Of all the mirrorless cameras introduced in 2026 so far, the GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS is arguably the most unusual. The camera is not much larger than GoPro’s usual action camera, but it mixes a one-inch sensor with a Micro Four Thirds sensor and 8K an entry-level price point. Now, the ILS has been named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026.
The TIME Best Inventions of 2026 is made up of 300 products, from bidets to folding coolers, based on originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact. The Mission 1 Pro ILS isn’t the only camera on the list – Nikon’s ZR also got a nod, while the unusual Instax Mini Evo Cinema also earned recognition.
Time wrote that while action cameras aren’t known for Hollywood-level footage, the ILS “shatters that silver ceiling.”
GoPro’s first mirrorless camera is both unlike any other GoPro before it – and unlike any other mirrorless camera. The ILS uses the same one-inch sensor as the new fixed-lens Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro, enabling videos up to 8K. But the ILS pairs that with a larger Micro Four Thirds lens mount.
The ILS, however, doesn’t have electronic contacts in the mount, making the mirrorless a manual-focus-only camera that doesn’t support focus-by-wire lenses. The ILS’s build, which is almost identical in shape and size to the fixed-lens camera, makes it the smallest 8K camera yet, but that also means the ILS needs an external support system when working with heavier lenses.
The swappable lenses also mean that, unlike a traditional GoPro, the ILS isn’t waterproof – though it can be splash-resistant with a sealed lens mounted on the front.
But as unusual as the ILS is, GoPro is going after a small niche of creators looking for high-quality 8K in a portable and affordable package. The camera retails for $699 / £599 / AU$1099 / CA$949.
In the Mission 1 Pro ILS review, I wrote that “There's really nothing like the GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS, at least not in the same price range. 8K60 and 8K30p open gate at this price point with swappable lenses is a rare beast.”
The Mission 1 Pro ILS does feel like more of a niche, highly specialized camera, as there are several limitations. But for as limiting as the manual focus and one-inch sensor are, the charm of the ILS lies in its small, affordable design that still reaches 8K.
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