If you have ever looked at the X100VI said to yourself, "Man, I wish Fujifilm would just make an interchangeable lens version of this camera," consider your request answered. Four years after the release of the X-E4, the company has announced the X-E5, a compact, $1,699.95 camera that should appeal to the same crowd that loves X100VI.

Inside, the X-E5 has Fujifilm's latest X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor. That's the same sensor you'll find on the X100VI, X-T5 and X-T50. It's capable of capturing 40.2-megapixel stills, and video at up to 6.2K and 30 frames per second. Thanks to improvements Fujifilm has made to the sensor's pixel structure, the X-E5 offers a native 125 ISO, and there's AI-based autofocus to make it easier to capture moving subjects such as animals, birds, insects, motorcycles, planes and more.

Also new to the X-E5 is the inclusion of in-body image stabilization (IBIS). It offers up to seven stops of stabilization near the center of the frame and six stops toward the periphery.

Fujifilm has also once again tweaked the exterior of the camera. If the X-E4 was a bit too minimalistic for your taste, the good news is the X-E5 has a front grip where Fujifilm did away with that on the X-E4. The camera's top plate is machined from a single piece of aluminum, an addition that should make the X-E5 feel more premium than its predecessor. On the top, you'll find all the usual dials, including one for shutter speed and another for exposure compensation. 

Fujifilm

There's also an entirely new dial dedicated to Fujifilm's film simulations. In addition to the usual presets like Classic Chrome and Velvia, you can save up to three of your own recipes for easy access. As before, the external LCD can flip up 180-degrees to make it easier to capture selfies and vlog.

Fujifilm has also redesigned the X-E5's viewfinder. It offers two new modes. First, there's a "Classic" mode, which simplifies the interface so it's more like what you would find on an old film camera. All your exposure settings are displayed along the bottom of the screen in a deep red color, with the light meter present on the side. Alternatively, the other new mode, "Surround View," displays a black, semi-transparent or outlined area outside of the aspect ratio you've set. In practice, that should make it easier to frame your shots.

Alongside the X-E5, Fujifilm announced a new pancake lens, the XF23mm f/2.8 R WR. It's a full stop slower than the fixed, 35mm equivalent you'll find on the X100VI, but it's about the same size and should be a lot faster to focus thanks to inclusion of a direct current motor.

Fujifilm will offer the X-E5 in black and silver. The camera will be available starting in August. At $1,699.95 for just the camera body, the X-E5 is twice as expensive as its predecessor. In fact, it's more expensive than the $1,599 X100VI, which features a leaf shutter and hybrid optical viewfinder. Personally, I'm sad about that since the X-E4 was my recommendation for a great starter camera. Now I'll need to tell people to look elsewhere. 

If you have an old iPad and you’re interested in externalizing some of the thousands of photos in your iCloud account, this guide’s for you. Instead of buying a new digital picture frame, you can turn your retired iPad into a dedicated photo display without much effort. You’ll need to change a few settings, download a photo frame app and decide how you want to prop up your new display — which can be as simple as using a stand or as complicated as getting out the drill and modding an analog frame. Here’s how (and why) to upcycle your old iPad into a digital picture frame.

Upcycled iPad versus a digital picture frame

An actual digital picture frame has a few obvious advantages: the necessary software is already there, it’s display-ready, complete with a frame and matted display, and, as a unitasker, it won’t display Gmail notifications over your photos. But the resolution for most smart frames tops out at 1,280 by 800 pixels. Even the standard iPad (9th gen) from 2021 has a resolution of 2,160 by 1,620. Plus, your old iPad is already yours. A decent digital frame will cost you around $100. And, since your iPad is certainly not a single-purpose device — it can take a FaceTime call or play an episode of Poker Face if the need arises.

Amy Skorheim for Engadget

How to turn your old iPad into a digital picture frame

I figured I’d be able to use Apple’s built-in software to do something as simple as creating a looping slideshow of images, but the experience wasn't quite what I was looking for. Playing a slideshow within the Photos app does so as a Memory, complete with music, and there’s no way to turn that music off (though you can mute it). You can loop a Memory, but you can't randomize the images and the interval between images is far too short (anything less than ten minutes feels like yet another screen blinking at you). So, to turn an iPad into a randomized, always-on and silent digital picture frame with a decent display length, you'll have better luck with a third-party app.

I tried a few and my favorite is Synched Photo Frame by Re-frame ($10, lifetime access). It doesn’t pack a ton of features — no transitions, no image effects, no time and date overlay options and it’ll only access images from your Photos app — but it does the best job of making photos look good on an iPad.

It lets you set the viewing interval from 10 seconds to 24 hours and there’s a programmable sleep function so it doesn’t beam smiling pictures into the 3AM void of your living room. If your iPad is oriented differently than a photo, it shows two side-by-side images (i.e., two portrait images next to each other if your iPad is in landscape or two stacked horizontal pics if your tablet is vertical). A clean white border surrounds each split image; full-screen images go edge to edge. Images are cropped slightly to fit, which means they may lose a few details around the borders, but I think the effect is more attractive than blurred extended edges or black bars. The two-up solution is how our top pick for a digital photo frame, the Aura Carver, handles images with different aspect ratios — but you can’t set that device in portrait mode.

LiveFrame is another option and it’s actually cheaper at $5 for lifetime access. It has more features like transitions and image filters, but there’s no option for having two images up at the same time like in Re-Frame. Instead it can blur the edges, add bars or (hideously) stretch the image. I also experienced a number of glitches with the app and found the navigation a little tougher than it should be. I also tried Digital Photo Frame Slideshow but, at $30 annually, it’s too expensive for my taste and it doesn’t have a sleep function.

How to prepare your iPad for photo frame mode

Step one: Create an album

Most photo display apps will pull from albums you select in Photos. You probably already know how to make a new album, but there are a couple of elements to consider as you create one for a digital photo frame app on an iPad. All instructions are for iPadOS 18. If you’re working with an older version, the steps may be slightly different.

Amy Skorheim for Engadget

1. Open Photos and tap the side bar icon in the upper left corner.

2. Under Albums, tap + New Album at the bottom of that list.

3. Name the album something memorable, as you’ll likely have to search for it within the photo frame app. Tap Create Album, then the blue plus sign.

4. If you want to only (or mostly) add a specific orientation (landscape or portrait), tap the up/down arrow icon at the bottom left of the pop up menu.

5. Tap View Options, then Aspect Ratio Grid. This will show the shape of each image so you can more easily select only the ones with the orientation you want. You can also use the View Options menu to zoom in on the thumbnails to get a better view of each picture.

6. Select the images you want and tap Add in the upper right.

Step two: Adjust your iPad settings

Adjusting a couple of settings will ensure your iPad keeps playing all day, interruption-free. Simply having the digital photo frame app playing should be enough to prevent your iPad from going dark, but your iPad may auto-lock when the app’s sleep mode kicks in, requiring you to unlock it in the morning to start the app back up. You’ll also want to make sure your slideshow isn’t interrupted with notifications from other apps.

1. Turn off Auto-Lock: Open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, tap Auto-Lock, select Never. You may get a warning that this setting will impact battery life, but since your iPad will stay plugged in, it won’t be an issue.

2. Turn off all Notifications: You’ll need to turn off notifications for every app on your iPad. Go to Settings> Notifications > Notification style, toggle off Allow Notifications for every app. Note: Using the Do Not Disturb Focus will enable DND on all your connected Apple devices, unless you toggle off Share Across Devices in Settings > Focus. But turning off notifications is still the better option.

Step three: Don’t let randos get at your stuff

Since you’ll probably want to display your new picture frame somewhere that people can see, there’s a risk of someone attempting to use your iPad. To prevent this, you can use an Accessibility feature called Guided Access. Apple designed it so parents could hand an iPad to their child without also giving them access to additional apps. We’re repurposing it for photo frame security to prevent anyone from navigating to your home screen or anywhere else. People can still tap on the screen to use the photo frame app’s controls or you can disable touch altogether.

Amy Skorheim for Engadget

1. Enable Guided Access: Open Settings, tap Accessibility then Guided Access. Set an unlock code, then set Display Auto-Lock to Never.

2. Turn on Guided Access: While the picture frame app is playing your slideshow, triple click the side button. A grey circle will appear, tap X to close it.

3. Enable or disable touch: If you still want to allow others to use functions within the photo frame app, toggle the Touch option on. If you want no response when the screen is touched, toggle it off. To access the Options menu, triple click the side button and enter your passcode. Tap Options in the lower left corner.

4. Note: Guided Access is turned on and off via the side button, so this option might not be feasible if you decide to put your iPad in a frame. One rather extreme workaround is to reset your iPad and set it up with a brand new Apple ID connected to family sharing that allows access to a shared Photos Library.

Amy Skorheim for Engadget

Put your new digital photo frame on display

This can be as simple as finding a stand you like and calling it a day. An Etsy seller called Event Frame makes custom frames for iPads. They aren’t cheap, going for around $100 each, but it’s one of the only companies I’ve found that actually offers model- and generation-specific sizing. I also considered the Snap Float Folio from Moft, as I’ve been impressed with some of the brand’s other origami-inspired accessories. If you’re crafty, you can take inspiration from this person’s Instructables and make your own frame from a physical media picture frame. Personally, I just got a right-angled USB-C cable and stuck my iPad in a collapsible stand I already had. The pictures are pretty enough.

Amy Skorheim for Engadget

Fujifilm has already released one unusual camera this year in the GFX100 RF medium format compact, but its latest model may be the most offbeat yet. The $850 X Half is an 18-megapixel digital compact camera, but it uses half of a 1-inch sensor to shoot 3:4 vertical photos. To drive home the retro vibe, it has a rear screen dedicated to displaying the camera's 13 film simulation modes and can only shoot JPEG and not RAW images.

The name comes from "half-frame" cameras popular in the '60s, like the famous Olympus Pen F, that use a 35mm film frame sawed in half (18mm x 24mm in size). The backside-illuminated sensor on Fujifilm's X Half is, well, half that size in both dimensions (8.8mm x 13.3mm) or a quarter the area. It's also the smallest sensor on any recent Fujifilm digital camera, as the X-series uses the APS-C format and GFX models medium format. In fact, the X Half has the same 3:4 vertical ratio as Fuji's Instax Mini instant cameras — so you can make prints using an Instax Mini printer via the new dedicated X Half smartphone app. 

Fujifilm

The X Half naturally uses Fujifilm's film simulation and grain effect modes. Among the new ones are "light leak" for a blown-out quality that happens when film get exposed to light inadvertently, "expired film" and "halation," an effect caused by light bouncing off film emulsion layers. To really get you into that analog film mood, you can switch to the new Film Camera Mode that limits your view to the optical viewfinder, makes you pull a frame advance lever for each new shot and only lets you see the photos once they're "developed" through the X Half app. It even produces a "contact sheet" layout for 36, 54 or 72 images. 

Another feature is 2-in-1 images that let you combine two still images or movies into one composition in-camera for extra artistic possibilities (using the film advance lever again). That also means the X Half can shoot video as well as photos, with a vertical or square size (up to 2,160 x 2,160) that looks ideal for social media — especially with film simulations applied. Also exuding nostalgic vibes is the "Date Stamp" function that lets you imprint dates in the bottom right of images, just like on old-school Kodak-style film cameras. 

On top of the main rear 2.4-inch LCD 3:4 monitor, the X Half has an optical rather than an electronic viewfinder, adding another analog touch (and the accompanying parallax distortion errors). The camera itself is small enough to slide into a pocket and weighs just 210 grams (7.4 ounces). Other features include a built-in flash, massive 880 frame battery life and SD UHS-I card slot.

The X Half looks like it could be coveted by social media users or anyone looking for a fun party or vacation camera. However, it's expensive considering that you can just get an Instax (or regular film camera and a lot of film) for a lot less. Fujifilm has definitely captured the photography zeitgeist before with models like the X100 VI, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes a hit. The X Half is now on preorder for $850 (in black, charcoal silver and silver) with shipping set to start on June 12. 

Even with the ability to take excellent photos with our phones and instantly share them across the world, there’s something magical about the old-school instant camera. With just a click of a button, you can capture a moment in a photo that you can see and touch almost immediately. Images captured by an instant camera aren’t as pristine or perfect as those produced by modern digital cameras, but their soft images and imperfections are often a big part of the allure.

Yet not all instant cameras are the same, and some of them are better suited for different needs and budgets. That’s why we tested some of the most popular instant cameras on the market from brands like Fujifilm, Polaroid, Leica, Canon, and Kodak.

All of the models featured in our instant camera buying guide are enjoyable to use, but each offers a different set of features at a different price point. As a result, some are more appropriate for a child or budding photographer, while others are more advanced and provide added creative control (for a price). When it comes down to it, though, we consider print quality, ease of use, and affordability to be the hallmarks of a quality shooter. That’s why we picked Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12 as the best instant camera for most people, as it ticks all three boxes wonderfully.

If you’re looking for more creative control or features like filters, however, the Instax Mini Evo is our choice, one that boasts great image quality and allows you to choose which photos you’d like to print. Other instant cameras, like the second-gen Polaroid Now Plus and Kodak’s Mini Retro 3, also offer a variety of advanced creative modes for those who desire more.

Take a look at this list of our instant camera recommendations to find the best fit for you.

The best instant camera for most people

Film type: Fujifilm Instax Mini film (sold separately) / Film size: 2 x 3-inches / Weight: 306 grams / Charging method: AA batteries / Companion app: None / Other features: Built-in selfie mirror, film counter

If all you’re looking to do is just click a button and get a decent print for a reasonable price, we recommend Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12. It’s a basic instant camera that’s similar to our former pick, the Instax Mini 11, but with some minor updates. It still takes less than five minutes to start shooting, but the setup process is easier since all you need to do is twist the lens to either “on” or “off.” Such ease of use, combined with the camera’s thinner build, makes it particularly well suited for those new to photography and kids.

For an instant camera, image quality is also better than most of the other cameras I tested, producing relatively true-to-life photos. Most of the cameras I tested struggled to capture low-light conditions well, and this one is no exception, but the built-in flash does help. Fujifilm claims the Mini 12 optimizes image quality in both dark and bright environments better than its predecessor, but I didn’t notice much of a difference. The flash — which you can’t disable — is also still overpowering in some instances, resulting in a few overexposed images. If anything, the photos actually seemed a little darker and less vivid than before.

However, at least the Instax Mini 12 captured my features and skin color more accurately when I used the included selfie feature — which is really just a small mirror mounted on the front of the camera.

You can also now zoom in a little easier thanks to a new lens structure, which you can twist to enter the Close-Up Mode in lieu of pressing a button. When in this mode, you can take advantage of the camera’s new “Parallax Correction” feature, which is supposed to result in a more aligned photo. The lens was fun to play with and reminded me of a traditional point-and-shoot, but actually using it to take quality photos takes some time to figure out. As with the Mini 11, it’s still somewhat tricky to center your subject in the frame using this mode, even with the updated lens. Thankfully, it became easier to properly align photos after a couple of attempts (as well as some composition guidance from the manual).

The Mini 12 also offers a number of other niceties. I appreciated the larger-than-average viewfinder and the fact that the camera comes with a small counter that displays the remaining number of shots, which is a feature many of the other instant cameras I tested lacked. It’s easy to lose track of how many photos you’ve taken, especially when out for drinks or while sightseeing on vacation. Yet given each print costs about $1, it’s important to be mindful of how many shots you’ve got left.

All in all, the Instax Mini 12 is a basic camera that caters to all ages and experience levels and gets the job done — and done relatively well. It doesn’t feature Bluetooth or pair with a companion app that allows you to edit photos (only scan them), and it also doesn’t offer advanced features like filters, lens options, or portrait modes. But if you’re looking for an instant camera that offers a great traditional analog experience, this is it.

Best premium instant camera

Film type: Fujifilm Instax Mini film (sold separately) / Film size: 2 x 3-inches / Weight: 285 grams / Charging method: USB-C (on newer models) / Companion app: Yes / Other features: LCD screen, smartphone printing

One of Fujifilm’s newest instant cameras, the Instax Mini Evo, was a favorite of my former colleague Becca Farcase — and it’s mine as well. A hybrid camera that bears a resemblance to Fujifilm’s more expensive Fujifilm X100 line of cameras, it looks good and boasts vintage dials and buttons so stylish that they even caught the attention of passersby as I walked around Los Angeles taking photos. I tested the black camera, but Fujifilm also sells a brown version and limited edition models in silver and gold.

It’s easy to balk at its $199 price tag, but this camera offers a level of flexibility that could save you money in the long run if you use it a lot. That’s because the Instax Mini Evo includes a full-color three-inch LCD screen that lets you preview and select which images you want to print, which can help you avoid wasting film on unwanted shots. The added flexibility gave me more room for creative experimentation, too, as I wasn’t worried about running out of film. I also loved using the Instax Mini Evo app to print photos from my smartphone. Plus, unlike the Instax Mini 12, the Evo now uses a USB-C port (though older black models still use the Micro USB port) for charging, so you don’t need to keep buying new batteries.

Unlike Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 12, the Mini Evo comes with a few extra features that can help you capture better photos. For example, you can actually turn off the flash on the Mini Evo and use the three-inch LCD screen as a viewfinder. You can also use the menu to adjust how bright you want the film to look when it’s printed out, which was helpful given neither the Evo nor the Mini 12 are particularly great at capturing dark environments.

Additionally, there are dials you can use to apply various lens options and filters, ranging from retro to monochrome shades, as well as a mirror lens, vignette, soft focus, and more. You can take app-based remote shots, too, which adds an extra element of photographic control that can help you take better selfie shots than the selfie mirror in the front.

Of course, it’s not a perfect device, and there are some downsides to consider outside the price. For instance, although you can add some filters and make a few edits using Fujifilm’s companion app, it just isn’t as feature-rich as some of the apps available for the other digital and hybrid instant cameras I tested. The Evo’s extensive menu system isn’t particularly easy to navigate, either, and it took me some time to figure out how to turn the flash on and off. Plus, if you rely on internal storage solely, you can only take 45 images before the device is full. Still, all of these are minor issues, and I was very happy overall with how portable the stylish camera is, as well as how easy it is to take good photos quickly.

Read our Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo review.

The best instant camera for social occasions

Film type: Kodak Instant Print 3 x 3-inch cartridge (included) / Film size: 3 x 3-inch square prints / Weight: 467 grams / Charging method: Micro USB / Companion app: Yes / Other features: LCD screen, smartphone printing

Whereas the Instax Mini Evo’s companion app is more functional, Kodak’s hybrid Mini Shot 3 Retro is all about fun. The camera’s accompanying mobile app allows you to apply frames, stickers, filters, and a plethora of customization options to photos, making the camera great for scrapbooking. There’s even a beauty feature within the app to conceal blemishes, as well as a set of Snapchat-like filters you can use to add, say, dog ears, making this a fun instant camera to use as a mini photo booth of sorts at parties.

Like the Instax Mini Evo, Kodak’s Mini Shot 3 Retro comes with an LCD screen (albeit a much smaller one) you can use to decide whether or not you want to print a shot. It also supports Bluetooth, and you can use the Kodak Photo Printer app to upload photos to social media or print decent, relatively crisp photos from your smartphone. Unlike the Mini Evo, however, Kodak’s Mini Shot 3 Retro retails for around $170 and includes a pack of a film (it’s also often on sale for a lot less). It also uses cheaper film; you can currently pick up a 60-sheet cartridge for about $17.99, which equates to roughly $0.33 a shot. The fact that the film is cheaper arguably encourages play and creative experimentation, even if the large 3 x 3-inch square prints feel lower in quality and more flimsy than both Fujifilm’s and Polaroid’s.

However, there are notable drawbacks to the Kodak Mini Shot 3. My biggest issue is that the resulting prints of photos taken with the camera aren’t nearly as crisp or clear as those taken with a smartphone. Photo quality wasn’t consistently as good as the Mini Evo’s or Mini 12’s nor, for the most part, as clear and sharp. The photos also sometimes had an excessive pink tint that can interfere with quality. It doesn’t store images the way the Mini Evo does, either, which means you can’t decide whether you’d like to print them later. It’s also noticeably heavier than the Mini Evo and, frankly, nowhere near as stylish.

Nonetheless, if you don’t mind compromising on photo quality and want a relatively affordable hybrid camera with fun app features, the Kodak Mini Shot 3 Retro is a good choice.

The best instant camera for retro fans

Film type: Polaroid i-Type Color Film (sold separately) / Film size: 4.2 x 3.5-inch prints / Weight: 451.5 grams / Charging method: USB-C / Companion app: Yes / Other features: Lens filter kit, film counter

If you’re looking for an instant camera that offers the most old-fashioned, instant-film experience, the second-gen Polaroid Now Plus is the camera for you. Compared to the other instant cameras on this list, it most closely resembles vintage instant cameras like the Polaroid 600 with its classic, retro-inspired design. Meanwhile, its square I-Type film prints and iconic Polaroid-style frame give photos a more authentically vintage look. 

At the same time, the second-gen Polaroid Now Plus comes with a suite of modern features, including support for USB-C charging. It also offers Bluetooth and a companion app that boasts several creative modes, allowing greater photographic control. These include a remote shutter, a self-timer, and the “Polaroid Lab,” which lets you adjust the exposure and various color settings. The app also features a handful of shooting modes — including a manual option — and the camera comes with a set of five colored lenses you can snap onto the front. These were enjoyable to play with and allowed for more artistic expression.

If there’s one thing the Polaroid Now Plus isn’t known for, it’s portability. Given how heavy, large, and awkwardly sized it is, it’s not the kind of instant camera you can easily slip into your purse or carry around. Plus, it takes up to 15 minutes for prints to develop, and you have to ensure it’s not exposed to light while developing. That’s quite an inconvenience if you’re out with friends, say, at the beach on a sunny day.

If you’re looking for an instant camera that can easily print a good, clear photo without much effort on your part, this is not the camera for you. Of all the cameras on this list, the latest Polaroid Now Plus struggles with low-light environments the most. I could barely see images I took indoors, and I could only get the clearest shots when the light was directly behind me during the day — specifically, in the morning. Even these images weren’t as clear in comparison to Instax film, and both contrast and color saturation levels tend to be quite low.

Admittedly, this gave my pictures more of a dreamy vintage look that felt artistic, and you can use the Polaroid Lab to slightly adjust saturation and exposure settings. However, doing so is time-consuming. Given all these issues, I found it was easy to waste film, which proved expensive. After all, you only get eight I-Type sheets for $16.99, and that’s in addition to forking out $149.99 for the camera.

Truth be told, however, you could argue that many of these shortcomings are typical of a retro Polaroid-inspired instant camera and, thus, part of the experience. If that’s what you’re looking for, and you don’t mind the price, the second-gen Polaroid Now Plus is the perfect camera for you.

All that being said, it’s worth pointing out that Polaroid recently launched the $139.99 Now Plus Generation 3. The instant camera costs $10 less than its predecessor’s MSRP, though, at the moment, the second-gen model is on sale starting at $119.26.The new camera seems like it’s largely an iterative update, with a built-in tripod and four new colors to choose from instead of just three. It should also offer brighter, more accurate lighting in high-contrast scenes and improved depth perception, courtesy of upgrades to the ranging sensor, light meter position, and autofocus.

The best instant camera for portability

Film type: Polaroid i-Type Color Film (sold separately) / Film size: 2.6 x 2.1-inch prints / Weight: 239 grams / Charging method: USB-C / Companion app: No / Other features: Self-timer, selfie mirror, film counter

Whereas the Polaroid Now Plus is huge, the second-gen Polaroid Go is tiny. It easily fits into the palm of my hand — which is saying a lot, given I’m petite and a little over five feet tall — making it easily the most portable instant camera on our list. It also produces the smallest prints of all the instant cameras I tested, which could be nice if you’re trying to save some space and want something more compact than Instax Mini prints.

Weighing just over a pound, the latest Polaroid Go is also the lightest instant camera I’ve ever held, and you can easily use it with one hand. That’s actually pretty convenient, given I sometimes struggled to take pictures with the heavier Polaroid Now Plus and, to a lesser extent, some of the other instant cameras I tested. In fact, if the images produced looked more true-to-life and didn’t require you to hide them from light for about 15 minutes while developing, I’d be tempted to call this the best instant camera for travel or small children.

At $79.99, the latest Polaroid Go is the most affordable Polaroid camera on the market, with film that costs just a little more than Fujifilm’s Instax Mini shots (or about $19.99 for a 16-sheet pack). It also sports a small number of upgrades over the last-gen model despite retailing for $20 less. The most significant is USB-C support, which allows for faster charging and prevents you from having to spend money on AA batteries.

Polaroid also claims the camera produces clearer stills than its predecessor, but truthfully, I didn’t see a significant difference from one generation to the next. The photos are a little brighter, but if anything, the original Polaroid Go — like the Now Plus — produced warmer pictures that I thought were truer to life. Still, the photos are charming in the way only a Polaroid photo can be. Contrast and color saturation levels are still low but in a way that exudes the vintage, almost dreamy look of the photos taken with the Now Plus.

Unlike the Now Plus, however, the Go lacks creative modes and more advanced features, although it does offer a helpful self-timer and a larger selfie mirror. There’s also no Bluetooth support and, thus, no fancy app that will allow you to add extra effects. Instead, it’s just a simple point-and-shoot camera, just like the Instax Mini 12, which makes it a little easier to use. In addition, as mentioned, the prints are smaller than those of the Instax Mini, which could be a drawback for those who prefer larger, more traditional Polaroid photos. While it produces similar vintage-style shots, design-wise, it doesn’t look anything like old-school Polaroid cameras, which could also take away from the retro experience some desire.

That said, none of the older Polaroid cameras came with an app, either. All in all, the Go’s simplicity makes it a suitable candidate for those seeking an easy-to-use camera that provides a more traditional instant film experience — one they can take advantage of just about anywhere for half the price of the Polaroid Now Plus.

Other instant cameras to consider

Kodak Smile Plus

The Kodak Smile Plus is another hybrid instant camera you can use to print smartphone photos. It’s smaller and less expensive than Kodak’s Mini Shot 3 Retro 3 at $99.99, and it’s available in a variety of vibrant colors that should appeal to children. It also comes with physical filter-changing lens and prints on Zinc paper, allowing you to use your photos as stickers.

However, it lacks a built-in display, so you can’t choose which images you want to print directly on the camera itself. This often results in more wasted shots, especially since image quality is so-so at best, even when compared to those of the Retro 3. Photos are nowhere near as clear as the Instax Mini 12’s, either, especially in areas that are either too bright or too dark.

That being said, the Smile Plus does offer a microSD card slot, so you can store and view photos elsewhere. It pairs with an app that’s similar to the Retro 3’s as well, and although the software is not as snappy or feature-rich, it still allows you to add a variety of filters and frames. Ultimately, I’d recommend the Retro 3 since it can often be found for less than $120, but the Smile Plus is a good, budget-friendly alternative.

Leica Sofort 2

From photo quality to the lever you pull to print photos, Leica’s Sofort 2 is a terrific camera that’s remarkably similar to the Instax Mini Evo. In all of my tests, the photos I took with both looked identical. The two hybrid cameras also print smartphone photos via Instax Mini film and offer 10 film and lens effects, along with a macro mode for those who want more creative control. The Sofort 2’s minimalistic look is stylish, too, even if it’s not as charming as the retro-inspired Evo.

The drawback to the Sofort 2 is that it’s twice the price of the Evo. It’s hard to recommend at $389 since most people would likely consider the differences between the two cameras relatively minor. The user interface is easier to navigate on the Leica, though, and I appreciate the included lens cap and extended two-year warranty. I also like that it lets you print photos taken with other Leica cameras via the companion app — a nice perk for Leica fans. Nonetheless, I don’t think those perks are enough to justify spending nearly $200 more.

Instax Mini 99

If you’re looking for an analog instant camera that’s more advanced, Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 99 is one to consider. At around $200, Fujifilm’s latest instant camera is not as affordable as the Instax Mini 12, but it’s certainly a step up from the one-button point-and-click camera given it has multiple brightness settings, focus zones, color effects, and even two shutter buttons for greater creative control. The camera even comes with a tripod socket and an aluminum extension column, as well as a Sports Mode designed to further reduce blur while capturing fast-moving subjects.

Thanks to the added level of customization, I was able to capture higher-quality photos that looked truer to life than those from the Instax Mini 12 and Mini Evo. Granted, the Mini 99 is an analog camera and not a hybrid like the $199.99 Mini Evo, meaning you shouldn’t buy it if you also want to print smartphone photos. The new model also isn’t as simple to use as the Mini 12, so I wouldn’t recommend it for young children. Still, for an advanced analog instant camera, it’s relatively easy to set up and use, rendering it as much fun for budding photographers as more experienced shooters. 

Instax Square SQ1

While it didn’t make the cut, the Instax Square SQ1 is also worth a brief mention. Like the Mini 12, the Instax Square SQ1 produces good-quality shots, is easy to set up and use, and comes with a built-in selfie mirror. The reason we didn’t include it above, however, is that it costs nearly twice as much as the Mini 12 at $119.95, though we do sometimes see it on sale for $100.

That said, it might be worth a look if you prefer large 2.4 x 2.4-inch square prints and relatively true-to-life photos over vintage-looking stills. After all, the SQ1 is still cheaper than the Polaroid Now Plus and produces higher-quality images than the Kodak Mini Shot 3 Square Retro, which also prints similarly sized square shots.

Fujifilm also sells the newer Instax Square SQ40. It’s similar to the Instax Square SQ1 but with a vintage look that’s more visually striking, yet it’s also more expensive at $149. Given it produces similarly good-quality photos and rarely goes on sale, I’d recommend the Instax Square SQ1 or the more capable Instax Mini Evo for $50 more.

Instax Wide Evo Hybrid

Fujifilm’s forthcoming Instax Wide Evo Hybrid is nearly identical to the Instax Mini Evo You can use it to print photos directly from your smartphone, though the $349 camera also comes with a 15.67mm lens — the widest used on any Instax camera — for taking wide-format pictures. While it’s currently available in Japan and Australia, Fujifilm hasn’t specified a US launch date, other than “soon.”

Ultimately, I preferred the smaller, more travel-friendly Instax Mini Evo, but if you’re into wide prints (and don’t mind spending twice as much), the Wide Evo Hybrid is rather fun. The photo quality is solid and on par with both the Instax Mini Evo and Instax Mini 12. The main difference is that the Wide Evo’s lens captures a broader field of view. It also offers a few additional lens and film effects, giving users a bit more creative control. I especially liked the Degree Control feature, which lets you fine-tune the intensity of each lens effect applied to your image.

Plus, unlike the Wide 400 (which I’m still testing), it’s a hybrid camera with an LCD screen — a helpful perk that can cut down on wasted shots. However, at $349, it’s a whopping $150 more than both the Mini Evo and the Wide 400. My other main complaint is that there’s a slight delay between pressing the shutter and the photo being taken — something I didn’t notice with the Mini Evo. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it can be frustrating when trying to capture fast-moving subjects like a dog or a hyper toddler.

What’s coming next

Polaroid Flip

The Polaroid Flip is a new, $199.99 instant camera that introduces scene analysis, which helps prevent exposure and focus issues by flashing a red LED warning light through the viewfinder. That’s a handy addition, as Polaroid says the Flip has the most powerful flash of any of its instant cameras (though its intensity can be adjusted to prevent overexposing close-ups). In addition, the Flip features new autofocus capabilities powered by a sonar sensor that automatically selects from one of four lenses.

Instax Mini 41

Fujifilm recently announced the $129.95 Instax Mini 41, which is the follow-up to the $99 Instax Mini 40. The updated model retains its retro design but introduces parallax correction, a feature borrowed from the Instax Mini 12 to help users avoid off-center shots when taking close-ups.

Polaroid Now Plus Generation 3

Polaroid recently launched the Now Plus Generation 3, a sequel to our current pick for the best retro-inspired camera. The new model is nearly identical to the second-gen Now Plus, only it’s available in six colors and features a built-in tripod. It also benefits from autofocus improvements and a better light meter position, which, according to Polaroid, should result in better photos. We’ll be testing it soon, so stay tuned.

Instax Wide 400

Fujifilm’s $149.95 Instax Wide 400 is an upgraded version of its Wide 300. It’s the company’s first wide-format instant camera in nearly a decade, and like its predecessor, it prints photos that are twice as wide as the Instax Mini 12’s. It features a new self-timer and a rounded body for better grip, though it’s currently only available in a sage green hue. So far, I’ve been impressed with the photo quality, which, like the photos from the Instax Mini 12, look relatively true-to-life. I’m still testing it to see how it stacks up to other wide-format instant cameras, though, so I have yet to form a conclusion.

Update, May 21st: Updated links/pricing and added our impressions on the Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo.

You can pick up a pair of Blink Mini 2 security cameras for just $38. This is a discount of 46 percent, as the typical price is $70. The discount is available for both the black and white models. This deal is part of an early Memorial Day sale.

The Blink Mini 2 made our list of the best security cameras, and we gave it kudos for being a great option for the budget-conscious. These are small cameras that are easy to place just about anywhere. You can adjust the head to accommodate a wide variety of angles and we found the setup to be painless and quick.

The image quality is decent, though not astounding. The bright spots can get a bit blown out, but the camera gets the job done. We found that it was particularly useful at night, thanks to the infrared view and the spotlight. This model also offers the ability to set privacy zones and it can double as a doorbell chime if you happen to have a Blink Video Doorbell installed.

The camera is weather resistant, so it works outside. It also integrates with Alexa, which makes sense as Amazon owns Blink. Alexa can be used to adjust settings, arm the camera and more.

There's no location detection here, so it can't automatically arm the device when you leave the house. This has to be done manually. Also, it doesn't offer any cloud storage unless you pony up for a Blink subscription. A basic subscription for one camera costs $3 per month.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

In February, Sigma announced the Sigma BF. It's a full-frame, interchangeable lens camera with just a shutter release, a dial and three buttons. That minimalism speaks to me, and I felt the BF was potentially transformative. Photography is one of my favorite hobbies, and I've always felt modern cameras are too complicated. When I received a unit of the Sigma BF to test, I wanted to love it. Unfortunately, it might be too simple.

It all starts with the design. The Sigma BF is one of the industry's few unibody cameras. It's carved from a single slab of aluminum, a process Sigma says takes seven hours to complete. The result is a camera unlike any I've used before, with build quality that surpasses either of my current Fujifilm models, the X-E3 and X-S20. Now, I know what you're thinking: The BF looks like an ergonomic nightmare. Surprisingly, it's not too bad, thanks to the inclusion of two beveled edges where your hands meet the bottom of the camera body.

Igor Bonifacic for Engadget

Still, it's missing a few features that would have made it more comfortable to use, likely due to the limitations of its unibody design. For one, a proper grip would have been nice, especially when you're using a heavy 50mm lens like the one Sigma sent me for testing. The BF is also missing a hot shoe mount, so third-party thumb grips are off the table. Most annoying of all, it only has a single strap eyelet, so if you don't want to use a neck strap, you'll need one that attaches to the camera's tripod mount. I don't own one of those, so I had to carry around the $2,000 BF in my hand the entire time I was using it. You can imagine how that felt.

The BF offers a very different shooting experience from your typical digital camera. As I mentioned, it has only a shutter release, a single dial and three buttons (one for powering the camera on and off, one for reviewing your photos and footage and one for accessing the overflow menu). There's also a touchscreen, but you wouldn't know it at first, because other than when selecting a focus point and toggling some options, you won't be using it much while shooting.

The BF's one dial is the primary way to interact with the camera. To adjust your exposure, you first press left or right on the dial to cycle to a specific setting, and then spin it to tweak the levels as desired. A second smaller screen above the dial allows you to adjust those parameters without interacting with the main display.

Igor Bonifacic for Engadget

Alternatively, you can press down on the center of the dial to open the BF's "dual layer" menu system. As the name suggests, Sigma has organized most of what you might need across two levels of menus. For example, say you want to switch the camera from matrix to spot metering. That involves pressing down on the dial, scrolling over to one of the exposure settings, tapping the center of the dial again, and then using your thumb to press the touchscreen and enable spot metering. Accessing most of the settings you'll need won't be as tedious, but this worst case scenario demonstrates where the experience of shooting with the Sigma BF falls short.

The BF isn't great for capturing fleeting moments. In ditching most of the physical controls modern cameras are known for, the Sigma BF makes it difficult to change multiple settings simultaneously. I was most annoyed by the BF whenever I wanted to shoot a fast-moving scene.

On one of my photo walks with the Sigma BF, I saw a father riding a bike with his son in the seat behind him. With my X-E3 or nearly any other camera, capturing that moment would have been simple. I could have changed the drive mode, focus system and shutter speed independently of one another. On the BF, I had to adjust each setting consecutively. By the time I was done, the father and son were long gone.

Some of the BF's shortcomings could be addressed if Sigma at least allowed you to edit the quick settings screen to show fewer options. I don't need easy access to change things like the aspect ratio, for example. In 2025, every new camera ships with an overly bloated menu system, and in that regard the Sigma BF is a breath of fresh air. However, allowing the user to make their own tweaks would have made for a much better experience.

And that’s the thing: With the BF, Sigma breaks camera interface conventions that are conventions for good reason. Let me give you one of the more frustrating examples: The camera inexplicably doesn't offer an easy way to measure the exposure of a scene. There was no meter to indicate whether I was about to under- or overexpose a shot, and I couldn't add one to the main screen.

Igor Bonifacic for Engadget

The only way I could see a histogram, my preferred method for nailing exposure, was to access the second layer of the interface from one of the capture settings. This is an especially confounding decision because you can half press the shutter to make quick exposure compensation adjustments with the control dial, but as soon as you do, the BF jumps out of whatever menu you were looking at. If digging through menus isn't your thing, there are two live view overlays you can enable to see if you've clipped your shadows or highlights. The first is your usual zebra pattern. The second, which Sigma calls False Color, turns most of the screen grayscale and uses warning colors. Neither felt as precise as a proper exposure meter or histogram.

On paper, the BF is a decent camera for video, with support for 6K recording, HEVC encoding and L-Log. Unfortunately, the BF's minimalism is a weakness here too. To start, framing a shot is a challenge since the camera has a fixed screen. Getting usable footage is also tricky. The BF doesn't offer in-body image stabilization, and while there are a few L-mount lenses with built-in stabilization, most wouldn't be practical to use with the BF due to their size and weight.

Igor Bonifacic for Engadget

If you've gotten this far, you're probably wondering if I have something positive to say about the BF. Well, the best thing about the camera is that it takes genuinely great photos, which is what makes all its shortcomings all the more frustrating. The 24-megapixel, backside illuminated sensor and Sigma's lenses capture and render detail beautifully without being clinical. The BF also has great subject detection autofocus that makes shooting portraits of people and pets easy.

The Sigma BF has some interesting ideas about what a camera can look like in 2025, but those ideas are often marred by poor execution. As a first stab at a minimalist camera, the BF has enough going for it, and with refinement, I could see future versions evolving into something special. For example, I’d love to see Sigma find a way to include a flip-out screen in the BF's unibody frame. Until then, $2,000 is a lot to ask for a camera that could be so much more.

• The Sean "Diddy" Combs trial began this week and featured testimony from Cassie Ventura.
• She testified about the graphic moments in her 11-year relationship with Combs.
• In the courthouse, the atmosphere was grim as Ventura shared shocking details.

From the start of Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex-trafficking trial, everyone was waiting for Cassie Ventura to appear. She was the star witness.

I expected Ventura's testimony to be explosive. But it turned out to be more graphic than I ever imagined.

In the courtroom, I noticed the distress on the face of Ventura's husband. His wife, who is eight months pregnant, was telling her alleged abuser and a room full of strangers about some of the worst moments in her life.

In September, federal prosecutors in Manhattan accused Combs of racketeering and sex trafficking. They say he used the vast power and resources of his record label and other businesses to arrange drug-fueled and baby oil-lubricated sexual encounters called "freak offs" with Ventura, other victims, and male escorts.

Combs pleaded not guilty and denies the sex-trafficking allegations, but he hasn't quite denied all wrongdoing. His legal team said he participated in "mutual abuse" with Ventura, and that the two frequently fought physically. This was a domestic violence case, they argued — ugly, but not criminal sex trafficking.

In her testimony, Ventura talked about a messy, 11-year relationship during which she fought for scraps of Combs' attention. He was often busy with other women and his various businesses, she said. Ventura participated in the freak offs out of love for Combs, she said, but they were never something she wanted.

The hip-hop mogul introduced her to the idea of freak offs about six months into their relationship, when she was 22 and owed him another nine albums as part of a record label deal, Ventura said. Combs would watch as Ventura would have sex with other men, who were paid thousands of dollars in cash, according to court testimony.

In text messages and emails shown as trial evidence, Ventura talked about arranging the freak offs, which required dropping by a Duane Reade to pick up baby oil, lubricant, candles, and condoms.

The freak offs could last up to four days, requiring drugs to maintain stamina, she said. They typically required up to 10 large bottles of baby oil, she testified. Everyone "had to be glistening," as she described it. At one point, the judge stepped in to ask prosecutors to pull back from the deluge of baby oil questions.

The disturbing nature of the testimony was only heightened by Ventura's appearance. She is due to have a baby in June and was visibly pregnant. One courtroom marshal said he was prepared to deliver her baby if the stress of testifying induced labor. I wasn't sure if he was joking. One of the prosecutors urged the judge to require Combs' lawyers to wrap up cross-examination. "We are afraid she could have the baby over the weekend," she said.

Cassie Ventura's testimony transfixed the courtroom

Over the years, I've reported on about a dozen trials and countless more court hearings. There were the uncomfortable benches of Donald Trump's criminal trial. The rowdy fans at the R. Kelly Trial. The cold December mornings when I lined up for the Ghislaine Maxwell trial. The ultracompetitive Sam Bankman-Fried trial, where getting in line at 4 a.m. still wasn't early enough to get inside the courtroom.

But nothing in my experience has compared to the Combs trial, which began Monday morning after a week of jury selection and is supposed to last two months.

Ever since Ventura accused Combs of sexual abuse in November 2023, Combs' legal quagmire has been one of the biggest stories in the country. Combs paid Ventura $20 million to settle her case, but a flood of other accusers filed additional civil lawsuits against him. When prosecutors brought the criminal case against Combs, it was put on the fast track.

No longer the image of a pop star, Combs dresses for court like an office drone, wearing thin crewneck sweaters over white button-down shirts. He rarely betrays any emotion, occasionally nodding during his lawyers' arguments or huddling with the attorneys beside him.

His large family, including his mother and seven children, has been in the courtroom to show their support. Every day, Combs flashes them heart symbols with his hands. Their expressions, during trial proceedings, have remained neutral. The gravity of the situation — Combs could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted of all charges — is obvious.

On the other side of the courtroom aisle are Ventura's support group, which includes her husband, Alex Fine, and several relatives. At some of the more raw moments of Ventura's testimony, Fine's face looked visibly pained. When her texts with Combs about the freak offs were shown to the jury, he broke his gaze and looked at his lap.

As Ventura testified in graphic detail, the courtroom was rapt. She spoke in a faint, dispassionate voice.

The grim atmosphere made the otherwise unbelievable details of the trial feel upsetting rather than dramatic. On social media, these details fly by as jokes. For Ventura, they left scars. In February of 2023, years after she left Combs, Ventura couldn't sleep, she testified.

"I couldn't take the pain that I was in anymore, and so I just tried to walk out the front door into traffic," she told the jury. "And my husband would not let me."

'I've been to a Diddy party'

On Monday, for opening statements, the line outside the lower Manhattan courthouse began the previous afternoon. Same Old Line Dudes, the standard-bearer line-sitting company for New York trials, declined to disclose the precise time their clients booked because "it's very competitive," a receptionist told me.

During lunch breaks, live-streamers went outside and updated their followers on what unfolded indoors. Christine Cornell, a courtroom sketch artist, took photos of her illustrations in natural sunlight to share them with the media. Vicky Perez, who had come to New York City from Connecticut to watch the trial's opening day, said she's a fan of Ventura, having purchased her first album when she was in the fifth grade. Perez wanted her to "get justice," she said.

"I want to see his downfall," she said of Combs.

The scene overwhelmed even Dennis Byron, the editor in chief of the Hip-Hop Enquirer, who said he's reported on the hip-hop scene for 35 years. He covered Comb's career since he was an up-and-coming artist.

"I've been to a Diddy party," he said.

"Not one of those parties," he quickly clarified.

Byron — who wore a tweed vest and trousers in the May afternoon heat — said he's attended and photographed Combs' extravagant "White Parties," where he took photos of the likes of Combs, Ventura, Kim Porter, and Jay-Z.

These parties took on a new meaning following the indictment against Combs, where they've been widely re-interpreted as sex parties (virtually every single celebrity who has been asked about this denies they were sex parties). But celebrities have been having orgies forever, Byron said. He remembers hearing about them in the 1980s. Flying in escorts — as prosecutors said Combs did for freak offs — wasn't anything new either, Byron said.

"Well, I never stayed for those," Byron said. "I never stayed for those orgies. But I'm sure they happen. But I never seen them."

Combs' White Parties were meant to show off his power as "a tastemaker," Byron said. Combs accrued cultural capital — something prosecutors later said he used to coerce his victims.

"Remember, that party was a regular party," he said as I wrapped up our conversation. "Ain't no party like a regular Diddy party."

Combs' lawyers acknowledge his flaws — but say he's not a sex trafficker

Combs' trial was taking place in the same 26th-floor courtroom that saw the trials of Sam Bankman-Fried and two of E. Jean Carroll's lawsuits against Trump. (Bankman-Fried and Combs share a jail unit together; Trump is in the White House.) As with all federal court cases, there's no broadcast or livestream.

Karen Agnifilo-Friedman, Luigi Mangione's lead defense lawyer and the husband of Combs' lead lawyer Mark Agnifilo, often showed up to watch. The court staff had also set up three overflow rooms for journalists and members of the public to watch the trial on a closed-circuit camera feed, plus two rooms for members of the in-house press like me.

Several people I spoke to said they were willing to keep an open mind, but believed it would be hard to shake the memory of watching the video of Combs beating Ventura and dragging her through a hotel hallway.

"I'm going to try to give him a fair shake, said Oota Ongo, a YouTuber who livestreamed himself walking around the courthouse after watching opening statements. "We all saw the Cassie tape. That Cassie tape is just something that I can't get out of my head."

Depending on the day, I alternated between the courtroom itself and a press room. When I checked out an overflow room one day, I spotted a prominent federal prosecutor who had put Bankman-Fried behind bars. He was paying close attention to Combs' lawyer, Teny Gregagaros, giving Combs' side of the story in an opening statement.

While Combs may have been an unpleasant, angry, jealous, and violent man — especially when drunk or high — he was not guilty of sex trafficking, Gregagos insisted. At most, he was responsible for domestic violence, she conceded.

"He is not charged with being mean," Gregaros told the jurors. "He is not charged with being a jerk."

The first witness was a security guard at the Intercontinental Hotel, who testified about the infamous video where Combs assaulted Ventura (Combs just wanted to get his phone back from her, his defense lawyers said).

Next, before Ventura, was a male dancer who said he acted as an escort. He testified about being asked to carefully urinate during sex.

"Apparently, I was doing it wrong because they both stopped me and told me that I was supposed to let a little out at a time and not go full, like, take a leak on her," he said, in a quote that perhaps best encapsulated both the graphic nature of the trial testimony and how prosecutors say Combs intimately choreographed people around him to satisfy his own desires.

During Ventura's cross-examination, Combs' lawyers pulled up texts in which Ventura indicated she enjoyed the freak offs.

But Ventura, in her testimony earlier, said she just wanted to make Combs happy. She loved him. But she never wanted the freak offs, she said.

"It made me feel worthless," Ventura testified. "Like I didn't have anything else to offer him."

IPOs are making headlines again, which could mean Pat Healy's hopes for "hot and heavy" activity this year may not be completely quashed after all.

Healy is the founder and CEO of Issuer Network, which helps C-suite executives leading IPOs get multimillion-dollar marketing packages from prospective stock exchanges through "bake-off" bidding competitions. For the last 30 years, he's worked behind the scenes on some of the biggest IPOs and corporate spin-offs, including Facebook, Zillow, KraftHeinz, and 3M.

He's won praise from clients such as Jason Child, the CFO of the semiconductor company Arm (and the former CFO of Splunk), and Dick Grasso, a former CEO of the New York Stock Exchange, who sat on opposite the deal table from Healy when he first started Issuer Network in 1995.

He's helped clients get everything from free advertising at Davos to NFL players attending their closing bell ceremonies.

Never heard of him? There's a reason for that. Healy, who appears to be a forefather of this type of bake-off, or contest between companies, runs his business largely by word of mouth. He also refuses to spend a dime on marketing. Just take a look at the company's website — the very picture of a mid-2000s web interface.

"I could make a big deal about some of these things, but that's not who I am," Healy, 74, told Business Insider in an interview. "I believe I do a really good job for people, and I shouldn't go around bragging about it. I just let my customers do the talking."

With IPOs back in the spotlight, thanks to the fintechs Chime and eToro, BI sat down with Healy and spoke to people who have worked with him. We wanted to understand the business and the man behind it, including how he got his start, how an exchange bake-off works, and what he's been occupied with since public offerings took a nosedive in 2022.

IPO activity has whipsawed this year with Trump's tariffs, and Healy saw several of the offerings in his docket pulled due to market volatility. Where things go next is anyone's guess, but Healy is bracing for a potential torrent of demand.

"Who knows when the sun's going to come out?" Healy said. "When it does, I expect all these guys to put their foot on the gas and come to market right away."

In the early '90s, after having held multiple CFO roles at DC-area banks, Healy started doing consulting work for Nasdaq. His job, he explained, was to disincentivize companies from leaving for the NYSE at a time when Nasdaq was a lesser-known exchange for new companies.

"I designed and helped build products that were useful to CFOs so that if they decided to leave Nasdaq, they'd have to give something up," he said. "They'd be less inclined to do so. And it created a stickiness."

That opened Healy's eyes to what he called an unfilled gap. Investment bankers advising on IPOs don't want to get caught in the crossfire between the exchanges, he said (and many banks are themselves listed in the NYSE). There are other professionals who help companies get listed on an exchange, including business consultants, but Healy's appears to have been the first to specialize in this competitive process for marketing perks.

"I discovered that CFOs really didn't have anybody to talk to when they had to make a decision about where they're going to list their stock," he said.

"There was no one else doing it. And there's still no one else doing it," he added.

Issuer Network's first client was AOL, the now (mostly) defunct internet and instant messaging service. Healy said he managed to get a meeting with the CFO and convinced him to let Healy negotiate a "co-branding package" on the company's behalf.

"I just hopped in my car and went over to Tyson's Corner," a Virginia suburb of Washington, DC, where AOL was headquartered at the time. "I visited with the CFO. I said, 'Look, you're on the wrong exchange here.'"

In August 1996, AOL switched from the Nasdaq to the NYSE.

AOL was an example of a service Healy refers to as "switches." Today, most of his business involves advising companies about to go public on which exchange they should be listed. Beyond the trading style and fit of a given exchange, there are hidden levers that companies ccan pull, said Healy.

"Issuers are always focused on the listing fee," he said. "What they don't see is what the exchange is going to make off the listing."

Exchanges cannot technically buy a company's listing, but they can pick up the tab for co-branded advertisements or other marketing perks. That's where Healy comes in. He essentially creates a competition between the exchanges to see which one can offer clients the best package with their listing.

"We create pretty substantial co-branding packages and we literally bake it off," he said.

Typically, a company would contact the exchanges to say it's decided to make its listing decision "a competitive process." Then, Healy said, the company would lay out how it wants to reach customers, and the exchanges would come back with "a co-branding package commensurate with those defined outcomes." From there, it's a back-and-forth of negotiations and adjustments until the company (not Healy, as he emphasized) names a winner. The whole process typically takes about six weeks.

Healy wouldn't reveal how much these deals are worth — except for one, which is public. The package he got for Arm, a semiconductor company that went public in 2023, was worth $50 million.

"He understands exactly what the terms and conditions are for the market," Child, Arm's CFO, said. "So he can help you understand, as the issuing company, what is the benefit to the exchange? What is the value they can provide? What are the pros and cons?"

Child first hired Healy when he was Groupon's CFO for the tech company's 2011 IPO. He tapped Healy again in 2023 when Arm went public.

Arm's package with Nasdaq, for example, included several years of advertising at the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland. As part of its deal, another Healy client, PNC, got NFL Hall of Famers, including Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith, to ring the closing bell at the NYSE with company employees in 2010.

There are moments when both sides are unhappy, said Healy, but it's all business — nothing personal.

"I maintain very good relationships with both exchanges," he said. "We have no agenda here other than the best deal for our client. And we don't favor anybody. The minute we do, we lose all credibility and we're out of business."

Of the IPOs that happened during the early days of Healy's business, only a small percentage of his clients were large enough to be eligible for the NYSE. Those that were crossed Grasso's desk, the former NYSE chief told BI.

"Some of my marketing people, in the early days of Pat's business, were highly skeptical," said Grasso, who headed the exchange from 1995 to 2003. "But after a couple of sit-downs with me, I was very comfortable that Pat was going to be fair."

Healy also advises clients on what he refers to as "spins," when a company spins off a part of its business into its own company. Issuer Network has worked on more of these during the recent IPO downturn.

"You've got Comcast spinning, Honeywell spinning, FedEx spinning. You've got quite a lineup of spins out there," he said. "We've done a lot of spins in our day, and we expect to be active in the spin market here for the foreseeable future — through the summer, at least. A lot of these deals will bleed into '26, but their exchange selection decision I expect will be made in '25."

Healy said he couldn't disclose current clients, but noted he worked on a spin with 3M last year. He advised the company as it spun off its healthcare business, now called Solventum, and led a bake-off between exchanges for both the parent and spin company at the same time.

"The winner takes all," Healy said. "So instead of getting a $5 or $10 million co-branding package for 'Spinco,' you get many times that amount for the whole enchilada."

(3M stayed with the NYSE, and Solventum joined its listings.)

Healy declined to discuss his fees, but said he follows a "satisfaction guarantee" policy: He tells clients they can "tear up our invoice" if they aren't happy — something of an anomaly on Wall Street.

Child called Healy "an old soul."

"He basically just tells you, 'Pay me what you think it's worth' when it's over," Child said. "It's like the opposite of dealing with an enterprise software person."

Healy's humble upbringing might explain his aversion to the spotlight. Growing up, he was one of nine children. His father was a mailman in the Cleveland suburb of Brook Park. The town was home to a Ford manufacturing plant, what Healy described as "an ugly scene" — not necessarily the kind of place you might expect someone who brokers deals on Wall Street for some of the largest corporations in the world to get their start.

"I'm just a hick from Ohio," Healy said. "People like talking to me. And I have something good to offer them. You build a momentum over time by just keeping your nose to the grindstone, delivering good results, and just shooting straight with people."

You can save today on our top security camera pick for Alexa users. Amazon has the Blink Outdoor 4 for half price. A single camera (usually $100) only costs $50, which is only $10 more than its all-time low for Black Friday. And the half-off savings also apply to multi-camera bundles.

The Blink Outdoor 4's name is somewhat deceiving because it works just as well for indoor use. The weather-resistant camera records in up to 1080p and supports black-and-white infrared for nighttime recording. The wireless camera is powered by a pair of AA batteries.

If the impressive Blink Outdoor 4 has an asterisk, it's the company's subscription scheme. First, you can cover the fundamentals without one. These include motion alerts, full HD recording, two-way audio, night vision, customizable motion sensitivity, activity zones and privacy zones. But advanced features like person detection, 60 days of cloud storage, motion event recording and an extended live view require a Blink Basic ($3 monthly or $30 annually) or Blink Plus ($10 monthly or $100 annually) plan. The more expensive one adds unlimited cameras, the ability to snooze notifications and an extended warranty. Otherwise, they’re the same.

Fortunately, if storage and multi-camera support are the only things pulling you toward a monthly fee, there's a subscription-free workaround. Pop a cheap USB drive into the Blink Sync Module 2 (included) and store your clips locally. This option loads your recordings a tad slower than cloud storage, but it isn't a dramatic difference.

Amazon's sale ranges from $50 for a single camera to $315 for an eight-pack. Every bundle (which also includes two-, three-, four-, five- and six-camera systems) is half off.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

• Three teenagers in New York designed a cardboard, called Kiriboard, to replace plastic packaging.
• They got the idea when a box of motors for their robotics hobby arrived damaged.
• Their invention won the $12,500 Earth Prize. Now they plan to buy a machine to make more Kiriboards.

Three teenage boys in New York City have invented a clever packaging material that they hope will replace toxic plastics and make plastic-free shipping a reality.

Zhi Han (Anthony) Yao, Flint Mueller, and James Clare are planning to pursue a patent and eventually pitch their product to Home Depot, as well as traditional shippers like Amazon, FedEx, and the US Postal Service.

They call their geometric, cardboard invention Kiriboard, since it's inspired by Japanese kirigami, which is the art of cutting and folding paper.

"Something like this is the wave of the future," Jerry Citron, the teenagers' environmental-science teacher, told Business Insider.

Yao, Mueller, and Clare won the Earth Prize on April 8, making them one of seven winning environmental projects by teenagers across the globe. The award comes with $12,500, which they plan to use to buy a cutting machine, called a CNC router, and test more prototypes.

Plastic-free shipping could change the world

Just like any plastic, Styrofoam and other plastic packaging can shed microscopic bits of plastic into homes and the environment.

Microplastics have been detected from the oceans to the top of Mount Everest, in animals' and humans' body tissues and blood, and even in rain all over the planet. They're associated with heart attack and stroke risk. Some researchers suspect they could even be contributing to the recent rise in colon cancers in young people.

"I didn't realize it was as big of an issue as it was," Yao told BI. "I mean, companies have made sustainable initiatives and greener initiatives, but they haven't really fully replaced plastic packaging."

Enter the Kiriboard: Kiriboard is cut into lattice-like shapes so that it can bend to fill the space between an item and the wall of its box. The cuts give the cardboard a three-dimensional structure that makes it sturdy and allows it to bend and absorb impact, protecting what's inside, similar to bubble wrap but without the plastic.

Once perfected, the three teens hope their design can help ship packages of sensitive or heavy equipment even more securely, at a competitive price.

Broken motors and crumple zones

Clare, Mueller, and Yao are all on the same robotics team at Stuyvesant High School in New York City. Clare is a junior, and Mueller and Yao are seniors.

The idea for Kiriboard started when they opened a shipment of Kraken X60 motors, which are about $200 a pop. They found that the brass pins, which connect the motors to a robot, were damaged and unusable. They assumed the pins had been damaged in transit.

"We're like, well, we should do something about this packaging, because clearly the packaging wasn't good enough," Mueller said.

Clare thought about how cars are engineered with crumple zones, meant to absorb the energy of impacts to protect the people inside.

Similarly, he said, "you can make strategic weak points in your packaging so that the package warps and deforms," sparing the package's contents.

With help from the Earth Prize program and Citron, they built and tested their first Kiriboard prototypes.

The matrix

It was a scrappy effort, with cardboard scavenged from their school.

After some research and consulting various teachers, Yao said they drew up eight or nine different designs, and narrowed down to four to build and test. Then, came the fun part: dropping heavy stuff on their creations.

To test their prototypes' durability, the teens slammed them with a roll of tape, a stapler, a can of soda, and a metal water bottle — "which did the most damage, but not as much as we thought it would," Clare said.

They dropped each item onto the Kiriboard prototypes from various heights, so that they could calculate and study the physical forces of each impact.

"Basically, we want to see what's the most amount of force it can take before it snaps," Yao said.

The results were promising, the trio said. The Kiriboard prototypes sustained very little damage, which they judged by checking the cardboard for dents. They plan to move forward with all four designs, which they hope will be useful for different types of shipping.

In the design pictured above, four triangular "legs" hold the Kiriboard in place inside a box.

"This middle section, we call it the matrix. This is supposed to be flexible," Yao said. Once you place an item for shipping inside the box, the matrix "is supposed to form to the product."

Once they've purchased a CNC router to automate cutting the cardboard, they plan to test prototypes by actually shipping them in boxes.

"Right now, we want to perfect our product," Yao said.

When it's ready, they said they might also pitch it to the electronics company AndyMark, which shipped them the robotic motors that arrived broken.

"No shade to them," Clare said, adding that their robotics team frequently orders from AndyMark with no problems.

"We're on the brink of, like, this could become a reality, and it's just up to us to put in that final effort," Mueller said. Clare chimed in: "All from a broken package."

Roku is wading deeper into the smart home space with two new security cameras, which can run on batteries. As such, you'll be able to place the Roku Battery Camera and Roku Battery Camera Plus pretty much anywhere. 

The former is said to run for up to six months on a single charge, while the Roku Battery Camera Plus can operate for up to a couple of years before you need to juice it up. There's an optional solar panel attachment so you might never have to manually recharge the batteries.

These cameras are designed for simplicity. A step-by-step guide on your phone walks you through how to set them up. They provide 1080p full-color visuals and there's a color night vision mode. Other features include motion detection and notifications. You can create schedules for the cameras too. 

Of course, you can monitor what the cameras see via the Roku Smart Home app or the web, as well as Roku TVs and streaming devices. Through the Roku Cameras app on your TV, you can view a carousel of camera feeds that cycle either periodically or based on motion events. There's a picture-in-picture option in case you want to watch TV and keep and eye on what's happening in and around your home too. The cameras lack microSD card support for local storage, though; if you want to store video clips in the cloud (or receive object-specific detection alerts), you'll need to pay a subscription fee.

Roku hasn't announced pricing for the cameras as yet. They'll be available in the coming months and will join the likes of the Indoor Security Camera in Roku's lineup. The company also unveiled its latest streaming sticks and announced new TVs and feature updates at an event on Wednesday.

Jeff Dunn for Engadget

The Insta360 X5 ($550) is the company’s latest 8K 360 action camera and, while it remains a different proposition to traditional action cams, it is more powerful, more reliable and easier to use.

The X5 has a larger 1/1.28-inch sensor compared to the X4's 1/2-inch sensor, ensuring more detail and a notable boost to low-light performance. The issue with wide-angle camera capture is that detail gets lost, especially in low-lit settings. The specification upgrades this time around reduce that substantially, including up to 13.5 stops of dynamic range.

Over the years, I’ve tried to incorporate 360-degree cameras into my workflow, using them both on vacation or at events. However, a lot of the content I capture is either during the evening or in a dark venue, literally the main weakness of these kinds of cameras. In a bid to address those shooting conditions, Insta360 introduced a new PureVideo mode that with AI noise reduction and dynamic range optimization for clearer, brighter footage in low-light conditions. It’s not perfect, but it moves dim video from unusable to decent, if not outright good. With a 5nm AI chip and two imaging chips, the X5 can also now capture Active HDR on footage at up to 5.7K 60 fps.

Image by Mat Smith for Engadget

This chip array also reduces processing time. Insta360 doesn’t specify how much faster, but anecdotally, on-device processing and file transfers to my smartphone were noticeably faster. Videos are saved almost instantly onto the camera, while saving several short clips to my phone took around 30 seconds, compared to minutes on previous devices.

While the X5 doesn’t offer higher resolution video than its predecessor, it packs in even more shooting options, like InstaFrame, which is fast becoming my go-to shooting mode. InstaFrame can record a typical “flat” video and a 360-degree video at the same time. The notion is that this gives an “instantly shareable” flat video, with no reframing or heavy editing needed.

But when you do have to, Insta360’s companion smartphone app has been further improved, with some incredibly useful editing tools. You can re-edit 360-degree video to focus on the user, or force a single view. It’s all quite intuitive too, which is a trait that shouldn’t be ignored.

Image by Mat Smith for Engadget

The X5 an incredibly versatile tool, and there’s something to be said for a camera that can capture everything. However, in less favorable conditions (or when you’re not the camera person), you might prefer the simpler settings and shooting methods of a traditional action camera.

The X5 does perform better in lower light, but it doesn’t quite match the improvements we’ve seen in low-light smartphone photography in recent years. Despite my cautiously walking around in the late evening to capture low-light footage, there was a vibration after-effect as the camera struggled to stabilize the footage. This can be reduced by staying still, but even with PureVideo (which can also be a little too aggressive addressing noise), it’s not quite there yet. I will continue to test the camera and provide further impressions. Insta360 pushed a firmware update to the X5 hours before I published this story, adding 4K60fps recording in single-lens mode, and several resolution bumps across other recording modes.

Design-wise, you have to get up real close to tell the difference between the X5 and the X4. They’re largely the same size, although Insta360 has switched to a polygon effect on the front, with a panel for the mic (and a new mesh wind guard).

The battery compartment and microSD slot are secured with a double latch where the microSD slot lives, and are protected by solid covers with sliding locks. Both sides of the camera have a grippy texture, with record and mode buttons nestled under the screen.

With the same threaded mount, Insta360’s existing selfie sticks will work with its latest camera, although fast-chargers and cases won’t, due to hardware changes. The most important thing: Insta360’s bullet time effect is still here – if you have the right peripheral.

Most of the settings adjustments, like its predecessors, are found in pull-down menus from, well, pretty much every side of the screen. Swiping right will take you to the gallery, while manual camera options are a left swipe away. Toggles and lock settings are located in the dropdown menu. There’s a lot, but if you’ve used a smartphone, you should find the basic navigation familiar.

Image by Mat Smith for Engadget

There’s a whole list of smaller notable hardware improvements on the X5 compared to the predecessor, too:

• Scratch-resistant glass lenses —- which are replaceable

• Larger capacity battery that lasts up to 180 minutes

• Faster-charging battery (0 to 80 percent in 20 minutes)

• New built-in steel mesh wind guard

• IP68 waterproofing up to 49 feet

• Magnetic mounting system

• ‘Twist to shoot’ record feature, to initiate recording by twisting a connected selfie stick

The Insta360 X5 is now on sale, priced at $550, with an Essentials Bundle also available for $660. The bundle includes an extra battery, fast-charge case, “invisible” selfie stick, lens guards and a carry case. That’s $50 more than the Insta360 X4 was at launch. The improvements to both low-light performance and new shooting modes may be worth the price increase, but don’t expect crisp 4K (or 8K) video if light is an issue.

Competition in this category remains relatively limited. Ricoh continues its Theta series, with a similar camera form factor, but seems to focus on stills more than video, while GoPro’s Max 360 camera lacks features like traditional 4K video capture, let alone 8K recording. The best alternatives are arguably Insta360’s other 360 cameras, like last year’s X4.

While there are less major spec and design changes compared to last year, the Insta360 X5 is another step forward for this type of camera, both in terms of imaging and in simplifying how you share what you capture.

With the A1, Sony was the first to introduce a high-resolution hybrid camera that was equally adept at stills and video — but boy was it expensive. Nikon and Canon followed that template with the R5 II and Z8 models that offered similar capabilities for less money, but those were still well north of $4,000.

Enter the S1R II. It’s Panasonic’s first camera that can not only shoot up to 8K video at the company’s usual high standards, but also capture 44-megapixel (MP) photos in rapid bursts. And unlike its rivals, the new model is available at a more reasonable $3,300 — half the price of Sony’s A1 II. At the same time, it’s a massive upgrade over the original S1R.

The main catch is the lack of a high-speed stacked sensor found in the other models, which can cause some skewing in both images and video. As I discovered, though, that tradeoff is well worth it for the lower price and picture quality that matches its competition. All of that makes the S1R II Panasonic’s best camera yet and a very tempting option in the high-resolution mirrorless category.

Design and handling

The S1R II is similar to other recent Panasonic models like the GH7 in terms of the design and control layout. It’s much lighter than the original S1R at 1.75 pounds compared to 2.24 pounds, so it’s less tiresome to carry around all day. As for handling, the massive grip has a ridge where your fingertips sit, making it nearly impossible to drop. The rubberized exterior is easy on the hands, though not quite as nice as the R5 II’s softer material.

I’ve always liked Panasonic’s controls and in that regard the S1R II may be the company’s best model yet. Along with a joystick and dials on the top front, top back and rear, it has lockable mode and burst shooting dials on top. You also get a dedicated button for photos, video and slow and quick (S&Q) modes, each with separate settings. There’s a dedicated autofocus switch, video record buttons both on top and front, a tally light and multiple programmable buttons.

The menu system is equally good, with logical color-coded menus and submenus. You can also rapidly find your most-used functions in the quick menu. All of that allowed me to shoot photos and video without fumbling for settings. You can also fully program buttons, dials and the quick menu to your own preferences.

Steve Dent for Engadget

The rear display is great for content creators and photographers alike. It tilts up and down to allow for easy overhead or shoot-from-the hip photography and also swivels out to the side so vloggers can conveniently film themselves. It’s very sharp and bright enough to use on sunny days. The electronic viewfinder is also excellent with 5.76 million dots of resolution and 100 percent magnification, matching Canon’s R5 II and beating the Nikon Z8.

Battery life isn’t a strong point, though, with 350 shots on a charge or just 280 when using the electronic viewfinder — far below the 640 shots allowed by the R5 II. It also only allows just over an hour of start-and-stop video shooting. However, Panasonic’s optional DMW-BG2 battery grip doubles endurance and also allows for battery hot-swapping.

The S1R II supports both SDXC UHS II and much faster CFexpress Type B cards, while also supporting SSD capture via the USB-C port like the S5 IIX and GH7. The latter two storage methods enable shooting in high-bandwidth RAW and ProRes to maximize quality.

Panasonic also included a full-sized HDMI port along with microphone and headphone jacks. For the best possible sound quality, the optional XLR2 accessory lets you capture four channels at up to 32-bit float quality to reduce the possibility of clipped audio. And finally, the S1R II is Panasonic’s first mirrorless model with a protective carbon fiber curtain that comes down to protect the sensor, just like recent Canon and Sony models.

Performance

Steve Dent for Engadget

Although the original S1R could only manage an anemic 6 fps burst speeds, its successor can hit 40 RAW images per second in silent electronic mode, beating all its rivals — though shooting at that speed limits quality to 12-bit RAW. To get 14-bit quality, you need to use the mechanical shutter for burst shooting which tops out at 9 fps.

However, the Panasonic S1R II doesn’t have a fast stacked sensor like rivals. The result is rolling shutter that can be a problem in some circumstances, like shooting race cars, propellers or golf swings. However, it does outperform many other non-stacked high-resolution cameras like Sony’s A7R V and Panasonic’s own S5 IIX in that area.

Pre-burst capture is now available and starts when you half-press the shutter. That lets you save up to 1.5 seconds of photos you might have otherwise missed once you fully press the shutter button.

With an overhauled phase-detect autofocus system and a new, faster processor, the S1R II features Panasonic’s fastest and smartest AF system yet. It can now lock onto a subject’s face and eyes quicker and follow their movements more smoothly, while also detecting and automatically switching between humans, animals, cars, motorcycles, bikes, trains and airplanes. I found it to be fast and generally reliable, but it’s still not quite up to Sony’s and Canon’s standards for speed and accuracy.

Panasonic boosted in-body stabilization to 8 stops. That’s nearly on par with rivals, though Canon leads the way with 8.5 stops on the R5 II. Still, it lets you freeze action at shutter speeds as low as a quarter second in case you want to blur waterfalls or moving cars when shooting handheld.

Image quality

Photo quality is outstanding with detail as good as rivals, though understandably short of Sony’s 61-megapixel A7R V. Colors are as accurate as I’ve seen on any recent camera, matching or even beating Canon’s excellent R5 II. My pro photographer friends took a number of shots with the S1R II and found it slightly superior to their Sony A1, noting that they rarely needed to white balance in post.

Thanks to the dual-ISO backside-illuminated sensor, low-light capability is excellent for a high-resolution camera, with noise well controlled up to ISO 12,800. Beyond that, grain becomes more problematic and shadows can take on a green cast. JPEG noise reduction does a good job retaining detail while suppressing noise, but gets overly aggressive above ISO 6,400.

If 44MP isn’t enough, the S1R II offers a high-resolution mode that captures eight images with a slightly offset sensor position and composes them into a single 177 megapixel file (either RAW or JPEG). It can supposedly be used without a tripod, though I found I had to remain very still to get decent images when doing so.

Video

The S1R II is Panasonic’s best mirrorless camera yet for video, albeit with some caveats I’ll discuss soon. You can capture up to 8K 30p 10-bit video at a reasonably high 300 Mbps, close to what Sony’s far more expensive A1 can do. Better still, it supports oversampled 5.8K ProRes RAW video internally with no crop for maximum dynamic range, or 4K video at up to 120 fps. Finally, the S1R II is capable of “open gate” 3:2 capture of the full sensor at up to 6.4K (and 8K down the road via a firmware update), making it easy to shoot all types of formats at once, including vertical video for social media.

Steve Dent for Engadget

Some of these resolutions, particularly the 5.9K 60 fps and 4K 120 fps modes come with a slight crop of about 1.1x and 1.04x, respectively. 4K 120 fps also uses pixel binning, which introduces a loss of resolution and other artifacts like rainbow-colored moire.

That takes us to the main downside: rolling shutter. The S1R II is actually a bit better than the S5 II in that regard, with a total readout speed of about 1/40th of a second, or about 25 milliseconds at any of the full sensor readout resolutions (8K or 5.8K). That can result in wobble or skew if you whip the camera around or film fast-moving objects. However, it’s acceptable for regular handheld shooting.

One complication is Panasonic’s dynamic range expansion (DRE) that boosts video dynamic range by a stop, mostly in an image's highlights. Enabling that feature makes rolling shutter worse.

Should you need to reduce rolling shutter, you can simply disable DRE without a big hit in quality. And shooting 4K at 60p minimizes rolling shutter so that it’s nearly on par with stacked sensor cameras, while still offering high-quality footage with just a slight crop.

As for video quality, it’s razor sharp and color rendition is accurate and pleasing. Dynamic range is on the high end of cameras I’ve tested at close to 14 stops when shooting with Panasonic’s V-log, allowing excellent shadow and highlight recovery, especially in DRE mode. It’s still very good without DRE though, particularly if you’re not shooting in bright and sunny conditions.

Steve Dent for Engadget

Video AF is also strong, keeping even quick-moving subjects in focus. Face, eye, animal and vehicle detection work well, though again, the system isn’t quite as reliable as what I saw on Sony and Canon’s latest models.

The S1R II offers more stabilization options than its rivals, though. Optical stabilization provides good results for handheld video, while electronic stabilization (EIS) smooths things further . Cranking that up to the most aggressive high EIS setting provides gimbal-like smoothness but introduces a significant 1.5x crop.

Along with those, Panasonic introduced something called “cropless” EIS. That setting takes advantage of unused areas of the sensor to correct corner distortion typical with wide angle lenses while also fixing skew. I found it worked very well to reduce rolling shutter even for quick pans and walking, which may help alleviate such concerns for some creators.

So yes, rolling shutter wobble is worse on this camera than rivals like the R5 II. However, there are ways to work around it. If minimal skewing is a critical feature then don’t buy the S1R II, but it shouldn’t be an issue for most users, particularly at this price.

Wrap-up

Steve Dent for Engadget

The S1R II is Panasonic’s best hybrid mirrorless camera to date, offering a great balance of photography and video powers. It’s also the cheapest new camera in the high-resolution hybrid full-frame category, undercutting rivals like Canon’s R5 II and the Nikon Z8.

The main downside is rolling shutter that primarily affects video. As I mentioned, though, it won’t pose a problem for many content creators and there are workarounds. Aside from that, it delivers outstanding photo and video quality while offering innovative features like cropless electronic stabilization.

If you need even more resolution, Sony’s 61MP A7R V offers slightly better image quality. And if rolling shutter is really an issue then I’d recommend Canon’s R5 II (though that model does cost $1,000 more) or the Nikon Z8. Should you want to spend considerably less, the Canon R6 II or even Panasonic’s S5 II or S5 IIx are solid picks. For other hybrid shooters, though, Panasonic’s S1R II is a great choice.

Smart security cameras can be a useful addition to your smart home setup, letting you keep an eye on things when you’re not around. Indoor units can show your dog sleeping on the couch and what’s going on in the playroom. Outdoor cams will notify you of unexpected movement in the backyard or when a package is delivered on your porch. Cameras can also serve as triggers for automations, like turning on lights when you get home.

Before you buy your first security camera, you’ll likely want to consider things like whether it’ll work with your other smart home devices, as well as how much (and how necessary) a monthly subscription is. Features like privacy settings, night vision capabilities and mounting options will also make a difference. We set up more than a dozen cameras in and around our homes, testing out the settings while filming our cats and family members for a few weeks. We found a few clear winners and also include our advice on what to consider so you can pick the best security camera for your home.

Table of contents 

• Best security cameras for 2025

• What to look for in a security camera

• Other security cameras we tested

• Security camera FAQs

Best security cameras for 2025

What to look for in a security camera

Hardware and design

One of the first things you’ll want to consider before buying a home security camera is where you intend to put it. Do you want an outdoor or indoor setup, or cameras that can work in both environments? That’s the first decision to make, since not all cameras are designed to be weatherproof. Next, consider where those cameras will live: do you need ones that can easily mount to the side of your home or above your garage? Do you want cameras in every room of your house, installed up in a ceiling corner out of reach? Should those cameras be able to swivel and turn on their own to track subjects or give you a wider field of view? If you just want to see packages on your porch or who's coming to the door, a doorbell camera might be a better option. 

Check the specifications for the cameras you’re considering to see if they come with any mounting hardware in the box, or if you’ll need special attachments to get the capabilities you want. For example, an extra feature like solar power for outdoor security cameras typically requires buying the solar panel separately, or buying a configuration of the camera that includes the panel in the box.

Another hardware component to consider is the proper connection for local storage. Many home security cameras give you the option to save footage locally by connecting a thumb drive or a microSD card either to the camera itself or to its base station. If you don’t intend on using cloud storage (which typically comes with a subscription cost), choosing a surveillance camera system that allows for local storage will be key.

Battery life

Battery life considerations will only apply to wireless cameras, so you’ll want to make note of the expected battery life of any wire-free camera you’re considering. For most that use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, it will come down to how “busy” the camera will be on a regular basis recording video. Some could estimate a minimum battery life of a couple weeks to one month with high usage, but you could get even more than that if the camera is in a low-traffic area.

I personally think you should be getting at least three weeks of battery life out of any rechargeable-battery security camera — anything less and it becomes a hassle just to keep the device in working order. Also, be prepared to access your cameras (including those mounted in high places) whenever you need to recharge their batteries. Scant few options today (looking at you, Blink), run on AA or AAA batteries, and those tend to last up to two years before you need to replace them.

Audiovisual features

Nearly every security camera can send you a notification when it detects motion. Most also offer more sophisticated alerts, like person, package, pet and vehicle detection, though those sometimes require a subscription. You can decide under which conditions you’d like to be alerted as well. Many cameras will let you set location preferences, using your phone to discern where you are, so you’re only alerted when you’re away. Some can then be programmed to turn off completely when you’re home, or you can decide to keep the camera recording without alerting you of activity. Systems without location tracking can be armed on a schedule or manually turned on and off.

Almost every security camera can listen as well as see — some can send you an alert when specific sounds are detected, such as breaking glass, barking dogs or fire alarms. Those microphones also let you hear what’s going on in the room, while built-in speakers allow for two-way conversations.

If viewing events at night is important to you, you’ll want to consider a camera’s ability to see in the dark. Most use infrared LEDs to detect motion and record events after the sun goes down. Infrared will work in total darkness, but can only produce a black and white image. A few cameras can capture color video at night through a combination of larger sensors and onboard image processing, but they won’t work in total darkness. A couple of the options we tried were spotlight cams with an onboard light you can manually turn on to light up a space for a better picture. Floodlight cameras are another option for outdoor models, which shine a bright light when motion is detected which may act as a deterrence.  

Subscription features

Without exception, every camera we tested has an optional subscription component. These typically run between $3 and $15 per month, though some offer a discount if you pay for a year up front. Advanced (and sometimes basic) features are paywalled behind these subs, so if you’re looking for things like person detection, extended live feeds, cloud storage, event labeling and longer event history, you’ll want to check whether you get those for free or only if you pay up.

Cloud storage for video clips beyond a day or so is the most common subscription-only feature, but some cameras have the option of using local storage with a microSD card or flash drive. Cameras that work with Apple’s HomeKit will usually let you store clips using your iCloud+ plan, so you might not need a separate subscription for those. To help make sense of whether you need to pay for a plan or not, we detail the monthly prices and membership features for each pick below so you can gauge the full cost of the level of monitoring you want.

Privacy settings

The majority of security cameras use cloud storage for clips. Even those that store your footage locally on SD cards or USB drives are still considered Wi-Fi cameras, connecting to the world at large through your home internet. Anything that’s in communication with other networks has the potential to be accessed by bad actors. Manufacturers take measures such as encrypting video before it’s sent to the cloud and requiring two-factor authentication to sign into any account to make systems safer. Users can go one step further by regularly installing security updates and making sure the passwords they use are strong and not reused elsewhere.

As for keeping your personal activity private, all cameras have a disarm feature, but some can automatically turn off when you are home if you share your location. Others will also let you set privacy zones and won’t capture footage or send alerts for movements in designated areas. That could be a part of the house you don’t want recorded or, for outdoor coverage, parts of your neighbor’s yard or driveway.

All the units we tested have indicator lights that turn on when a live view is being accessed or recording is taking place. But you’ll have to check what your particular camera’s LEDs mean, as nearly every one is different. Recording in progress is sometimes indicated with a red light, sometimes that light is blue, and on other cameras, it’s green. Some security cameras let you disable the recording light too, if you don’t want to alert would-be intruders that you’re watching them.

Compatibility

If this is your first foray into smart home gear, you just need to ensure that the camera you buy will work with your phone — and all of our top picks here have apps that work with both iOS and Android. If you already have TVs, smart monitors, home hubs, doorbells and other smart devices, check that what you buy now will work with what you already have if you want the most seamless system.

We’ve listed which of the three major smart home ecosystems each of our picks will work with, but in general, Amazon Alexa has the widest compatibility with third party brands, followed by Google. Apple’s HomeKit has a smaller number of compatible cameras on the market, but the list is still sizable enough and includes well-regarded brands like Ecobee, Logitech and Aqara, so you’ll likely be able to find one with the features you want.

Other security cameras we tested

Logitech Circle View Apple HomeKit-Enabled

We called out the Logitech Circle View camera as a HomeKit-enabled alternative to our top Siri pick, the Ecobee cam but it’s worth mentioning its merits once more. The Circle View works well with Apple’s smart home system and connected easily with my HomePod. Like with Ecobee, you may not need to pay for an additional subscription for cloud storage if you already have an iCloud+ plan. The video captured is warm and sharp. But it’s pricier than Ecobee’s HomeKit option and the web cam-aesthetic isn’t particularly elegant.

Roku Indoor Security Camera

While we don’t love that the Roku Indoor Security Camera uses a micro USB connection, the unit itself has a solid build. It can spin in either direction to track movement, either automatically or manually through the app. It’s easy to set up and is remarkably affordable. A subscription is required for clip storage and event filtering. Without it, the camera will only store stills from detection events, though you can easily manually save clips to your photos library from within the app. The color night vision is surprisingly clear, and the daytime recordings are bright and sharp. While other cameras we tested simply offered more features and better apps, this could be a compelling budget pick.

Aqara 2K Hub G3

If you ask a seven-year-old which camera is best (and we did) they will tell you it’s the Aqara 2K Hub G3, thanks to the unit’s cute little ears. We tested it with its own app, which worked well, and with HomeKit, which unfortunately kept disconnecting throughout our testing. The camera was easy and quick to set up thanks to the dual-bank Wi-Fi connection. We also appreciated the privacy setting that physically angled the camera lens down inside the unit (revealing a pair of shut-eye images that added to the adorableness). If you’re considering getting other Aqara smart home devices, and will primarily use the Aqara app, the Hub H3 is a good buy as it acts as the required hub for other devices from the brand.

Ring Indoor Cam (wired)

The Blink camera was simply a better value than the Ring Indoor Cam. The Ring unit felt overly lightweight and insubstantial, to the point where its own cable caused it to fall over. Set up was a little fussy and many of the available features are reserved for paid subscriptions. But the app helpfully leads you through setup and walks you through the various features, making it good for beginners. You’re also automatically opted into the Ring Neighbors app which is a fascinating glimpse into your neighborhood’s porch piracy events, lost cats, wild animal sightings and missing binky alerts.

Ring Outdoor Cam (Stick Up Cam, wireless)

Similarly to the Indoor Cam, the Ring Outdoor Cam was easy to set up and could be a decent option for beginners. Previously known as the Stick Up Cam, this model is wireless and rechargeable, but our biggest gripe with it is that it powers up via microUSB. USB-C is the standard now, so we recommend only buying new tech that supports the latest standard whenever possible. It’s worth noting that the new Ring Outdoor Cam Plus also charges via microUSB, so it seems Ring faithfuls may be stuck with old tech for a while longer.

Security camera FAQs

Is it better to have wired or wireless security cameras?

Wired security cameras are hardwired directly to the system’s local video storage, such as a digital video recorder (DVR) or a network video recorder (NVR) connected via Ethernet cables. That makes it more secure and not subject to the whims of Wi-Fi connections. But running the power and Ethernet cables to the camera require more intensive installation, possibly requiring a professional. Wireless cameras or plug-in cameras give you more flexibility in the installation process and location. Though a local, wired connection is less susceptible to remote hacking, most current wireless cameras implement fairly strong security measures — but you’ll still want to make sure you choose complex passwords and turn on safety measures like two-factor authentication.

What do security camera subscriptions look like?

Subscriptions for security cameras usually run between $3 and $15 per month, though you can often get a discount if you pay for a year of service up-front. They give you access to advanced (and sometimes basic) features such as person detection, cloud storage, live feeds and intelligent labelling of events.

What security system does not require a monthly fee?

Excluding cameras from home security system companies like ADT and Slomins, nearly all DIY security cameras will work on a basic level without a subscription, meaning you can usually get motion-triggered alerts and the ability to see at least a short history of recorded action. Some cameras, such as the Blink Mini, offer no cloud storage without a subscription, but you can still see a live feed and you can opt for local footage storage with additional equipment.

How do you install a security camera?

Installing a security camera can be as simple as setting it on a table, plugging it in and using the app to connect to your home’s Wi-Fi. Indoor cameras often come with user-installable wall mounts as well. Wireless outdoor security cameras are sometimes battery-operated, so you don’t need to install them near an outlet and they often come with mounting brackets for attaching them to outdoor surfaces. Larger security systems with hardwired cameras may require professional installation.

Do security cameras record sound?

Every security camera we tested records sound as well as video. You can turn sound recording on or off at your leisure.

Do security cameras work with existing surveillance systems?

Some do. The easiest way to ensure that your camera will work with your other surveillance equipment is to get devices from the same brand.

Do wireless security cameras work without Wi-Fi?

Most wireless home security cameras connect via Wi-Fi. However, some cameras have the option of connecting through a cellular data plan. Of course, there’s an additional cost for such connectivity, but it allows the cameras to record if the Wi-Fi goes out or if a camera is too far from home to get a signal from the router.

When you set up a new camera, or even go to take a picture on some smartphones, you’re presented with a key choice: JPG or RAW?

JPGs are ready to post just about anywhere, while RAWs yield an unfinished file filled with extra data that allows for much richer post-processing. That option for a RAW file (and even the generic name, RAW) has been standardized across the camera industry — but despite that, the camera world has never actually settled on one standardized RAW format.

Most cameras capture RAW files in proprietary formats, like Canon’s CR3, Nikon’s NEF, and Sony’s ARW. The result is a world of compatibility issues. Photo editing software needs to specifically support not just each manufacturer’s file type but also make changes for each new camera that shoots it. That creates pain for app developers and early camera adopters who want to know that their preferred software will just work.

Adobe tried to solve this problem years ago with a universal RAW format, DNG (Digital Negative), which it open-sourced for anyone to use. A handful of camera manufacturers have since adopted DNG as their RAW format. But the largest names in the space still use their own proprie …

Read the full story at The Verge.

After years of lagging behind rivals when it comes to video capture (and then suddenly buying cinema camera manufacturer RED), Nikon is pushing new boundaries in that area. Its latest salvo is the $1,699 24-megapixel full-frame Z5 II, perhaps the cheapest mirrorless camera so far to support internal RAW video. It also offers improved autofocus with new AI powers, cleaner images and enhanced image stabilization. 

The Z5 II is a wholesale remake of the original Z5 and that starts with video. While still limited to 4K 30 fps and cropped 4K 60 fps, it can now capture those formats internally using the company's 12-bit N-RAW format with N-log, along with 10-bit H.265 and 8-bit H.264. Interestingly, it will record in N-RAW to SDXC UHS-II cards, since the camera lacks high-speed CFexpress slots. That likely means you'll need to buy very fast (and expensive) cards and that the N-RAW video will be highly compressed. Still, it's a feature available on no other camera in this price range. 

Nikon

Nikon is also promising much-improved autofocus bolstered by a new image-processing engine and tech borrowed from its high-end Z9 and Z8 models. The Z5 II can now lock onto subjects more quickly, particularly human eyes, faces and bodies, and works in lower light down to -10 EV, compared to -3 EV before. Meanwhile, the AI system can detect up to nine subject types ranging from animals (including a Bird Detection mode) to bicycles. When working in Auto-Area AF, these subjects can be detected, focused on, and tracked automatically. 

Native ISOs have been boosted to 100-64000 (50-204,800 in expanded modes), up from a maximum 51,200 before. That should improve noise levels across the ISO ranges, the company said. However, resolution is still limited to 24 megapixels. 

Nikon

In-body stabilization has been boosted to 7.5 stops with supported lenses, way up from five stops on the Z5. That's paired with electronic stabilization designed to keep handheld video steady. 

The Z5 II's viewfinder still offers a decent 3.69-million dots of resolution, but brightness has been boosted to 3,000 nits with 13 levels of brightness control. And it now comes with a 1.7-million-dot vari-angle display that's a big improvement from the previous model's tilt-only screen. The body now has a deeper grip to improve handling and comes with a one-touch Picture Control button for previewing and switching between color profiles in real time, matching a recent trend started by Fujifilm's X100 VI.

Other features including dual SD UHS-II card slots, 3.5mm headphone and mic jacks, camera to cloud connectivity via Nikon's Imaging Cloud and a new weather-proof build "on par with the Z6 III," according to Nikon. 

The Z5 II looks to be an impressive hybrid full-frame camera for the money and rivals Sony and Canon don't really have anything in the same price range that can match it. However, it also comes at a price $300 higher than the Z5 was at launch. Still, it could tempt filmmakers and others away from similarly priced crop sensor cameras from the likes of Fujifilm and Sony. The Z5 II is now on pre-order for $1,699 (body only) or $1,999 with a 24-50mm f/4-6.3 kit lens.