We know excellent and exhaustive best-of lists for photo gear of 2024 and what’s coming in 2025 have already been done. Instead, this is a best-of list for everyone who has already read the other best of lists, a list of the coolest tech from every category that could contribute to your studio practice, field shoots, exhibitions and proposals.
Intended to support your work and spark ideas for your own exploration, this list may give you the best thing you didn’t even know you needed.
The author and Format team have no affiliation with any of these brands, and receive no compensation from them.
Drones & Action
Medlin Dones Head Tracking FPV Gimbals for Multirotors
This clever tech, designed by a drone operator, adds a tilt function to a camera mounted on a drone. The tilt control is connected to a head tracking the operator wears. This allows the operator to have the drone hover stationary, and look up and down, something that is not otherwise possible. This creates amazing videos that can look like they required a crane to film. The system is open source, so you can purchase it on a pre-configured drone or add it to your own.
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro
Numerous reviewers have recommended the DJI Osmo action camera, supplanting the GoPros. It has long battery life (up to 4 hours), and offers 4K at 120 fps at 4:3 ratio or 4K 30 fps at 16:9. The noise reduction is well reviewed, doing a good job in low light conditions. It has a serviceable mic, but also offers the ability to add one of their external mics for high quality audio for an action cam. Combining it with a drone with head tracking will get you some amazing shots. It also offers 47GB of built in storage, in case you find yourself in the field without a spare memory card. The basic camera is good to shoot down to 20m underwater with a built-in depth sensor. It can go deeper with a waterproof case –one of a number of add-ons and kits available, depending on your needs.
Portable Screen & Projector
LG StandbyME TV
An odd device, that might be really useful in the right display, studio, or on-site situation. It is essentially a 27” 1080p smart TV with a 3 hour battery and a cool very adjustable rolling stand. It only offers one HDMI port, but then it isn’t meant for having a lot of devices plugged into it.
LG Smart Monitor FHD 60Hz IPS Monitor
Additionally, the desktop version, the LG Smart Monitor FHD 60Hz IPS Monitor comes in 32”–again, it doubles as a SmartTV running webOS. While there are plenty of high-end monitors for photo editing, if you’re a freelancer who needs to edit images and video, and/or work with a double screen, or your practice demands media playing in the background, this is a versatile monitor that will meet those needs.
Displace Pro TV
If you want to get a little fancier, the Displace Pro 27” or 55” TVs attached to the wall via suction cup,and runs off an internal battery. If you work in video installation, this could make a perfect screen for a vitrine setting, it may be hard to justify the price ($4,000 & $6,000), but one has to admire the entrepreneurial dedication. If you have the need, and the funds, and would rather not give it to charity, It’s supposed to launch this year.
(They have yet to release good photos of the TV, even though there are vídeos of it from 2025 CES if you care to look. )
Aurzen ZIP Tri-Fold Mini- Projector
This recently announced 720p miniature projector might be just the thing for a client demo, on site proposal and mock up, smaller scale work, a great option for travel or as an emergency backup. The Aurzen ZIP projects a screen size of 20” to 80”. Its internal battery should provide 1.5 hours of run time. It doesn’t need a stand, but it does offer an optional one for increased useability. It can do horizontal or vertical projection, and it’s just pretty cute. Currently it’s pre-selling on Kickstarter. Aurzen has a number of products, so they probably won’t disappear, though it might be best to wait until it’s really out and reviewed before buying it.
JMGO N3 Max Ultra Laser Projector
JMGo makes one of the nicest affordable 4K laser projectors available. They have announced the N3 Ultra Max, which should come out in the fall of 2025. It offers a bright 4000+ lumens, 4K laser DLP projection, optical zoom, a host of smart features, a decent internal speaker, HDR, Dolby & DTS, and a motorized gimbal stand, with automatic alignment, focus and keystone. It looked good in the videos from CES. Though the price isn’t announced yet, I’d guess it is going to come in slightly higher than its older models, at $2,800 to $3,200. This might be a reasonably affordable projector for outdoor installations, festivals (think Nuit Blanche), or projects which involve moving the projector around– provided you have access to an external power source. It’s not yet listed on their website.
Yoshino Portable Power Station
Yoshino has come out with a line of portable power stations that use solid state lithium batteries. This makes them lighter and smaller than the competitors, while increasing their fire safety and cold weather performance. The stations offer multiple types of power connections, and an app to manage and monitor the device. Their current prices and sizes range from $300 for 241 Watt Hours, to $2,300 for 2611 Watt Hours. This can be a great, reliable alternative to a noisy and cumbersome generator, as long as you know roughly how much power you will need on the go.
From Analog to Digital
Epson FastFoto FF-680W Photo Scanner
The industrial design of this scanner is a boring man’s generic tech lump, but it’s well-reviewed, and offers an automatic feeder designed to handle prints, scanning both sides of 2-sided media. The resolution is adjustable from 150 to 600 dpi. It can do documents as well, using OCR to scan them into searchable PDFs or Word files. . It’s good, but really serious archivists or artists who use found materials might want something designed to do 1200 dpi for important media or items they intend to print large.
Phones
A lot of artists use their phone for photography, either professionally–as a camera, or light test, continuity for filmmaking, or just to snap a demo shot of a piece for a client, or to capture a moment for painting or sculpture reference. Samsung and Apple are good if you’re looking for a top tier camera on a top tier product. However, there are two notable phones if your requirements are a little different.
OnePlus 13
OnePlus has distinguished itself by offering near flagship features at a more reasonable price. The OnePlus 13 offers a very nice screen, a very fast processor, a good price for the amount of RAM and storage you get, 6 years of support, and a nice 50mp camera system with optical stabilization on the main and 3x zoom lens. However, Samsung and Apple offer better photo processing and low light handling on their flagship devices.
One unique feature the phone offers is an incredible battery life, 6000mAh, with ultra-fast 100W charging (an 80W charger included in the box). This is a phone that can go for 24 hours of steady use. The other unique feature is the robust IP69 and IP68 dust and water resistance. Videos show it surviving in the dishwasher. It would probably survive the washing machine, but the tumbling action might do it in. I live in fear of leaving my phone in my pocket and accidentally washing it, unknowingly jamming out on my Bluetooth headphones until the music stops…
Vivo X200 Pro / Oppo Find X8 Pro
The Vivo x200 Pro is hard to get, but has won multiple awards. In particular, reviewers have raved about its camera system and large battery. If it’s important that your phone take amazing photos, then the Vivo X200 Pro (or Oppo Fine X8 Pro – same parent company, equivalent but different camera layout), is worth considering.
The main and wide cameras are 50 MP. The main camera has optical image stabilization. The 3x optical zoom has optical image stabilization, as well, but offer a whopping 200 MP. It also comes with a huge 6000 mHh battery, with 90W charging, and the IP69 rating.
Studio & Lighting
Edelkrone Tripod X
The tripod X is a fully automated, self-leveling tripod. If perfect level is an important component of your filming or photography, and you spend a lot of setup time on it, this might be an expensive but valuable solution. The Tripos X retails for $2700, so you have to be serious, but it sure is a great device. It is designed for heavy camera loads, levels on steps and uneven surfaces, can be programmed for specific camera motions, and has fine motorized adjustments.
Feit Foldable 4ft Panel Light
This light (bulb) is affordable and simple, with a lot of reach. It’s 5000 lumens, 5000 colour temperature, unfolds to 4ft long, can be used with the arms at different angles, and screws into a standard light socket (ideally one on a tripod). The CRI isn’t amazing (80%), but that’s not surprising for the sheer amount of bulb you get for the price. It’s a nice option for studio fill lights, being large and relatively gentle.
Ulanzi VL119 RGB Tube Light Handheld LED Video Light Wand 2907
The Ulanzi is not the most amazing portable studio light wand, but it is really light and really affordable. This makes it a great option, especially if you are traveling with it. It runs for about an hour off its internal battery, and offers high 95% CRI, tuning for colour temperature, and multiple RGB colours.
Colour Changing Bulbs & White Balance
Many artists work in a space that is also used for other activities. Or sometimes it would be convenient if the lighting matched the outdoor light temperature or the light temperature of the main filming lights. In these cases, colour changing bulbs that offer adjustable white balances can be really nice.
LIFX A21 Smart Light
I’m a fan of the LIFX A21 Smart Light. It offers the highest lumens (1600) and the best colour rendering (90% CRI) of any of the colour changing bulbs I’ve seen. It will do a huge range of whites (1500K – 9000K), and other colours, which can be useful or fun in the right circumstances. The app is pretty good, offering exact white balance, rainbow colours, schemes and automations. Unfortunately, the Windows software was discontinued. It connects directly to WIFI, and supports Matter.
Philips Hue
The Philips Hue is the standard go to smart bulb. And they offer a number of bulbs in different shapes that adjust from bright to warm white. They also offer a full range of colour changing bulbs. However, they require a control box, which is nice for a large installation with a ton of bulbs, but can be an extra expense for a smaller installation. The colour rendering index is also only 80%.
Depending on your project and its location, there are also strip lighting and portable options for Hue.
Smart Light Switches
In a studio that has complex lighting, awkward light switches, or where automating or programmed lighting patterns might be useful, a cheaper alternative to smart bulbs might be to replace the light switches with smart switches. Both TP-Link & Leviton offer good products in this area. Both offer strong features in the app, including schedules and linking groups of light switches in different combinations. The Leviton app is easy to use, but a little slow on the initial log in.
TP-Link
Leviton
Dreame X40 Ultra Robot Vacuum Mop
Lastly, if you have not considered a robot vacuum mop, or seen how good they are now, you should really take a look. Personally, it’s my favourite new tech in the last five years.
Consider your practice and medium; do you use loose pigments? Glitter? Clay? Are you a photographer for whom dust is the enemy? Or are you a very messy photographer who snacks while doing post production? This robot could change your space and keep your focus on your work, and has some work-safety benefits when particulates are a concern–while fumes are handled by air purifiers, anything weightier will land on the floor. A good vacuum is an investment in your health.
Use this robot mop to regularly clean a shared studio space, or a studio space in your house that gets a lot of use. For the busy artist who loves a clean home, keep it for personal use. Set it to clean after hours, switch out the water once a day, refill the soap once a month, and replace the vacuum bag once a quarter. Clean fresh vacuumed and mopped floors every day. You’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.
The Dreame X40 has all the bells and whistles, and retails in the $1000 USD range, but you can get nice models starting at $450 USD. I highly recommend models that offer a docking station that automatically adds the soap and water, cleans and dries the mop pads, empties the vacuum and pulls out the dirty water. The X40 offers all that, as well as whole house scanning, obstacle avoidance, muti-floor mapping, app control, advance scheduling, variable vacuum power and moping wetness, no go zones, quiet mode, auto-carpet detect, safety and fall avoidance, dirt detection, a self-cleaning docking station washboard, and many other features. It can extend its side brush and mop pads to reach corners, and drop the mop pads for when it is vacuuming carpets, so it doesn’t get the carpet wet.
I hope one or more of these innovations in tech improves your art or makes your life easier. Hopefully both.
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