Camera rumors in 2024: what cameras are coming, officially and otherwise!

With everything announced for 2024, the camera rumors are the biggest signposts as to what is coming in 2025 – and it looks like some huge launches are on the way.

Month by month I've watched as successive camera rumors turned into actual products on store shelves – from flagships like the Canon EOS R1 and Sony A1 II to compacts like the Leica Q3 43 and even instant cameras like the Instax Wide 400.

While we still need to be careful about taking everything at face value, it feels like there is more fire to the smoke than ever before.

So, while I'll mix my metaphors and advise that you still take things with a healthy dose of salt, today's camera rumors are more accurate than ever. And here's the latest gossip from around the imaging industry…

Canon rumors 2024

Canon is always the subject of more camera rumors than any other manufacturer, in large part because it has been the most prolific photographic patenter for 38 consecutive years. And these patents are often the first clues we get as to what is coming in the next wave of cameras.

While the first half of the year was uncharacteristically quiet for bodies, we've now had the Canon EOS C80 and EOS C400 (the first-ever cameras with triple-base ISO), along with the EOS R1 and R5 Mark II (the first-ever bodies with in-camera neural net upscaling and denoising).

So, with a new flagship, two new cinema cameras and the most important product in its lineup both safely launched, what else can we expect from Canon?

Canon EOS R7 Mark II

More stacked sensor smoke was added to the fire recently, when reports surfaced that the Canon EOS R7 Mark II will indeed feature an image sensor with a stacked design.

However, what's new is that this signifies a "significant" shake-up for Canon's APS-C bodies – with the R7 Mark II leading the way by "going upmarket", as only Canon's very top tier cameras (the EOS R1, EOS R3 and EOS R5 Mark II) currently have stacked sensors.

I've been hearing about the R7 Mark II having a stacked sensor for quite a long time, and it certainly made sense following the rumors that Canon would put stacked sensors in at least three cameras. Since that rumor we've had the R1 and R5 Mark II, so this would mark the third.

Could the R7 Mark II even be the launchpad for Canon's triple-layer stacked sensor? I always thought that the flagship R1 would be the camera to get that, but if Canon is serious about the R7 "going upmarket" then it would make perfect sense to debut the tech in its new APS-C flagship.

Canon EOS R6 Mark III

While I still don't think that the R6 Mark II needs replacing, I've changed my tune on the Mark III rumors – because now it isn't just wishful thinking, there actually seem to be breadcrumbs to follow.

Not only that, but my biggest reservation about replacing the Mark II was that it just seemed too short a life cycle (my opinion originally being that the OG R6 was replaced so fast due to misjudged specs when it launched). However, I had the chance to chat to a senior exec who explained Canon's camera life cycle philosophy, and it feels that a two-year lifespan for the R6 may be the norm.

Anyway, I'm hearing that protoypes of the Canon EOS R6 Mark III are in the wild and being tested by trusted ambassadors and pros. Little in the way of concrete specs are out, but it's believed to have a 24MP stacked sensor very similar to that of the R3, with the 5.69 million-dot viewfinder similar to that of the R5, with 4K 120p / FullHD 240p video (with audio) and improved stabilization and autofocus. It is also said to inherit the dual CFexpress B / SD card setup of the R5 series.

Crucially, however, it will not possess any of the in-camera AI upscaling or denoising of the EOS R1 or EOS R5 Mark II – nor the new Digic Accelerator-powered autofocus systems (such as Dual Pixel Intelligent AF or Action Priority mode). That said, recent chatter suggests that it will have a mysterious new button or dial on the top – the last time I heard about something like this, it was the Film Simulation dial on the Fujifilm X-T50… though I wouldn't count on Canon doing the same!

Despite initial rumblings that it would appear in Q4 2024, it's now being whispered that we're actually looking at a Q1 2025 slot as Canon appears to be struggling with the longstanding component crisis (which is presently delaying shipments of the R5 Mark II by up to six months in Japan).

Canon gimbal camera

Going back about three and a half years, Canon designed a gimbal camera featuring an interchangeable lens mount (which was widely believed to be EF-M, but on closer inspection I think it might have been RF or RF-S).

Fast-forward to today and Canon has resurrected its plans, and designed a camera that is strikingly similar to the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 – but now featuring a fixed zoom lens instead of an interchangeable one.

This looks to be a small sensor system, and it's probably a fair guess that we're looking at the kind of 1-inch sensor featured in the Canon PowerShot V10 and G7X Mark III. If Canon can actually get the product to market this time, it could be hugely popular.

Canon RE-1

Fujifilm and Olympus have been doing it for a decade. Nikon has done it with the Nikon Zf and Z fc. And Canon could be the next manufacturer to produce a vintage-styled mirrorless camera – possibly a modern version of the iconic Canon AE-1.

I recently asked one of Canon Inc's top execs about the market's growing appetite for retro and film-style cameras. "There’s a certain amount of people who really love film and cameras with a more vintage look. Therefore there is a possiblilty that we will address those needs from the industry".

And when he was pressed further on which Canon film camera he would most like to see resurrected in digital form: "My favorite is the AE-1 – for myself, that would be my choice. But whether as a company, as the Canon brand, we would revive that in digital format or not is a different topic. So I cannot make any clear comments on that, unfortunately, but my personal preference is the AE-1."

If you need any more indication that the company is looking at retro cameras, Canon conducted a market survey asking which of its film cameras customers would like to see made digital. Some posited options were the Canon P, Canon F-1, Canonet QL17… and the Canon AE-1.

Canon 3D VR Camera

I had a chance to talk to Canon about its prototype 360° / 180° 3D VR Camera. It's clear Canon is really doubling down on virtual reality, having introduced the Canon RF 5.2mm f/2.8L Dual Fisheye lens a couple of years ago and with a pair of APS-C 3D / VR stereoscopic lenses on the way as well.

This new camera, which physically looks like a mashup of the Dual FIsheye and the Canon PowerShot V10, combines all the tech in one: 360° / 180° 3D VR 8K capture, along with VR live streaming.

While this wasn't something Canon said to me, I've heard that the camera has a target price of under $1,000 (about £820 / AU$1,590). This is definitely something to keep an eye (or even a Dual Fisheye) on…

Canon Powershot V1, 10 Mark II, V100

Rumors of a Canon vlogging camera swirled for years until the Canon PowerShot V10 finally dropped. And with vlogging cameras being the hottest thing in the industry right now, it looks like Canon is following Sony's lead and producing a whole range of dedicated vlogging devices.

Canon PowerShot V1
An APS-C sensor will be the primary way that this flagship model differentiates itself from the mid-range V10 with its 1-inch sensor – though it is possible that the V1 will feature some flavor of Dual Pixel AF II. It has also been suggested to us that weather sealing (with new microphones, to accommodate the disrupted audio caused by water build-up) is on the agenda.

Canon PowerShot V10 Mark II
Improved autofocus, FullHD video up to 120p, along with a better solution to windshields and other accessories (compared to the slightly haphazard region-by-region products available for the current V10) are said to be coming to the Mark II.

Canon PowerShot V100
Following the naming convention of the mirrorless EOS R line, the V100 (like the Canon EOS R100) will be the entry-level model of the PowerShot vlogging family.

Canon Posture Fit

Back in 2021 Canon introduced us to Posture Fit: a concept camera that looks like a Pixar character and sits on your desk, where it keeps an eye on how you're sitting using a wide-angle lens and skeletal mapping. When it spots you starting to slouch, it flashes and wobbles and beeps on your desk to tell you to straighten up – and it'll even remind you to get up and move around, if you've been sitting too long.

After falling off the radar ever since, recently a patent was filed in Japan describing a Posture Fit that could monitor multiple subjects in its field of view – not just the person sat at the desk in front of it. Again, it's not a photographic camera (so it can't be used for spying or surveillance) but it's a very clever lifestyle device that anyone who sits in front of a computer will surely benefit from.

Canon EOS R3 Mark II

The R3 sits in a strange position in Canon's lineup, now that the R1 is here. Once the placeholder product until an official flagship was announced, some feel that it's a lame duck given that the actual flagship outclasses it in every way.

However, many of the innovations of the R3 made their way into the R1 (and indeed the R5 Mark II). Does the R3, then, become the technology launchpad of the EOS R family? The camera that debuts the latest tech, before it is further refined for the tentpole products?

I can certainly see sense in that. The Canon EOS R3 Mark II could, for example, be where the company debuts its first global shutter sensor – testing the waters with the sensor tech (which, it should be remembered, does come with a number of compromises) before doubling down on it in the R1 Mark II.

At the same time, though, it could equally be that there is no further need for the R3. With the camera approaching its third birthday, the next few months are going to be very interesting…

Canon wearable neck camera

Wearable cameras are big business, and Canon has designed an intriguing one that's worn around the neck. Ostensibly for use in the manufacturing and maintenance industries, this adjustable camera features a laser indicator to show where the point of focus is and ensure that the right area is in frame – meaning that there are a wealth of consumer possibilities for the device as well.

This is one we're really intrigued by. As we've seen from the likes of the Canon PowerShot Zoom, Canon PowerShot Pick and Canon PowerShot V10, the manufacturer is increasingly bringing these intriguing concept cameras to market – and we really hope this new wearable follows suit.

Canon drone

In March 2022 Canon submitted an application for a patent for a product that is a drive device, an electronic device and an image pickup device with a mobile body.

From the illustrative diagrams included in the application, it looks like the design of the camera unit could be very similar to that of the Canon Powershot Pick – an AI-powered camera capable of recording both video and stills. It automatically detects movement, can track a subject and can be controlled using voice commands.

The Powershot Pick features an 11.7MP camera, has advanced face recognition, connects to a purpose-made app and is compact, lightweight and portable – all of which are features that would be desirable on a drone camera.

The Canon verdict

What we think: After six months of near-silence, Canon has now launched its two most important stills cameras and a pair of crucial cinema cameras. It seems a smart bet that the R6 Mark III could appear at the start of 2025 – and maybe even this "upmarket" new R7 Mark II.

More camera rumors: Nikon rumors • Sony rumors • Olympus rumors • Fuji rumors • Panasonic rumors • Sigma rumors • Hasselblad rumors • Leica rumors • Ricoh & Pentax rumors • GoPro rumors