With its magnetic easy-access pockets, the versatile FlipPack camera bag was an instant hit with pro and amateur content creators alike. Now, the FlipPack has been improved and upgraded. It boasts waterproof construction with YKK zippers, adjustable, removable padded pockets, a pocket for a 16” laptop, a TSA-approved combo lock for the main compartment, and improved ergonomics for all day comfort. A funded Kickstarter.

DJI’s compact Mini SE drone has finally made it stateside. The wallet-friendly drone is also light on weight—at just 249 grams, it’s about the same weight as a smartphone—and light enough to bypass many FAA drone regulations. With a 2.7K camera mounted on a 3-axis gimbal, this little guy shoots “Quad HD” video & 12MP stills. Flight-time 30 min, with a range of 4km.

Fjorden is a tool that makes the most of your iPhone’s camera. It’s a comfy camera grip that not only feels right, it offers DSLR-like controls so you never miss the shot. Unlike the phone’s internal controls, Fjorden responds like a real camera. It features a 2-stage shutter button, custom control dial, multi-function button, and a zoom lever. All together, they give you unrivaled creative control. A funded Kickstarter.

Going “beyond rugged” is kind of what Pelican does. All their gear is built for hard-hits and harsh environments. The Rugged Lens Cover follows suit. Designed to work with & protect every lens you own, the silicone cover fits most pro-grade lenses. Constructed of high-density elastic silicone, it will keep your glass covered & keep out dirt, moisture, and guard against impacts, offering total protection.

Purpose-built for hauling a camera safely & securely in extreme environments, Shimoda’s Explore V2 pack is an updated & upgraded version of their original. Sized for carry-on, it features padded & removable internal organization, TSA-friendly locks, padded laptop storage, and a host of pro-grade features for unquestionable function in the field. Another funded Kickstarter.

The latest addition to Nikon’s compact mirrorless lineup is the Z fc, which, if the aesthetics don’t make it obvious enough, stands for “film camera.” Oddly, it happens to capture your images on a 20.9-megapixel APS-C sensor, not film. Digital not chemical! The nostalgic design also extends to its manual control set. An ISO range is 100-51,200, so yeah, a bit more dynamic than film, too. And it’s not just for stills, the fc captures 4K motion at up to 30fps and it’s compatible with all Nikon’s DX/APS-C lenses.

Panasonic’s video-friendly GH5 has been updated to deliver even more prosumer performance. With a new processor, improved autofocus, and enhanced image stabilization, the GH5 Mark II is pretty much all new. It captures 4K UHD video at 60p and Cinema 4K at 24p with 10-bit 4:2:2 color output. A 20.3-MP Live MOS MFT sensor does this free of ghosting & flairing thanks to a new anti-reflective coating. The Venus Engine image processor is new, as well as up to 6.5 stops of compensation for smooth, stable moving shots in all kinds of conditions. Available for pre-order now.

The MOZA Slypod Pro packs a lot of function into a slim, lightweight piece of camera gear. It’s a 3-in-1 electric monopod that also functions as a slider & jib arm for endless creativity and cinematic effects. A dedicated app allows remote control and programmable motion for shots like dramatic time-lapse & panning dolly movements. A funded Kickstarter.

DJI’s latest drone-camera combo is the FPV, a compact quadcopter designed for use with the brand’s FPV (first person view) goggles, to give users a bird’s eye view. Made for beginners and intermediate “flyers” it works easily, right out of the box. DJI claims “It can fly like a racer, hover like a traditional drone, accelerate like a homebuilt project and stop faster than any of them.” The brand’s best safety & autonomous technologies help keep it in once piece as you learn.

With the launch of the FX3, Sony has created a pro-grade 4K cinema camera that is not just powerful but smaller and definitely more affordable than others in its class. They call it a “compact cinematography” camera but it’s essentially an A7S outfitted for filmmaking. It captures 4K video at 120 fps and 1080p video up to 240fps. A 10.5MP sensor and 15 stops of dynamic make it a very capable low-light rig while in-body image stabilization keeps shots steady.

For the upgrade to their astoundingly powerful 6K camera, Blackmagic Design’s new 6K Pocket Cinema Camera Pro got a rotating & super-bright 1500-Nit HDR display and some sweet pro functions like a built-in motorized infrared neutral-density filter that simplifies shooting & controlling bright-light settings. It records in ProRes, Apple RAW or Blackmagic RAW formats at up to 6K resolution. There is also an optional OLED electronic viewfinder.

Polaris is a wireless, smart electric tripod head that enables photographers and filmmakers to frame-up perfect shots for nature, landscape, and astrophotography. Through the Polaris app, users can control all camera settings for dramatic, perfectly bracketed time lapse, panoramic, and sunrise/sunset shots. Built-In GPS allows for automatic star tracking. A funded Kickstarter.

Sony has just unveiled its most advanced mirrorless camera yet and, as expected, the flagship Alpha 1 is truly a beast: 50.1MP full-frame sensor, 8K video at 30fps, and continuous shooting at 30-images per second. Alpha’s incredible, standard-setting Eye AF autofocus systems is now ever faster. Flash sync speeds got bumped to 1/400th. With an external recorder, the camera’s 10-bit video output can be pushed up to 16-bit. Release date: early March 2021.

Just unveiled at CES 2021, Sony’s Airpeak debuts as the Japanese tech giant’s first aerial drone. Designed to support their Alpha camera lineup, this pro-quality quadcopter is the smallest drone on the market to fly their pro-grade digital content cameras. So far, details are scarce but the video teaser is looking good.

Designed for seamless mobile vlogging and streaming, the Atom 2 is the world’s first auto-foldable 3-axis phone gimbal, enabling users to achieve smooth & stabilized cinematic video using their smartphone. The pocket-sized tripod design offers 3-axis stabilization, AI-powered smart tracking, auto-folding & auto set-up, plus 1-hour fast charge. A funded Kickstarter.

The HD Mask USB Camera is a stealth, super powerful & simple wi-fi security camera. It offers full HD 1080 footage, live streaming, 24/7 monitoring, motion detection, & continuous real-time recording. You can set up multiple cameras around the home or office to secure the perimeter and monitor everything from your phone. It effectively gives you the monitoring power of expensive CCTV systems without intrusive or obvious cameras.

The One X2 action cam is the latest creation from Insta360, a phone-size 360º camera that captures video at 5.7K resolution & 30 fps. Integrated AI-driven editing tools in a smartphone app, stabilization in SteadyCam mode, and the addition of a touchscreen make this one very solid cam for getting everything in the shot.

The Mavic Mini 2 is the follow-up to DJI’s smallest drone and this new model got some impressive upgrades. First & foremost, it now captures UHD 4K video at 30fps. They also gave it 4X zoom, with 2X lossless. For shooting stills, it now captures images in RAW format as well. And to replace wi-fi, it runs DJI’s own OcuSync 2.0 streaming system for increased distance. Battery flight time: approx. 30 minutes.

Designed to capture cinematic 4K video, the Lumix BGH1 is a little guy, a mirrorless, micro 4/3rds box camera optimized for expandability and versatility. The camera’s small size makes it ideal for intimate shoots & easy portability but belies its impressive abilities. It features a 10.2MP sensor and in addition to 10-bit 4K, it can also capture broadcast-ready Hybrid Log Gamma. Ports include: 2 UHS-II SD card slots, 1 USB-C 3.1, & 1 HDMI output. Wi-fi & bluetooth enable seamless connectivity including networking multiple cameras for simultaneous shooting. Available in December.

The DJI Pocket 2 is a stabilized 4K camera that fits in your pocket. As the 2nd generation model, it offers fresh features like a larger 1.7” CMOS sensor, a redeveloped auto-focus system & a wider 20mm lens. Great for vloggers. The camera captures 4K, 60-fps video at 100-Mbps and offers improved sound and streaming capabilities.