Image: Consumer Technology Association (CTA) Today marks the end of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the annual trade show that showcases innovative technology and devices. While photography once played a more prominent role at the event, many major camera companies no longer participate, and headlines now tend to focus on flashy TVs and odd gadgets instead.
That doesn't mean there wasn't anything for photographers and videographers, though. We’ve rounded up some of the most interesting photography and videography-related gear unveiled this week so you can see what's new.
Storage
Computers are a core component of CES, so it makes sense that new storage devices are also fairly common throughout the show. This year was no different, with multiple brands unveiling new products.
Other World Computing (OWC)
Image: OWC
OWC made a few announcements at CES this year. First, the ThunderBlade X12 RAID SSD, which was announced last year, is now available with a capacity of 192TB. That's double the capacity of the original device. For video professionals, that much storage isn't out of the realm of reasonable, as Raw video files can be exceptionally large.
The drive is also fast, with promised speeds of up to 6600MB/s peak and 5990MB/s sustained write speeds thanks to its Thunderbolt 5 technology. OWC says it is the first and only Thunderbolt 5 RAID shuttle drive with this capacity in a compact form factor. The drive won't be available until "mid-2026" and no pricing information is available yet. However, the 96TB model costs $16,800, so be prepared for an eye-watering price to match the eye-watering amount of storage.
Image: OWC
OWC also announced a slightly more consumer-friendly product as an extension of its Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD lineup. The company's portable SSD is now available in an 8TB capacity, joining the existing 2TB and 4TB options. OWC says it is the first Thunderbolt 5 bus-powered 8TB drive. It promises speeds of over 6000MB/s with a large amount of storage for professionals on the go. It's also crushproof, dustproof and waterproof, with an IP67 rating. It's still not cheap by any means, with a $1700 price tag, but it is available for purchase now.
Lexar
Image: Lexar
This year marks Lexar's 30th anniversary of being in business, and the brand is celebrating at CES with a range of new flagship products. That includes the Lexar Professional Silver Plus microSDXC UHS-I card, with capacity up to 2TB. Lexar promises 255MB/s read and 180MB/s write speeds, but the V30 rating only guarantees the ability to sustain 30MB/s read/write.
Images: Lexar
The company also showed off the Lexar Air Portable SSD. It's a highly compact SSD that weighs just 17g (0. 6oz) and features a carabiner loop, making it easier to keep on hand. It comes in light blue or black, so you can pick one that fits your vibe. Lexar promises speeds up to 400MB/s, and says it offers two-meter drop protection. It's available in 512GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities.
Another SSD on display was the TouchLock Portable SSD. It offers a dual-encryption system with an integrated NFC chip and 128-bit AES hardware encryption. Each drive has a unique ID, allowing access only through a registered smartphone that you tap to unlock. It's highly compact (only 7mm thick and 40g) and magnetic, so it can attach to the back of your iPhone. Like the Air mentioned above, it's available in 512GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities.
Lexar didn't provide pricing or availability information for the new products, so we'll have to wait to see how those shake out.
Hohem
Image: Hohem
Hohem is best known for its budget-friendly gimbals and mics, but now, it's entering a new market: SSDs. The company announced its first SSD, aptly named the SSD-01. It's a smartphone-focused drive with a tiny form factor and a flip-up USB-C plug so you can more easily attach it to your phone for ProRes Raw and Open Gate recording on supported iPhones.
The drive comes in 1TB and 2TB capacities, and Hohem promises 2000MB/s read and 1800MB/s write speeds. It also offers two extra USB-C ports so you can charge devices or plug in accessories like mics. Hohem hasn't said when it will be available, but the 1TB will cost $219 and the 2TB drive will be $339.
Audio
There were also some new microphones on display at CES this week, aimed at creators using either phones or dedicated cameras.
Shure
The updated MV88 now features a USB-C connector for Android phones and modern iPhones.
Image: Shure
This year, Shure is updating the MV88, a small, stereo microphone made to plug in to the bottom of your phone via USB-C as an upgrade to your phone's internal microphones. It features an all-metal construction, and has the ability to both swivel and rotate, making it easier to point it at the audio source, no matter which way you're holding your phone.
As with most gadgets these days, there's a corresponding app to give you access to features like auto-leveling, denoising, and the ability to switch the microphone's pickup pattern.
The MV88 works with Android, iOS and most computer operating systems, and will be available later this month for $159.
Buy at B&H
Buy at Shure
SmallRig
SmallRig is continuing to push into the wireless microphone space with its new S70 system, which includes two transmitters with built-in lavaliere mics, a receiver made to mount on a camera's hotshoe and plug in via a 3. 5mm cable, a receiver designed to plug into a USB-C device and a charging case to keep it all running and in once place.
While the set may not have every feature under the sun – it doesn't support 32-bit float backup recording like the DJI Mic 3 – it's also only $90. The company says it starts to shipping orders to the US on January 12th, and to other regions three days later.
Buy at SmallRig
Buy at B&H
Cameras
Image: Dreame
While there were plenty of robots with cameras and security camera-type devices at CES, there weren't any major camera releases from familiar brands. However, we did see an action camera from a company best known for its robot vacuums: Dreame.
The Dreame Leaptic Cube looks remarkably like the DJI Osmo Nano, which itself is very similar to the Insta360 Go series. Like those, it's a modular camera that can magnetically attach to a pod with a screen, or be worn on its own. However, the Leaptic Cube offers 8K video in 10-bit with 50MP photo resolution and a Type 1/1. 3 sensor. Dreame also says the camera offers gyro AI image stabilization and 13. 5 stops of dynamic range. It promises 200 minutes of runtime with the pod, pre-recording, wireless control from the pod and gesture control.
There are also other AI features built in, including AI Scene Optimization, which Dream says will recognize scenes such as city nights and fireworks and then enhance vibrance, clarity and depth depending on the scene. It can also automatically edit portraits to "enhance your beauty" while leaving the background untouched.
It certainly looks promising for such a tiny camera. Pricing and availability still haven't been announced, but you can find out more at the Leaptic website.
Gimbals
Hohem
The Hohem iSteady M3 gimbals have built-in cameras for tracking subjects.
Image: Hohem
Hohem also introduced two new additions to its gimbal lineup, the iSteady MT3 and MT3 Pro. Both are designed to be used with mirrorless systems with 1. 4kg (3. 1lbs) and
2. 5kg (5. 5lbs) payload capacities, respectively, and feature an integrated fill light, but their big trick comes from their built-in cameras. They're not used to capture footage; rather, they allow the gimbal to track a selected subject, letting you focus on just moving the camera, rather than also having to control where the camera is pointed.
The iSteady MT3 can track humans, while the MT3 Pro is also capable of automatically moving the camera to follow pets, vehicles and arbitrary objects as well. The Pro also comes with a detachable remote that wirelessly shows you (or a camera operator) a live feed, while also allowing you to control the gimbal's settings and movements, if you'd rather not leave it up to AI.
Both models include a quick release plate and base, which lets you easily change your camera's orientation from horizontal to vertical, depending on what platform you're shooting video for. They'll be available for pre-order in the US starting on January 20th, with the standard iSteady MT3 going for $329 and the Pro model running $449.
. dpreview.com2026-1-10 17:00
