Best Camera Gear of 2019 & New Camera Gear for 2020

2019 brought us a lot of really great gear from all types of different manufacturers. The rate at which technology is changing is absolutely insane. I remember when I worked as an AV Design Engineer when I graduated from college, 4K was barely even a thing. I worked there for 2 years and when I left in 2017, 4K was starting to really come onto the scene. Now, if you don't have 4K, you're a thing of the past and obsolete. This is the best camera gear of 2019 & new camera gear for 2020 that we're most excited about. We have 8K now. 8K!!!! That's just absurd!! By the end of next year, who's to say we wont have 16K?!   Technology has always fascinated me, and I'm beyond fortunate enough to work in a field that allows me to geek out about these types of things. So with that being said, let's take a look at our top 5 things from 2019 we loved! And we'll also take a look at the 2020 gear we are most excited about.

Favorite Camera Gear from 2019

1. EOS R was one of the 5 things we loved in 2019 for good reason

Now technically this didn't come out in 2019 but at the end of 2018 but it really gained its traction in 2019. This was the camera everyone loved to hate when it first came out. "The specs are so bad" or "That 4K crop is just plain stupid!" were phrases that were heard a lot. I'll admit, when I first saw that spec sheet, I said those exact same things. But now, this is the camera that really brought Canon back from the dead. This was only the first Full Frame Mirrorless Camera that Canon put out and it's absolutely amazing. While it does have a ridiculous crop, it's not anything that cannot be worked around. All you have to do is take a few steps back and you're ready to rock and roll. Plus, the option to do C-Log is another great feature. This camera literally made me sell every piece of Sony gear I owned (minus my a7sii) and switch over to Canon. I am really excited for the future of this system which is why it is one of the 5 things from 2019 we loved! And also some 2020 gear we are most excited about!

2. Canon RF Lenses

Piggybacking on the release of the EOS R, Canon released a slew of new RF lenses in 2019. All I can say is "Wow!". These lenses are insane!! The updated feel of the lenses fit well with the new updated body styling of the EOS R bodies. The 15-35 f/2.8 IS lens is the first Image Stabilized, Wide-Angle lens on the market. That is huge for anyone who does video with wide angle lenses! Another great lens release was the 70-200 f/2.8. This lens comes in significantly smaller than its EF counterpart and weighs almost half of what the EF weighs. That's great for a number of reasons including it being lighter in your camera bag and also less stress on the lens mount itself. Canon has a bunch more RF lenses slated to be released in 2020, but we'll have to wait for more info on those. For now, Canon RF lenses are one of the 5 things we loved in 2019. And we have a feeling they'll be back on our list again next year.

3. BMPCC 6K – Another of the 5 things we loved in 2019

This is another camera that took the video world by storm. This was the first camera that made RAW video available to the masses. If you are not familiar with RAW video, its essentially the same thing as a RAW photo, except for video. You are free to change the white balance, ISO, etc. after a clip is filmed. You can do this before you actually color grade the clip. If you've never used RAW video before, it's just plain awesome! The camera also gave us a Super 35 sensor and an EF mount, which makes a lot of sense, since EF glass is so accessible. It also has BlackMagic Raw, which now has Premiere Pro support. It also has the ability to shoot in ProRes 422. Both of those codecs are very easy to work with and run very smoothly on most machines, especially given the fact that you are in 6K/4K With everything mentioned above, you also have the ability to shoot 6K resolution up to 50fps, or 60 fps if you are ok with a 2.4:1 aspect ratio. I preordered this camera the day it released and I am so very happy that I did. It's a pleasure to work with the BMPCC 6K. This is why it has earned a spot on our top 5 things from 2019 we loved.

4. DJI Osmo Action

DJI announced its revamped version of the Osmo Action in May of 2019. I'll be honest, as a long time GoPro user, I was quite skeptical on this little action camera. But with the release and subsequent filter releases from PolarPro, the Osmo Action turned out to be a great action camera. The stabilization, known as RockSteady, made the need for a gimbal go away. Plus, with the option to shoot in 4K60, the possibilities are endless. With the added front screen, it also made the Osmo action a viable vlogging camera for those with smaller budgets. Not to mention, it was nice to see someone give GoPro a run for their money in the action camera market. Just another cool thing that puts the DJI Osmo Action on our list of 5 things from 2019 we loved.

5. DJI FPV

The FPV drone market exploded in 2019. For those of you who aren't aware of FPV drones, they are small, lightweight quadcopters that are flown via a First Person View (FPV) video feed sent directly to a set of goggles. The quadcopters are much more agile and much faster than your typical camera drones. Strap a GoPro or Osmo Action to one of these bad boys and you are in for some pretty sweet footage. DJI decided to take a stab at the FPV drone market with its release of its HD FPV system. This quite literally changed the FPV market. Suddenly, pilots were able to fly with a high definition signal, which was a massive improvement over the analog systems. Having the ability to see clearer makes flying a quad much easier, especially when you are flying at 80 mph. After DJI released its HD FPV system, several other manufacturers were able to release similar products but none of them were quite as good as the DJI system. I'm really excited to see what happens with the FPV market in 2020. This is a new hobby for me, and it's awesome to see the development in 2020.

New Camera Gear in 2020 We are Excited About

1. Sony A7s III

The rumors of a forthcoming Sony A7s III have been teasing Sony users for well over a year now. Sony's R line, which is their photo focused line, is already on its 4th iteration. We also have the A7III which is a hybrid camera that does a fantastic job at both photo and video. It seems that it's about time for a refresh on the video side of things considering that the last S line camera to come out was the A7s II which came out in September of 2015. Sony's lack of S series innovation is part of what caused me to move to a Canon R system, and if Sony isn't careful, more and more users could be switching. With that being said, the rumors of what this camera will have are very exciting. The possibility of 6K video recording and 4K60 in a Sony body are just a few of the things that could bring Sony back on top of the mirrorless world.

2. Red Komodo

Red Cameras make new cameras just about every year. They were actually the first company to put 8K in a camera. The big news coming from Red this year is the new Komodo body/brain. Red's lowest priced brain ever is a pretty noteworthy event! The Komodo will come in at about $7,000-8,000 USD which is a fraction of what most Red Cameras cost. This camera is supposed to be direct competition for the Z Cam systems as well as the Black Magic Pocket Cinema 6K. Knowing what Red is able to achieve with their tech in their brains, the Komodo is going to blow both of those cameras out of the water.

3. DJI Mavic 3

DJI has been very quiet about their upcoming releases for the Mavic and Inspire lines. We don't have too many details regarding what the new Mavic line will have, but we do know that there will most likely be Pro and Zoom versions and at least one of those will have a Hasselblad Sensor. 4. Canon 1Dx Mkiii Canon's 1Dx lineup has been the go-to for professional photographers and even some videographers. The Canon 1Dx MKiii will likely blow its predecessors out of the water which is why it is 2020 gear we are excited about. Full Frame 4K video is set to release in the new body, which is kind of a big deal for Canon. There have also been rumors about a hybrid EF/RF mount on the body. I'm not really sure how that would work since the lens mounts are so different, but I am excited either way!

5. 5G Wireless networks

This isn't necessarily a piece of camera gear but 5G networks could change the way we live. 5G is a significantly faster wireless data network system. 5G has already been implemented in limited areas in select cities. Because the wavelengths are at 5GHz, which is a higher frequency that 4Ghz, there needs to be more nodes or towers for the 5G networks to function properly. Also, most 5GHz waves do not travel through objects very well, so having a wireless 5G connection inside a building is almost impossible at this point in time. However, the possibilities that a reliable 5G network could bring are insane! This could allow self-driving cars to actually be reliable on the road with a faster connection to the servers. This could also allow a doctor in the top of their field in Brazil perform a surgery in Hong Kong in real time. When it comes to video, 5G could allow us to live stream in true hi-definition. It could also allow us to receive 4K video wirelessly to our phones. 5G improves anything that can be improved by a faster wireless connection.

That's 5 Things from 2019 We Loved, now it's onward and upward to 2020!

2020 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for us here at Gear Focus. We are beyond excited for what the new year will bring and we hope you are too! Thank you for being here and allowing us to continue to Feed Your Passion!