The compact camera sits among the photography industry’s biggest trends – but a new report suggests that there’s actually a non-pro, compact category that may be outselling the viral point-and-shoot: the gimbal camera.
A new report from market research firm IDC hints that brands have sold nearly 2.8 million gimbal cameras in the second quarter of 2026 alone, a massive 87 percent increase over the same time last year.
Looking at data from the Camera and Imaging Products Association – which only tallies numbers from participating Japanese brands – the number of compact cameras sold in all of 2025 numbered 2.3 million.
That means that, globally, gimbal cameras sold more in three months than compact cameras from Japanese camera brands for all of last year.
Comparing the numbers that only come from Japanese brands and a global report is a bit like comparing apples to oranges. CIPA data includes the biggest camera makers from Japan, but in the compact camera category in particular, that’s going to exclude point-and-shoots like those from Kodak. Some Kodak-branded cameras have been particularly popular, like the viral Kodak Charmera, so excluding brands outside Japan may skew the numbers more than just a little bit.
Regardless, the numbers are staggering and suggest explosive growth for the gimbal camera category. The gimbal camera was first popularized by the DJI Pocket series, but the viral success of cameras like the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 – now on its fourth generation with the Pocket 4 and 4P – has led to an uptick in competition, such as the Insta360 Luna Ultra and the upcoming Hohem Eyepic.
The report predicts that gimbal cameras, together with action cameras and 360 cameras, could reach 41 million cameras sold annually by 2030 – and the gimbal camera is currently the largest of those three categories.
According to the report, gimbal cameras outnumbered the more standard action camera category in the second quarter as well, selling 2.8 million compared to 2.55 million action cameras. “Panoramic cameras” – better known as 360 cameras – grew four percent but numbered far fewer at 530,000 in that three-month period.
I immediately understood the draw of the gimbal category after first trying one out. Gimbal cameras are built for stabilized video without the complexity of pro rigs, but beyond that, they can track moving subjects and simplify cinematic camera moves. Video tends to be the medium with the most engagement on social media in recent years, likely adding even more to the appeal of a capable but uncomplicated video camera.
Another relatively new camera format is also rising in popularity, according to the report. IDC says that “thumb cameras,” tiny action cameras that detach from a larger base, have grown 300 percent compared to the same time frame last year. The category includes tiny wearable cameras like the Insta360 Go 3S and the DJI Osmo Nano.
The report also offers an unusual look at what brands are dominating those three camera categories. DJI remains the dominant player, responsible for 73 percent of the cameras in those categories shipped in the second quarter. While DJI has led the segment for some time, IDC says that’s a record high and an 11 percent jump from the same time last year.
While DJI is responsible for nearly three out of every four cameras in those categories, Insta360 follows with around one in five. Perhaps even more interesting is that other brands, including GoPro, account for only around ten percent.
That data highlights GoPro’s recent financial struggles as the action camera maker finalizes plans to merge with another company to pay off its debts. IDC suggests that GoPro’s second-quarter camera sales declined 49 percent compared to the same time last year.
But several recent changes will make it interesting to see where future reports put the camera known for creating the action camera category in the first place. First, GoPro has now launched a new larger sensor series, the GoPro Mission 1. The camera is arguably less unusual than the introduction of DJI’s Pocket series, but brings a long-awaited larger sensor as well as a more niche mirrorless camera.
The other factor that will be interesting to watch play out is shipments to the US. DJI’s newly announced products – including the Pocket 4 and Osmo 360 II – can’t get the necessary FCC approval to be officially sold in the US. The IDC data suggests that 65 percent of GoPro’s sales are already focused on the Americas.
The report predicts that the “handheld smart camera” category that includes everything from gimbal cameras and action cameras to thumb cameras and 360 cameras will grow to 41 million by 2030, a one million camera increase over IDC’s prediction from earlier this year.
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