2025 is shaping up to be a blockbuster year for camera fans, with the rumor mill churning out whispers of bold upgrades, surprise revivals and entirely new designs.
From pro-grade flagships to pocketable powerhouses, manufacturers seem ready to flex every bit of innovation they’ve been holding back. Nikon, Canon, Sony, DJI, Insta360 – no corner of the market looks safe from a shake‑up. We’re talking faster bursts, smarter autofocus, bigger sensors and design overhauls that could redefine entire product lines.
Some of these leaks feel almost too good to be true, but if even half of them land as expected, 2025’s second half could be one of the most exciting stretches in recent memory for stills shooters, content creators and serious filmmakers alike.
Here’s a look at nine rumored cameras that might just steal the spotlight before the year is out – and why you should keep your wishlist a work-in-progress.
9 rumored cameras that could be arriving in 2025
1. Sony A7 V
Sony’s popular, highly flexible A7 series of full-frame mirrorless cameras has gone through four generations. The latest was the Sony A7 IV, unveiled back in late 2021.
It’s a long stretch without a refresh for such a beloved camera series, and industry chatter points to an updated fifth-generation model potentially landing in the last quarter of 2025. Fuelling the speculation, Sony Addict reports that Sony has already registered a new camera body with regulators, believed by some to be the A7 V.
While nothing is confirmed until Sony makes it official, a source speaking to Sony Alpha Rumors back in August 2024 claimed the A7 V will be packing a new 44MP full-frame sensor capable of shooting 4K video at 120fps without any crop. The site’s story suggests a price tag of around €3000 (around $3460 / £2600 / AU$5360 ), roughly matching the A7 IV’s launch price, but well above its current street value. There’s also talk of a major performance bump in burst shooting, with 20fps rumored – double the A7 IV’s 10fps limit.
Given that AI has become the buzzword of the consumer electronics world, it wouldn’t be surprising if Sony leans into that angle for the A7 V. The rumor mill points to AI-powered features like smarter autofocus subject recognition and automatic video framing (similar to what’s offered on the Sony ZV-E1). If true, the Sony A7 V could be positioned as much more than just an incremental upgrade.
2. GoPro Max 2
A new leak has surfaced, purportedly showing an early prototype of the GoPro Max 2, the long-awaited successor to GoPro’s 2019 Max 360 camera.
Spotted on a Chinese marketplace and reported by Notebookcheck, this unit appears to be a test model (a missing screen confirms it isn’t a final retail version). However, GoPro’s signature Folding Fingers mount is visible, signalling an intent to offer the same mounting options as you’d find on recent Hero models.
The photo also reveals a microSD card slot, removable battery and sizable heatsinks, suggesting that GoPro may be fitting powerful internals capable of high-resolution image processing (and delivering higher thermal loads). Unfortunately, there’s no clue as to specs here.
We might not have to wait for long to find out more, though: GoPro’s earlier teaser video, featuring skydivers with the tagline “dropping”, alongside formal acknowledgments of production delays, indicate that the Max 2’s long-building hype is nearing an official lift-off.
GoPro will be stepping into a highly competitive space, going head-to-head with excellent offerings like the Insta360 X5 and DJI Osmo 360; it’ll need to bring some serious technical firepower to successfully duke it out with these formidable rivals.
3. Canon EOS R7 Mark II
The Canon EOS R7, launched in 2022, feels ripe for an update, and the rumor mill suggests we could still get one in 2025. Canon Rumors has posted several pieces on the EOS R7 Mark II, speculating that the camera will come later in the year packing a stacked 33MP sensor.
If true, it would be the first Canon APS-C camera to do so – thus far, we’ve only seen stacked sensors on Canon’s top-spec full-frame models like the EOS R1, EOS R5 Mark II and EOS R3.
Canon rumors also believes it may be the first Canon EOS R camera to have no mechanical shutter. The stacked setup should eliminate rolling shutter with video capture, as well as allow the camera to shoot stills continuously at speeds of up to 40fps – a significant improvement on the R7’s already-rapid 30fps figure.
The site also suggests the camera will offer 4K 120fps video at 10-bit quality with C Log-3 color, in-camera upscaling and 8.5 stops of in-body image stabilization. That puts it in high-end territory, really – almost to the point where it’s an APS-C version of the fantastic, pro-friendly Canon EOS R5 Mark II. We await more speculation eagerly.
4. Nikon Zr / Zv
Nikon is rumored to be developing a video-focussed mirrorless camera that could rival the Sony FX3 and incorporate cinema-grade technology from RED.
According to Nikon Rumors, the model, possibly called the Nikon Zr or Zv, will be a Z-mount camera designed without a pentaprism or electronic viewfinder, sporting a “brick-shaped” body reminiscent of the FX3, Nikon Z30 and RED’s Komodo. The camera is expected to feature the same 24.5MP full-frame sensor found in the Nikon Z6 III, along with an unusually large screen, potentially in the 4 to 5-inch range.
The development follows Nikon’s $85 million acquisition of RED Digital Cinema in April 2024. RED, founded in 2007, has since collaborated with Nikon on Z-mount versions of its Komodo and V-Raptor cameras – but the Zr could be the first entirely new product to emerge from the partnership. Nikon president Muneaki Tokunari has previously stated that the company aims to grow its market share by leveraging RED’s advanced video technologies.
While the specs remain speculative, Nikon Rumors suggests the camera could launch in late 2025, likely in the third or fourth quarter. If true, the Nikon Zr would mark Nikon’s boldest push into the professional cinema camera market yet.
5. DJI Osmo Nano
DJI generally keeps to a steady release schedule, unleashing product after product throughout the year. We’ve already seen the DJI Osmo 360, the company’s first 360 camera, arrive this year, and it seems likely to be joined by another small, lightweight camera: the DJI Osmo Nano.
A collection of grainy spy shots, posted on X by reliable DJI leaker @Quadro_News (below), appear to show an ultra-compact action camera capable of being magnetically clipped to a t-shirt for hands-free filming.
They also appear to reveal a modular screen add-on block which would allow users to review footage or frame their shots. The whole setup is remarkably similar to the Insta360 Go range – and, with the Osmo 360 launch, DJI has recent form when it comes to entering that company’s home turf.
👉The battle for the market is just beginning. Who will the user choose: @DJIGlobal cameras or @insta360 cameras?#djiosmonano #insta360 pic.twitter.com/V4ZsvbjJ92June 12, 2025
Originally tipped for a July release (which clearly didn’t happen), the Osmo Nano has already been mentioned in FCC filings, so it’s highly likely to be a genuine product. Quite when it’ll arrive, though, remains a mystery.
6. Hasselblad X2D 100C II
Legendary Swedish camera maker Hasselblad doesn’t release products too often (unless you count the co-branded ones it co-creates for the likes of Oppo, or its parent company DJI). When it does drop a new model, it’s a huge deal – and if recent rumors are to be believed, we might be getting one as soon as this month (August 2025).
There’s also talk of a LiDAR-based autofocus system, derived from DJI technology. That could be a game-changer, considering the original X2D 100C suffers from rather mediocre AF performance for a camera in its price range.
7. Nikon Z9 II / Z9H
Talk of a Nikon Z9 successor has been simmering since the flagship mirrorless camera launched in late 2021, packing a stacked 45.7MP sensor and pro-grade DSLR design.
Nikon later repurposed its internals into the smaller Nikon Z8, but Canon raised the flagship stakes with the EOS R1 in 2024. Now, online conjecture seems split between two theories: a “Z9H” built around a global shutter for elite sports and wildlife work, or a “Z9 II” with an electronic-only shutter powered by a new Expeed 8 processor, promising faster bursts, higher video frame rates and even sharper subject tracking.
Of the two, the Z9 II scenario feels more plausible to us. The EOS R1 lacks a global shutter (something Sony has managed in the much smaller Sony A9 III, mind you) making it unlikely Nikon would sink heavy R&D into such a niche feature in order to compete with its main rival.
Instead, incremental but meaningful performance gains across speed, autofocus and video could give Nikon a cleaner, more marketable upgrade path. Still, whether either model actually lands in 2025 remains uncertain.
The challenge for Nikon is that the Z9 already meets the demands of most pros, with its only obvious shortfall being burst speed: 20fps in raw stills, versus the EOS R1’s blistering 40fps. That raises a strategic question: does Nikon actually need a new high-end flagship now, or would a refined Z9 II risk being too incremental to justify its existence?
8. DJI Mini 5 Pro
Hints of a DJI Mini 5 Pro emerged in April via FCC filings and leaked images shared by drone news tipster Jasper Ellens. The grainy shots appeared to show an ultralight DJI drone undergoing public testing in China, sporting front-facing sensors above the camera that suggest LiDAR capability.
If true, it would be the first time LiDAR has appeared in the Mini series, and it should result in improved navigation and obstacle avoidance, on par with higher-end models like the DJI Mavic 4 Pro and DJI Air 3S.
The current DJI Mini 4 Pro, launched in 2023, remains a standout in the sub-250g category. That weight means it can avoid stricter drone regulations, but it also limits DJI’s scope when it comes to adding major upgrades. Even so, stronger motors and LiDAR seem within reach, potentially offering better wind resistance, faster top speeds and marginal gains in flight time.
New rumors go further, with leaked packaging images (again, posted by Ellens at DroneXL) suggesting the Mini 5 Pro will house a larger 1-inch camera sensor, replacing the Mini 4 Pro’s 1/1.3-inch version. Such an upgrade could mean sharper low-light performance and wider dynamic range. 4K at up to 120fps is also mentioned.
If accurate, the Mini 5 Pro could represent one of the most significant performance leaps the Mini series has seen. A Q3 or Q4 2025 launch seems likely, so keep your eyes peeled from mid-August onwards.
9. Insta360 Go 4
Leaked photos, originally shared by reliable source @Quadro_News (below), point to a major redesign for the next Insta360 Go action camera, ditching the Go 3S form factor in favor of a one-piece, rounded square body with a prominent lens in one corner.
This new look marks a real departure from the thumb-sized magnetic action cams we’ve seen in the range thus far.
👉So far, there’s not much information on the new camera Insta360. Only this… pic.twitter.com/fpinRohNSKJune 15, 2025
Crucially, the photos show no detachable Action Pod with flip-up screen. Rather than a clip-on module, the Go 4 appears to consist of a self‑contained unit that’s larger than its predecessors (albeit smaller than them when they’re mounted on an Action Pod).
If these shots are genuine, the Go 4 may be leaning toward 4K 60fps video or better, with a larger sensor and improved heat management thanks to its shape, although neither performance specs nor modular function have been confirmed yet.
It could also mean proper waterproofing for the entire camera – a major downside for previous generations of the Go. The shift could signal a bold new direction for Insta360’s smallest action cam series – one built for simplicity over modularity.
