September 8 marked the final day of IFA 2026, the world-renowned consumer electronics exhibition held in Berlin, Germany. As one of the globe’s three premier consumer electronics trade fairs, this year’s IFA—open since September 4—drew over 1,900 exhibitors from 49 countries and regions, with an expected attendance of more than 220,000 visitors worldwide. LeiTech (ID: LeiTech) deployed its dedicated “LeiTech IFA26 Reporting Team” to Berlin for comprehensive, immersive, and on-the-ground coverage of IFA 2026.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

Traditionally, it’s difficult to associate a trade show historically centered on “home appliances” with imaging technology. Yet this year’s IFA clearly broke from convention: DJI dominated foot traffic; Hohem, Insta360, and Hover all unveiled major new offerings; and numerous domestic and international imaging accessory manufacturers gathered in Hall H20. This shift is unsurprising—IFA is increasingly emphasizing its consumer electronics identity to compete for attention with CES, and imaging, as one of today’s most dynamic innovation segments within consumer electronics, has naturally become a centerpiece of the event.

While traditional cameras have been marginalized by smartphones, the “fall of a whale nourishes myriad life”: mobile imaging has spawned numerous new product categories and is steadily expanding beyond professional users into the mainstream.

Content-Creation Hardware Gains Momentum—Vloggers’ Gear Arrives at IFA

IFA introduced a dedicated Content Creation Zone this year, stating that the area’s footprint grew by 70% year-on-year—and for the first time spanned two exhibition halls. This aligns closely with a prior assessment by LeiTech: the rise of self-media, short videos, and live streaming has catalyzed a “content-creation hardware” wave, benefiting imaging, audio, and storage peripherals—and the momentum continues.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

Why the sudden spotlight on imaging? IFA’s official statement reads: “The creator community has long been a core pillar of both the technology and entertainment industries.” In plain terms: more people than ever are filming videos, streaming live, and creating content—so many, in fact, that IFA had to allocate an entire dedicated zone just for them.

This year’s zone welcomed several newcomers: Western Digital (storage), Godox (lighting), Neewer (lighting), Amaran (lighting), Potensic (drones), and Hover Air (drones). Combined with established participants—including DJI, Insta360, Sigma, Lexar, and xTool—a clear pattern emerges: every link along the content-creation value chain is now represented here. Content creation has evolved from a “niche hobby” into a bona fide industry.

Insta360 No Longer Holds Sole Dominance—DJI Remains the Undisputed Star Despite No New Launches

The busiest spot in IFA’s Imaging Hall was inevitably the booths of DJI and Insta360. As the two current titans of intelligent imaging, their products effectively set the industry benchmark.

DJI did not debut any new products at this year’s IFA; its lineup largely mirrored models available in China. Yet this didn’t diminish its status as one of the highest-traffic booths across the entire venue.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

On the product front, DJI showcased the Osmo 360 II—the company’s flagship 360° camera. Officially described as “the culmination of 12 years of handheld imaging expertise,” it captures the full surrounding environment with a simple rotation; users can later extract any desired angle from the footage.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

DJI also brought its newly launched Mic 3 to the show. Supporting one-to-four wireless transmission, it records each speaker onto a separate audio track—giving editors full flexibility to retain or discard individual voices during post-production. It also supports 32-bit float dual-file recording: essentially capturing two versions simultaneously per take, ensuring a backup file remains usable even if the primary recording suffers clipping. Its transmission capability is equally impressive: officially rated for up to 400 meters of range and exceptional interference resistance—even in dense RF environments like exhibition halls teeming with hundreds of wireless devices. Also present was the ultra-lightweight Mic Mini 2S, weighing only 7.7 grams—so light it’s barely noticeable when clipped to clothing.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

In LeiTech’s view, DJI’s ability to attract such massive crowds stems primarily from its irreplaceable ecosystem and unparalleled product breadth—from aerial drones to pocket cameras, gimbals to microphones, and consumer-grade to professional-grade solutions—it offers proprietary products covering virtually every node along the imaging value chain.

Insta360’s booth drew strong visitor interest this year—though still slightly behind DJI—and failed to replicate the explosive popularity it enjoyed at CES. The reason is widely known: DJI does not exhibit at CES, making this year’s CES a solo showcase for Insta360. This dynamic reflects broader trends in the North American imaging market—a topic we won’t explore further here.

At its booth, Insta360 debuted its newly launched X6 360° camera and Luna Ultra gimbal camera. Like the X6, the Luna Ultra is also a 360° camera—but its true killer feature is its claim to be the world’s first 8K Dolby Vision gimbal camera. Since its launch in China, the Luna Ultra has frequently sold out, underscoring sustained—and growing—market demand for gimbal cameras. Reports even suggest queues formed for it in Japan.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

According to IDC data, Insta360 captured a 71% global market share in the 360° camera segment in Q1 2026—meaning seven out of every ten 360° cameras sold worldwide came from Insta360. Overseas revenue accounts for nearly 70% of its total revenue, and its global user base exceeds 10 million. This year, the company won four IFA Innovation Awards—including the top-tier “Best of Tech” award for the Luna Ultra. To date, Insta360 stands as DJI’s most formidable competitor.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

IFA makes clear that regardless of how the DJI–Insta360 rivalry unfolds, both companies share a common goal: lowering the barrier to high-quality content creation for everyday users—precisely why intelligent imaging has exploded in popularity over recent years.

Hohem Secures Its Gimbal Stronghold While Advancing Into Core Imaging Territory

Hohem, our longtime partner, is the world’s “invisible champion” in handheld gimbals: selling products in over 70 countries, serving more than 5 million users, and wielding significant influence in the gimbal market.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

This year, Hohem showcased the X4 AI-tracking smartphone gimbal, the V4 Ultra flagship gimbal with real-time video transmission and AI tracking, and the Mic 2 wireless microphone. The X4 supports Apple DockKit direct connection and on-device touch controls, prioritizing lightweight smartphone tracking while maintaining compatibility with Android, iOS, and HarmonyOS devices. The V4 Ultra further enhances AI subject tracking, real-time video monitoring, and remote control—all while supporting DockKit direct connection. The Mic 2 fills the gap for long-range wireless transmission, AI noise reduction, and high-fidelity audio capture. Together, these products comprehensively cover imaging main units, smartphone stabilization, intelligent tracking, and audio recording.

The most talked-about Hohem product at this IFA was the “two-in-one” pocket gimbal camera, Eyepic. Its standout feature is the detachable camera module: mounted on the 3-axis gimbal, it operates like a typical handheld gimbal camera; yet once detached, it transforms into a standalone “thumb camera.” According to official specs, it can be secured to the body using a cap clip or lanyard, while the handle continues displaying live feed and controlling recording.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

This design may seem straightforward—“detach and reattach”—but its underlying engineering complexity far exceeds expectations. Hohem’s engineers told LeiTech they’re tackling challenges one by one, because detaching and reattaching demands complete redesigns of thermal management, mechanical structure, and power delivery—making it vastly more complex than developing a standalone camera.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

In terms of imaging specs, the current engineering unit supports 4K/60fps recording and features a lossless vertical-video solution—not achieved by cropping horizontal footage, but via physical sensor rotation to natively output 4K vertical video.

From an industry perspective, Hohem entered the handheld gimbal space back in 2014. Its capabilities have evolved steadily—from basic mechanical stabilization to AI subject tracking, remote monitoring, and modular control. In 2019, it demonstrated a concept action camera with an integrated 3-axis gimbal at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair. Eyepic represents the culmination of that vision: integrating camera, gimbal, display, and control system into a single, fully functional, hands-on experience.

Eyepic is currently in pre-launch phase; its official release date, pricing, and final production specifications remain pending Hohem’s formal announcement. Notably, LeiTech previously experienced an earlier engineering prototype of this product as an invited media outlet at CES this year. Back then, however, Hohem restricted access to a “black room” open only to select professional media. At IFA, Eyepic is publicly displayed on the showroom floor—and LeiTech observed significantly improved maturity, suggesting the official launch is imminent.

Clearly, Hohem’s strategy is twofold: solidify its dominance in gimbals and related categories, while strategically expanding into core imaging domains. Eyepic embodies this ambition—not as a casual project, but as a deliberate effort to pioneer something truly distinctive and innovative. LeiTech eagerly anticipates Eyepic’s official launch.

HOVERAir Flying Camera: Pioneering the Drone–Gimbal Camera Fusion

This year, HOVERAir unveiled the HOVERAir VERSA—LeiTech considers it the most creatively compelling product form at IFA’s Imaging Hall: it merges a drone and a handheld gimbal camera into a single device.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

Specifically, it functions as a complete low-altitude flying camera during normal operation—equipped with four propellers and standard protective guards, enabling effortless takeoff. When flight isn’t needed, simply detach the camera module from the airframe, and it instantly transforms into a handheld gimbal camera.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

Combined, it’s a low-altitude flying camera; separated, it’s a gimbal camera—two entirely distinct use cases in one device. Moreover, its level of completion is exceptionally high: it’s fully functional—detachable, reassemblable, flyable, and filmable.

For safety, the HOVERAir VERSA features an extremely lightweight airframe and protective guards encircling all propellers—minimizing injury risk to people or property even upon accidental contact. Its maximum flight altitude is approximately 30 meters: high enough to capture overhead perspectives, yet low enough to remain under regulatory notification thresholds in most locations—making spontaneous flight feasible almost anywhere (except Beijing).

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

Powered by AI, the HOVERAir VERSA delivers impressive automatic tracking performance—requiring no pre-registration. Simply face the device and take off to initiate recognition: fast, accurate, and responsive. LeiTech tested it onsite—walking briskly, crouching, and jumping—and the device consistently tracked accurately while maintaining a distance of roughly 1.5 meters.

If Hohem’s Eyepic unifies gimbals and thumb cameras, HOVERAir VERSA goes further—bridging “sky” and “hand.” It enables aerial tracking, yet can be instantly detached for handheld shooting. And crucially, this is no concept device: it’s already live on Indiegogo, priced at $1,270—with early-bird crowdfunding pricing at $899 (approximately HK$6,860).

Readers may wonder: why call it a “flying camera” rather than a “drone”? Traditional aerial photography drones prioritize high-altitude, long-range flight coupled with extended video transmission—making flight control and transmission systems their core engineering focus. A flying camera flips this paradigm: the camera is paramount; flight serves merely as auxiliary support—sufficiently capable of ascending to 20–30 meters, with transmission range measured in hundreds of meters. The distinction resembles that between a professional race car built for circuits versus an affordable commuter vehicle designed for daily use—each excelling in its own domain, neither replacing the other.

Potensic: The Value Champion—The “Redmi” of the Drone Industry

Potensic is widely labeled within the industry as the “value king” and “DJI alternative,” positioning itself to deliver 85% of DJI’s performance at just 60% of the price—leveraging aggressive value-for-money advantages to attract entry-level, novice, and mass-market users.

At this year’s IFA, Potensic launched its latest model, the Atom3. Onsite staff explained: competitors offer extensive product lines, and to ensure differentiation, AI-powered features such as one-touch cinematic shots, QuickShot, and time-warp modes are often reserved exclusively for premium models—rarely trickling down to entry-level units. Yet this creates a paradox: the users who need these “one-tap cinematic” features most are precisely beginners—while professionals rarely rely on them.

Potensic adopts the opposite philosophy: embed high-end features into entry-level pricing—free of charge. Beginners require minimal practice: just press “takeoff” and “record,” and the drone autonomously executes a cinematic shot.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

The Atom3 integrates one-touch cinematic shot features alongside key specs including a 249-gram airframe, 4K HDR video, 50-minute battery life, and 16-kilometer video transmission—delivering formidable competitiveness. In LeiTech’s view, Potensic isn’t targeting DJI’s flagship customers; rather, it aims squarely at users interested in drones but deterred by operational complexity.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

In the consumer drone industry, DJI sets the ceiling—but beneath it thrives a cohort of manufacturers competing on “good-enough + affordable + beginner-friendly” value propositions. Among them, Potensic stands out as the strongest contender, prompting some users to jokingly dub it “DJI’s #2.”

Imaging-Adjacent Suppliers Are Quietly Thriving

Having discussed the manufacturers that “shoot,” let’s turn to those operating “behind the scenes.”

First, storage. Whether professional cameras, drones, gimbal cameras, or action cameras—none operate without storage. Three familiar faces appeared at IFA this year: Lexar, SUNEAST, and Western Digital. Most impressively, LeiTech found Lexar’s newly launched portable SSD—Muse—particularly striking. Upon seeing it, LeiTech’s immediate reaction was: “It’s incredibly thin.” Just how thin? Staff clarified: “It’s thinner than the USB-C connector itself.”

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team, right: Lexar Muse SSD)

To achieve extreme thinness, Lexar crafted the Muse with a Unibody aluminum chassis—feeling like a premium metal plate in hand. Yet as we know, devices requiring sustained high-speed data transfer demand exceptional thermal management. Staff confirmed thermal dissipation was indeed the biggest challenge—requiring substantial R&D investment in materials science, CMF (Color-Material-Finishing) processes, and specialized cabling to resolve completely.

Regarding read/write performance, the Muse delivers speeds of 1,050 MB/s—adequate for most smartphone users’ data-transfer needs. Its magnetic case allows direct attachment to iPhone backs (or any magnetically compatible phone), effectively transforming the smartphone into a device with an ultra-thin external SSD.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

Staff stated this may be the world’s first card-form-factor portable SSD. Though it lacks MFi certification, over 1,000 authorized Apple Premium Reseller stores across China will stock it. Pre-orders are expected to begin around October, with official availability slated for November—strategically timed shortly after the iPhone 18 series launch. Amid rising storage prices, calling it a future must-have for iPhone users is hardly an exaggeration.

On lighting, familiar names Godox and Neewer joined the show, alongside Amaran (under Aputure)—all presenting solutions for studio lights, light stands, tripods, and other lighting accessories. But that’s not what we’ll focus on today.

Taking Godox as an example: its spotlighted offerings weren’t massive studio lights or night-scene fill lights—but two intriguing new products. One is the C100 camera, priced at ¥199—previously reviewed by LeiTech (searchable across major platforms). Its mission is to reduce the barrier to “taking photos” to near zero: image quality takes a back seat to portability and fun. The second is a portable thermal-sublimation photo printer—enabling instant physical prints without connecting to a computer or waiting for lab processing, drastically cutting time and consumables costs.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

The camera handles “capturing”; the printer handles “instant output.” For under ¥200, you can shoot photos—and for a modest additional cost, transform them into tangible, wall-mountable physical prints. LeiTech finds this Godox combo increasingly reminiscent of Polaroid—only swapping chemical film development for digital thermal sublimation. Yet their essence remains identical: compressing “recording” from a process requiring lengthy waits and expensive processing into mere seconds.

Polaroid thrived for decades on its “press shutter → receive print instantly” appeal—now gradually being displaced by cheaper, lighter, and film-free digital alternatives.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

Speaking of “affordable cameras,” LeiTech encountered another Chinese brand—NBD—in Hall H20. Its ambition is to position cameras as accessible “toys” for everyday users.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

Per staff, NBD’s latest offering—the NBD 8K Digital Camera—features a SmartRender Core 3.0 chip delivering “millisecond-level AI scene recognition.” Paired with six-axis stabilization and panoramic stitching—features previously requiring premium pricing—AI and algorithms pack high-end camera experiences into a €400 machine (≈¥3,117).

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

That’s not all: its lens employs a modular design, enabling quick swaps between telephoto and ultra-wide configurations—an unconventional yet genuinely fascinating approach.

Historically, camera discussions centered on global giants like Nikon, Sony, and Canon. Today, however, they’re increasingly pressured by surging Chinese brands. They retain undeniable advantages in professional domains—but the larger market lies in mass-market mobile imaging, now firmly dominated by Chinese brands.

Moman Leverages Audio to Capture Creator Market Growth

Imaging encompasses more than visuals alone. Just as television requires both sharp picture quality and high-fidelity sound for optimal viewing, content creation demands equally high standards for audio: crystal-clear video footage becomes unusable if overwhelmed by wind noise. Thus, “listening” holds equal importance to “seeing.”

Consequently, IFA’s audio segment revealed an intriguing trend this year: microphones were traditionally third-party audio brands’ turf—but this year, imaging-focused players like DJI, Insta360, and Hohem all launched serious in-house microphone offerings: DJI’s Mic Mini 2S, Insta360’s Mic Pro, Hohem’s Mic 2, and Moman’s LARK A2, among others.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

In past years, microphones occupied minor shelf space beside gimbals and cameras—as “accessories.” This year, they’re prominently displayed alongside flagship products.

Each microphone brings unique strengths:

• Insta360’s Mic Pro adopts a tightly integrated approach with its 360° cameras—optimized for “walk-and-shoot, speak-and-record” scenarios—with seamless synchronization between audio capture and its companion app.

• Hohem’s Mic 2 emphasizes affordability and value—bringing dual-channel recording and noise cancellation—previously costing thousands—to budget-conscious buyers.

• DJI’s Mic 3 supports one receiver connected to four transmitters; the Mic Mini 2S reduces weight to just 7.7 grams.

• Moman’s LARK A2 and M3 emphasize AI—featuring one-touch AI activation and serving as launch partners for WorkBuddy’s first-generation co-branded hardware.

We’ll highlight Moman’s LARK A2, which incorporates CCT Check anti-clipping technology. Its principle is elegantly simple: record two simultaneous audio tracks—one 6–7 dB lower than the other. Under normal conditions, the higher-gain track is used; should unexpected loud sounds cause clipping, the system seamlessly switches to the lower-gain track—eliminating clipping at the hardware level. This is true “clipping prevention” built into the hardware—not a post-recording alert warning “this section clipped,” requiring algorithmic remediation in post-production.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

It also includes a subtle yet highly practical detail—automatic screen/LED dimming for standby mode. During silent periods, the device automatically powers down its display and indicator lights to conserve energy—reactivating instantly upon detecting speech. Officially, this power-saving mode extends battery life by approximately 90 minutes. For a microphone carried all day and pulled out for impromptu use, this efficiency beats simply enlarging the battery.

Moman’s audio strategy diverges from traditional vendors: it prioritizes front-end audio capture. Most microphones touting “AI recording” rely on post-processing algorithms. Moman, however, focuses relentlessly on input-stage fidelity—dedicated to doing the “simple act” of recording right. Its collaboration with WorkBuddy—featuring one-touch wake-up and whisper-trigger activation—directly leverages this strength.

Historically, drones and cameras solved the “seeing” problem. Today, the industry recognizes that seeing alone is insufficient—we must also excel at “listening.” Hence, imaging companies have entered the microphone arena. Conversely, audio specialists are moving into imaging—like Moman launching live-streaming cameras. Imaging vendors hold the “entry point”; audio vendors hold only “accessories.” This awkward asymmetry compels audio players like Moman and Rode to expand into imaging—or risk being absorbed by imaging giants’ in-house audio solutions.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

From “Tools” to “Foundational Infrastructure”

After touring Hall H20—the Content Creation Hardware Pavilion—LeiTech observes that imaging equipment has evolved from discrete “tools” into systemic “foundational infrastructure.”

Previously, camera discussions centered on “which model delivers superior image quality.” This year at IFA, the conversation shifted to “which vendor enables ordinary users to create the best possible content at the lowest possible cost.” DJI and Insta360 compete on image quality; Hohem competes on usability; and together with HoverAir, they explore “multi-function integration”—all pursuing the same ultimate objective: eliminating barriers to content creation.

Another notable shift at this IFA: the imaging market’s protagonists have decisively shifted from legacy camera manufacturers to Chinese new-energy brands. Sony still attracts niche users with professional cameras; Sigma and Kodak—longtime fixtures—either display outdated models perfunctorily or remain virtually invisible.

(Photography: LeiTech IFA Reporting Team)

It is, in fact, Chinese brands driving industry-wide advances in image and audio quality, pioneering novel product forms, and democratizing professional-grade tools. The global imaging industry has unequivocally entered the “Chinese era.”

From September 4–8, the world’s largest home appliance and consumer electronics exhibition—IFA 2026—took place in Berlin.

As the “most influential new media outlet covering IFA”—globally recognized for its authoritative AI-related reporting—LeiTech dispatched its largest-ever, highest-specification reporting team to Berlin. Adopting a “2+N” model (two live hosts + multiple on-site editors + multiple backend editors), LeiTech delivered comprehensive, immersive, and real-time coverage of IFA 2026—with focused attention on AI Agent integration with home appliances and hardware, robotics in home environments, emerging digital lifestyle trends across person-car-home ecosystems, and Chinese brands’ global stage presence.

The IFA exhibition has concluded. LeiTech’s IFA 2026 Reporting Team members are now conducting intensive on-site debriefings and analysis in Berlin—stay tuned!