That was the photo year 2024

Contents

Camera innovations: Evolution instead of revolution

Somehow, 2024 felt as if the camera manufacturers had already shot their powder in 2023 – including the announcement of the Sony Alpha 9 III in November 2023. The photography world spent the turn of the year and beyond discussing global shutter, noise, basic ISO and 120 frames per second. This set the tone and expectations. Compared to the Alpha 9 III hype, however, the new camera launches in 2024 were comparatively restrained – and the global shutter mania died down almost as quickly as it had arisen. Model maintenance does not necessarily generate enthusiasm.

Nikon's notable successes and a world first in the OM System

With the powerful full-frame all-rounder Z6III and the APS-C camera Z50II, which is unexpectedly capable for its price, Nikon has achieved two remarkable successes. (Incidentally, the APS-C format, which has always been declared dead, is proving to be quite alive again). The news that Nikon has taken over the cinema camera manufacturer RED also attracted a lot of attention and commentary, not least because RED holds an important patent for the recording of raw videos in the camera.

OM System presented the OM-1 Mk II, whose detailed improvements mainly concerned the inner values. Among other things, the MFT camera was given twice as much buffer memory so that the high frame rates of up to 120 shots per second can be better utilized. With the built-in Live GND effect, which simulates the use of a gray gradient filter, OM System was able to claim a world first.

Canon: All-rounder hui, specialist pfui?

Canon experienced a few difficult flagship moments. The all-rounder R5 II simply stole the show from the eternally anticipated, equally eternally developed and finally almost unexpectedly presented specialist EOS R1. Canon gave the 4800-euro EOS R5 II almost everything that technology currently has to offer: a high-resolution stacked sensor, improved eye-controlled focus (Eye-Control AF II), AI autofocus and scene recognition as well as 8K video.

Elsewhere, such a package would have flagship potential, but at Canon this title is traditionally reserved for the big press camera in the portfolio. The reactions to the EOS R1 –, which is in the tradition of a professional photographic tool and was teased accordingly in advance –, were mostly underwhelming to lukewarm: too little, too late, too expensive, no global shutter, "nothing sensational", "really just an R3 II", "total disappointment". However, with its launch in the Olympic year, Canon clearly had its sights set on Paris and therefore on professional sports, news and action photography. The EOS R1 is a special tool for this purpose, not an all-round camera. However, the price of 7500 euros is also sporty. In an online forum, there is a nice user comment: "It's ugly as hell, it has the power button on the right side, more than solid technical data and it has everything on board that a roving reporter needs for his work, including interfaces. Conclusion: a true professional camera."

Sony's flagship interpretation

Staying on the subject of professional cameras: Sony followed up with the Alpha 1 Mk II in November 2024 much more discreetly than with the Alpha 9 III bluster a year ago. (Detractors were teasing that this 1 was probably pretty much exactly what Canon fans had dreamed of as the EOS R1). In fact, it is an impressive all-round further development of the predecessor model, a fast 50 megapixel full-frame universal package for professionals. With a price tag of 7500 euros, the new 1 Alpha sits alongside the Canon R1 at the top end of the scale. (One has to ask oneself into which layers of the upper stratosphere this price development for bodies and lenses will lead. But that is perhaps a topic for the 2025 review).