for product reviews and unboxing videos.

The PowerShot V1, like many modern cameras, can shoot 4K video at 60fps. Now, my Pixel 7 Pro can do that too, but it overheats a lot, and it eats up my phone's storage as quickly as me inhaling a treat pizza on pay day. This is where the PowerShot V1 comes in.

Load it up with a 512GB or even a 1TB SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-II and you're good to go. What's even better is that the camera has a couple of cooling vents which ensure the camera doesn't overheat and shut down. And the footage looks lovely and smooth too, with Canon's color science shining in all its glory, as you can see above.

I hate hearing my voice played back to me, which is ironic considering I was a vocalist in a high school band a decade ago. But testing a vlogging camera means I have to make a vlog and record audio. One reason I would take the PowerShot V1 with me to a concert (where permitted) is its built-in mic which performs surprisingly well — and you can hear it in the clip above.

The clip was also shot in Dramatic B&W, one of five available creative filters that help you create videos for quick sharing to social media. There are lots of other vlogging features to discover, and you can read about them in my full Canon PowerShot V1 review.

Really good stills... on a compact?!

When I test a high-speed camera like the Canon EOS R5 Mark II or the Sony A1 II, I put it through its paces by shooting bursts of birds in flight or fast-moving animals. Compact cameras are different as they aren't always the fastest and they're more suited to portraits and landscape photography — but the Canon PowerShot V1 blew me away. Its 22MP sensor captures lots of detail.

While primarily a vlogging camera, the PowerShot V1 is fantastic for stills too. It can shoot 30fps bursts with its electronic shutter and boy are they good, and I mean really good. The photos in the gallery above are part of a longer burst, and you can see just how sharp the pigeon's features look.

Truly a compact

As I said up top, the Canon PowerShot V1 is an extremely compact camera, easily slipping into your coat's or trousers' pocket. Put your smartphone in one pocket and the PowerShot V1 in the other — perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

Given its 4K/60fps capabilities, vlogging-specific modes, and ability to capture surprisingly detailed stills, it's one of the most powerful compact cameras money can buy. Canon's put its best foot forward against Sony's and Fujifilm's vlogging cameras, and it has come out on top. It's one of those cameras I've been sad to return as part of the loan.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best cameras in 2025
• Fujifilm X-S20 review — A powerful hybrid camera for video creators
• I ditched my Google Pixel to shoot with this budget vlogging camera — and it’s perfect for beginners

It’s a good-looking camera too, sporting an all-black design, and it’s extremely comfortable to hold. Canon has also done a great job of simplifying the control scheme, which means if you’re stepping up from smartphone photography, you should have no issues using the V1.

But while you get Optical Image Stabilization, it isn’t as good as in-body image stabilization and it incurs a crop. And unlike its chief rival, the Sony ZV-E10 II, you can’t change the lens on the PowerShot V1, which might prove limiting for those who want to expand their creative options down the line.

Could this be the best camera for vlogging for you? Read my full Canon PowerShot V1 review to find out.

Canon PowerShot V1 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A compact digital camera with a fixed wide-angle lens
• Who is it for? For content creators and vloggers… and for whom money is no object
• How much does it cost? The Canon PowerShot V1 is available for $899 / £909
• What do we like? Lovely 4K/60fps footage, plethora of vlogging tools, sturdy and pocketable design, reliable autofocus, and good stills performance
• What don’t we like? No in-body image stabilization, and can’t change lenses

Canon PowerShot V1 review: Specs

Canon PowerShot V1 review: Price & availability

The Canon PowerShot V1 was announced in March 2025, becoming the latest addition to the Japanese giant’s line-up of compact digital cameras. The camera is available for $899 / £909 at Amazon, and it serves as a spiritual successor to the six-years-old PowerShot G7 X Mark III.

This price tag makes it the most expensive Canon compact but as it’s a fixed-lens camera, you don’t have to worry about spending extra on glass. The PowerShot V1 is a step up from the cheaper Canon PowerShot V10 ($429), offering premium features.

It’s also level-pegging with Sony’s vlogging cameras, primarily the Sony ZV-E10 II ($999) and the Sony ZV-1 ($799). Not to mention the Fujifilm X-M5 ($799) and Fujifilm X-S20 ($1,299) which, at the time of writing, is our pick of the best mirrorless cameras for vlogging and content creators — but is pricier due to its much more advanced features (including 6.2K video and IBIS).

Canon PowerShot V1 review: Design

For a camera that sports an all-black design, the Canon PowerShot V1 is a looker. It sports an all-black matte colorway which looks great. The camera measures 4.65 x 2.67 x 2 inches so you can slip it into your pocket.

It’s got a good weight to it too — 14.8oz (body only) — and I loved holding the camera. The PowerShot V1 is heavier than the Sony ZV-E10 II (10.3oz) and the Fujifilm X-M5 (10.8oz) and I much prefer its weight over the two.

Aiding the camera’s ergonomics is a slightly protruding sculpted grip that makes it easy to hold the PowerShot V1 with either one or both hands.

Although you can’t change lenses as you can with the ZV-E10 II and the X-M5, the PowerShot V1 features a versatile 8.2-25.6mm f/2.8 (16-50mm full-frame equivalent) wide-angle lens which provides a superb field of view for both vlogging and stills.

Ports

Ports on the PowerShot V1 are minimal. On the bottom plate you’ll find the battery compartment which houses the LP-E17 battery pack as well as the slot for a SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-II memory card. A standard tripod thread is also located on the bottom plate.

All other ports are located on the camera’s right edge. These include: 3.5mm headphones and mic jacks, a USB-C port for charging and data transfer, and a micro HDMI for external monitor/recorder hookup. These are protected by rubber flaps that stay securely locked in place.

I really appreciate the cooling vents located on the top and left-hand edge of the PowerShot V1, as they ensure the camera doesn’t overheat and shut down while shooting 4K video — a problem all too common with the PowerShot G7 X Mark III and the PowerShot V10.

Of course, overheating is still possible, but it’s nice to see attention has been paid to thermal performance. The camera’s monitor displays a handy thermometer to alert you.

Monitor

As a video-first camera, the Canon PowerShot V1 does not have a viewfinder, so you’ll be relying on the touchscreen monitor for both stills and video. If you also want a camera for taking stills, a viewfinder is important, so you may wish to buy a camera that has one.

The Fujifilm X-S20 and Sony a6700 ($1,400) are both vlogging oriented ‘hybrid’ cameras — that means they’re intended for both stills and video — and feature viewfinders accordingly.

The back of the camera houses a 3-inch fully articulating LCD touchscreen with a resolution of approximately 1.04 million dots, similar to the Fujifilm X-M5 and the Sony ZV-E10 II. I found the touchscreen highly responsive in my testing, especially when tapping to change autofocus points or adjusting shooting settings like shutter speed.

The monitor was also bright enough to read in most lighting conditions, and I appreciated the tilt and turn mechanism as it enabled me to record swans close to the ground or leaves dancing directly overhead. It also worked just as I expected for taking selfies.

Weather-sealing

The Canon PowerShot V1 is not weather-sealed so you’ll need to be wary of water splashes, rain and dust. Not only is that down to the camera sporting exposed cooling vents, but also the fact that weather-sealing is uncommon at this price point. Weather-sealing is something you get when spending upwards of around $1,500, like on the Fujifilm X-T5 ($1,699).

Canon PowerShot V1 review: Controls

The Canon PowerShot V1 is a straightforward camera to use, sporting an intuitive control scheme. It’s perfect for those stepping up from smartphone photography.

All controls are on the right-hand side of the camera, so you can control the camera with one hand and keep your left hand free. The top plate houses the shutter button (which gives good tactile feedback when pressed) which doubles as the zoom rocker, a bright red record button, and a switch to toggle between stills and video.

It also houses the dial to swap between different shooting modes, such as Manual, Aperture Priority, etc. and the dial doesn’t move too freely so you don’t have to worry about accidentally knocking it while shooting.

Canon’s menu system is also extremely easy to read and straightforward to navigate, as every sub-menu is color-coded, so you can distinguish between settings effortlessly. Overall, the PowerShot V1 is a ridiculously easy camera to use.

Canon PowerShot V1 review: Autofocus performance

The Canon PowerShot V1 utilizes Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF II autofocus system to lock onto animals/birds and humans. For context, this is the same AF system found in the pricier Canon EOS R6 Mark II ($1,999), and it utilizes deep learning technology for high-speed subject detection.

Similar to the pro-level Canon EOS R5 Mark II ($4,299), the PowerShot V1 features Auto subject detection, which means you don’t need to manually swap between animal/bird and human modes, thereby making photography more intuitive. Switching from photographing my partner to photographing a bird one after the other, in the same spot, proved effortless as the camera quickly locked on without me having to do anything.

The autofocus system works well in video work too, as you can see in the video above. The camera was quick to lock onto each individual bird as I panned to them. When there were multiple birds in the frame and I wanted the PowerShot V1 to focus on, say, the pigeon and not the ducks, I simply tapped on the screen and the camera worked its magic.

Canon PowerShot V1 review: Stabilization

The Canon PowerShot V1 doesn’t feature in-body image stabilization (IBIS) and instead utilizes Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) for stills and Movie Digital IS for video. By default, the former is always enabled while the latter needs to be toggled as and when needed.

Unfortunately, image stabilization isn’t available for 4K video at 60fps, so you’ll need to drop down to 4K/30p when vlogging on foot — or if you have shaky hands like I do.

Movie Digital IS has two levels, On and Enhanced, and both of these incur heavy crops. Good news, though, is that the PowerShot V1’s wide-angle lens doesn’t cut off as much area as the Sony ZV-E10 II or the Fujifilm X-M5.

You can see the difference in the compilation above. Camera shake is very visible in the first clip while the other two clips are stable. I especially like how the Enhanced setting has completely eliminated any shake, and the footage looks fantastic.

Canon PowerShot V1 review: Video performance

The Canon PowerShot V1 is capable of shooting 4K video at 60fps and Full HD slow-motion video at 120fps. These are similar shooting rates to the Sony ZV-E10 II, but if you want 6K video, Fuji has both cameras beat with the X-M5 and X-S20.

Shooting in 6K will give you more flexibility in post production, allowing you to crop into frame and maintain a 4K resolution, or oversample your 4K output.

But still, 4K/60fps footage is fantastic, and you can see how crystal clear the clips are in the video above. The camera’s autofocus performs excellently here too, as it quickly focussed on the pigeons as I switched between subjects.

Shooting in 4K/60fps does yield a 1.4x crop though, and you lose out on image stabilization, as I mentioned before.

Similar to the X-S20, the X-M5 and the ZV-E10 II, the PowerShot V1 can shoot 4:2:2 10-bit video, which means it’s capable of capturing a wide color gamut with a total of 1.07 billion individual hues.

You can shoot in C-Log 3 too, which captures a wide dynamic range and provides more flexibility in post-production and color grading.

One of the most important features of a vlogging camera is its ability to ease content creation — and the PowerShot V1 does just that. Like with the Sony ZV-E10 II and the Fujifilm X-M5 and X-S20, you get a product demo mode which makes the camera focus on the object closest to the lens while blurring the background, and you can see how this works in the video above.

The camera quickly focuses on the bobblehead, film camera and drone, and it effortlessly focuses back on my face once the object is out of frame. This is a very handy feature for product unboxing videos as well as reviews.

Also available are five creative filters: Dream, Old Movies, Memory, Dramatic B&W, and Miniature. The footage above shows the Old Movies and Miniature filters in action. I really like the latter, which, basically, gives footage a tilt-shift effect and makes everything look like a toy set.

Canon PowerShot V1 review: Audio quality

While we’d recommend using one of the best microphones for audio recording and content creation, the Canon PowerShot V1 has a decent built-in mic too for on-the-fly recording or if you’re away from your kit. It features a wind filter and noise reduction and performs well.

You can hear a sample audio clip above, which was recorded on my balcony with vehicles passing by, and the camera has managed to eliminate those to highlight my voice and make it clearer, which is great. The clips were also shot in the Dramatic B&W creative filter, and I much prefer it over the PowerShot V1’s standard monochrome color profile as the colors appear bolder and, well, dramatic.

Canon PowerShot V1 review: Image quality

The Canon PowerShot V1 is a video-first camera but it produces lovely still images too. It’s fitted with a 1.4-inch 22MP CMOS sensor which takes detailed images.

22MP is a slightly lower resolution than the Sony ZV-E10 II’s and the Fujifilm X-M5’s 26MP sensors, but I’ve been pleased with the shots I’ve captured. Canon has also nailed its color science so colors appear true to life in most lighting conditions, as you can see above.

The PowerShot V1’s 16-50mm fixed lens has a 3.1x zoom range so it’s great for portraits and when you want to get closer to a subject. The first photo of the tree branches and the third of the bed of flowers, both were shot slightly zoomed in and have turned out lovely.

Burst shooting

Compact and vlogging-first cameras aren’t always the fastest, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the Canon PowerShot V1’s burst shooting capabilities. It utilizes the DIGIC X imaging processor for 30fps bursts when using the electronic shutter, or 15fps when using the mechanical shutter.

In comparison, the Fujifilm X-M5 has 30fps electronic and 8fps mechanical shutters, while the Sony ZV-E10 II has just an 11fps electronic shutter.

The photos in the gallery above were shot using the electronic shutter, at 1/8000s and ISO 6400. This maximum shutter speed is nowhere near as fast as pro-level cameras, like the Sony A1 II ($6,499) or the Fujifilm X-H2S ($2,499), but that’s not the PowerShot V1’s purpose in the first place. But if you do need to take casual photos of fast-moving subjects like birds in flight, it will certainly suffice.

ISO performance

As I do with other cameras I test at Tom’s Guide, I put the Canon PowerShot V1 through an indoors ISO test. The camera has an ISO range of 100-32,000 (expandable to 51,200) for stills, so it should suffice in most shooting conditions.

The photos above were shot at ISO 6400 — the first image is a JPEG export of the CR3 RAW file, while the second is the straight-out-of-camera (SOOC) JPEG. As I expected, the camera has done a good job of eliminating any grain and has produced a great, usable JPEG.

At ISO 12,800, when noise started to creep in in the RAW file (first photo), the camera succeeded in smoothing it out, albeit with some loss in sharpness in the bobblehead’s har, as you can see in the SOOC JPEG (second photo).

The photos above were taken at ISO 25,600. While the camera does a decent job of reducing noise, you can still see some grain in the Funko Pop’s chin, on the table and the colorful background. There is also a loss in sharpness, again, with the bobblehead appearing soft and the indents in the hair not appearing as detailed.

The sensitivity is already very high, and I wouldn’t recommend pushing past it to 32,000 or 51,200 as the photos will not be usable. The results may vary in real world scenarios, but you should be using such high ISO values only as a last resort.

Canon PowerShot V1 review: Battery life

The Canon PowerShot V1 is powered by an LP-E17 battery, and it’s the same battery pack you’ll find in the Canon EOS R100 ($479) and the Canon EOS R10 ($979). According to CIPA standards, the PowerShot V1 is rated for 400 stills or 70 minutes of 4K/60fps video recording. Both the EOS R100 and EOS R10, though, are rated for 430 shots each.

The PowerShot V1 is outshined by the Sony ZV-E10 II which is rated for 610 stills/195 minutes and the cheaper Sony ZV-1F that is rated for 540 stills (but 60 minutes of video). The Fujifilm X-S20 takes the cake here as it’s rated for a whopping 750 shots and 85 minutes of 6.2K recording. However, the PowerShot V1 edges out the Fujifilm X-M5, which is rated for 330 stills and 45 minutes of 6.2K video, and the Sony ZV-1, rated for just 260 stills (but 75 minutes of video).

Real life battery tests will differ from those conducted under strict CIPA guidelines. In my testing, I achieved nearly 500 shots while shooting a mixture of bursts and single shots indoors and outdoors, and regularly checking the settings and playback.

As for video, the camera yielded 57 minutes of continuous 4K/60fps recording indoors. I kept a check on the on-screen thermometer to see if the camera could handle the heat, and it suffered two short periods of overheating: once at the 17-minute mark and another at the 52-minute mark. This isn’t terrible, but if you want a camera with excellent thermal performance, you’ll need to spend more.

The Fujifilm X-S20 can be fitted with an attachable fan to allow for longer stints of recording, while professional-tier Panasonic Lumix S5IIX ($2,199) features a built-in fan for unlimited recording at 4K/60p.

Canon PowerShot V1 review: Verdict

Vlogging cameras need to do a few things to be considered the best of the best: they need to be easy and intuitive to use, boast vlogging specific features, and record smooth video. The Canon PowerShot V1 does all this and more.

Its 4K/60fps footage is superb, while features like product demo and creative filters make content creation easy. Its autofocus system is reliable too, and Auto subject detection means you don’t have to waste time manually switching between the subjects.

While the PowerShot V1’s wide-angle lens is great and captures a lot of the scene, you can’t change the lens, so you’ll need to consider the Sony ZV-E10 II or the Fujifilm X-M5 if that’s a necessity, or if you can extend your budget, the Fujifilm X-S20.

If you want to capture popping yet true to life colors and a camera that’s comfortable to handle, the PowerShot V1 easily warrants a recommendation.